Greetings and hello to everyone.

What does Xavier want for Christmas? That is a question we have been hammered with a lot of late. One person texting or calling or emailing on a daily basis as Thanksgiving fast approaches because she refuses to step into a store after Thanksgiving Thursday (and who can blame her?).

Rebecca and I finally got down to brass tacks on this question, and we spent some time wandering through toy stores. We found many things we thought appropriate and made notes to send to those asking the question.

Xavier was with us, of course. One of the nice things about his age is, Rebecca mentioned as we walked the aisles, "He can see what we're buying him, but when he gets it on Christmas Day, he won't remember it. So, it will still be a surprise." That's a good theory, but Xavier has a long memory.

As Xavier is proficiently mobile on his feet, we let him walk the aisles with us. From time to time we would pick him up to and have him examine a toy. If it evoked an excited reaction, we added it to our list.

It was when we rounded the corner to one particular aisle we knew the shopping was over. Xavier toddled around, saw what was lining both sides of the aisle, and stopped. It was as if his brain was on overload. Which to choose? Which to choose?

His brain lock lasted only a moment, then he no longer walked the aisle, he toddler-ran it! Over the railing he climbed. Over the side he went! It took him some effort to get over the side, but he was determined. What did he choose? There are so many!

It was a difficult decision between the pink Mini or the Audi Spyder. He tried them both out, back and forth, but settled on the Spyder. That's right, 0-2.5 mph in seconds. Black exterior. It had leather bucket seating, power steering, power brakes, manual transmission. It even sounded like an Audi, especially when Xavier made the vroom-vroom sounds himself. Too bad his feet don't reach the gas petal; he needs about six more inches of leg.

Greetings to everyone.

Wow. Where has the time gone? Xavier had his 18 month checkup today.

Mom took him in mid morning. Dr. Abbey examined him. His overall assessment: Xavier is doing well. Upon seeing Xavier's recovering bum, he gave us a formula for mixing up Maalox and Aquaphore to apply to Xavier's little tushie the next time he cuts a tooth.

Xavier has just come through a week and a half bout of cutting teeth. Three or four popped through this time, and it was not pleasant for anyone. His wee bum became so raw, it was difficult to clean without severe pain to our toddler. He would break out in desperate cries when he was laid down for a diaper change because he knew the experience would be unpleasant. Often, he would scream and fuss when holding him because he was semi-sitting on a lap or arm, and that pressed against his sore-covered bottom. This bout has been the most severe and long-lasting to date, but it also was the most teeth he has cut at any one time. The concoction Dr. Abbey gave us will help neutralize the acids filling his diaper during these times and help heal the skin.

Xavier also got two shots, one being a TDAP. Of course, Xavier did not favor this part of the visit to the doctor.

Here are his stats:

• Weight: 15 pounds 15.4 ounces. Not the gain we had hoped for, and a little off track, but his week and a half of teething did put him off eating and we know he lost some weight during that time.
• Length: 29 inches. He is outgrowing his 9-month clothing and moving into 12 month sizes!
• Head circumference: 45 3/4 inches. Very nice, and showing expected development.

After his checkup, Xavier and Mom met Dad at Old Chicago's. Having a stressful morning, Xavier ate a little, then lay his head down and went to sleep. There was a time not too long ago when Xavier could not sleep in public; his got overstimulated. Praise God, he's learning to filter distractions.

Hello and greetings to everyone!

Today Xavier started school. (You can see him wearing his T-shirt with the school logo on it in the above image). It's amazing how much work goes into preparing to drop him off. Do I have enough snacks? What snacks are best? Are two bottles enough for his four hour stay? How shall he be dressed? The list seemed endless. Time eventually ran out, making all choices mute: what was packed was going.

Xavier, at the end of a week without his mother (who was in Washington DC at Guard Bureau), was not too thrilled to see the classroom. We were the first of three to show up, look around and have the first-day orientation, which was geared for the parents: what to unpack when we get there, where to put the stuff once it's unpacked, how to sign in, where to read the lesson plan. During all of this, Xavier got to run around and explore the room if he liked. The teachers also wanted to know a number of specific details about Xavier. We filled out a questionnaire a week prior; both teachers studied it and knew the information we provided, and wanted further detail to better serve Xavier. I was impressed they had committed the information to memory, rather than read it from a sheet of paper they picked up while coming in to the classroom.

After our orientation, other parents started arriving, and got their walk-throughs. During this time, Xavier was typically clingy. He knew something was afoot, and he was begging me not to let him be part of it. One of Xavier's teachers, seeing Xavier's reluctance to detach from Dad's pant leg, came over with a basket of toys. She was trying to make him feel comfortable like the other boy who was already pulling firetrucks from the toy bins and firing up their sirens.

Eventually, the shiny things in the room and the activity of the his other two classmates piqued Xavier's interest. He began to explore on his own.

When I left the room, he cried. I headed back to the car feeling inadequate. I wondered if I would miss something of interest (and picture-worthy) as our little man took a deeper step into the world. What new things might he experience and I and Rebecca not be there to enjoy it. As a consolation, I did come away knowing what items to pack, and how better to pack them.

When I arrived to pick Xavier up, the Bumblebees (Xavier's class) were outside. Xavier was playing with two big steering wheels and honking the horn. I followed the Bees back to the room (two children where pulled in a wagon, and Xavier was carried—probably because he would have tried crawling out of the wagon, even with its high side gates). I was informed how and what Xavier did during his half-day, and asked several more questions about him. One of the teachers showed me his class work. This week's lesson was the letter "H" and circles. (Because the class started so late, the lesson is "H", but A through G will be caught up on I was told). The teachers wanted me to know how interested Xavier was in the textures of the materials used in the study of circles and how the stamps and paint fascinated him.

Here is Honey the Horse. The alphabet is taught with a sound, and action and an animal. At the bottom left you can see how Honey takes on the shape of a lower case "h". Also visible, Xavier's "visionary" use of Crayola crayon color.

In the circles paper (both it and Honey now hang on our refrigerator door), you can see where Xavier explored the texture of the ink used to make the circles.

Greetings to everyone.

Or, perhaps, the question should be "What Color is grue?"

Xavier is going through a number of changes, primarily in his physical skill development. He also has some changes going on in his body.

When he was born, his eyes were deeply blue, almost black. In fact (probably due mostly to his wee size), you really had to look hard to see the blue. For weeks they looked black at first glance.

As his head and eyes grew in size, his eye color became more apparent. His eyes were blue, a similar color to his mother's. As time passed, that slowly began to change. Looking into his eyes, you could see both blue and green at the same time. However, the dominant color was blue. When the lighting was right, what appeared to be green was easier to recognize. Rebecca and I called this color bleen. It was like one of those neckties which shimmer between light blue and gold depending on the angle of light striking the fabric (only blue and green in Xavier's case). Xavier kept that color for months.

Then, near the beginning of summer, the green, though still so subtle as to be nearly invisible when looked for, strengthened. Still blue, you would look at his eyes and ask "I'm sure I see green, or is it the lighting?" Rebecca and I named this color "grue" as green was growing stronger.

The last few weeks, the green has eaten its Wheaties (is that cereal still manufactured?). Xavier's eyes have changed color. Gone is the blue; if any is still there, it hides like the green had done a few months prior, waiting for the lighting to be just right for it to peek out. Xavier now has green eyes with which to view the world through.

The change is noteworthy on its own, but it is somewhat bittersweet. Rebecca wanted his eyes to remain blue, and for some time they appeared to be holding to that wish. Secretly, I was torn. Inwardly, I strongly routed for green (the color of my eyes), but also I wanted them to stay blue for Rebecca's sake.

I may have won the eye color contest, but Rebecca won the nose contest. Xavier's nose has exactly the same shape as his mother's endearing nose. And, at least for now, Xavier's facial skeletal structures favor Rebecca's side of the family. Facebook's facial recognition software often identifies Xavier as being Rebecca's father.