That's 7 baby!

Uhmmm. why is the date wrong? I'm writing this on April 5th...oh well, ANYWAY...Our lil' Xavier is 7 months old today! Wow, already!?! Everything is going great. Little one is healthy and happy. So much of his personality is coming out now, and we're just having so much fun with him. I can see how having a child can age a guy. I'm laughing and smiling so much it's bound to cause wrinkles. Oh well, it's truly worth that and more. Here are some pictures of what life is like with Sonia's lil' "Doodle-Bug"!

Xavier rocks my hats better than I do, and thats sayin alot! When I was little I used to love to wear my Grandaddys old hats from the 50s and 60s. (Yes, I was old even when I was young) Here, we were on our way to visit Grandma. (Sonia's mommy)

Now there's a happy baby-boy! Take a good look. Something tells me that now that the weather's getting warmer, this maybe the last we'll see of our cute kid in this outfit. Sigh! I'll miss it. Although I wouldnt be surprised if when Xavier is 18, Sonia stills breaks this out and tries to get him to wear it.

Yall think I'm kidding about taking him to work with me. He's got the same look on his face that I do when somebody runs up on me looking for their check that was "mailed out friday, and should be here any day now!"...please!

Sonia keeps her boy clean, which is not easy from what I can see! He's more active than ever now...constantly moving and trying to grab things. Nothing gets by him anymore without him wanting a closer look. And when he doesn't get what he's after? You'll know it.

X is still teething of course. He sits up better now, although he still falls over eventually. He's even more vocal now also but one fact of early parenthood is that there will always be someone on the sidelines ready to tell you WHAT your baby should be doing, and WHEN your baby should be doing it. "No, he's not crawling. Yes, he is sleeping through the night. yada yada yada...etc..." I believe God guides every soul and every life, (unless you're an atheist or an evolutionist...in that case, have a banana and who cares!)and we all develop in ways and times that have nothing to do with the hands on a clock, dig? When our son walks, talks, or grows wings and flys, I'll be the first one to rejoice, but for now? MAN! I LOVE WATCHING HIM TRY! I can be no prouder!


"Give her to me Louie!" I call the two pictures above, Interview With The Baby because he looks like he's feeding off of Sonia's wrist. I know, I know, it's twisted, but tell me it doesnt look like he is!

And here my friends, is the money shot. Could it be that Sonny-boy doesn't like the cuisine? Or maybe he's just having fun practicing one of the many funny faces he's been coming up with lately? Either way he cracks us up! These have been the best seven months ever in my life. It's so rare that reality surpasses the idealism of dreams, but having Xavier be as he is, happens to be more than we could've ever imagined. It could only be God's design, and all praise is due to God. AMEN.

Birthday Bash!

My family came out to help me celebrate my birthday. I didnt get to post these pictures then, but here they are now! Most of my family on Sonia's side were there too, but I never post any pictures of anyone without their permission, so that's why you don't see them here. Since I'm late posting these pictures, I wont write alot of cute subtitles. Just check em out!






I had a great time! It was my best birthday to date, and thank you to everyone who made it special. Especially my lil' man, my best gift of all, love ya!

Fourteen

There are so many types of time.
Time might as well be people there so many kinds.
Like people on the street, we see but don't meet,
how many times do we miss that are unique, complete
and totally individual?
We try to make time for ourselves, but only God makes time.
And time comes and goes. The truth is, nobody knows
whether a time is a good or bad
time.
Until time has passed, and we look back
and ask, did we learn? Or maybe we mistook that
"good" for "bad" once again like people,
we lie when we say that all time is equal.
I wish that I could meet each time as time comes to pass.
So maybe it could last
in a memory "good" or "bad".
But you can't hold time. And when I didn't know me, I might've wanted to.
But now I know me.
And I am right now.
I'm not the past or the future,
I am somehow.
Whatever I am, I'm only what myself allows.
time?... I don't know,
at least I know now.

Marc H.

the 40 year old version!

That's right! As of this past friday the 13th, I have reached the age of sophistication, (and creaky knees!) It may come as a shock to some that I am indeed a man of 40 years,but unless you're Benjamin Button, we are all getting older. The trick I think, is to get older without "getting old". And honestly, I have too much newness in my life to feel old. Except maybe when I listen to "new school hip hop". THEN I feel ancient! "87 to 98" baby! Thats MY hip hop. Hot beats, hot rhymes, and NO rappin like you're illiterate! (no offense to illiterate people...but they can't read this anyway...sorry...it's true though.) I guess I'll just have to be that "old head". I think I'm in good company.
But enough about me. Xavier had his six month check up at the doctors, which included his latest round of shots. This time our little man was alot more vocal about how it was all goin down. He's had a little bit of what the good doctor calls "stranger anxiety", which means if he doesn't see you everyday, and you get all in his face, he's calling the police. It's just a phase, and Sonia and I have already begun to notice he's getting better about that. As long as he knows where we are, he'll be cool.

we're talkin 15, almost 16 pounds, and around 26 inches long. Baby-boy is doing great, and healthy thank God!

All things considered, he did fine, but at times it was too much for our little drama king to bear. The little clenched fist on the forehead was a nice touch eh? Maybe we should get him into theater!


Yes, the hat is a dead give-away. I was on the clock when I met Sonia and Xavier at the pediatrician. Don't tell the boss, but I don't let my boy go through this stuff without me!

He only cried for a minute before he was smiling again. Poor little fella! Doesn't it make you just wanna pick him up and dry those crocodile tears? we love you Little One! It's for your own good!

Happy birthday baby!

Happy birthday Xavier!!! My baby is 6mths today :)

Unfortunately I didn't take to many pictures of him today for some odd reason. Well I guess it was because of his teething. He wasn't in a good mood at all, which led him to take a long nap this afternoon. Before his nap he didn't want to eat his lunch, he just kept crying. I put baby orajel on his gums to see if that would help him. It was a little early for his bottle so I just held him and tried to soothe him. That didn't work, so I warmed up his bottle and rocked him til he fell asleep. Then when he woke up we played, he cried then I gave him a nice warm bath. He loves to take the washcloth and suck the water out of it. It is too funny, he grabs the washcloth and stuffs it into his mouth with his two little fists looking like a lil' squirrel. Today in the tub I sat him up instead of him laying back. He had himself a ball smacking the water with his hands. He was having such a good time that I didn't care that he almost completely soaked my shirt from the waist up or that he was getting alot of water on our wood floor. I just wish I could record these moments with a video camera. Maybe only if we had the house wired like one of those reality t.v. shows.

Things Bubby can do:

1. clap his hands, he did this yesterday with out me encouraging or showing him

2. roll over completely both ways, he does not like any help with this

3. started the begining of creeping, put his little legs under and started to push

4. drink from a glass, even though he drinks like there's a hole in his lip

5. put his pacifier in his mouth, practice makes perfect!

6. balance himself sitting up, he did this well at the doctor's office:)

7. melt hearts :)

there's other things he does but I think these are the biggies. Happy birthday love!

(warning turn down the volume before playing video, not sure how loud I am)

He's the cutest!!!

Xavier is doing great. He's been turning over from back to belly and of course vice versa, all by himself. Last tuesday when he was on my bed he managed to get his little knee's underneath him. How exciting! I know that he will start creeping soon, I can't wait for that. I guess it's a good time to seriously start baby proofing the house.

Teething.
He's been teething for about a month now, alot of drooling and pulling objects to his mouth. Man he loves his feet. Every time I put him on the changing table his feet goes directly into his mouth. Lately he's been waking up crying because of his teething, about a half hour to an hour after we've put him down to sleep. Usually one of us will go in and rock him back to sleep. I can't wait til this is all over, I hate seeing him being so uncomfortable. And he's not eating as well for some of his meals. I read in one of our books that eating while teething can cause him pain and that he might not eat as much because of it. My poor boy! He's been scratching his ear alot too, like he wants to rip his ear off. I took him to the doctor a couple of weeks ago just to make sure he didn't have an ear infection. The doctor told me how babies aren't able to locate the source of their pain. So when his gums feel itchy or uncomfortable he'll end up scrathing his ear or another place on their body :(
As far as the doctors visit, Bubby got a clean bill of health, thank God for that! :)