Happy 2nd birthday to Max

This is seriously a bittersweet post. I can't believe how fast the last two years have gone by. I know everyone says that, but it is so true. It's crazy how it always seems like you can't remember life without them once they're here. Max is my "Baby Bug". He has so much personality and is a total mama's boy. Carl laughs at me for giving him a "Ron Burgandy hairdo", but I absolutely adore his curls. Carson has always had the buzz or a mohawk, but I couldn't imagine Max with a short cut. His little body still has the softest little rolls. I could, and do, kiss attack him all day long. He doesn't know as many words as I'd hoped right now, but boy does he know Mama, Mommy and Mom. He is a total charmer and gets so much attention when we're out of the house. His eyes are piercing and his laugh is infectious. He's still a total klutz and super uncoordinated, but he's getting better everyday. He started off through his first birthday as a little angel and quickly morphed into a terror. That is a good thing though. Most days. He is obsessed with Bubble Guppies, the color blue, trains (or "doo doo"s as he calls them), cats (which he calls "meows") and all things BMW (which is "Daddy wheel!" in Max speak). He'll stay outside all day long if you let him, just like big brother and you can often find him yelling "Shoes!" around the house to let me know of his plans. He will eat any and everything, except for chicken nuggets and cottage cheese. Really, he eats every single vegetable, including stealing lettuce out of my salads with his hands and running off. He's just really started to discover giving big kisses and hugs and we don't get punched quite as often at the request. He recently found out how fun it is to be naked, so there's that. Lately he'll give me a certain look and I see me. I never thought I'd have that in a boy, especially since Carson is Carl's little clone. And all around he is such a joy to have in our life. I can't ever imagine another day in this world without our boys.

Happy birthday to my oh so handsome big baby.

I have this photo on the left framed from the day Max turned 9 months. Something about it always strikes me because you can really see his softness and his chubbiness. I wanted to do a reshoot of it now and I am taken back at the difference. He looks like such a big boy now!  :) and :(   (and I've learned a lot more about lighting since then...LOL)

Carson refused to get in with him for a photo, but happily offered to take some. I'm so proud of him for taking an interest a little in my passion too. He is obsessed with what Daddy does and I often get left out of that part. I have to remind him often that I do work too! Max didn't want to cooperate, but with Carson's skill level I'll definitely take these any day.

That's one awkward kiss. :)

This was from earlier in the week. I thought I could get a quick shower in before it was his nap time and he fell asleep on his little couch before I was done. Sleep in the light always equals photo op!

Carmel-by-the-Sea trip 2013

We are so lucky to have gone to California for the sixth time and included both boys for the first time. We knew every other trip we think we want to go solo and realize how much fun they'd be having there with us instead. We couldn't go without them. It was definitely exhausting with them, but we did a lot of napping while driving around and had fun exploring. I have SOOOOO freaking many photos that this isn't even the extent of them, but as far as I could narrow it down so I could just get something posted. I'm so far behind on posting bigger events this year! (preschool graduation, t-ball, Carson's 5th birthday...and 4th birthday for that matter.) This post is a big mix of actual camera photos, iPhone photos and instagrams.

Carson was so excited to go on a plane since he hadn't been since a baby. Only a few minutes into the flight Max crashed on my lap, totally unexpectedly.

We always have to fly into San Jose and drive down to Carmel. We had really been wanting to go back to the redwood forest again and knew the boys would love it. Carson was fascinated with finding banana slugs after we saw our first one. 

 

That night we went to a pizza place in Monterey for dinner. While we were waiting for a table Max went ahead and caught himself on the concrete with his face. This was one of the biggest knots yet.

Our rental house...

We all went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium on day two. What a great place. We went here the first year when I was pregnant, but it was a must with the boys. As we walked in Carson asked me if there would be a hammerhead shark, to which I said probably not. Much to his dismay.....there was. When he saw the shark in an enormous clear tank he parked his butt in front and didn't move. I absolutely love watching the boys in situations like this.

 Max fell asleep, again. Shocker. We were at the aquarium for a very long time.

That night we headed back to the beach in our neighborhood called Ribera Beach. This area is much more rocky than Carmel Beach that has actual sand. Some of the houses along this area are just not fair.

 See, lots of driving and sleeping.

 

 I think this was actually in the morning right before going into the aquarium in downtown Monterey.

 The famous cake is ALWAYS a destination. Just look at those beauties. Yellow cake with bananas, whipped cream and walnuts. I die.

 The next day we went for a drive down Highway 1. We ended up pulling into this state park that they said was just a short flat hike to the ocean. It seemed really far, especially with the boys, and it wasn't just coming up to the ocean at the end. 

It was a big water crossing. The water was freezing, it was insanely windy and we all had warm clothes on so we had to roll up our pants and go. It turned out to be really fun since you end up on this area out in the middle of the water. That group to the right was people doing yoga. haha  We then hiked back out the other way around and found another water crossing in the trees.

Next we stopped at another area we went to our first year, but much of it was closed for construction then. We still went around, but it was blocked off and we probably shouldn't have.  This year the trail was finished so you walk around a trail in the cliffs and end up over these two coves, one with a waterfall and the other a gorgeous private beach. So worth the trek in.

That last night we spent playing at Carmel Beach. This one is essentially a big sand box next to the water. The boys were in absolute heaven. We grabbed a small bucket and shovel kit at the store and let them go to town.

California dreamin'.......