Branching out into other instruments...

You've seen me play the piano, dabble in guitar, but those are mere indulgences requiring just the rough motor skills my hands provide...

Now, Ladies and Gentlemen, for the first time on video, I give you a feat that will truly dazzle. A feat that required such concentration, I not only had to use my hands but my lungs as well. This multi-talented performance cannot be missed...I walk, I turn, I embrace music...all at once...

Shedd Aquarium

Bebe and Zayde came and visited a few weeks back. One day we all went to the aquarium in Chicago. Here's a few pics from that day:

I got to see all sorts of sea animals...

Turtles:

Tiny Fish:

But my favorite was the big fish! Here's my and Zayde taking a peek:
(I think I may have more hair now than Zayde!)

Lastly, here's a picture of Mommy, Zayde, Bebe, me, and Daddy:

Oh ... by the way, I can walk...

A while back I finally got the hang of this walking thing which, apparently, my parents think is a much bigger deal than I do...

Just a typical Saturday afternoon...

Who doesn't like a little Saturday afternoon dance session while Daddy plays the guitar?

Inspector Austin Laves, at your service

Dad recently installed safety locks on the kitchen cabinets so children (like myself?) couldn't get into anything dangerous. Of course, even Daddy with his high and mighty "Project Management Certification" should know that you have to test what you construct. --> Enter Austin Laves, Senior Quality Inspections Agent for the Infant Safety Division of Laves Inspections Inc. (A subsidiary of AML Media Publications):

Need I say more ... Dad failed inspection, and was reported to the chief immediately (a.k.a Mommy)

Where's Austin? In Austin, Of course!

Dad has often told me that in order to get more meaning out of life, I have to go into the wild or nature and find my center. I honestly had no clue what he was talking about. I thought to myself, "Where is Austin's center?" And then, it hit me like a lightning bolt ... maybe I could find my center in Austin. Voila!

So, we packed our bags, hopped on a Southwest flight, and paid homage to Dad's Alma Mater, Austin, Texas! Besides, I really needed to spend quality time with my Uncle Louis, Aunt Shir, and Cousin Itay.

We landed on a Thursday morning, and I could already tell this was going to be a good day. Uncle Louis & Itay picked us up for our expedition in an Expedition. (I'm still working that one out in my head) Then, we met Aunt Shir for some lunch at Trudy's Mexican Food!

Side Note: According to Dad, you can sometimes find your 'center' at the bottom of one of Trudy's famous "Mexican Martinis"

Here's me and Aunt Shir. As you can see, I'm already starting to find peace!

After "fueling" up on tortilla chips at Trudy's, what better place to find my center than at ... Whole Foods Corporate Headquarters! (Ok, maybe it's not the 'best' place, but at least it was organic) Regardless, I knew that meant getting to ride in a shopping cart, and I love those.

Here's me & Itay at Whole Foods. There were plenty of food samples to keep us happy!

Later on, I got to play around with some of Itay's old toys. Amazing that a toy cell phone five years ago is as big as a shoe because the one I have at home is just about the size of my hand! A sign of the times, I guess!

Here's me with my Cowboy Hat ... but still no 'center'!
Later that weekend, Bebe and Zayde came into town. Here's us on Uncle Louis' back porch:

Of course, Zayde coming into town means ... DOMINOES! I was so excited, I could barely get the case open. I thought, surely dominoes would help me find my center...

However, it wasn't to be. So, next I thought maybe I could find my center at one of the great museums of Austin - the Austin Children's museum. My cousin Itay helped by showing me the ropes:

Here's me practicing my drumming skillz...

I was starting to feel very centered when my drumming was interrupted!!! Sometimes, no amount of centering and balance can help when you are distracted by ... the opposite sex:

If I couldn't find my center at the museum, then maybe I could find it at the bottom of a plate of BBQ! We made a trip to the County Line, one of Austin's local BBQ waterin' holes. This was my first rib (and definitely not my last!).

All in all, the weekend was a great time. I think where I really found my center was in Uncle Louis' backyard on his hammock. My favorite part was just relaxing with a good story from Dad:

The 'other' side of Peek-a-boo

So, if you remember from my post a few months back...on peek-a-boo, I love the game of peek-a-boo. All my friends do too. But, as I am such an entertainer, I figured I should also learn how to be on the 'other' side of Peek-a-boo. Many one year olds have tried, and many have failed. It is I, Austin, alone that has mastered this skill at the very young age of 1. Here's 2 videos that show my performances:

(note: sometimes I get a little too excited when I play)