When one door closes, Max opens it

Max has been getting a lot of exercise the past couple of weeks.  The boy does not sit still- unless he is sleeping- which he did last Saturday for 15 hours!  After resisting all attempts at a nap, Max passed out at 4:30pm and only awoke once for a brief bottle snack before morning.

His new favorite pastimes include opening and closing doors, climbing the stairs, playing in the ball pit, and trying to walk.  He can take a few steps all by himself, but still prefers pushing around anything that is not nailed down (i.e.- kitchen chairs).  Max also stopped by one of his dad's basketball practices, which must have paid off, because he learned how to make shots in his baby basketball hoop.  The fact that he takes a break from putting the ball in his mouth is a milestone in itself! 

Max loves breakfast (11.17.12)

Love this new shopping cart (11.17.12)

Happy kiddos! (11.16.12)

So happy to see Daddy! (11.15.12)

Duck tub (11.14.12)

Welcome to my bedroom (11.13.12)

Obsessed with climbing stairs (11.13.12)

(11.12.12)

Ready for a picture and bedtime story (11.11.12)

This is what 15 hours of sleep gets you! (11.11.12)

Put me in, coach/dad! (11.10.12)

(11.10.12)

All done! (11.9.12)

almost walking! (11.8.12)

well rested and ready to play (11.8.12)

(11.7.12)

Max for President!

Today Max ventured to two polling places, received one "I voted" sticker, but did not quite meet the age requirement to cast a ballot. He is a responsible American citizen in training. 

Max's first time at the polls (11.6.12)



Where is my voting sticker? (11.6.12)





(11.6.12)



Field trip to Sadie's polling place (11.6.12)

Out with the hole and in with the drool

It has been two weeks since Max's palate surgery and as you can see, he is back to his old, smiley, wet self.  Emphasis on "wet".  Max has always been a wet guy; cleaning his spit-up is as commonplace as changing his diapers.  The great news is that since the surgery he rarely spits up, however, the amount of drool that pours out of his mouth is record-breaking.  We practically need a sump pump to keep him dry, and since we don't have one, he is always soaked.  But he is always smiling, which more than compensates for constantly saturated shirts (pants, socks, hair...).

Max's pre-op photo shoots (top- 3.26.12, middle- 8.20.12, bottom- 10.20.12)

Showing off the new mouth (11.5.12)




Back to his old tricks (11.5.12)

 

Max learned "touchdown"...the Giants could have used him (11.4.12)




Come on guys, nap time is over! (11.3.12)



(11.3.12)



Human water faucet (11.2.12)



Max and Daddy (11.1.12)



Slam dunk (11.1.12)



Trick-or-sleep?

What do you get when you combine a hand-me-down dinosaur suit and a Florida Gator jersey?  The perfect Halloween costume!  Max was Albert, the University of Florida mascot, for Halloween.  As if he is not cuddly enough, Max was extra cushy and soft in his Gator-themed attire.  He had a busy day playing with friends and trick-or-treating, but it was not enough to tire him out.  Even though he did not have a single piece of candy, he was on a "sugar high" all night.  The Max just does not like to sleep, but I would trade all of my treats for a few z's.


Happy Halloween! (10.31.12)






Which mascot is cuter? (10.31.12)

 

Where's the Max's candy? (10.31.12)






Hi Bean, I missed you! (10.31.12)





Gator on the prowl (10.31.12)



Get this thing off my head! (10.31.12)



Waiting for trick-or-treaters (10.31.12)



(10.30.12)

(10.30.12)

Favorite new hang-out upstairs (10.28.12)



Please read me this book! (10.28.12)



The storm before the storm

Sandy has nothing on hurricane Max.  The General's (a nickname taken from his favorite book, Drummer Hoff) wrath got underway days before hurricane Sandy made landfall.  After two nights at home, with fairly regular sleep and good spirits, the post-surgical honeymoon ended.  Max is experiencing pain and discomfort from his new palate and it has been a 24 hour-a-day job keeping him content (aka- distracted).  It certainly does not help that two new upper teeth are making their way through the top his sore, raw mouth. The typical "go-to" distractions, such as staring at pictures and videos of himself, looking in a mirror, reading Drummer Hoff, and jumping off the coffee table, have proven less effective.  So has Tylenol.  Max was supposed to get a follow-up flu shot this morning, but he was so upset that the doctor did not want to do it.  Poor guy.

Lucky for us, we had no damage from Sandy.  We did not even lose power.  But David and I did get two free days off from school.  Even a hurricane can have a silver lining.

 Max's arc (10.29.12)

Neighborhood Halloween party (10.28.12)

What channel is the Giants game on? (10.28.12)

These leaves were fun for 30 seconds (10.27.12)

(10.26.12)

Take a look at this handsome fella (10.25.12)

Happy to wake up in his own house (10.25.12)

10 months old at home

Three surgeries in exactly ten months- Max has been through the ringer and lived to smile about it. After sipping some formula (from a regular cup!) and chowing down on pancakes, Max was released late this afternoon. I am now enjoying the tune of his sleepy hum through the monitor almost as much as I loved our hospital crib sleepover last night.

The Brooks family surgical marathon of 2012 is officially complete!

Which button do I press to get released? (10.24.12)




Rare smile of the day because Sadie came to surprise Max (10.24.12)

 

Yogurt feels good in my new mouth (10.24.12)



Junky monkey

Max's surgery went well and his freshly repaired palate looks outstanding. We were surprised to also see that the scar on his lip is markedly improved (lighter and thinner) as a result of a cortisone injection. We are not surprised, however, by Max's incredibly loud breathing. He is a loud breather. But the drainage from surgery made him sound "junky" and "juicy"- slang medical terms for loud breathing caused by fluid. He received extra oxygen and breathing treatments for several hours, and after some careful suctioning, is breathing normally without any additional oxygen.

Although it pains me to see my little junky monkey in pain, I have treasured hours (possibly the longest stretch of his ten-month life) of holding him in my arms.

After surgery (March- bottom left, August- bottom right, October- top)

(10.23.12)



The General and his men (10.23.12)



Pre-op pro

In lieu of an alarm clock, we were awoken this morning at 3:30am by a teething Max looking for someone to bite. Despite a growling belly and tired eyes, he managed to climb all over the hospital bed and play with my phone. He chewed on both as well.

Max has come a long way from the raging, starving three month old he was in March, back when he was a surgical novice. We all have. David and I are by far the most calm parents in the waiting room right now. We don't see the light at the end of the tunnel- we are in it.

Before surgery (March- obvious, August- bottom right, October- left)

'Twas the night before surgery: Part III

Tomorrow will be Max's third and final surgery of the year. Turns out if you buy three surgeries you get one free- a palate repair with a bonus set of ear tubes. This is the largest and most significant of all the surgeries, but different because Max will come out of the operating room looking the same way he did going in. There will be no wondering. Or surprises. Or a new face waiting in recovery. Just our little woozy Max, in his bitty baby shackles- a familiar, sad, but thankfully, temporary sight.


Halloween practice run (10.22.12)



Topless art (10.22.12)



I will be sipping out of this straw in no time (10.22.12)