The Xander Oey Zone

The new family member!

2010-07-10T20:12:00.001-05:00

Everyone welcome Braylon Israel Alexander Oey to our family!

I'll be starting a new blog about the whole family at http://theoeyfamily.blogspot.com. Be sure to visit!

But check out the new pictures of Braylon by visiting the photo link to the left.

A new Venue

2010-03-13T21:13:00.002-06:00

Since there's a lot more going on in my life than just Xander, I am moving my blogging (which I promise I'll get better at) over to www.alexoey.blogspot.com.

I had this one before, but decided with so many changes, Haley in all of her sports, Xander growing up and TBD on the way, it's better to have everything in one spot.

I hope everyone starts looking at the other blog and let me know your thoughts!

Alex

Xander's Scary Trip Pt. 3

2009-05-01T23:11:00.002-05:00

On Wednesday, April 22nd, Xander was feeling much better. Dr. Hill came in and saw him in the morning and said we could go home.

You could tell Xander was better becasue he was happier and because he REALLY hated being tied down to machines. Luckily we were able to take him off the oxygen early, but we still had the super strong band-aids stuck on his face. And they weren't coming off easy.

Xander was really restless that morning. You could tell he wanted to go. We spent more time in the hall that day than in the room. Xander was busy flirting with all the nurses and it got him two popsicles. Who says he doesn't know how to work it!

After a lunch that Xander didn't want to eat, it was finally time to get ready to go. The IV was unhooked and we got him most of the way dressed, but we had to wait to get the needle out and the splint off.

As luck would have it, we had the same nurse that helped discharge us when Xander was born discharge us that day! She was amazed at how big he had gotten and was a good help.

When we got home around 1:30 Grandma Nordmeyer was waiting for us. Xander was more than happy to be home and spent a lot of time running around, making sure all his toys were still working.

One thing that we had to do was (and still is) use the nebulizer on Xander. With Tracy or I, it's not his favorite thing, but everyone else says he does great with them.

That afternoon after grandma left, we took Xander to the park because we thought he deserved it. He ran around and had a great time playing on the slides and he was tired that night.

Though he didn't sleep through the night, he slept good and was happy to be home.

Xander's Scary Trip Pt. 2

2009-05-01T22:43:00.002-05:00

After getting about an hour and a half of sleep that night, Haley and I made our way to the hospital so she could see Xander before she went to school. Neither Tracy or I went to work that day because we knew that being in such a confined space would not make Xander happy.

Xander's day started off a bit rough because neither him nor Tracy got much sleep that night. He did take a nap with me while Tracy ran home to get ready for the day.

Most of Tuesday was spent trying to make Xander comfortable. Luckily we had the laptop and Xander was able to watch his two Handy Manny DVD's several times.

Xander really hates being tied to anything and the oxygen mask and IV made him mad. They had used special bandaids to keep the oxygen mask on his face and at one point he pulled them off, which really hurt. He was even more upset when they put a new set on.

Because he's so little and they didn't think he would be able to keep the IV straight, they had to tape his hand to a splint. That bothered him because he couldn't use his right hand for anything. I think he poked himself in the eye more than once trying to rub his face.

Xander's one saving grace was they let us take him for walks up and down the hall, but we had to keep the IV stand with us all the time. It's a real challenge keeping up with him as he would be walking and then suddenly break into a sprint. We spent a lot of time in the halls, but it helped keep him happy.

About 4:30 that afternoon Jerry came to visit. There wasn't much he could do to make Xander happy, but then again, there wasn't much any of us could do.

Haley went home after a supper of Taco John's and Hardee's to get ready for the night. I stuck around till about 9:30 and Xander started to tire. We had hoped to get out, but once the afternoon hit, we knew we were in for another night.

This time we put the other side of the crib down so Tracy could lay and keep a hand on Xander, something that seems to calm him. It was a long night for everyone because I felt guilty being at home, but there wasn't much I could do.

Luckily the doctor's said Xander was doing better and we could hopefully go home on Wednesday.

Xander's Scary Trip Pt.1

2009-04-23T21:42:00.004-05:00

On Tuesday morning at about 1:30, Tracy and I did something I never thought we would be doing.

We took Xander to the emergency room.

Xander had been a little more crabby than ususal on Monday night, and never really went to sleep that night. I had sat up with Xander for a while and finally brought him to our bed to lay with Tracy for a while. That night, though only a few days earlier, is really a blur. All Tracy and I can remember is he started throwing up. A lot.

The first one got Tracy good. I mean GOOD. To the point that she had to get a completely new outfit and we had to change Xander's pajamas. We didn't give Xander anymore milk after that, thinking that had something to do with it.

We got him some water and while he drank that, he got sick AGAIN, and both Xander and Tracy were changing clothes for the second time that night and I had a much larger load of clothes than originally.

This whole time Tracy and I went back and forth about what to do. While we were worried about Xander, we also didn't want to get up and go in for nothing. It was then that we realized how ragged his breathing was and finally made the decision to go to the emergency room.

After pulling on some clothes and getting ready to go, I took Xander from Tracy and he sealed the deal by throwing up for the third time, this time on me. Granted he didn't get me nearly as bad as he had gotten himself and Tracy.

When we got to the emergency room they started doing tests and the pain began. First they hooked his big right toe to a monitor that checked blood pressure and how much oxygen was in the blood. The oxygen levels were consistently low which made them decide to do something that had tears in both mine and Tracy's eyes.

They wanted to do bloodwork. Which meant Xander was going to get poked. I don't care if they stick me with needles and I would have given anything that night to have it be me, but it had to be Xander. He knew something was happening when they started tying off his arm and started to whimper when they felt it. Xander let out a blood-curdling scream when the needle went in and it almost made me cry.

That wasn't even near the end because after the bloodwork they wanted Xrays. This one really made me sad because I know how much I hate being confined and the contraption they put him in to hold him still was straight out of a midevil torture chamber.

It is a clear pastic thing that buckles together, holding his arms above him. His poor body was nearly too big to fit and his little cheeks were pressed against the plastic. I really think he thought this was worse than the needle and I had tears in my eyes as he was in it for two Xrays.

Eventually the doctor decided he needed to be admitted with Reactive Airway Disease and they needed to give him an IV.

This was worse than the bloodwork. They put the needle in and then taped his arm to a splint to hold it steady. He cryed and tried to move his arm to wipe away the tears and found he couldn't even use his fingers.

We finally made it up to the room, battered and hooked to an IV machine. They wanted to give him a nebulizer treatment and he was to wore out to even fight it.

Tracy stayed with him and it was 4:30 before I even made it home.

This long night was only the beginning of our long ordeal.

A Swinging Good Time

2009-04-14T21:05:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday, April 14th, we had the nicest day of the year so Xander, mom and I headed to the park to have some fun.

Xander loves anything to do with being outside and the park is no exception. As soon as he saw the park he wanted out of the stroller, but he didn't want to walk. He wanted mom to carry him. When we got to the park there were a lot of other people there and Xander didn't like the idea of sharing the play things. When he was on the steps to the slide, if another kid touched them he would turn around and stare at them until they got off the steps.

We went down the slide, with daddy only catching at the bottom, played on the rockers and after a quick spin on the tire swings, we finally got to what he really wanted, the toddler swing.

Xander loves to swing and really doesn't want to come out of them when it's time to go. Eventually he had enough fun and we headed back home.

I really hope we keep having such nice days because Xander and all of us really love them.

15 Fast Months

2009-04-13T21:13:00.002-05:00

It's hard to believe that Xander is now 15 months old. He turned 15 months on the 10th, which was last Friday.

I was doing so good for his first year keeping this updated and I've resolved to try to blog at least once a week from now on. Xander is changing so fast that we want you to know what's going on with him. We have some great pictures that I'll be uploading soon. If I don't update fast enough for you, call me on it - most of you have my email and my cell, so be sure to keep me true.

I'll be highlighting the major highlights of the past couple months soon to get everybody back up to speed.

1 Year Dr. Visit

2009-01-21T19:26:00.003-06:00

Xander had his 1 year Dr visit last Friday. He is quite the big boy. He weighs 23 pounds and is 32 inches tall. This puts him in the 60% for weight and 95th for height! So hopefully he will be a tall, slender little boy! I am guessing since he has found his sisters love for cheetos we will see the weight gain coming on strong in the next few months! We were happy to find out that Xander had finally gotten over his month long ear infection and was a healthy baby! Unfortunately this meant that it was time to get 4 more shots! Both Xander and I were ver sad but he did very well and even slept well that night! Keep your fingers crossed that we can get thru the next few months without getting any more illnesses!

1 Year Old!

2009-01-21T19:18:00.002-06:00

It is so hard to believe that our baby is one year old!
The time has flown by the past few months and unfortunately Alex
have been unable to keep up to speed with everything that has been going on.
So has granted me access to write and help him out with year #2!
We will try to download some of Xander's first birthday pictures for everyone to see.
Since Xander didn't destroy his little birthday cake like we had hoped we decided to give him
a second chance. Last Saturday Alex and I bought another cake and set up Alex's backdrop and lighting and took some more pictures of him with it! He loved the balloons but still would not stick his hands into the cake. Guess he has a little bit of mom in him after all! Xander loves all of his birthday presents and we can't tell which is his favorite. It is a tough battle between the slide, Cozy Coupe and the Ball Popper! Our basement has turned into quite the toy room since I couldn't stand having every toy in my living room! Hopefully soon comes around quickly so we can move some of them outside and get the swingset up for Xander to burn some of his energy on.

Xander Walks

2008-11-21T22:50:00.003-06:00

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

2008-11-05T14:29:00.003-06:00

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

2008-11-05T14:25:00.002-06:00

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

2008-11-05T14:21:00.002-06:00

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

2008-11-05T14:17:00.001-06:00

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

2008-11-05T14:15:00.002-06:00

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

2008-10-08T22:10:00.003-05:00

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

2008-10-08T22:05:00.002-05:00

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

2008-10-07T22:17:00.002-05:00

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

2008-10-07T21:59:00.002-05:00

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

2008-10-07T21:54:00.002-05:00

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

2008-10-07T21:52:00.003-05:00

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

2008-09-20T21:49:00.002-05:00

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

2008-09-20T21:47:00.003-05:00

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!

2008-09-20T21:45:00.001-05:00

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

2008-09-20T21:41:00.002-05:00

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

2008-09-19T23:30:00.002-05:00

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

2008-09-19T23:11:00.001-05:00

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

2008-09-19T23:03:00.002-05:00

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

2008-09-07T07:07:00.002-05:00

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

Xander on the Move

2008-09-06T20:42:00.002-05:00

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

More New Photos

2008-08-28T22:46:00.000-05:00

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

2008-08-28T22:33:00.002-05:00

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

2008-08-23T23:06:00.001-05:00

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

2008-08-23T23:02:00.002-05:00

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

2008-08-23T22:58:00.002-05:00

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

2008-08-23T22:27:00.002-05:00

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

2008-08-23T22:20:00.002-05:00

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

2008-08-21T23:08:00.002-05:00

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

2008-08-21T22:52:00.002-05:00

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!

2008-07-28T22:27:00.002-05:00

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

http://picasaweb.google.com/pander69

Big Boy Bath

2008-07-28T22:16:00.002-05:00

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

2008-07-28T22:05:00.002-05:00

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

2008-07-28T21:58:00.001-05:00

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

2008-07-14T05:59:00.001-05:00

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

Making a Big Splash

2008-07-13T21:36:00.003-05:00

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

2008-07-13T21:35:00.002-05:00

Eating with Dad

2008-07-13T21:30:00.004-05:00

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

2008-07-13T21:11:00.003-05:00

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

Look Out Gums!

2008-07-13T21:05:00.003-05:00

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)

2008-07-13T21:00:00.002-05:00

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

2008-07-13T20:11:00.004-05:00

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

2008-06-28T13:04:00.001-05:00

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

2008-06-08T23:24:00.001-05:00

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

2008-06-03T22:28:00.002-05:00

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

What a Roll

2008-06-03T21:56:00.002-05:00

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)

2008-06-03T21:47:00.003-05:00

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

2008-05-21T22:16:00.003-05:00

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

New Pictures

2008-05-21T22:12:00.000-05:00

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

2008-05-21T22:08:00.002-05:00

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

2008-05-21T22:05:00.003-05:00

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)

2008-05-21T22:03:00.003-05:00

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

2008-05-21T22:01:00.003-05:00

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

2008-05-21T21:39:00.002-05:00

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

2008-05-03T23:28:00.003-05:00

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

2008-05-03T23:24:00.003-05:00

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

2008-05-03T23:07:00.005-05:00

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

2008-04-25T22:46:00.003-05:00

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

2008-04-25T22:46:00.001-05:00

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

2008-04-25T22:44:00.001-05:00

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

2008-04-25T22:43:00.001-05:00

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

2008-04-20T21:23:00.004-05:00

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

Xander and the Cereal

2008-04-20T21:18:00.003-05:00

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!

2008-04-18T06:51:00.002-05:00

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

2008-04-17T21:59:00.003-05:00

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

2008-04-15T21:36:00.002-05:00

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

2008-04-15T21:29:00.003-05:00

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

2008-04-13T12:25:00.003-05:00

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

2008-04-13T12:19:00.002-05:00

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

2008-04-08T22:30:00.002-05:00

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

2008-04-08T22:17:00.003-05:00

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

2008-04-08T22:14:00.002-05:00

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

2008-04-08T21:51:00.002-05:00

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

New Pictures

2008-04-01T06:13:00.002-05:00

I completely forgot that I had posted some new pictures when I blogged the other day. You can see them here: http://picasaweb.google.com/pander69

A Long Short Week

2008-03-30T20:50:00.003-05:00

Well, we made it though Xander's first week of daycare with no problems.
Angie sends home a sheet with Xander's info for that day, when and how much he ate, naps and dirty diapers.
It's really interesting because he sleeps a lot while at daycare. XANDER NEVER SLEPT MORE THAN 20 MINUTES during the day at home! He's slept for as long as 3 hours at a stretch at daycare. Now if we could only figure out how to pull that off at home too.
Nights have been interesting because it's a lot of playing with Xander. He's growing so fast and now that we don't see him during the day it feels like he's growing even faster.

Xander's First Day Away

2008-03-30T20:37:00.003-05:00

This past week was a big one for Xander because on Tuesday Tracy went back to work and he went to daycare.

Last Monday, March 24th, was Tracy's last day home with Xander so her and Haley (who had the day off from school) spent all day spoiling him (like I would have).

Neither Tracy or I slept the greatest on Monday night. I'm sure we were both kind of worried about how he would do and what would happen.

I was up early like usual with Xander, only this Tuesday I couldn't take him back up to Tracy when I had to get ready.

Tracy and I tag-teamed him and got ready really early. So early in fact that we had to wait around to even leave the house!

Tracy went straight to daycare while I dropped off Haley at school. I came a few minutes after Tracy so we could both see him off for his first day of daycare.

I can't even imagine what that was like for Tracy. I thought it was hard enough leaving him after a week, but after 10 weeks it must have just killed her.

It was nice being able to email Tracy during the day again at work, but I could tell she wanted to go check on him. Angie, our daycare provider, sent her an email at about 10 that morning telling Tracy that everything was going well. I think that really helped sooth Tracy, and she went out to eat with her coworkers that day.

I went and checked on Xander for Tracy around 2:30 so one of us saw him the first day, and he was doing great. He is a huge hit with the other kids, so he has lots to keep him busy.

After work we didn't want to put him down, sohe was extra hapy after that! All in all, it was a good frist day for Xander. I hope many more are to follow.

You can see the pictures of Xander's first day by going here: http://picasaweb.google.com/pander69/XanderSFirstDayOfDaycare

Our Visit to Daycare

2008-03-23T21:02:00.003-05:00

Yes...sad but True. I am slowly getting ready to head back to work on Tuesday so I decided that it was better for both Xander and myself if we took a trip to Angie's to see what we could expect on Tuesday! So around 10 AM on Thursday Xander and I made the trip to daycare! When we walked in the kids were very excited to see us as Angie had been working with them all week on what to do with a new baby coming! She was even trying to teach them to say his name correctly! Right away Angie's little girl who is about 3 came over to say hi and tell Xander how cute he was! She was also giving me a brief update about what little boys to watch out for. So we told Xander that Connor bites so to stay away from him and there is another little boy who loves to cry all the time so he is very noisy and Xander probably won't get much sleep around him! All very good things to know!

Xander also got visited by another little boy who decided it would be fun to use both hands and go crazy with xander's hair! Apparently he is not use to babies with that much on top! Angie quickly grabbed him and tried to explain that Xander probably doesn't want him playing with his hair. Connor quickly joined the excitement and decided it woudl be fun to try to grab Xander's cheeks! I don't think Xander knew what to expect with all the attention and kids touching him as he didn't make a peep the entire time! Maybe that is a good thing and with all the scrambling about he will actually decide that naps are not the enemy and will get on a good schedule!

After about 40 minutes we decided things were going good and we would head off and pray that Tuesday would be a good first day! I haven't decided if I am going to make that first day visit at noon to see if things are going okay yet or not. I guess we will see how hectic that morning is and see how well I do! I am not sure who will have a more stressful day...me or Xander! Wish us luck!

Being Lazy

2008-03-23T19:46:00.002-05:00

I've been lazy lately and haven't gotten Xander's pictures up for the last month until this weekend.
It's not good that it's taken me this long cause Xander is changing fast. I'm going to try to blog and upload photos at least once a week, if not more from here on out. If I don't do it, let me know.

Go to http://picasaweb.google.com/pander69 to see all of Xander's pictures.

Xander's First Easter

2008-03-23T19:29:00.003-05:00

Xander reached another holiday milestone on Sunday, March 23rd when he celebrated his first Easter.

Xander was up bright an early on Sunday morning, so early the Easter Bunny almost didn't get a chance to visit us!

But the bunny did get to come and left Haley and Xander each a basket full of goodies. The Easter Bunny didn't make it easy though; he hid their baskets and Haley had a heck of a time finding hers.

After we found the baskets and the eggs we hopped in the Envoy and headed to Lake Benton to have dinner with Grandpa and Grandma Nordmeyer, Great Grandpa Nordmeyer and Todd, Pam, Kayla, Luke and Briton.

It was a nice dinner where we all ate way too much and lounged around afterwards. Xander should have been in heaven since he had plenty of people to hold him, but he was a little fussy at times.

When we got home Xander and I laid on the couch, where he of course went to sleep around 6 and didn't get up till much later.

Overall it was a great first Easter for Xander. Let's hope they all go this well.

See the pictures of Xander's first Easter at http://picasaweb.google.com/pander69/XanderSFirstEaster

Getting ready for the bunny

2008-03-22T22:51:00.002-05:00

On Saturday, March 22nd, we spent part of the day getting ready for the Easter Bunny.

We all did Easter eggs and had a good time.

We had got Xander a Baby's First Easter outfit and Tracy got him some bunny ears, so we had to take some pictures.

Go to http://picasaweb.google.com/pander69/HereComesXanderCottontail to see the fun.

One Last Victory Lap

2008-03-22T22:49:00.002-05:00

On Thursday, March 20th, Tracy took Xander to visit his new daycare where he will start on Tuesday.
He was a big hit with the other kids and Tracy said it went well (She may blog about it later), and after that she brought him to my office for one last victory lap before he goes to daycare.
Sunshine was really excited to see him cause he missed the other two times he had been there. Sunshine was with us the whole time we went around the agency, which was cool, and everyone commented on how big he is getting (they don't know the half of it).

Irish Smiling

2008-03-22T22:42:00.003-05:00

I am a big fan of St. Patrick's Day, even if we don't get to celebrate like we used to.

Everyone in the family wore green that day, including Xander. He was double dressed, wearing a Little O'Cutie onesie and a Baby's First St. Patrick's Day outfit.

Tracy took pictures during the day and Haley and I got some cute shots that night.

Go to http://picasaweb.google.com/pander69/StPaddySDayFun to see the pics.

5 a.m. Wake Up Call

2008-03-14T05:26:00.003-05:00

Xander has decided that he is going to take after his cousin Carter and join the battle against sleep.
Xander is more of a reserve soldier though because he will go to bed around 9-10 and sleep till 3:30-4 with only one wake up for a bottle.
It's after that that things get interesting and why I am blogging at 5:26 a.m.
I really hope that this doesn't last too long. Tracy goes back to work on the 25th and things could get interesting after that.

First Day Away

2008-03-14T05:23:00.002-05:00

On March 9th Tracy and I had our first day out without Xander since January 10th, the day he was born.
Tracy wanted to go to Sioux Falls and do a little shopping so we took Xander and Haley down to Tracy's parents and then took off.
Everyone said it would be one of the hardest things to do, but I found it rather nice. It was probably easier since we were leaving them with her parents and Haley is so good with him.
We had a nice day walking around the mall and other stores in Sioux Falls, not having to lug a car seat around.
Did we miss him? Of course.
But was it nice being able to have our first real sit down dinner together in two months? You bet it was.

A Little Lamb on the Side

2008-03-14T05:01:00.002-05:00

Last Thursday, March 6th, Tracy took Xander to get some Easter pictures taken. Photoworks, one of the local studios here had a special going on for Easter.
Some of you may ask why she did that. Yes, I'm becoming a photographer, but here's the kicker.
They had live animals.
When we had gone to the cities to see my family back in February we had found Xander a Pooh outfit that was a white polo with a baby blue sweater vest and kacki's. It was perfect for an Easter photo.
Tracy had originally planned to get his photo taken with the bunny that they had advertised, but when her and Xander got there they asked her if she still wanted the bunny or if she wanted to use the two-day-old lamb they had.
She couldn't resist. She took the lamb.
It is a very cute lamb with a black and white face that was excited to see Xander. Tracy said that the lamb got a little too close to Xander's personal space when he tried to jump in the little bassinet with him. There are some great pictures with the lamb nuzzling Xander. You could tell that Xander wasn't too into it from his scrunched up face.
The other set were with the lamb laying down in front of the bassinet, which were really cute too.
Tracy said that Xander wasn't the most cooperative person that day, but they got the pictures done and he looked real cute.

Haley and I Go At It Alone

2008-03-07T06:20:00.002-06:00

On Monday, March 3rd, Haley and I attempted something very tricky.
We gave Xander a bath alone.
Tracy and I are working to get back (or in my case in)to shape, so she went to the Y to get a workout in.
We needed to give Xander a bath, so Haley and I gathered up our supplies and headed into the bathroom.
Both Haley and I had been on water detail, where we just keep him warm, so I took the lead and we got going.
Things went really well. He only cried once and it was more of a yelp.
We got him clean and dry and in his pajamas without any major problems.
I'm very surprised we were able to pull it off!

Xander's Wilmot Shower

2008-03-05T19:04:00.001-06:00

On Sunday, March 2nd, we headed from Sisseton to Wilmot for a wonderful shower.

Becky, Arne's wife had called about doing a shower for him and we were lucky enough to have an open weekend while Rachel and Carter will still home. Seth and Meredith were also home, so it was nice to see them too.

Around 2 everyone started showing up and there was quite a crowd. Many people from Sisseton came, mainly from the clinic, and all the relatives on my side from Wilmot were there, and some from even further away.

The ladies played a few games, guessing the baby food, a baby letter game and some others while I entertained (or tried to keep Carter busy) in the basement.

There was lots of food of course, all good food, so no one went away hungry that day.

After lunch it was time to open all of Xander's gifts. Of course he was being held by various people the whole time so he was in a great mood.

We got tons of great gifts from everybody, lots of things we can use now plus a bunch of clothes for later. It's nice to get clothes that will work for later because he is growing so fast!

Thanks again to everyone that came and celebrated another special day with us.

First Trip to Grandma and Grandpa Oey's

2008-03-05T18:59:00.003-06:00

On March 1st we piled into the Envoy and made the journey to Sisseton for Xander's first trip to Grandpa and Grandma Oey's house because my family wanted to have a shower for Xander that weekend.

We took off on Saturday morning and got there early in the afternoon. Tracy went to a scrapbooking afternoon with Rachel, leaving Haley, Xander and I to head out to the house.

It was a fun afternoon. Carter still isn't sure what to think about his new cousin, but he is very good with him. He always wants to hold him and he also can't let grandma hold just Xander.

Grandpa and Grandma Remund made the trip up to Sisseton for supper that night.

Aunt Heidi got to see Xander on Saturday too when she came up to get some medicine for Dennis. She thought he looked just like I did at that age.

After supper we hung out and played with Xander. I think he likes being the center of attention.

Emily came out that day to play with Haley and those two always have a good time.

When it was time to go to bed Xander didn't go down right away, but he slept real good, letting mom and I have a nice night also.

We got up the next morning and got ready to head to Wilmot for the shower.

First Trip to Grandma and Grandpa Nordmeyer's

2008-03-05T18:55:00.002-06:00

On February 24th Xander made his first trip to Grandpa and Grandma Nordmeyer's.

Trudy, Dave, Sara, Abby and Isabelle spent the night after his baptism on the 23rd, so we went down to have dinner with them that day.

Everyone was still excited to see Xander even though they had seen him the day before. He got passed around all morning and was one happy camper.

Grandpa Ron came up to have dinner and he was able to see Xander for the second time.

Everyone had a good time, but we had to go home a little earlier than we would have liked, but Haley had a volleyball clinic she couldn't miss.

Xander's Baptism

2008-03-05T18:47:00.002-06:00

On February 23rd our families came to Marshall for a very exciting event. We had Xander baptized.

We were able to find a weekend where many people were able to come for the special event before Haley's volleyball season.

We were lucky enough to have it on a Saturday night so that everyone could enjoy the evening and not have to rush home.

Our families were able to make a day out of it, coming in the early afternoon before the service at 5 p.m. We all hung out and enjoyed the day and Xander was spoiled as usual, never being put down.

Church was at 5, but during Lent they do not do baptisms during the service, so we had a private family service after church.

It was nice because everyone was able to be right up at the altar. Rachel and Scott are his godparents on my side and Trudy and Dave are his godparents on Tracy's side. Scott wasn't able to make the trip, but Rachel and Carter flew out special to be with us.

It was a nice quick service, Xander was very good during the entire thing, never fussing at all. He did give a strange look with the water, but I think it was because he's used to warm water when we give him a bath.

After the service everyone came back and we had some delicious food and hung out for a while again.

We tried to take a few pictures of Xander in his outfit, but he decided it would be more fun to throw up on it. Oh well.

It was a great day and we want to thank everyone that was able to make the journey to Marshall to be with us on our special day.

The Dreaded Dr. Visit

2008-02-24T06:35:00.002-06:00

On Friday Xander had to go back to the Doctor for his 2-month checkup.
The thing that had Tracy worried was this time there were needles invovled.
Of course they weighed him and measured him right away. Tracy and I were figuring that he would weigh in around 8 pounds, so imagine our surprise when the little chunk was over 10 pounds! We knew he was getting bigger, but four pounds since the last visit was a big shock!
He also grew another inch or so, which was nice to see. The nurse said he was in the 60th percentile for weight, lenght and noggin size, so he's right on track.
After a quick checkup for Tracy, it was time for the shots.
There were four shots, so two nurses came in to do them two at a time. I felt a little bad setting him on that table with him not knowing what was going to happen.
I was above him, holding his hands for the nurses, and the look on his face when they poked him was one of pure shock and terror.
He started screaming, much louder than ever before, and it got even louder on the second set. I felt bad, but knew it wasn't going to tramatize him.
He was pretty upset when that was over, but getting held by mommy and daddy seemed to help a bit.
A little Tylenol and he was pretty tired from the experience. I'm glad that first round is over.
The one that's going to be worse is when he realizes what happened to him.