OUT!

Max to the Max had a big first last week. His first tooth fell OUT. I wasn't ready. I thought this business didn't start happening until well into the Kindergarten year, or even first grade. But happen it did. Why do I freak out about my oldest child growing up? I really need to get a grip, I think. I'm working on it.

We got back from the Ragnar (which was only like a day and a half) and my mom asks if I knew that Max had a loose tooth. Ummm...no. My first thought was that he'd hit it on something and knocked it loose, but further investigation proved that this loose tooth was legit; the adult tooth was poking out right behind/below it. So he wiggled and wiggled. I told him once to just keep wiggling it and he said, "Mom, you don't even have to tell me to wiggle it because I really LOVE to wiggle it." Tyler was out of town for work and wanted to be home for the big event so Max promised that he would shove it back in if it came out.

Well...

On Friday morning (Ty wouldn't see the kids until Saturday afternoon) Max exclaims, "Mom, look! My tooth is really loose now!" I look over and he has blood starting to pour out of his mouth. So I grabbed some paper towel and got the blood under control to find that the tooth was hanging by a thread, so I popped it out. He was a little bit THRILLED about the whole experience and quickly realized that he, in fact, could not shove it back in to wait for Dad. Oh well, we sent him some pictures and Max got to tell him all about it. We couldn't do the Tooth Fairy bit that night since Tyler and I would be gone...AND we've forgotten the two nights since. But tonight will be the night. If we remember. Is this kid going to be in college next month? That's how fast time seems to go.

And THAT is a really long explanation. I should have just said "My kid lost his first tooth"...but that's just not my style.

We are OUT of races that we're committed to for the year! And it feels so good. I can now run for the heck of it, or skip it if I'm not feeling it. On Saturday Tyler joined me for the Rock n' Roll Half Marathon in Seattle. We decided at the beginning of last week that we would make an overnight date out of it. So we lined up a wonderful babysitter (Quincy, a young woman from our ward), scrambled for a hotel (tricky when there are 33,000 or so people participating in the race), and met on the streets of Seattle (I walked onto the ferry and he was coming from the airport since he'd been in Florida most of the week for work). It was perfect. We checked into our (overpriced) hotel room, went to the Expo to pick up our race packets (where Tyler crazily signed up to run the FULL marathon next year...it was $40 off and he was feeling inspired!), walked on over to dinner at Romio's (VERY yummy) and were in bed by 9 pm since our alarm would be going off at 4:45 to catch the shuttle. Waking up at that hour wasn't super easy when we were kidless in a fancy-pants hotel room, but wake up we did.

It was so fun to be at the start line with my hubs! And that's about the last I saw of him until the finish line. I patted his bottom, said "I love you" and sent him off to run at his pace (which is much faster than mine) about 20 seconds after we crossed the start line. We both ran our best time and had a great experience. We made our way back to the hotel, laid our weary bodies on the beds for a while and then realized we would have to book it to make the ferry. So we ran ('cause we totally needed to run MORE that day), only to miss the Bremerton ferry we were trying to make. Bummer. Instead we took the Bainbridge ferry and our babysitter piled the kids into the van and picked us up. I came home to a super clean house and happy kids. (Thanks again, Quincy!) LOVED the experience.

About to start!

Looking happy (but nasty....and squinty) at the finish line

We came home, had lunch, and then headed OUT the door for a Civil War reenactment in Port Gamble. It was awesome. At least that's what Ty told me. I had to take Everett across the street where the cannons and guns weren't so loud. He was not a fan.

Max was in little boy HEAVEN

Now I am OUT of time and things to say. Peace out.

Dream Realized

I had a dream.

After last year's Ragnar, I had a dream of running a Ragnar with my hubs. So at last year's Foster reunion I started to push the idea, realizing that the stars might really align because there weren't going to be any expecting mommas in the fam this summer. We had 4 of the 6 brothers and their wives sign on by last fall...my Ragnar dream was going to come true!

Weston, me, Tyler, Garrett, Beth, Kristen, Drew, Adam, Laura, Jeff, Angie, Becky

I had another dream. I met Tyler's cousin's wife, Beth, several summers ago and we became friends mostly through our blogs. She was planning to run last year's Ragnar with my team in WA, but ended up not being able to. So when I realized that we were going to be short a couple or two for this year, I contacted Beth to see if she and her husband wanted in. They did! I was super excited to finally get to spend time with Beth and get to know her better. Love her.

Me and the beautiful Beth

The whole experience was awesome. Perfect. I loved our team and I loved the beauty of the Utah valleys and mountains we ran through. I love doing something hard and coming out on the other side of it. I love the inside jokes and memories made. I love the hilarity that comes from 6 hours of sleep in two days. I love that I got to shower in a beautiful home and then sleep for a few hours on a real bed before my final run (instead of climbing into a sleeping bag on the floor of a high school gym with hundreds of other runners and realize how NASTY I smelled...that was my Ragnar sleeping experience last year).

Van One: Ty, me, Adam, Laura, Beth, Garrett

I love, love, love my husband! My parents (so, so graciously) made the trek from Vegas and watched our kids at my grandparent's house for the weekend. It was so nice not to worry about them and just get lost in the experience together. The kids didn't miss us a bit and had SUCH a great time with my parents and grandparents. We were total zombies on Saturday afternoon and evening. My sister and her family drove from Payson where they were at a family reunion to visit us...I was glad the kids got to play, but felt so bad because I could barely put together a coherent sentence. (Sorry again, Adri & Trent!)

Me and my man at the finish line!

And my dad. My sweet, thoughtful Dad. He heard that we were planning to get together as a team in a park right after the finish line. So he asks if he can make lunch for everyone. Bacon wrapped hot dogs to be precise. And the reason (besides the fact that he's just really nice)? He visited Washington while I was training for my marathon and had to do a 20-mile run. He happened to be making those hot dogs for us (mostly for Ty) for lunch and I let him know it was the best my stomach had done post-long run. So when I ran my marathon at the Valley of Fire, he packed his BBQ grill in the back of his truck and made me (and everyone in the fam) those hot dogs near the finish line. So of course he's going to do the same, thoughtful thing after our Ragnar. I'm so lucky to have such wonderful parents!

Mom & Dad getting the grub ready

What a great experience! The stars likely won't be aligned for all of us next year...but hopefully a few years from now. I love me some Ragnar.

Double Master

I asked Tyler last night when we got home from his MBA graduation if he wanted me to call him Double Master from now on and he agreed that it has a nice ring to it. Ha. Only if he'll call me Triple Master for mothering three little humans. When Tyler and I were engaged, I got to attend his thesis presentation and a few weeks before we were married, he graduated with his Masters in Mechanical Engineering. We didn't go to that graduation (it was held in April and he finished in December) because we were living across the country in New York and I wasn't around for all of the work, so I figured if he didn't care about going then we wouldn't make the trek.

Well, I WAS around for all of the work this time and there was no way we were going to miss last night's hooding ceremony. All of us were going. I was kind of questioning my wisdom in having all of the kids there last night when I talked to another wife who had left her kids at home and said there was no way she was going to bring them and was so happy to not have to worry about them. I realized Everett was likely going to be the noisiest kid in the room. But I am so glad that we all went...and I am so glad there weren't any verbose speakers. The whole thing was over in under an hour. Awesome. Luckily, we have an amazing friend, Russ Kent, who thinks our kids are great (I think he likes me and Tyler too) and asked if he could come. He was a HUGE help. We love you, Russ, and are so thankful to have your friendship. It meant so very much to have you there.

*Pictures below are from a little reception they had before the hooding ceremony*

Kelly Anne

The graduate and the babe who was there for half of this whole MBA business

Russ keeping the kids entertained...they can't wait to dig up his yard for some pirate treasure (a story he told them)

Don't mind us, we're just going to spread out and take all of the sitting room in the courtyard and use it as our table

The graduate with his three adorable babes...one who still manages to be cute with crazy eyes. He was holding all three. I LOVE this picture! My four favorite people.

*On to the Hooding Ceremony*

Hooded.

*Afterward Ty took us on a little tour of campus*

This is the room where a large portion of the learning occurred - Dougan 160

Russ and Tyler

I held myself together pretty well during the ceremony until one of the MBA student speakers thanked all of the family members who sacrificed and supported when they needed to do homework, go to class, meet with groups, etc. Then the tears began to flow. And I felt that it could easily turn into an ugly cry, but luckily I had my little peeps to keep quiet. Now, I know this wasn't as long or hard as medical school (we've got a lot of those doctor people in our family) or law school or dental school, but it was a challenge for us. Tyler worked full-time, served in the Young Mens organization at church, and fit in all of his class and homework at nights and on the weekends. He has been sleep deprived for the past two years, trying to do as much of his school work as possible when we were all sleeping. I didn't realize how dependent I was on Ty walking through the door every night until he didn't a few times a week. I don't know what it will be like to have Saturdays be Saturdays again and not homework days. But I am a more independent and confident momma than I was and Ty did SO much to make it obvious that his family came first above anything else. I am even more in love with him now than I was before. I like going through hard things together. You're my favorite person in this world, Tyler Michael. You rocked this MBA thing. I love you with all of my heart, Double Master. :)

On your marks, get set...go!

Maxwell T was elated the other day when Tyler invited Max to go with him on his run that afternoon (Tyler's second run of the day...we're getting Ragnar ready).It was so cute. Ty had a paper he was writing and Max kept asking when I thought Dad would be coming downstairs for their run. He could hardly wait. Finally, the bedroom door opened and Ty bounded down the stairs with clothes for Max to wear running. They got in their fastest running shoes and then headed out the door.
Such a sweet mom moment to watch his excitement about the whole thing. That boy LoVeS his daddy. They (mostly) ran over to the school (.75 miles, I think) and Max played while Tyler ran at the track and then they (mostly) ran home. A few short breaks in there for those little legs.
"Whew! That was a good run!" were Max's words when he walked through the door. Love those men in my life - the little, excited, daddy-loving one, and the bigger, thoughtful, handsome one who knew how much his boy would love the experience with his dad. I'm so lucky to have them both!

Man alive...

Max is FIVE!

This was on his actual birthday at my parent's house in Vegas with cousins...he makes the weirdest faces

My firstborn turned FIVE and I didn't blog about it?! If that's not neglectful mothering, I don't know what is. Ha. :) We were in Vegas on the big day, we came home and had a little party for the Maxster that I wanted to have before I blogged, life is busy...but really, I might be in denial about the whole thing and that's why I haven't blogged. Maybe if I refuse to accept it, he'll stay little forever. However, as he grows he gets even more hilarious and helpful, so maybe I will commission a few more years of aging.

Don't feel weird that you have the impulse to kiss the screen or squeeze it in an effort to squeeze those cheeks

Five+ years ago I became a mother, specifically this little dude's mom. I had a hard labor that I thought would never end, but end it (thankfully) did. They put a tiny, perfect little man in my arms who was quiet and had strong enough neck muscles to turn his head to look at my face when I talked to him in those first, perfect, amazing moments. I will never, ever forget those moments. I know that my relationship with Max began before either of us stepped foot on this earth. I am so glad it gets to continue and grow here.

Oh my gosh, this picture makes me want to cry and giggle at the same time

We had a great little party to celebrate. This was Max's first official party with friends and games and stuff. 5 is the age we decided on for the first of those. Max settled on a superhero dress-up party and I found some great ideas from creative moms on the internet. Oh, how I love the internet.

These were the invitations, made to look like official folders for superhero candidates:

We decided that Max would dress in his black church suit and wear sunglasses to look like a superhero agent delivering the invites. He was SUPER serious about this and thought that they really wouldn't be able to tell that it was him when he went to the door.

Max had me, Kelly, and Everett hide around the corner of the house so that they wouldn't know it was him. At the first house our neighbor, Ryan, opened the door and said, "Hi, Maxwell!" Max delivered the invite and came around the corner punching his fist into his hand saying, "Darn! They knew who I was." We were off to the second house and Max wags his finger in the air and decidedly says, "I think they knew who I was because I was smiling." So for the rest of the walk up the street he squished his cheeks together like you do when you're trying not to smile. I was trying so hard not to laugh. I LOVED delivering the invitations. It was so fun!

The night of the party came and we had these signs posted on the lawn.Ty dressed in a suit and sunglasses and had an app on his phone that scanned retinas and one that did fingerprinting. Each kid had to be checked before they entered the Super Secret Superhero Training Facility.

We did some pictures with all of the superheroes and then had dinner before getting started on the superhero training (the games).

First they decorated some superhero masks.

Then we did a line of passing the ball under and over, a really fun web game, and a kryptonite game of passing the ball quickly around the circle until the music stopped.

I told Max a few days before the party about the games I was planning. He listened intently and came to me a while later saying, "Mom, you're games are good....bu-ut....I was thinking we could play a game where we make bad guys out of cardboard and learn to fight them!" (with an accompanying high kick, of course) So I rounded up some cardboard from a few friends and Ty made these pretty sweet cardboard bad guys. He printed out faces of Syndrome and Lex Luther (is that his name?) and then drew their bodies. {I have to throw in here that Tyler is a pretty awesome dad and husband. He got home from work, threw these puppies together, decorated the house, and put on his suit to greet the kids while I was sewing the capes I'd underestimated time-wise.} Max's game, of course, was the biggest hit of the party.

After everyone had a turn knocking down the bad guys, we let all of the superheroes go crazy on them :)

We gave each of the kids superhero diplomas and capes once they'd completed the "training".

Then it was on to cupcakes and ice cream. Ummm....I know I'm a biased mom, but Max is such a sweetheart. The kids shouted that he had to make a wish before he blew out his candle and so he says, "I wish...that my family can be together forever." Melt a momma's heart.
Such a great and appropriate celebration of this 5-year-old's life. I love him. He loves life and has a very FUN imagination and says the funniest things. I think God knew I would be in the rainy Pacific Northwest and that I would need some extra sunshine...Max is sunshine for me. I love you, Maxwell T! Especially because you strike funny poses when I ask you to smile for the camera. Being your mom is a delight.