Teddy in November... Baby Bear Walk, er... crawl?

Sorry everyone for the lack of posts this past November. Teddy was participating in "Movember" so he was a little busy growing out his mustache (click on Movember to check out his "MoSpace" page).

However, as a special treat, he put together this little music video of some of his firsts like crawling and eating real food!

We promise to have more up in December... oh wait... it's already mid-December? Guess another video is coming. Enjoy "Baby Bear Walk"!

Halloween fun

Aunt Kristen and Uncle Justin gave Teddy an adorable "My First Halloween" onesie, but I couldn't get a picture of it, because he was too in love with the awesome candy pail they also gave him. If he loves the pail this much, I can't imagine how excited he'll be when he learns about the candy that goes inside!

This morning we went to the Halloween Parade and got the little guy into his Teddy Bear costume. 

Then we met up with the O'Connors for some Trick-or-Treating on Burlingame Avenue. 

Happy Halloween from Teddy, Reggie, and Omigosh!!!

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Sick Day with Daddy

Our little Bear wasn't feeling well early this week, so Mom stayed home with him on Monday, but Tuesday was Daddy's turn!

The day started off kinda slow with both of our boys looking pretty content with sleeping in:



They did get up eventually and when it came time to change Teddy's diapers from his long, night's rest, he decided it was the perfect time to go the bathroom again on the changing table. Needless to say it was "bath time" not to soon afterward. After the bath, Teddy was all smiles as Daddy got to style his hair in a traditional style:



After that, Teddy decided it would be a nice treat if we washed Mommy's car ("washed" as in "de-reggie-fy" all the dog hair on the passenger seat because Dad let Reggie ride shotgun the night before). Well, at the car wash Teddy must have been feeling a lot better because he was all smiles:



Not everyone was smiles apparently, because Reggie really exhausted himself out getting all that hair everywhere. He couldn't decide if he wanted to sleep some more or go shed again:

Malibu Castle mini golf

Teddy had his first round on the links on Friday. 

Brian claimed he was a hindrance, but I think Teddy must have been whispering his insights on the terrain into Brian's ear because they still beat me. I demand a rematch!

Haircut!

I couldn't take the balding mullet look any longer, so I enlisted Daddy and his clippers to even things out a little in back. I should have known Teddy would take it all in stride, he's such a trooper. 

Here's a little "before" detail...yeesh!

and during...

You're probably thinking that next I will insert an "after" photo. But I don't have a good one yet, so you'll have to check back later :)

Just because

4 months old

On Wednesday, Teddy turned 4 months old. 

He's turning into a big boy before our very eyes, so we figured it's time he started dressing like one. 

Grabbing his feet is his new favorite trick. 

He's desperately trying to get them into his mouth, but no luck on that one so far :)

First laughs

We've gotten a single giggle out of Teddy here and there for several weeks, but the other night we got our first real laughter out of him. Luckily, we were able to capture some of it on camera. We've gotten a couple more good laughs out of him since, but we'll be watching this video a lot until we get him laughing all the time :)

Meeting Brooks!

Last weekend we headed down to San Diego for the wedding of my cousin, Phil, to his high school sweetheart, Elyse. It was a beautiful wedding and Teddy had a great time hanging with all his Amberg aunts, uncles and cousins. On Sunday, we crossed paths with the Resnikoffs and got to meet little baby Brooks. Such a sweetie :) It was funny to hold him and remind myself that Teddy was that squishy and cuddly mere weeks ago. Time sure does fly. 

Nowadays, Teddy loves to practice standing, sitting and talking and whenever he's on the floor he's rolling, rolling, rolling. 

Back to work

I headed back to work after Labor Day which meant it was time for Teddy to start going to daycare. We found a great place near to our house and now that it's been 2 weeks I can safely say Teddy loves it. When we drop him off in the morning he has big smiles for Rosalba and when we pick him up all the bigger kids love to say goodbye to him. 

Here he is being dropped off on his first day...

And here he is that night. All tuckered out.

Football season

Football season is here, which around our house mostly means it's time for fantasy football. Here's Teddy and Daddy heading off to his 2nd fantasy football draft, wearing their matching Urlacher jerseys. 

Such a pro at it already. Go (Teddy) Bears!

Teddy's baptism

Teddy was baptized at St. Catherine of Siena over Labor Day weekend. He wore my dad's (and all my aunts' and uncles') christening gown. Good thing we didn't wait any longer because it barely fit. Well, actually, we couldn't fasten the top button, so I guess technically it didn't fit. Oh well. He was a champ, all that bathtime practice paid off and there was no crying. 

Thanks Uncle Justin and Aunt Kristen for being his godparents!

Practice, practice, practice

Getting ready for baptism. 

Teddy still loves his baths and since his hair is, shall we say, less magnificent these days, Daddy is dusting off his mohawk styling skills. 

Like Grandpa(s), Like Grandson

Teddy loves his Grandpas so much, he tries to be just like them...

The return trip

On the drive back, we drove a slight different route. We stopped in Iowa to introduce Teddy to a cornfield a la Field of Dreams. 

Then we veered south to Breckenridge, Colorado. We stopped in and visited Teddy's Great Great Great Grandfather and the house he lived in. 

Then a quick right turn to Salt Lake City to meet up with I-80 and a pit stop to look out over the Great Salt Lake. 

Finally, we made it home. Four weary travelers at their destination!

 

Thanks for being a great co-pilot, Mom!

Cabin time

After a successful road trip, we met up with Brian and Grandpa John in Minneapolis. We caught a Twins game at Target Field, where it felt like there was 500% humidity. Teddy enjoyed the game wearing nothing but his finest diaper. After that it was off to the lake. Finally!

Once we got to the marina, we loaded up the boat - 4 adults, 1 baby, 1 dog and lots of luggage. And we were off to the island!

The first week we were there we got to spend a lot of time with our Kelly cousins who had come to have a memorial service for their mother, my Great Aunt Mary. It was wonderful to spend time with them, get to know our cousins a little better, and share memories of Aunt Mary who was a truly beautiful person inside and out. 

Here are all Mary's grandsons admiring their second cousin, Teddy. 

A few days in we were joined by Aunt Jessie and she and Teddy hung out a lot. 

Over breakfast...

and lounging on the porch...

Speaking of the porch... it's the best place in the cabin and we enjoyed it thoroughly.

Meanwhile, Reggie was in dog heaven out there in the yard and in the woods, free to roam. He was chasing chipmunks the instant he arrived, and to our amazement by day 4 he'd honed his stalking skills enough to actually catch one. Sorry little chipmunk :( 

Here he is surveying his domain. Or more likely, staring at someone down the stairs on the dock, but too afraid to go down there because the "wind" might blow him into the lake again, which he decidedly dislikes. 

After hours of island exploration each day, Reggie took some pretty cozy naps and put himself to bed in our room every night around 8pm. If only our other son would do the same.

It was quite warm and humid the whole time we were there, 

so Teddy spend a good chunk of time in just his skivvies. 

 We played lots of games. Cribbage, Monopoly, Dominoes, Tripoley, and Scrabble. 

I was no match for the combined vocabulary of Brian and Teddy. 

We waterskiied and wakeboarded. Well, I waterskiied and wakeboarded. 

Brian got thisclose to doing both. 

We celebrated my birthday. Notice the custom art piece Brian did on my present :)

We went on outings to visit family and friends. 

And stayed in to spend quiet time with family, too. 

Alas, we eventually had to leave. Here's me and Teddy taking our last walk down the dock.

All loaded up in the boat again, ready to go. 

We're already looking forward to next summer, it can't come soon enough!

Nap time evolved

Nap time at the cabin

Nothing better than an afternoon nap with a lake breeze.

Teddy takes the wheel

The boy is already a road trip pro. I think I'll let him drive the last stretch to Minneapolis.

Eye contact

Since there's not much else he can do while stuck in his car seat most of the day, Teddy seems to be taking the opportunity to practice his eye contact. I think that on Wednesday he "saw" Reggie for the first time. He tried really hard to get Reggie to look back at him, but to no avail. Big brother might still be a little jealous of the new puppy in our lives :)

Reno, baby!

On Tuesday, we made it to Reno after our 2pm departure. Here's Teddy partying in his Boppy at the Motel 6.

And later on he tried sleeping in his tent/travel crib - a total success.