Max's turns 2!

I can't believe it, but Max turned two on December 31st. He got to have cupcakes twice (which Gabe has already put in his demand request for two birthday parties this year) because we were lucky enough to have visiting Grandparents at his actual birthday but put off his kid party to a better weekend, since most folks aren't planning to attend a kid play date on New Year's Eve. As you can see, Max was down with that plan.

We got Max the Thomas the Tank Engine Dieselworks Take N Go Set for his birthday, and I'm not sure which child was the most excited about it. Max is completely obsessed with the newest Thomas movie "Day of the Diesels". It's a fairly new obsession, expressed in constant demands to see the movie and constant refrains of "Daaaaaay Diesels! Thomas! Percy! Daaaaaay Diesels!" pretty much most moments he's not watching the movie. Gabe claims he doesn't like that movie anymore because we watched it too much...yet every time it's on he sneaks in to watch surreptitiously from he sidelines. Max also got some really cool presents from his Grandparents and Cousin Dayna sent him some cool letter blocks that he likes to stack up and knock over with a train.

A week later we had a kiddie playdate party for him. with Elmo cupcakes and a gaggle of awesome kiddos running a muck. For some reason most of the pics I took came out super blurry - I don't know what happened! We made mini pizzas that the kids got to top themselves, and then we had the BEST GF chocolate cupcakes I've had to date. I'm gonna do a separate post on them, because that recipe was a keeper! 

Then all his friends helped Max open presents, mostly one handed since he got a small Diesel 10 train and pretty much hasn't stopped clutching it since Saturday. Gabe and Ben desperately want to play with it, but Max is fully defending his turf, and no one plays with Diesel 10 but Max. He may only be two, but he's got enough pluck for a pack of kiddos. Happy birthday, Max!

Max in a hat!

 I know I already shared some of the Portrait Innovations photos from our shoot last weekend, but I was going through them again and saw a couple of shots they took right at the end where the gal plopped a hat onto Max's head. He kept taking it off, and he almost looks like he's dancing with his little black hat and kicky feet.Since he wouldn't keep the hat on, we don't have many of these. Maybe we'll have to get him his own little fedora for home, though - what a cutie!

Max's 1 year photos...only a little late!

We were so crazy at the holidays we just didn't get pics taken of Max at his first birthday. We had an appointment, then everyone got sick, we cancelled, and kept putting it off... When we finally rescheduled, the photographer told us they've had folks come in for "1 year" pics...at 18 months+! so I guess we aren't that late, lol.

We got a couple of family pics, plus a bunch of Max by himself. the boys were so giggly and funny. We bribed them to sit still with lots of M&Ms, and they got to play legos in the lobby, so it was a pretty fun morning for them. Max may be the most photogenic one - he was often the only one of the three looking directly at the camera for group shots. Here's a few of our favorites from the session:

That's our family!

Gabe

Boys

Max

Ben Eating M&Ms

M's are yummy!

Gabe

Ben

Max

Best Buddies

Thumbs up for age 1!