Max at age 8

Our Maxy is just the best. Watching him grow up his such a privilege and joy! I honestly would like him to stop growing and stay like this. Some things I want to remember about this sweetheart of a person:

• Max continues to be the sweetest person. He's always concerned about his friends' feelings. He's so cuddly and is the first to snuggle up to me on the couch. 
• He continues to have a strong desire to understand the world. He's always trying to learn about things and really understand them. He also continues to be very articulate. 
• He's the ultimate people person. He loves to know people, learn about people, and spend time with people. He even "studies" his school year book and has pieced together who has siblings at the school and knows SO many of the kids at his school. He has tons of friends and always wants to be playing with people. 
• He still has a temper. I think it's a cute temper, ha ha. He's had it since he was little. And he usually says really funny things when he's mad (but he's not trying to be funny). 
• He doesn't like screens anywhere near as much as Andy. He doesn't use his screen time most days. His favorite shows are Vivo, Descendents (earlier this year), and Zombies. His favorite video game is Super Smash Bros. 
• He's into fashion and is extremely picky about the clothes he wears. He picks each outfit carefully and it's usually very unusual. He's been really into wearing leggings under shorts this year. Also--very into red and black because he says he wants to look like Carlos from Descendents. 
• He's really doing well with piano! I've been his teacher ever since Covid started (March 2020). Before that my mom taught him. Cameron practices with him and I give him weekly lessons. He's playing "Play Song" by Bartok and really likes that. 
• His soccer team is the Yellow Jackets. Something clicked this year, and he's playing so well and aggressively. He gets a little nervous before his games, but he's improved so much. 
• He wants to play with friends all the time! He plays with Graham the most. He plays with Cooper a lot too. Some of his other good friends are Scarlett, Ford, Jesse, Bailey, and Bentley. 
• His main goal is to make people laugh. He will even say that. 
• He's very emotionally mature. We were talking to him about not throwing pity parties at school and he said, "Well the reason I do it is I like it when my friends feel sorry for me and then they give me attention." We were impressed he could articulate that so well. 
• Max loves to read! He really loves graphic novels, but we're trying to venture out of those a bit. His favorite books are Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Garfield, Dog Man, etc.
• He's very crafty and always wants to make things. 
• He has a hard time going to sleep and comes down to talk to us a couple times a night. It drives Andy crazy, ha ha.
• His teacher this year is Mrs. Correa. She's amazing and Max loves her. Max continues to excel and do well in school. He's so ahead in reading she's having him do a different curriculum. She's taught him really cool things too like having a growth mindset vs a fixed mindset and different types of "smarts" people can have. When we were in California there was a crazy seeming man singing and whistling on our tram and Max said, "That man has music smarts!" It was so cute because I hadn't been thinking thoughts that were as kind. :) Math has been hard this year because the school switched to a harder curriculum, so it's been a good opportunity for Max to learn how to do things that don't come easily to him. Typically he doesn't love doing things that aren't easy for him. He's improved a lot and even got 100% on his last test!
• He's still really into selling things. He's always coming up with ideas of things to sell so he can make money (which he goes through really quickly). He always wants to sell things like cookies, but I usually recommend he does something that doesn't need so much help from me. ;) 

The cutest little story that was in my parents' ward newsletter about Max. It doesn't make us look like the best parents, but oh well. 

Max dressed up for the 100th day of school in 1st grade. He's the best poser in pictures.

Max and Graham continue to be BFFs. They were in the same class in 1st and now in 2nd grade too, and it's really solidified their bond.

This is from Max's last team, the oranges. I was ready to say he was done with soccer. But we decided to do it this fall again, and Max has really come alive! He's really progressed a lot this fall.

At his good buddy Cooper's bday party!

His dance crew from when he did hip hop (the photo is missing Bentley).

I will love this picture til the day I die. Just the best!

Max showing use how similar he and Andy look at this age.

Another Graham/Max shot.

Cute little pianist!

He's getting pretty into food. This is his favorite snack: french bread toast with LOTS of olive oil and parmesan cheese.

A shot from our date night this summer when we went bowling. Love my boy! 

"You gotta admit: I look pretty good." --Max just now, looking at this picture. He has such such a strong sense of style. Very strong opinions about what he wears and what he thinks looks good. Notice the spear being held in by his belt in this shot.

Another good style day. Notice the pocket knife hanging from his belt.

At Graham's bday party with his best buds: Ford, Bailey, Graham, Cooper, Max

This is a perfect picture of Max not only because he's snacking and reading (which he does a lot), but he's just doing something cute and unexpected, which is what he does a lot. You can also spot here his "leggings under shorts" trend that he's been sporting almost every day this year. (I didn't even buy him leggings--he used thermals I bought him as leggings until those got holes and then I bought him real leggings.)

Eating popcorn with his buddy Bentley. Max loves to pop himself some popcorn when he gets home from school and likes to eat most of the bowl by himself.

Looking good in his new baptism suit.

Max spotlighted my grandma Bonnie Winterton at his Day of the Dead festival in class. He memorized 3 facts about her and even brought flax seed (a food she felt passionate about) and one of her hats too.

2nd picture. We were looking at this and he told me he loves how in he looks in this. :)