Visit with Mimi

Some photos from Mimi's stay with us during X's birthday week:

Merry Christmas!

Xander has been having a most excellent time visiting Wyoming over Christmas this year. He can't get enough of his Grandpa and Mimi!

Xoo Train!

Xander fulfilled one of his lifelong goals this summer:  to ride the train at the Xoo!  Mimi and Grandpa Johnny took us all on the train, and we sat right behind the engine!  What a fun (and super hot) day!  The pictures at the bottom were taken in the butterfly house.

Durham Museum

We all were able to go to the Durham Museum during Railroad Days while Mimi and Grandpa Johnny were in town this summer.  Here are some pictures of our adventures:

RailsWest

Xander had visitors last week--Mimi and Grandpa Johnny!  We did so many fun things, including Omaha Railroad Days!  Here are some pictures of our family at the RailsWest Museum.  It was so hot that day, but Xander had a blast!  They had a model train that he could control, which he kept stopping as it rode in front of him so he could have a better look.  The museum had many model trains upstairs and real trains outside!

100 Words!

Okay, so it has been a while since we have updated a list of Xander's words on the blog, but we have been keeping a list, and I think it's pretty exciting:

• Super (as in Superboy or Superman or even the "S")
• Rain (with sign)
• Wind (with sign)
• "So soft" - he says this when touching fleece, Andy, or something else soft (super cute!)
• Yellow (like dandelions)
• Flower (with sign)
• Noodle - one of Xander's favorite foods!  It sounds like "noody" :)
• Orange - I feel bad about this one.  It sounds like "on," and one night, he kept trying to open the fridge, saying "on."  I couldn't figure out why he wanted to play with the fridge.  Turns out he wanted an orange :(
• Hello - This is already on the list, but it's super cute!  He says it in place of hi sometimes, but also says it into the phone and when he opens a door.
• Tree (with sign) - so many to point out!
• Characters from Yo Gabba Gabba:  Brobee, Toodee, Plex, Foofa, and Muno - he sometimes points to things like look like Muno
• Outside - again, already on the list, but so cute!  He loves being outside :)
• Stars (with sign) - Wow, I don't know how he learned this but it's awesome!
• Socks (with sign) - Also already on the list, but X knows the sign now
• Piano - he loves to play with Daddy, and since Paul's piano is currently visiting Rob's house, X sometimes sits on the piano bench and says "piano" kind of sadly :(
• Horse - he loves his toy horse and points to them in books
• Neigh - this is awesome!  Sometimes when he sees a horse he also says neigh
• Bubbles - one of X's faves
• Juice - although he's never had any!
• Truck - oh yes, he is truly a little boy
• Airplane - one of Xander's FAVORITE things!  He also points to the sky and makes an airplane noise.  Whenever he even hears one, he gets excited and cranes his head to look through the window or around the trees at all angles.  He also loves helicopters, which he calls airplanes.
• Bus - Xander LOVES buses in real life and in books.  Even when I'm alone, I keep an eye out for buses.  I love his little voice "bus."  Again, already on the list, but still awesome!
• Choo-Choo! - Already on the list, but probably X's favorite thing of all right now, real or imaginary
• Mess - This is so sweet, he knows when we've made a mess!
• Bread
• Fluffy - he uses this word to describe stuffing Molly has pulled out of pillows, etc.
• Food (with sign)
• Burp - this is funny:  Whenever someone burps, Xander imitates them by saying "burp" really low.  Ha!
• Eye - this is already on the list, but now he uses it in a new context:  Whenever the sun is in his eyes, he squints, points to his eye, and says "eye" in a sad way.
• Home - sounds like "hum"
• This - talking about an item in his hand
• Ruh roh - awesome!  X has always said "uh oh," but now he sometimes does it with an "Astro" flair :)
• Wee!!! - We have always said this as Xander goes down slides, so now he thinks this is what they're called!
• Wow!  (super cute)
• Whoa! - when he gets excited!
• Beep - X says this whenever he hears a beep, such as a car horn or a toy
• Robot - super cool!  He points to robots and things that look like them
• Cheers! - Xander is a very polite young gentlemen who always cheers with us if we all have drinks
• Whoosh! - Xander says this when looking at his truck books--it's the sound the dump truck makes
• Me and "Mimi"

 Two more fun things Xander says:

• Daddy - yes, he still calls Paul "daddy" (although he did say "Paul" about  50 times one day!), but he also said "Daddy" when he hands things to you.  Silly guy!
• Buckley! - the name of our hamster!!  This is Xander's 100th word on the list!

Sleepy Buckley - our baby Robo Hamster :)

Family Visitors

Xander has had a busy month!  He is talking up a storm, continuing to learn new words and signs, and is improving his ability to communicate what he wants and needs.  We have been able to visit with lots of Xander's family members over the past few weekends.  Here are a few pictures:

Grandpa Johnny and Mimi at the Radial Cafe

Reading with Grandpa Jerry in the hotel room

Uncle Jack and Auntie Kate in Lincoln

X in WY

We were so busy when we traveled to Wyoming, and thanks to Xander's grandpa Johnnie, we have a ton of pictures to share.  Here are some of Xander playing at Mimi & Grandpa's house: