Xander Update June 2010

I was just thinking that I haven't really posted much about how Xander is doing and what he is learning, so here is an update on the Xander boy!

Age: 17 months

Weight: 23.2 lbs (and boy does he feel it)

Newest words: Puppy, nose, remote.

Favorite Foods: Bananas, Strawberries, and Hot Dogs.

Body parts he's learned: Eyes, Ears, Nose, Mouth, Hair, Teeth, Feet, Hands, Neck and Elbows. Still working on shoulders, knees, fingers, toes and tongue.

Favorite Toys: his play piano, his play lawnmower, his train, and carrying around a bag full of stuff, to dump out and fill again.

Colors: still working on those.

Animals he knows: Horse, Cow, Duck, Dog, Cat, Sheep.

Cute things he does: he loves to take baby wipes and wipe down EVERYTHING. He will do it for 30 minutes straight. Just cleaning stuff. He is getting pretty good at it, too! Another really cute thing he does is putting his hands over his mouth when he laughs. Here is a video I caught of him doing just that:

He also loves water. Slashing in puddles is the best! And one last thing he loves is sitting on the counter while I do his hair and brush his teeth. He loves playing up there. Not that there is anything that fun up there, but he loves it!

Lippy Words he uses on me: Don't, No (both while pointing or stomping)

But he also loves to give hugs and kisses too, so it all evens out. He is a happy growing boy and is a ton of fun right now. Everyday he is learning and doing something new. We love our little Xander boy!

Salt Wars VII

May 20th-23rd was the Annual Salt Wars event at Castle Park in Provo. It was a great time and we got some exciting news. (I meant to post this sooner, so sorry for the late notice) It was announced that Dave would be knighted August 6th. We are so excited! It has taken Dave 8 years to get the highest honor of the game. Here is a picture of the announcement.

It was three fun days of fighting, friends and food. Of course I have my ladies.

This is my Whiskey and my Dea. Whiskey is one of my Lady Daggers and Dea is my Woman-At-Arms and one of the newest members of the Lady Daggers. Woot!! She didn't have a title, but was given one at this event, so as soon as court was over, BAM, she became one. Here is the happy, smiley, newly made Lady Dagger showing off her belt favor!

Ember also got a title this weekend and we held an emergency Lady Dagger meeting and we made her a Lady Dagger also. So we now have 5 members!! It was the household I started and I am so happy where it has ended up today.

I got to play in a few of the battle games, here I am in my healer garb with my new Hakama pants I made and my new Fitz Guard Tunic. I love my Hakamas they are nice flowey pants that are so comfortable.

At court I was one of the lucky winners of the "Sultan's Touch". We got to sit on these comfy pillows with blankets with a front row seat for court. It was awesome. Here are Roisin and I. We both won and she is another one of my Lady Daggers.

Another part of winning was getting fanned by Whiskey, the Ambiance-O-Crat.

The other cool thing about Salt Wars this year, was I was able to wear my Birthday Present for the first time. Dave finished my belt just in time for the event. I have been waiting with anticipation and finally I got to wear it. He did such a great job on it! I LOVE IT!!

The detail is amazing. It is made of leather and he did all the embossing and painting by hand.

One of the fun things we did at Salt Wars was the Tattoos. I bought a package of fake tattoos and we were on a mission to see just how many people would let us put a tattoo on them. We did pretty good, if I say so myself. Here are my two tattoos.

You can also see my braided hair here. I paid a lovely African lady in Tooele to braid it for me, and she did an excellent job. It took four hours sitting in a chair to put them in. They lasted for a week. And then it took two hours to take them out, but check out my neat hair with the wave in it. I loved it, but had to wash it because I had gone a week without washing my hair. I might invest in a crimper. Do they still make those?

It was a fun time, but I missed my little guy. Xander didn't come, I was too worried how he is mobile but not real steady and there are a lot of hills, rocks, stone, and water for him to hurt himself on. Not to mention the fighting that is constantly going on. I think next year he will be ready to come with me. He stayed with his Aunt Jen and apparently had so much fun he didn't want her to leave when she dropped him off.