Long Overdue

Woah! There is a lot to cover in this post! I know it's my own fault. I haven't updated Avery's blog in soooo long. All I can say is that we've been quite busy.

First of all, we bought a house. You see, we need the extra space because in March, Avery will be the proud owner of a new baby brother. It's all very exciting. Between my sister and I, there will be 4 little boys in our lives. Like I keep saying, we are going to have some stinky Christmas'!

After we bought a house, there was just the small matter of selling our condo. Not an easy feat when you have a toddler. Avery can have this place looking like a disaster in all of 30 seconds. Thankfully, the O'Brien's were heading off on a vacation, and were able to leave this place pristine for showings.



Now, you may be asking, "Where were the O'Brien's headed?" Well, that's another big piece of news. Avery's Aunt Leighlow was tying the knot! So, we packed up and headed down on Avery's first plane ride to South Carolina. I've got to say, he was an absolute dream on the flight down. Not one peep. I can't say the same for the return flight. Oh, well... it's a good thing it is only 1 1/2hr ride!




South Carolina was amazing! Not only did Avery get to see Granny KK, Poppy Ray and Aunt Leighlo... he also had the pleasure of meeting Aunt B for the first time! She flew all the way from BC for Leigh's wedding, but we told Av it was just for him ;)
The wedding was perfect; the weather was nice and warm and Leigh looked absolutely gorgeous (Luke didn't look so bad himself!). It's a shame we were only able to stay for a week. But, at least we know we'll be seeing them again soon - as they will be heading up north to see us when our newest addition finally makes his appearance.



Since we were away over Thanksgiving, we had to postpone our annual dinner until the weekend after. This was of course preceded by apple picking at Chudleighs. Now, Michele swears it was colder the weekend prior, but I can't imagine how. We were all popsicles at the end of it. Maybe it was because we had gotten used to the heat of the south! Avery loved Chudleighs; he especially liked playing with the farm animals. I can't believe he wasn't even scared. He also enjoyed eating the apples. Since our visit, he has had an apple every day. I can't believe he can eat a whole one!




Thanksgiving dinner was delicious. Michele and I were shocked as to how stress free it was this year. Well, it as stress free until Avery took a little spill and got a black eye. Our little guy looks like he got into a brawl on the playground. At least that's what we've been telling everyone.

So, in a nut shell, that's what we've been up to lately. Next weekend is Hallowe'en and normally I'd be all over it. However, this year I'm afraid it will be overshadowed by the fact that we are moving two days afterwards. Don't worry, Avery will still go trick or treating... he can't wait to put on his skunk costume. Stay tuned for the pics!

Sleepy Hallow

Pat came home on Friday evening from work to find this:



What can I say? It was a long, long week, and really, I am pregnant; I get tired! Avery too had a rough day at daycare it seems. Or a really good day... he was so tuckered out. We had been watching Y&R on the couch (it's his favourite story - he never misses it). Next thing you know, the show is over and Pat is home. I am so happy Pat was able to snap a pic before Avery woke up. He looks too cute for words!



So, it's been quite busy for us over the last couple of weeks... and things don't down seem to be slowing down at all. We had a busy weekend packing and cleaning, visiting the Katz's new GORGEOUS abode and a trip to Ajax to visit Nanny & Oopa. Nanny gave Avery a piece of chocolate wafer, which sent him into sugar overload. This kid was pretty much jumping off the wall. This is why we don't give him anything sweeter than Arrowroot cookies. We also went out for brunch with Jon & Ann to Cool Hand of a Girl, where Avery enjoyed licking the jam off of his toast. Always the gentlemen, he kept borrowing my napkin to wipe his face. Adorable!




We had wanted to go to Chudleighs for some apple picking, but the rain made us reconsider our plans. We hope to go this weekend, but the forecast doesn't leave me very optimistic. Next week, the O'Brien's are heading to South Carolina to visit the "Outlaws" for Aunt Leighlow's wedding. We can't wait. Avery will finally get to meet Aunt B! I don't think Avery's ready for all the cheek grabbing he's going to get from the Carter women! Watch out Avery!

Our First Mug Shot

Avery was arrested last night for disorderly conduct. Apparently he had too much (milk) to drink and things got a bit crazy. Really, he looks incredibly silly in this picture; Pat and I laughed for about five minutes just looking at it.

This past week I noticed that Av's clothes were looking a little small. I know belly tops are popular among some crowds, however, I think the look is lost on our man. Also, his pants were looking like floods. No wonder, Avery was still sporting his 6-12 month clothes. So, I was able to go through his wardrobe and switch out all of his clothing. It was amazing to me how much less he has as he gets older. It's easy to understand why... at this age, kids clothes get stained, ripped, worn. Oh well, it's just another excuse for Mom to go shopping!



When I was changing out his clothes, I found the most delicious pair of red fleece pj's I forgot I had bought for Avery. Now that the weather has cooled down a bit, it was the perfect excuse to have him try them out. I can't get over how adorable he looks in them; he's like an old man. All he's missing is his pipe.

Heat Wave

Well, it finally seems as though summer is upon us. Frankly, I preferred the cooler weather. So, the O'Brien's spent the weekend trying to stay cool. This included a lovely afternoon swimming in the Topolski pool (and even more fun getting to see the ever growing Oliver!). Truman is a natural in the water and has no fear. I imagine he slept well last night after all the energy he used up swimming. Avery couldn't really get used to the life jacket we put on him... but he enjoyed the water nonetheless.



Today we went for a walk nice and early (although it was already hot at 9am!). We spent most of our afternoon indoors, but Avery was still feeling the heat... so we sprayed him with water. Actually, I was on my way to spray the plants on the balcony, and I thought it would be funny to spray Avery with a bit of water. He loved it. He was pretty much soaked and we tried to take the bottle away and he started crying. What a nutter.



We managed to take a nice walk through the park in the afternoon. There was a nice amount of shade and breeze, so it was really refreshing. Avery fell asleep within five minutes of the walk...so Pat and I got to enjoy so quiet time.

Avery and I are so happy that Pat is back from his trip to the Big Apple. Pat was gone from Wednesday to Friday, and I think Avery really missed him. Avery was pretty much attached to daddy's hip all weekend. It was so cute. And, to be honest, it was nice to have a bit of a break myself!

When Mommy's Away, Baby Will Play

I know, I know... it's been quite a while since my last post. I really don't intend to be so tardy but with work and, I guess, life getting in my way, I haven't had the time (or energy) to blog.

Tonight, I had the wonderful pleasure of going out to dinner with some fabulous friends, which has been long overdue. This left my darling husband and mischievous Avery home alone. When I arrived home, Pat showed me some wonderful shots he took of Avery during dinner.



Avery, who's always had a flare for dramatics, made dinner very interesting, to say the least. Apparently, he would give a sly smile to his father before pouring his milk onto the table. I can't imagine how long it took poor Pat to clean up the mess but the place looked spotless when I got home! Good job hubby!

Daycare continues to be a huge success. When Avery sees us coming to pick him up, he begins to wave his arms in delight and rushes the door (followed by about half of Av's class). I've said it before, I really think that this is what has made my transition back to work so easy. We've even managed to settle into a wonderful morning routine, which includes Avery crawling into our bed to wake Pat up - not always in the most desirable way!



On another note, I would just like to say a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to my dearest friend Camille, Addy and Jay who welcomed home the newest addition to the Ramnath family - Myles. I can not wait to meet him!

Off to School We Go

I know, I know... it's been furevah since I last posted on this blog (sorry Aunt B!). All I can say is that it's been a hectic couple of weeks for our family.
I had very good intentions of writing this weekend, but a little something got in the way. That little something is called Oliver Henri Topolski. The gorgeous darling was born this past Saturday, weighing in at a whopping 9lbs 5oz! CONGRATULATIONS Michele, Jerry, Truman and Morrie. Michele, unfortunately you are now massively outnumbered by the boys club. Avery wasn't quite sure what to make of Oliver when we visited them in the hospital. He sure was persistent in trying to climb into the hospital bed with Michele though!



Now, since my last post, Avery has started attending daycare. All I have to say is that it didn't take long for the little tyke to adjust. His teachers told us that on his third day, he was their new little helper (as he liked to help push one of the younger babes in the swing). By Friday, he didn't even cry when Pat dropped him off. Sheesh... I thought he would miss us a bit more. Thanks a lot kid! Actually, it makes it so much easier for me to be at work knowing that Avery isn't spending his days crying and fussing. Today, Pat and I peaked in the window of the daycare before going in to get him. He was having so much fun, laughing and playing... that is, until he saw us. Then it was instant tears. It's almost as if Avery was upset that we were taking him home.





Returning to work is the other big adjustment happening in the O'Brien household. There isn't all that much to say, except that even the first day of work felt completley normal. As soon as I was entered the kitchen, it didn't even feel as though a day had passed since I had last been there. And, I think that is the strangest part of it all! The adjusting comes into play when trying to figure out how to navigate through our morning routines. We have decided to take turns waking up with Avery (since he still insists on waking up at 5:30am). We tag team through watching Avery and taking our showers and getting ready for work. I never knew I could actually scale down my entire morning routine to just over 15 minutes. However, that might also be why I keep getting scared of my reflection in the mirror at work. Maybe I should dedicate an extra 5 minutes for makeup!



We have been thoroughly enjoying our summer... spending time at the Topolski pool (no dunking for Avery though), picking strawberries, taking long walks and just relaxing. Let's just hope that the weather gets a little warmer sometime soon because in all honestly, it has felt more like fall than anything else.

Father's Day - Take Two

Today we celebrated Pat's second Father's Day. We started the morning as we do every Sunday, with a trip to La Crema for a delicious cup of fresh brew.
We headed over to Michele & Jerry's shortly after for a wonderful family brunch. We had bacon, baked french toast, a fruit platter and my Mom's famous potato salad. Everyone fights over it, including Avery!

The hot weather tempted all of us into the Topolski pool. It was opened just two days ago and was pretty much free of debris, all thanks to Jerry, who spent his Father's Day skimming the pool! We had a ton of fun and could've stayed in all day. PS - Can we talk about how fabulous Michele looks! She's all belly. All pregnant women should be so lucky. Oh, and PPS - That's Pat about to dunk my head in the pool (just joking).





In the afternoon we took a walk to our favourite little park, that we seem to always have to ourselves. Avery enjoyed eating sand, much to our dismay. We finished our day with a BBQ because, really, who wants to cook in this heat. I hope Pat had fun this Father's Day, and I hope all the other dad's out there got to enjoy theirs too. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!