Greetings to everyone.

Xavier has in the past week picked up a bit of a chronic cough. This coincided with taking up residence in the newly renovated Southern Estate. As newbie parents, we wondered if we need to invest in a humidifier, or was he coming down with something, or was it something in the new environment.

Better not to take chances, so Rebecca got a late in the day appointment. The results: everything is fine. His lungs are clear and healthy. The exam of his ears showed normal. His level of activity matches his age, perhaps a little beyond.

Xavier flirted shamelessly with the nurses, as is his habit. When the otoscope was brought near, Xavier had to examine it. He reached out and took hold of it every time it neared his head. To trick him, mom had to hold him against her chest as he faced her. The doctor then sneaked in to get a look.

The doctors and nurses still marvel at how alert Xavier is and how aware of his surroundings he is.

One of the benefits of the visit as updated stats, at least to his weight. He weighed in at 10 pounds, 10.8 ounces.

Greetings to everyone and Merry Christmas! Christ is born!

It's been a fun-filled few days. From having our first flooding of the basement in the new house to going to church and forgetting the diaper bag (which carries the all-important bottles of formula) to family portraits, tree decorating, an impromptu visit from one of my uncles to a wonderful Christmas dinner, we've had a good time!

Tuesday morning we discovered the connections to the washing machine were not as leak-proof as they should have been. So, thank you, Jesus, the carpet installation was delayed!

Tuesday night, after Xavier went to sleep for the night, the four of us, Rochelle, Kathy, Rebecca and me, loaded the stockings hanging over the fireplace. After that, we four moved to decorate the Christmas tree. I hung the lights. Rebecca and Rochelle hung the ornaments (I did have to reposition the CU ornament, which Rochelle purposefully hung in the back). Kathy watched on from under a blanket (she's used to Phoenix temperatures).

Xavier started on solid foods out of necessity Christmas morning. We realized as we pulled into the church parking lot we forgot the diaper bag. Xavier held up, but near the end of the service decided he wanted to eat and he wasn't going to take no for an answer. Rebecca brilliantly thought to try him out with a slice of banana. He seemed to like its flavor, but it did not fill his belly as fast as he wanted.

Breakfast after church, then on to the stockings then to that which, as if by magic, appeared under the decorated tree. A turkey went into the oven, and as we watched the latest version of "The Great Gatsby" the house filled with the aromas of our evening feast! Turkey, home-made cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, home-made stuffing (stove top, not in the bird), mashed potatoes with gravy (no giblets, PTL!), home-made apple pie, just to mention a few of the items simmering away all afternoon.

Near the end of dinner, one of my uncles (we live only a few miles away we discovered) and his wife dropped in for a while. We could not entice them to join in the meal (they had just finished one themselves), but my aunt could not resist the stuffed mushrooms and neither could resist a slice of apple pie.

With the lights up, Rebecca and Rochelle hang ornaments.	The Tree with the wrapped gifts which magically appeared soon after the last ornament was hung.	The stockings all hung by the chimney with care.
Chellie shows Xavier his stocking	While everyone was distracted by a conversation, Xavier showed us what we should be doing	Xavier gives something from his stocking the required taste test
Xavier examines a teething toy	Stockings emptied, everyone inventories their booty	Rebecca helps Xavier open Aunt Kathy's gift: a kick and play piano
Xavier taste tests his first giant Lego blocks	From Xavier's POV, one of Aunt Chellie's gifts was the complete works of Winnie the Pooh. She also got him a little table with all sorts of things to poke, push, open and close, most all of it making noise.	The women in the kitchen working on the evening meal. For my sister's benefit: "What a shame, there are three women in the kitchen" (it's something of an inside joke)

Greetings to everyone.

Finally, after several attempts, Xavier got to meet his Aunt Kathy! With some trepidation, Kathy held Xavier, one of the few babies she has ever held in her near half century of living.

By the end of her visit, Kathy was picking Xavier up and passing him off like a pro. Rebecca encouraged her with "Hey, if I learned how to do it, so can you!" This referred to "mothering instincts" kicking in.

Though a short three day visit, it was nice to see my sister and for Xavier to meet her. The two spent a lot of time together. Rebecca and Kathy also got to know each other better, bonding as they cooked meals together. Kathy even braved meeting one of the neighbors on Christmas night; we could not find a cork screw, so she crossed the lawn and knocked on a neighbor's door. She returned with cork screw in hand.

Still in her coat (we just came from DIA), Kathy braved holding Xavier, who had just finished a bottle and was looking for some mischief.	After some practice, Kathy started getting the hang of it.	Graduating to feeding, still Aunt Kathy did not complete her training. She refused to change a diaper, even just a wet one.

No, meeting Xavier didn't frizz up Aunt Kathy's hair. It was the reading of Dr. Seuss' "Fox in Sox". The opening page contains a warning label (seriously, it does). By the time you get to the end of the book, not only your hair, but your tongue must be ironed out! I read this book to Xavier some months back. It might explain his languid hair growth.

Hello to everyone!

Well, tonight, after nearly a month of renovation, we officially "moved in" to the new house. There is still much to be done. There are boxes everywhere, some partly unpacked, others just in the way.

The carpet did not go in on schedule. Last Wednesday was the date, but the supplier sent the wrong pattern. They offered us $300 off if we took it, but we said no. "Pet Stain Camouflage Yellow" (as I call it) was not a color we could live with. So, we moved in with the bedroom sub flooring exposed, treacherously filled with the occasional staple from the pulled-up padding.

We began setting up house, finding bed sheets, essential cookware, the usual. Rebecca cleaned and scrubbed. Xavier, however, decided to be persistently fussy, so Daddy held him, (tried to) feed him and tried to get him to go to sleep (which he eventually did several times, but only on Daddy's chest).

It was his new surroundings (it's amazing how aware of things he is!). New smells, lots of new sounds, new rooms and a whole new "feel." (even the dog was a little subdued by it all—Lena, by the way, loves the back yard: it's the biggest back yard she's ever seen!)

We have not yet moved the crib (or most of the big furniture from the Southern Outpost), but we did bring Xavier's basinet. He has not slept in it for months (since he came off the oxygen). We thought it would be a good temporary bed for him. Not so, as he showed us. Every time we put him down in it, he woke up and went into a wee little snit. Rebecca realized he disliked it because he had grown too big for it. That's cool! After this revelation, we moved him to his Pack-n-Play and the next time he went down, he stayed the night!

Dressed in the first clothing his grandma bought for him (he finally grew into them), Xavier plays it cool. We wish he had maintained this attitude this evening!

Greetings to everyone.

Xavier's sleeping habits have changed a bit in the last few days. He has started cat-napping :30 to :45 minutes twice a day, three times occasionally. He grows a little fussy around 6:00 PM and is down hard for the night generally around 7:00 PM.

This often works out for the better. He can interact with the family for a longer period of time, especially the time when Daddy is home. Also, he is awake while we eat. He has taken a greater interest in watching us eat, even if we are just snacking on a banana. This is encouraging for starting him on solid foods, which we plan to introduce him to in January.

An added bonus to Xavier's altered sleep patterns is he is sleeping eight hours now! Ten pounds, we were told, was a magic weight. Well, for Xavier, maybe it was ten and a half.

It was a little chilly today. Xavier, in his swing and keeping warm under "Auntie Vera's" hand-knit blanket, watches as mom and dad enjoy our dinner. Once we get settled into the new house, we so need to invest in a high chair!

Greetings to everyone.

I was not completely informed yesterday when I posted to this blog. Xavier did have a blood draw (he has an Iron Man bandage on his arm to show for it). The doctors are still tracking several measurements from his blood. His hematocrit levels are normal, Hallelujah! Rebecca did not get the direct bilirubin value, but Dr. Abbey had no concerns, and his diaper dumps have very healthy color.

Xavier has grown very social in the last few weeks, something which Rebecca really likes. It is a lot of fun. He likes to interact with the family. Even if he's not really participating in anything, still he likes to watch and be near the activity.

He has started napping for only :30 to :45 minutes in the morning and early afternoon. Then he goes down for a couple of hours mid afternoon. After that, he is awake through about 7:30, though mom and dad encourage him to go to 8:00 (it's completely selfish; it means we get more sleep).

Last night, he was playing with dad, all bright-eyed and screeching happy, then about 7:00, in the blink of an eye (quite literally), his mood changed. Picking him up, dad held him to his chest and Xavier was out within minutes. He woke just before 1:00 AM asking for something to eat.

That is another habit that has recently changed. He rarely goes from quiet to screaming hungry. Now, he quietly asks to be fed. If that goes unanswered, he grows a little louder. Eventually, if mom or dad haven't answered fast enough for him, the scream returns. It is definitely nicer to wake up to soft cooing grunts of hunger than piercing wails.

Another foot and toe picture. Now, Xavier is able to pull his toes into his mouth and suck them. In the mornings he likes to have his sleeper removed so he can examine his legs, feet and toes. Perhaps he thinks they disappear during the night.

Greetings everyone.

Today, Xavier is seven months old! Thinking back to May is like thinking back years. He celebrated by having a growth and weight checkup as well as getting his second RSV shot.

One of the things denied preemies is a full dosage of Mom's antibodies. Because of their early entry into the world, many antibodies are not transmitted to the baby. This is one of the reasons preemies need to be managed differently than term babies, and it's a primary reason for limiting their contact with other people, children especially.

The RSV shot is actually an injection of antibodies for the respiratory syncytial virus. This is why Xavier needs one every month, to replenish the antibodies. He has four more to go until the RSV season officially ends. Costing $200 a poke (insurance picks up a significant amount, PTL!), it is much better than dealing with a full-blown infection, which can be deadly or severely crippling.

Here are his stats:

• Weight: 10 pounds 3.6 ounces, an increase of 8.6 (more than half a pound) in 10 days!
• Length: 22.75 inches. That is .75 inches since his last measurement on the 2^nd

This is impressive growth, and this past week he has been sucking down the formula to feed that growth! #3 nipples and a ravenous little boy means going back to bed sooner after his post midnight feeding. Lately, Xavier is going longer between his nighttime feedings, averaging two between 11:00 PM and 6:00 AM.

It's not just the increased amounts he is eating, but Xavier is burning through clothing sizes as well. We are collecting a nice stack of clothes which no longer fit him. So many of you gifted him with clothes, for which we are thankful. We figure he has outfits through his first birthday, but his current growth curve may blow that estimate.

Since he was so growth-restricted in the womb, I wonder if this is his way of catching up!

Thank you all. Your prayers and support are evident every day. Great is our God and Father, Who always leads us in triumph in Christ Jesus!

Greetings to everyone.

Xavier had his renal followup today at a Children's Hospital clinic, oddly enough, only a few miles north of the Southern Outpost. Usually, appointments with Children's requires Xavier to be brought to the Aurora facility, so having the location so close to home was a nice change of pace for Rebecca.

Speaking of Rebecca, even though the location was much closer and less traffic to suffer through, still she had to jump-start herself with coffee to get Xavier there on time. This past weekend was her drill weekend, and she came home Sunday tired. She has been fatigued and tired for the past several days. We think her still-hectic schedule has finally caught up with her.

The reason for Xavier's followup was to check on a sonic shadow the renologist could not explain on a sonogram Xavier had while in the NICU. The results from today's exam were as expected: negative. The shadow was gone and Xavier's kidneys look fine.

Xavier had a good experience with the doctors today; he didn't have to give any fluids, especially blood! He lay on the bed in only his diaper (one of his favorite states of dress) and shamelessly flirted with the sonographer. He has become a world-class flirt, too!

Once again, we thank Father for His goodness! We also thank all who pray and have prayed for Xavier.

Greetings to everyone.

Xavier had a visit with a geneticist today. This was a followup from a visit neither Rebecca nor I knew Xavier had while he was in the NICU. This followup visit was to help further a study in understanding complicated pregnancies.

The visit lasted more than an hour. Most of the interview was asking Rebecca for family medical history on both her side of the family and on my side. Xavier spent the time shamelessly flirting with the doctor. Happy, he talked with little coos and other endearing sounds.

After the interview, Xavier participated by donating two vials of blood to the study. That ended his happiness for a time! As always, he soon forgot about the discomfort of the blood draw. I asked Rebecca if she bargained for Xavier's blood; I thought we might be able to get two cans of formula per vial (hey, those cans are pricy; there is a reason they are called "white gold").

Rebecca and I met up for lunch at the SmashBurger across from Children's where she filled me in on the appointment. Xavier slept through most of the lunch, even though is was noisier than we like it to be.

We did get some updated stats from the visit.

• Weight (completely naked, not even a diaper): 9 pounds, 11 ounces
• Length: 22 inches

He's gained 7.8 ounces in two weeks (nearly half a pound) and grown a quarter inch. I guess his 90 cc of formula every two hours is being put to work!