The way to a little boy's heart

Xander has always been a very happy boy when we go out. He's also been more than happy to take off exploring and saying 'Hi!' to everyone. He's still like that while we're in the store and he's sitting in a cart. But we've definitely turned a corner when it comes to exploring.

Chris and I noticed it a couple of weeks ago when we went to a party in the evening. It was 7:30, when we usually start getting Xander ready for bed. So when Xander started acting shy and hugging our legs, we chalked it up to being tired.

Yesterday I was able to take Xander to the library for Baby Book Time. And once again he was shy! Oh, he wasn't afraid. He smiled up a storm. But he would stray about 5 steps away and then would turn and come barreling back to me to either hug my legs and peek out or curl up in my lap and look around. It was actually very cute. It's just totally different from when I was there a month ago and Xander was everywhere.

Xander did pull himself away from me for one thing - the girl next to us was eating pretzel Goldfish. He looked at her and her mother prompted her to share. And then Xander would start saying "mo" at increasingly loud levels to get more. I fed him before we went! Fortunately the little girl was very nice about sharing. But when she went to play, Xander tried to get her Goldfish container. Then he found a Cheerios container another mother left sitting out.

So I did end up chasing Xander around at the end, trying to keep him out of other people's food.

recent photos

Xander's first spaghetti dinner...which was immediately followed by bath time!




We had some fun in the snow last weekend before Aunt Ikkin's housewarming party.





Right now I'm trying to teach him to get my slippers out of the closet when I come home. He's almost got it. Today he grabbed my running shoes...maybe next time.

Previously on this blog...

I did write two little blog entries previous to announcing Enchilada and I just posted them. I wasn't sure how to go about it, so I just left them under the date they were written and I'll link them here.

Enter Enchilada

Hello Morning Sickness

I have had a rough time getting over the stomach bug that the family has had. I was sick Thursday afternoon and spent Friday trying to recover. It took until Sunday to finally get enough fluids in me that I wasn't constantly feeling weak. But I've had a swollen throat since Thursday and combining that with the pregnancy gag reflex, most meals aren't sitting too well. I'm not getting sick but I'm constantly feeling like I have something in my throat. Yuck.

Introducing Enchilada!

Number 2 is due this 4th of July. We are referring to this baby as Enchilada!

Xander shares too much

On Wednesday I noticed that Xander was acting a little funny. It looked like he'd spit up in bed, but I didn't think too much on it. He was so tired he actually fell back asleep less than two hours after he woke up. I had to wake him up to get him fed and to the sitter's house on time. I explained to the sitter that he was acting a little off and headed off to work.

When I picked him up, the sitter agreed he was a little lethargic and also noticed he was passing a lot of gas.

Ah, well, that's ok because my brother and his girlfriend decided to visit. We had pizza and sat around and chatted. Meanwhile, Xander added to the atmosphere by passing a lot of smelly gas and then having a blow out so bad there was a clothes change involved. After they left, I put him down for a late nap.

Then my friend and her boyfriend come by to babysit in the late afternoon and evening. When X woke up from his nap, there was more spit up in the crib. And before I left, there was another clothes changing.

As Chris and I were eating dinner I received a call that Xander had projectile vomited on my friend while he was eating his dinner. And my friend had to also change his clothes twice and just asked if it were ok to put Xander in his pajamas. Heck, if you're still there and not begging me to get home to my sick kid, you can dress him in whatever you'd like!

When I arrived home, it was Xander's regular bedtime of 8 but he was way overdue for sleep. So I rocked him for about a minute and put him to bed. The next morning I found him still asleep in the corner of the crib with a puddle of vomit in the center. Yeah. There was a lot of laundry to do on Thursday. Fortunately, I was able to do it all in the morning.

What did all of this add up to? The stomach flu that is going around the area. How did he get it? Probably while we were at the doctor's office on Monday. How do I know it was the stomach bug? Because I got it Thursday afternoon. Chris got it Thursday night. My brother got it Thursday night. My friend and her boyfriend also got it Thursday night. Fortunately, my brother's girlfriend and the sitter's household have all taken a big skip.

So Friday was really rough with both Chris and I weak and tired. I was hoping my brother would come help out and then found out he was also sick. Luckily, my sitter is my neighbor and is way too nice and took Xander for four hours so Chris and I could nap without Xander (who was back to his usual bouncing self) crawling all over us or whining to be put up on the couch.

I'm sure it's the first of many

With walking comes falling down. A lot. Xander has had many bruises the past few weeks. So yesterday when I set him down and he took one step and tumbled over, I didn't freak out. He bumped his head on the glider footstool and cried. So I sat down and cuddled him and told him it'll be ok.

Then I pulled him back to look where he bumped his head to find a nice little gash over his right eye, just above his eyebrow. Blood was slowly welling up. And my heart dropped into my stomach. I cleaned it off and a little more blood seeped out. Of course Xander calmed down and became wiggly while I'm trying to get a good look at his head.

This all happened five minutes before I would walked Xander to the sitter's and headed to work. So I'm silently freaking out that he needs stitches and what do I do about school? Augh! But it wasn't bleeding badly and he was acting normal, so I stuck a band-aid on and explained what happened to the sitter.

When I arrived home a couple of hours later, Xander was tired and had gone through a couple of band-aids. So it wasn't a bad gash, but it wasn't closing up due to where it was. So I called and made an appointment with the doctor.

Doc decided to use medical glue on the gash. There is now a bright shiny spot over the gash, but at least it isn't bleeding. And we also had to check Xander during the night to make sure he didn't have a concussion. I was sure he didn't but that is not something you want to be wrong about.

So today I am feeling pretty drained both mentally and physically.