Couldn't Resist

I just couldn't resist posting this picture of Max that Josh took. He is no little boy anymore. I have mixed feelings about this, though mostly good ones. He may drive me nuts a lot of the time, but mostly he just makes me smile.

Boston with Dad

Max loves the Backyardigans. He has loved them since we first discovered them, and close friends sent him a DVD player and four Backyardigans DVDs for when he was hospitalized and we have been hooked since. His favorite is Austin, but he really enjoys them all. He was visiting a friend a while back and saw an ad for The Backyardigans Live and really wanted to go. At first, I was really unsure about this as he really doesn't like big characters (remember the hiding from Elmo at Beaches) but when I researched it, I realized that they were just people in costumes with makeup, no big heads. We got two tickets and he said he wanted to go with daddy, so that morning, he got up, dressed himself in his "dress up sweater" and got in the car, around 7:30AM. He was ready to go. Unfortunately, the train left at 11. We eventually talked him back into the house, but he was really excited.

They took the train into North Station, then walked to the North End and went to Max's favorite place for a slice of pizza, then walked back and took the T to the show. Max really enjoyed it, until it started. Then he hid. :( When asked about it later, he said the people were too loud and that he didn't like Pablo's shoes. I guess Pablo kept running across the stage yelling about his shoes. At intermission, he had had enough and was ready to go. Josh called me to ask what to do, and I told him go get pastries and head home. No sense in making him stay when he wasn't enjoying it. I knew there was the possibility that he would be unhappy. It was worth a try.

They took the T back to the North End and went to Maria's for pastry, and then Max played in the new fountains that they have put in there. They have finally finished the construction and it really is lovely. I didn't figure out until I saw the pictures but apparently Max rode the train home soaking wet. Note to self - send spare clothes the next time they go into the city together. I always carry it, but hadn't thought to send it that day. They had to run to catch the train, but made it in time and came home in time for dinner. Max had a great time which was all that really mattered. It will be a while before we try another show, mostly because it was a lot of money to spend on something they only saw half of, but the trip to the city was definitely worth it.

Normal Life

I have been a bad blogger. I can't believe I haven't posted in almost two months. There just has not been that much of note going on. Life feels so normal. I even managed to make it past the month mark without worrying about how Max was doing. It has been really nice.

Max finished up at The Red Balloon in early June. It was sad to say goodbye, and will be nice when Lauren starts there in two years. It has been very hard to decide what to do for Max's school next year, but I think we have made a good decision. He will start kindergarten at a local private school in September. The classroom will be small and a neighbor's daughter will be there, so we can carpool and he will know at least one kid in his class, not that getting to know other kids has ever been a problem for him. We really haven't planned much for the summer. Instead, we have left things pretty open so that we can play it by ear. We have made many park/playground trips as well as a trip to the museum of science, the aquarium, and to grandma and grampa Richard's at Sebec Lake. Our weekends are so heavily planned already that we don't really have any free weekends until August. I have no idea how that happened.

I got Max a butterfly kit with caterpillars and we really enjoyed watching them grow. I was worried about how he would deal with them dying, but he was really pragmatic about it. He had us put them on the ground "so the bug can eat them and turn them back into dirt" which is what we did. We did release a couple of them after the first two died (they only live a couple of weeks) and got to witness one getting eaten by a bird. Got to love circle of life lessons. ;) Max found a baby turtle in the yard and helped his dad move it closer to the water (it was way up in the middle of the yard). He built it a little nest and was very careful with it.

Max has helped me do some gardening this summer, which has been nice. This is the first year where he has really been helpful rather than the opposite. Lauren, on the other hand, has more than made up for Max's helpfulness. But, Josh built a kids garden for us and I have been letting her do whatever in there. Hopefully next year, they will both be able to help out.

We are looking forward to a trip to Damariscotta for the 4th and then the next Monday, we head to MGH for a checkup and CBC. I can't believe it will have been two months.