Golly Gee. Big Guy's 3. Mickey. Mouse. Bouncy. House.

Hi Max!

Sun's Gold. Sunday's Started. 3-year-old's Birthday Party. Mickey. Mouse. Bouncy. House.

Everything was Mickey Mouse themed for this year's Big 3!

Grandmas, Grandpa, Great Grandma, Great Grandpa. Cousins. Aunts. Great-Aunts. Great-Uncles. Classmates. Classmates' Parents.

Blew all three candles out with ease.

For all the stress, strain, and worries about preparation, so many people, and weather... it was a day full of smiles.

Happy 3rd my little man!

Love you!

Blessings,

Max's Dad (Michael)

Max's One-Year Pics...

Hi Max!

Here are a few of your photos from your one-year shoot!

Love my boy...

Hi Max (eating a puff and throwing the Hook'em Blazers sign - gotta love it)!

Can't believe it's been over a month since I've posted. You've turned 1 and you've had your second Halloween and your second Thanksgiving. It's not that I'm busy. It's that I would rather just speak to you in person. =0).

I thank God before I go to sleep each night for 1) bringing you into my life, 2) that you are 100% healthy, and 3) that you sleep at night. =0).

It is so funny to watch you play ball with Lucky now. You are just so close to "getting it". You throw ball, Lucky gets it and rolls it back to you. You hang on to the ball a little long right now and Lucky gets impatient. Can't wait to watch you two play and play and play.

You're out of the Jimmy Jumper and the swing. No more of those two. Now, you are big on toys - truck, car, and blocks, tupperware - you have your own drawer of plastic things to play with!, and cans (Maxwell House of course! =0).

The bottom line is that I love you. I love you with all my heart and soul. Every molecule in my body loves you. You can cry, you can whine, you can tip over Lucky's water bowl, and you can get messy, and I'll still love you. We'll work on things, but I still love you. =0). You're a gift from God and a miracle (Maher-icle?).

Just wanted to say I love you and that I was thinking about you. Can't talk to you now, because you are a sleeping angel (please see #3 above). Can't wait to wake up with you in the morning.

To Your Success,

Max's Dad (Michael)

First Day of Daycare...

Hi Max!

Today was your first day of Day Care! Mom dropped you off this morning and about noon we both starting texting each other about how you were doing. Finally, at about 2 p.m., I decided to drop by after dropping off my dry cleaning. I walked in (through all the security) and spied on you for about 5 minutes. You were laughing and giggling. You were sitting on the teacher's lap and playing with a ball inside a ball. You were cackling your little cackle of a laugh. I almost teared up. There I was standing in the hallway, leaning on the wall, staring at you and the scene. Your eyes were so alert and you seemed so aware of your surroundings. It was incredible to watch you play. It was if I was watching my son, you, on television. Part of me wanted to open the door and grab you and just hug you so tight and another part, the smarter part, of me stayed in the background watching you play and get used to your surroundings. I should have known that you would adapt quickly...

Quicker than your parents. We texted back and forth all morning. We struggled with it while you took it in stride. I just love that about you. Nothing phases you and you're always happy.

It was the first day of day care and there were tears shed - just none of them by you. I didn't read about this in any of the manuals. Oh yeah, no manuals. Maybe that will be my next book. One of the chapters would be called "The First Day of Daycare." And I'd tell the parents not to worry because kids are adaptable.

I was proud of my son today - swelling with pride, in fact. It was so great to see you smiling, having fun, and so at ease in your new surroundings. You're awesome (of course, your name is Max). :)

To Your Success,

Max's Dad (Michael)

If this doesn't make you smile, nothing will.

Hi Max!

You love your new Johnny Jumper! This helps your legs get stronger so you can learn to walk faster. You're growing up so fast, buster. :)

Love that laugh.

To Your Success,

Max's Dad (Michael)

P.S. Here's the video!

The Car Jar...

Hi Max!

I was reading on Facebook and a note by Joe Stumpf caught my eye. 

> How To Create your Jar For The Car

The day my oldest daughter Traci was born, September 10th 1986 my best friend and mentor Milton Merrill said to me “ today is the day you start the jar for the car.”

I said “ what do you mean,” he said get a couple of empty 5 gallon sparkles jugs put them in you closet and every time you have loose change throw it in the jar because in 16 years you will need to buy her a car and hopefully you will have a your jar full which will be the jar for the car. 

I did what he said, and 16 years latter I saved $7,200 in penny's, nickels, dimes and quarters. A smart man once said to me," Joe when it comes to money most people overestimate what they can achieve in 1 year and underestimate what they can achieve in 5 years."

But when your commit to the long term, amazing thins start to happen. Saving $1.25 a day doesn’t amount to much over a month, but over 16 years it’s $7,200 and bought ½ a car.

What sort of life do you want to have in 5 years, 10 years, 20 years? 

Go to the website http://www.ingyournumber.com/ and discover how much money you need in the future to create a vision of the future you desire, then become willing to do whatever it takes to bring it into being. 

As you focus each day on the future you’re creating and keep taking action to continue bringing it into being, you’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish

As you continue to deepen your money making mindset you may choose to further embrace the wisdom of Woody Allen when he said, "Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons." 

Today ask yourself.. What can I start saving today that will have a big effect in the long term?

Joe Stumpf <

Today, I start my Car Jar for you Max (I have a change jar started and today it gets bigger and more important - behold The Car Jar!). At 16, I'll help you buy your first car. It will be some sort of tank and it will have a speed governor, but it will be your first car. :) 

Thank you Joe for the great note and the inspiration to consolidate my change to a specific goal. What was ordinary change, now has a name and with that name, a purpose. Max, remember that. Take what may be insignificant and taken for granted, give it a name and a purpose. For example, your mom and I have been going on Date Nights every Friday for several years now. What is Date Night? Essentially, it is time for your mom and I to quit thinking about our professions and focus on each other. Date Night legitimizes this time off and has now become something we both look forward to each week. 

To Your Success, 

Max's Dad (Michael)

Quick update on your head!

Hi Max!

You are doing so well with the helmet. We had a doctor's appointment yesterday and you went from a 19 (not good) to a 16 in a matter of 10-12 days! We can SEE the difference (especially at the front). I've been so proud of you with your smile and laugh. The helmet doesn't bother you. You've slept and kept your schedule. That helps mommy and daddy tremendously. 

You are getting much more mobile. I heard the cabinet doors open and close this morning. You are active in your walker, but still getting used to moving around. Sometimes you just like to sit in the walker and play with the toys. You're doing awesome, I'm so happy you are my son and I love you. 

To Your Success, 

Max's Dad (Michael)

You are such a trooper!

Hi Max!

You can say, "hi" now. :) At least I think it is "hi." I say, "Hi" and you reply, "Hi". 

I was really impressed at how you did for your helmet molding. You smiled and gurgled through the whole thing. I really feared you would cry at the mess, the tape, and the discomfort, but once again you amaze me at your positive and smiling attitude. You are one happy baby, Beebs. :)

Your family nickname is Beebs. Lucky Dog is Bubs (short for BubbaDog) and Sheri is not Bubs or Beebs, but another name close to that - but she doesn't like me calling her that name. But it goes so well with Beebs and Bubs, if you know what I mean. :) 

We get your helmet this week. I'm excited for you. At one time, I had a lot of apprehension, but after watching you handle the molding session at the hospital, I am genuinely excited to see you get the helmet and to see your head go back to round. You deserve it. You are so perfect in every way. As I have said before in this blog, I know you aren't going to be perfect, but I don't want any imperfections be because of something I or Sheri could have prevented. We're going to get you a helmet. We're going to get you braces if you need them. We will do what we can to set you up for success; however, success is up to you. 

We can wait on the "success talk." For right now, we're happy playing SuperBoy and Leap for the Skies. You're a lot of fun and we haven't even played catch yet. Your favorite toy is a toy Porsche (isn't that incredible:). It's a small white 911 that goes forward after you drag it backwards. You aren't too worried about the action, you just want to put it into your mouth. You play with that while jumping in your Johnnie Jumper. You REALLY love to jump. Jump and smile. Jump and laugh. You are sleeping as I read this, but I can just hear your giggle in my head from when you are jumping. It makes me smile. Play, play, play, my little boy. 

I'll write again after Friday's Helmet Session at the hospital. We go to a family reunion on Saturday. Can't wait for everybody to see you. They read this blog often so they know all about you. 

To Your Success, 

Max's Dad (Michael)

Happy New Year 2009!

<-- Max on New Year's Eve making like Al Bundy. =0)

Hi Max!

Happy New Year 2009!

I know you'll Let Your Light Shine in 2009. You are a child with everything in front of you.

I hope you'll keep your curiosity, your open-mindedness, and your innocent trust forever.

Your dependence will gradually become independence, then inter-dependence.

Your unconscious incompetence (you don't know what you don't know) will become conscious incompetence (you realize that you don't know) which will graduate to conscious competence (you know what you know) and to finally unconscious competence (you're in the zone, excellence just comes out of you without you thinking about what you are doing).

I'm looking forward to helping you along the way. Empowering without enabling, giving you rope, but not enough for you to hang yourself, and helping you discover new adventures while guiding you away from danger.

What an exciting year this is going to be!

Happy New Year!

To Your Success,

Michael