Birthday doughnuts!

Baby Max's first birthday was super! And super busy, too, as the movers invaded our home for Day 2 of The Big Move. Momma and Max went out for a Doughnut Vault birthday run, snagged the very last copy of today's Trib (something I wish I had thought to do the day he was born, so this one will have to suffice!), then looped back for Max's 12 month wellness check. Happy birthday, baby boy, you get to get shots!

He now weighs 19.2lbs (5-10%) and measures 29.5in (25-50%). This is a far cry from the tiny 6.7lbs of baby that I held in my arms at birth a year ago! Apparently, these are the big headlines in Chicago for October 19, 2012.

Speaking of tiny, let's talk about Doughnut Vault. It's ah-mazing. And tiny. It literally operates out of a window in River North. There are always insane lines outside and their hours of operations are from "8am until Sold Out." Which basically means, after two hours of opening. And that's on a good day. By the time Max and I worked our way through the line outside and into the dimly lit "vault" (basically half the size of my condo's kitchen), they were fresh out of that day's special, which just so happened to be Birthday Cake! The old-fashioned buttermilk were pretty good, though.

While in line, I chatted with an interesting writer and cookbook author who gave me two bits of advice about child-rearing: First, look at every phase in your childrens' lives as chapters in a book. You'll feel like there will be never-ending baseball games, soccer games, homework, but, if you try to experience it like chapters in a book, you'll be better able to enjoy each moment because you know each one will end at some point. Second, whenever he grows to be as big as me, buy him a nice leather jacket; when he grows out of it, you can steal it! Wise words, indeed, especially the second.

Can't you see little thought bubbles over Max's head, in order:

"Hm, who do I need to call around here to get me some?"
"Mkay, let's make it snappy, birthday boy hungry!"
"Fine, maybe if I just sit here and look real hungry and cute, someone will take pity."

Birthday boy can cry if he wants to!