October...

Okay, time for an update while I have a spare minute… I’m just going to catch you up through the end of October for now. When I have another minute, I’ll get you through November! I don’t, actually, have a minute, but I’m forcing one in… Ryan’s playing a video game and Max is asleep for the moment, so I don’t have to feel guilty for playing on my computer!

Here are some photos of Max on Monday, October 18...

Max doing Tummy Time!


He is getting the hang of holding on to toys!




Tuesday, October 19, was my sister’s birthday. Brooke is officially 21! Ryan couldn’t go to my dad’s for her birthday because he had work and school all day, but Max and I went to see her. Max was super cute that day and did this shy nuzzle thing into Aunt Brooke while she was holding him… And he doesn’t see his Uncle Corbin very often and just kept staring at him and smiling. It was way cute. Of course these things would happen on a day I didn’t bring my camera. :-P The pictures I got were of Max and sent to me through text message. Here’s one from Brooke…



On Thursday, October 21, we entered Max in the Gap Casting Call. It’s basically a photo contest where the winner gets a $1,000 gift card to Baby Gap and Gap Kids and then they also pick 20 finalists for a professional Gap photo shoot in California. Then they pick four kids to go on and be Gap models of the year, I guess. There’s no chance Max will win the gift card--I just checked and it looks like the lead contestant has 76,148 votes (they must have disqualified a couple contestants because there were a few kids with 150,000+ votes not long ago) and he only has 198 votes so far. But, there’s always the possibility he’ll get to do the photo shoot! If you haven’t voted, tomorrow (or probably today by the time this is posted), November 14, is the last day to vote. So vote for him!! Here’s the link: http://www.gapcastingcall.com/GapCastingCall/EntryDetail.html?id=822587.

We got a picture of Max in his “Baby’s First Halloween” outfit here…



And here are some of the photos we got of him for the contest…

This first one is the one we actually used…










On October 23, Ryan and I got our flu shots. We had hoped to get them at Ryan’s work for free, and Ryan has been asking about them since September, but they didn’t schedule the date Until November 10--I didn’t think it was wise for us to wait that long, especially since we told everyone in our families that they don’t get to have much contact with Max after October 31 unless they have gotten a flu shot. Luckily, though, Wal-Mart didn’t charge us--they just billed our insurance.

Also on October 23, Max laughed for the first time ever. I, sadly, was making dinner. But I’m glad Ryan got to be the first to see something for once!

Picture time…

We bought this jacket for Max before he was born and we were really excited to see him in it. Isn't he so cute?!


This was the first time we put Max in his stroller without the carseat... Kinda like laying in bed, I guess!




Ryan couldn't find Max's gloves for bed... LOL!




On Sunday, October 24, Max picked up razzing! He is so slobbery… Later, we went to Ryan’s dad’s house to celebrate Kaylee’s birthday. The poor girl had a kidney infection for her 17th birthday! While we were there, Ryan’s other sister, Melissa started playing with Max and got him to laugh. This was the first time I heard him laugh, so I was pretty thrilled!

Here are a couple pictures we got of Max that day…

This is his newest jacket--we picked it up at Big K for $5!




Here are a couple more pictures of his cute new jacket--these were taken on Monday, October 25.

The monkey on his right has seemed to be his favorite toy so far… Unfortunately, though, I realized a couple days ago that the threads actually can be pulled out of it, so ht doesn’t get to play with it for a while now…




On Tuesday, October 26, I snapped a few photos of Max in his Halloween costume to send to Ryan. We were keeping it a surprise for everyone, but now that Halloween has passed, it’s okay to post them…







On Wednesday, October 27, Max saw his first snow! I took him outside to experience it a little, but he didn’t have a coat or anything to keep the wetness out so we didn’t lay in it and we didn’t stay outside for long. I let him touch some on a bush and he didn’t seem to notice the temperature change in his hand…

Ready to go outside!


Max's first snow!!


On Thursday, October 28, we carved Max’s first pumpkin… Daddy hollowed the pumpkin out and Mommy carved the designs!

Waiting on Mommy... ;-)




Max did NOT enjoy the feel of pumpkin pulp!




Ryan and pumpkin pulp... Recipe for disaster!







Oh, no! Look out, Max! Daddy's going to get you!




Gross... HaHa!




This is the front...



This is the back...








Mommy and Max!


Max and Max!


Daddy and Max!




I’ve been working on sock monkey hats… I am selling them now! So if you’re interested in buying one, e-mail me at aubrey.nelson@live.com. I will e-mail you an order form back! I’m charging $20 a hat. Max’s hat didn’t turn out perfect for a first try, but I’ve got my techniques figured out! Here are a few pictures of Max and some other hats I’ve made… I finished Max’s hat on Friday, October 29!



















On Friday, October 29, Ryan’s youngest brother, Josh, came home from Idaho to visit for the weekend. He spent the evening hanging out with us. It was good to see him--it’s been a long time!

On Saturday, October 30, Utah celebrated Halloween. Yes, it’s true, my non-Utahan friends--I think if we’d gone trick-or-treating on Sunday we would have gotten some very dirty looks… I cut Max’s big toenails for the first time ever that morning (the other nails are still too short to cute) and then we went to Walgreens in the morning to get Max’s picture taken with a witch (thanks a million, Brooke!). Then we went to see my parents and grandparents in the early afternoon, and then in the early evening we went to Spanish Fork to go trunk-or-treating with Ryan’s family. Max was being really fussy about eating that day, so it took us quite a while to get out of the house. When we finally did, it was hailing, so I guess Max kind of saved the day! Melissa’s husband, Cody, celebrated his 31st birthday on Monday, November 1, so they chose to celebrate it that night while we were all at their house. Melissa made a litter box cake that I didn’t try (I was too full after dinner and then we went out). Everyone thought it looked pretty realistic and gross! After dinner and cake, we went trunk-or-treating because the weather had finally died down.

Good morning, little one! He was so sleepy all day!




Daddy and Max!


Max and Aunt B at Walgreens!


Happy little hamburger!


I guess he’s really more like a slider… ;-)




Max and Grandma Mann!




Max and Great-Grandma Leonard!






Grandma Michelle, Grandpa Leonard, and Max!




Max trying out the walker Grandpa Leonard got for him!


Not yet the world’s biggest fan… LOL!






Look at his fingers!




Max in his sock monkey beanie!


Grandma and Grandpa Nelson with Daddy and Max!


Nixon and Jaden--Max’s nephews!


Max’s Uncle Cody and Aunt Melissa!


Jaden, Josh, and Nixon!


Our Halloween group! Minus me! ;-)


Cousins! What a cute bunch of boys!






Burger Baby!


Max and Mommy! Oh, how I love what rain does to my hair… (Yes, please do note the sarcasm!)


Ryan…


Ryan and Josh… Too much time apart!


Josh!


Grandpa Nelson and Max!


On Sunday, October 31, our cat, Malibu, turned four years old! LOL, no, I am not a crazy cat lady. It’s just one of those things that sticks with me… I’m usually pretty good with birthdays!



Anyhow, that’s it for October… Now off to bed, perhaps… Why is it 1:30 in the morning and not a single member of my family is sleeping? HaHa. Goodnight!