Friday, February 25, 2011

Xander Update - 2 years


So, Xander's two!  I took him for his well visit this week.  He is now 36 inches tall (88th percentile), 34 pounds (96th percentile) and his head circumference is 20 inches (93rd percentile).  He's a big boy!  Even Dr. E (Xander's pediatrician) commented that he looks like he belongs in a 3-year old class.  This might have been the worst of all the well-visits, though. Xander is now keenly aware that the doctor is a place where not-so-pleasant things happen.  Like, getting held down to pull hardened wax out of his ear (that happened last week - TRAUMATIC - for both of us), or getting shots (he had to have one booster shot this time), or just a place where strangers (whom he is not excited about, see below) try to touch and prod him.  The whole time Dr. E was talking to me, Xander was saying over and over again, "Mommy. Car. Go. Doctor E. Go..." or any combination of those words.  Dr. E also commented that he is "quite the talker." :) I wonder where he gets that?

Even though most articles say that 2-year olds will have 2-word sentences, Xander's tend to be much longer.
He comes up with a lot of concepts on his own, not just mimicking words, although he does some of that, too.
He knows his colors, his letters, his numbers (through 14).  He knows what sounds most animals make.
He can name almost every Sesame Street character. He would watch Elmo 24/7 if I let him.  I don't.
Recently he's learned what the word "need" means as he told his Mimi, "I need cake."
He has wonderful manners and almost always says please.  He's not as good about saying thank you :).
He is almost painfully shy with strangers, usually burying his head in my shoulder or chest or just laying on me instead of running around.  He's typically okay if they don't try to get in his face or touch him.  He has a harder time with people who are loud.  It takes him a little while, but he usually warms up, especially if he's in his own home.
One of his favorite foods is pizza. David and I laughed the other day when the doorbell rang and Xander yelled out, "Pizza!"  It was the UPS man :).
Some of his other favorite foods are cake, cookies (yes, he inherited his mommy's sweet tooth), peanut butter, applesauce, waffles, and yogurt.  I can rarely get him to try new things anymore.
His favorite book is "Are You My Mother?" by P.D. Eastman.  Because I try to expose him to important things like authors and typically tell him the title and then the author, he calls that book "Eastman."
As I've mentioned in other posts, his favorite toys are balls, any vehicle (as long as it has wheels) and his letters - he has a set of letters in almost every room in the house.
He's still as sweet as he can be.  Recently he's started asking me to sit with him on the couch or the bed and he'll snuggle up against me.  He asks me to play ball with him or watch him play in his car.  He'll give me kisses and tell me he loves me.  So precious.

So there's a pretty good update on my little boy!

He's 2!!

No, not Elmo, XANDER!!!


The cake mom and I made for Xander's birthday party

Decorations - still not sure why I decided to buy confetti for a 2-year old

Mimi knows how to party!

Grandpa surprised Grandma pretty good! Xander liked it :)

The birthday boy!

Opening presents

Cousin Patrick helped

Lots of Elmo cards

Xander opening his own presents!

His favorite toys are things with wheels

He loved this firetruck - it makes noises too :)



More things with wheels!

"Really Mom?  More presents?"

He couldn't take anymore at this point - he took Daddy's hand and covered his eyes

His other favorite toy - balls!

Aunt B, Daddy and Xander

Xander and Patrick love playing ball together!

Dancing!

Totally checking himself out in the mirror

Mimi & Xander

Getting sleepy...

Xander loves his Mimi!

And his cake!  Yum!

Three generations + Elmo :)

Xander cutting his eyes.


He's ready to blow out the candles

Xander loves to be sung to - especially the birthday song!

Having difficulties getting the candles blown out

He needed a little help

Mmmmm...cake!



Xander finally sat on the tractor! He's loved it from afar for such a long time, but the noise of the engine always scared him too much, so he would never get on.  

Aunt B scared of the paparazzi

Patrick, Kaitlyn, Xander and Grandma

Daddy & Xander

Driving!!

My men :)

Xander & Papa

It was a beautiful day and we all had such a great time!  Thanks to everyone who came - I wish everyone I love could've been there!

Happy birthday, little man!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Balls, tractors and letters - oh my!

This is a typical evening at the Little house - it's a long video, but Xander's so stinkin' cute!  Am I allowed to say that about my own child?  Well, I just did. :)
And yes, Xander's still getting good use out of those Christmas pajamas.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Funny Man

My son has become quite the comedian lately. So he only knows one joke, but here it is:

(some context here - Spike is our cat whom Xander adores. Baba is what he calls coffee and has since he was 10 months old.)

Xander: What Spike doin'?
Me: I don't know, Xander. What's Spike doing?
Xander: Drinkin' baba.
Me: Spike's drinking baba?!
Xander: No.
We both laugh. :)

The first time he did this David and I busted out laughing. It's now become the biggest joke in our family and we hear it about 15 times a day. Now he's changing it up, though. It's not always Spike; sometimes it's the chair, the ball, Xander or anything else that he happens to see in the moment. Too cute!

A good day.

When you play this hard


with your dad


on a Friday afternoon


when the weather's gorgeous


and you don't know anything but joy and happiness


and balls


then you can't help but fall completely


and totally asleep at naptime.


Note how he buries himself in the corner of his crib - laying the wrong way with his legs all folded up!  Big boy bed coming soon!