New Pictures

I've added more new pictures of Xander and the family. Click on the link on the right and you can see them.

Xander's Rainbow

It finally happened.
Everyone said it would, but I just didn't expect it this fast.
I was changing Xander's diaper on Tuesday night, had the diaper off and was getting ready to put the new one on when he decided he wasn't finished going.
He let loose a stream that went over his head and off the changing table.
Haley and Tracy thought it was quite funny.
I thought it was even funnier when he started filling his diaper again right after Tracy got it on.
Fun times.

The First Real Bath

On Tuesday night Xander got to experience his first real bath in the baby tub.

We had given him a few sponge baths, but since the cord was off, it was time to take the plunge.

At first he wasn't quite sure what to think, but after a while he decided it wasn't too bad. The baby bath we had for him was a little big, so I held him in there the whole time, which worked out well.

He did fuss a bit, but nothing big and now we have a new fun activity with him.

A Working Shower

On Tuesday Xander was the guest of honor at Tracy's office when her coworkers threw a shower for them. I came along for the food and to carry the gifts out to the car for Tracy.

Of course Tuesday would be the coldest day of the year, but Xander was a trooper and didn't get upset when we took him out.

Granted, he gave Tracy plenty of trouble before we left, pooping enough in one diaper to fertilize a 40 acre field, but after that he was great.

When we got to Tracy's office there was a battle to see him. Everyone wanted to hold him and Xander did great, not crying once the whole time there.

After a meal of a party sub and two delicious Schwan's Food Service desserts (a shameless plug there) Tracy began opening the gifts.

Well, I actually got to open the first one because it was aimed more at me, and it was a pair of Jordan's for Xander. Not the baby ones, but ones that he can wear in a few years. Pretty cool.

Tracy opened the rest of the gifts, which were all great, while Xander kept getting passed around.

It was a good first introduction to the people we both work with. He'll be visiting my office soon.

New Pictures!

I've added another album of pictures for everyone to enjoy. Click on the pictures link on the right side or go to http://picasaweb.google.com/pander69/XanderThrough127 to see them.

Grandparents Strike Again

Xander's weekend excitement didn't end on Saturday.

Grandpa and Grandma Oey and Great Grandpa and Grandma Remund made the trek from South Dakota down to Marshall.

Mom and dad couldn't wait any longer to see Xander again and I don't blame them. Each day brings something new and after having Carter around so much, it was hard not to have Xander around.

Everyone got to Marshall about 1:30 or so and of course Xander had decided to eat right as they were getting near, which meant no one else could hold him for a bit.

Grandma Oey got her second grandson and held him tight. Xander loves being held, so this was good to him.

We all visited for a while while Haley was at volleyball, and after that made the family trip to Wal-Mart.

Xander woke up for a bit, but after mom carried him around he was out again. Haley did everything she could to get Grandma Oey to buy her a few things and eventually did get a movie that she can't wait to watch.

After Wal-Mart it was time for another treat, Coldstone!

Haley was super excited because Tracy and I have been mean parents and hadn't taken her there yet.

The ice cream was delicious, but it was getting dark so the grandparents and great grandparents had to leave (thought I know they would have stayed longer).

Xander was pretty tired after another fun day and fell asleep (with mommy) soon after.

It was a great weekend with more to come.

Xander's Big Adventure Pt. 2

Xander's big adventure didn't stop with Sioux Falls.

We stopped and visited Tracy's brother Todd and his family in Brandon before we took off for home.

The short trip from Sioux Falls to Brandon wasn't a very fun one. Xander decided he was very hungry, but we couldn't get him out since we were moving.

Luckily we had a small amount of food for Xander and were able to tide him over a bit till we got to Todd's house.

Once we got there everyone was excited to see the little guy. Everyone crowded around him, but the only people that would hold him were Pam and Kayla.

We stayed at Todd's for a while as Tracy fed Xander and changed him. After a nice visit we were back on the road. Xander impressed me again as he stayed asleep for most of the ride home.

Overall it was a great first trip.

But we won't be making another one soon.

Xander's Big Adventure

On Saturday we made a big decision.

We decided to leave the friendly confines of Marshall and headed to Sioux Falls.

Well, we really didn't decide to go, we more or less had to go so that we could return the pink items we had purchased for Xander after we were told he was going to be a girl.

Of course Tracy and I were up bright and early on Saturday thanks to Xander's 5 a.m. alarm clock. The one bonus that came out of that was the fact that we were actually on the road quite early.

We had the Envoy ready to go so as soon as Xander was done eating we all hopped in the car and took off.

Xander slept the entire way to Sioux Falls, which really surprised me. I hope this is a peak at what's to come with him and trips.

When we arrived at Sioux Falls we started at Target because we had several things to return there and wanted to get some new clothes for him. Xander slept peacefully through our Target trip and continued to sleep till we entered Kohl's.

When we entered Kohl's I heard someone say behind me something about me being a father is scary, and when I turned around it was Pat, one of my friends and teammates from high school. His fiance works at Kohl's and happened to follow me into the store. It was real fun to see him again and as soon as Xander allows Tracy and I out of the house we are going to give him a call.

It's too bad that Xander didn't share my excitement for seeing Pat. The carts at Kohl's aren't exactly the best and the floors are actually tile, so the cart vibrated a bit much for Xander - and he was quickly awake and mad, or hungry, which it turned out to be.

One of the bad things about not bottle feeding is that Tracy has to do all the work. Haley and I are pretty useless in that battle, so Tracy and Xander stayed in the car as Haley and I tore up Sam's Club.

We were able to make it through the mall and have lunch with only one loud incident in Sears where I ran into a coaching husband and wife that I had not seen for several months.

After that we made a few more stops and left Sioux Falls.

I have to comment on how interesting it is to shop and go out with a little baby. Complete strangers will come up and talk to you like they've known you forever, touching Xander and commenting on him. It's all rather funny.

After shopping we had one more stop to make to see Tracy's brother and his family.

The Doctor Pt. 1

On Friday afternoon we made Xander's first doctor visit and it went pretty well.

With a 3 p.m. appointment, I quickly went to get Haley and met Tracy and Xander at the clinic.

Xander weighed in at 7 pounds 1.8 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches long, so the doctor was pleased with that. Tracy and I were both a bit worried because we thought that Xander would be getting shots and knew it wouldn't be pretty.

We had to strip Xander down to his diaper to be weighed and measured and he was not happy about that. I eventually got him to calm down a bit and he, Tracy and I waited for Dr. Hill to come in.

Dr. Hill pronounced Xander a healthy babyand sent us on our way. We were pretty happy that he didn't get any shots yet because then he wasn't too crabby on Friday night.

Attack From Below, No. 2

So if you've been reading this blog, you know that early on Xander tried his best to spray me when I was changing him one day.

Well, this time he decided that wasn't enough.

I was home for lunch on Friday and usually will change Xander then so Tracy has one less diaper to deal with on her own. Thursday night was one of Xander's best nights sleeping, and when I changed him around 5:30, his diaper was very wet, but not dirty. Tracy said it was the same thing when she had changed him later, so I knew this diaper was going to be a bad one.

The whole way in to his room, Xander was passing gas and smiling, knowing what he was about to do to me. We got his clothes off and that and when we opened the diaper, wow. I thought something exploded in there.

And he just smiled.

I grabbed another box of wipes because I knew the one I had wouldn't be doing the job. As I started to wipe Xander's bottom, he got The Smile.

Not just any smile, but The Smile. The one that every parent or person that has changed a diaper has seen.

The one that means he had one more shot to take before he was done.

And boy did he take it.

Luckily I had the wipe in my hand so it didn't go anywhere else, but it lasted for about 15 seconds straight.

I was a little shocked. Xander found it pleasing and didn't complain the rest of the diaper changing.

I'm just happy that it didn't go anywhere else cause that could have been bad.

Unplugging the Cord

Xander was a little fussy all day Tuesday, the first day that Tracy was completely home alone with him. He didn't want to sleep and had to be held the entire day. He did quiet down for a while, but about 9 p.m. it was on.
When I went to change his diaper, I noticed that his umbilical cord was barely attached anymore and when I brushed it, he jumped. I figured that was part of the problem, but knew if I played with it things would only get worse.
After that Xander had no desire to calm down. He would go through 15-20 minute cycles of calm and mad. About 1 a.m. I figured I couldn't do anymore and tagged Tracy in to take over for most of the night.
I went to check on them several times during the night and was surprised to see them both sleeping soundly.
When he woke up around 7:25 and I went to change his diaper, the umbilical cord was gone and he was a happy camper.
I found the cord and cleaned the area up before dressing him. It made a big difference on Wednesday when he was in a good mood, even letting mom shower and eat!
Let's hope it keeps going.

The First Official Family Picture

My mom decided it was time to get her holiday letter and card out this year, so she picked Valentine's Day, knowing her new grandson would be here in time for that.

Since he's the newest addition, we had to get a new family picture for her to use. Well, we were going to do it on Sunday, which didn't happen.

Then it was Monday, and everyone was a little tired.

We decided it was time on Tuesday and got everything read to go, just in case he wasn't in the mood to pose nicely.

With everything set up, the camera on the tripod and the timer ready, we rushed Xander down with us and snapped off a handful of shots.

The best part was he didn't even fuss. Now if he would just do that more often.

Visitors 1-22

Xander had a couple more vistors on Tuesday when Jane and Jerry stopped by.
They were both very excited to see Xander and brought some very nice gifts that they really didn't need to bring. And they didn't forget about Haley either, making sure she got a great gift too.
Jerry and I have known each other for several years now through sports and even work in the same building right now, so he had plenty of smart comments about things, so it was good that Jane was with him to keep him under control.
Xander was very good with Jane and Jerry over, but got fussy when they left, acting like a true Oey - great in public, crabby at home.

The Longest Eight Hours of My Life

Today I experienced the longest eight hours of my life.
For the first time since Xander was born, I was away from him for an extended period of time.
The culprit for this dastardly invasion? Work.
That's right, work.
After my glorious week off spending time with Xander, Haley and Tracy, I was forced back to work so that we could continue to pay the bills.
Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy my job and before the 10th of January, looked forward to going there every day.
It's just now there's a bigger reason to want to stay home.
I like many other people buy a Power Ball ticket or two (or three and now four) when the jackpot gets up around 100 million. Yes, I know the odds are better when you do it all the time, but I'm not really thinking I'll win. It's more for fun.
But this past Saturday, I REALLY, REALLY wanted to win. Not just because the money would be nice, but because I would be able to spend more time with my family.
Well, I didn't win, so I went to work today. It wasn't a bad day, I did enjoy seeing my coworkers again, but it was still a long time not seeing Xander.
I hope tomorrow gets a little better. I know that would be really nice.
And I hope he's not sleeping over lunch on Tuesday like he was on Monday.

What the left hand doesn't know. . .

I'm trying something I'll have to get used to working one-handed.
I thought I would see how blogging went with Xander in one arm. I didn't know if he would allow me to or not. So far he's been prety . . .
And now he's bored and this post is done.

Decipering the Squeaks

I've finally made my love of poker useful! I am learning Xander's little "Tells" for what he wants by how he cries.
Kinda sad that I'm able to use something I learned gambling for my son, but it is really working. Usually before he's able to really get into a crying fit, we can tell why he's crying.
There's the hungry cry, the tired cry, the dirty diaper cry, the pay more attention to me cry, and a few others that we are picking up on.
Xander has been pretty good this weekend, staying fairly quiet but eating a ton! If he keeps eating like he is, he'll be bigger than me!

Fitting It All In

I love my sisters.

Everyone in my family is excited about Xander and my two oldest sisters wasted no time spoiling their new nephew.

Theresa was first with blazing speed, sending us a package that got here on Monday! Imagine our surprise when the mailman came super early and left us a package!

It was a pretty heavy package and when I opened it, it was bursting out! There were so many cute things for Xander and some great things for Haley (Theresa, she's very excited about the makeup).

Not to be outdone, Rachel followed up with a package of her own. This package was also bursting at the seams, crammed full of great clothes for baby, along with some Arbonne products for both Xander and Tracy (ask Rachel about Arbonne, she loves to talk about it!)

The smartest thing both of my sisters did was use the flat rate boxes. These gems cost the same amout to send no matter how much they weigh. My family started using them when Brenna was in Iraq. I know they work well cause we did one or two and saved about 4 bucks on each box.

Xander says thanks to everyone for all the great gifts. There are so many cool things for him!

Xander's Big Adventure

On Wednesday, January 16th, I decided it was time for Tracy to get out of the house. She had not been out since we came home on Saturday, and even though she said she was fine, I wanted her to get out for a bit and get some fresh air.

Fresh, cold air.

For some reason Tracy didn't feel that Xander wasn't old enough to stay home alone yet, so we decided to bundle him up and make that first excursion beyond the walls.

We bundled Xander up, but not too heavily because we remembered Dr. Mishra's talk about baking the baby.

Plus, the snowsuit was WAY too big.

A thicker outfit and a couple blankets and we were ready to face the world.

First was had to pick up Haley from school. She was pretty surprised to see mom and little brother in the back seat!

Then it was off to Shopko. Haley needed some new shoes, Tracy wanted a new sweatshirt to wear and I wanted some new toys.

Xander traveled well the whole 15 minutes we were in the car, sleeping for much of it. I don't think shopping interested him too much becasue even when I showed him all the cool toys he and I would be playing with, he didn't get too excited.

After Shopko we treked over to Walley World for a few more things. This time Xander got a few things, clothes and some batteries for the great swing Aunt Rachel sent home.

After that Xander was pretty tired and we decided to come home. I'm glad the first trip out was uneventful but fun.

Quick Draw

It finally happened.
Xander beat me to the punch.
Maybe punch isn't the right word since we are talking about getting peed on. I have changed a few diapers in my day and if you've been reading my rantings you know that Xander has been pretty fast at filling his new diapers, even before I have a chance to close them!
On Wednesday I thought I was going to be changing a routine diaper. I know there's really no such thing as a routine diaper, but I thought it would be the normal adventure.
Yes, I've read all the advice saying to be sure to cover them up because the change in air temp can cause them to just go. It's kinda like a lot of other bad things out there. You know it happens to people, just not good people like you.
Well this one happened - to me - a good person. But obviously not a fast person.
Granted, it wasn't like the floodgates opened on me and I was washed out of Xander's room, but it was enough for me to pull back my hand and just shake my head.
Luckily he didn't get it on much more than me and his onesie.
And now I have learned.
Be sure to cover the fountain.

Great Grandpa Ron

We've added another great grandparent to the list that have gotten to see Xander. Tracy's dad went to Willmar on Wednesday to sell his furs and his father, Ron, rode with. They brought us some diapers so they could stop and see Xander. This was a visit of a few firsts for Ron. He had never seen Xander or our house.

It was fun to see him holding Xander. I'm sure he'll have as much fun with him as he has the other grandchildren.

After they stopped Wednesday was pretty quiet, no more visitors, just dirty laundry and diapers to change.

Splish Splash!

On Tuesday night we ventured back into the bathroom for a little clean fun - Xander's second bath!

Xander is not a big fan of getting his diaper changed, and the first bath we did so darn fast he didn't have time to react to it. This time we decided to take our time and do it right, and we had Haley doing a little photography to help us out.

We were given a promo bath at the hospital, but you know things go a little differently there. Well, we did remember to get everything in the bathroom and ready before we tried to give him a bath.

We started with the face and got that clean before we even undressed him (which is something he doesn't like). After that, we got down to the nitty gritty, me working from the bottom up and Tracy meeting me in the middle.

We got things cleaned pretty fast, but had an unhappy baby, but we found something that really calms him down.

Washing his hair.

Xander loves the feel of hands on his head and the water. It's just amazing to watch how quickly he quits fussing and just lays there with a super content look on his face.

After washing his hair and getting him dressed, I wanted to give Xander a fauxhawk, but I was out-voted 2-to-1 by Tracy and Haley, so we just combed it nicely.

Be sure to check out the pictures. I think Haley did a great job taking them. Let her know what you think haleynordmeyer@yahoo.com.

Visitors 1-15

Tuesday was a pretty quiet day again. Xander decided that he liked sleeping during the day better, but we are slowly making him understand that night time is the right time.
Two of Tracy's friends, Chris and Dianne, stopped by tonight to see Xander. They were pretty impressed by him, especially that he was quiet the entire time they were here. Little did they know he would change that when they left! (I know my mom is loving that because we were always well-behaved with company or in public, but the gloves came off at home!)
We always welcome visitors, just give us a little heads up when you are coming over.

On Another Site

The Avera Marshall Hospital updated its site today on the new arrivals page. Xander is finally listed on there. Check him out http://www.averamarshall.org/baby.php?babyname=1200360797&part=specific.
Being the proud dad, I'm pretty excited. Granted, Xander is sleeping and really didn't give any reaction to seeing his own picture.

Don't Rush To Change

Xander taught me a valuable lesson today that will save us time and money.
Don't be in a hurry to change a diaper.
Xander was making all the classic noises associated with filling his pants. I let him do his business and thought it was over, but I was WAY wrong.
I got him on the changing table and just as I finished wiping him and got the new diaper under his bottom, he gave me a fresh load to deal with!
So next time I'll be sure not to rush.

More Visitors and a Full Day at Home

Sunday turned out to be a fairly nice day at home. Xander slept for a decent amount of time and he started to open his eyes more.

The first visitor of the day was Robert, who had not had a chance to see Xander yet. Some of you may have received the first set of pictures from him since he's like my right hand at times!

Robert thought Xander was pretty cool. Xander doesn't cry a lot, so that makes life easier. Tracy even let us go play a little Halo 3, where we ended up finding Graham.

Haley even had a friend come over on Sunday. Courtney and her mom stopped over with a present for Xander, a nice Pooh pillow and a warm blanket. I'm sure he'll get lots of use out of them.

Tracy's parents also came over on Sunday, bringing a much needed rocker/recliner for the basement. We are spending a lot of time upstairs right now, but I know eventually Tracy will want to move the circus down here.

Xander likes to be held and he's not left wanting in that category! He does pretty darn well, which is nice. On Sunday night he got really hungry, eating about every hour until 4, when he decided to sleep till about 9. He's getting better all the time!

The First Night At Home

Saturday night was our first night at home and Xander didn't let us forget it! While he wasn't a bad boy, he did make sure we didn't go to sleep none too early.

We were all pretty tired from the long weekend and at about 11 p.m. Tracy told me to go to bed so at least one of us would get a decent night's sleep. Granted, I didn't sleep the best because every noise I heard was amplified 100 times its normal volume.

Around a quarter to 5, Tracy decided it was her turn to try and get a little sleep in the bed. She got some on the couch, but it's not the most comfortable thing out there, especially when worrying about the baby.

So Xander and I started our voyage of early morning television. Let me tell you, there's not a whole lot on at 5 a.m., and we both quickly dozed off.

Around 8 a.m. Xander decided it was time to rise, so we were up and at 'em for the day. We'll have to see what happens with him today!

The Exciting Ride Home

At about 2:30 on Saturday, January 12th, we decided it was time for Xander to come home with us. We bundled up all of his stuff - and him - and loaded up the Envoy to the short trek home.

He was pretty quiet on the ride home. Dad was a little on edge with all the crazy drivers out there!

We made it home safely and introduced Xander to his new home.

Visitors 1-12

On Saturday we had a pretty quiet day. Xander decided he could stay awake most of the night, so Tracy and I didn't exactly get much sleep. We lounged around on Saturday and Kim and one of her friends made the treck from Benson to see Xander.

Kim even held him - twice - which was huge.

Kim was our lone visitor on Saturday, but that's alright, we were ready to go home.

The Proud Grandparents

On Friday, Tracy's and my parents both came to Marshall to meet their new grandchild. For Tracy's parents, it was exciting because Xander is only the second grandson out of eight grandchildren. For my parents, it was exciting because he is the first grandson that has our last name. Tracy's mom did get to see Xander earlier that morning when she dropped Haley off before school, but really got to enjoy him Friday evening.

Of course my dad had to examine Xander himself to make sure he was healthy, and everything checked out good. We got great gifts from both sets of parents because luckily my parents had to drive through Watertown, which meant Xander would get some new clothes. I know Tracy is excited to go shopping for him soon!

My grandparents also made the trip to Marshall and were just as excited to see their second great grandson. Xander enjoyed being held the whole time and barely made a sound.

Rachel, Scott and Carter had brought back a stroller and swing when they were home for Christmas, so mom and dad brought that down. It will be great to have here soon!

Haley was at her first school dance when everyone was here, but my parents, grandparents, Tracy's mom, Mark, Haley and I all went and celebrated at Culver's.

It's been a great start even though he didn't feel like sleeping as much Friday night.

Visitors on 1-11

After I took Haley to school on Friday, things were fairly quiet. Granted, when I was running errands, I was calling everyone on my cell phone to tell them the news. I also stopped in and showed the people at Tracy's office the pictures. I nearly didn't make it out of there.

A handful of Tracy's coworkers were the first to come to the hospital on Friday, bringing a beautiful blooming basket. It will help brighten up the house in a while. Stephanie was next around 3 p.m. and she also brought some nice flowers.

Around 6 p.m. Tara, Marty and Brady stopped over to say hi. Brady was very excited about the baby and had to hold him - without mom or dad. Brady finally decided it would be alright if I "helped" him out and he enjoyed it a lot. I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of him and his family soon.

Mark flew down from St. Cloud after work, getting there after Tracy's parents, but before my parents. Being my old roommate and teammate, I was excited that he got to come down. He gave Xander his first Hot Wheels car, which is awesome, and also got him an outfit that says "Future Mr. Right" and a blue robe that he calls Xander's leisure suit.

All in all, the first morning and afternoon went well.

The big sister

Xander was born late enough on Thursday night that no one was able to visit him then. The first person besides Tracy and myself that got to hold him was his big sister Haley. I think Haley was pretty shocked when we called home and told her she had a little brother. Just like us, I think she was expecting girl, but she's really warming up to him. At least when he's not crying!

Haley is going to be a great big sister. She has a lot she will be able to teach him and will be able to tell him things that we can't. I can't wait till he can talk though - cause you know he'll be repeating what she said like she did as a young child.

"Whoa, It's a Boy!"

On January 10, 2008, at 11:41 p.m., Tracy's and my lives changed forever. Xander Seven David Oey joined our family at Avera Marshall. We knew we were having a baby, but it wasn't until Dr. Hill exclaimed the words, "Whoa, it's a boy!" did we realize what exactly we had.

Most people didn't know it, but Tracy and I had (we thought) found out we were going to have a little girl. We did a terrific job hiding the fact we knew what it was and had purchased several outfits and other things in pinks and purples. The bedroom was done in a bright shade of yellow since we could explain it would work either way, but had plans for other pastels to join it.

As the date drew closer, we began to make more preparations for our new daughter. Haley had some idea that we may have been having a girl after doing a little snooping. She went into the baby's room and found some clothes that we had bought that were quite pink. Needless to say, she was also expecting to have a new little sister.

Around 10 p.m. Tracy and I went to the hospital and just over 90 minutes later we had one of the biggest shocks of our lives. As Xander entered the world, I didn't even look down to see what it was, I knew I was having a girl. As I was kissing and congratulating Tracy, Dr. Hill said the immortal words.

Tracy and I were both in shock. A boy? We were having a girl! Even I said we were having a girl! Well, it turned out he is good at faking people out and gave us all a great surprise. This is where we plan on keeping friends and family up to date on Xander and the rest of the family.

Be sure to leave a comment and get in touch with us. We have a lot of living to do now!