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We're enjoying Halloweek! We've already had three fun chances to dress up and we have two parties tomorrow! I just wanted to document a couple things.

Max turned 20 months this week. His memory astounds me. The other day we were low on laundry and I found this Lighting McQueen shirt that someone had given me. Max likes to watch Cars at his Grandma White's house. As soon as he saw the shirt he said "Please Please Please!" to put it on. He was reluctant to take it off at the end of the day but I got it off and in the hamper. A couple days later he was by the hamper, opening it, taking out clothes saying "big cars big cars!" (that's what he calls "Cars"). He slept in it that night, yes, out of the hamper.

Speaking of cars. On Thursday I went visiting teaching. This was only my second time seeing this particular lady. The first time was a month ago. As soon as we got to her door Max started saying "big cars! big cars!" because LAST MONTH when we were there she got out some cars toys for him!

Also over a month ago we visited Centennial Farms for playgroup and there was a cow there that just kept leaning over it's gate saying "mooo mooo!" . This week we went there again. We were just in the parking lot and he remembered where we were, he started saying "mooo mooo!".

Another thing Max really loves are "choo-choos". Yesterday at our church music class he saw my friends little boy, Benji, and started saying "choo-choo, choo-choo" because last time we had class he was wearing a Thomas shirt. Seriously this kid is getting to be so smart!

Just wanted to add also, knock on wood, but I feel blessed that Max isn't particularly interested in the toilet or the garbage.

and also, funny story, well in retrospect. I REALLY needed a shower this morning. Max was watching Curious George and it seemed to be keeping his attention. I thought a five minute shower couldn't cause too much damage. When I got out I heard a clicking noise, I figured he was just playing with some toys. No, he'd come upstairs, was in my bedroom playing with the stapler! and an underwear drawer had been completely emptied all over the floor. 5 minutes!

I have these downloaded so I'll just throw them on with this post. Max talks and signs so much these days. I try to get it on video but once the camera turns on he doesn't always cooperate. Here are a couple attempts. Click on the link and not the play button.

September recap

Max fits into these cute Converse that his Daddy got for him several months ago. Too bad this is one of the few times he'd actually put them on!
A trip to Doheny to surf, before the quarter started for Jaredlove these red flowers, this is the view from my bedroom window through September.A great find in the dollar section of Target. He insisted on feeding them his dinner that night.At the skate park in Westminster. I came along to take some pics/video.Max kept himself entertained with the toys in the diaper bag.Our friend Gordon (or "Go-Go") at the playground, eating crackers.Max's "Bobos" some of the first toys Max pulls out in the morning. Loves his trucksMax and I went to Balboa for a little while one afternoon to walk on the Pier and play at the playground.At Sea World with our friend Annabelle (or "Abble")We loved the Dolphin show. Max calls them all Whales (or "Way-wells") he constantly asks to look at the pictures of the whales on the camera.Random hawk-like bird in the tree in front of our apartment.We visited Centennial Farms in Costa Mesa. They are part of the Orange County fair grounds. It's so cute and FREE! We'll be going back soon! Here is the momma pig and her piglets.

September was also the first month Max didn't have a cold since February! We've already had October's cold though, thank you very much.

And just for fun, today Max started saying the word "mess" - too funny. If a little water is spilled on his tray his says "mess mess" until I clean it up. He also started saying "cop-cop" for popcorn.

Nursery

Max started nursery on August 29th. A couple weeks before I took him for about an hour. Our nursery leader said that he could come try it out a couple weeks early as long as I stayed with him. This was NO PROBLEM for me! I knew the hardest part would be leaving him. He played with toys while I talked with my friends. He really didn't even notice I was still there, never even looked for me! He's known where the nursery room was for awhile now and was just thrilled to be allowed in. Max is used to being around lots of other kids so that was no problem, I just wondered if he would sit still for snack and lesson. It took a little direction but he climbed up on the chair at the table with the other kids and ate his snacks like a big boy, though he did spill his small paper cup of water! He laughed and talked to the other kids. Seeing him sitting around that little table eating and chatting was really almost too much for me! He looked more grown up at that point than he ever has! Then the leader got out the picture of Jesus and started doing a small lesson about what to do during prayer. I then realized, hey Max knows this stuff! He knows who Jesus is and can say his name. We've taught him what to do during prayer. It's just an amazing moment in a parents life when they realize that even when someone else asks them about those things, they can still do them! We left after snack and went into Relief Society where he sat in the chair next to me eating more snacks and playing with his cars.
Then when the "official" day of nursery came (above photos) I still stuck around for a few minutes and snapped some pictures. Then I told him I was leaving and said good-bye. No tears or protesting. I walked into a combined meeting of Priesthood and Relief Society and sat down. It really felt SO weird! Jared is in primary so I really was just all by myself in there (ok, I have lots of nice friends, don't worry) but it just was a really weird feeling to not be constantly trying to keep my baby happy. Kept looking towards the door but of course, no one came to get me. When I went to pick him up though, he dropped his toy and came running toward me! He was content but happy to see mommy which made my day.
He's been just fine ever since. He pulls us there after sacrament meeting and goes right to the train table. I peek in to see how he's doing every now and then, without him seeing me of course. He's usually just at the train table with some of the older boys. But he's always excited and runs to me when I pick him up. The nursery leaders tell me he's doing fine in there but I still look to the door during class every time a nursery leader appears with a sad child!

Orange County Zoo

On a hot day before Uncle Chase went back to BYU we took him to the OC Zoo which is located inside the Irvine Regional Park. We also went as a little celebration of living in CA for two years. This zoo is small but perfect for an afternoon outing. We started off at the petting zoo area. . .

come on daddy . . .keep going!
the bears were the biggest animals there. We watched one swim around in their pool. We much prefer watching bears behind a fence to in the wild, like in Yosemite!This cougar was just lazily laying around until he saw us. He perked right up, licked his chops, the walked over to us, but as he got close he changed his mind and went back to his shady bed. Weird!
Max and I with the Bald Eagle.
There is a Golden Eagle back there.
At the park they also have a train ride and a pony ride. We picked the train, Max has been more and more into "choo-choos". He loved it.
Afterwards we picked up some ice cream bars at a grocery store and headed to another nearby playground in Tustin. Max and Uncle Chase going down the slide.

a Recipe for 108 degrees!

108- that's what the local temps hit on Monday! While many of my blogging friends across the country were posting about leaves changing on the mountains, warm Autumn dinners, and cozy sweaters we were experiencing the hottest day in So Cal in 20 years! L.A. broke it's record of 112 degrees that was set in June of 1990 when it hit 113 there on Monday. I kind of just laughed about this heat wave, I don't know, it's kind of fun to have something exciting like a record broken, right? We just dealt with it (did I mention we don't have Air Conditioning?). We were lucky our power didn't go out like some of our neighbors. We could keep our fans going even though they just felt like blow dryers in our faces! (ok, Max has a portable a/c in his room so at least he was comfortable and able to sleep and nap). But we just couldn't stay in the house all day. We headed to the Newport Beach Library for story time, then after naps went to Ikea to play with the train set they have out and to run around in the pretend kids rooms. Both places were nice and cool. For dinner I was going to make BLT's with homemade bread in the bread maker but the bread maker does get hot and nothing really sounded good but salad. We got creative:

BLT Salad

10 slices of Turkey Bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 small head of iceburg lettuce, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped

dressing:
1/2 Cup Miracle Whip
1 big spoonful Sour Cream
splash of lemon juice
Garlic Powder to taste
Black Pepper to taste