And he's off... Part 2

And he’s off… Part 2

Today at eleven months and 1 day Xander has partially realized the virtues of crawling. I posted before that he was doing the ‘low crawl’ or ‘military crawl’ and he has still been crawling like that since. But today he has started crawling on his hands and knees!! He still likes doing the low crawl as he approaches a toy, but I think he’s realizing that this crawl is quicker and somewhat easier… and mom would prefer it because she is ever so tired of trying to remove the dirt stains off of his shirts!!! ;-D

He also is getting really good at using furniture and toys to pull himself up and stand. He gets the biggest grin on his face when he does. You can just tell he’s so proud of himself for standing up all by himself. He really likes standing and walking. It really seems like he’s so frustrated by his inability to really get up and go!! Awhile ago we had to lower the crib mattress so that he couldn’t get out because he was just beginning to realize that he could use the crib to stand up… He now easily pulls himself up and stands in his crib when he wants to get out!! One of his favorite things to do is to stand up near the living room ottoman and sidestep to a large blue Rubbermaid plastic storage bin that is beside his toy box and pull toys out and place them on the lid of the storage bin. He uses the storage bin as a workbench for his toys… he will stand there for the longest time pulling out toys, with one hand on the blue bin supporting him while he cautiously bends over into his toy box to pull out a toy and place on his ‘workbench.’ Then he will put a toy back in his toy box (or drop it on the floor) and pull a toy out (sometimes the same one)… and put it back and pull it out… and put it back and pull it out… you get the idea??!!??

He also is walking with me holding his hands. He can walk pretty far for his size… if he’s so inclined. The other day I was walking him toward Nelson and Xander got so excited to see him and that he was walking that he just started hopping up and down and stomping his feet and pretty much dancing around. It was really cute and funny!! Today he’s been very ‘in love’ with Nelson. Every chance he got he wanted DaDa to hold him!! Nelson was in heaven today since Xander usually behaves that way toward his MaMa.

Speaking of MaMa and DaDa… it’s pretty funny he uses MaMa pretty specifically for me, but EVERYTHING else is DaDa… Nelson, trees, birds, the cats (no matter how many times we say kitty… that’s kitty), lights, etc. It was hilarious… one day he was watching a video and monkeys came on and he loudly yelled DaDa and pointed to the monkeys!!! Nelson thought that that was a sign that he might need to trim his beard down just a little!! He does recognize DaDa (grins and points and may say DaDa) when we meet Nelson at different places… one time we were meeting Nelson at a store and Xander and I were in the parking lot and Nelson drove by and Xander recognized his car!! So I guess in time he’ll be able to figure out that the cats are not DaDa!!