Leo and Max bond over video games

 Max and Leo have played video games together forever. Ever since Leo was a baby he would sit by Max with a controller in his hand and pretend to play. 

I remember Max playing Zelda and when he killed a monster he and Leo would both cheer and high five each other and say, “we did it!!”

All The kids always gave Leo a controller when they played Mario cart together. Max or Dam or Phoebe would always choose the character Leo wanted to play so he could feel like he was playing too. They did that with Esther too when she was small. She was shocked when she finally realized she didn’t know how to play. She always thought she was an expert.

When Max played skyward sword, Esther and Leo took extra remotes and pretended they were playing the monsters or rated Max’s fighting skills.

Leo remembers the day when Max taught him how to play Mario cart for real. “He taught me how to drift and I finally won a race”. “He trained me how to play windwaker too.”

Now Leo loves to play breath of the wild and he has lots of helpers too.

Alvin is almost 2

 Alvin always says “let’s go!” “The door!” In his most bored and frustrated voice when he’s ready to leave somewhere.

He always says, “Wow!” And “Oh!”

He’s wild! He loves to stand up on the windowsill and jump over the back of the couch or climb up on his dresser and fall face first onto Leo’s bed… over and over and over with many giggles :)

If someone is crying he will pretend to cry. And then he goes and hugs and kisses them again and again until they feel better. He’s so sweet!

When Esther gives him piggyback rides he says “Neigh!!!” Over and over.

He knows how to play dead if someone shoots him. He even sticks his tongue out.

Javier always lets Alvin choose who to say the prayer. He scans all the family members thoughtfully like it’s a tough choice but he always lands on Sammy and with a big grin he will point his finger and say “Na!” (That’s what he calls Sammy). Invariable about ten seconds into the prayers he starts yelling “men!” “Men” “MEN!” For Amen :)