On January 25, our sweet baby boy turned 2 years old (and promptly began insisting that he is actually 3). It’s hard to believe that our “baby” has become a little boy.

Maximilian on his birth-day
Maximilian on his birth-day
Max's first birthday. We had only been in Leuven for a week.
Max’s first birthday. We had only been in Leuven for a week.
Maximilian on his second birthday
Maximilian on his second birthday

Max has grown so much, especially in the last six months. His vocabulary is astonishing, and it has been great fun listening to the sentences he comes up with. When we first arrived in Leuven, he was still crawling; now he doesn’t even walk—he runs at full speed wherever he goes. He is full of energy, enthusiasm, and joy. He often tells us: “I’m so happy!”

The Celebrations

The morning of Max’s birthday, we went to Sunday Mass. Luckily for us, many of Max’s little friends were there too, so after Mass we had an impromptu party with cookie cake and singing. Max got to play with his friends, and he reveled in all the attention.

Singing Happy Birthday
Singing Happy Birthday

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Max loves playing with some of the older kids.
Max loves playing with some of the older kids.
Posing with his friend Theo
Posing with his friend Theo

When we got back home, Max was eager to open his present. He loves to pretend to make us coffee and tea every morning, so we thought it would be fun to give him his own tea set. He immediately began steeping, pouring, and serving, with lots of laughter and excitement.

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Tea and cake, anyone?
Tea and cake, anyone?

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Keeping with tradition, after naptime we bundled up and ventured into the center of town in search of waffles. This time, we shared a Brussels waffle with ice cream and chocolate sauce.

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Mama and her sweet birthday boy
Mama and her sweet birthday boy

We ended the day with a birthday dinner, shared with good friends, and full of Max’s favorite foods: green beans, chicken cutlets, and mac & cheese.

Happy to be two in Leuven!
Happy to be two in Leuven!

More to come soon…