11 months

Dear Otis,

You are becoming such a great little boy. The baby we held in our arms so few months ago is growing up. Wow the things you absorb in a day. You are trying really hard to talk they are words only a mother will be able to understand. On February 01 you started to say "papple" which both stands for purple and apple depending on what page of your book of colours you are on. Mama and Dada are in full form and don't forget "Puupa" your puppy.


We have had a very busy month with a lot going on. This month has been the last month of my maternity leave which means I have to go back to work. Things here are still in limbo. Daddy got a new job selling furniture for a company called Home Furniture. He seams to really like it and if all goes well I will only have to go back to work part-time which means we will be to keep you home with us just a bit longer.


Starting in a few weeks once I am back to work you get to spend two days a week with just Daddy. He told me last night he is looking forward to spending time with you. Your daddy and I love you a whole bunch. Some nights after you go to bed we talk about all the things you have been doing and how much fun we are having with you. You are such a character and make us laugh on a regular basis. You like it when we tell you we are going to get you and chase after you. You laugh so hard it sounds like you are going to explode.



Your walking is coming along well you can now walk along the furniture and will sometimes walk only holding one of our hands. Daddy and think you are going to jump before you walk. You have started bouncing a lot and almost get air. You have been spending time in you castle hanging out. Sometimes if you are playing and you want to be by yourself you will go into your room shut the door and play with your books in the castle. I am so happy you are able to have a space that is just for you. Uncle Sean got into you castle and you didn't know what to do, you just crawled back and forth and eventually yelled at him to get out. This month you discovered that you can scream when you get frustrated with something. When you are in your crib and you don't want to be there you will through your puppy and other things out of the crib in protest. Serves us right for teaching you how to play catch. You now know how to through and what a strong arm you have.

On January 26 we had a very eventful day around here. You got you first fever which eventually led to a trip to the Er for the day. We were there for almost twelve hours uncle Sean and aunt Andy kept us company until your dad got there from work. Turns out you had a urinary track infection. In order to be sure of what you had, the doctor requested a catheter to get "clean" urine. It was awful having to hold you down. You had so many tear flowing they filled your Little ears. I don't want to that again. You got this pink medicine for a week and all is better. Nona came up to help us catch up with sleep and get you better. Within a few day you were back to normal and an eating machine.

Your eating has been great you eat just about everything we give you. The first weekend in February was your first Super Bowl. Grandpa brought you a little Chicago Bears football from the Chicago airport the day Chicago made it to the Superbowl. He got stuck there for the night due to a storm, on his way to Savannah Georgia. When we were getting you dressed for the big day we realized your only Foosball shirt was dirty. You couldn't celebrate the biggest day in football with out a football shirt. Mommy and the laptop to the rescue. I printed a picture of a old school football video game and ironed it on to a shirt and ta da a football shirt. We had a Super bowl party here and you had daddy's chili for the first time spices and all. You blow my mind in what you eat for such a little guy you defy most of the baby food books I have read. You have been starting to feed yourself yogurt with a spoon by yourself. I fill the spoon and give it to you. You end up a great big mess, it if pretty funny. Afterwards you always smell like the flavour you just had no matter how much I try to clean you.


Your daddy and I have tried hard to not overly baby proof our lives which is going pretty well you liked to get at my cookbooks for a while. I find you tend to try and get into certain things for a while and then could not care less. There are a few things you do get excited about. If either your dad or I are in the bathroom and you hear us you b-line it. the same goes for if the dishwasher is open. If you do manage to get into the bathroom with us you immediately close the door and start playing with your toys or the door stop. In our room you close the door and either play with my jewelry hanging in your reach or start to empty our book shelf. This is why we keep the door shut


Next month is your 1st birthday. The planning has begun. There are going to be two parties one for all of the family. The Second Party is the very first Annual Ivanco Family Birthday Event. During the afternoon we are going to have a small birthday with some little friends and in the evening Mommy and Daddy are going to celebrate their birthdays with some of their friends.


I can't wait to make your cake. It's A Surprise.

Love, Mommy

p.s. I forgot the great story about how I was letting you air out your bum. You were playing in your room without a diaper while I cleaned the kitchen. When I came back to see if you had peed which you usually do while I have your diaper off I found a great surprise. You had poohed on the floor and managed to get your pee in the lid of your Lego container. I laughed so hard I almost peed. Serves me right for leaving your diaper off. Ah the joys of a baby.