Back in LA

December has been busy so far!!!  I've had a lot of work so Otto has been playing with Gram and Grandps and Dad a lot.  He's been having so much fun and I've been loving coming home to see him once my jobs are over!  We've had some beautiful mid-70's weather and have spent most weekends outside. When I'm not working our days have been action packed.  We went to Ora Duplass's 3 birthday party, we went to Chucky Cheese with Gus and Luke and some other friends, and tried to go to Shana and Nick's holiday party but ended up missing it by a day.  Otto was a trooper despite he mix up.  The reunion between Otto and his Dad was the best.  Trevor grew a mustache so even I was a bit taken aback when I first saw him.  Otto paused a moment then got a HUGE grin on his face.  He knew immediately that he was looking at his DAD.  Trevor grabbed him and hugged him and didn't put him down for the rest of the night!  Otto also got his first haircut this month.  We put his highchair out on the porch and strapped him in.  I was a bit nervous to hold a pair of sharp scissors so close to his little squirmy body but it ended up ok and I think he looks really cute-the picture of him in the red shirt is post haircut.  The other photo was taken in front of the Science Center downtown.  The summer weather we had in the beginning of the month has left and now we are in the middle of a predicted 10 day spell of rain.  Because of the rain we are forced to do indoor activities and the Science Center is one of our favorites.  Otto, Trevor, and I all had a great time!    

13 Month Duck Photo

Here's the latest Duck Photo.  Otto is HUGE and just to prove it he really wanted to stand next to his duck.  I like how casual he looks in this shot.  I had to work this day so Trevor did the photo shoot.  He got lots of cute ones but this particular shot was so different from all the others we had to choose it for his official 13 month image.  Trevor sent the photo to my phone so I could see it while I was at work.  It made my day!!!! 

Otto WALKS!!!!

Otto's big accomplishment now that his is a one year old...he learned to WALK!!!!  It happened in Texas so unfortunately Trevor missed it but we skyped and got it all on video so it is pretty much like he was right there with Otto.  We had been practicing with Otto all month letting him take a few steps on the carpet kind of stumbling back and forth in between Stacy and I while we sat on the ground.  And Gram and I practiced with him by letting him "get" us around the corner of a bed.  All this practice payed off on Saturday November 20!!!  He just sort of figured out that he could get anywhere he wanted to go by toddling around and so he did.  Later that day we took him to a little outdoor mall area in the Woodlands where a lot of kids play with the hope of inspiring him to walk more and explore the big Christmas tree and fountains.  It worked and he walked all around and loved it.  I've posted some video of his new accomplishment.  And the photo is of Otto celebrating how big he is on a donkey statue.  He's SOOOOO BIG!   

More Texas

Texas is huge so it deserves a few posts!  Plus we did so much  I can't fit all the pictures in just one entry.  We spent a lot of time at HEB-the coolest grocery store ever.  It is massive and has so many unique delicious items and best of all it has CAR CARTS!!!  Although they are impossible to steer they pretty much rock and Otto loved going to the grocery store because of them.  He is pictured very casually driving the green version.  The photo of Aunt Stacy and Otto was also taken at HEB.  We were shopping for Thanksgiving after a long day of playing at a Woodlands playground.  Otto was exhausted and snuggled with his Aunt for quite a while.   He even rested his cheek against hers but sadly I didn't get a photo of that.  They were both soooooooo happy and cozy!  The next photo was taken at Ryan and Stacy's neighbor's house.  Clearly Texans, they had a hay bale longhorn that Otto loved to ride.  After I took this shot I realized that Otto was wearing University of Texas orange while sitting on top of a longhorn.  Hmmmm...do I detect a little foreshadowing?  Maybe but I think he's sticking to his roots with the Gator blue socks.  Orange and Blue let's go Gators!!!!  The last two shots were taken outside the ice skating rink in the Woodlands.  Otto's love for bright orange cones has not waned.  He got so excited when he saw the first and then he noticed a whole row of cones to play with.  Christmas came early for Otto!!!!  

Texas

On November 3 Otto, Gram, Grandps and I took off for Houston to visit Uncle Ryan and Aunt Stacy for the entire month.  We had an absolute blast and really fell into a super fun routine right away.  The plane ride out there was even fun and Otto got so many compliments on his behavior.  I told people that he is a very seasoned traveler who even has his own passport!!!  Once we got to Texas we started our vacation out with a bang.  After a crazy packed clown car ride back to Stacy's we unpacked and got ready for the first of many adventures.  Perhaps the most exciting was just exploring the house.  I've never seen Otto so excited.  He ran from room to room with his arm up in the air saluting all the fans.  He loved the washer and drier (they were a source of entertainment all month) and all the buttons on the refrigerator, he was THRILLED with the stairs and the carpet upstairs.  He loved to turn the handles of the faucet on Stacy's bathroom hot tub and open and close all the doors and play with all of the Christmas decorations.  I wish I had the whole first night on video.  The first weekend in Houston we went to the Zoo.  Otto rode a carousel for the first time and we made sure he sat on a cat (Otto's favorite animal).  We heard a tiger roar, saw a lion eating lunch, watched giraffes get brushed, and ate pizza-a first for Otto.  Not surprisingly, he LOVED it!  Then we went to the aquarium and saw so many cool marine animals, a parrot, and a white tiger.  Otto got to steer a boat wheel, pose as a deep see diver and even touch a live sting ray's wing.  Stacy's complex has a cute little playground that I would walk Otto over to in his car (Stacy and Ryan bought Otto the same car that Trevor and I got him for his birthday.  They were sad he had to leave his birthday present so soon after he got it so they got him one for his holiday in Texas!!!!).  We really enjoyed the park with the playground mostly because of the huge green wheel that rotated very fast!  I took Otto on walks around the neighborhood almost every day.  We really got to know the area and the neighbors and all their cute dogs!  Otto loved to run up to them and sometimes would even pet them.  Stacy and Ryan live on a golf course so in the evening I would let Otto walk part of the course.  He loved the short green grass and the sand traps! But mostly he loved all the golf carts.  One man even took Otto and I for a ride in his cart.  It was a blessing and a curse because after that ride Otto became obsessed with golf carts and would get fairly upset if he couldn't go play with the tires and wheel.  I tried  to rent one from the clubhouse but they wouldn't let me.  Boo.  Instead of the golf carts Otto spent a lot of time "driving" Stacy's Toyota FJ.  He loved to sit in the drivers seat and steer the wheel, beep the horn, and mess with all the gadgets.  And an added benefit was that on the way to the car he got to push the button for the garage door to open.  Aunt Stacy and Uncle Ryan have the best stuff!!!!    

1 Year Duck Photo

Here is the one year installment of Otto's Duck Photo Project.  This was the very first photo I took during this month's photo shoot and it was the clear winner.  He was having so much fun! 

Otto also had to see Dr. Crosby for his 12 month check up and vaccinations.  As luck would have it he was able to avoid 3 of the 4 shots! 2 had egg byproducts (and we weren't sure at the time if he was allergic to eggs) and the 3rd shot can cause a bad reaction a week out and we were going to be in  Texas and wouldn't be able to get him back in if he were to have an adverse reaction.  Whoo hooo!  Happy day!  Dr. Crosby said he looked perfect and was developing just fine.  He will most likely have to see an allergist about his inability to digest poultry but otherwise he is absolutely right on target.  Here are his latest stats:

Head Circ: 46 cm 39%

Weight: 21 lbs 14oz 37%

Height 31 1/2 in 93%

1 YEAR OLD!!!!

WOW.  This has been the fastest year of my life.   I can't believe Mr. Amazing is one already.  People always tell me to cherish every moment because it goes by so fast and I honestly do cherish every moment and it does go by so fast. Otto is just so fun and wonderful and he makes all my minutes and days and weeks and months joyous.   I love that little guy.  Anyway, let me get on with what Otto's been up to now that he is one.  He is drinking whole cow's milk now.  He hated it at first but after maybe 3 or 4 days he developed a taste for it and loves it.  He still does not like water no mater how much I try to get him to like it.  He took his first step a day before his first birthday.  Gram and I took him to Traveltown (which is where the picture of the 3 of us was taken) and he was looking at all the plants and took his first little step to get closer look at a purple flower.  It was pretty exciting!  We got professional photos taken of Otto by our good friend and photographer, Mike.  He got some terrific shots despite Otto's initial shyness.  The photo of Trevor giving Otto a bottle is one example of the photo shoot.  Grandpa Ray and Grandma Deidra came to visit for Otto's birthday.  They brought him a little talking dog that he loves and we were able to personalize what he says to Otto.  We went on some great walks, ate yummy food, watched Otto do cute stuff.  It was such a memorable and fun weekend.  And the next day was Halloween!  Otto dressed up as a monkey, Trevor went as a lumberjack, and I was a cat.  Otto laughed when he saw my whiskers and ears.  We went over to Ross and Agnes' and had a great time playing with Ella, Hudson, and all the other neighborhood kids.  Otto didn't eat any candy but he got his first taste of hummus and that child was hooked!  Now it is one of his favorite foods and a staple in our refrigerator.  And the final picture is Otto at his birthday party with his friend Hailey.  She is a month older than Otto and is already a wonderful share-er.  They looked so cute together I had to add this photo.  Well, I can honestly say that this has been the most new, full, and exciting year of my life.  Having little Otto around makes life better!