Otto has been spending a lot of time in our laps reading. I love to put my chin on his head and smell that baby shampoo smell in his soft baby hair and read to him…just the best! As is often the case with kiddos, Ot does get fixated on one book to be read over, and over, and over again. We have made progress though. Instead of just one of those books, we now have at least 5 of them, so we may have to read each one 4-5 times in a row, but know there is a reprieve to a new book coming soon.
Definitely one of my favorite things to do with our Otti! Just love that little bundle in my lap while we read together~sigh:)
The boys taking this reading thing very seriously!
Otti also got to play with snow for the first time the other day. He's been sledding many times, but has always had to have mittens on because of the cold and that's just no fun for an almost one year old!
We had the perfect fresh, new, fluffy snow to bring inside, so he could touch with his hands and taste! It was so fun to watch him explore this new texture that he's never felt before. We filled the bowl several times that day and continued to have fun with the snow, then water as it melted. His clothes were put in the dryer many times to dry off over the day.
Our sweet Otto has turned 11 months old this week. I just cannot believe how fast the time goes. He is a complete joy to spend time with and I count my blessings every day for the hours I get to spend with him each week. I am for sure, one lucky Gram!
This past month I would say Otto has refined the skills he began with this month. He is walking like a champ all over the place, in shoes, sandals (practicing for the big trip,) or bare feet. Rarely does he take a tumble anymore.
He is eating, eating, eating everything in sight. If you think you are going to get away with sneaking a bite without him noticing, forget it. Everything is fair game to Otti. If you get to eat it, he thinks he gets to eat it! His weight was 22 pounds, which I'm guessing is now about 23. Gram's getting some biceps!
Otto is down to 3 bottles a day now, working his way towards zero as the next couple months loom near. He is taking his milk in a sippy cup very well, and doesn't seem to mind this transition.
We (his people) have always taken Otto everywhere that we have gone. I did this with my own girls and it has been great fun and super easy with Ot. He loves to visit new places, is very inquisitive and loves to watch children of any age. He is fascinated. As long as no stranger tries to pick him up and take him from his "people" he is great wherever we take him.
The past couple months he has explored, the library, swimming lessons at the YMCA, BookTime through ECFE and now the Children's Museum with Momma. He is also a frequent visitor at Great Grandma Irene's River Grand Home center. I personally cannot wait for zoos, and parks this summer, and of course the cabin.
Otto has been saying a couple new worlds added to his, Daddy, Momma and Ball. He now says, "nana" for banana and seems to also call his bottle "Momma". I get that…Momma…milk, seems perfectly sensible to me. He has also said the word "bubble" while blowing bubbles at swimming lessons. By far the most repeated word is "ball" said, about 2-3 hundred times a day on average.
We have continued to hear from "Wendell" throughout the month as well. If you don't know who Wendell is (past response from Momma on a post explains it) this video will give you an idea. Wendell is Otti's twin. He tends to come out when one of his people is out of sight for a second, or if I take my phone to take a picture or video him. As you watch this video of him walking, notice at the very end where he starts to smirk…such a stinker (I say this with a huge smile). Just love him so:)
I have too many videos to count of Wendell that last 5 seconds as he is coming towards me. We actually watched a series of them in a row, cracking up. I was tempted to put them up, but I think you'll get the just by watching this video;)
Otto has been walking around, always with something in his hand for about a month now. The "something" varies from a wooden spoon, a melon scoop, and now… a hockey stick. And because he lives in a land of doggies and balls, the obvious "puck" for stick handling has always been available.
Now playing hockey with his Daddy in his kitchen, he's starting to get the handle on this hockey stuff, at least as good as a 10 month old can. Gotta say I'm pretty impressed with the hand-eye coordination going on here. Grandpa Mike of course, focused on the beautiful catcher's squat. I can't tell you how many times a day I hear Grandpa say, "look at him squat" beaming with pride;) Pretty cute, and pretty funny!
Otto has embraced a new "trick." He has decided it is great fun to dive off of the chair, couch, bed…whatever he may be sitting on. When I say dive, I mean full on, head over the edge, go for it dive.
He evidently has great trust in the adult near him…or hasn't bonked his head hard enough to understand how bad it would hurt if he wasn't caught. Either way, it's a trick I'm not really embracing as the Gram! By the way, he was caught off the bed, no bonks:)
I also have proof of that eye squeezing, head back whine I've been talking about. I find it highly entertaining, as we see it mostly when he is told "no." We either get this, or a smirk as he goes for whatever he isn't supposed to be doing. Either way, we are seeing quite a bit of Ot's personality lately, haha.
Otto, Gram and Grandpa headed to the library this week. Gram wanted to show Grandpa the ropes in the children's section. It happens to be a very fun, busy place that Otti really enjoys. Last week Gram and Otto spent 2 hours at the library. This week it was an hour and a half. I have to admit that there's not a lot of reading going on, but there is a lot of playing and socializing.
Those puppets are funny!
Last week there were lots of toddlers, which was perfect for Otti. One little boy, Milo who is 14 months old really liked Otto. I mean really, really liked Otto. He just kept putting his arms around Ot giving him a hug. Otto didn't really appreciate the affection…every hug resulted in an eye squeezing whine. I guess Ot's not ready to be that social yet.
It's better if everything is off the shelves…
Watching the tractor snow plow the parking lot
Gram has really appreciated the library this past month. Spring Fever has arrived. Every drawer and cupboard has been opened/emptied by toddler in training, every toy played with, and the running from room to room is getting boring. Time to go outside!
Why is Gram hiding over there?
In the mean time, the library is filling the bill. Ot can cruise at a rapid pace all by himself and explore.
