Sam's cousin, Glenn, was in town for a conference, and stopped by to meet Max and extole the virtues of having kids 16 months apart (as are his Sam and Emma).
Although he and Maddie had met previously, she played coy which involved stretching out on these chairs and popping her head up occasionally.
After failing to get into the LA Street Food Fest, the fam tried again, and this time had minor success.
After waiting 20 minutes at the Dosa Truck, where Max found ways to entertain himself, Jess walked away with a bunch of Indian truck food.
After meeting up with the Findleys, Leonhardts, and Sheas, the yummy food was consumed. This is where the good times ended. The other families had also been on lines at other trucks that hadn't moved. With the kids getting hungry, and parents getting frustrated, the Feast was abandoned, and fast food from Jody Maroni's was eaten instead. And for those of you keeping a consumption count:
With the advanced age of his sister floating above him, Max tried desperately to be bigger. What you can't see is that he slipped down from a standing position, and is holding himself up only by his hands, fussing, very frustrated.
The morning began with balloons and the Maddie flowers blooming. Those are the bright orange flowers that were blooming the day she came home from the birthing center (you can see that here), and make Jess smile when she sees them.
After setting up for her party in the backyard, Maddie was finally released to see...
Yes, the bounce house!
Max was astounded as well.
The water table was also an incredible hit.
Even for the smaller (Everett) set.
A surprise win was the crawl space. It all began with Tak and Emma sitting and looking at it. Next, Lilly came over, and finally Victoria. It engaged their interest for an amazingly extended period of time.
The adults, Kathleen, Val and Jeremy, engaged in banter.
And some butterfly balloon bringing (courtesy, Erin and John).
The butterflies were a huge hit, even being brought into the bounce house, where one ultimately found it's demise (the second was downed through excessive loving).
Some of the Breakfast at Tiffany's set tried to play it cool, but ELF did get in on the action soon enough.
Elizabeth was constrained only by her age and this exersaucer.
Cake time, also a big hit.
All of the kids helped, as Maddie is still not sure why that fire is on that cake.
Those are cupcakes underneath an inch of buttercream.
Sweet.
Shanna and one-year-old Edith agree.
As did Lilly.
Max made sure to get in his fill of the party with some Brian love.
As well as with some face-grabbing love with Diane. George supervised to make sure his bride was not harmed in the process.
As the warm afternoon wore on, and the sugar buzz wore off...
The last butterfly headed off to the Verdugo Mountains or the Burbank Airport.
The day wrapped up with a birthday party day dinner and some gift opening.
Which included a bundle of sticks. Really, how could the day have been better?
When Maddie was 3 weeks old, Drew and Aarin hooked her up with a Jay Z ticket. Now it was time for the Max/Jay Z ticket. Holly, Aarin and Jamie headed to the Staples center where Drew was setting up for the show.
Which was awesome, particularly when seen from about 30' away.
Afterward with their VIP passes adorning their thighs, they spent some time at front of house and on the tour bus, where there was a full bar (not a surprise) and many boxes of Girl Scout cookies (a little of a surprise).
And Max continued his quest for mobility with the pull-up-on-furniture move.
Followed by the up-on-my-hands-and-knees move.
Don't let the smile fool you. Max spends many hours a day now in a state of frustration. He knows he's close to freedom, but just can't get there.
After a dinner with her BFFs, Maddie had birthday cake #2.
Only cake could get all the girls sitting down at once.
The morning began with cereal, presents and a birthday song from Dad on speaker phone.
Next came a McDonald's Happy Meal, because what is better then french fries and a juice box. Max enjoyed the hamburger that Maddie never touched.
Here was the real reason we went - the indoor playground.
Once Sam got home from work, there were a few more presents and a cake. Maddie now understands that presents are more then just wrapping and does not understand at all why we would light a cake on fire.
"Please Mom, can I have some more cake?"
"Hells yeah, it's as big as my two-year-old hand."
The sour cream sauce that they serve at Señor Fish. Why dip when you can get so much more from straight downing it?
Maddie has not been the type of kid to sit down and do art projects, but this week things began to change. Here's one of her first paintings, which we are displaying on the cabinet because when we display anything of hers on the fridge, she removes it immediately. PS You don't need to say it, we already know she's gifted.
And with no crib walls to constrain her, the room is her oyster. Please note, even the picture is out of the picture frame.
