::scootin' (backwards)::

(No chubby kids were harmed in the making of this blog post. Maybe they're weren't immediately picked up when they wanted to be, but that's a whole other story.)

My little little guy has started scooting a bit. But not forward, where he'd like to go. Backwards. Always backwards. It's because he's not bothering to do anything with his feet, just his arms. And every time he pushes against the floor with his arms he goes backwards, which really isn't what he means or wants to do.
But I think he's happy to be moving at all.

Yesterday he was hanging out on the floor of our big room--the carpeted floor that I wanted just for things like this--scooting crawling babies.
He's on the floor playing with toys, and suddenly I realize that he's halfway across the room, but still facing me. At that point he was having a good time with it.

And he scooted on. Suddenly he realized that he had scooted rather close to the guitar that was leaning against one of the walls. This was cool and exciting.

And actually rather captivating, really.

This is where things started to fall apart. I think he really really wanted to go for the guitar. So he started to try.








He was extremely annoyed with me for giggling and taking pictures instead of helping him go the right direction. What a mean mom.
I'll have you know though, that as soon as I was done being amused and taking pictures of his frustration, I picked him up and comforted him. I had too, he's too adorable. I can't help it.

And that's the scooting report for today.

::first ride::

Last week Kris took Max on his inaugural "real" bike ride. They went four whole miles down the rail trail.

This is impressive because in the past you could hardly get Max to walk, run or ride seriously for much more than a couple of minutes without a meltdown.
Maybe things have changed--at least a bit. But that's the whole reason why we hadn't gotten him a bigger bike before that bike race. He just wasn't that interested, and certainly not dedicated to going fast or long.

So we'll see how it goes from here. No pushing, just gentle encouragement.
I think it was fun for Kris to get Max into watching the Tour de France this year--the bit he watched seemed to rivet him. We'll see if any interest continues!

(storm light--monsoon season!)

::new toy::

Sandy got a new toy today--I think his big brother might be more interested in it than he is. If only Sand would listen better he'd know exactly how to play with it right.

These guys get along so well. I love seeing them together. Hopefully this kind of relationship can continue for them forever!

::new bike::

If you think he's pretty proud and excited about this bike you'd be right. And who wouldn't be proud of this blazing yellow fancy thing?

Max's Frazer Mountain Wreck

This is Kris--Ginna insists that I report on all things bike racing. This past weekend we went up to Taos Ski Valley for a mountain bike race.

This was the second year that we've done this. We went last year, got a good deal on a funky condo for the weekend and had a great time. There is a kid's race in addition to the adult race and last year Max got really sick the day of the race and wasn't able to race. It was too bad because the age split is age 6. Last year, he would have raced in the under 6 group with a bunch of toddlers and done great. This year, however, he got to race with the 7 and ups, who were significantly bigger and faster than him.
Max has been really nervous about this race. He was faking injuries and illness the whole drive up to Taos. When I saw the field of boys he was going to race against--four 10-year olds--I knew it had potential to be demoralizing. And it's not like it's that big of a deal if he doesn't like to ride or race bikes, but since it's all I want to do it would be fun if he liked it too. This year, he really watched the Tour de France and so I thought it could be a breakthrough year if this race was fun.

Max practiced by racing around the lodge and little town, while he got up the courage to race. We were excited that he seemed to have the courage to try. I tried to get him ready by reminding him that I never win races (very true) and that racing is just to challenge ourselves and have fun, but that's a tough lesson when you're 7.



The raced started and Max was instantly in last place. It didn't help that he was racing on the bike we bought him when he was 3 and the other boys were on the nicest kids bikes you can buy.


Max has a tendency to quit doing things when he knows that he will lose, but he kept on riding in his race, even though he was well into last place. We cheered him through until he came into the final stretch and wrecked using the coaster brake on his toddler bike.
The EMTs were right there, fresh from aiding in a life flight mountain rescue ( I found out Monday at the hospital that the guy was ok) and ready to patch up Max.

Sandy didn't get too caught up in all the action. He just played in his backpack, enjoying his rain cover.

In the end, Max was just fine and he even says that the crash was his favorite part of the race. I think he liked all the extra attention.

And after we got home, I bought him a real racing bike, so at least we can't blame the bike next time.

::bike race video::

More reporting to come later.

::who's ready for breakfast?::

::long overdue::

And I mean this post is LOOOOOOOOONG overdue.

At Christmastime I was surprised by a package from my dear friend Rachel. Rachel is an amazing person that I feel so lucky to know. She was friends with my mom first, technically, but now she's mine too. Thanks to the internet, blogging and such we've been able to keep track of each other's lives and keep in touch.

Anyway, she sent a gift for both Max and Sandy. So so nice, right? But just wait. It's nicer than nice. She made the stuff by hand.

I will show you now. But first I want to say this. There is one benefit for me having taken so long to post this. We get to see baby pictures that are now old. Baby looks so much different now and seeing the old pictures from December and March is fun.

First of all, she knitted a little Yoda guy for Max. I don't have a picture of him handy but he was super cute and Max loved him. He fit perfectly in with the Star Wars sleeping bag Max received from his Grandma.

But Sand was the one who really scored. He got an amazing hat that Rachel knitted.

(He's only about a month and a half in this picture. SO CUTE AND NEW!)

Isn't that a gorgeous and amazing looking hat? Sand wore it all winter and I got so many compliments on it. It's just different and gorgeous.

Awwwwwwww. Back when he used to sleep in his carseat.

AND he got a jacket. He had to grow into it a bit, so in these pictures it's March and he's about four months old.



The jacket matches the hat of course. I think it's amazing. So cute.



Rachel is amazing. She has a great big family with all sorts of cute kids. She takes great care of them. She's creative and fun and crazy and gorgeous and such a loving friend. I just feel so lucky to have her as one of my buddies.

Thanks again for the gifts Rachel, they're such treasures--just like you!

::buddies::

I meant to post this forever ago, but oh well. There's a lot of that happening around here, and it just has to be acknowledged and then ignored.
Anyway....
Max has a great friend here in our ward. Her name is Emily and the funniest part about her is that she's only four. She's four, but you wouldn't know it. She's such a funny, precocious, crazy girl. She and Max get along so well and she adores him with all her little heart. He likes her pretty well too, but I don't think you'd catch him admitting it.
We had Emily over a couple of months ago (long enough ago that there was still a bit of a chill in the air). I took a few photos and they were just so funny I had to post them.

I fed them lunch outside in the courtyard, and their conversation was hilarious. It always is, really.

And if you think maybe Max is too silly for Emily I'll tell you. She gives as good or better than what she gets.

They make quite a goofy pair of friends.




Hams, really.
Sandy isn't ever sure quite what to think of the two of them.
Emily likes him a lot, but I think she's not sure what to do with him.

She's the youngest in her family by a ways, and babies are a strange and wonderful thing.
She wanted some pictures with Sand, but wasn't quite sure how to pose with him.

We tried.


So there you go. I'm so happy that Max has a good friend out here (she's one of many cute friends in the ward, really.) and it's so fun that they can hang out. I'm so glad to see Max getting along great with a younger child. It's so great, especially a guy who was an only child for so long.
And Emily is SO darned cute.