People, I have an 11 month old!

Timmy,
Today marks 11 months that you've been in this world. Not to sound like a broken record, but every day you become more Timmy-like and less baby-like. I love learning your personality and temperament. Not to discount how amazing these 11 months have been, but I really think the next month is going to be the best yet. Tomorrow is your first ever Thanksgiving so you will have a fun day eating and celebrating with the whole Wood family. Then we are all going to enjoy the Christmas season, which I would argue will be your first (you got kind of short-changed last year).

Speaking of Christmas, I think you got one of your presents early. There's a famous song "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth." Both of your front top teeth poked through, just in time to eat lots of good food this holiday season.

Once you started crawling, our apartment become your own personal obstacle course. Your favorite things to do are pull on the computer cables, eat cat food, play with the cat toys and pull books/dvds off the shelf.



You love driving cars and trains around on the floor. Recently you discovered that you could roll your stroller around too. It's pretty funny to watch a little tiny baby moving such a big stroller around.



You love standing up now. There is a white noise machine with a night light on the side of your crib and you always get up to press the light on. Every time we come to get you after a nap or in the morning, you clap with delight as we walk toward you.

This week you started cruising along the furniture. It kind of amazes me that just over a month ago, you were immobile. Now you crawl, pull yourself to standing and walk while holding onto something. You're not yet able to stand up on your own, but it seems like you will walk long before I originally thought.

Will Cruise For Books from Lisa Ottomanelli on Vimeo.

I've found that one of the best ways to get you to do something is to offer a book as a reward. You've always liked being read to, but your new thing is to take the book in both of your hands from me, look at it really close up, squeal and laugh, then turn the page and hand it back to me. Sometimes you do this at every other page. If we're in the car or out running errands, I'll start saying the words of a story you know and you'll laugh and laugh and laugh. I may have to invest in some new books soon though, because if I read Hippos go Berserk one more time I'm going to need therapy.

Other things you like doing now: splashing in the bathtub/pool, swinging at the playground, playing with other babies at playgroup, looking at doggies, eating cheerios, chasing cats, playing peek-a-boo, eating paper/things on the floor that I didn't know were there, making mommy and daddy laugh, roaring and singing, cuddling and scratching your belly.

I love almost everything you do these days. The things that are frustrating tend to be manifestations of your stubbornness, in which case I just have to laugh because you probably inherited that from me. Happy 11 months!

Love,
Mommy & Daddy

Timothy Month 11

I Passed the Bar Exam!

I'll be sworn in to the state and federal courts in 3 ceremonies (one at school, two with work).

Couldn't have done it without the support of friends and family, especially Pete and my Mom. Oh and Timmy. Actually, I'm pretty sure Timmy only made it more difficult, but maybe he was just the distraction I needed!

What kind of animal is your child?

Timmy is definitely a dinosaur or something equally scary and foreboding.

Timmy Roaring like a Dinosaur from Lisa Ottomanelli on Vimeo.

Although if it's true that you are what you eat, he would be a cat.

Halloween Pictures

Better late than never, here are a few pictures of our little monkey Timmy on his first Halloween:

Happy Birthday Pete!

Pete turned the big 2-9 today. We have been talking since we moved out to California about taking advantage of the close proximity to ski resorts and finally went today. What better way to usher in the last year of his twenties than feeling the burn in your muscles and the pain in your butt?!

We drove up to Mountain High which is about 80 miles east of where we live. It was pretty warm (in the 50s and 60s) and there was no real snow yet, but they had 3 runs and 2 lifts open. We got hot and sweaty out in the sun and fell our fair share on the snow, but we had a blast and cannot wait to go again soon. Hopefully we'll be able to go to Mammoth or Tahoe by the end of the season!







Downtown LA looked particularly pretty on the drive home as we drove straight toward the sunset (although this blurry picture doesn't do it justice at all):



Timmy was lucky enough to spend the whole day with Grandma, but he was very excited when we got home and read a few books to him before his bath.



All in all, a great day! We are so happy to officially be in "holiday season."

Mini Update

We had fun on Timmy's first Halloween. He went to have his picture taken at a pumpkin patch and then showed off his costume at Kirstin's Halloween party. Rest assured, this was not his real costume. I'll have pictures at the end of this week.

Over the past week, Timmy started crawling. Actually up on his knees this time. He seems delighted to be more mobile and has some weird attraction to the most dangerous parts of the house. Babyproofing now underway!

He now pulls himself up against everything...





I taught him how to brush his hair yesterday, and he was extremely pleased with the results.





He also learned his first word in sign language. Not surprisingly, it was cereal. LOVES cereal. This includes most finger foods. He makes it all day long. It has already bit me in the butt because now he pretty much refuses to be spoon-fed, stubbornly flashing his little cereal sign in my face until I acquiesce.

I know he understands a lot more of what we say to him than he can say back, and I am excited for him to be able to communicate more. He says Mama and Dada all the time now, and often he looks us right in the face to say it. He giggles excitedly when I ask him if he's hungry or if he wants to read a book. And every time he sees Sweet Pea or Furious George, I can see him focusing on trying to say "Cat."




Next up, numbers. Looks like he has the number 4 down. Maybe he knows how many cousins he has?