Your first block walk...

Hi Max!

We went for our first "walk" today. We'd played on the back deck, the front drive, and the patio, but never taken a walk to the park. I wanted to put you in the stroller, but you wanted to walk. Well, you went straight from walking to running and I walked fast to keep up. You were so excited to be out and walking. Every few steps you would stop and say "Car", "Ball", or something I couldn't understand. You walked on the sidewalk for a while and then we got to the corner. You got down on your hands and knees in the grass - it was like you were discovering the look and feel of grass for the first time. We kept walking.

You decided that walking on the grass was a lot softer than the concrete sidewalk. You kept your balance for the most part, but we walked nearly 1/4-mile before you finally let me pick you up and put you in the stroller. We went the last 1/4 mile and went to the park.

You immediately wanted out of the stroller. You nearly sprinted to the play area. Then you saw the three kids playing and you stopped in your tracks. You watched them so intently for several seconds. Seeing that it was safe and that they were having fun, you trudged in. You slid on the slide and climbed up the ladder. You ran around in circles in the mulch and discovered the rough texture and crumbling nature of a piece of mulch.

When it was time to go, you decided to make a beeline for the trees. You waddled over to the trees and then stopped to reach out and touch a pine tree. It pricked your hand and you let out a "Oh!" and looked at me with your big blue eyes. You recovered quickly and bent over to pick up a pine cone. There, squatted down for several seconds, you looked that pine cone over like it was the most interesting thing in the world. You ran your hand along the edges, you turned it upside down, rolled it in your hands, and then shook it like a rattle. Your curiosity was mesmerizing. I just stopped and watched.

I realized that I am discovering things in life for the second time. I am living again through your eyes, hands, and ears. You made me stop to re-discover the pine cone (and in fact, I kept it... as a memento of our first walk to the park). You made me stop and smell the roses today. I thank you for that. I need more of that and today was a perfect day for us to take a little walk. I can't wait for the next one.

To Your Success,

Max's Dad (Michael)

Just wanted to stop by to say, "I love you!"

Hi Max!

You're getting so big! I hadn't written in a while - so much more fun to chat with you in person! I just wanted to stop by to say, "I love you." You have no idea how much I love you. You are so special to me. You were in this nice, peaceful daze tonight before you went to bed. You were t a l k i n g s o o o o o s l o w l y and you were so c o m f o r t a b l e. =0) It was such a joy to see you so peaceful and content.

I just had to write. You're beautiful, you're my son, and I love you. =0)

To Your Success,

Max's Dad (Michael)