SOS Graduation
Greetings to all.
We got up early this morning, though not as early as yesterday. After breakfast, Rebecca, Xavier and I drove onto Maxwell AFB. It has been seven years since I last stepped onto that base. The last time was for Rebecca's AMS graduation; it was also the time I knew that Rebecca "was the one for me."
Xavier held up OK during the ceremony, but when he got hungry, we had a few rough spots. We met Rebecca's classmates and her instructors. We even ran into a woman whose daughter was in the same NICU as Xavier at the same time as Xavier.
We had loaded up the car and checked out of the hotel before the ceremony, so leaving base we headed for the Montgomery Zoo. It is a smaller zoo, and very kid friendly. Xavier was not so much interested in the exhibits, but more in the plumbing and mechanical features he discovered throughout the park. Even feeding the giraffes did not impress him.
After leaving the zoo, we drove to Pensacola Beach where we hoped to relax for a few days. As parents, Rebecca and I had a few new experiences. The car seat Xavier sat in we placed next to the passenger side door (too much luggage, so we could not put the seat in the middle of the back seat).
It hit us when Xavier pushed the window button and opened the window a bit. Rebecca and I instantly thought the same basic things: is the door locked, can Xavier unlock the door, the car seat does not anchor to any D rings, what if the door comes open. Xavier no longer had a five-point harness, just a lap and shoulder belt.
We pulled off the road and figured all this out, as well as learn what safety features the rental car offered. It was, to say the least, unnerving and a new level of driving stress for us. At least when we checked in to the hotel, we could move the car seat to the middle of the car, which (we hoped) would help relieve some of our new-found angst.
We made it to Pensacola Beach without further incident, though both Rebecca's and my ears kept careful attention to what Xavier was doing in the back, which after we got back on the road, he eventually fell asleep.
We got to our room (which overlooked the ocean and white powder-sand beach from seven floors up), put on our swimsuits and headed for the hotel pool. We splashed around the shallow end, warmed up in the hot tub and floated around the Lazy River on tubes.
We picked up a DVD from the front desk's collection, but we all fell asleep long before the movie ended.
Early, Early Morning
Greetings to all.
Today was the day! Nearly seven weeks Xavier and I have been baching it with Rebecca at SOS in Montgomery, Alabama.
This morning, at the very early hour of 0200, Xavier and I buckled into our car and headed to the airport. Our flight out left at 0500, and we had to change planes in Dallas. This flight was the only one available that got us to Montgomery at a reasonable time.
Xavier was a little trooper. He pulled his own suitcase most of the way. He caught a small nap in flight to Dallas where we had a light breakfast and built a Lego plane while waiting for our second flight.
Xavier was disappointed not to have a window seat on the first plane, but the second flight was a smaller plane, only two seats on one side and one seat on the other. Dad had to walk the aisle bent over as this plane lacked head room also. Xavier got his window seat!
Not so interested in looking out the window, Xavier liked opening and closing the window shade. As we were flying East, he eventually decided to leave the shade down since the Sun was too bright. He spent much of the flight studying the aircraft card showing how to fasten seat belts, exits for emergency egress and other safety features of the aircraft.
We landed in MGM Airport a little ahead of schedule. We stopped by the car rental desk to secure a car seat for Xavier and to get my name on the lease. Rebecca had set this up for us before our arrival, so all we had to do was provide identification.
The rental company had only three types of car seat, none of them fit Xavier. The infant seat was too small, and no way Xavier is big enough and heavy enough for a booster seat.
We had to settle on the high-backed booster, which had three criteria: forty to one hundred pounds, minimum of 42 inches tall and at least four years old. Xavier met only the last one, missing the first by twelve pounds and the second by three inches. As Xavier's pediatrician told us concerning these things, you have to make due and do what you need to do, so we did.
We picked up a shuttle to our hotel, checked in and dropped our luggage in the room, then walked across the street for lunch. It was two in the afternoon, and breakfast was six hours in the past. The pizza place Xavier wanted to eat at was closed, so we found a nice Mexican place a few hundred feet away. Chips and chicken for Xavier, and one of the bartenders and we got on well discussing and dancing to the music playing. Yes, Xavier was seat dancing to several songs, endearing him to the wait staff, which led to them giving Xavier some free food.
Rebecca joined us about four o'clock. I asked Xavier, "Do you want to wait for Momma to come to the room, or go down and wait for her in the lobby?"
"I want to wait in the lobby!" he answered enthusiastically.
He had already explored the lobby, which had many water falls in it, and ridden the glass elevator, which rose above several pools of water. He could not wait to show Momma all the water features in the lobby.
At the end of the day, when asked what his favorite part of the day was, Xavier said "my bed." He had his own bed in his own room, a pull-out bed in the couch.
"What about seeing Momma? Isn't that your favorite part?" we asked. That, as it turned out, was number two on his list. (note: he did miss his Momma these past seven weeks).
In spite of having his own bed in his own room, he slept with Dad in the main bedroom, and Mom slept in the pull out (she was not ready to sleep when the two of us—up since 0200—were beyond ready to sleep.
Painted Wings and Giant Rings
Greetings to everyone.
We knew Xavier would like them. He had played with them at school and other places. Rebecca and I were thinking ahead to Christmas 2018 to get Xavier some of his own.
Those plans blew out of the water a few weeks ago. Xavier attended a Lego-themed birthday party. One of the party favors given out was a little 30-piece kit—a man and a wheeled cart with a laser.
Xavier, along with the other children at the party, built their toy (with adults helping guide them when asked). Shortly thereafter, most of the kids went on to other toys and games. Not Xavier. He built, took apart, then built again his toy.
He slept with it that night. He took it to school with him the next day. The day following that he forgot it as we left for school; he wanted me to return home and bring it to him in class (of course, I did not agree to that).
He discovered Lego mini-movies on Netflix (brilliant marketing "films" really). "Daddy, I want more Legos" became a common request over the next few weeks.
As a reward for being so well behaved while I drove him all over to shop for groceries and other household needs, we hit a local Walmart store and bought a rather complex 80-some piece plane. We built that plane a dozen times. He took it to a friend's house (fully built with all the parts). They blew it up several times, losing fourteen pieces during their play.
Later, the Easter Bunny left him two new kits for him to find. He played with those quite a lot, sleeping with several assembled models.
The hunger for more only increased with each new kit. When we bought the plane at Walmart, Xavier learned that Legos come in bulk. This, he did not forget. Shortly after Easter Sunday, he asked for more Lego and reminded me of the bulk parts. He wanted to build designs of his own, not just the kits.
Xavier has been saving his chore earnings for a specific firetruck (which he is about $55 shy). I explained he could get more Lego if he used his own money. (I set a limit of seven dollars).
He and I discussed how using that seven dollars would mean he was taking money away from his firetruck (we have a goal sheet on the refrigerator he fills in when he gets paid). We discussed how, if he bought Lego with his firetruck money, he was saying that Lego was more important than his firetruck. He grasp some of it, but long-term planning is not a strength of four going on five year olds.
Seven of his hard-earned dollars in hand, we headed out to the stores yesterday. The last stop we made was Walmart, though Xavier pleaded for Walmart to be the first stop!
We looked over much of the Lego offerings on the shelves, and found one within budget having 221 pieces (Dad said he would match Xavier's $7 dollar for dollar, thus doubling his buying power).
Like the painted wings and giant rings in the song Puff the Magic Dragon, Legos have replaced Tinker Toys, just as Tinker Toys replaced Hot Wheels. Xavier still plays with his Tinker Toys and Hot Wheels, but they take a back seat to his new favorite toy.