a morning in the life of

So it has been a while since mom followed me around with the camera. That could have something to do with the fact that now that I can walk, I don't stop. There is little time for much now. This morning though she got out the camera and caught me in action. Sporting my new Hannah Anderson jammies from Grandmom to boot!

This is my kitty Schmelig, he lets me snuggle with him which I love to do. I even purrs when I do this!

To my surprise (and mom's) Grendel was in my pack and play. I thought it was really funny to see her from the outside!

So of course I tried to climb in...

I will add more, but now I have more running to do!

assistant director

So yesterday Grandma and Grandpa stopped in for lunch and to do a photo shoot for iSi. Grandpa brought what was quite possibly the coolest thing I have ever seen, a tripod. I loved it! I especially enjoyed acting as assistant director on the shoot. I had a lot of valuable insight as you can well imagine.

Some more video

Dad here . . . at last, here's a brief video of the dude's various new tricks including the now infamous Frankenstein walk . . .

new trick

So I have mastered the coolest thing. I can throw things. It is so much fun. For a while I have been quite good at throwing things down from my highchair, now I don't need the height advantage to make things go far. I have these nesting cups that are really good for tossing. As of now I tend to throw most things backwards. I can keep myself entertained for quite some time throwing all the cups, then finding where they land and throwing them some more. It is really cool if I can do two at once. I am also very interested in putting things in other things, balls in bowls etc...
My walking gets better every day. I am getting close to being able to squat down and stand up without having to hold on to things. Right now I can still only get going once I pull up on something, but I am working on finding a way around that.
Dad is home now and has been getting some great shots of me doing all of my cool stunts. Hopefully we will have some footage to post for you to see soon.

long time no post

so things have been a bit crazy here. Otto is really trying to walk all over that place which really keeps me on my toes. But I like it, so that's ok. As you all know Otto is not a good sleeper, everyone said when he started to crawl he would sleep better, actually those lines started at 6 wks, then 3 months, then solid food, the list goes on, he has managed to pass them all with surprising little sleep. Anyway, the latest was, once he is walking he will sleep. I thought we might be on to something because as of last week he was sleeping much better at night, and then this week happened. Now he is trying to give up napping. I am not ready for this at all. And to be honest, neither is he. When he doesn't nap he is a basket case. So this week he has been pretty crabby, intermixed with moments of supreme cuteness. Eric has been either crazy busy at work, or in Florida for a funeral, (where he is now infact) neither of which are much fun. So it has been quite a tiring and crabby week for the two of us. He is finishing up the week with a case of the old snot nose. I think he has some major tooth trying to bust through because he is drooling up a storm and chewing on anything he can get his mouth on. Just a hunch on my part. My mom is stopping in today on her way home from visiting my grandmother and I can not decide if I want to just eat lunch and lounge around watching Otto with her, or if I should tackle the 100 things I need to clean or do around the house

wait she here I am off...

Frankenstein

Ok, if my mom was a bit cooler with video and the computer or if my dad didn't just start a new semester of crazy busy work I would have some video footage to share with you, but as is you will just have to take my word for it. I am WALKING! Not just a step here and there like I have been, but whole cross room treks. Once I get free of all objects I like to take a minute to reflect on where I am with some wrist curls. That finished I am off and running. It has been said that I resemble Frankenstein but it doesn't stop me. Crawling is still a faster and more tried and true method of transport for now, but I don't think that will last long. As you well know, I am now the SHIT and SO proud of myself.
Perhaps this weekend mom can steal dad away from work long enough to post the video we have of my first solo cross dining room trek.

more teeth and words

So, I haven't told you about my latest tooth. It broke through on Thursday, it is the right bottom tooth. Now I will be symmetrical on the bottom, for a moment at least. It came through with not much problem which was nice. It also looks like the top left tooth next to the two front ones will be here soon. I am really starting to have a mouth full. I also have mastered my first word, cracker. I say it more like gra-goo, but I know what it means. If you ask me if I want a cracker I will reply gra-goo, gra-goo, gra-goo, it is best repeated many times in a sing songy way. It also sounds like I am working on a few other words, Kitty and Bath might be next. Stands to reason these would be my first words, I love crackers, kitties and baths! Dad is in florida for a funeral so it has just been mom and I for the past few days, he comes home tomorrow. We have been keeping busy. I think today we might go to the library to get some new books. Maybe before daddy gets home I can master a new word. I have been working on High Fives and those are getting pretty good. With that and clapping, who needs patti-cake?

The cabin

So after New Years we went up to visit Grandma and Grandpa Ken ( I have too many grandpa's they need longer names) and Uncle Racer. We didn't get too many pictures of the trip because right now the cabin is a construction site and lots of fun to play in. I think it is lots of fun, but it makes mom nervous. I don't know what her problem is, loose wires, stairs going up and down with no railings, nails on the ground... the list goes on. I never saw so many things that looked like fun before. There is even a wood stove which no one will let me play with either. Grandma said maybe they will come to our house for the next couple visits, but that takes away all the fun. Still while we were visiting I got to start a band with my uncle Racer. He plays the guitar which I think is the coolest thing ever. I decided that while he played I would play my maracas. I think we really are one to something. I had so much fun, as you can see.

New Years

Grandpa Storb and Nonna Jen came to visit for a few days over New Years. We had a blast. We ate and ate all kinds of yummy treats, I did a ton of walk practicing and showed them all of my cool tricks. There will be more pictures when they send the one they took along, but here are some good ones to start with.

Caught in the act of playing with my favorite drawer pulls.

Cruisin'

Nonna Jen, Me and Granpa

Too cute

more christmas photos

So I received the photos from Rogers that they took over Christmas. There are so many good ones I can't pick. What I am going to do is show a few here now, and then keep posting with other current photos, then as a bonus I will put more up later. It is too hard to pick which ones I want, they are all great. Here is a start...

Five Fabulous Faden Boys

A teething (hence the NUK) boy who will do anything for keys, including stand on his own!

Matt has a Wii and we were all addicted to playing. I even joined in, it is the first video game I was ever interested in. Here is Eric and I duking it out racing cows. Bowling was the favorite tournament game of the season.

The look on his face was too good not to include.

clapping

Today I made mom bust up laughing. Actually I usually manage to do that everyday, I am quite funny, but today it was really a good one. It all starts with my 9 month check-up, things are going well, yes, I am crawling, yes I make all the sounds I should, and some. Then they asked if I can play Patti Cake, whatever that is. Mom has never tried that game, could have something to do with the fact that I can't do it. No big deal, but lots of other kids my age can clap so mom started clapping sometimes with me when we are eating lunch. I was unimpressed with the whole thing until today when I tried it for myself. Have you tried clapping?? It is fabulous. I love it. I like to gear up for it with some windmills with my arms, but when have you ever known me to do something calmly. Today since it is 60F outside we went to the park where I clapped away while swinging. A much loved activity I haven't been able to do in a while so that was a lot of fun. All in all it has been a good day, now I am catching up on my zzzzz's.

Update

So, you will see I finally got some pictures from Christmas up. There will be more when Rogers and I swap pictures, but this is a good start. Pictures are good but how about some updates.

Well, Otto now has two top teeth, making the grand total 5 now. He looks so funny, it has really changed his smile. I say funny in a cute way. He is getting really close to walking on his own for more than a few steps. He will hold one of your fingers and run, but without it he is still a bit uncertain. And even though I know this will curse it, I will say it anyway, he has been sleeping better. Much better. Last night he only nursed once, I just had to convince him that 5 was too early to get up. I tried to tell him that 5:50 was also too early, but he won out with that one at 6:20. Still though it is a long way from where we were just a month ago. He is eating up out of house and home which is fun. He seems to really like food and eats most anything we give him, except carrots. He hates carrots. He can now take things out of a bowl and put them back in. Today for the first time he put one of his rings back on the ring stacking thing. He says cracker, in his own way, but you know what it is as well as mama. I think cat is the next word he is working on.

I must run now so eric can make dinner!! What a treat that will be. Will have more holiday pictures soon.
-mom

Field Museum

After Christmas we took a field trip to the Field Museum. Otto enjoyed most of it, but it might be said that lunch ranked up there as his favorite part of the day.

However trying to climb into the Wart Hog exhibit was a lot of fun.

So the tradition is that on Christmas day everyone heads to Joliet to Dee's brother and sister-in-law's house for presents and food. More Greek food! Otto was really enjoying the spanakopita, who could blame him, it was delicious.

Cousin and avid blog reader Kristin got some quality time in with Otto.

You can see he is wearing his new Chicago Bears jersey.

Here he is will Great Uncle Craig. How does it feel to be a GREAT Uncle, Craig? Other than great that is...

Family Portrait:
Phoebe, Eric, Otto, Rogers, Ben, Matt
Yia-Yia (Dee) and Big Yia-Yia

Otto is fitting right in.

Otto with his new walker was all over the place.

Great Aunt Rita with Otto.

Uncle Ben, so proud of his little Chicago Bears fan.

Christmas Morning

Christmas morning, not entirely sure this needed a headline.What could it be that Otto is opening?

Animal Train! This is proving to be a very popular toy.

Ouzo was pretty sure that all of Otto's presents looked delicious. It didn't help at all when Otto baited him with giggles.

Watching daddy open presents is also a lot of fun.

Tree House play

So we had a few extremely cold days while in the Windy City. It was December after all. Otto needed some time out of the house where he could play. The big mall, Northbrook Court, has an indoor play area with a huge tree house and lots of kids. It was an instant hit with Otto. He was straining to get out of the stroller as soon as we got near it. Bonus, it was also next to the food court which actually has good food so it made for a great mid-day excursion.

Uncle Matt took some great shots of Otto going down the slide. He LOVED it!

Peek-A-Boo

Yia-Yia and Otto enjoying the new snow.

Ouzo

So while we were visiting in Northbrook, one of the main attractions was Rogers and Dee's very friendly and enormous Golden-Doodle, Ouzo. He was much enamored with Otto's crackers and sticky hands. And Otto was really into pulling his hair and laughing at his silly tricks. They are bound to be even better friends as time goes by.


So while Ouzo's bedding was being washed, Otto took his bed for a spin. He really seemed to enjoy it. If only Ouzo had left some toys behind.

coming soon

I just want to take a second to say the holiday pictures and stories are on their way. I am working on photo correcting the shots now. We have been a whirlwind of activity since we got home and I have been too tired at night to get much else done. I will really try hard to get some up by tomorrow, I promise. So sorry for the delay but here is a teaser from christmas morning.