18 months and 6 inches of snow!

max had his 18-month check up during christmas sweat shop week (remind me not to schedule like that again...):

weight: 23 pounds (33rd percentile)

height: 31.5" (19th percentile)

the dr is pretty sure he was scrunched up for his length measurement, because he's always been in the 40th+ percentile, but he didn't re-measure.  so he's betting we'll see a jump in length at his 2 year check up.  at all the previous dr appointments, max was totally chill and even giggled when the dr. checked him out and tickled his tummy.  this time he picked up on a few things that he didn't like!  he was not happy about getting undressed, his head measured, his length measured, or sitting on the scale.  cried the whole time.  my only concern i brought up with the dr. is that max is seemingly going on a "solid-foods strike"--he refuses solid food, unless, of course, it's a doughnut or cookie or chocolate treat, pancakes with syrup, or tuna melt with pickles (!).  i can usually get one bite in him, but when i force another on him, he'll hoard it in his mouth until that and about 3 tablespoons of drool dribbles down his chin.  he is the smoothie king, however, so we load up everything from spinach/kale/carrots to any sort of fruit, then yogurt, wheat germ, oatmeal, flax seed meal, and sometimes protein powder.  he downs smoothies faster than david!  the dr. thought that was pretty awesome, and said he was probably getting more nutrients than any other 18 month old eating "normal" food!  he even said if we did smoothies like that every day, the boys probably don't even need vitamin drops!  smoothies it is!

at eighteen months, maxwell is the most loving, sweet, stubborn, and adventurous little boy--he is also our little peacemaker!  he is always up for a cuddle with his blanket (he drags his favorite blanket around with him like linus from charlie brown), and loves snuggling with his mama or daddy.  he is also always up for wrestling, being tickled, or climbing anything he can get his hands and feet to scale!  pace is still learning how to share with max, and he goes into time out from time to time for toy stealing or hitting.  when i sit pace in the corner for a time out, max toddles over and sits next to pace to be in time out with him!  he'll pat his head or rub his back, or lean his head on pace's shoulder for a hug.  pace responds by telling max to go away, that he's in time out, but max just sticks around.  this is particularly funny if max has just shrieked his banshee war cry due to pace stealing a toy out of his hands...       

 verbal vocabulary:  bup (up), beep (car--as in, go play in the car and honk the horn), mama, daddy, ball (he says this one with a british accent!), hoo hoo (when he sees an owl), doggie, bubble, pop (he exclaims with such enthusiasm when popping bubbles!), ooooh (for no, he says while shaking his head), peese (please--he has said this on a handful of occasions while signing please as well), yellow and umbrella (although both of these come out sounding a bit scooby-doo-ish), nana (banana), ghee (binkie), bzzzz (for bee and zipper), bebe (baby), doo-doo (choo choo train), dat (that, while pointing), uh-oh, boo (as in peek-a-boo), moo (for cow), and woof woof (for dog).

non-verbally, he understands everything we say to him--commands, double request commands, if we tell him to go find something in another room, he'll come back with it, go upstairs, brush teeth, time for bed, etc.  he signs please, help, all done, bird, and more, and points to most of the basic body parts--nose, mouth, tummy, hands, etc.  and he's very adept at the pointing and grunting communication method!    

max loves music, playing the piano and shaking his booty to anything we have playing--all while flashing that dimpled grin of his.  he loves playing with cars and trucks, ringing the doorbell, helping me vacuum, putting dishes in the dishwasher, cleaning up his toys, and nap and bed time.  he's pretty much weaned himself off his morning nap, it's just an afternoon nap for both boys.  sometimes i still ask him if he wants a nap in the morning, if he's acting tired or whiny, and he'll vehemently shake his head and say, "oooooh."

we love our little max attack!