Trains and Hockey

Max enjoyed some quality time with Bill and Joan Wilson's trainset on Saturday. Dad, Max, Brighton and Grandpa Bradley all went over to check out his train, which really was amazing. He re-created the Billings' rims in their basement utilizing foam, and ran the track above, below and through the rims. It turned out wonderfully realistic. Max was even able to "man the controls" and had a lot of fun controlling such a life-like train set.

To finish off a very busy Saturday, we went to watch our good friends' son, Preston Jones, shred it up on the ice. Preston is 6 years old and a very talented hockey player (some of his teammates are 9). We had a great time watching him play, and then joined Preston and his dad for some burgers at Red Robin.

Brighton had a great time watching the game, and eating all the popcorn her little heart desired. Despite the popcorn consumption at the game, she ordered "pitha and fench fies" for dinner at Red Robin. This girl really goes for the health food.

High School Musical on Ice

Mom, Bella and I attended High School Musical on Ice on Saturday. It was a spectacular show, and Miss Bella really enjoyed all the music and dancing. We may have moved on from Hannah Montana music to the High School Musical soundtrack. Oh boy.

Bella was so excited that she was the first on to the door at the Metra.

I couldn't resist spoiling her with a High School Musical hat (Bella loves hats, especially "rock star" ones), and a Wildcats mircophone that lit up throughout the show.

We were in the second row right behind the ice (and no one sat in front of Bella), so she was able to lean in and really enjoy the show. For those of you with this show coming to your town, it really was well done. Mom and I enjoyed it almost as much as Bella.

My Maxer

So, I now will take this opportunity to blog about my boy. Those of you who know him understand why he is so special. One minute he is a ball of energy - running around as a monster or playfully trying to get his daddy to wrestle with him. The next minute he is my love bug, all snuggled in on my lap to quietly watch a movie. He is sensitive and does not like disapproval from anyone. The thought of someone being mad at him causes him to get a pained expression on his face that involves a slight twisting of his little mouth and rapid blinking to ward off the tears. In those moments, I find that it is unnecessary to carry out any further discipline because I can see that just the thought of disappointing me is punishment enough for Max.
Max's dad is his favorite person in the world. Every morning he wakes up when he hears the shower. He comes into the bathroom, and, if it is me in the shower, crawls into bed to snuggle his daddy. Then, father and son head to the shower together for some quiet time. He wants to be with Gavin and to do whatever Dad is doing. Last weekend the girls and I went out for a day of shopping. When I got home, I offered to take Max out on the town next weekend. He politely informed me that he was just fine "hanging out" with Dad, thanks.
At school, Max is every bit as sensitive to other's feelings as he is to his own. When he was only 3, his teacher told me that Max cannot stand it when one of his friends does not have a buddy. There was a child in the class with a learning disability that no one wanted to hold hands with. It was my Max who took it upon himself to go to the end of the line and hold hands with this child, rather than having him walk by himself. He continues in this spirit even today. That's not to say that he won't get into it with his friends on occasion, we do get notes home when he bonks his head playing football, or gets a little aggressive with the wrestling.
I used to worry that Max would be a follower rather than a leader. But everyday as I watch this sensitive and thoughtful child grow, I see that he leads by example. Yesterday (sunday) morning, Gavin and I were still sleeping and the older kids were awake and playing downstairs. Their cousin Connor was over and the three older kids were playing when Brighton woke up. She asked if she could go downstairs and "pay", and I told her she could. She went downstairs to join her siblings and her cousin, and it was Max who said, "Good morning, Bwighton, do you want to play with us?" Happily, he went to find "guys" appropriate for his 2 year old sister so she could join their play. She came and showed me what "my Max" had found her a few moments later - a little blond-haired plastic wobbly, perfect for Brighton to join her brother's game (he and Connor were using Ninja Turtles, Bella a Barbie).
Max loves all sports. He likes to throw the ball with his dad, loves to play baseball with his tee, and is a big fan of the Wii. In fact, Max knows how to turn the Wii on and start games all by himself. His favorites are tennis and baseball - bowling if the whole family is playing. He gets a little too aggressive at times with his wrestling, and likes to give at that sport much more than receive (don't we all).
He will not kiss my on the lips - we have developed quite a game. Max will offer to give me a kiss, but he holds my head to one side so he can only kiss my cheek. I try to turn my head just as he is leaning in so I can smack him on the lips, but he always catches me in time. This results in lots of giggles, and cries of "that's disgusting" on the rare occasions when I do plant one on his lips.
He is my Maxer. While I hate to see him (and all the kids) growing up, I can't help but hold my breath as the beautiful human beings they are becoming are slowly revealed. I just feel so honored to be Max, Bella and Brighton's mom.

Cowboys for Prostate Cancer!

We took some pictures this weekend of the Curnow boys (Carter and Connor) and Max for inclusion in a brochure mom is creating for the hospital in Dillon. Apparently, the brochures are to benefit prostate cancer research. Mom saw a brochure featuring little girls that said, "please find a cure for breast cancer before I grow boobs." She apparently thought that would be a great marketing campaign for prostate cancer as well, although I wonder what the hook will be. I'll just leave that one to your imaginations.

The pictures turned out pretty darn cute. My Maxer is a natural cowboy (looks pretty tough here, doesn't he), but would you expect anything less from a Murphy?

WEEKEND!

Last weekend, the Murphy Family was lucky enough to go to Playhouse Disney Live (after which Gavin advised me that he would NOT attend anymore children's programs based on TV shows - he didn't like Pretty Ponies either, what's up with that?). We had a good time, with Brighton enjoying the show more than her older siblings - although everyone (except for Dad) had a nice time. On Sunday, we experienced a beautiful spring-like 55 degrees, so we took the kids to Kid's Kingdom in Laurel and spent a few hours climbing the castle walls. Fun was had by all.

Bella Billings

I have to take just a moment and write a little about my Bella and her personality as it develops. I have this fear that if I don't write everything down, I might forget the little nuances that make each of my children their own person. This picture captures the essence of Bella at the moment, as she thinks she is a rock star. I'm not kidding. We went to see Playhouse Disney Live last weekend with the kids, and this is the outfit she put herself in that morning, complete with sunglasses. As we are leaving, she looks at me, all deadpan, and says, "Mom, would you please ask people not to stare at me because I know I look like a rock star." The otherday, as we are walking into Target, she asks me if I had some concerns that some of the patrons might mistake her for a rock star. I asked her if she thought she was too young to be considered a rockstar, and she informed me that she was almost as old as Hannah Montana and if she did not take her sunglasses off she was sure she would be mistaken for a rockstar.
In addition to dressing the part at every opportunity (and changing 10 times a day), Bella also likes to act the part. Whenever there is music on TV or in the car, she is singing at the top of her lungs. I dread the day that she realizes that she has her mother's voice and is completely tone-deaf. That is not to say that she doesn't realize that her mother cannot sing - she will tell me - as gently as possible - that "you really don't have that nice a voice." Or, she'll say, "Mom, you just like to pretend you can sing, you know that you don't sound very good in real life, right?" Of course (and this will come as no shock to most of you), that just leads me to sing all the louder.
In addition to being a rockstar Bella is also a fabulous sister to her brother and sister. Although she is becoming extremely frustrated with sharing a room with Brighton, there are times when she is very helpful and loving to her baby sister as well. Bella is very fond of telling anyone who talks to Brighton that "she has the cutest baby sister in the world," and, she really means it. She is fiercely protective of her sister and her brother, and would "punch anyone in the nose" who crossed them (that "punch them in the nose" thing is a Gavinism). She loves her family and often talks to us about what "our family" will do or what "our family has done" or how "my family" is the most special thing in the world. To hear such things is music to my ears.
Anyway, that's my bit on Bella. I did NOT want to forgot her fear of being mistaken for a rockstar, and that was the impetus for my blog entry today. Now the rest of you will come to understand my unique and EXTREMELY self-confident little bug as well.

Superbowl 43

This year for the Superbowl we got together with some great friends and their kids (there were 9, all five and under). The kids really liked the 3D commercials, and I couldn't resist this picture of most of them donning their eyewear.

Brighton liked the glasses, although she couldn't quite figure out how to keep them on her tiny little head. Oh well, she thought she was styling anyway.