Sick Day & 5 Month Update

Last week Natalee had a yucky viral infection with 101-102 temps. She stayed home with Aunt Kea Monday & Tuesday and got lots of lovin' and is still in recovery with a residual cough but determined not contagious any longer since the fever broke (last Monday).

Try as I might, Xavier caught her virus and has been home the last 2 days. Daddy kept him yesterday and today was mommy's turn. I think I got the better day, because his fever broke in the night and besides a slow appetite and the snotty cough he's a pretty cheery boy!

We've washed windows, sorted & started laundry, ran the dishwasher, & vacuumed, swept, and mopped the floors! All that and Xavier squeezed in a 2 1/2 hour nap in his big crib, too!




I'm reminded today how big my little prince is. ..
Xavier, when I found out I was having a boy, I was just terrified, but you've proven my doubts wrong. Yes, you can quite possibly be the stinkiest little man ever (at times), but you are also the sweetest, most gentle natured, adorable baby! You were 5 months old the day before Thanksgiving and at almost 1/2 a year you are SO strong. You'd like to sit up but your punkin' head and belly roll pull you toward your feet (that, and your attraction to your socks!) so you use the boppy for help. You are a rollie, squirmy, big boy and can spin in a circle and kick yourself forward with your feet until you get where you want to be & what you want. If I leave the room for a few minutes & you're contentedly playing on your blanket, chances are when I get back you'll be halfway under the couch! You can get up on all 4's...though mommy's not ready for that yet!

You LOVE your sissy but your mommy is best and your daddy is growing on you. You are a beefy 18 pounds and 25 inches and are quick with a smile when someone talks to you. You still only eat 4 oz every 2-3 hours & I've tried to get you interested in rice cereal or homemade baby food but you just don't really care. You sleep for 8-10 hours at night and are still in your cradle, though you spent one night in your crib when sissy slept over at Gma Numma's house.
You are quite possibly the tickliest boy ever & have a sweet giggle and a powerful belly laugh. You wear size 3 diapers & mostly 6-9 month clothes, though some things are at 12 months already. Soon as sissy's new car seat arrives, you'll be super pleased to move to a bigger one, as your feet hang over the edge of your infant seat (mommy's sad that you didn't make it through the winter in the carrier though!)

(Xavier & his birthday cousin...born just an hour apart).

You are very handsy & have gotten sissy's hair when she wrestles too close. You love to touch my face & will pull me close for a slobber bath if I let you. You'd rather be laid down than rocked to sleep lately, which makes me both proud and sad at the same time.
You're a prince, Little Man, and we love you very much! These last 5 months have been a joy & we can't wait to see what you do next!

Tongue Trick

Daddy taught Xavier a new trick while I was at AWANA tonight...



Sweetie! Good job, Dad & Xabe!

Update in Videos

'Scuse the wild hair please, as Natalee had in a ponytail today and we took it out when we put on jammies and didn't bother to tame the mane! I just had that "mommy moment" where you decide you have to record something RIGHT NOW, lest you not get another chance. Natalee sure is growing up on us. She has finally gotten down the art of kicking a ball, and such is considered "caught up" for her age group in gross motor development. We're SO proud of her and the hard work she's done. We continue to stretch her every morning and, though it hurts, I think she's realizing that it feels better afterward because if we put her down to walk before we stretch her she complains of pain. She's talking a blue streak and is learning ANYTHING we teach her! We're starting Bible verse now, while her mind is young and ready to soak them in! Hard to believe my baby, who fought to meet all her milestones, is this precious toddler ready to face the world & that she'll be two in 1 month + 1 week!



And Xavier just continues to GROW. And GROW and GROW! When I weighed him last week he topped off at 17.6 pounds! WHOA! He wore 3-6 month clothes for all of 1 month and I officially switched him to 6-9 for everything but jeans/dress pants. He's developed quite a personality and is partial to his mother (aw, shucks!). He eats every 2-3 hours still and takes (unwillingly) a bit of rice cereal before bed. He sleeps until around 3 or 4 a.m., when he wakes to snuggle, but not eat. Mr. Xabe has taken a special interest in his sister and is an all around flirt. He'll grin at anyone but has already developed a stranger anxiety when most other people outside our immediate families hold him. He likes his bath and is very ticklish. He has lots to say, in general, and apparently thinks wrestling on the floor in hilarious!



We're so happy to have our little duo and love them so much. We can't imagine life without one or the other!