my X-cellent 3day weekend

It's memorial day weekend, and the weather here is quite hot and humid during the day and rainy in the evening. which is fine because I have a three day weekend and it gives us time to do a few fun things during the daytime hours. Yesterday, we just eased into our morning by finally venturing out into our backyard area. Up until now it's been a muddied up sloping wasteland, but about a month ago our personal landscaping friends came and put down some grass seeds, and now we have alot more greenery back there. We all enjoyed it. I can see Xavier likes the outdoors. Here are some photos of this and that.

Sonny-boy is taking good care of his cousin Romans' hotrod. He's already a road-hog. He gets in that walker and starts layin on the horn immediately. You'd think he owns the kitchen floor!

I'm pleased to report that our little man doesnt have any hang-ups. Mainly because he took all the hangers. HAWHAW!

It's been awhile since I got a picture of him sleeping in my arms. he was just falling asleep for a nap here. I confess sometimes I still get choked up watching him sleep.

We just came in from a nice walk around the neighborhood

(sonia) I bought a lil' bubble machine, I don't know what else to call it.

Xavier and Vita, Vita is finally being useful by being cute in this picture.

X sitting on his baby scrap book that I made for him

sitting with daddy

I was running around trying to make it a special day for all of us.
Yes we had a great day! Grass finally came in as Marc said earlier, we bbq'ed and enjoyed the warm weather.

and now a few words from Xavs' dad

Strange how it works, that although I'm not getting any overtime on the job, I seem to have less and less time to do some of my favorite things such as write on this blog. But while Sonia is napping and Xavier is busy figuring out how to work the phone, I think I'll try to steal a minute or two!
Things have been going pretty good. Not working as much does have many perks, such as I'm able to get more done around the house, and I'm able to help the wife out more. (I'm sure she'll laugh out loud when she reads that line, but she knows I do my thing!) Yes, I do what I can, but much to Sonia's frustration, I also try not to shake up the routine she's got going on with Xav', mainly because it's a good one and he's doing great on it.
I didn't get to write last week specifically which is a shame because it was "mothers day". Of course, anyone who knows me knows that I wade very carefully through these kind of deep holiday waters. Simply put, if the "holiday" involves wealthy type people counting lots of money the day after and reporting their earnings on the evening news as a failure or success, well...chances are I do not partake. I know, it's not a popular viewpoint, but this "mothersday" thing? It's impossible to ignore. Some women become "mothers" in the time that it takes to have a one night stand. Some others may never know motherhood know matter how much they may ache for that blessing. Sonia and I gained a deeper understanding of motherhood and fatherhood because we went through so many uncertain years. Year after year, I would ponder the meaning of "mothersday" and "fathersday" and after looking at the world around me, and after looking at that negative pregnancy test time and time again, I would always come to the same conclusion: "Motherhood, (and fatherhood)doesn't have much to do with those who deserve it." It is our (a mother and a fathers)greatest test from God. And NOT having a baby when you so desperately want one, to me, is an even greater trial for a mother and father, because noone can tell me that Sonia and I weren't made to be Xaviers parents, even though it was so long before Xavier came out of our souls and into this world. WOW! I AM BABBLING! See what happens when I don't get my writing on for too long? So what is "mothers day" to me? It's everything it is to everyone else. Everything. Nothing. It's like any other day that finds me blessed with the only woman who could've ever had my child my heart, my wife... any other day that blesses me to still be able to call MY mother (thank you forever Momma!)or Sonias mother and feel that same unconditional love I've always known. And yet one more day that reminds me that my baby sister has a baby and now she's entered that most amazing phase of life. I'll never know how it feels to have God actually work a miracle through me that way, but I do acknowledge it with complete awe. Happy Mothers Day every day to ALL the women in my life. With and WITHOUT children. I'm not sure if even I follow my own thought pattern on this one, I just know how I feel...
O.K. I am outta time! Just check out the latest pics of our Baby-boy!
And ladies and gentlemen, we have a special guest star... Straight from his own blog " then came Isaiah..." Xaviers cousin...my nephew...put your hands together for ISAIAH! Give it up...give it up!

Even Xav' is like "he's really here!"

Can't wait to see these two when they are a little older. I know they're gonna tear stuff up, like me, Tommy, and Tiara did. well mostly me and Tommy. Tiara was too little and too lady-like, she just told on us!


Stylin'! Y'know, about a month ago, Xavier started giving us kisses! It's so funny, he'll get a look on his face alot like the one in this picture, he'll put both hands on either side of Sonias' face, pull her in, and plant a little open mouth kiss on her cheek. He's such a loving kid. It melts our hearts everytime.

Xav has graduated from the infant seat! at least when we take him in the store. He's still getting the hang of it, but he's lookin good, no?

THAT is one cute lil boy!

No, he aint crawlin' but he's got something for the critics! Walk it out baby-boy!(almost)Your Mommy and Daddy are wild aboutcha!

First Day at the park!

Xavier absolutely enjoyed the swing. I had brought a jacket just in case he somehow didn't fit in the swing, but of course he did fit after all. It was a beautiful day, the weather was warm and sunny. It had rained for 8 or 9 days straight. Daddy had a three day weekend, it was perfect timing for Xavier's first day at the park. I must admit my eyes did get misty watching Marc and our son in the park. We waited and dreamed of this day so many times, for so many years. Words cannot even begin to describe how gratful I am for our blessing.

My love bug

My little sweety hasn't been feeling well since monday, so I took him to the doctor today. I was told that my poor baby has a "bug" along with a sore throat. That's why he doesn't want to eat. When I would try to feed him earlier on in the week he would make the cutest,but such a sad lil'face. I'd put a small amount of food on his tiny spoon and as I held it infront of his mouth he would tighten up his eyes and scrunch up his mouth. Then make a soft mummering sound as if to say "I can't eat, it hurts my belly". He didn't want to sit for long, play or be in any of his busy toys(jumper, exersaucer or car which he absolutely loves!) So I held him and walked. He'd lay his head on my shoulder and just nuzzle up to me, poor thing. There were times when I had him sitting on my bed and I'd try to make him smile by singing his favorite songs. It didn't work, he just felt lousy. He definately has his happy moments even thought he's not feeling well, as you can see by his b-day pictures.
He loves listening to his little kiddie songs on my ipod,so I put him on my bed and he'd lay content.
He is getting better still not eating, but he's been drinking his milk and is able to keep down his fruit and cereal. The doctor recommended pedialyte, tylenol,which he's been getting and giving him his cereal cold because of his throat. Other than that he is in perfect health! His ears, lungs and skin(no rashes) are perfect and I must add that the doctor said he is a beautiful baby(3x's I must say!). I'm sure that he doesn't say that about all the babies :) I'm so proud of Xavier!
I asked the doctor also about giving him snacks, the kind that melts. Marc and I were unsure if we should give it to him or not. He still doesn't have teeth yet and is drooling at times like a little faucet, so we weren't sure if that was a factor also. So it ends up that he can have those little stars snacks and whatever else there is for him to feed himself. I felt like he is growing up, cue the graduation music. He can have snacks(sniffle,sniffle), my baby can feed himself snacks. lol, I'm sure all mothers must have felt the same way as I do, right? And fathers too. Just four weeks from now he'll be eating TABLE FOOD! TABLE FOOD! A little part of me wants to keep him lil' and dependant forever. Just this week I was telling Marc that when Xavier is all grown up we'll look back on these times and wish that he could be small like he is now.
Every day I savor these moments with him and it still seems to go by so fast.
8 months, feels like it was a week ago he was just starting to grow out of his 6mth clothes.

Xavier still loves Jerome, you all should know who that is.
loves "the wheels on the bus...", alphabet song and hickory, dickory dock. I'm making him love Baa, baa black sheep, that's my fav. oh and I can't forget he loves, loves when I sing and make the hand gestures to "where is thumbkin" I'll have to show you all when he meets you. Loves watching Vita jump around like a little fool when we take her out of her crate in the morning. Loves taking his bath and still grabs on the washcloth to suck out all the water! He is now in the bath tub upstairs, but still of course in his baby big white tub. I planned to give him a bath in his huge white tube. I filled it with water on our kitchen island and placed him in it. He loved all the roominess of a bigger tub, loved it way too much that I had to cut his bath short to like 5 min. He had water everywhere and would not stop splashing. I guess that's what babies do, but I was not expecting him soak our wood floors like he did. I wrapped him in a towel and layed him on our bed a place where I knew he'd stay without crying. And had to run down stairs and dry up the floors. Then we picked up where we left off with him bathing and splashing to his little hearts content in the big tub where we have tile floors. We had alot of fun and celebrated his new venture with me blowing bubbles. Loves walks, I'm trying to get him to wear a new pair of sunglasses that we bought him. I'll have to post the picture that Marc took of him this afternoon when the sun finally came out again after 8 or 9 days straight of rain. Loves his jumperoo, thanks grandma Connie! When we stand him up he wants to jump, and has a great time in it. Loves mommy and daddy's bed. And, I'll end here with he loves kisses!(of course he loves mommy and daddy, but that goes without saying)

Happy 8 months baby!

We ended up having a late night party for Xavier, it was just after 8:30pm. Xavier was so excited when we lit the candles and sung happy birthday along with grandma Connie on the speaker phone. It was so much fun!
He was swinging his arms up and down and kicking his legs with excitement.

I've been wanting to make a fondant cake for the longest time! The cake turned out great. I'm planning on making his birthday cake in sept. so I must practice now. I want to make him a huge cake inspired by the safari painting I made for him before he was born.




we used sparkler candles, unfortunately you can't see it in the pictures


we blew out the candles and took them off of the cake. He was reaching for the cake the whole time so I let him go. After all it was his birthday cake, it would be cruel not to have him atleast touch it. Touch it is an understatement. He grabbed some handfuls into his little fists and tasted buttercream frosting. His little eyes lit up at the first taste of sugar, as you can imagine.

This is the cake after he got his lil' hands on it. I did patch it up, but you can still see the damage.

I can't believe how fast the time is going. 8 MONTHS OLD ALREADY! His year birthday is just around the corner!!!

A sit-in

this video was taken a few weeks or so ago.