Let's play ball!

Max had another packed vacation day.  He must have known he would be doing a lot of fun things because he woke up at 5:40am to get the day started.

His first stop was Uncle Jordan's new apartment, where Max commented, "I like the building."  He got quite the bounce while dribbling a basketball on the terrace.  Later he played with Raya and her baby brother, Ari, in Central Park.  After running around on the playground he cooled off with frozen yogurt at none other than the Plaza Hotel.

Tonight Max had a blast at his first minor league baseball game.  On the way into the stadium he insisted, "I don't want to sit and watch, I want to play."  He rooted hard for the home team, the Ducks, and loved their mascot, who he affectionately referred to as 'Donald'.  During the 7th inning he snuck down to the front row, watched the game from right behind home plate and sang, "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" with Grandma.  Kids were allowed to run the bases at the end of the game; Max almost got to first, but he doubled back screaming, "Wait I need my mit!"

Root, root, root for the home team! 

Classic baseball game dinner- hot dog!

Running the bases with the big boys 

Max and Raya 

Look at all of these toppings!

Headed to the Plaza for some dessert

Max is pooped from waking over 65 blocks in Manhattan.  Correction- being pushed 65 blocks!  

Day at the Museum

Max spent the rainy morning at the Long Island Children's Museum and had fun exploring all of the hands-on exhibits.  

Behind the scenes or on air?  Max can do it all!

Fishing 

Max's favorite part of the museum- rolling the golf ball into the hole.

Bubble wall

Giant bubbles

Max made the elevator go up and down 

Max really likes to use scissors- he is pretty good at it, too

Pawley!!

Max's favorite truck- an excavator!

Manning the lighthouse 

Max is in desperate need of some new cups, but he disagrees. He loves his straw cups as if they are pacifiers, making them tough to toss, even when they are leaky and gross.  In an effort to get Max on board with a new cup, we took a trip to Target and let him pick one out.  He became obsessed with the cat cups (Pawley cups), and was hugging them like crazy.  Too bad he already has that cup and does not really use it.  Eventually he was persuaded to purchase two "big boy" water bottles.  Max proudly took his new cups to the cashier and ceremoniously disposed of his old straw cup in the store.  He has since asked for the old cup a few times, but hopefully he will get over it soon.

Beach boy!

Max went to the beach for the first time today and one thing is for sure- a beach bum he is not!  For three hours Max played non-stop- swimming, digging, dancing, and splashing in the ocean.  He also built sand castles, chased seagulls, and made lots of new friends.

"I want to go in the ocean!!!"

Baby crab to match Max's outfit

Rare break to visit his Pawley chair 

"I'm swimming!" (according to Max)

"Swing me!"

Ring-around-the-Rosie with Grandma 

Who needs a bucket?  Grandma's coffee cup makes a fine sand castle.

After playing at the beach all morning, Max stopped by the splash park on the way to the car.

Knocked.  Out.  

Max's big Adventure

Last night Max went to sleep in Virginia (actually in Delaware at 10:15pm) and woke up this morning in New York at Grandma and Pa's house.  He immediately knew where he was and what he wanted to do- go to the playground!  The highlight of the day was Max's return to Adventureland!  Last summer, at only 1.5 years old, Max impressed everyone by going on all of the kiddie rides alone.  One year and several inches later Max went on even more rides, his favorite being "Little Dipper", which left him elated and in his own words, "soaked!".

Good morning, New York!

Unlimited ride pass, please

Silly Max and Daddy!

Little Dipper with daddy...

...and again with Grandma

"I'm soaked!  I want to go on it again!"

Rejuvenated from a nap (under duress) and ready to get soaked some more at the pool

Oops

Max had yet another incident which left someone soaked.  Poor Norma!

Max loves Norma; good thing she loves him, too.  He peed on her and has been recounting the incident all day.  Is this his new thing? 

Max found his way outside all by himself while mommy was upstairs.  Time to increase security measures.  

I got you mommy!

Travel attire styled by Max: winter fleece pjs and 4th of July bandanna

No tears, no traffic, no surgery

With much anticipation Max was plucked from his bed this morning at 5:45am; from that point on he was in a positively excellent, and unexpected, mood all day.  When does waking up a child and depriving him of food go smoothly and tear-free?  Today.  However, despite Max being a star patient, he never really became one today.  When Dr. Redett met us in the pre-op area he explained that Max should have more extensive work done on his upper lip scar.  This requires more time both in surgery and recovery, as well as a follow-up procedure to remove the stitches (the planned procedure was going to use dissolvable sticthes).  Due to this last minute change we all decided it was best to reschedule the surgery.  It will be August 21 at 3:30pm.  Here's hoping that today's test run makes the fasting (for many, many, many more hours) bearable.  

Max was happy to be on the road at 5:45am.  After being reminded that he was seeing the doctor, the first thing he said was, "I want to hear the baby's heartbeat."   He was so excited to see the doctor that he did not ask for food or milk.  Incredible! 

Blowing bubbles and racing in cars with his new surgery buddy

Rescheduled surgery = pancakes at the Broadway Diner in Baltimore.  A Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives find, of course.

We really had a terrific morning!  Max asked to see Dr. Redett the whole ride home, so hopefully when we return to the hospital in a few weeks he will be just as excited.

No-surgery selfie

Surgery present, sans surgery 

Just when Max's day could not get any better, he found his long-lost friend, Harry the Happy Dinosaur, at Harris Teeter.  Max loves this ride (and for a penny a pop, so does his mom) and was devestated that it was missing the last time he was at the store.  The manager said it was stolen, and Max was told it "moved far away".  When we drove by the store today, Max spotted it through the window, and practically burst out of his car seat with jubilation.  "I found the dinosaur!  I'm so happy!", he exclaimed.  Aren't we all!

Fun today, surgery tomorrow

The General had another action-packed, outdoorsy summer day running on the W&OD Trail and splashing in the fountains.  He worked up a big appetite and devoured an adult-size meal at Chipotle.  

Tomorrow Max will have his fourth cleft surgery. Hopefully his huge dinner will keep him full since he cannot eat or drink anything tomorrow morning.  Max's past three surgeries have all been the first of the day, 8:00am, but that slot is reserved for the youngest of patients.  Now that he is a big boy, he will have to wait a little longer.  He will get new ear tubes and have the bump on the left side of his lip removed; Dr. Redett said everything should be done in an hour.  

Unlike his previous surgeries (when he was 3, 8, and 10 months old) this is the first time that David and I spoke to Max about what was going to happen.  While we only said that he was going to the doctor- which he loves- and that he could not have milk tomorrow morning- which he ignored and will freak out about- it signals the fact that Max has grown up so much.

By this time tomorrow Max will be home with a new (but cannot be improved) smile.

Max had more stamina than mommy on the W&OD Trail!

For the second day in a row we went to the muffin store and it was closed.  On the way home Max said, "I want to go to the bagel store, it's right there".  He was right.  Good thing they had muffins!

It was also the second day in a row for splash pad fun!

Kids meals are for babies! Big boys (and soon-to-be big brothers) need an adult meal.

Splash pads are the greatest!

"Swing me!"