Halloween 2011: A Circus of Trouble

"A Striped Gato" and "A Dandelion Turned to Seed" go looking for trouble at Ashkenaz in Berkeley, CA on Halloween Eve with their parents. Ando and Uli continue their adventures growing up as toddlers in Berkeley CA. The boys have know each other all their lives and then some.

More photos: Halloween 2011, a set on Flickr.

+ more here from the likes of the dandelion named Uli.

France: Paris + Provence

We just returned from Paris & Provence.  Our first major family trip abroad.  More to come but here is a taste of Paris!

Babbling & Talking...

Ando's babbling is turning into words.  It's so great that he is starting to communicate.  I can tell he is so proud of himself that he can start telling us what he wants and what he is thinking.   I wanted to document some of his talking while I remember so here are some notes that maybe more interesting later than now.

First word:"Esta" spanish for "This is" Vilma taught him this by saying "Esta la luce" or "This is a light" Ando first thought Esta was a light and would point saying Esta at every light.  On another note we thought he was saying Ed-a and maybe his first word was Head. Which would have been funny but it was definitely Esta.

Next words:
"Nana" for Banana, his first favorite fruit.
"Ball" he loves to throw with Papa, the only problem when he first learned this word is he couldn't understand why you could throw a ball but not throw everything else.
"Gato" for cat in Spanish. He still says this even is you say cat he says "gato" he'll also call a little cat gatolita.
"Agua" for water

Ways to say good bye:
He first learned to waive months ago but now Ando is very international~
"Bye-bye"
"Au revouir" followed by a waive
"BYE" is when he pretends he is leaving on his own
"Vaminous" is when he wants to leave
"Go-go" he exclaims with excitement when something rolls, goes, or he is on his bouncy toys.
He will also blow kisses

Now days away from 20 months his favorite words are:
"Bibiclye" obsessed with bicycles he mumbles this word at any moment in the day and will call any two wheeled vehicle this. Also true story when we were in France, Ando was asleep mumbling something. When I leaned over I heard him repeat over a couple times..."bibicle, bibicle"
"Car" even trucks are cars but loves the CAR. He will sit in Papa's car for hours if we let him and can recognize the model of Eric's car on the road and says Papa.  He also loves trying to open all car doors and if he has keys will try them on any car too.
"Yellow" not sure if he understands this color but he says it a lot.
"Coo.coo.coo" He imitates a sound of a chicken which Vilma has taken him to see on many walks next door.
"Ouch" when something hurts.
"Ah-oooooh" when he drops something or even throws it on the floor.


More to come but these are his favs. And of course he says "Mama" and "Dada" and "Papa!"

Oh and I almost forgot he loves to say "NO" and funny he has not learned to say "yes".

Toddlerhood

I haven't posted lately. This little guy has been keeping me BUSY!  When Ando turned 18 months things started to normalize for me. I think I have started to integrate my worlds and probably my hormones.  Ando is turning into a little person. Busy, moving, talking, doing....it's really fun but fills my world.

This shot is from a trip we took to Nevada City in August. Our last summer hurrah with Elka, Peter & Uli. Elka took this photo.  I think Ando is now showing his toddlerness. Such a boy. We stayed in the cowboy cabin~ notice Ando's shirt to match.  I better enjoy dressing him while I can. *wink.