SANTA CLAUS HAS COME…TO TOWN

Today we took Charlotte, Jacob and Oliver to the Santa Claus Parade. It was a pretty special moment for me to the share the parade with the kids. I have loved the Santa Claus Parade ever since I can remember - I even participated in the parade for two years once as a greeter elf and the second time as a poinsettia - so bringing my kids for the first time today was really neat!

Seeing the looks on their faces as the marching bands, clowns and floats came by was priceless. Jacob stood mesmerized by the fence for the full 2.5 hours of the parade, Charlotte was a little less focused but still enjoyed it none the less. Oliver also enjoyed it but fell asleep for some of it too! Nothing against the participants of course ;)

We had a fantastic viewing location thanks to passes we were given for the Rudolf VIP section. It was a great way to see the parade and we can't help but feel a tad bit spoiled by our experience today! 

We are very excited that holiday season 2013 has officially arrived. We can't wait for Christmas and we are already looking forward to next year's parade! 

Eating hot dogs and waiting for the parade to begin 

Mommy and Oliver with the parade in the background

Charlotte meets a clown through the fence

Parade collage

Welcome back Santa…

HAPPY HALLOWEEN....

What a difference a year makes....Charlotte and Jacob were really into Halloween this year. They were excited to carve the pumpkins, couldn't wait to get dressed up in their costumes and LOVED getting and handing out the candy! Oliver even enjoyed the festivities as well! 

We enjoyed spending this evening with our little Monkey, Lion and Tiger and can't wait to see what next Halloween brings!

Halloween Eve...pumpkin carving fun

My little lion and Boston man

Heading out to get their loot 

Trick or Treat

Little tiger

Roar!  

Selfie with Aunt Jally!  

Daddy with his Monkey and Lion

Boston Strong! 

Mommy and my little tiger! 

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY OLIVER....

Silly face in honour of his 1st birthday!

What a great day we had celebrating Oliver's 1st birthday!

It has been an amazing year and we wouldn't have changed a thing about it. Oliver is such a delight to have around - he is alway smiling and laughing and we can't imagine our lives without him. 

We continue to see huge changes in Oliver's developing - from September 9 to October 9 he has:

• Grown and gained weight: His official 12 month stats - 32" and 23 lbs 9 oz (a far cry from his 21" 7 lbs 1 oz at birth)
• Officially started cruising: Chairs, push toys and boxes are Oliver's new friends - whenever he sees these objects he takes full advantage of pushing them to get to where he wants to go. Although crawling is still his mode of preference cruising around the main floor is an exciting opportunity for him
• Expanded his vocabulary: Oliver recognizes dada and uses the phrase when he sees Doyle. He has also started saying ma ma ma although I'm not sure he's 100 per cent sure what that means just yet but he does love saying it :0
• Continued to crawl up the stairs: Stairs are no longer an object for Oliver. Gates are a must in our house now. Oliver wastes no time climbing the stairs outside and inside the house. He even knows when he's gone beyond the gate (if we've forgotten to close it) and looks back at us with this sinister little grin ;)
• Loved pulling himself up on everything: Chairs, the potty seat, boxes, our bed frame, stairs, the coffee table and the stroller are some of Oliver's fav places to pull himself up on. No obstacle is too big for him now ;)
• Eaten everything: There hasn't been a food we've introduced that Oliver doesn't like. 
• Taken to story time at Mables Fables: Oliver loves going to activities with Claire, Charlotte and Jacob - story time at Mables Fables is on of his fav activities!
• Activities outside the house: Playdates with Claire, Charlotte and Jacob, walks in the neighbourhood and a visit to Whittamore's Farm

Opening Claire's present

Sibling celebration

Brotherly love

Oliver and Claire 

The wheels on the bus cake!

Opening Charlotte and Jacob's present 

Present from Mommy, Daddy, Grandpa and Grams

Happy Birthday to you....

Happy Birthday to you....

Happy Birthday....dear Oliver

Happy Birthday...to you!!!

Mmmmm Cake...

Loving the chocolatey taste

YUM....

Best cake ever...

Special moment with Mommy 

Oliver and Daddy

Daddy and Mommy with Oliver

Grammy and Oliver 

Cake face!!! Best birthday ever :) 

WALKING MAN....WELL ALMOST...

Just two weeks shy of his first birthday Oliver has mastered the art of assisted walking! When he's not cruising around the furniture and toys in our house he's zipping around the floors or outside with his assisted walking device! 

I must admit that, despite my not wanting him to grow up too quickly, I'm kind of excited for him to walk unassisted because it will open a whole new world for all of us! My arms will certainly be 23 lbs lighter ;)

It will be interesting to see how long it takes for him to go from assisted walking to independent walking....stay tuned! 

CHARLOTTE AND JACOB'S FIRST DAY OF....NURSERY SCHOOL

Today we marked two very exciting milestones in Charlotte and Jacob's lives...their first day of nursery school and the first time they were apart from anyone familiar to them for a number of hours! They handled their new found freedom like champs and were so excited to go to school. 

Doyle and I delayed our work day so we could walk to school with them. After countless "first day of school" pics on the front steps we set out up the street to Eglinton Public School (Central Eglinton Children's Centre) to Room 108, their home away from home on Tuesday and Thursday mornings until June. They were so proud as they walked with their back packs over their shoulders with Doyle, Claire, Oliver and I walking beside them. 

When we arrived at their room they confidently walked in, hung their bag on their hooks, changed their outdoor shoes for their indoor shoes and headed straight for the toys. We followed them so we could give them one last kiss and then we turned away and walked out....just like that the drop off was over. The transition from familiar to not so familiar had occurred and all the while they didn't seem phased at all. No tears or push back. They just walked away and submersed themselves in their new environment. 

After we left them behind Claire and Oliver headed out for a walk and Doyle and I headed to work. It was a very surreal feeling. Both Doyle and I looked at each other and said wow...where did the last 2.5 years go...it seemed like just yesterday we were looking in at them through their incubator windows at Sunnybrook and now they are pre-schoolers. 

Their time at school couldn't have gone better. Claire said that although they looked tired when she picked them up they couldn't stop talking about all they had done. Charlotte recalled every detail right down to "farting on the potty" and "washing her hands" at the bathroom sink! Jacob was a bit more overwhelmed by the whole thing and had a little cry when he saw her but quickly changed his tune and said he really enjoyed painting and playing. Both were also very excited to tell me all about school when I arrived home from work too! 

One of their teachers, Kristin, lives two doors away from us...we saw her when she came home from work and she told me that Jacob and Charlotte had a great first day and that they have such a great disposition! It was very comforting to hear that feedback! 

Tomorrow we are going to a welcome BBQ at the school for dinner and they return to their classroom for day two on Thursday. 

It is incredibly hard to believe they are pre-schoolers....but both Doyle and I felt very proud of them as we walked out of the school this morning! 

All smiles for his first day of nursery school

No first day would be complete
without the corny front step picture! 

I'm really glad we're in this together!

Hi ho....hi ho...it's off to school we go....

Walking through the front door...
Central Eglinton Children's Centre here we come!

Mommy and Daddy all smiles for Charlotte and Jacob's first day

HAPPY ELEVEN MONTH "BIRTHDAY"...OLIVER

As you can imagine it is getting more difficult to capture a stationary picture of Oliver. At 11 months he's on the move and doesn't really look back! He crawls, rolls, downward dogs and cruises his way to his next location. He is so determined to keep up with Charlotte and Jacob and all the other kids he's around during the day. He loves being part of the action!

We continue to see huge changes in Oliver. From August 9 to September 9 he has:

• Grown and gained weight: We don't have an official weigh in with the doctor this month but our scale at home says that Oliver is 23 lbs
• Cut more teeth: Oliver has cut two new top teeth bringing his total to five on the top and two on the bottom
• Expanded his vocabulary: His new "word sounds" include all done, uh oh and all. They certainly aren't as clear as how I've written them but if you listen closely it sounds like that's what he's saying!
• Started pulling himself up: On Aug 15 two hours after we returned from his 10 month check up at Dr. Greenburg's office Oliver pulled himself up on the side of the bath tub. He has not stopped ever since. Anything he can pull himself up on now he will. He has also mastered getting down from a standing position as well
• Started cruising: Oliver's favourite cruising spots include going around the coffee table and going from the coffee table to the couch
• Crawling up one or two steps: Oliver has figured out how to climb up one or two steps. He has yet to venture higher than that but it's only a matter of time
• Recognizes the Wheels on the Bus song: Oliver's favourite song is The Wheels on the Bus. Whenever anyone starts to sing it he will excitedly start waving his arms, clapping his hands and smiling. It has even stopped him from crying at times too!
• Gave mommy a fat lip: Oliver continues to express his frustration by whipping his head back or throwing it forward. Yesterday my upper lip was on the receiving end of his head whip and it immediately started to puff up and bleed. I was in a lot of pain but he continued on as if nothing happened - he's got one solid head!
• Said good-bye to mommy's maternity leave: My maternity leave officially ended on August 12. Oliver transitioned very well from spending all his time with me during the day to hanging out with Claire, Charlotte and Jacob while Doyle and I are at work! 
• Started going to bed at 7 p.m.: We have started to stretch Oliver's bed time to closer to 7 p.m. so we can spend some extra time with him at the end of the day now that we're both working.
• Said good-bye to his bottles: Oliver now drinks all his liquids from a sippy cup! We officially said good-bye to his bottles on Aug 25
• Activities outside the house: Walks in the neighbour, lots of time at the park and a visit to Riverdale Farm

So hard to believe one month from now
we'll be celebrating Oliver's first birthday

SO LONG BOTTLES....

Our baby bottle collection....4 and 10 oz models

We are officially a baby bottle free house! 

Oliver drank his last bottle yesterday and today I tossed them in the recycling bin! It was kind of a bittersweet moment but has opened up two more shelves in our pantry for other stuff! 

Over the past few weeks Oliver has mastered the art of drinking from a sippy cup so I pounced on this new found skill and decided it was time to say so long bottles before he actually figured out just how much he liked drinking from them! 

It has also freed up some of my time because he really likes holding his cup and feeding himself. I know I'll miss our bottle moments at times but it is a nice feeling to see how proud he is when he's holding his cup and feeding himself!