17 Month Duck and Stats

Since we were in Australia when Otto turned 16 months we don't have the usual duck photo.  But here he is, 17 months already.  He was not thrilled with this month's photo shoot so this was the happiest shot we got.  Although I LOVE the socks he is wearing!  

Also here are his stats from his 15 month check up (which was really 16 months by the time we got home from Australia):

Weight: 24 lbs 12 oz (47%)

Height: 33.5 inches (93%)

Head Circ: 47 cm (52%)

Australia Part Deux

I know this post is very photo heavy but Australia was so great and adventurous that we had to take a lot of pictures.  The first picture is of Otto and his friend Lillian and her Dad Alberto.  Alberto used to work with Trevor at Sundance but now works in the wine industry in Adelaide.  We hung out quite a bit and his daughter happens to be Otto's age.  This photo was taken at the zoo.  Goa came with and we tromped about all over looking at all the animals and the new Pandas.  It was very fun and a highlight of our trip was taking the ferry to and from the zoo.  I think that was Otto's favorite part.  The next photo is of Otto on Rundal Mall-a pedestrian shopping street.  We spent lots of time there watching the street performers and checking out all the shops and restaurants.  Otto especially liked all the statues (this pig in particular), fountains, and pigeons.  The photo of Goa and Otto on the grass was taken in Glenelg at the beach.  There is a large grassy area that runs along the boardwalk that we spent hours on one day.  We played in the water, then washed off in the fountian, ate lunch in the grass, and then Otto took a two hour nap.  It was a terrific day!  The photo of Otto and Trevor in front of the fountain was taken in the courtyard of our hotel.  We stayed in an amazing suite-two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, and kitchen.  It was the perfect place to stay for two weeks because we were really able to make ourselves at home.  We cooked and ate there, Otto loved to run up and down the halls and up and down the stairs, and play in this fountain.  It was very comfortable and homey.  Otto especially loved playing in the mirrored closets.  There was a safe with buttons that made noise that kept him occupied for hours.  I like this photo particularly because of Otto's outfit (it's adorable) and expression.  There is a picture of his Grandps making the same face.  I love it!  The last photo is of Otto stuffed in the airplane bassinet.  One flight attendant almost didn't bring it for us because he didn't believe Otto was only 24 pounds (the weight limitation is 25 pounds) but we insisted and honestly it was the best.  It gave me a few hours to rest with out Otto on my lap and even though it was a tight fit Otto was comfortable enough to sleep.  The video is of Otto doing all his new tricks-jumping, showing off his hands, walking backward, and saying ball.  We tried to get him to turn around but he wouldn't do it this time.  Australia was really a memorable trip made so much more fun by Goa's presence.  She was an absolute trooper keeping up with me while I told her to "hurry up and cross the street in time!"  She'd play all day and watch Otto all night.   I can't believe her stamina but she did it and I think she had a great time.  And Otto absolutely loves his best friend, Goa, so I know his time was much more fun because she was there.  Australia was the best! 

Australia

We were in Adelaide Australia for two weeks in February and March. It was such an incredible adventure. We got to "cuddle a koala" and feed a bunch of kangaroos at a nature preserve up in the Adelaide hills. It was absolutely incredible. Trevor, Goa (Otto's name for his Gram), and I were beyond thrilled...Otto was a little unimpressed as you can see from these photos. HA! As excited as I am to take him around the world I have to temper my expectations that he will be as interested in sight seeing as I am. At least he'll have pictures! What he was thrilled about was the beach. That child is a sand and water loving fish. Both the air and the water were warm so I really enjoyed it as well. Otto doesn't mind the cold water which bodes well for his future summering in Montana. He also loved the fountians on the boardwalk of the beach. He would run around to each spicket and try to catch the water that shot out. It was really fun to watch. Another highlight of our trips to Glenelg-Adelaide's beach town-was the tram that we took to get there. Otto was absolutely in heaven while we road the tram. In fact he loved it so much that he would get upset and cry everytime we got off. During our whole trip to Australia including the taxi ride to LAX, the bus rides from terminal to terminal at the Sydney airport, and the taxies and buses and shuttle vans we road in while in town Otto was 100% OBSESSED with riding in cars. He would get so excited to get in and cry when we got out and pretty much said "CAAAARRRR" our entire trip. Now that we are home he is still pretty obsessed with cars but our time in Australia was the absolute height of his love for cars. We also frequented a bunch of the parks in town. It was really fun walking around looking for playgrounds and once we got there we realized that all the equpiment was so different from the stuff we have in the States. All the new play structures made a routine trip to the playground a bit of an adventure. The photo of Trevor and Otto sitting in a car was at one playgound that had a huge helicopter that kids could climb in. It was very cool and this time Otto was as excited about it as we were! We had suuuuuuucccccchhhh a great vacation. I'll post another Australian edition and write about our second week.

15 month duck photo

Here is Otto...15 months already. I seriously can't believe it. He has gotten so big so quickly. But man, I think he's gotten cuter too...if that is possible. He is super into snuggling things now. If his duck or dog rug or sheep skin or a blanket is on the floor he will dive head first onto it and snuggle it. He is saying car and ball and hot and clock and cat and cheese and keys and mama and dada and balloon and moon and ha pa pa (bottle) all the time. He woke up the other day saying car...CAR in such a sweet little way. We looooooovvvve it and will try to get a recording. He is also jumping now. He squats down and stands up really fast while we say JUMP. He like to walk with his hands upside down behind his back and will immitate us if we immitate him doing it. He is dancing to music now. He holds one hand up in the air and pumps it up and down and will occasionaly do a little spin. He immitates us a lot. Trevor will tell him that the fountian by Nights and Mornings (the coffee shop that they go to almost every morning) is "TOO WET' while he waves his arm and Otto will do it now too. Everytime I say the word wet or he sees water he waves his arm. He says no by shaking his head now. If I start to sing a song that he doesn't want to hear he very clearly tells me no by shaking his head. He's climbing on things a lot more now and does this little trust fall which scares the heck out of us. He will just throw his body backwards head first and we have to lunge to catch him. So far we've caught him every time but hopefully he'll grow out of that one soon. He still holds his arms up whenever he sees a pony or we say the word pony and he opens and closes his hand to signify a zebra (black and white). His communication skills are amazing and he really understands language. We need to get that Mandrian speaking babysitter FAST!

Grandpa

This is a very hard post to write and the reason I have not updated Otto's blog. Otto lost his Grandps on January 4, 2011. We are devastated and I am so sad for Otto. He loved his Gramps so much and I feel the loss for Otto so deeply. We had such a wonderful happy family and household. Every morning Otto and I would come over and his Grandpa would either be up reading the paper or Otto would shout and bang the cabinets until he woke him up. Grandps would drink his coffee and Otto would sit on his lap and try to spill it. Or Otto would play with his feet or pat his back or pull his belt loops. Otto's Grandpa always had the biggest smile for him and always made time for him and would reserve all his energy (which was very hard) to swing Otto on his leg or give him raspberries. When we would give Otto baths we would put him on the kitchen table to dress him and his Grandps would come over and kiss him untill he giggled like crazy. No one could get Otto to laugh like his Grandpa. They shared such a special relationship. Otto loved him like crazy and Grandpa loved Otto like crazy. He was the best...what other Grandpa would pick up and move across country just to be next to his Grandson? Otto's Grandps would immitate all of Otto's sounds and they would laugh at their shared language and it was his Grandpa who taught him sign language. Gramps taught him the sign for fan and it became his universal salute to refer to everything he loved...mostly fans though! I cherish all the photos that we took of Otto and his Grandpa. There aren't too many but the ones we have are so representative of their relationship. Like the one on this post. When we brought Otto home from the hospital his Grandpa would not put him down. He held him for so many hours the first few months of his life. Otto would just sleep in his Grandpa's arms while Grandpa watched TV or napped himself. I think that really solidified their bond. Now we have a few pictures of Grandps on the refirgerator and everyday I ask Otto to point out his Grandpa so he won't forget. And he hasn't. I'm so happy that my Dad got to know Otto and I know their paths will cross again. I'm just sad that his Grandpa never got to take him fishing-something I knew he wanted to do. I'm sad I never got to hear their conversations-something that I really wanted. But I will always tell Otto stories about his Grandpa and how much his Grandpa loved him and how much Otto loved his Grandpa. He really was his second Dad.

14 month duck

Otto wasn't thrilled for this photo shoot-he had just woken up from his nap. He and the duck were very serious this day but I like that they are holding hands-or rather holding wing and hand.

Christmas

Otto spent his second Christmas in Salt Lake. We had great weather and took Otto cross country skiing for the first time and he really enjoyed it-well most of it. We didn't have proper gloves for him so his little hands froze and by the end of the tour he was pretty unhappy. But I'm excited to take him again the next time we are in snow. Only this time we'll be more prepared.