I AM BABY!

Xaviers new food seems to be agreeing with him, and he is a happier baby. He seems heavier, but we have an appointment tomorrow (Oh no! Shots!) where we'll have that confirmed. He's also getting quite a good mat of hair on his head, and of course it matches his daddy's. Erica is rather miffed that all she gets on him is the nose and ears. Hehe.

Anyway, we're looking forward to Christmas in MN! I am sure Xavier will be very excited about all the shiny boxes and colorful lights. In the mean time, enjoy these pictures!

Here he is trying out some "solid" food for the first time! The video is about a month old, but things have been so busy around here that I haven't had time to upload it until now. Enjoy!

Xavier's First Food (YouTube).

Xavier had an appointment with a specialist to take a look at his hernia (which causes his belly button to be more like a small belly balloon) and the good news is that he won't need surgery! At least not yet. The opening is a fairly normal size and may close on its own, but its not interfering with his digestion or anything. We'll take a look again in a year, but at this point he may just need some minor cosmetic surgery in the future to make his bellybutton look more normal.

Xavier got his first try at solid (well, semi-solid) food last night! A mix of applesauce and cereal was his introduction to yummy things that aren't from a bottle, and he did very well. While much of the food ended up on his face or shirt, a fair amount actually managed to find its way into his mouth, where it was met with massive confusion. The looks on his face are priceless (and yes, we have video!

This past weekend Xavier and I took a trip to Minnesota to visit his grandparents. Erica got to stay behind for some much needed rest, and spend some time with some friends.

The trip actually went very well, with Xavier sleeping pretty much the whole way. We stopped a couple times for bottles or a diaper change. I guess the Audi has a very hypnotic influence on him.

Saturday he got to hang out with grandma most of the day, while the big boys went and played golf. Jeff won, but we both bested gramps. But, all three of us got at least one par, and I even managed to birdie a par 5!

Here are some more pictures of the little guy. He's had a pretty good week hanging around the apartment. Helping in the garden, getting attacked by flies, and pestering mom and dad by still not adhering to a sleep schedule.

Its tough being little. There is a lot to do! The world is brand new, so you've got to check out everything you can. When mom or dad is trying to calm you down by holding you close, you've gotta cry to make them turn you face out and get up and walk around. Them sitting is absolutely out of the question!

Xavier has started to become even cuter, if that is even possible. He's started trying to talk, or at least make noises! They are currently limited to single instances of sounds like "gah" or "oha," but its progress. Its rather funny because whenever he makes a new noise, it looks totally surprised that he was able to do it. In addition, he's started smiling! He has a very cute smile, and I'll try to get a picture of it soon. No giggles yet, but I have a feeling those will be coming soon.

Xavier had his hearing appointment with the specialist today. We had to wake him up at 5am and keep him awake until the 8am appointment, and boy was he an unhappy camper! I had Erica get some more sleep, and Cathy and I went to the doctors office. Xavier didn't have much fun as they taped the electrodes to his head (for measuring brain activity), but once he was asleep and the test was underway there was no problem. After the test completed, the good news was given: great hearing in both ears!

Independence Day was a busy time for baby! On Saturday, June 30th we went to Rhythm and Booms, Madison's festival of live music, F-16 fly-bys, and fireworks. Erica's sister, her kids Derek, Holly,and little Peyton, and her mom drove up for the day. We did a cookout at the apartment, with a couple friends stopping by for some food as well. Then, it was off to the park for the fireworks!