Happy Holidays!

What a wonderful time we had for Avery's first Christmas. It took us about half of the day to get through all of the presents (the two boys got a little bit spoiled this year) and the other half to digest all of the food we ate!






Truman was very excited to see that Santa brought him exactly what he asked for, an apple! He said that next year he will ask for a melon. Avery asked for a 50" LCD flat screen television and was incredibly angry when he didn't see it under the tree. He decided to punish us for Santa's mistake and hasn't slept very well for the last three days. In all honesty, I think it's because there has been so much excitement and commotion. The little guy doesn't want to sleep because he's afraid he will miss out on some action.







As per our annual tradition, we stayed in Ajax from Christmas Eve until Boxing Day, and were able to relax and truly enjoyed spending time with family. Of course we were missing the South Carolina clan, but got to catch up briefly with a phone call on Christmas Day.




Boxing Day, we spent the evening at Wanda and David's. We were once again treated to an amazing dinner which Wanda made. Avery was as well behaved as a baby can be on about half as much sleep as he should be getting. Unfortunately, we were having such a nice time that we missed Avery's regular bedtime again, which lead to a difficult night. We are hoping that since the holidays are now over, we can get back into a scheduled routine. And next week we start the dreaded sleep training.

Santa Claus Came to Town...

and how!

Avery met Santa twice! Although in all honesty, both times he was asleep. Alas, no pics with Old Saint Nic as of yet. We will have to visit the mall sometime this week to finally let Avery offload his massive wish list. I hope you are ready for it Santa.



We started out our day by visiting West Park for their annual Saturday with Santa. It was a day filled with entertainment (including some impressive Ontario wildlife) and infinite amounts of timbits and coffee (which kept Pat and I satisfied). My boys got the grand tour of the Food Services kitchen and even got to see Mommy's office. It was quite a long morning and by the time Santa came to deliver his gifts, our little guy had fallen asleep in my arms.



A little later, we headed out to see Mr. Claus in Junction City Square. We were joined by many Stroller Moms, and indulged in free hot chocolate and cookies (which, again, kept us satisfied). Just as the flamboyant Kris Kringle arrived, Avery had drifted off to dream land in his stroller.







On another note, Avery turned 6 months a couple of days ago. He had his doctor's appointment (along with another set of shots) yesterday. We were surprised to find out that Avery weighs only 15lbs 13oz. Pat was certain he was at least 18lbs. We were very excited to start him on solids and promptly introduced Avery to sweet potato. I can't say it was love at first taste. Today we decided to mix the puree in with his cereal, which received better reviews. What an exciting chapter we are entering now! Bring on the blender... here I come!

All I Want for Christmas is...

My two bottom teeth?

Is this really what Avery wished for? Well, it seems as though he's getting them whether he wants them or not!
We have been patiently (?) awaiting the arrival of Avery's first tooth after what seems like months and months of teething symptoms: excessive drooling, constant munching on anything within arms reach and rosy red cheeks. Last week we felt a sharp nub just under his gums. Finally, this morning we can see a little tiny tooth emerging from his gum line, with, lo and behold, a neighbor to the left.

I have been told by other mom's that the appearance of multiple teeth at one time is a common occurrence. I am very happy to say that since the teeth have mostly popped through, Avery's mood has been very pleasant. It was perfect timing for Avery's first encounter with Santa this weekend.



On Saturday morning, we met up with many of the Stroller Fit Moms to take in the Lakeshore Blvd Santa Claus Parade. We braved the chilly weather, with the help of some coffee and croissants from Tatsu's Bakery, and cheered on all of the wonderful floats and marching bands. It was much more low key than the Toronto Santa Claus Parade, but that just added to it's charm. As one of the Stroller Fit Moms so aptly put it, it had a small town feeling - which is exactly what I was hoping for.









This evening we attended a wonderful Christmas party at Alix and Fiona's. Avery was the centre of attention and gave the hosts a frightening sneak preview into what parenthood is all about. Avery lasted about 1 1/2hr and decided that he wanted to leave, which means he screamed bloody murder. We can't blame him, he hadn't napped all that well during the day and it was time for his dinner. We just want to wish Alix and Fiona Congratulations on expecting their first bundle of joy! With the risk of sounding absolutely nauseating, it will be the most wonderful thing you will ever experience, period!

Christmas in November?

What a fabulous week we had! Pat, Avery and I certainly enjoyed having the Sr. O'Brien family here. Not only did we have our first introduction to Huey O'Brien (what a cutey) but we got to have a sneak preview of Christmas.
Of course this involved many evenings of enjoying the Swiss Chalet Festive Special - and some rather intense trades involving Lindor White Chocolate Truffles.



Mother Nature responded accordingly, supplying us with a nice blanket of snow for our winter challenged South Carolinian family. Huey was more than confused about the white stuff, forcing Aunt Leighlow to brush away any sign of snow in order for the little man to do his business.



Avery will surely go through withdrawal from the excess amount of attention he received from Granny KK, Poppy Ray and Aunt Leighlow. He'll have to wait until April, when we make our way across the border to Columbia for a visit. Until then, we just want to say THANKS AGAIN for everything guys. We sure loved having you here and we miss you already!

Copious Caramel, November's Daring Bakers Challenge

I anxiously awaited November's Daring Bakers Challenge pretty much as soon as I had finished October's. I was over the moon when I saw it involved an abundance of caramel. I have been obsessed with salted caramels for a while now... so this was right up my alley - Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting. There was also an option of making Golden Vanilla Bean Caramels. Our hosts for this month brought us back to the sweet side of baking, after having a few savoury challenges. Dolores of Culinary Curiosity hosted November's challenge, and was assisted by Alex, the Brownie of the Blondie Brownie duo, and Jenny of Foray into Food. For those of you with a gluten allergy (KK this one's for you!), check out Natalie at Gluten a GoGo who assisted the hosts in creating a gluten free version of our challenge.

I completed this challenge quite early since I was bringing Avery to work for a visit and thought this would be the perfect opportunity to unload some of the excess sweets tempting me at home. The challenge didn't allow for much variation, but I decided to make cupcakes instead of one cake (for ease of sharing with my co-workers). The cake was quite easy to make and turned out ridiculously moist. Because the cake teetered on the edge of being too sweet, I added quite a bit of salt to the icing and topped each cupcake with some more fleur de sel just for good measure!



The Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting recipe came courtesy of Shuna from Eggbeater (it's her signature cake!) as published on Bay Area Bites. You'll find the recipe here. While it may look like a lot of steps, it really is a breeze to do. Best of all, you can spread the preparation over a few days.

The recipe for Golden Vanilla Bean Caramels was taken from Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich. Something to note for the caramels is that I found cooking them to anything higher than 250°F resulted in more of a toffee than a caramel. I made Fleur de Sel Caramels and Cinnamon Caramels as a variation on the original recipe. Both turned out beautifully. I plan to make lavender, chipotle and cardamom versions for my Christmas care packages. YUM! On to the next challenge!



GOLDEN VANILLA BEAN CARAMELS
- makes eighty-one 1-inch caramels -

Ingredients
1 cup golden syrup
2 cups sugar
3/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons pure ground vanilla beans, purchased or ground in a coffee or spice grinders, or 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks, softened

Equipment
A 9-inch square baking pan
Candy thermometer

Procedure

Line the bottom and sides of the baking pan with aluminum foil and grease the foil. Combine the golden syrup, sugar, and salt in a heavy 3-quart saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, until the mixture begins to simmer around the edges. Wash the sugar and syrup from the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water. Cover and cook for about 3 minutes. (Meanwhile, rinse the spatula or spoon before using it again later.) Uncover the pan and wash down the sides once more. Attach the candy thermometer to the pan, without letting it touch the bottom of the pan, and cook, uncovered (without stirring) until the mixture reaches 305°F. Meanwhile, combine the cream and ground vanilla beans (not the extract) in a small saucepan and heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Turn off the heat and cover the pan to keep the cream hot.

When the sugar mixture reaches 305°F, turn off the heat and stir in the butter chunks. Gradually stir in the hot cream; it will bubble up and steam dramatically, so be careful. Turn the burner back on and adjust it so that the mixture boils energetically but not violently. Stir until any thickened syrup at the bottom of the pan is dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, to about 245°F. Then cook, stirring constantly, to 260°f for soft, chewy caramels or 265°F; for firmer chewy caramels.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract, if using it. Pour the caramel into the lined pan. Let set for 4 to 5 hours, or overnight until firm.

Lift the pan liner from the pan and invert the sheet of caramel onto a sheet of parchment paper. Peel off the liner. Cut the caramels with an oiled knife. Wrap each caramel individually in wax paper or cellophane.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow...

...let it snow! Avery has had his first taste of winter and I must say, I think he likes it! Since the snowfall on Wednesday evening, Avery and I have spent many hours walking outdoors. Avery certainly does not seem to be bothered by the cold weather yet...which bodes well for some winter wonderland adventures.



What a weekend we've had. First of all, I must note an amazing discovery we made this week. Avery is now able to sit on his own. I tested it out after Lindsay, a fellow stroller mom, told me she has her son Owen sit on his own for a bit each day. I thought to myself, should I be trying this with Avery? On our first attempt on Monday, he lasted about 45 seconds. By Wednesday, he was on his own for a good 5 minutes. Now, he is able to sit there until he decides he's bored and has had enough, at which point he cries until we pick him up.



Okay, back to our weekend. Saturday morning, we met up with Ashley and Chris for a stroll and a delicious morning coffee from La Crema, courtesy of Chris (thanks again!).



This morning we went to Hot House Cafe for brunch in honour of Misty's birthday. We joined Misty, Troy, Karyn, Nick, Michele, Jerry and Truman. We were so happy when Misty suggested to go, as we try to hit up the restaurant at least once each year. The food is delicious and abundant, and today we were front row to the jazz band. Truman had fun dancing to the music, while Avery just fell asleep!

This afternoon we headed out to Newmarket for some more "good eats". Avery's Grandma KK, Grandpa Ray and Aunt Leighlow have finally rolled into town! So, we met them at Pat's Aunt Pam and Uncle Colin's house for a wonderful evening. Avery delighted everyone with his crazy amusement in hanging upside down. Unfortunately, by around 6pm Avery was ready to leave and became quite cranky. Of course, once at home, he refused to go to sleep and was laughing up a storm at 9pm.

He's finally gone to bed and I hope for a nice restful night for all of us. He needs his energy for all the hugs and kisses that Grandma KK and Aunt Leighlow are sure to bestow on him for the next two days. Avery, are you ready for it?

Tag, You're it!

During my stroller fit yesterday, Gina (one of my fellow stroller fit moms) asked me if I had read my blog recently. She told me that she had tagged me. Being a blog tag virgin, Gina graciously explained to me that it is something like a chain letter, but only more fun.

Here are the rules:

Link to the person who tagged you.
Post the rules on your blog.
Share six (6) non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
Tag at least 3 people at the end of your post and link to their blogs.
Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

So here it goes...

Six Things About Me:
(1) I am a (partially) closeted singing superstar. I say partially because anyone who has had the pleasure(?) of being in my presence during karaoke or Rock Band knows I hold on to the mic like grim death. Also, you can easily ask my upstairs neighbor for a comment. He has often asked me if I plan to audition for Canadian Idol. He know doubt overhears my attempts to soothe Avery with sing song.
(2) I don't want to steal Erika's thunder, but I too have an obsession with picking ear wax, snot and eye crust from my son's body. It was inevitable, since I have always been an avid pimple popper. What can I say, it's a sick obsession.
(3) I am quite sneaky. My parents, friends and husband are well aware of this. I have always found it hard to not snoop around for Christmas gifts and things like that. I try to use every ounce of self control to avoid spoiling a surprise... but it's the thrill of the hunt that I love.
(4) I have never fully outgrown my sweet tooth. My family loves to tell a story of when I was wee (probably around 8 or 9) I found the family's Christmas stash of chocolate (refer to #3 for my problem with sneaking). During the next week or so I ate through about 3 or 4 boxes meant for us to share come Christmas morning. I have spent the last couple of decades trying to convince everyone that I prefer salty snacks over sweet. While I would most likely pick french fries over cake - it has come to my attention that I do indeed still love sweets. I have my husband (and his massive sweet tooth) to thank for converting me back to my roots.
(5) I am obsessed with Christmas. I am sure many of you out there already know this - and if you didn't before, you soon will. I usually secretly start thinking of Christmas sometime in August. I don't dare tell anyone (except maybe Pat) for fear of ridicule. I can't help it. I find the entire season drips with nostalgia and I really can't get enough. I have recently found someone who partners my obsession (Ashley) and it has been nice to let my Christmasitis all out!
(6) I am in love with the Cosby's - yes, Cliff, Clair, Theo, Denise, Vanessa, Rudy and even Sondra. I have been relishing in the fact that they play two episodes daily on Peachtree TV. I often dream about how I might have fit in with my make-believe TV family (between Denise and Theo) and what it would've been like growing up in Brooklyn in the 80's. They just came out with the complete box set and it is pretty safe to say that one day in the not so distant future, that box set will find its place at home in my DVD collection.

Just as Gina and Erika, I only began blogging after Avery was born, so I don't know of too many people to tag. My darling sister Michele, Anya and Stephanie (I am sorry to do this to you Stephanie, but I didn't know anyone else to send this to!)
Have fun ladies!

Happy Hallowe'en!

Well, I must say, Avery certainly enjoyed his first Hallowe'en. He wasn't quite sure what to make of his *new* mom and dad... but at least he didn't cry. Unfortunately, the same can't be said of our poor neighbor Julian, who instilled shrieks from our son upon coming down for a visit with some spooky makeup on.



We were so impressed by our neighborhood's decorations and jack-o-lanterns. We definitely can't wait until Avery is old enough to go Trick-or-Treating. This year we opted to hit up a few neighborhood parties. Staying up way past our little pumpkin's bedtime, we stumbled home at an astounding 9pm! Truthfully, we were all exhausted anyhow and Pat and I subsequently fell asleep on the couch shortly after putting Avery to bed. Of course, this was probably the result of a candy bar induced sugar coma.







Avery finally rolled on his own on Friday, much to my surprise. We were playing on the couch and all of a sudden he managed to maneuver himself from his back to his stomach. I was tempted to help him onto his back again, but he did so all on his own. Since then, Pat and I have been trying to coax him into doing it again by placing all of his toys just out of reach.

On Monday, Avery and I start our new Stroller Fit class. What cruel and unusual punishment I am voluntarily signing myself up for. An hour and half of brisk hilly walking through High Park - luckily there is a Starbucks coffee at the end as my reward! At least Avery will get to enjoy the view of all of the changing colours - including his mom's face, which will more than likely turn a tomato red.

Like a Real Pizzaiolo

I must indulge myself a little on this post. Recently, I have joined an amazing blog group, The Daring Bakers. Every month we are given a new challenge in baking - one recipe which we all follow. My introduction to the group was an introduction to an outstanding pizza dough recipe. We were allowed to use our creativity to think of unique toppings to finish the pizzas off. Of course I had to use Avery during the brainstorming process to come up with some good ideas. I had to show the Daring Bakers I meant business!



One of the stipulations was that we had to stretch out the dough using the traditional toss method, like a real pizzaiolo. I must say, it was easier than I thought - and there were no causualties!



My first creation was a taco pizza - salsa as my base, spiced ground beef and shredded Monterey jack cheese. It was all topped with diced tomatoes and shredded lettuce just before serving. I'd like to say this was something I set out to do, but it was actually just a method for me to use leftovers from my fridge.



My second attempt was something a little more seasonal - a golden beet and goat cheese pizza drizzled with honey, thoroughly enjoyed by my husband (who is nuts about beets).

Lastly (and most adventurously) I made a macaroni & cheese pizza for Misty and myself for our weekly get together. It was amazing! How could it not be? Marconi and cheese on it's own is so indulgent - with delicious Canadian aged cheddar and goat cheese for that extra bit of tang. Well, just imagine a beautifully crisp and light crust underneath it all. Top it with a bit of mozzarella and I am telling you, it was perfection (if not a bit heartburn inducing!).



Get set to see more of my completed challenges on the blog on a monthly basis. I am so excited to see what the Daring Bakers have in store for us next.

In other news, Avery has been looking forward to his very first Hallowe'en. As such, he has been seen around town sporting a new Hallowe'en outfit each day (courtesy of his Auntie Leighlow and Grandma KK). Of course a mulititude of pictures have been taken and will all be posted after the big day - so check back this weekend to see him in all of his cuteness!

This Little Piggy...

So our little Avery has discovered a new trick. He can touch his toes! He just loves to grab them when we are trying to change his diaper. Actually he loves to grab them any time he can manage to get at them! I can't wait until he is able to bring those little suckers into his mouth.



Avery has been such an unhappy fellow these last few weeks. We think it's a combination of different reasons; he's still fighting a small cold; we continue to believe he is teething and we think he might be hungry. He has been giving us cues that he is interested in starting solids. Avery eyes our food at every meal and opens his mouth wide when we bring food close to it, as if to say "Bring it on!" We were given the okay by his pediatrician, so it seemed fitting to begin to try with some rice cereal.
This morning I suited up our little man in his bib and gave him his first taste of (semi) solid food. Avery wasn't sure what to make of it. He definitely didn't hate it - at one point he grabbed my hand that was holding the spoon and led it into his mouth! I think with all of the spillage Avery managed to consume a few teaspoons in total. I don't think that's too bad for his first attempt. I can't wait to see if he eats even more tomorrow!

Avery's First Thanksgiving

Wow... this might be a long post! Not only did Avery celebrate his first Thanksgiving, he also went apple picking for the first time and turned four months old!

Let's start with his four month milestone. Avery weighed in at a slender 14lbs 3.2oz, a little less than what Pat and I expected. He is now lingering just under the 50th percentile for weight. Avery is still above average for height which is encouraging for Pat's dream of him becoming a professional tennis or soccer player. Avery was so brave with his shots today and barely cried at all. The most exciting part of the visit was that we were given the green light to start feeding our little guy rice cereal. What an amusing messy adventure we are going to have.



We decided to head out to Milton for some apple picking this weekend. The weather was absolutely gorgeous, and even though we got to Chudleighs before it opened, we were lucky to get in. None of us could believe how busy it was! We had so much fun and decided that this must be a yearly tradition for our family.



Each of us left with loads of different varieties of apples - we already experimented using them for some delicious brandied baked apples last night. YUM! I can not wait until next year when Avery will be able to help with the picking, instead of just bossing his father to which ones he wanted.



Thanksgiving was a special treat this year, as we were joined by the largest group yet. Michele and Jerry hosted the event at their beautiful new home. We were accompanied by Nanny, Oopa, Wanda, David, Baba, Peter, Misty & Troy. Misty was a master at getting little Av to sleep when he was way too overstimulated at all the action going on.



Michele and I were exhausted by the end of the evening, but thoroughly enjoyed creating a delightful meal for everyone. I only wish Pat and I snuck a couple of the extra desserts home with us - a triple chocolate salted caramel mousse tart. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Playing Hooky

On the heels of yet another atrocious night with little Avery (waking every two hours or so and refusing to go down for any sort of sleep after 4am), I was beyond happy when my husband told me he was taking a vacation day today... or as I like to call it "playing hooky." It's precisely what I needed to help me make it through the day - back up.

We started out our morning by walking to La Crema for some much needed 16oz coffees, although the crisp weather was enough to wake me up as soon as I stepped outside.
Pat, after coming home from a darling new hair cut, took Avery and I out for lunch at one of our favourite restaurants, Freshwood Grill. We can't get enough of their sweet potato fries with chipotle mayonnaise.



The rest of our afternoon has been spent playing and relaxing. Our poor little guy hasn't been the happiest camper lately. Not only do we think he is teething, Avery is fighting off his very first cold. His congestion has lead us to nickname him "little piggy" because he snorts so much.



Hopefully he'll manage to be back to his cheerful self soon - at least before he goes in for his next set of shots in just over a week.