Getting to know Max

Ho Ho, Max and Holden 
 

We just had the best 5 weeks with our Grandchildren.  Okay, the first two weeks one of us was sick all of the time but once that was over, we had a great time.  In the past I have written about my first job, which was at 14.  The job was to be the Easter Bunny in a local department store, Hardy Herpolsheimers in Muskegon, Michigan.   My husband and our two daughters were also born in Muskegon.  In fact we were all born in the same hospital (on different days and years, of course J)  Jump forward and I hope you remember my post on being married to Santa.  This year I got to tie it all together.



Can you see the family resemblance?

Our 4 year old grandson, Max, has called Mike “Ho Ho” since he learned to talk.  The Christmas before he turned two years old he would run his fingers through Mike’s beard and say “Ho, Ho, Ho”  We believe that is the reason he calls him “Ho Ho”  He is so proud that  his Grandfather is Santa.  He tells people about it every chance he gets.  He now has his own Santa suit and is planning to take over the family business.  Why do I say that?  Because he is always practicing.  During his visit, even though it was Easter, he was all about Santa.   Okay, Santa and pirates and Wreck it Ralph.  When he wore overalls he had to have one of the side shoulder straps left open - the left side just like Wreck it Ralph.  We had a little birthday party for his 4^th birthday and he wanted a Pirate “poonyada”.  His Aunt Holly searched and found the “poonyada” and filled it with candy.  But Santa, Santa is his favorite because Santa is his grandpa. 

Max will stand and put one hand on his hip and tap his toe if he thinks he can get his way by giving you “the stare”  One day Aunt Holly asked him why he was always tapping his toe at her.  His reply was “because I’m Ho Ho and YOU are on the naughty list.”  Honest!  He said just those words.  Are you rolling in the isle yet?



Easter 1964

On Easter we were getting ready for the day ahead.  His Mom had wonderful baskets made for all three of the kids.    They were having a nice time checking out the items in the basket when I got an idea.  I got out the old picture of me as the Easter Bunny.   I called Max over and showed him the picture of my sisters and I.  I showed him his Mom’s Aunt Ranae who was 12 at the time.  Also in the picture were his Mom’s Aunt Jane who was 4 and Aunt Lisa who was 2 years old.  Then I asked him where I was.  He looked at the picture and looked at it again.  I asked “Who do you see?”  He went through all of the aunts names and then ended with the Easter Bunny.  I told him that was me (and it truly is me in the costume).  But then I told him my favorite thing – I told him that I used to be the Easter Bunny but when I married Santa I had to give it up and be Mrs. Santa.  I just can’t dress up like Santa because I had been the Easter Bunny.  There was a huge WOW and then you could see his mind working and wondering who in our family will turn out to be the Tooth Fairy.  Could it be his Mom or his Aunt Holly? 

One other special item about Max that doesn’t have anything to do with Santa or the Easter Bunny .  We have a frame we filled for my Mom when she was still living with us to help her remember times gone by. Max always wants to hear about who is in each of the pictures.  There are about 30 pictures in the frame.  One picture has become very special.  It is the picture of my Dad, who’s name was Max, and I.  Holly had told me to ask him who was in the picture.  When I asked he kept saying “Grandpa Me”  I wasn’t getting it at first and then he said “Grandpa’s name was Max, just like me.  He is Grandpa Me”  How sweet is that?

That conversation made my whole month.  I hope you enjoyed hearing about it too.