He cleans up good.

I would say that Max is most comfortable in jammies or comfy clothes.

This is straight out of the JC Penney catalog.

Max's Happy Feet

Max gets more mobile every day. It really adds some excitement to spending time with him. He has always been a little ham, but now that he can stand and walk, Max is a real show off.

He also started doing this "Lord of the Dance" thing we have dubbed "happy feet". Then, of course, there is his obsession with moving our furniture around. Non-stop entertainment!

Max's Second Christmas

This year was Max's second Christmas. He enjoyed it much more this year. It was fun to have Grampie, GiGi and Granny here to watch him open presents.

Just a good ol’ boy…

I have traveled (and lived) all over this great country of ours. Each region of the United States has its benefits. Beauty can be found in every state. That being said, I am glad that Max was born in Tennessee.

“What’s so great about Tennessee?” you ask. Aside from things like the Smokey Mountains, southern BBQ, biscuits and gravy and SEC Football, I would have to say southern accents. I love the way people talk in the south.

I know that my son is only a year old but I can already detect the “twang” in his speech. For instance, we were watching Alabama play Florida in the SEC title game a couple of weeks ago. Max and I were sitting on the living room floor playing with some big Lego blocks and glancing at the television. I was trying to get the little fella to say football. He can’t quite get the “foot” part down, but he has mastered the word ball. Only when Max says it, it doesn’t come out “ball”. It is a full blown, southern “baawwl”. Like most Tennessee boys the word ball practically has two syllables. When he says "hi" or "bye" he sounds like Holly Hunter's character in the movie "Raising Arizona".

He won't be truly southern until he utters his first "Y'all". Nevertheless, I should probably start saving up to buy him a pickup truck.

Happy 1st Birthday!

Max,

I can’t believe it has been a year already. You have grown so much in these last twelve months. I have grown, too.

I remember the moment you were born like it was yesterday. I had prepared myself for changing diapers and taking care of a baby. I was not prepared for the rush of emotion I would feel the first time I saw you. I didn’t know I could have such love for someone I had just met. I haven’t wanted to be away from you since that day.
Your smile and laugh brighten my day. I never get tired of hearing you say “DaDa” or watching you figure out things for the first time. I look forward to seeing what the next year brings.

You make me proud to be a Dad. I’m lucky to have you as my son.

I love you.

Dad

Anybody need a kleenex?

The other night Shannon and I were sitting on the couch watching our son play on the floor. He was jabbering and checking out everything. He crawled around the back of the couch and suddenly got very quiet. We knew he must be up to something. He had discovered a box of tissues on the end table. Sometimes the simplest things are the most fun.

I have always told myself that I won't be one of those parents that lets their children run wild. This was just so stinkin' cute that I couldn't help but chuckle. He was having so much fun that I didn't have the heart to stop him.

My Favorite Time of Day

Shannon and I have been very blessed to have a baby that goes to sleep at an early hour and sleeps through the night. Like clockwork, my little boy is ready for bed at 6pm. The problem for me is that I don’t usually get home before six o’clock. Many nights I get home only to find my son fast asleep in his crib. It always makes me a little sad that I didn’t get to see him before he went down.

In the last couple of weeks he has waited for me to get home before retiring for the night. (I suspect his mom might be letting his bath go a little longer these days.) Max is still ready to go to bed when I get there, but he is awake enough for a smile and a giggle when I walk in the house. I put down my things as quick as I can and then snatch up my baby boy.

He and I will catch up on our day and maybe wrestle for a minute. That is usually when Shannon gives me the “evil eye” and says, “You DO know it’s bed time, right?” That is when we head off to his room with a warm bottle.

I sit in the rocking chair with baby Max in my arms. I turn on the iPod player loaded with baby music and hand my son his “feel good” blanket. The feel good blanket is one of those small, swatch blankets with all the different shapes and fabrics sewn to it. Max likes to rub the corduroy triangles with his index finger while he falls asleep.

For the next 15 or 20 minutes he and I sit in the dark, Max drinking a warm bottle, listening to the soft music and gently rocking. It doesn’t take long for him to drift off to sleep. (Sometimes it doesn’t take me long either.) Even after he has nodded off, I like to hold him and relax for a few minutes.

I can’t think of a better way to end the work day.