8 - a whole new world

(pictures to come)

About two weeks into his eighth month (about 7 and 1/2 months old) he began crawling. Our life has not been the same since.

I mentioned in my last month post that he was beginning to make the signs of crawling. He could whip himself onto all fours without any problem and then he would bounce. That was about it. I worked hard to try and make the 7 month goal - but failed. But it only took about a week after his 7 month birthday that he began to venture beyond the bounce. He took a couple steps.

A week later he was mad crawler. We quickly baby-proofed the house and got ready for the new phase of our lives!

At almost the same time he began crawling he was pulling himself up on anything and everything. He acts as though he just wants to pull himself up to see what could be on top, or on the other side. He is so curious!

I also saw him pull himself up in his bed which prompted the lowering of his bed so he won't fall out. Now we are usually greeted throughout the night, or in the morning, by him staring over the edge of the crib at us. So cute.

Two other big things this month. One very important and exciting moment. On March 11th, just a few days after we got back from Mexico, we hopped back on a plane for what we hope to be our last plane ride for a while. We headed to California to make our family as official as we are allowed now. Our adoption became legal, real, recognized by the government. What an amazing thing. As we were walking into the building I thought to myself that not only is this moment making Xander our son, officially, but it is legally connecting mine and Brandon's relationship. Other than joint bank accounts, mortgages, and car titles we are not recognized as a pair. But now we are Xander's parents. Whether or not the state of Utah accepts it. A very happy day. Welcome to the family, Xan.

While we were in California the next thing happened. I was driving up the freeway with my cousin Missy and her daughter, Tessa, when Xander popped my finger into his mouth as he does constantly and I felt something sharp! Sure enough...he had teeth. We knew they were coming soon, but this was the first time we noticed them for real - and they were already through. The bottom two teeth had broken through and sharp! It wasn't more than a couple of weeks later when we got home that he cut two more teeth - the top two! Now he is a four-toothed little man!

What a difference a month can make. We came back from Mexico, Adopted our son, he crawls, pulls himself up, and cut four teeth. Wow. Of course all of this leads to the oh so fun - life is too exciting to sleep - phase.

Ever since he started this fun he has been waking up multiple times in the night. We think it likely has to do with him not eating solid foods well since he just can't get enough food in a liquid diet to help him sleep through the night. So until we get that mastered we are going to be up, and up, and up. I'm tired.

Now that he crawls he takes so much more energy. He is all over the place. His main motivation for going form here to there is something he shouldn't have. Usually that thing is a dog ball or toy which he grabs and then promptly puts into his mouth. Which is swiftly followed by a "icky, ca ca, dirty!" and I pull it from his mouth. Over and over and over and over. It is so cute though when he sees something he wants, shouldn't have, or gets excited about. He makes a slight giggle sound and crawls at a super-sonic pace to that object. Then it goes into his mouth. It is quite cute.

Well that about wraps it up. Just to make sure I get all the highlights here is the rundown

• Got a visit from the Roarks where they watched our little guy twice! So nice!
• Got to visit the zoo and the park again. Usually not a super exciting thing but since this winter is going to stretch well into May before we get spring any day we get out of the house is monumental
• He is now pretty good about holding his own bottle...although sometimes he misses:
• Still working on the solid food. We feel like such parental failures being that he still is 99% on the bottle. Our friendly little parenting book tells us he should be up to three "meals" a day at this point. Ha! He is lucky if he gets one every other day. To be fixed ASAP.
  
• He is just the cutest guy with such a great personality. He is always happy and inquisitive. He is so good and so easy.
  

We are lucky dads.