Happy New Year!! 16 months.

It's good to wave 2008 goodbye with a thank you and a firm handshake and accept 2009 with a great deal of optimism. All things in perspective, 2008 had some good times and as far as Max is concerned, it was an incredible year of discoveries. He's still not talking or saying anything that anyone would recognize as cognitive speech. But he is making a lot of interesting sounds and demonstrates a type of inflection that sounds like speech, it's really cute to listen to him carry on. Max has a distinct discovery sound. "Ahhhh", it's hard to describe and I'm going to try to record it and make it available. But it's a sound that he makes when he either sees something for the first time or revisits something like a toy that he's had for a while and forgot about or a flavor.

Christmas was interesting for him because he still doesn't get exactly what's happening or why we're making such a mess (wrapping paper everywhere) when he's told not to do it. Maintaining a decorated Christmas tree was a challenge. We weren't sure how this was going to work out and he maintained control with the decorations for a while but his curiosity proved too much and he made quick work dismantling the lower half of the tree. We pulled Max off the tree many times but he simply ran to the other side, grabbed a piece of garland and then watched what we'd do, it was trying. We dressed him up as one of Santa's helpers for Christmas eve but he didn't make it to midnight, it was just too late past his bedtime.

Santa was good to Max as he represented one of his assistants at the pole. He received some cool outfits and some toys like his "possessed" mechanical Elmo (without a volume control), an electric guitar with pre-recorded songs and a few other things.

Needless to say, I think that Max flicked the angel he was born with off one shoulder and became quick friends with the imp on the other. He's discovered the fine art of mischief and likes being chased, enjoys giggling and apparently how things change when they break, yea--it's been trying. The living room has now been converted to mostly an empty room except for one couch with a droopy cover, a sad little wooden table next to the door that's serving as our junk-holder and our mangled little Christmas tree. Everything has been taken out of the living room that is alternately Max's runway. We clean his room often and he re-decorates a few minutes later. He seems to like the way things sound when they fall on a nice clean floor. Honestly, I love it, I won't speak for Amy but I love his mischief.

He'll do something naughty, clap and look at us with a cute smile and cheer, "ayyyyyy". Then it starts, "Max, that is not yay...". I don't like telling him that because he melts down, he looks really sad and seems to understand that there are just some things that a little boy should not do. He whimpers for a little while and then rushes to you for instant approval and a hug. I love it!

He's still a dump truck when it comes to food but he is starting to show certain likes and dislikes. Surprisingly, citrus is one of the things he seems to not like anymore. I suppose that as he gets older his taste will become more discriminating. I think that as long as we don't introduce him to Happy Meals too soon and keep him on home cooking he'll be fine.

He's also starting to show more shyness in environments he's never seen before and cowers a little in front of strangers. I read somewhere that this is actually a sign of emotional maturity as he's starting discriminate and make his own decisions in regards to safety.

I can't think of anything else right now other than to report that he's a happy and rapidly growing little boy. It's tough though as I still call him "baby-max" and still has that baby-smell. No, not the poopy diaper and spit-up milk smell. It's that baby-smell that's hard to describe. Sort of like a new Jeep or a new computer... No, it's even better than those things.