Maui

We have been BUSY!!!!  So I haven't been keeping up with the blog.  I'm sorry!  We were in Hawaii, came home and landscaped our yard, went to Montana, and are finally back (for a few weeks anyway!).  Hawaii was SO MUCH FUN.  Trevor did some work for the Maui Film Festival so in exchange they flew us out and put us up at the Grand Wailea.  The hotel was wonderful and totally kid friendly.  We swam, hiked, went to the beach, saw outdoor movies, and attended some pretty fabulous cocktail parties.  Otto was a superstar though it all.  He even met a new friend who was also attending the festival.  She lives on Oahu so hopefully our paths will cross again.  Otto pretty much lived in his bathing suit so even though each shot looks like the same day they weren't! Otto lounging in his ray bans, in the pool with Trevor, standing up with Trevor on our first afternoon on Maui, on Father's Day doing his new pacifier trick, and meeting new friend, Laila, by the pool.  Oh boy, I hope we go to Maui again!!!!!  

Romania and Gelsons

Here are a few more pictures from Romania (and one of Otto at Gelson's Market).  Otto and I spent much of our days exploring Bucharest and Clug.  In the first photo we are in front of an Orthodox Church where we went inside and listened to a service.  It was beautiful and Otto really enjoyed the chanting.  The other photo of Otto and I was in Bucharest during a delicious traditional Romanian lunch (during which Otto spilled an entire bowl of soup on himself, Trevor, and the floor.  Luckily it was not hot!).  We had just finished taking a tour of the House of the People.  Otto slept through the entire tour but Trevor and I enjoyed the sights.  I found a playground in Clug (in Transylvania) and Otto had a great time on the swings.  The slides were dangerously steep so we stayed off those!  Trevor was burning the candle at both ends.  Late nights out working and early mornings up with Otto.  He seized an opportunity not working and not playing to take a little snooze with his baby.  He fell asleep the second his eyes shut!  Romania was such a wonderful experience.  Otto was a true champ through the whole trip and I think he really enjoyed his time there.  I must say that Romanians LOVE babies so he was treated very well by everybody.  Strangers on the street would stop and shake his hand or pinch his cheek.  Little old ladies went mad for him!   And one glorious moment at the botanical gardens in Clug 5 little school girls took turns kissing Otto.  I wish I got video of it.  The formerly shy little Otto LOVED it!!!!!  He giggled and the little girls giggled back.  Romania was the best!  The final photo is of Otto in a shopping cart at Gelson's Supermarket.  It was his first time in a cart and he did wonderfully well.  He loved it-laughing and squealing and kicking his legs.  Everyone who passed him had to smile-they'd never seen anyone so happy to be grocery shopping!  He takes after his Mama.  

world traveler

The end of May and beginning of June was a whirlwind!  We traveled to Florida to visit with Molly, Shanna, Liz, Nikki, Czarina (and of course Ben and Aiden) and attend our first ever Miranti Crawfish Boil.  It couldn't have been a better weekend and Ben and Otto and Aiden met for the first time.  Aiden is adorable and so big and Ben and Otto were like two little peas in a pod.  They were soooo cute and played together and cooed together and I think truly enjoyed each other's company.  Otto had a babysitter for the first time ever.  We were a little nervous to leave as we knew it would be pretty rough on both Otto and the babysitter.  And...it was!  When we returned the first thing Laurel said was "My night was interesting." Otto's not a sleeper.  Never has been.  He really prefers to be snuggled all night long and then maybe he'll snooze a bit.  Another first in Florida-Otto went in a pool.  He is a natural born swimmer.  He loved it.  We put him in a baby floatie and he just smiled and giggled.  I hope we spend every Memorial Day weekend in Fla!  Then we were off to Romania.  Our flight was actually ok.  Otto did really well and only fussed for a bit each way.  He stayed in the bassinet during meals but slept with me in my seat... whatever kept him happy!  Luckily Otto didn't suffer from too much jet lag although a few nights he would wake up a few hours after he fell asleep for the night and would remain totally awake.  The picture of him in bed with all his toys was one of those nights. Trevor had to go out in the evenings so Otto and I spent a lot of time playing with toys in the hotel room.  It was actually pretty fun!      

7 months

Let's start out the month with his monthly duck photo shoot!  I couldn't choose just one again so here are three.  Trevor just weighed him and he is now 19.1 pounds.  He's getting stronger and more daring every day.  And he's also rolling like crazy and becoming a bit of a stomach sleeper.  He can flip each way so I'm not as nervous when I see him sleeping on his tummy.  He is laughing like crazy now and squealing all the time.  Otto has great vocal range-high, low, soft, loud-and likes to let everyone know... especially in the morning.   We thought that he may skip the crawling stage and go right to walking because he hated tummy time but now he is lunging forward and seems like he is starting to do a little pre-crawl-stomach-scoot thing.  He is just getting cuter and cuter, that guy!

Here are a few more photos from this month. Otto is chewing on a toy in the annex.  We call the original excersaucer in gram and gramps house his "office" and the second one in our place the "annex."  A cute one of gram holding Otto (before she got sick-maybe he got her sick?). The next photo is of Otto wearing a very Trevor-like outfit.  And finally Otto lounging in the tub.  

new stats

Otto had his 6 month check up on May 10.  His new stats:

18 pounds 2 ounces-59%
28.5 inches tall-96%

44 inch head circ.-55%

We have had a fun month so far.  We've been going to the park and meeting new friends and I put Otto in the baby swing for the first time.  I think I had him in the wrong way but he enjoyed the heck out of it!  Trevor went to Cannes for 8 days so Aunt Stacy came to visit.  She brought Otto cool new shades that he likes to wear.  I was so grateful that Stac came for a visit because both Gram and Grandps got sick and she helped take care of them and Otto with me.  We had a great time and I made her promise to visit at least once a month! Grandpa Ray sent Otto a really cool Navy romper.  I think navy and gold suits him very nicely. And the final photo is of Otto in a cute little shorts romper that Gordan passed down.   

6 months

Don't make me choose!  Here is Otto's monthly duck photo installment.  He's HUGE.  And soooo fun.  

Sadly he has officially caught his first cold.   Trevor and I could not figure out why he was sleeping so poorly this week.  He kept waking up and he'd stay awake and fuss.   We were confused and thought maybe it was because he was having a reaction to the rice cereal but it turns out he was getting sick.  Now he is coughing and sneezing and has a stuffy nose.  I think he probably got sick from the airplane trip home from North Carolina.  Ironically, the first time we've ever given Otto Tylenol was the same day it got recalled.  Oops!  At least he only took one dose.  Awesome Uncle John, went to 3 different stores looking for generic Tylenol because it was sold out everywhere.  He ended up finding some and Otto has been feeling much better.  We are looking forward to a very fun month!!!!