Livin at eleven

Sweet sweet Ian had a pretty low key 10th month.  Although, truthfully his parents did not!  :)

The first part of the month we were given some "free" sod that my parents had left over from on of their backyard projects.  A bit of warning, when someone asks you if you want some "free" sod, understand that it does not mean that it will be the easiest thing ever to rip out and replace the grass you are using the free sod on.  It took up two days to rip out about 100 square feet.  It was by far one of the most labor intensive things we have done to the house....until we then decided to re-do our shower in the mater bath the weekend after the free sod weekend.

The shower has needed an update from day one of us owning the house.  We had gotten 3 quotes to re-do the entire bathroom but all three quotes were astronomical that we decided that we should just focus on the problem maker (the shower) and leave the rest for the next owner.  :)

It took us two days to demo the shower, and really Sam did a lot more of the grunt work then I did.  I just was not physically capable to break the thick concrete on the shower pan....we then hired someone to do the shower.  Let's just say, it went a little over the time estimate he gave me by about 2.5 weeks!  But it turned out great and he even did the counter top on the vanity.  All and all we are very happy with the look and hope that it will add a little more modern touch to the house.

Ian is very talkative these days and has a lot of personality.  I think this month was really the first month that I noticed that he understands humor.  I was tickling him and faked him out a few times and he totally understood the "joke".  He also does this to Sam and I when he is eating, he will fake us out that he is about to put the food in his mouth and then quickly throws it on the floor!

Teething has been a bit of a struggle.  He seems to get several teeth all at once.  So it makes him very uncomfortable and very drooly.  Currently, he has 3 upper teeth and 4 lower teeth.  He is eating a lot more food with flavor, I made a chicken pot pie a few weeks ago and he could not get enough of it.  He has pretty much moved away from actual baby food and is eating more solids than anything.  We have also started to give him a little bit of cow's milk and I have stopped nursing him.  It was getting to the point that nursing him was becoming more of a want over a
need.  Since introducing solids, he wasn't nursing as much which meant that my supply was very low.  He has taken the transition very well and he seems to like cows milk.  Fingers crossed that by his birthday, he will be on cows milk and no more formula.

Clapping and waving are now a common source of communication.  His wave first started out with a great bit arm wave and now has changed to the classic backwards hand opening closing wave.  He understands when we say hello, hola, bye and adios, he will immediately wave to those queue and give you a great bit smile to boot.  He loves to clap as well....we discovered that if you said, Yeah!!!! he would then clap so the first couple of times we would say yeahhhhh for no reason....it has now become a normal thing to clap at whatever and whenever.

He is starting to make more sounds and I think he has a common sound for Cora, Sam and myself.  With Cora it sounds very close to her name but it's a high pitch sound and he usually only makes it when he sees her.  Dadadadadada is very common for Sam and I although I sometimes get the muuuummmmm.

We had a very low key Halloween, mostly because he was running a fever.  I was very excited for Halloween only because for about 2 months I looked forward to his costume of Charlie Brown.  Well the Charlie Brown costume "looked" cute but there was a bit of drama when putting it on.  The hole for the head was too small and I had to cut it to have it fit over Ian's head.  But that of course was only after I tried about 3 times to get it on.  Tears were shed and apologies were made but he looked so sweet and cute in it that feel that it was worth it.  :)

The last couple of weeks I have been very sentimental on Ian turning one.  I cannot believe how fast this year went and I only wish that time went a wee bit slower at this stage.  Alas, that will not happen so we will continue to take each milestone with pride and joy.

Until next month......

Bathroom Remodel

The month of October was pretty crazy for us (as I wrote earlier...)....Here are some pictures from our latest project, the master bath....I LOVE IT!

Before 1

Before 2

After 1

After 2

After 3

Ten and on the move!

Ian is now ten months old and he is not looking back!  His 9th month was full of family and love.  With his first international trip in his pocket!  Our trip to Canada was a great success and Ian has officially applied for dual citizenship.  It takes about 6 months to receive the citizenship, but it's pretty cool that he will soon be Canadian and American just like his dad! 

Ian started going to my parents house one day a week.  At first I was worried about the transition from being one day at daycare, then my parents house then back to the daycare, but he has, like everything else, taken it in full stride.  He LOVES being there and he sleeps like a champ.  Every other week he spends the day with McKinley and I swear, after he spends time with her, he learns something new.  It's a good age gap and Ian tries really hard to keep up with her.  I also love the idea of him spending time with his cousin, there is something to be said about sharing your childhood with your cousins....

This month he really started moving around.  A slow army crawl turned into, "I just set you down over there, how did you get over here so quickly," "No, Ian please leave the house plant alone...."  He is eating more and more and he is no longer a vegetarian.  He loves chicken and turkey!  He's also talking a lot more, I swear he can say, "hi" and he definitely has his word for Cora....he looks at her and makes the same sound every time. He pulls himself up on everything.  It's been a bit of a challenge now that he can pull himself up when you are trying to get him to fall asleep.  We have had to lower the crib twice now!  The other day he was playing with his little walker.  He pulled himself up on it and took about three steps.  When he did this, he looked back at me and then just started walking away.  He's a little wobbly still but he gets the idea of walking and he does get around with it.  I was terrified and excited at the same time!  A crawling baby you can keep up with for the most part, but a walking baby is a total game changer.  I think this weekend we will be baby proofing the house to make sure he isn't pulling himself up on something that can topple down on him.

We also celebrated his best bud in the whole wide world, Clive for his first birthday.  Clive is growing just as quickly and he is just as cute at Ian.  The two of them are two peas in a pod!  It's been a lot of fun to watch him grow and I can't believe he is a year now! 

Sam went on his annual trip to Bandon Dunes he insisted that I not teach Ian any new tricks.  I told him I would not hold up to that promise.....he now claps and says, "yeah", drinks from a sippy cup, feeds himself,  makes raspberries with his lips, and my favorite trick, make the whooooo sound when you pat your hand up to his mouth!  :)

Here are some pictures from his 9th month!

Hanging out with Cora.  I can assure you I was right there so he wouldn't fall off!

"Tell the Pilot to get going, Mommy."

BABIES IN A BASKET!

Chug chug chug chug

"Hmmmmmm I think Nevada's defense needs a little work."

"Dude (Clive), just look at the camera, otherwise she will keep taking pictures"

Feeling fine at NINE!

I little late, but hey, better late than never, right? Does anyone even read this?  Hello?  Test....Test....Test....1....2.....3......4....


Ah well, I'll write for my sake!  Because the way things have been going, it's hard to keep up with all the on goings of Mr. Ian Kosach Ottosen.

This month was a very fun and exciting month for the little man.  A lot of transition, a lot of milestones and a lot of love. We spent his 8th month taking it easy around Reno and the bay.  We have been enjoying the summer, going up to the Lake a few times and doing things around the house. I started my new job at Microsoft and so that took a little bit of time to adjust to the work world again.  I know it sounds strange but that month and a half was wonderful and it was really hard to get back into the groove.  With that said, I'm really happy I went with the Microsoft contract.  All the while, Ian was learning how to crawl!  He does a very fast army crawl.  He does get on his hands and knees at times, but I think he thinks he can get around a lot faster doing the army crawl.  He can pull himself up on pretty much anything (including his crib).  And he is finally rolling in every direction possible.  He was a little lazy with the rolling over bit.  Sam and I both knew that he could roll over well before he started doing it with out us convincing him.  We would put toys out of his reach, he would try and get the toys, but then after awhile, he would just not care anymore.  But now, you can't get him to stop rolling and well, there have been a few accidents because of it.  All is well, but we have just learned that you can just prop him up on something and leave him.  :)

Ian met his new cousin Keiran Clark Kosach.  What a sweet baby, and it's crazy to think that Ian was just as small at one point.  We were also very excited to see Connor, Auntie Sus and Uncle Steve!  Ian loved playing with Connor, this "playing" mostly consisted of Connor playing and Ian watching.  :)

On his 9 month birthday we flew to Edmonton.  He did really well considering that we were all crammed onto a small plane and we was held for almost 8 hours straight.  The last leg of the trip was a little rough because it was way past his bed time and he being just like me, he isn't the best sleeper in loud, busy environments.  If you want to read more about our trip to Canada go to the next blog....

We officially have 5 teeth (and more on the way).  He has three bottom and two top, it's made nursing a bit of a challenge, some tears were shed, but we now have an understanding of one another and we are doing really well.  He is eating a lot more solids so bottles have been a bit of a challenge.  My goal with Ian and nursing him was 3 months, I'm very happy that we flew past that time and at this point, another day is another day.  :)  He loves pasta, yogurt, all types of fruits and veggies.  I still make 95% of his food and I am still loving it.  Some days are harder than others, but I hope that Ian has a wonderful eating habit full of veggies and fruits! He's also drinking out of a sippy cup so I have a feeling the bottles have their days numbered.

He talks a lot, and he is starting to make more noises that seem to have meaning....for example, mmmmuuuuummmm means I'm hungry...one of my favorite things that he does is talk to himself right before he falls asleep, it's a sweet sound and that's when Sam and I know he is tired or about to fall asleep.  I am still trying to speak as much Spanish to him as possible but it is a challenge as well. 

Like I said, this month  was full of transitions.  He is still happy as ever, he loves to laugh and smile.  He loves to chase Cora around the house (Cora on the other hand does not appreciate it).  I am head over heals for Ian.  He is the sweetest, most easy going baby ever!  Let's just hope it stays that way.  :)

Some pictures for this month:

Doing great at Eight!!!

Today is Ian's 8th month Birthday and coincidentally it is Courtney's Birthday!  

This month went by really fast which is strange because I haven't been working... The good news is that I signed a one year contract for a project with Microsoft!  So I will be going back to work next week and I'm looking forward to getting back into a normal routine.  

Ian has been very busy as well, with me not working I took most of the time to spend with him.  There were a few days here and there where he would go to daycare while I looked for a job.  But for the most part, we spent most our time together.  It's been fun but I did learn that I am not the best stay at home mom.  Hats off to those that do it!  I had a hard time finding the balance between spending time with Ian and doing other things.  Mostly because I tried really hard not to mess Ian's nap schedule, when he is at home he sleeps like a champ and takes 1-1.5 hour naps, however, at the daycare, he is only taking about 30 min naps.  I worry about it sometimes but he isn't really in a bad mood so it doesn't seem to effect him.  

We are eating 3 meals a day and I am still nursing him.  He isn't nursing as much because he is eating a lot more.  I first started out giving him only a little food at a time but he would growl or grunt for more all the time so I started giving him more.  Last night for example he ate an entire bowl of a half of an avocado, half of a pear and half of a banana.  I LOVE making his food!  It's a lot of fun to come up with different mixtures and I have to say, I enjoy testing them before I or Sam give him the mixture.  I think his favorite mixture so far seems to be zucchini, peas and pear.  I do buy him pouches here and there but those are given to him when we are out and about.  

Everyday he seems to get closer and closer to crawling.  He moves a lot in his crib, we will put him in there facing one direction and by the time he settles down and falls asleep he has managed to tuck himself the in opposite side of the crib.  He also likes to talk to himself before he falls asleep.  It is the sweetest thing to hear....

I have taken each stage with Ian as they come, I try not to push him too hard to move onto the next milestone simply because I want to cherish each one as they come.  He is starting to communicate a lot more and it's amazing to watch him feed himself.  There is something gratifying about it, it's almost like a right of passage for him and me.  

This month is going to be an exciting one!  We will be taking a few trips to the bay area as well as going to Edmonton to visit family.  We are currently waiting for Ian's passport to come, once that comes then I will send his application for Canadian citizenship (dual).  

Here are a few pictures of this last month:

Skyping with Grandpa Ottosen and Uncle David

He loves his oveja (lamb) 

Look Mommy, I have hair!!

"No hablo, pero que guapo soy?!"

Getting back out there.....

-A non-Ian Post-

As I wrote in my last blog post, I was laid off from Bally Technologies.  I worked there for over 1.5 years and was recruited to work there.  Well, let's just say it didn't work out.  I really enjoyed being back in gaming, but what I found was the same frustrations there were at IGT.  Maybe slightly worse. The "good ol' boys club", the "don't speak up too much about moving forward because we are comfortable where we are".  What frustrated me the most is that I feel like I might have reverted backwards.  I was hungry when I came to Bally, I was excited. I left a really good job/contract with Microsoft, I was working for a great vendor. But I felt that being a Business Analyst would give me the opportunity to grow even more.  But in the end, it took a lot of wind out of my sails.  The day I was laid off (day after my birthday), I was upset, but not because of loosing the job, it was because I was worried about the effect it may have on Ian's routine (OK SO I GUESS I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID "NON-IAN POST") as well as not being able to contribute and leaving all the stress on Sam.

When I found out I was pregnant with Ian, I made a promise that I would not let my tiredness, my bloated feet or cravings effect my work, and in all honesty, I don't think I did.  I worked my butt off up until the very last day.  But the day I got back, it was one of the hardest days I have ever had in my life. The feeling of not wanting to be there was so enormous that I couldn't even tell you what I worked on that day.  I can tell you though, I had my annual review.  What a stupid idea that was to do to someone that is emotionally drained.  It took everything in my being to not stand up tell them to go where the sun don't shine and walk out.  The last four months were really hard, I was put in a position of not really wanting to be there and I think a lot of it was because of the review.

Then the other day, I saw this Ted Talks.  I had seen this one before but it really spoke to me more now than it did then.  Here is a women (Sheryl Sandberg) who knows what it's like to work in a mans work force.  A women who like me had to return back to work after having her first baby (and then second).  She really does an amazing job in this talk and I will continue to remind myself that I kick ass and that anyone that I work with or for is lucky to have me!

Link to Sheryl Sandberg's Ted Talk:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18uDutylDa4#t=893

A Sweet Seven Months

Yesterday was Ian's 7th month birthday!  This month was full of milestones and tons of activities!

Stats at his 6th month visit on June 25 (my birthday)
Weight: 17lbs 13oz
Height: 27.5 inches
Head: 17 3/8 inches

This month was very busy for the little guy but he took it in stride.  He is still enjoying my cooking! Thankfully Ian is a great eater and giving him foods has not been a problem.  I will say that he likes to have his foods mixed with other foods (peas with carrots).  I can't say I blame him, eating just peas sounds boring to me too.

He is sitting up on his own for long periods of time.  It's been really nice to be able to have him sit on our laps and not have to constantly hold him.  He loves to sit on his play mat and reach for his toys.  He has rolled over a few times but he still get a little confused to where his arm should go.  He does get a little frustrated when he can't seem to figure it out, but I keep telling him that he knows how to do it, so just roll over.  :)  We officially have TWO teeth!  And right now we are working on another one (I think the canine).  It's messed with our sleeping through the night but the last couple of nights he seems to be back into his habit (THANK GOD!).

I think Sam had a nice Father's day.  We went on a nice hike half way up to Mount Rose using the hiking backpack that my mom and dad gave Sam for Christmas.  Ian fits perfect in it and seems very comfortable....He did fall asleep on the way down.  :)  Everyone on the trail was wishing Sam a Happy Father's day, it was really nice.

We went and visited his great-grandmother (Baba Sophie) and his Uncle Steve, Auntie Sus and cousin Connor a few weeks ago.  It was a quick visit filled with lots of comings and goings but it was really nice to be around everyone.  Susie is due really any minute with Baby #2 so it was the calm before the storm.  :)

This last weekend, Steve, Susie and Connor came to Reno to visit.  On Saturday we all took the train from Reno to Truckee.  Sam met us up in Truckee with our NEW (perfect timing eh?) car and we drove to the lake.  It was so much fun and I cannot wait to take the train again in the winter time when there is snow in the mountains.

Updates with me, well, I'm looking for a job again!  I was let go from Bally the day after my birthday.  It was not really a surprise because my work load was really diminishing but at the same time, I was really upset that they would do something like that to me after really only being back at work for 4 months.  They gave me a nice severance package and I'm already working on some of my contacts to see about picking something up really soon.  It's been a little internal battle because the sound of being able to spend time with Ian is very tempting, but in all honesty, it isn't good for him or me.  He does so well at the daycare, he has an amazing schedule, and Ian is very social.  I think if he had to hang out with me every single day, he wouldn't be happy.  I wouldn't be happy because I too need to be around other people.  I have played with the idea of consulting, I have so much experience that I think I would be able to help people out that really need to focus on business needs of their own, but it also scares me because I really don't know where to begin with that.

Sam is doing really well.  Working hard as usual.  He still has overnight trips but unlike last summer, he is usually only gone one night out of the week.  We are hoping to go to Edmonton sometime at the end of this summer.  It's now just a little bit more complicated because of my situation.  But I would really like Ian to meet his Grandfather Harold.  We would also like to see the rest of Sam's family, especially Ben!  Ben was so great to Ian when they came up to Reno for Christmas.  I am really excited to see how Ian interacts with him.

We haven't done much with or to the house lately.  We had been and still plan on updating the bathroom but the two quotes we got were just out of budget we had originally planned so now we will need to save up a bit of money and do it maybe in the spring.  I do have plans to paint the cabinets in the kitchen.  I'm looking forward to that because I think it will really spark up that kitchen!

Here are few pictures from this past month!

"Hey, no stopping Daddy, let's get going!"

Hanging outside in the backyard!

Ian petting one of the new chicks that Steve, Sus and Connor got!

Sweet sweet baby.

All ABOARD!

Enjoying the train ride!

Most def. bigger than Elefante!