Max Corbin Collings: A year ago today...

I can't believe that a year ago today at almost this exact time I was being admitted to the hospital for the first time. Who knew that in a mere 7 days I would be meeting this beautiful face?!

Well I will tell you that I plan on making this summer much better than last. Last year we spent countless days in a NICU room: washing our hands, reading charts, meeting nurses, waiting anxiously for the doctors to make their rounds, meeting other families, drinking the free mini cokes in the parent room :), getting excited over "good days" and bummed over "bad days," eating out every meal except breakfast (which I don't think I ate at all), enjoying moments of sunshine as we walked to and from the car, waiting on the slow elevator up to the 4th floor, watching all the "term" babies leave with their balloons and flowers, feeling like tripping the dad as he pushed the cart of flowers and balloons, making countless trips accross the city to see our beautiful and strong baby boy fighting so hard. As awful as it was, it passed, it is a memory, and it was SOO worth it!

Max is starting to stand on his own for 5-10 seconds. He will push his walker across the room, then get stuck under it...

I wish you could see his face, he was less than excited about being pinned.

Just a few more cute pics of playful Max...

One of Max's favorite people is his Grandad-E. He gets really excited to see him, flaps his arms, smiles and squeals. If he doesn't immediately get attention from him he's throw a fit, and believe me, he has mastered a "fit." Well, this summer while Grandad-E is out of school Max will get to spend a lot of time with him on Mondays when I am sleeping or thoughout the week when I am working. Today when I saw Max after 5 hours with Grandad, well... I had to laugh. Poor kid looked like such a mess and it was hilarious. I love him being a boy, he is supposed to get dirty, right?! He was covered in food from lunch and snot from his recent cold. I would never complain, he was fed and happy. However, I did clean his face and change his clothes :).

Max would like to wish his friend Hunter a happy 1st Birthday today!!!! Hunter was born at 27 weeks and we got to know his parent's well as the boys spent the first 2 months of life right next door to each other.