Lots of changes...

After an awesome summer, the school year is starting again. My teacher friends are all going back to school on Monday.  I always loved that first week of school - the cute, nervous, sweet smiling faces of little 3rd graders entering my room for the first time. I loved getting my classroom ready...new pencils, crayons, new desktags, rearranging the room over and over until I got it perfect, setting up the Book Nook so it was a cozy warm place to escape with a book, and starting fresh with a new batch of kiddos. One day, I'll be there again...but....not anytime in the near future. The only place I'd rather be? Home with my Little Man. ;)

This year with Xavier has flown by. I can't believe how many changes we have gone through. He is becoming a little boy. This summer especially has been full of changes. Here are just a few of the new things Xavier is thrilling us with.

Walking

X is a walking man. Well - actually a running man. He just takes off every chance he can get...and he does NOT look where his feet are going...he looks straight ahead at his destination...which means some stumbles and tumbles. His poor little forehead always has a few little bruises. As soon as it's clear and bruiseless, he runs into a wall or knocks his little noggin again on a toy truck. Thank goodness for hard heads and Arnica gel. That stuff works! ;) We had our first split lip the other day. Trav and I nearly had a heart attack when we saw the mouthful of blood. Seriously scary! But, all was ok...teeth were still in tact...but, X's lower lip was not. :( Within minutes, he was eating more canteloupe and goldfish. We were more affected than he was. I said to Trav, "Imagine when he is tackled on the football field, and we are on the sidelines, breathless, waiting for him to get up." Trav's answer? "Oh no...he's not playing football." Ha ha...tough guy, eh? ;) 

Eating Big Boy Food

Xavie is now eating lots of "normal" food. He's got his 8 front teeth and all his first molars are working their way through. Spaghetti, meatloaf, chicken and rice, fish sticks, eggplant parm, french toast, egg sandwiches, lots of fruit, especially bananas. He LOVES bananas. He points to them from across the room and I swear he has his own word for them. I can't pronounce it, but it is the same every time he wants one. ;) It's been fun to sit down as a family at our dining room table and eat together. He loves to eat what Mommy and Daddy are eating. ;)

MILK

Xavier is now a milk drinker. He loves milkshakes...not necessarily just a cup of milk. If you put milk in his cup, he spits it out - his cup is for water, didn't you know? But...if Mommy makes a milkshake with fruit, milk, and oj....yummo! He has his milkshake/smoothie cup with a straw. Don't bother him while he's drinking his smoothie...he hardly takes a breath. Every now and then...there will be extra and Daddy will get some too, but X usually takes that as well, which is where this milk mustache came from.

He understands English!

A few months ago, we noticed that Xavier understood everything we were saying. Uh-oh...time to be careful of what we say, Daddy... ;) Seriously, we are shocked by what he knows. It started by pointing to things...where is the tree? Where is the grass? Now...we say, "Hand me your cup," or "Want to go outside?" or "Come to the table for dinner" and he does what we say!! It's so cool and surprising. ;) Last month, Xman was in his carseat, drinking his smoothie. When he finished it, I reached my hand back, and said, "Hand me your smoothie cup," and he did it! I nearly drove off the road. :) Lately, his Mamamama and Dadadada have become Mama and Dada and he says them slightly directed toward us. ;) FUN! He also waves hi and bye and gives kisses (he makes the cutest kissing face).

Daddy Time

Xman LOVES his daddy. When his truck pulls in the driveway after a long day of work, X runs to the door and points. He knows when Daddy is coming home. As soon as Trav walks in, Xavier is following him everywhere...and patiently must wait for Daddy to take a shower before he can be scooped up by his favorite pal. He loves to play guitar and bang on the drums with his daddy. Trav has started putting him to bed most nights, now that nursing is a memory :(. We give him a bath, put his pjs on, say goodnight to all his stuffed friends, and I give him a big kiss...but, he doesn't even realize I'm leaving the room. He's in Daddy's lap getting ready for storytime. Mommy? Who's Mommy? Xavier loves this time with his Daddy. Plus - Daddy makes up the best bedtime songs. :) What a blessing to have such an amazing father-son relationship. I can already see them as X grows up. Ugh - tugs at my heart.

Little Musician

Xavier is going to be a musician - we are convinced. He has so much rhythm. He dances to all of the "good" music. His favorite band is the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It's amazing. He knows to hit the cymbals delicately, and he uses a pic to strum the guitar. Look out Jimi Hendrix! :)

Big Brother Xavier

Xavier is going to be a big brother, possibly the biggest change of all. He and his little brother or sister are going to be 20 months apart. I am hoping and praying that they will be close friends all their lives. We are worried about how we could possibly love another baby like we love our Xman, but everyone tells us that your heart just multiplies. I believe it! We're so excited for our new addition to arrive in February of 2012! :)