Greetings to everyone.

This past week, Xavier took things to a whole new level, one for which we were unprepared (that seems to be a running theme; I hope it's a running theme for most parents). He went 3-D! And that means a whole new containment and education challenge.

What does 3-D mean? The picture above may suggest the meaning. He climbs on to the couches. He climbs on to chairs. He climbs up the backs of chairs. He climbs cabinets. He has even set his sights on climbing up to the kitchen counter. 3-D means he is no longer confined to the floor. And when he wants something on the table or some other high place, he moves furniture around so he can climb it to get to what he wants.

Not even the toilet paper is safe. We have been keeping it off the holder because Xavier long ago discovered it. Now, he is climbing up the toilet to get to either the counter top or the toilet tank, where ever the toilet paper rests.

Wow. This has given Rebecca and I pause. We don't want to discourage him from exploring his world, but we must, now more than before, teach Xavier there are boundaries. Climbing on the couch is OK, but climbing onto the dining table is not OK. He's a smart boy, and we seem to be getting the message of context across to him. Still, we are ever more vigilant now.

He nearly figured out how to make a staircase with the kitchen cabinet drawers and climb to the counter top. Fortunately, the taking of a picture and the food processor spatula distracted him from completely figuring it out...for now. He was able to pull some items off the counter just prior to being distracted.

Greetings to everyone.

Xavier's Great Aunt Beth paid a visit today. Beth, Rebecca, Xavier and I met for lunch near a mall. After eating, we all walked over to the mall and headed for Santa's village. That man has really updated things since I went to sit on his lap, let me tell you! There were no snowmen with spinning heads towering over you and scaring the daylights out of you. No long, dim corridor that zigged and zagged, causing one dread every step forward one took. And what's up with that snowman? It keeps eyeing me like it wants me for lunch! And Santa is way over there, his throne in the shadows, and so very far away from the parents.

No, a more pleasant ambiance awaited us. Only two families were ahead of us. That fact changed shortly; we definitely picked the right time to visit! We entered Xavier's name into a naughty/nice machine while standing in line. After a light show and some stereotypical calculation-crunching sounds, Xavier appeared on the "nice" list. Good thing, too, or I would have cried foul and demanded to see the data backing the list selection.

As the short line progressed, we entered an ice cave, or, perhaps, it was the keep entrance to an ice castle. Hard to say. Inside, Xavier got first-hand experience practice-driving Santa's sleigh. He pushed and pulled the throttle, pushed navigation buttons, turned indicator dials. Seriously, I don't know what the reindeer do anymore.

We also looked through a magic window (something like a giant iPad). As we scanned the room, we saw the elves at work and other sights and goings on. Any "Fringe" fans reading this?

Finally, the velvet rope blocking our admittance to the North Pole was dropped and we entered Santa's headquarters. I guess the ice cave was a portal of some kind, or else Xavier really knew what to do with that practice sleigh. Mrs. Clause met us, a friendly woman and much shorter than I imagined. Xavier did not really notice; his attentions were elsewhere, or everywhere. He still distracts easily, but who can blame him this time? We were at Santa's HQ, it said so on the sign behind us.

Passing Mrs. Clause, we made it to Santa. Xavier sat on his lap. I must say, I am impressed with Xavier. I thought he might fuss or cry being passed off to a stranger, especially since he has been so clingy to his parents of late. He sat in Santa's lap like a champ. I am somewhat disappointed that Santa only posed for a photo or two. He did not inquire what Xavier wanted for Christmas. Perhaps it's true after all what one Christmas song tells us.

After visiting Santa, I returned to the office, leaving Great Aunt Beth, Rebecca and Xavier to spend time together at the mall. They eventually found an indoor playground and turned the little man loose. One of the items in the area was a large stegosaurus to be climbed. Xavier ran right for it and conquered the challenge. A fact he that well-pleased him.

Greetings to everyone.

First, chocolate pudding, and now chocolate stars. Guess who's got a sweet tooth for chocolate? This guy, that's who! After dinner, while we were cleaning up, I gave Xavier a Brach's Chocolate Star, which is a hard-to-find chocolate treat. I did not know what he would do with it, other than at least taste it (still, everything you hand him gets a taste test).

Rebecca told me it would be a mistake as it was less than an hour before his bed time. I thought "what can it hurt? It's only one little piece of candy." Famous last thoughts!

In minutes, Xavier was amp'ed and bouncing off the walls and running around the house with a euphoric giggle. Impressed so small a food could so quickly energize my son, I went the extra mile and offered him another of these coveted treats. It was gas on a fire!

He ran around the house for the next :45 minutes with energy from where I can't venture a guess. It was something of a rite of passage to eat hard chocolate candies and have a chocolate smear around your mouth. Before he wiped too much away, I did get him to settle long enough to get a couple of pictures to document this rite of passage.

Generally, Rebecca puts Xavier to bed; she likes the ten to fifteen minutes of quiet time with her son. Want to venture a guess who got to put Xavier to bed this night?