Month 17

Good-bye 2012 it was fun while it lasted. My sweet boy had to say good-bye to his home. He had a rough time as I packed the house around him. He tried so hard to keep it all together but...

My sweet Xander needed a haircut so I attempted a cut and ended up having to shave his little head. Poor little man...

We packed up the truck and car and headed across country to be with his daddy... A little boy and his dog and me in a car for 3 days~ I have never felt so ready to be done. I felt so dirty!

Time with daddy is super fun!! Got stickers from Trader Joe's and daddy helped put them on me...

Xander LOVES his trucks... He loves to examine them and see how they work, turning those wheels for the longest time...

Then Xan got sick. So i wrapped him in a blanket, gave him a drink and put him on the chair with his little dog and cartoons...

Christmas morning was wonderful. Xander loved ripping into the gifts...

Clapping with daddy...

Going for a walk with mommy and daddy- gotta bundle up...

Xander loves his puppy. He will talk to him and give him hugs and giggle with him...

"No, mommy, this is how you use chopsticks..."

Happy New Year!! Xander has grown so much through the year. His favorite things this month have been kidney beans and rice and veggies- yes veggies, especially greens. He loves broccoli and green beans. Unfortunately he loves Bones food as well and can often be found eating the dog food. We're trying to break him of that habit... He crawls more and loves to get into everything he can, pulling things off shelves and torturing his dog. He loves his daddy cuz they play and get loud and laugh hard. He loves his mommy cuz they snuggle, giggle together and play...

Month 16

Ryan (the physical therapist came on Tuesday. Xander is doing so well and Ryan was impressed. He gave us some new work-outs to get Xander walking. Xander has the strength and the balance he just isn't there yet. In time he will. My goal and hope is to have Xan walk to his daddy- only three more weeks to accomplish that goal...

Xander loves his bath time. I go back and forth between the tub and the sink. He loves to splash...

This is his, "Ooops, I got caught" face.

I walked in to find Wesley hitching a ride on Xander's back. Xander just kept crawling...

Xander found a pacifier. Lindsay and I laughed and laughed. These two are hilarious...

I'm making a quiet book for my little man. Page one- Potato Head couple

The astronaut page... There's an alien behind that moon...

And the beginning of the Noah's Ark page... I'm excited to complete this for him. Hopefully before Christmas THIS YEAR!!

15 month part 2

Xander had his 15 month doctor appointment today (Oct 26). He's 29 3/4" tall and 20 pounds and 3 ounces. He's growing- slowly but he is growing. The therapists came on Tuesday morning- there were 7 of them. Xander is behind in his gross motor skills but his finite skills are good. He was such a show-off. He would get up on all fours and crawl around the room, looking to make sure everyone was watching him, and then he would pull himself up and walk along the furniture, holding on tight. He "talked" and gabbed like crazy. He crawled up to some of the therapists as they went over their reports. Such an attention junky!! Craziness! He's such a little show-off. I so love that kid... My little "Patch Adams"...

More pictures to come. This little man is the best. He misses his daddy so we have decided that we will be packing up and moving to AZ to be a family again. This was a very difficult decision that we have spent a lot of time talking about, weighing our options and trying to decide what our next step should be. We need to be together as a family and so that is what we will do. More Halloween pictures to come...

Month 15

The therapists came on Friday. It was the first time so they just wanted to know where Xander stood. They played with him and gave him toys, then took them away,then gave him different toys... then took them away. He stood for them and sat up and smiled and laughed and eventually cried. He crawled four steps- the first ever. He reached for things and army crawled backwards (which had them all impressed). He sped around the room and rolled around. He let them know what he wanted and let them know what he thought of them when they didn't give it to him. They were quite impressed with our little man. Impressed and concerned. They noted his right leg- the side that his hip pops in and out. When he army crawls he kinda drags his right leg behind him. He doesn't use his right leg a lot. They think it might be a muscle thing. I feel relieved that someone else (in the medical community) has noticed his right side. The therapists were impressed with how far ahead he was in other area. He's a thinker and would try so hard to figure out what these ladies were here for. He's quite intelligent and we just have to get his little body to work right. He was so tired when they left... He likes buttons- remotes, cell, computer, anything with lights...

He loves playing with his friends...

He's working on getting down from a sitting position~ cheese, mom...

He loves his bouncer~ we got rid of the walker when the doctor stated it ruined babies hips...

Today's Sunday. Xander has been holding onto the furniture and is trying to reach across and grab onto the furniture across the way. He tries so hard and works and works on it. He tries to crawl but then drops down to his tummy and flies across the floor. That's my son... my little super hero...

Week 62

Today was the follow-up appointment. He gained a pound- but he was dressed heavier so I think it was quite a bit lower than that. The doctor was quite happy with that and we went over the food that Xander is eating. I purchased baby food, pediasure, avocados, and anything else that is higher in calories for my sweet little man. He still feeds himself and then I feed him after he's done to make sure he is full. I have decided not to take him off the bottle until he gains a little more weight and is able to maintain on his own since he does still drink well from it. All the blood work came back- positive or negative, however you look at it. He is a healthy little boy and that seemed to take the doctor by surprise. He has 5 teeth coming in and they are all at the same place- poking through but just enough to cause serious pain. The doctor wants to see Xander every month to weigh him and make sure things are going ok. The 0-3 therapist came this morning and we will be seeing a physical therapist as well as a speech therapist. My job is to keep him moving and work his legs. Lindsay and I have been holding his hands and walking him back and forth between us. He used to walk on his toes but has finally dropped his heels down. He has also started reaching up to me to pull him up. He has gotten into this phase where he just wants to be held. If I go to put him down he crawls up me and wraps his arms around my neck. I'm pretty sure that it is because he is in so much pain from the teething... Xander loves meat, cheese, breads, crackers, but still will not eat anything sweet. He does like the pediasure. He is making friends everyday and I have no regrets having a daycare in my home. I believe that it makes everything easier for Xander. He needs other children around and absolutely loves all his friends... most of the time- when they don't steal his toy. Haha. Hadley is one of his new friends. She felt it her responsibility to feed him this day. I just sat and watched them for a good half hour. They're so cute...

How can you not love this?

My sweet little man...

Xander was so upset so I set him in the toy box and then he didn't want out...

We did talk about a few things that it could be and some procedures that we might have to get for Xan. If Xander doesn't progress the doctor wants to do a head MRI to see if something is wrong. He also mentioned that Xander could have a slight cerebral-palsy. I feel that he will be fine and that the Lord will care for my little boy. He is such a strong little man, determined and stubborn. I love him so much- that is all that really matters- all the rest... whatever it may be... we will work through it together as a family. Scott is still out of town but will be home for a week coming up real soon. We are so excited to see him.

Week 61

Where do I begin? It's been a crazy week. Xander and I got to go to AZ and spend time with his daddy, grandma Cookie and great-grandparents. Scott's taking care of his grandpa until someone else can take over... Xander couldn't sleep on the flight and fussed the whole way there. While we were there Xander got a couple new teeth and life was crazy for a couple days. We did enjoy our time together as a family again. There was A LOT of healthy food and Xander loved it. He's not a fan of sweets. Doesn't like ice cream (or anything cold) and not a fan of sugary or sweet (including some fruits). Ready to go see daddy...

Got my daddy! Life is good...

Strange kids focused dental office...

Daddy and Poppa Cookie...

Generations. Grandpa Logan met Xander every time we had a meal (his memory is going)...

The best daddy time ever...

We also took time to discuss our concerns for our little man. He's still not crawling and his doctor is saying that all children progress in their own time. We feel that it is time to seek a second opinion which was discussed while I was there. So, as soon as Xander and I got home (from a horrible flight where Xander fussed the whole time and screamed the last half hour of the flight. He was so tired) I called Dr. Krell and set up an appointment for Thursday at 2:15. Xander and I showed up early and the doctor asked so very many questions. I answered them all and we discussed the concerns I had as well as the concerns the doctor has. Xander is not sitting up on his own and he doesn't pull himself up. The appointment lasted 2 hours and required x-rays of his lower body, blood work, urine and muscle tests. He was so done by the end of the appointment. The x-rays came back fine. Some of the blood work was good. The rest of the tests will take a few days. Dr. Krell is concerned with Xander's muscle tightness and that he doesn't sit for long and that he isn't pulling up on his own. He also weighed in at 19 pounds and is 30" tall. Dr. Krell stated that he is in the low 2% in weight. We've just been letting Xander feed himself and pulling him away from the table when he started to push his food onto the floor. So, the last couple of meals I've continued to let Xander feed himself. Once he's done I have been feeding him the rest of the baby cereal mixed with fresh fruit and cottage cheese mixed with yogurt. He's finished both. I feel horrible now. I have been unknowingly been starving my little guy. I've also added protein mix to his bottle. I just want my baby to be healthy and strong. And today I received a phone call stating that Xander got into headstart- they will come to the house and he will start physical therapy at home (doctor's orders). Time will tell. Xander and his puppy (who looks waaaaaay guilty)....

Dr. Krell said the jumper was good for Xander but to keep him out of the walker- which does more bad than good...

Prayers are always nice~ remember my sweet little man in yours, please.

Weeks 58, 59 & 60

I know... it's been waaaaaay too long. Scott's been out of town since August 8. We miss him so much but family calls. He is out taking care of his grand-dad until... His grandparents live in AZ. We video call every night and Xander loves to hold the phone and "talk" to his daddy while moving quickly across the floor. Xander is growing so fast. He and Bones are building their friendship. They follow each other around and tease one another all the time.

I move like a ninja~ mommy can't catch me! This time I fell off the bed face first

Mommy cried a lot... so did I

Wesley is my new friend. He comes to daycare almost everyday.

He's fun to play with when he's not crying... He cries a lot.

I'm so stinkin' cute...

See ya next time...