Grandpa Charlie

Sunday, January 17, 2010
Dear Max,
This evening after everyone went home and daddy was still at work, it was just the two of us hanging out. The two of us were playing in the computer / playroom. You with your toys, I was working on the computer. Every once in awhile I would watch you play with your trucks, your wooden boat (which you love!) as well as your other favorite toy, the only way I know how to describe it is the wire toy with the wood balls on it, or better known as the doctor office toy. I looked back at you and you were standing at the toy trunk looking up at Grandpa Charlie's picture and doing the motions for I (you point to your eye) LOVE (you point to your heart) YOU (pointing directly at Grandpa Charlie's picture). I tried to quietly pick up the camera to take your picture, but of course the moment I moved you looked towards me. We talked for a little while about Grandpa Charlie. I told you how you were given your middle name of Charles because of your Grandpa Charlie and what a special Grandpa he is to you. We talked about how sometimes we get to have Grandpa's that are here on this earth with us, like Papa Page, and other times we get Grandpa's and Grandma's that are in heaven. But that doesn't mean they don't impact our lives any less. And I know that to be true about your Grandpa Charlie. I'm sure you recognized his picture and brought back memories to you about your time with Grandpa Charlie before coming to our family. I didn't get to meet Grandpa Charlie, he passed away before Daddy and I met. But I love the stories your Daddy tells me about him and what a fun Dad he was to your Daddy. I know that it is because of his influence on your Daddy that he is such a great father. I'm glad you had the opportunity to spend time with Grandpa Charlie, Great Grandpa and Grandma Snow, Great Grandma Blake and so many others. I'm know you learned so much from them. I love you Max, and I love the experience's that you give me and thank you for this special memory.

Playing with Your Wooden Boat

It's one of your favorites!

Moving the beads...

Back and Forth

Back and Forth

I am stuck on Band-Aid brand 'cause Band-Aid's stuck on me!

Thursday, January 14, 2010
Dear Max,
Not really sure what happened...but my suspicions are this. You are SO fascinated with opening and closing the cupboard doors in the kitchen and opening and closing the drawers in the kitchen. And all the while taking EVERYTHING out of the cupboards and drawers. But I'm thinking that you must have gotten a little bit of skin pinched during your adventure. You never cried, however, when I was putting your jammies on I looked on my arm and saw a streak of blood, so I started investigating and found a tiny little cut on your middle finger. Daddy thought I was crazy to put a band-aid on your little cut, but all boo-boo's call for a band-aid. And besides, this was your first boo-boo band-aid! It was so funny to see your reaction. You wouldn't bend your finger, you kept trying to shake it off, and kept looking at it... "What's this thing on my finger?" It was really cute! Here it is Max, your adventures with a Band-Aid!

Showing Mommy your boo-boo

Trying to figure out why it's not coming off

Stiff Finger

Investigating

Still can't figure out why it's not going to come off

Decided it's going to be ok... And off you go!

Mommy's in Dallas

Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Dear Max,
Good Morning Pumpkin! Oh, how I miss you!!! I'm hear in Dallas, I left on Sunday morning and I'm coming home tomorrow. I haven't had to leave you home from one of my business trips since last May. I've been lucky that the last few times I've had business trips we've been able to coordinate having you join me. But not this time. The last time you had to stay home, was when I was in Dallas last May. You were 6 months old. It was so hard to leave you then, but I'll be honest, I don't think you even noticed I was gone. This time, it's been so much harder! We've talked on the phone every night, and luckily for us both I have your favorite book ("I Love You Stinky Face") memorized from reading it to you every night, so I'm able to read to you your bedtime story and Daddy has kept me on the phone for prayers. I'm so grateful for your Daddy, he is such an amazing Daddy and takes great care for you. So when I'm away, it's not that I'm worried about you... I just miss you! My heart aches and I can't wait to come home. I love you Max!

Bubbles

Friday, January 9, 2010
Dear Max,
So Daddy and I have been talking lately about how you will soon be in nursery. It's crazy to think that you are almost 18 months old, and it makes me so sad. Well, I should say it makes me sad Monday - Saturday... Sunday's, that's a different story. Daddy and I have spent some time in the nursery in past callings, so we've been trying to think of all the things that they do in nursery. A couple reasons for this. The first, we don't want you to not know what's going on. And the second, we don't want to miss any firsts. So we've been really practicing the monkey song (by far your favorite) and we just started with the Sunbeam song, which by the way, is hilarious to sing with you! You don't know the words, but you know when to hit the "big notes" this is how it works. Mommy or / and Daddy sing... Jesus wants me for a Sun (this is where you come in with the BIG "BEAM"!) It's crazy, you know exactly when to emphasize the "beam." So back to not wanting to miss any firsts, Daddy and I were talking the other day that we have never done bubbles with you! We couldn't believe it! Of course, you were a bit small last summer to be blowing bubbles in your face. So we sent Daddy out on a mission to find bubbles. Do you know how difficult it is to find bubbles in January? Trust Daddy, it's difficult and way overpriced! But we did it anyway and this is how it went....

At first... Confused.
Cooper is eating them!

Still not sure...
Cooper is still eating them

Starting to get into it...
Cooper still eating them

Liking them even more
Guess what... Cooper is still eating the bubbles

You are a fan!

Daddy is getting tired of blowing bubbles...

Your not ready for the bubbles to stop

Looks like Daddy is going to be looking for one of those automatic bubble blowers
(and he thought it was hard to find a bottle of bubbles!)

Typical?

Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Dear Max,
A day in the life of the Trenholm's, I'm sure is like any other busy family, but sometimes I wish we weren't always so busy. So it's times like tonight that I have learned to cherish. A typical Trenholm day consists of mommy waking up around 6:00 am to be out the door to work by 7:15 am. You and Daddy usually wake up around 8:00 am, depending on Daddy's work schedule. Daddy gets himself and you ready for the day, pack's your lunch for the babysitters, drops you off at Jaime's and heads to work. Mommy gets off work at 5:00 pm and races home to pick you up from Jaime's. Depending on Daddy's work schedule he gets home anytime between 7:00 pm and 11:00 pm. So most nights it's just the two of us. Max, you and mommy usually walk in the door around 6: 15 pm, I start fixing dinner, while you play. We have some dinner and then it's time to clean up, while you enjoy a little more play time. Then by 7:30 pm it's off to bath time and then you have your bottle, we read stories (your favorite is "I Love You Stinky Face"), say our prayers and by 8:45 pm you are fast asleep. Now, I give you this Max, as a typical night. Now mix in evenings of church meetings, visiting teaching, home teaching, customer dinners that Mommy has and this typical day becomes not so typical. So you can imagine how it's a nice treat when all 3 of us are home in the evening! And that was tonight! Max, I just had to stop for one moment and take it all in. Daddy was cooking (Love that!), You were drawing pictures, and I was...well, I was taking it all in. We have fun being together as a family. We laugh A LOT! Actually daddy and I laugh more now that your around, your quite the comedian. Max, I love our family and I'm so grateful you are in our family. I know life it busy and time goes by so fast, but I'm glad we get to experience it together. We love you Max!

A little pre-dinner snack

Look at Daddy's Mad cooking skills

Normal cooking skills

Trying really hard to not eat the crayons

Resist the temptation to eat the crayons

You did it!

A Growing Max or A Shrinking Bear?

Sunday, January 3, 2010
Dear Max,
As we close out 2009 I wanted to share with you some pictures that I have been taking each month since you arrived. This teddy bear was given to you by Santa in the hospital when we were hanging out in the pediatric floor before we were able to bring you home. It's crazy to me to look at this first picture to the last and see how much you have grown! What a year! I love you Max!

January 2009

February 2009


March 2009


April 2009


May 2009


June 2009


July 2009


August 2009


September 2009


October 2009


November 2009

Happy New Year

Saturday, January 2, 2010
Dear Max,
Happy New Year! I can hardly believe that it is already 2010! The past ten years have gone by too fast! And I have a feeling the next 10 are going to go by even faster! We rang in the new year with friends here at the house. You went to bed early and missed all the midnight festivities but maybe in few years you will be able to stay awake. Putting you to bed early and us going to bed late made for a complicated morning! You were up and at it by 7:00 am, luckily for mommy I had the day off. Too bad for daddy he had to go to work. The two of us enjoyed a lazy day filled with breakfast, a nap (both of us) some lunch, oh - and another nap (the both of us!) These day's are few and far between, so I tried to take full advantage of it and did my best to not feel guilty about the laundry and other household chores that should have been done. Their is always tomorrow right? Today was another day we haven't seen in a long time. A Saturday with Daddy off of work and with our family in town! Usually if Daddy has a weekend off we are running off to either St. George or another close destination. I had big plans for today, taking Christmas down, cleaning the house, you know those type of things. Daddy had a better idea. We went to the bank and finished setting up your savings account, since we have your social security card now. Then we went out for lunch and then over to the park to feed the ducks and swing. It was a beautiful day outside for January (60 degrees!) You liked feeding the ducks, however, you kept eating the bread yourself, luckily Daddy was getting some to the ducks. And you LOVED the swings! What a way to bring easy bliss to a young sole than to put them in a swing and just go! The only disappointing thing was the camera battery died by the time we got to the swings, so I was not able to capture your face. I will have to etch this one in my memory. Hopefully not to fade away! It was a fun day hanging out together. Daddy always has good ideas (or at least he is good at talking mommy out of work!) Looks like we will have to take down Christmas another day! Love you Max!

Little nervous about seeing the ducks?


Beautiful day for feeding the ducks!


Look at all those ducks...


Good thing we brought lots of bread


Family Picture


Max, are you calling for the ducks?


You need to feed them...


Watching the ducks


Daddy has the feeding thing down!


Max, you on the other hand...

Ate the bread yourself!