What's In a Name...

Several people have asked me recently where we got Lennox's name. So here is the story...Mark's middle name is Lennox. He got that name from his grandfather Alfred Lennox Cross. Mark's aunt says that the Lennox came from a character in MacBeth. Mark's great-grandmother liked to read Shakespeare. Mark and I love how the name is different and unique. Maximillian is from Mark's other grandfather, Maximillian Egerer. He died in World War II and was a well known architect in Germany :-) So we are hoping some of that creativity was passed on to Lennox.

Mark and I are very big on using family names. We had an agreement when I was pregnant that if it was a boy we would use his family's names, and if it was a girl we would use my family's name. Either way we planned on using our middle names. If we had a girl, we were going to name her Carleen, which is my middle name and my mom's middle name. And quite possibly name her Carleen Lennox. When we found out Lennox was a boy, we knew he was a Lennox. We could see Daddy's pouty lips in the ultrasound pics, and knew he had to be named after Daddy somehow. In the NICU when Mark told the nurses what Lennox's name was they said it was a strong, big name for a tiny little baby!

Bedtime Buddies

This weekend Lennox added a new friend to his bed buddies, Shamu. Den and Pop bought it for him while they were in Orlando and he had left it there. We picked it up while we visited this weekend. Now he cuddles up with all three of them; there is barely room for him in his crib. I got these pics of them sleeping tonight. And believe me, they all have to come downstairs with us in the morning when we get dressed. So adorable!

We had fun this weekend playing at Den and Pop's in a giant box. The cheapest toys are always the most fun!

Baker, Baker

We have all been so busy the last few weeks, Lennox especially. He went on his first vacation without mommy and daddy. My parents, Den and Pop, took Lennox and his cousins to Orlando for the week. They had so much fun swimming every day, going to Sea World, and visiting the Rainforest Cafe and Downtown Disney. He got a giant microfiber frog at Rainforest Cafe. It is as big as him. The frog has joined his "friend" in the crib at night :-) The condo had a huge children's water play area and Lennox loved to walk around and around it. We missed our little Buggy so much, but we knew he was having a blast. Mommy went back to work that week too. Summer vacation is officially over for us :-(

Over the weekend Lennox got a sinus infection and later an ear infection. He was feeling better by Monday to start back to school. He is not too pleased about getting up early. He loves to sleep like his mommy! Getting him dressed and ready for school is a bigger challenge this year. Every day he has taken a new toy to school with him, and then we hope and pray it makes it home. Lennox is adjusting well and working on potty training. He is always in such a great mood when we pick him up so we know he is having fun with his friends and new teacher Ms. Shayla. And...he is finally eating again. Lennox was so so picky this summer about eating. At school he has been eating well and we are so happy. I guess being around his friends, who are also eating, makes him want to finish his food too.

Before Lennox went on vacation he and mommy made cupcakes to take along. Lennox was so proud of himself and the whole adventure, and of course daddy caught it all on tape and in pictures. We are hoping to make it to Orlando this weekend, even in the heat. We miss our weekend Disney adventures.

We went to the doctor today for Lennox's 2 year checkup. He is 32 pounds (around the 90th percentile) and 37 inches (above the 100th percentile). The doctor says he is filling out despite his picky eating habits :-) and he is a healthy little boy! No shots today. YAY! And we don't need to return for a checkup until he is 3.

On Sunday Lennox is leaving for a vacation to Orlando with my parents and niece and nephew. Mark and I will miss him so much, but he will have so much fun swimming every day and going to Sea World and other fun stuff. He loves my parents so much and his cousins. Mommy goes back to work on Monday so I will have some extra time to work in my classroom. Then on Friday we will go down to Orlando to meet up with Lennox and my dad and stay the weekend in Orlando, maybe go to Magic Kingdom for the fireworks at night since it is so hot right now. We are thinking we will skip any daytime trips there!

Our Little Musician

Most of you already know about Lennox's love for music. Mommy swears it was because she played classical music for baby Lennox in my tummy when I was pregnant ;-) For Christmas Lennox got this crocodile piano and he has not really taken to it until recently. It is right under our piano. In the last two weeks, this has become one of his favorite toys. He sits down with it and plays and sings a song. Sometimes it is his version of the ABC's (he actually almost has his ABC's down pat), sometimes he sings about our dog Dobby, sometimes it is nonsense. Today he sang about Nemo :-) It is the sweetest thing to hear him playing the piano and singing. His love of music and dance is definitely something that Mark and I plan on nurturing in the next few years.

On Saturday we went to a new place called Tunnelz and Tumblez for our friend Carter's 3rd Birthday. Lennox had so much fun. It is a giant labyrinth of pathways and tunnels and slides. At first he was very hesitant to climb all over it, but he eventually got the hang of it. Mommy left early for a bridal shower and Daddy said that after I left, Lennox tore the place up. He was hot and sweaty playing with Carter and his cousin and went down the slide 9 times! He was so tired that evening. He had so much fun at the party, eating cake and even drinking some coke, which he never really has :-) He even got a car tatoo in his goody bag from Carter and it now adorns his arm. He loves it! We think that maybe next year Lennox will have his party there too!

Little Helper

We have been so busy the last few days. Mommy is busy doing everything she should have done all summer :-) Along with getting ready for school. Lennox has been his usual sweet self. His new favorite movie this week is Peter Pan. He is so cute when he says it too. We also finally got Toy Story 2, so we are so happy to have some other selections for movies. Although, Lennox still likes to fall back on his first love, Shrek! He has become so attached to his "friend," the glowworm. He has been sleeping with him since he was a little over a year old, but now he can not go to bed without "friend" and we always have to take "friend" downstairs with us when we wake up in the morning or from a nap. If we make our way upstairs to go to sleep and "friend" is not in his crib, mommy or daddy end up trekking downstairs to get him. Then Lennox snuggles up with him. Some of his other new little favorites include: animal crackers, lettuce, muffins, Dora the Explorer, strawberries, and Shirley Temples :-)

On Monday we went out to lunch with my mom and grandmother and some old friends. Lennox screamed "I love you" across the restaurant to gran, my grandmother. So cute. Oma (Mark's mom) says he did the same thing when she took him to Publix yesterday while mommy was at the dentist. He is so affectionate and will tell you "I love you" out of the blue which makes us all feel so special :-)

Today Lennox helped me clean. He loves the vacuum. We didn't get any pics in Savannah. I was so disappointed, but we ended up only spending the day there. The night before I had fallen down a flight of stairs at MOSH and I was so sore we had to go home. Hopefully we will get up there again soon. Lennox would love Forsyth Park. In two weeks our Disney Passes are back in season. We are going there on the 17th to visit my parents who will be down there for the week. We can not wait to take Lennox on the Buzz Lightyear ride now that he really knows who he is...