On the mend

Max is definitely feeling and acting more like himself.  His rambunctious, two-year old behavior was back in full swing today.

Sunglasses are a must for a 7:00pm game of indoor basketball.

What a difference a day makes

The 24 hours since Max's surgery have gone much better than anyone would have anticipated.  The only challenge has been administering his pain medicine, but thanks to some careful parent-child negotiating, we have dosed the meds and managed to stay ahead of the pain curve.  

Max last had surgery at 10 months old, so other than crying, he could not really communicate his discomfort.  In contrast, Max now tells us that his nose hurts and asks to, "take it off" [the nasal stints].  It is pretty heartbreaking to hear.  Thankfully, however, Max spent the majority of the day in great spirits.  He was undoubtedly loopy from the Oxycodone, yet managed to shoot hoops, throw football passes, and eat a ton.  His four hour nap and longer than usual television time were also quite helpful.

24 hours and one bath later 

Did he really just have an operation?

The muffin man back in action first thing in the morning 

Hanging with his boys 

Amazing inside and out

Max's surgery went extremely well.  In his own words, Dr. Redett "opened him all up and moved everything around."  He fixed up the top and bottom of his lip, as planned, and also improved the symmetry of his nose. This is why Max has nasal stints sewn in.  They will be removed, along with his stitches, on Tuesday morning.  

Dr. Redett sent his nurse a message after Max's surgery: "Max B looks amazing!!!".  Not only does he look amazing, but this kid is truly amazing!  He was in a great mood all day, despite fasting, not napping, and being in a hospital for so long.  Dr. Redett was actually running ahead of schedule (like doctors usually do...ha) and was able to start at 2:45pm; Max fasted until then like a champ!  He had a blast playing ball with the nurses, who fawned all over him like a rock star.  Around 2:00pm he became fixated on finding a snack, but by that point he did not have the energy to get mad, he just sweetly repeated, "I want a snack".  We told him that Dr. Redett would give him a snack when he was all done, so he made David drag him around in a wagon looking for the doctor.  He only cried very briefly two times: when mommy had to put on scrubs and when he had the gas mask on in the operating room.  Surprisingly he was not scared of the operating room itself.  Since it was all white and silver, I told him it was a space ship and that he was going to outer space; he proceeded to tell the nurses he was going to fly.  However, Max hated the "astronaut mask"  (gas mask).  It took a few nurses to hold him down and he managed to knock everything off the table.  All of that was over in a matter of seconds and the General was off in outer space dream land.  Two hours later he woke up groggy, uncomfortable, and somehow more handsome than ever.  

On the way out of the hospital tonight, with a mouth (and fists) full of fruit snacks, Max said, "Dr. Redett found me a snack".  Even with a fresh dose of Oxycodone Max cannot forget a thing.

Home!  

Max did great on the car ride and is certainly happy to be home, but he is in some pain.  The poor guy keeps saying, "my nose hurts".

Surgery day! 

Popsicles for breakfast, laughs in the car, and games in the hospital.  Max had a pretty fun day until he woke up in recovery at 5pm.

This is not Max's first rodeo- 4th time waiting for his turn in the OR 

Getting Pawley ready 

Balling with the nurses at 1:30pm on an empty belly- incredible! 

Ready to go see Dr. Redett 

J-E-L-L-O

Can't get more handsome

Max's surgery is tomorrow at 3:30pm.  David and I have no worries about the operation; the main concern is starving the General all day.  He can have ice pops, jello, and "a special drink" (Pedialyte) until 11:30am, but after that the little guy will be running on empty.

The surgery was postponed until tomorrow because Dr. Redett decided it was best to not only remove the scar tissue (bump) on the bottom left side of Max's lip as originally planned, but to also lower the top of his left lip line by 2mm.  This requires more time in surgery, as well as a return visit to Hopkins next week to remove the stitches under anestisa.  As with all of Max's surgeries, there is no doubt he will be brave and heal perfectly.

4 pre-op photo shoots

Max got the case of the giggles and it was contagious!

Ice pop practice for tomorrow  

Hot day!

Max cooled off afterschool with his water table.  He is soaking up the last days of summer and the last days that he can get his face wet before his surgery on Thursday.

Friends!

Max and Sadie played with William and Daniel today.  Their mommies have all been friends for over ten years! 

Lately Max has not been the easiest guy to put to sleep, but tonight was different.  He asked for milk, took the cup, and said, "mommy go out".  Turns out all he needed was a night cap (and a stealth daddy to retrieve the cup an hour later).

 

Chicken dance

Max has been talking about going back to the farm ever since our trip to New York, so he felt right at home at Frying Pan Park.  He was a little disappointed that he could not ride the horses (they do not offer toddler pony rides like the farm in New York), but he enjoyed sitting in trucks and visiting animals in the barns.  His animals de jour were the chickens; he even did a chicken dance to their clucking.

Chicken dance!

A highly interested, but slightly scared Max said, "they can't get me".  Of course he later wanted to go in there, but came to the conclusion, "I think it might be locked".

"I want to ride on that horsey"

Not going to happen.  Plus they are cows.

"I can reach the pedals!"

Found a horse to ride!

Party boys

Max and Ben partied like frat boys this afternoon; they are already reliving their daddies college days. 

Armed and dangerous!

Ready, set, go!

Max could not even see over the table, and he still made so many shots! 

Virgin beer pong 

When life imitates weather

What a way to end the week- gorgeous weather, a fun afternoon, and a super smiley pre-surgery photo shoot .

Can't wait to get to Miss Miranda's!

Residual photo shoot smiles

HOV lane

Mickey is in the car seat, but monkey doesn't fit in the car seat so he gets to sit shotgun 

Good morning school photo - Max's new tradition

Are you ready for some...[Insert any sport here]

Sunshine day

The weather and Max were completely opposite than they were yesterday. Sunshine and smiles all around!

When Max got to school he was in a great mood.  He must have been feeling as handsome as he was happy, because he requested, "Mommy, take my picture".  

Max said he was saving the seat next to him for the baby.  He really did.

This new stand at the farmers market had a friend for Max...and dinner for mommy and daddy (shhhhh).

Dreary day

Weather and behavior were pretty gloomy today.  But it's supposed to be sunshine for the rest of the week.

Max had a great day at school.  Rain, but no tears!

Is imitation really a form of flattery?

Max greeted mommy with the most wonderful "Good morning!", a sign that his first day back at school would be a good one.  And it was!  He only cried a few minutes, then proceeded to play, eat (shocker), and nap (actual shocker) on a cot for the first time.  He was in great spirits at pick-up, hugged Miss Miranda goodbye, and said, "see you tomorrow". 

At home Max worked on football drills and played baseball.  After dinner (or rather in lieu of dinner) he went upstairs because he wanted to put Pawley to bed.  He imitated mommy's bedtime script verbatim, from singing Tomorrow (standing in the exact spot mommy stands in), to walking out of the room, standing outside the door, and then opening it and saying, "get back in that bed!".  He nailed the routine and it was absolutely hilarious.  Unfortunately, the real bedtime tonight had tears instead of laughter.

Max later tried to put his pj's on over his clothes and then completely stripped down and put on his football underwear.  Luckily he did not have an accident, but he did not use the potty either. 

"I wanna go in there"

Ready for school!

Is Harry really out of commission again?  Good thing there is a picture of him, along with free cookies, to soften the blow.

Max's first complete running pass of the season

Book worm

Max woke up early this morning, and instead of yelling to come downstairs immediately, he climbed into his chair and read to Pawley.  Through the monitor you could see and hear him reading Elmo Counts; when he got to the page with The Count he hugged the book.  Tonight during Goodnight Moon, mommy forgot to read the author's name; Max quickly said, "wait mommy say by Brown [Margaret Wise Brown]".  

Smarty pants Max is also a back[car]seat driver.  When daddy makes a u-turn he says, "oh you went the wrong way!" and whenever the car is in a parking lot he tells the driver to find a parking space.

Happiness is Chipotle!  Max is full of joy and an adult burrito bowl.

Max picked out a new hat at Target.  His first choice was a bicycle, but that will have to wait until December.

Reading time with Pawley 

Know it all

Now that Max talks non-stop it is becoming more apparent just how observant and smart he is.  He knows mommy, daddy, grandma, and grandpa's names.  We never taught him the names, and it is hilarious when he yells out "David" for daddy.  He can even say "Marissa", which is impressive, considering all of those S's.  Max can also spell his own name (lucky guy only has to remember three letters) and can tell you that he lives in Virginia; grandpa, grandma, and uncle live in New York; and grandma and aunt Arielle live in Florida.   

Max has started to bring up the baby on his own and anytime he sees a baby he says, "mommy has a baby in the belly."  He asks to touch it and puts his hand on mommy's belly.  Body parts are something Max is becoming more interested in.  He sings and understands, "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" with the best of them, but he also asks about and identifies other parts...

Tonight Max noticed daddy wearing a dress shirt (we were going out for our anniversary) and said, "Daddy don't go to work.  Daddy take your shirt off".  There is nothing that gets by the General. 

Max has been watching golf with daddy and has decided he wants to hit the "real golf ball" to the sky.  In reality this means under the deck.

"Mommy get up I want to drive.  Wait my feet can't reach the pedal!"

Thank goodness! 

Back-to-school haircut

Ice cream and I pads