Iowa State Fair

Adding to Max's year of firsts, Jason and I decided to take him to the Iowa State Fair.  A fun time was had by all!

Max on his way to the fair!  So many things to look at!

The two best guys I know!

Mommy, Max, and Clifford!

Daddy did Farrell's and so did Max!

Jason and me!

Max was worn out by the end!

I think we experienced all we needed to at the fair!  We walked around and took in all the sights (even a cow peeing, which really smelled!) and ate some great fair grub!  I had a corn dog and a deep friend snickers bar and Jason had a strawberry smoothie!  Yum Yum!

Park

We went to the park by our house! So fun! Max really enjoyed himself! The swing and slide were fun, but the wood chips were the winner! Go figure! ;)

Here is the link to a video of him swinging! Max Swinging

Max is 9 Months!!!

Max has his 9 month check up coming up on the 20th, but until then here is what Max has been up to this past month!

One of the highlights of this past month was that Max went on his first Rude Family Vacation!  Jason stayed behind to work and to work on finishing our basement, but Max and I joined the majority of the Rudes on vacation in Branson, MO.  There was a lot of swimming, getting kisses from aunts, and even a trip to the Dixie Stampede!

Max sat in the cart like a big guy for the first time in Branson!

Max with some other handsome Rude boys!

Max wanted everyone to know who he is rooting for in the Olympics!

We went to BBQ with TJ, Julia, and Jessica.  Max was pumped!

On the way back home!  So excited to see his dad!

We got a bit off schedule while on vacation.  While trying to keep him awake a little longer in order to take his nap on time, Max let me know that he just could not make it any longer and he fell asleep on the floor of the living room!

 We had such a great time on our trip and we're looking forward to next year with Jason!!!

Max's Likes and Dislikes at 9 Months:

Likes:

• His dad and his mom!  He loves playing rough with dad and cuddling with mom.
• Scooting around on his belly.  No crawling yet, but we are so close!
• Food, he still likes anything I give him.  A new favorite are pancakes even though he doesn't have any teeth!
• His crib?  Well, I think he does, he sleeps very well in it every night!
• Big boy jammies! 
• His cousins!  He is still so entertained by all of them!  We got to spend time with them on vacation and then his cousins on the Stopek side came to visit on Thursday!  We went to the park and Max loved watching them play!
• The bink.  He is happy as long as he has his bink, especially his new basketball ones!
• The tub!

Dislikes:

• Waiting for food.
• When he is in the car and the car stops moving.

I am sure there are more things I will add later!  Just can't think of all of them right now!

Off to put Max down to a nap!

8 Months!

Max turned 8 months this week! I know I say this all the time, but he is such a great kid! Jason and I love him so much!

Likes:
Food- really! Any food! He hasn't turned down anything regardless of the fact that he has no teeth!

Bouncing on his bottom when music comes on! He has some rhythm! We went to lapsit time at the West Des Moines Library, and Max LOVED it! He was totally in his element with all the other babies there to look at and all the singing and bouncing!

Social gatherings! He really likes to watch people and doesn't mind being passed around.

The pool! I am so glad that he likes the water. He will just sit and splash and watch the other kids play or float in his floatie and relax! What a funny kid!

His cousins! He likes all 15 of them (and even the 16th on the way)!!! We have had the pleasure of seeing Max's cousins quite frequently over the past few months and Max is entertained by them and loves laughing with them!

Remote controls! If one is in his sight, he will dive for it! It has caught Jason and I off guard many times!!!

Dislikes:
Vacuums. Especially when Daddy isn't there to rescue him and save him!

Clipping his nails. Okay, maybe it is just me that dislikes clipping his nails! I am always scared I am going to cut his little fingers by mistake.

When things go out of his reach. He doesn't crawl yet, so when things are too far for him to reach, he gets very sad.

Milestones:
He says both dada and mama, but I don't think he associates the words with Jason or I.

He sits so well on his own! He will occasionally go from sitting to laying on his tummy and then rolling over, no signs of crawling yet though!

Thankfully, he has started sleeping really well. He will sleep through the night and take naps in his crib!

Jason often says that Max has the sweetest faces. He really looks like he is empathizing with you some times and his smiles light up the room (and my heart!)

Three Rudes on the 4th!

As you may know already, the 4th of July is my absolute favorite holiday!  It is such a great day to spend with family, you can be outside, and there is no pressure for gifts!  It is a win, win, win!  This 4th was extra special because it was Max's first!!!  It was so exciting to share this great holiday with him and Jason!

We started off the day by going to the Urbandale parade.  It was super hot so we stood back from the street in the shade, but next year, I expect Max will want to be all up in the parade business!

Daddy got a flag for Max!

Proud to be an American.

My best friend!

After the parade, we went home.  Our little guy was worn out from the morning's festivities, so he took a nap!

When Max woke up from his nap, we went to pick Jason up after he walked in the Windsor Heights parade and went to the church camp for food, friends and the talent show!

Connor was so nice to take a break from playing with his friends to take a picture with Max.  He did inform me, though, that I should be quick so he could get back to playing!

After the talent show, Jason, Max, and I watched the West Des Moines fireworks!  I think Max liked them almost as much as I did!!!

What a great family to spend a great holiday with!

Also, be sure to check out my new blog for Dahl's!  You can find a new post each week at: http://www.dahlsfoods.com/meals-entertainment/recipes/author_list.aspx?a=1

7 Months!

Max turned 7 months yesterday!

Thanks, Rachael for this picture!!!

Likes:
1. Wrestling with Dad.  When wrestling (and even sometimes when he is not) he likes to give sloppy kisses!
2. Sitting on the floor and playing with his toys like a big kid!
3. Eating.  Basically anything.
4. Social gatherings.  He loves watching people, especially other babies!
5. Hugs.  We have a cuddler on our hands!!! :)

Dislikes:
1. Being alone.  He instantly knows when I have left the room and he is all by himself.
2. Shoes.  We really don't have any shoes that fit him and when we tried some on at the store, he cried.
3. When the remote or Daddy's cell phone gets taken away.
4. Getting boogers wiped from his nose.
5. Painfully waiting for those teeth to finally pop through!

Highlights from the last month:

My cousin Hannah, Max and I on a camel!

Maddie and Max

He is standing up like a big kid!!!

This little guy has captured my heart! 

What a little MAN!

Max continues to grow up right before me!  I love this little guy and am so excited watching him become a little MAN!

Lately, Max has been sitting and playing with his toys.  I don't know why this is so cute to me, but it just is!  He looks like a big kid and he can entertain himself for long periods of time!  Win, Win for mom and dad!!!

Max is so excited to be sitting and playing with his fish book!

He loves social situations and can't get enough of watching people and every so often, he will even start babbling to interject his opinion on the topic to many conversations!  The other night we were at my parents house and Max was so busy watching his cousins Hailee and Brody that he tuckered himself out far into the next day!

This past Saturday was Jason's birthday.  I tell you what, in my humble opinion, there is no better man than Jason!  I am so pleased that Max will get to grow up with such a great role model! (and that I get to be his wife!!!)

Our friend Rachael watched Max for us so that Jason and I could go out on a date!  We went to dinner and then to All-Play to play some games!  Our favorite was Wheel of Fortune.  We often play at home while watching it on TV, so it was fun to actually feel the pressure of being in the hot seat!  :)

Happy birthday to my wonderful husband!!!!