The Summer of Camping Adventures

We've been doing a lot of car camping lately and Max has been hanging with some of his older buddies.  Mason and Griffin have been showing him some boy tricks!! Here are some pics of our camping adventures this summer.
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MMmmmmmm... S'Mores!

Max goes hiking!

Max and I went up to Mirror Lake a few weeks ago. Here is how it went... :)
Hike #1
Hike #2

Some pictures, too.

Max's Surgery #3!

At the end of June, Max had his third surgery. This was to fix the fistula in his soft palate, and was a second attempt to the failed surgery of last April.  Max walked into the hospital like a champ. He was on the cell phone and was dragging his slepp over suitcase like a little business man. He walked into the surgery unit, and cuddled up to the nurses right away, as if he's known them all his life. Someone asked if he knew them all.  No, he didn't!

 

I ended up getting to be with him for the anesthesiology part in the surgery room, which was so great, because I could then picture exactly where he was, and could help him go to sleep, which he did peacefully in my arms. Max had an amazing recovery - he was eating ice cream three hours after the surgery. We got to go home the next day (after a sleepless night). He did everything he was supposed to, so no need to hang out there anymore. My mom was able to come for the week after the surgery, ready to help with anything that we needed. Since Max was doing so well, it ended up being a lovely stay-cation for us, and we were able to enjoy the week together.

So much has happened!

It's been fun and busy. Max continues to love the outdoors. He has developed a love of carousels, has deepend his fixation with trains, has gone camping and has hiked! But best of all was his surgery in the last week of June, which, we all believe, has fixed his soft palate. He recovered beautifully this time, and all is still sealed up up there. He has even learned how to suck on a straw, something he couldn't do before. In addition, he receives speech therapy once a week and loves his speech therapist, Kalli! In fact, it's been really fun to observe how he's made connections with so many people. He loves to talk about his Tante Heidi and Griffin, Jemae, Rayy and Mason, his Uncle Hans, Grossmama and Grosspapa, Aunt Anne, Lala, and so many other people. Not a day goes by when he doesn't mention them at least once. He is surrounded by nothing but LOOOOOVVE! Enjoy the pics!

So much has happened. Little Maxito has definitely entered "toddler-dom" - he has (ahem) opinions, and isn't afraid to voice them... loudly... :) He has a sense of humor - -running away from Momma is his favorite activity. If he could, spend ALL of his time outside, walking, playing, chasing the cat, playing with his trucks, he would!!

Since the second surgery in October didn't work (ugh!!) we're back for another surgery at the end of June. Max is also getting speech therapy once a week. The therapist comes to his daycare. He certainly understands everything, but is not talking yet. Hopefully soon!

Below are some pictures. :)

Happy Birthday, Max!!

Dec. 28th