Xander Walks

Xander started walking on November 21st. We were all pretty excited!

This is actually the second video we shot that night, but it's the best so far.



Here's the fist video. We hope he does even more on Saturday!

New Fun Places

Xander is really starting to move all over the place and on September 30th, he found a fun new place - under the table.

He loves being able to move around the legs of the table and chairs, but still gets stuck once in a while.

Haley's Big Step

On September 28th, Tracy and I headed to Sioux Falls while Haley and Xander stayed at Grandma and Grandpa Nordmeyer's.

We had a nice day shopping and had gotten surprises for both Haley and Xander.

We didn't tell Haley what her surprise was right away, and got the perfect chance soon after we got home.

Xander had one of his famous dirty diapers and when Haley said she wouldn't change it, we showed her the Webkinz we got for her and told her that she had to change the diaper to get it.

Haley gritted her teeth and changed the diaper - which was really nasty - and earned her webkinz.

Homecoming Fun

Southwest State had its homecoming on September 27th and Xander got to experience his first homecoming and second parade.

It was a beautiful day, perfect for being outside with Xander and while Haley was in the parade, Kimmy joined us for the parade and the rest of the day.

Xander enjoyed the parade, especially the suckers that he got. The first one he got in his mouth, he wouldn't let go till there was nothing left but the stick.

We decided to spend the afternoon in the back yard playing games, and Robert also decided to join us for some fun.

Xander was enthralled with the bean bags we were playing with and tried as hard as he could to get off the blanket several times.

But the fun had to come to an end because Tracy and I were going to Sioux Falls the next day for shopping, so we packed up the Envoy and headed to Lake Benton for the night.

A Fun New Toy

On September 26th, Haley went to a friend's birthday party and came back with a glow-stick ball.

Xander was quite intrigued with it, wanting to play with it. Haley tried to stop him, but of course it didn't work out.

Not Just For Haley

Now that Xander found out he likes Pop Tarts, no breakfast is safe.

On September 25th, Haley was tryin to eat her breakfast when Xander decided that it was his breakfast.

He proceeded to work his way across the table and steal her Pop Tart!

New Breakfast Favorites

Xander is quickly growing tired of eating baby food. He's decided that he should at least taste everything that we are eating.

On Monday, September 22nd, we were going through the usual morning breakfast routine and as Haley ate her Pop Tart, Xander decided that he should have a taste. And boy did he like it.

He kept grabbing for Haley's Pop Tart, eventually snagging his own piece, which he proceeded to destroy.

All that food made him pretty hungry and he quickly turned to my Capri Sun juice.

He was one happy boy.

Outside Fun

On Sunday, September 21st, we decided we needed to spend some more time outside and we also wanted to finish repainting a few things for Haley's room.

As usual, we spread out the blanket in the front yard and Xander was having a blast.

Tracy needed a few paper towels to clean up some spots on the thing she was painting, and that left an empty roll.

Which Xander got ahold of and promptly chewed to pieces.

Xander is at that stage now where anything and everything he can get in his mouth goes there.

The paper towel roll never had a chance.

Xander, Haley and a Visit from G-Pa and Nana

On September 20th Tracy got to go scrapbooking for the first time in a long time, so it was me, Haley and Xander for the day.

Great Grandma and Grandpa Remund were coming down to visit, but at first it was us three.

That morning Xander had a ball playing with his toys in the living room. He was content letting Haley and I keep him occupied, but after he got bored with that, Haley had an idea.

Xander has a thing for Haley's Webkinz, so she got them all lined up in the hallway and he had a ball going back and forth between all the stuffed animals.

Later that afternoon Great Grandma and Grandpa Remund made their way to Marshall after a slight detour.

Xander was a little hesitant at first to go to either one of them, but after some Cold Stone ice cream he warmed up to them and let them play with him before they had to go home.

Haley, Xander and I were again alone waiting for Tracy to come home from scrapbooking and we made the most of the night, having fun.

Everyone was pretty tired after that long day.

Medicine Man

After Xander got his ear infection, we had to give him medicine, which he wasn't a fan of at all.

We could get the first shot down, but after that it was always a battle to get him to take more of it.

He did everything in his power not to take the medicine, but in the end he always ended up taking it.

Not Feeling So Well

On Sunday, September 14th, Tracy's birthday, Xander didn't have such a good night.

He did a lot of tossing and turning and never really slept. We had thought he might be coming down with something while in Sioux Falls, but since he didn't do too bad those nights, we let it go.

After a sleepless Sunday night, Tracy and I decided it was time to take Xander to the doctor and see how bad it was.

We hung around all morning because we couldn't get in till around 11:30 and after Dr. Hill checked him out, we found out he had his first ear infection.

That meant going to get medicine after the appointment and while Xander was having fun with us, he didn't really like the medicine.

Tracy's Birthday, Xander's Pop

On September 14th Tracy turned another year older, so being the nice husband I am, I went and got her breakfast and a nice big fountain pop.

When I got back with them Xander decided he should get the first drink of mom's pop!

Xander also wanted to play with anything and everything that was put in front of Tracy that day. I think he felt that he should share in her spoils.

Fun in Sioux Falls

On September 12th we loaded up the Envoy and headed to Sioux Falls to celebrate Grandma and Grandpa Oey's 30th wedding aniversary.

Xander wasn't very happy with the afternoon trip in the car, but finally calmed down around Pipestone.

When we got to Sioux Falls we met up with Grandma and Grandpa, Rachel and Carter, Theresa and Brenna. Xander was a little wary of everyone at first, but eventually started going to everyone else. Carter and Xander played while Haley watched them.

Everyone got to pick what they wanted for supper that night and Xander sampled a few too many things and got a little sick, but was fine again after his bath.

The next morning we did some shopping, Xander and Haley each got a gift from Grandma and Grandpa Oey.

We loaded up the car again after a fun supper at Red Lobster and headed home after a fun weekend.

Destroy the Biscuit

On September 7th, Tracy, Haley and I got some takeout for lunch. Xander has started wanting whatever we have, but that day we decided to give him one of the teething biscuits that we had bought him.

Needless to say Xander loved it. He loved it so much that he got the soggy cracker everywhere before he was able to bite off a huge chunk.

Xander didn't want to give up the chunk that he had bit off either! He fought me until I finally got it out of his mouth!

What a Sucker!

On September 3rd Haley decided Xander should get to taste some sweets and let him have a lick of her sucker.

Little did she know it wouldn't be a single lick. I think Xander got just as much as Haley did!

Sending Haley to School

On September 3rd Haley started the sixth grade and we started a new routine.

No longer did Xander and I have our mornings alone cause we were all getting ready to go our separate ways.

In some ways it was really nice because Tracy and I got to sleep a little longer - when Xander lets us - and mornings were a little less rushed because Tracy wasn't trying to get out the door before 7 a.m.

As we do every year, we took pictures of Haley on her first day, but this year Xander got to get into the pictures too.

Xander's First Labor Day

On September 1st, we all got to stay at home and celebrate Labor Day.

Of course, Xander didn't know the difference, but he was happy to have mom, dad and sister home to take care of him all day.

Since he's been crawling so well, many things have been moved up a shelf or two, but Tracy has a few things left on the couch table in the living room and Xander loves to play with them.

One of the things is a book of pictures from our weddng. Xander will slide it around and sometimes even look at the pictures.

It was a nice day at home for us, and as always, Xander and Haley made it even better.

Fun New Foods

Every meal is a new adventure for Xander now cause he always wants a taste of what we are having.

On August 30th, Tracy made some delicious caramel rolls and of course Xander wanted a taste.

He really liked them and kept trying to get a good bite. Of course, with only four teeth he had to settle for enjoying the caramel that was on the roll!

Xander's New Friend

The more mobile Xander gets, the more new things he finds.

On August 29th, we went to the basement to hang out for a bit and Xander was moving around, checking everythin out.

He had seen Tardy's tank before, but he spent a lot of time investigating it this night and was really interested in Tardy.

He kept touching the glass, waitng for Tardy to react. He was pretty excited when Tardy looked at him!

A Piece of his Mind

Xander has really kicked up the talking. He'll give anything a piece of his mind, even the phone stand.

Xander on the Move

Xander has really been working on his crawling. This is one of his longer jaunts so far.

More New Photos

As always, I keep adding more new pictures.
Go here http://picasaweb.google.com/pander69 and check them out!

The First Cut Is The Hardest

Xander is growing so fast -- which means so is his hair.

Tracy and I have cut his bangs a couple times cause they were getting in his eyes, but recently I kept commenting on how long his side curls were getting. Tracy really loved his curls, but finally consented to getting his hair cut since she was going to Lake Benton to have her's and Haley's hair cut.

I couldn't make the trip with them because I had to work and I also had a Fantasy Football draft. I really wanted to go, but I knew it was now or never.

Grandma and Grandpa Nordmeyer were there to lend support, and in Grandpa Nordmeyer's case, his lap for Xander to sit on.

It was not a good time for Xander. Tracy and Haley said he screamed bloody murder when she started cutting, but Tracy was able to calm him down eventually, even though he never looked happy.

Afterwards, Xander got a sucker, and even though the wrapper was on it, he was able to get a little taste of it. He really likes orange suckers!

Xander also learned he liked mashed potatoes when he got to try a bit of Tracy's.

Now that his hair is cut, I think it will be a while before we do it again.

Xander on the Move

Xander has really been working at getting up on his hands and knees, trying to move.
For a while he couldn't quite figure out how to make everything move at the right times and was a little frustrated with the whole thing.
Angie, our daycare lady had been commenting that he was going to be crawling soon and when Tracy went to pick him up on August 20th, Angie had the exciting news that Xander had been crawling that day!
Of course he didn't feel like doing it much that night, but on August 21st, Tracy was able to get some video of Xander crawling.
Now that he knows how to do it, he's all over the place.
Time to get baby-proffing!

One Big Picnic

On Sunday, August 17th it was the annual Schwan's Employee Picnic and we were ready for a good time.

When we got there to get our wrist bands, all my coworkers had to comment on how cute Xander was and how big he had gotten.

While we ate our dinner Xander got some delicious green beans, but he was sure ours was better and kept reaching for everything we had.

Later that afternoon we settled in the bingo tent to see if we could win any prizes. After a while I decided to get Tracy some mini doughnuts and while I got those, I also got a snocone for myself.

Xander saw the sno cone and decided he had to have some too. Unlike the ice cream, this one was really a bit cold for him, but he kept trying to get a little more each time.

After a while Xander got a bit tired of the bingo, so he and I took a little stroll at the back of the tent and soon he was fast asleep. He slept for a while, but as everyone knows, Xander doesn't stay down long, and he helped us finish out the bingo.

We didn't win anything, but Xander and Haley had a good time at the picnic.

A Delicious New Treat

On August 16th, we decided that it was time to clean out the garage so that we could have a garage sale the following week.

It was a long task and Haley and Xander were real troopers the whole time.

After we were done we decided to treat Haley to Dairy Queen ice cream since she had been such a big help.

Little did we know we would be treating Xander too.

Tracy had got a vanilla cone that day and when we got back to the house, Xander decided he had to have a taste.

We figured it would be too cold for him, and boy were we surprised when he liked it! Tracy ended up giving him several tastes of her cone and he wanted more each time.

Xander was quite sad when it was all gone!

Just Me and Xander

On August 9th, Tracy and Haley decided to go school shopping, something Xander isn't the best at yet, so we decided that it would be easier for Xander and I to stay home.

We hung around most of the morning, playing outside, going for a walk and playing with toys in the living room.

That afternoon I decided to see if I could get Xander in his pool by myself since it was such a warm day out.

I got him in his little suit alright and we headed out.

About this time Xander had started learning that he could move a lot more on his own and he did that in the pool several times. He also learned that if he moved too much he could get a facefull of water!

The pool was fun and it got him a little tired. Around 6:30 or so, Haley and Tracy returned home and Xander was pretty excited to see them, and the new toy they brought him.

It was a fun day for him and I, spending a little father-son bonding time alone.

Fun at Grandma and Grandpa Nordmeyer's

Every year around the begining of August, Trudy and the girls come down to spend some time at Tracy's parents with Tracy and Haley. This year Xander got to join in the fun.

After a fun Saturday at Great Grandma Meyer's house, it was time for fun at Grandma and Grandpa Nordmeyer's.

Sarah, Abby and Isabelle all had fun with Xander and Haley, playing both inside and out.

From what I'm told, Xander didn't feel like going to anyone but Tracy most of the time, but Abby was able to sneak in there every so often.

A Big Adventure

On August 2nd, We packed up and headed to Lake Benton for the big gathering at Great Grandma Meyer's house. Both Todd and Trudy's families were also coming, and Xander would get to see a bunch of his relatives.

That afternoon we headed out to Great Grandma Meyer's and Xander was a big hit. It was a nice day outside and Xander loves being outside, so he was in his element. Many people wanted to hold him and at first he wasn't too excited, but he got used to it and had a good time.

Xander was pretty beat when we finally headed back to Lake Benton, but he had a lot more excitement to come.

A New Toy

On July 30th we got adventeous and decided to put Xander's walker together.

He had been enjoying the bouncer for a while and we wanted to see how he would take the walker.

After we got it put together we had a good time watching him try to figure out why his feet were touching the floor.

New Pictures!

Of course with all the exciting things going on, there are new pictures here.

http://picasaweb.google.com/pander69

Big Boy Bath

On July 23rd, we decided it was time for Xander to get out of the little baby tub and sit up like a big boy. We weren't sure how it would go and I don't think Xander knew what to think at first, but after a while he got into it and had a great time.

It's amazing how fast he's growing up!

Birthdays and More

On Friday, July 25th Haley, Xander and I loaded up the Envoy and headed north to Grandpa and Grandma Oey's house.
Brenna was back for a week from Washington and Theresa and Dean came up to see her, so we couldn't resist making the trip. Too bad Tracy had to work till 5 that night and couldn't come with.
Haley had a full morning because we didn't have daycare, so she watched him for three hours before I got home. We fed Xander and got in the car, hoping he would take a nap at least part of the way.
We stopped at Tracy's office to say goodbye, then we hit the open road.
To my surprise both Haley and Xander were soon asleep. I figured it wouldn't last too long and that we would be stopping in Watertown, but neither woke up till about 5 miles to Grandpa and Grandma Oey's house!
When we got there we hung out with Grandpa and Grandma for a while, then Haley and I headed to the lake with Dean and Grandpa since Theresa and Brenna were already there playing on the jetski. Grandma wanted some alone time with Xander, so she was happy.
Haley had a great time on the Jetski, watching while Theresa, Dean and Brenna took turns skiing. I took some pictures of that which are linked on the page.
When we got back it was time for the birthday meal.
Theresa had her birthday on the 26th (happy birthday) and Brenna's is on the 30th (happy early birthday) and since Haley's is on August 6th, we had walking tacos in their honor. We also had a Dairy Queen ice cream cake to celebrate.
Great Grandpa and Grandma Remund came up to celebrate too, which was nice, and everyone had a great time with Xander. It was the first time Dean got to see Xander, so that was cool too. Now it's just Uncle Isreal that hasn't had a chance to see him.
After supper Theresa and Brenna headed back to the lake, so Grandpa and Grandma gave Haley her birthday present a bit early. Haley didn't realize Xander was wearing her birthday present right away, but was very happy with her new Marshall Tiger jacket which will come in handy this fall.
Xander slept well, though he did get up nice and early like usual.
We hung out on Saturday morning before eating some sweet potatoes and heading out once again.
I didn't think I would be lucky enough to have him sleep again, so imagine my shock when he slept the entire way home again! Haley also got a nice nap in.
All of us were happy to see Tracy when we got home after a nice trip.

A New Frontier

Every year Tracy, Haley and Tracy's mom travel to Foley to see Trudy, Sarah, Abby and Isabelle for a few days.
Before this was not a big deal, but since it was girls only, that meant that it was going to be me and Xander.
Alone.
For two whole nights.
Not going to lie, I was a little worried about being home alone with him for so long. Tracy said I shouldn't worry cause it would only be two nights, Monday the 21st and Tuesday the 22nd cause they would be home on the 23rd.
I picked up Xander at daycare on Monday and we made it through the night. We did bath and cereal and he went to bed. Xander slept well, waking up once, but at 4 a.m. on Tuesday, he was ready to go.
Needless to say I was a bit tired, but we survived and repeated the fun on Tuesday night.
That night he went to sleep well again, but was up bright and early the next morning at 4:30 this time.
I was never so happy to see Tracy and Haley when they got home that day.

Xander's New Ride

Haley finds out just how mean Xander can be to her when she tries to be nice to him.

Making a Big Splash

On Sunday, July 13th, Tracy and I blew up Xander's little pool and set it up in the back yard.

We didn't know how he would do with it because he didn't care for it at day care when she put his feet in the water, but then at the same time he loves baths.

We got Xander in his swimmer diaper, his little diaper cover and his shark swim shirt and headed outside.

The pool is a little inflatable one that has a few little toys with it and at first he just kinda sat in there, not knowing what to do. After a while he warmed up to it and started playing with the toys.

It was a bright day out so Tracy had me get his sunglasses and hat for most of the time and it was probably good he had the glasses on cause he kept splashing like a big boy.

He had a good ol time in the pool. I'm sure we'll have it out again soon.

Xander Chowing Down

Eating with Dad

On Saturday, July 12th, while Tracy and Haley were at Haley's softball tournament, Xander and I spent a nice day at home all alone.

Since Xander had begun eating carrots at day care, him and I continued it that day. I was a little concerned that him and I would have an interesting time cause he usually likes to hit the spoon and things like that.

I got the carrots ready and set Xander up in a different outfit cause he had really messed up his last one at day care, and got that bib on tight.

To my surprise, Xander ate those carrots like a pro, eating nearly the entire container! And it wasn't one of those small jars, it was the big Gerber ones.

I was really happy that he ate as well as he did.

The Bouncing Man

Xander loves his Exersaucer. Here are a few clips of him going to town on it.

Look Out Gums!

On Friday, July 11th/Saturday, July 12th, Xander had another big milestone, his first tooth came in.

Now, the first tooth wasn't a lot of fun for me. Haley had a tournament the next morning in Redwood Falls, so I was trying to give Tracy as much sleep as possible, but eventually I couldn't do much more and she had to take over.

At first I thought he was just fussy, but when I let him suck on one of my fingers, I felt that sharp sting of the first tooth. After that I swiftly grabbed the baby Orajel and got some on that tooth.

He did finally sleep a bit that night, so I was happy.

Hitting the Big 6 (Months)

On Tuesday, July 8th, Xander had his six-month checkup and passed with flying colors.

He was in the 75th percentile for head circumfrence, 75th percentile for weight (18 lbs. 6 oz.) and the 90th percentile for height (29 inches).

Our big boy got some more fun news, Dr. Hill said that he could start on real foods! We told Angie at day care that we were going to be starting, and she really easy to work with when it comes to feeding. She even gave us a schedule of the way she does it there so we can easily stay on track with her.

The bad part of the visit was the shots. There were three of them this time along with an oral dose, which he took down like a champ. Of course there were some tears and a lot of crying, but he made it through fine.

The 4th, and a New Friend

Yes, I'm falling behind again. It seems just like yesterday that I was writing about Grandpa and Grandma Oey coming down for Haley's tournament, but it was quite a while ago!

A lot has been happening for Xander since the 21st of June Each day Xander gets a little bigger and does something a little better.

Xander is rolling like a champion now. We have several videos of him rolling around all over the place. He still won't be a race car driver as of now, he can only make right-hand turns.

On July 3rd, we all piled into the Envoy and headed up to Sisseton to see Grandpa and Grandma Oey as well as Rachel, Scott and Carter. Xander experienced Dino's Supperclub for the first time on the third when we went out to eat. After that it was home for a bath and off to bed.

On the 4th of July we hung out at Grandpa and Grandma Oey's most of the day, playing outside and inside. Xander watch Grandma, me, Tracy, Haley and Graham play a little Bocce ball out in the yard, then it was time for Tracy and I to get ready for my 10 year reunion. Haley made sure she was in charge of Xander that night. We can't get her to hold him for more than 30 seconds at home, but if we are not around she's the one in charge.

On the 5th I had to shoot a wedding, so we were coming back to Marshall, but we had another surprise that day. Tara and Marty had their baby on the 5th. It was a boy, Ben Martin Brandl, who will go to school with Xander. Marty and I are already planning on what we will help coach them in! The four of us went up to visit the Brandl's after my wedding and while Tracy and I held Ben, we though how hard to believe that just six months ago Xander was literally four ounces heavier and a half inch longer than he was!

There's tons more, but we'll leave them for more posts.

Summer Fun

Every day brings new and exciting things for Xander. I posted a video back on the 8th that showed him really getting rolled onto his stomach for the first time. Since then, he's been a rolling fiend. Granted, it's mainly just to the right and he can't get back over, but he attacks that right side with gusto.
We are now in the full swing of summer and Xander is learning what it's like to have a big sister that does a lot of summer activities. Marshall held its home softball tournament on the 21st of June and Xander was outside most of the day with us, watching three of the four games Haley played in.

Grandma and Grandpa Oey came down to watch Haley play and to see Xander. They were really impressed with Haley's softball skills. She had a few great hits and got hit a few times too. Haley had her first major sports injury about 2 weeks ago no, spraining her left ankle pretty good. She thought it was the end of the world, but now it's business as usual for her.

He was a good spectator, even though at first he wouldn't go to anyone but Tracy or I. He eventually warmed up to Grandma and Grandpa Oey and had a great day out in the sun. Haley's team did really well, going 3-and-1 on the day. She got at least 3 hits, walked a couple times and got beaned about 4 times. She didn't even rub it when she got hit!

We had a victory supper of Pizza Hut for Haley and after that Grandma and Grandpa went home and we all went to sleep. It was a long but fun day.

Caught in the Act

Xander has really started to roll more, but it has been hard to catch him doing it on video.
This weekend while at Tracy's sister's house, we finally got him on camera doing it!

More New Pictures

I'm trying to catch up on blogging and pictures. See the new ones here: http://picasaweb.google.com/pander69

What a Roll

On Tuesday, June 3rd when Tracy picked up Xander from daycare we got some great news.
Angie said that Xander had rolled over during the day! She also said he was very surprised and not very happy about it, but we were all excited about this big milestone.
As I was making supper Tracy and Haley were in the living room doing all they could to get him to roll again. He would get almost over, then he would pull back and go flat again.
Again after supper we tried to coax him into rolling again, but we couldn't get him to do it.
We are all hoping that he'll roll for us soon. I can't wait till he does it for us.

A Fun Saturday (And a Medal for Haley)

On Saturday, May 31st, Haley had her first softball tournament.
In Waseca.
Tracy and I had debated from the day we found out about it what to do with Xander. We knew that unless it was a perfect 70 degree day, we really couldn't stay out with him all day. So originally the decision was made that Tracy would stay home with him and I would go with Haley.
Earlier in the week Haley decided she would rather have her mom go to her first tournament so we swapped plans and I stayed home with Xander.
I decided since Haley and Tracy would be home between six and eight, it would be a great day for my parents to come down, play with Xander and have a victory supper with Haley when she got back.
But first Xander and I had to get through the morning.
My parents had called the night before and said that they would leave around 10 or so and that Nana Remund was coming with too. Grandpa would have came too, but the lawn needed mowing back home and that's an all day chore.
Xander was up bright and early at 5 as usual and we hung out. He was great all morning and didn't fuss at all. I received updates from Tracy on Haley's games and Haley called me after each one. They won their first game and lost their second, meaning they would play the other Marshall team for third place.
After a good morning I was still very happy to see my parents pull up cause then I could have a little break.
We all hung out and played all afternoon and then got the call that Haley's team had won third place, which means she got another medal, something she's very happy about.
We had a victory supper of paninos and ice cream pizza before my parents and grandma went home.
It was a great day for everyone.

Xander's Fun

Xander is now a huge fan of being bounced and moved around fast. Here are a couple videos of him having fun.

New Pictures

We've got a bunch of new pictures up on the site now.

Go to http://picasaweb.google.com/pander69 to see them all!

Trampoline Fun

On Saturday, May 17th, we spent even more time in the backyard.

Haley had softball practice, so during that time Tracy and I planted some flowers in the front yard while Xander hung out with us.

We also played on one of Xander's favorite places, the trampoline.

While he's not doing flips yet, he does enjoy getting bounced a bit and of course loves attention, which he got plenty of.

So Darn Tired

Xander is still not a fan of sleeping though the night, but he also isn't a huge fan of napping either.

On May 13th, he took a bottle and got so tired he couldnt' even play with his toys, he just fell asleep.

On A Roll (Almost)

As Xander keeps getting bigger, he learns how to do more and more things.

Lately he's taken to rocking back and forth. He hasn't quite made it all the way over yet, but he can go to both sides and change the way he's laying and can also move around the floor that way now.

You can tell he's not quite sure how to finish things off, but I'm sure he'll figure it out soon.

Enjoying A Sunday

On Sunday, May4th, the weather was beautiful, so we took advantage of it and spent some time outside.

That is after I got home from golfing.

Xander had to try on my hat before I went golfing and didn't throw it off, which surprised me.

When I got back we went in the backyard and just hung out. It was a lot of fun.

Falling Behind

It's been a pretty busy couple weeks here in the Oey household. With the weather getting nice we've been spending a lot more time outside, something Xander seems to enjoy.
We have a bunch of new pictures going up so be sure to check them out!

A Fun New Toy

On Saturday, May 3rd, we actually had nothing planned, so Tracy brought out one of Xander's bigger toys, his exersaucer.

It was a family affair putting that thing together, but we finally got it up and ready for a test run.

At first Xander wasn't sure what to think of the new toy, but eventually he started having fun in it. Granted, he's not quite able to hold himself up yet, but he made a good go of it and started playing with all the little gadgets on it.

Though he was having a ton of fun, there was one thing that was really annoying him - he couldn't get the toys in his mouth!

Try as he might, all his straining and reaching didn't put anything in his mouth. He made the rounds on the toy, trying and trying and finally just gave in.

Give him another month and he'll be eating everything on that exersaucer!

A Funny Face

As of late Xander has really begun to develop.

He's learing to grab things, how to hold on and a lot of other good developmental things, but one of the funniest things he has learned to do is make one heck of a face.

He's already got chipmunk cheeks, but now he sucks in his bottom lip and really puffs everything out.

Before we weren't able to get pictures of it, but on May 3rd, he finally held it long enough for us to get some great pictures.

A Sad But Good Trip

Earlier this week we received bad news we knew was coming.

My great aunt Rosa Lynne had passed away after her battle with cancer. Mom called on Sunday to let us know the funeral would be on Wednesday, April 30th in Wilmot.

Normally I wouldn't make everyone go to a funeral, but Tracy knew that other relatives that hadn't seen Xander yet would be making the journey also, so she suggested we take the day off and all head home.

We took off around 4 on the 29th and got to Sisseton at a decent time. Grandpa Oey was the only one home then, and as soon as he got off the phone grabbed Xander to hold him for a while.

When Grandma Oey got home, she also had to take Xander since it had been about 2 months since they had seen him last.

Rachel and Carter were going to be home later because they were riding from Rapid City with Connie and Dennis.

The next morning we awoke to the sounds of Carter blazing a trail through the upstairs. He was excited to see both Xander and Haley, whom he immediately started to play with.

After a leisurely morning, we got ready and headed down to Wilmot. When we got to Great Grandpa and Grandma Remund's house Connie was more than ready to have her turn for the first time with Xander.

Dennis and Dan also got their turns in with Xander, who was in his glory. He loves it when anyone holds him. Later, after a mishap with a bull, Arne also saw Xander for the first time. After a great dinner it was time to head to the funeral.

Rosa Lynne touched a lot of people and you could tell because the Wilmot church was filled to the max. Every seat was taken, including the choir loft and the balcony.

The other relatives were excited to see Xander despite the occasion and Xander was perfect during the service, never once crying.

After a nice lunch it was time to head back to Marshall to finish the week. It wasn't a fun reason to head home, but at least it was a good time.

Everywhere But Home

On Tuesday, April 22nd, I was all over the Midwest for work, so Tracy had a daunting day of getting Haley and Xander herself. To make things even worse, Xander hadn’t been feeling the best, and around 3 Angie emailed Tracy and myself and said how rough a day he was having. Tracy got him into the doctor and luckily it wasn’t anything big.
Xander’s sinuses were draining, which is why he had been so fussy. Also, his nose was really stuffed up which is another reason he didn’t want to eat. He couldn’t breathe!
I felt bad cause I was in St. Louis when I found out and didn’t get back to Marshall till 9:30 that night. Tracy busted her rear to make both kids happy. Glad it worked out.

A Rough Start to the Week

On Monday, April 21st, Xander started out the day rough. He didn’t sleep much at all the night before and I was up with him from about 2:30 a.m. on, which was not very fun.
I ended up taking off the morning cause I was so beat from the two nights before, so I was in charge of Xander while Tracy and Haley got ready to go. Xander’s stomach had been upset and not eating much. Well, in the middle of the night, he decided he had enough and threw up on me, which was a blast. Then, as everyone was getting ready, he bounced another batch off my shoulder and onto my foot.
I never thought I would have to deal with that on my foot, running between my toes. Yummy.

Nice Day, Not The Nicest Feeling

On Sunday, April 20th, it was a beautiful day so we tried to take Xander for a walk.
We forgot that we lived in Marshall and that it’s always windy, so no matter which way we were going Xander was in the wind. He still wasn’t feeling the greatest on Sunday and didn’t sleep much that day. Usually he sleeps a lot during the day after a rough night, but not this time.
On Sunday night Tracy took her shot at feeding Xander cereal. It was a good time, he ate some but not a lot as he still wasn’t feeling the best.
We were in for another rough, rough night.

A Full Saturday

On Saturday, April 19th, Haley had her second volleyball tournament of the year, and for the first time we had to travel to Pipestone.
Very early.
Haley had to be in Pipestone at 7:30 a.m., which meant an early morning for everyone. Xander pulled his usual early, early morning fun, getting me up around 4:30. We got everyone up and ready in time to even get breakfast that morning!
Xander did a pretty good job that day. This was his second tournament for Haley and he didn’t fuss much.
Haley’s team played well and took second in their bracket, losing to the other Marshall team.
Haley was very proud that her team won their first medals ever for a tournament, so if you see her or have her email, drop her a line and tell her congratulations.
Xander was tuckered out and slept most of the way home. As did Haley.
When we got back we all had to go outside and enjoy the first real nice day. Haley wanted the trampoline up so she could have some fun. Xander came out and we played a bit, but we could tell he wasn’t feeling the best.
Saturday night turned out to be pretty rough. Xander wasn’t in the mood to sleep and spent most of the night in either Tracy’s or my arms, mostly mine.

Fun with Cereal

Here's a little clip of me trying to feed Xander cereal for the first time. What fun!

Xander and the Cereal

On Friday, April 18th, a comment when I picked up Xander at daycare made a new decision easy for us.

It was time to start him on cereal.

Angie said that she had to give him an 8 oz. bottle that day so we knew that the porker needed a little more to keep his belly full.

We had tried a few times to put some cereal in his bottle, but I think it was too thick for him to pull out like he wanted, so he gave up. This time we spoon-fed him, which we knew was going to be an adventure.

The first try that night was unsuccessful. He was really sleepy, so he didn't want to take it. About an hour later he was wide awake, so we tried it again.

At first he wasn't quite sure what to think of us giving him the cereal, but after a few spoonfuls he was eating it up.

He finished off about 3/4 of what we had made for him, finished his bottle and went right to sleep.

I think it was a good decision on our part!

More New Pictures!

I've been working on keeping up better with Xander's events and pictures. Here are some new pictures of Xander and everyone.

http://picasaweb.google.com/pander69

All Smiles In The Morning

A few days after Xander's shots, he was back to his old self, smiling away in the morning.

The Dreaded Dr. Visit, Pt. 2

On Tuesday, April 15th, Xander had his second Doctor appointment that would include shots, something we knew wouldn't be too fun.
Tracy and I met at the clinic that afternoon to go together. While we were waiting he was as happy as ever, smiling and talking like he always does. He was a hit with Deb, who hadn't seen him since our last visit, and he played it up like usual, smiling and talking to her too.
Xander weighed in at 14 pounds 15 ounces and was 25 inches long, putting him in the 70th percentile for his age. Last time he was in the 60th all around, but this time his head was in the 45th percentile.
Dr. Hill said that Xander was doing great and that he seemed to be right on track for everything. After she checked him out, it was time for the shots.
The two nurses came in and got him ready and the poor unsuspecting little boy got the look of sheer horror on his face again when he got poked by the first two needles. The second two needles sent him overboard and he turned as red as a tomato when he started crying.
Luck for him Tracy scooped him right up and soothed him, which seemed to make things all better.
Later that night Haley and I went out to practice softball, and Tracy brought Xander out and he was happy again. I think he really likes being outside, so I can't wait for this summer when we can spend so much more time outside having fun.

Xander Hits The Town

On Saturday, April 12th, Xander got his first taste of eating out when we decided to hit Applebee's.
Kimmy and her boyfriend Todd came to town to hang out for a bit and we decided we needed some food. At first we thought about just ordering in, but then decided we would take the chance and head out to a restaurant for the first time.
It was well before 6, so we didn't think Applebee's would be super crowded yet, but when we got there it was quite a surprise. It was going to be at least a 10 minute wait before we could get a table. We weighed the options and decided to go for it and waited, figuring if things got bad we could just leave.
Xander couldn't have been better during the wait, just hanging out and checking out the sights and all the new people. Of course we got plenty of comments on all his hair as usual, and finally we got our table.
Xander smiled a lot and didn't fuss at all, which was very pleasing to Tracy and I. We eventually got our food and tag teamed holding him while we ate.
I can't wait till he's big enough to sit in a high chair and eat himself, but Saturday was one good start.

A New Favorite Chew Toy

Xander discovers new things every day. This past week he has figured out that he has some control over his hands.
Look what he likes to do with them.

Going It Alone

On Tuesday, April 8th, I set out to accomplish a task I had never tried alone.
I gave Xander a bath without Tracy or Haley around.
Tracy and Haley went to run some errands, but Xander still needed a bath, so I decided we would see what would happen.
I gathered up all the things we needed to give him a bath and got it all ready. I figured if things went bad I could just keep him wet till Tracy got back.
Things went well, Xander cooperated and we got the bath taken with no problems.
Tracy and Haley were very surprised when I got home to see Xander all dry, dressed and without a Faux hawk.

Coming Home and Scratching Some Tickets

On Sunday, April 6th, we hung out at Grandma and Grandpa Nordmeyer's all morning, playing with the cousins and having a good time.

After the long day on Saturday, Xander was still pretty tired and was content to hang out in whomever's arms he was in.

After a nice dinner we headed back to Marshall. The little guy was so tired he slept most of the afternoon while we caught up with cleaning and laundry.

That night, I had to run some errands and decided it was time for Xander to scratch his first lottery ticket.

Everyone got one, but only Tracy won. Oh well, at least it was fun for a little bit.

To see pictures of Sunday, go here: http://picasaweb.google.com/pander69/HangingAroundScratchingLotteryTickets

A Busy Saturday

On Saturday, April 5th, we had one busy day!

Haley had her first JO volleyball tournament, which started bright and early at 8:30 a.m.

We were at the Marshal High School, which was nice because you can never be sure how a new baby will react to new situations.

Needless to say, Xander was a hit. Everyone of Haley's friends wanted to play with him, regardless if they were warming up to play or not.

Other parents that had not seen him also wanted to see him, so Xander spent a lot of time in his favorite position - in someone's arms.

Haley's team did really well, ending pool play in fifth place overall, but couldn't finish it off in the championship bracket.

After a quick stop at home we were on the road to Lake Benton for Tracy's parents surprise birthday party.

Trudy, Dave, Sarah, Abby and Isabelle were already at Grandma and Grandpa's when we got there and instantly mobbed Xander.

After a delicious supper of Country House chicken, it was time to head to the Legion for the party.

Tracy's parents were quite surprised because they were told it was a party for another relative, who also had a milestone birthday this year, and they were even more surprised when Todd, Pam, Kaila, Luke and Briton all walked in too!

Again, Xander was the main attraction. Everyone wanted to hold him and everyone commented on how much he looked like me and how much hair he had.

It was a long day for the little guy. He was quite tired when we got back to Grandma and Grandpa's that night and slept pretty good.

I know that he loves seeing both sets of grandparents and can't wait for his next trip to Sisseton or Lake Benton.

To see the pictures from Saturday, go here: http://picasaweb.google.com/pander69/GrandpaAndGrandmaAndABigSurprise

Hanging Around Outside

After the success of Xander's first walk on Thursday, April 3rd, Haley and I decided to bring him back out for some more fun.

While Tracy was busy preparing for her parents surprise party the next day, on Friday Haley, Xander and I spent a little more time outside.

He seems to like being outside, which is a good thing, because we all the summer activities we have going on, we'll be spending a lot of time outside.

To see the pictures, go here: http://picasaweb.google.com/pander69/PlayingOutsideWithSister

Xander's First Walk

Spring has finally sprung here in Marshall, and we decided it was time to introduce Xander to the neighborhood.

He had been outside at Daycare earlier that day, so we thought a short walk would be a great idea.

We bundled Xander up good and took him out in the stroller for a short walk around the block.

He must have liked it cause he slept almost the whole time, opening his eyes only to make sure we were still on the move.

I can't wait till it gets even nicer outside so we can spend more time in the yard having fun.

To see pictures of this fun walk go here: http://picasaweb.google.com/pander69/XanderSFirstWalk