Dear Xavier - Eight Months

Dear Xavier,

Happy eight months, buddy! Like all the other ones, this month seemed to really fly by. As far as milestones, you're slowly starting to sit up on your own. You've also become a rolly-polly baby; unfortunately, all of the rolling makes for restless sleep because you end up every which way in your mini crib and get yourself stuck in a corner. Silly boy.

The best part about this past month or so is seeing your relationship with your sister develop. You love watching her play, and I can already see just how much you look up to her. When she gets upset, it is almost inevitable that you - with your sensitive old soul - will start to cry out of empathy. In the same light, your sister absolutely adores you, too. She loves giving you random hugs and kisses throughout the day, and she is always quick to help feed you or bathe you or just simply make you feel better when you are sad.

This upcoming month is going to be a busy one for you. We've got doctor's appointments galore again - a (hopefully) final checkup with the pulmonologist to make sure that you're still thriving off of supplemental oxygen, a visit with your cardiologist to check in on your heart murmur and PDA, a standard hearing screening due to your preemie-ness, your last Synagis shot to round out flu/cold/RSV season, and, of course, your 9-month well baby check-up with your pedi. Whew. We're continuing to pray that the doctors will find you in great health, and that all of the appointments go well.

I'm trying to cherish every moment of your "baby" phase because it really is just going by too quickly. This may mean that you get extra snuggles with mommy while your sister is sleeping. Just don't tell her, okay?

I love you.

Love,

Mommy

And here are a few random shots from this month:

Lovin' on Rupert.

Starting to outgrow more 3-6 month clothes.

Not so sure about your jumparoo.

Being a good sport and allowing your sister to play dress-up.

Admiring your handsome self.

My smiley, happy baby.

First Thoughts on Potty Training

Way back at Lissie's 18-month checkup, her pediatrician said that she was showing potty training readiness signs. Of course this had to coincide with Xavier's homecoming, so even though we bought a potty and showed it to her, we didn't really stress using it nor did we care enough to correct her when she started play-eating out of it as if it were a bowl. After a couple of days, we just nixed the idea altogether and put the potty away.

Fast-forward to now. A few of Lissie's like-aged friends have already started full-on potty training and, as if I don't already have enough on my plate, I decided that it was time to go at it again ourselves.

We started by bringing the potty back out from the closet. I took it as a good sign that she wasn't as interested in taking it apart and pretending it was a drum, so we trudged on to the next step.

And that would be sitting on it with clothes on. Getting her to sit still for any reason besides watching Elmo or Dora is a challenge, so I took the few seconds here and there that I could get. Simultaneously, we checked out several potty-themed books from the library. Her interest had successfully been piqued.

Now the fun began: naked time galore. As soon as she needed to go, we ran to the potty and began ridiculous clapping, praising, and hugging. It only took a few days for her to run to it herself, use the potty, and then with her classic shy, pleased grin hold out her hand for a high-five.

We are now deep in the midst of the next step of the process: pull-up training pants. We have a few cloth ones and a few disposable. When we first used the cloth, she was so excited about it that she kept pulling them on and off while pointing to the page in her potty book with all of the cool underwear and saying "uh-dees, uh-dees!" with delight. Unfortunately, she would also miss her potty cue and soon enough we'd hear an "uh-oh" and find her in the midst of a puddle reminiscent of those movies where a pregnant woman's water breaks in a grocery store aisle. So, I decided to nix the cloth for now and we've moved to the disposable kind even though I was worried that it would feel too diaper-like for her. Thus far, the verdict is mixed. She's pretty successful with #1, but 0-2 for #2....however, she prefers to just take them off altogether and run around without clothes on at all.

Which leads me to the point of this post. I, in my ignorant inexperience at potty-training anything other than my dog, had no idea how many darn steps there would be. Who knew that you not only needed to get them aware to go in the potty...but you need them to do it with clothes on...and then go in an actual toilet...and then eventually take them out and about and use a public restroom or (yikes) a port-o-potty...and I don't even want to think about the night-time training.

Oh, boy. We've only just begun this new phase in parenting and, while I'm thrilled that we've gotten the successes that we've had so far, I am beyond overwhelmed with all that's left to do. Hmmmm - that previous sentence can apply to just about anything a parent goes through, not just potty training :-)

And, of course, a handful of embarrassing and incriminating Lissie photos.

Naked Karaoke

Paying the bills.

A throwback to her baby days.

Dear Xavier - Seven Months

Dear Xavier,

Sweet, sweet, boy with your dark expressive eyes and melt-your-heart smile. I could just pinch your cheeks and give you a big squeeze and be content forever. Seriously.

This has been a big month for you, not just because you've started rice cereal (and still hate it, by the way), and can roll over both ways (even though you primarily only do it when you are mad and then get even madder when you find yourself in a different position), but mainly because I'm slowly starting to introduce you to the wide, wide world outside of our home and doctors' offices. You have perused the aisles of Costco, Target, and, yes, begrudgingly, even Walmart. I know that we're still in the midst of flu/cold/RSV season, and that is why we don't go out too often (and when we do I run the other way if I hear so much as a sniffle), but sometimes we just need to get out of the house in order to maintain our sanity...and get groceries...and earrings for your sister.

You're also quite the magician. Your newest trick (now that you've fully transitioned to being in your mini-crib unswaddled - yay!) is to wind up asleep 180 degrees from how we set you down so that your head is where your feet used to be. And, despite watching you on the video monitor, we still have no idea how you do it.

All in all, you're doing everything just right. You're growing and developing at the exact pace you should be. Keep up the great work!

I love you.

Love,

Mommy

A chilly winter walk.

Your first snow experience.

Post-bath cuteness.

Poooooooop.

In awe over your first Target experience.

Exhausted after nine straight hours of sleeping through the night.

This was all your sister's doing....

Learning how to use your laptop.

Your sis was happy to see you after her nap.

Eying Lissie's toy.

Enjoying an "ice storm" fort.

Guilty.

Lissie's Pal, Jesus

Tomorrow Lissie will be 22 months old. Two months shy of two.

As is typical of this age, she loves to play pretend and mimic things she sees. She adores her dolls and stuffed animals, and it's not uncommon for me to find Elmo staring at me from her doll stroller or see Minnie Mouse in Xavier's car seat.

But, lately, her "doll" of choice is Jesus.

I keep a small wooden crucifix on my nightstand. About a month ago, around the time when I was teaching Lissie the story of Christmas, she found it. I explained that it was Jesus, and ever since then, Jesus has been found everywhere. First, I found him in Xavier's crib (in what I can only imagine was her attempt at giving Jesus a comfortable bed to lay in instead of a lowly manger). Sometimes he'd be on my pillow.

She even took care to make sure he was fed.

After a couple of weeks, Jesus had been picked up and carried and dropped so many times, that he came loose from the cross. And the tiny metallic figure has become her best friend. She constantly kisses and hugs him. When I'm not looking, she places him in Xavier's Bumbo or swing. Yesterday, while I gave Xavier a bath, she thought that Jesus needed one, too.

And it's cute. And probably a little odd.

But, I suppose, it's nice to know that she befriended our Savior.

Dear Xavier - Six Months

Dear Xavier,

Oh, my. Six months old. In just half a year more, you will be one. You have rapidly outgrown all of your preemie, newborn, and many of your 3 month clothes, while weighing in at over 13 pounds!

And now you are a completely wireless baby! No more pulse oximeter. No more supplemental oxygen. No one would know that you spent two months in the NICU just by looking at you today. Despite some minor heart issues that haven't yet resolved, you are amazingly healthy and strong.

You are so smiley. And easy. A friend recently asked me if you are really an "easy baby" or if I'm just used to being a mommy and picking up on cues. While the latter may be somewhat true, I really do think that you aim to please. You stopped using your pacifier early, and for the most part you've always been easy to put down to bed. When you're awake, you love to chuckle and giggle and take in everything around you, including your sister's silly antics.

I love how you and Lissie interact. You are very good-natured when Lissie tries to teach you things, like how to use a breast pump and tell you where your nose is:

You also don't mind her constant hugs and her trying to set you up with her friend:

I can't wait to see how you two will be when you're a little bigger, but I'm also okay with slowing down the time and relishing in the baby stage.

I love you, Xavier.

Love,

Mommy

Xavier's First Christmas

Who would've guessed that this year we'd be celebrating yet another First Christmas?

Xavier and Lissie both had a wonderful few days with the grandparents, as we celebrated Lolo Ernie's birthday early on Sunday, Christmas Eve dinner, and Christmas Day Lunch together.

And, oh, the presents. I'm pretty sure the two have enough clothes, toys, and books to last quite a while. Such beautifully blessed children!

Of course, we can't forget the food!!! Here are some tasty highlights:

The best prime rib you've ever tasted.

Justin's special mac & cheese

Lola's Lumpia

The meal was Lissie approved!

And while X is too young to really understand the true meaning of Christmas, I think that Lissie vaguely has an idea about what it's about. Leading up to the holiday, I would tell her the story of the Nativity. As such, she's started leaving the crucifix in Xavier's crib in what I can only imagine is her way of making sure that Jesus has a comfortable bed to sleep in instead of a manger. She also took great care in making sure he was fed. Only an innocent child could come up with that!

Yet, she was still afraid of Santa:

Happy Birthday, Jesus. Thank you for blessing my family with health, happiness, and good fortune. We love you.