Look Mom, No Hands!

I can not believe this is the last week of the summer... kids are heading back to school, the weather is getting cooler and one brand new little baby will be almost three months old. How time flies when you are entrenched in feeding, burping and changing a newborn! And my, oh my, how he has grown - not only in weight and height, but more importantly, in development. As you can see below, Avery has a new favourite game called standing on his own (well, almost on his own). He loves to show off the strength of his athletic legs - some say he's the next Usain Bolt. At any rate, it's something Pat and I get a kick out of.



He also loves nothing more than being carried facing outwards... be it in the Baby Bjorn or when we are holding him in our arms. I think he just enjoys the attention this garners from strangers.

We've also noticed that he loves to smile when one of us walks into the room. What an amazing feeling to know that just a glimpse brings Avery happiness... a memory I might have to use to help cope through his teenage years.




Lastly, his sleeping patterns seem to have changed once again... and hopefully it sticks! Since Thursday night, Avery has slept between 6 to 8 hours straight every night. It's allowed me to regain some much needed brain power and Avery to be awake and alert for more time during the day. It's wonderful. And from what I've been told, the experience only gets better from here on in... I can't wait.

Thank You Sleepy Head!

Honestly... I think that Avery must sense when Pat and I are at the end of our ropes. Just when I think I won't be able to have any decent rest for the next year or more of my life - he throws us a bone.
Yes, our child slept from just shortly after 10pm until 5am last night. I was so confused when I woke up without the sound of my child crying. It was pure bliss.
Let me tell you that prize didn't come cheap... he had been terribly fussy for the entire evening. He wouldn't take my breast for more than two minutes. He wouldn't take his bottle. He didn't like his swing. He wouldn't go to sleep even though you could see he was dead tired. See for yourself - does that picture look like an alert child? I only pray he offers us the same treat tonight so that I might actually fully recover from my sickness. Here's hoping!




This evening we went for a relaxing stroll with Uncle Chris. Looks like we just missed the approaching rain storm. Isn't the sky just amazing! It will be nice to fall asleep to the sound of the rain. I just hope we get some sort of break in the weather tomorrow. Aunt Misty took an entire day off of work to spend with us and we have some big plans!

Two Months and Counting

Avery celebrated the two month milestone on Monday. Unfortunately for him, that meant getting a set of shots. He did as well as one would expect - screaming until his face turned a fire engine red. Our brave little fellow recovered shortly after and was pretty fuss free for the rest of the day. My favourite part about going to his appointments is the weigh in. I am delighted to say that Avery is now a whopping 12lbs 6.4oz. It is crazy to think that in a few weeks he will be double his birth weight. Way to catch up Avery!



The O'Brien household has been under siege by illness this past week. It started with father and passed on to mother shortly there after. I had to cancel many play dates this week, as I couldn't muster enough strength to drag myself and Avery out of the house. For everyone who thinks it is not easy taking care of a newborn - it is that much harder doing so when you are sick. The problem is that rest is essential for a quick recovery... something that parents of newborns will tell you is almost nonexistent. I am just relieved that we didn't pass anything on to our son. We are slowly getting back our strength, and I am hoping by the weekend we will be back to normal.