Friday, February 24, 2012

Words of Wisdom I Wish I'd Written...

Hi Max!

My oh my, you have grown. Looking at your baby pictures and looking at you now... it just amazes me at how time flies. You are such a "big boy" now with potty training, your language, your color and shape recognition, and your coordination. I was reminded of a poem by Rudyard Kipling that I really want to share with you: 

If by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream---and not make dreams your master;
If you can think---and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:.
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings---nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And---which is more---you'll be a Man, my son!

This poem will make more and more sense as you grow up and you should dedicate yourself to reading it once per year forever. I love you and am lovin' every minute of it with you. 

Blessings, 

Max's Dad (Michael)

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Wordle.Net Word Graphic for www.LittleMaher.com...

Hi Max!

This is a summary graphic called a "Wordle". At www.Wordle.net, you can create word graphics of your blog, Web site, or anything else that has an RSS feed. 

Wordle: LittleMaher.com

Love to see this develop (did this a couple of years ago). Great to see words like LOVE, HAPPY, PROUD, and FIRST (so many firsts for you this year). So HAPPY that I have been there for so many of your FIRSTS. I LOVE you and I am so, so PROUD of you.

Pretty cool graphic!

Blessings,

Max's Dad (Michael)

Sunday, February 5, 2012

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!

Hi Max!

I was so proud of you yesterday! You scored your first goal ever in soccer! Your first competitive score! Unfortunately, you didn't get to see it as you were tripped up and fell hard on your knee. While you cried tears of pain, I teared up with joy. You even scored it with your left foot! You have come a long, long, long way in four weeks. From not wanting to even engage and saying, " I don't want to..." to now, when you are the "SuperSub" you are ready to go back into the game! So proud of you! 

Speaking of being so proud of you, have to relate a story from a few days before that - it makes me smile and will make you smile down the road. I was out of town speaking - which is an every week occurrence now. I got a call from Mommy, or at least I thought it was Mommy. It was actually YOU! I answer, "Hello." You say something but I couldn't understand it. Mommy says, "Max has something to tell you." You said something and I still struggled to hear you. Finally, I heard you say, "I pottied and pooped all by myself." I was so excited that 1) I could actually understand what you were saying and 2) you were so happy that you wanted to call me to tell me the big news. I said, "I am SO PROUD OF YOU!" 

Here is where the story gets good. I guess you were playing in your room and then went to the bathroom, took your pants down, and pottied and pooped - by yourself for the first time. Then you ran to the kitchen where Mommy was to tell her - with your pants still around your ankles. =0) Haha. Mommy asked you, "What did you do?" You said, "I pottied and pooped by myself" with a big smile on your face. You were so happy. Then you asked Mommy, "Do you think Daddy would be so proud of me?" Awwww! And Mommy being the good person she is said, "Well, we should call him!" It was great that I said what I said! I AM SO PROUD OF YOU!

You are growing up so fast - and yet I am so happy that I have been there so much to be a part of it. So blessed to have a career that allows me time to be your Daddy. 

Congrats on your first goal - and another goal - your first potty and poop on your own. =0)

Blessings, 

Max's Dad (Michael)

P.S. Pictures coming soon!