AveryO'sphotos

Halloween 2011!

2011-11-01T18:14:00.000-07:00

It snowed the day before Halloween! Crazy!

Fall Festivities

2011-11-01T18:08:00.000-07:00

We went to Boo at the Zoo!

Avery, our Funny Four year old!

2011-10-16T17:19:00.000-07:00

Avery was so tired after his 1st day of school that he fell asleep in Mom's office:

1st day of preschool:

We made a star chart for Avery -- after he earned a couple of stars, he filled in the rest of the chart himself and tried to fool us, saying he had actually earned them all.

Caleb, our Cute 1 year old

2011-10-16T17:15:00.000-07:00

We're funny: Sesame Street Birthday Dinner

2011-10-16T17:01:00.000-07:00

Happy 1st Birthday Caleb! Daycare edition

2011-10-16T16:53:00.000-07:00

Avery helped me decorate the cupcakes:

hand-me-downs and a puppy

2011-09-08T21:07:00.001-07:00

Caleb is now nearly 11 months old and doing great! He is walking a little bit, he says "Mama" and "Uh oh," and his new tricks are clapping his hands and stretching his arms up when we say "So big!" He just adores his big brother, and they love taking "brother bubble baths" together -- although Avery is usually ready to kick Caleb out after about 2 minutes of Caleb splashing water all over the place and making a big mess!

Flashback to 2008: Avery wore this same tee shirt when he was about 9 months old. We love hand-me-downs!

Mom took Caleb for a walk to the farmer's market where he devoured an entire (huge) peach. Yummy! and messy.

We really enjoyed our weekend guest, Butterscotch. He is the same age as Caleb and just as energetic! We were exhausted, but also giddy from all the cuteness! However, this visit made us realize that we are not going to get a new dog until the boys are much older because they are a lot of work!

Milwaukee: family fun!

2011-08-21T09:48:00.000-07:00

Organ piper's pizza:

children's museum of Milwaukee:

Splish splash in the hotel pool:

Lake Michigan!

summer fun on campus and at home

2011-08-21T07:58:00.000-07:00

We live on a college campus, which essentially serves as a backyard for us. In the summer especially, when things are quiet, we love to just walk around and let the kids explore and enjoy themselves:

Mom always comes up with really fun ideas -- like baking cookies in the car on a very hot day!

Look at our beautiful redhead!

One of our favorite things to do is walk to the playground to play. Sometimes we stop at Dunkin Donuts on the way for coffee for Mama/Mom) and donuts (for everyone). Of course, nothing beats a mud puddle!

Playing in the mud definitely warrants a "Brother Bubble Bath":

Camp Saint Louis 2011 -- part 1!

2011-07-16T05:44:00.000-07:00

At his great grandparents' house, Avery put on very big boots and had fun playing in their yard:

Another birthday cake with Uncle Donnie!

A Saint Louis tradition: frozen custard from Ted Drewe's, which is eaten in the trunk of your car, of course!

First trip to Grant's Farm with Gogo and Aunt Melanie:

Mama joined the rest of the family for the 4th of July weekend. Our first stop: Ted Drewe's-yum!

Another trip to Grant's farm with Victoria, Dan and cousin Colin. We then went to their house, where Avery and Colin played very well together! They ended up in the bathtub together, and Caleb joined them too!

Camp Saint Louis 2011 -- part two!

2011-07-16T05:34:00.000-07:00

It was so much fun to play in the sprinkler at Gogo's house!

We had a great evening at Colleen and Robert's house. Avery and Zoey played really well together and when it got late, they watched some TV together in bed.

We visited Uncle John at the firehouse where he works. We had to warn Avery that John is "very loud but not angry," which Avery kept in mind.

Daycare party 2011!

2011-07-05T19:52:00.000-07:00

Avery on his 4th birthday! He started his day by riding his bike up and down the hallway (and even trying to eat his breakfast on the bike at the same time -- this was unsuccessful). Mom came to his preschool to read his favorite Danny and the Dinosaur book to the class, and we both went to his daycare in the afternoon with cupcakes for a little party:

Avery's 4th Birthday: a puppet party!

2011-07-05T19:32:00.002-07:00

We're not sure how we'll top this next year. What a great party! It was a beautiful day and we had about 50 guests (adults and kids combined). We served coffee, juice, bagels with cream cheese, fruit and cupcakes. The kids made their own puppets out of paper bags and decorations. Peter put on an amazing puppet show -- the adults were laughing as much as the kids! It was fantastic!

2011-07-05T19:32:00.001-07:00

May 2011

2011-05-30T11:47:00.000-07:00

Riding the monorail at the Bronx zoo:

This tie-dyed onesie was from Bubbe, who bought it at the East Lansing Arts Festival, just like the ones she used to buy for Hannah:

At the end of the year class party at preschool:

Caleb fell asleep in the Jumparoo!

Easter 2011

2011-04-25T03:58:00.000-07:00

The bike (complete with a bunny ear helmet) was the big gift from the Easter Bunny this year. This is Avery's first bike, and he took to it like a champ!

a Crown, a Bunny, and Monkey pajamas!

2011-04-09T19:13:00.000-07:00

Avery made this crown at daycare last week and he LOVES it!:

Caleb's first lovey: a cute bunny in a carrot that he picked out from a trip to IKEA.

I was so excited to see these pajamas at Old Navy. Avery had the same ones when he was about 2 1/2. I wish they made them even bigger so that he and Caleb could both wear the same pajamas now!

Caleb's first solid food!

2011-03-28T18:43:00.000-07:00

Caleb has started to look longingly at anyone who is eating food, and since our pediatrician had actually given us the go-ahead a few weeks back, we decided to go ahead and start some solids. Caleb's first reaction to the rice cereal was basically the same as Avery's: GROSS! We're pretty sure he spit out everything that went into his mouth. But it's a start!

Bronx zoo

2011-03-28T18:36:00.001-07:00

We love going to the zoo this time of year because, basically, it's not crowded! It feels like we get the whole place to ourselves! We got to watch the new Dora and Diego 4-D movie without waiting in line, for example! And Avery could run through the Mouse House as many times as he wanted! It was great!

We rode the Bug Carousel 3 times in a row, and we didn't even have to get off in between rides because there was no line!

(The next day, we found out that a poisonous snake had gotten loose, which explained why the Reptile House was closed. We're glad we did not run into that snake!)

Train-cation 2011

2011-03-22T19:26:00.001-07:00

We picked a good weekend to go! The weather was beautiful and it was the grand reopening celebration of the motel, so there was a moon bounce, popcorn, slushies, cake, a magician, balloon animals, and we had a ton of fun!

The balloon animal maker asked Avery what kind of animal he wanted her to make. He answered "Big and green!" It kind of looks like a snake:

"I ride the carousel like Mary Poppins!"

We rode a horse and buggy! It was really fun!

I think Avery jumped in the "monkey bed" (he called it that because, you know, "No More Monkeys Jumping On The Bed!" about 6 times. He LOVED it!

There was a sheet cake but it would be hours before it would be cut. In the meantime, Avery looked rather desperately at it, sat in a chair and put a birthday hat on (no one else was sitting and waiting, by the way, only him), and he justified the wait to himself by saying: "They just had to go get a knife to cut it! They go get a knife and then we eat the cake!" He got the very first piece, and boy oh boy, did he enjoy it!!

Spring Break 2011!

2011-03-15T18:35:00.000-07:00

Never have we been so ready to have a break! Mama gets to spend the first week with the boys (no preschool, no daycare, no work!), and then we are all going to the Red Caboose motel again (1 year since we went for the first time) and then Mom (Turkey) will be home with the boys for the second week.

It is so nice just to be at home with Avery and Caleb. Avery and I finger painted:

AND I baked a cake, just so Avery could decorate it with sprinkles, chocolate chips, and whatever else he wanted! I wrote SPRING BREAK on it, but Avery covered up the R and A.

Caleb's adorableness:
This snake was Avery's, and he used to LOVE it! Luckily, he doesn't seem to mind sharing it with his younger brother!

Caleb likes sitting in the Bumbo seat for a couple of minutes at a time. This, too, was Avery's, but Avery never really used it because, well, his thighs were too chubby for it!

Caleb is 4 months old! (almost 5)

2011-03-08T18:10:00.001-08:00

Funny boys!

2011-03-08T18:06:00.000-08:00

It is HILARIOUS to climb into Grandma's suitcase!

trying on funny Saint Patrick's Day glasses:

Avery slept with his head hanging off of the bed:

A Winter Walk

2011-02-20T16:38:00.000-08:00

This hat used to be Mama's when she was little!

Caleb is so cute!

2011-02-10T04:22:00.000-08:00

More winter fun

2011-02-10T04:18:00.000-08:00

Despite the huge piles of snow everywhere, Avery thought that swinging at my uncle and aunt's house would be a good idea. Luckily, my cousin joined him and they had so much fun!

Snow days at home

2011-01-23T13:48:00.000-08:00

We got one snow day so far at work plus one early dismissal! It is such a great surprise just to all stay at home one day during the week and hang out inside all together. Avery loves to bake (they bake a lot at his preschool), so we decided to make cupcakes:

Cute outfit, cute shoes:

Caleb LOVES looking at himself in the mirror:

Our beautiful Caleb loves his baths:

Avery looks like a teenager to us when he wears a big boy St. Louis Rams sweatsuit!

We sure do love having a play room to contain the messes in! Avery likes to play with trains, Mr. Potato Head, puzzles, his guitar, and to read stories.

Jan. 2011

2011-01-10T20:36:00.000-08:00

Avery has been refusing to wear any sort of jacket/coat/sweatshirt/sweater. But when we got lots of snow and I told him we could go sledding, he put one on. And he LOVED sledding!

Avery likes to show Caleb the proper way to do tummy time:

On our way down to the garage one morning to go to church, Avery decided that HE needed to ride in the stroller -- not Caleb!

Caleb and Mom on her first day back at work after being on maternity leave and his first day of daycare:

Caleb is a lucky duck!

2011-01-10T20:28:00.000-08:00

We held onto this onesie that Avery wore, because we just thought it was so cute. And it is very soft! Of course, this fit Avery when he was 1 month old, and it fits Caleb now that he is 2 1/2 months old. Looking back, I am also struck by how chubby Avery's cheeks were compared to Caleb's. Also, I remember how much Avery adored being swaddled, but Caleb doesn't like it so we never swaddle him!

Saint Louis activities, Christmas 2010

2011-01-01T14:17:00.000-08:00

Avery loved playing with the two dogs, Arlo and Lucy, and snuggling with Melanie. He liked to let the dogs outside so that he could give them their bone treats when they came back in. He was doing this so frequently, that the dogs started refusing the treats -- they were too full!

Gogo feeding baby Caleb:

Caleb with Grandpa and Mom:

We tried to bake cut out sugar cookies and decorate them, like we used to do when we were kids. I even had my Mom's old cookie cutters and rolling pin. The cookies are challenging to make -- it takes a lot of patience to roll out the dough evenly, and a lot of flour so that it doesn't stick. We brought some cookies over to Carolyn's cousin's house, thinking that Avery and Colin would decorate them. I think they each decorated one cookie. Avery at least had fun making a mess and "helping" me bake them:

Decorating one single cookie at Victoria's house:

We went to three different museums: the Science Center, the Magic House, and the City Museum. We had fun, although we also missed all the fun summery things there are to do in STL, so I think we'll try to make a trip there sometime soon when there is warmer weather!
At the Science Center, all Avery wanted to do was stare at the ceiling to look at the huge maze of balls. Seriously, he stared up for at least an hour, and would have stayed longer, but we had tickets for the toddler room.
Where's Avery among the group of boys, all mesmerized by the balls rolling around in the contraptions on the ceiling? Hint: he was the youngest, but not the shortest!

Playing blocks at the City Museum:

he loved the sponge room -- by far the safest area in the museum!

Ready for 2011!

2011-01-01T13:56:00.000-08:00

We are SO ready for a new year and a new start! After all of Carolyn's complications after Caleb's birth, the loss of Rebecca's mother, the stress of moving, and other life challenges, we are ready to breathe again and jump into a new year holding hands!
We had lots of fun in Saint Louis and took full advantage of our in-laws willingness to watch Avery and Caleb (and even get up with them at night so that we could sleep!), and we enjoyed seeing all of Carolyn's family and relatives. Avery loved opening presents on Christmas morning. He was most excited about an alphabet train, a guitar (well, that's what his moms are most excited about), and fun Marquette gear from Aunt Melanie.

Caleb also got some fun Marquette stuff, like this cute hat:

Xmas morning:

Caleb's milestone: he started laughing while we were in Saint Louis! Making a baby laugh is one of the greatest joys in life! And unlike Avery's first laughs, Caleb's are actually recognizable as laughs!

Getting in the holiday spirit

2010-12-21T18:01:00.000-08:00

It has been a rough few months, but we are trying to get in the holiday spirit n St. Louis. Avery is especially happy to send time at home with family as well as go to all the fun places we like here (the cheesy Christmas lights display, the children's museum, the science center, etc.).

Avery riding his "motorcycle":

Avery cuddling with Auntie Mel and the dogs:

Avery fell asleep for 2 hours on his trains! His finger never left the train.

Caleb = Cutie

2010-12-21T07:18:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-12-02T18:56:00.000-08:00

Auntie Mel was so much help as always!

Christy and Mark came to visit!

Everyone adored Caleb. Who can blame them?

T

Baby in a Boppy!

2010-11-21T11:56:00.000-08:00

Monkey Man! Caleb wore a monkey sweater, monkey pants, and monkey socks!:

Brothers and a basketball game!

2010-11-13T19:26:00.000-08:00

Our adorable 1-month old -- at 1 month, he weighs 8 1/2 pounds and is 21 inches long . . . . the exact same stats as Avery when he was born!

Look at our handsome 3-year old!:

At the SLC homecoming game . . .Avery is the biggest fan!

Halloween 2010

2010-11-04T03:51:00.001-07:00

Well, it was Caleb's first Halloween and Avery's third. Avery refused to wear his adorable dinosaur costume at either his daycare party or for trick or treating. But Caleb was willing to wear his skeleton onesie! The daycare party was adorable, as usual. Then we went up to Katonah to see the boys' great aunt and uncle and cousins and go trick or treating. Avery and Jonah went to the parade (even though Avery only had a skeleton shirt on as his costume), and then had SO much fun jumping in a huge leaf pile! Avery finally "got" what trick or treating is; we went to probably a dozen houses. At first, I held his hand and coached him to say "trick or treat" and "Thank you." Then, as he noticed the older kids running up to the doors themselves, he broke away from me to be more independent. A few times he got mixed up and would say "thank you" before getting the candy and then "trick or treat" afterwards. But I don't think anyone minded!

"I wanna hold the baby!"

2010-11-04T03:46:00.000-07:00

Cute outfits and first bath

2010-10-23T18:20:00.000-07:00

Poor Carolyn is back in the hospital for a few days to take care of her C-section wound. But luckily, her sister, Melanie, came to visit and to help out! Melanie and I gave Caleb his first at-home sponge bath (we have to wait until his belly button stub falls off to give him a real bath) and we picked out a cute outfit (everyone loves when there is something on the butt! In this case, it's a monkey):

Before Carolyn went back to the hospital, Caleb wore this bright green "Mommy Whaley Loves Me" onesie. I like this picture of him and Carolyn:

Avery and Caleb at home

2010-10-23T18:09:00.000-07:00

We propped Caleb up in his boppy pillow and a blanket on the couch; Avery took one look and ran to his room and came back with his own pillow and blanket:

Our first outing

2010-10-23T18:03:00.000-07:00

Our first outing was just a short walk outside our building! Poor Carolyn had some complications from her C-section, and she ended up going back to the hospital. This was before she was readmitted to the hospital. Avery ran all over the place and put leaves on Caleb. Avery normally never rides in his stroller anymore, but we thought it would be funny to put both boys in their strollers this time:

Bringing Caleb home

2010-10-23T17:49:00.001-07:00

For his coming-home-from-the-hospital outfit, we chose this elephant onesie that was a gift from Carolyn's boss, since it is adorable, elephant-themed, and newborn sized. Yes, all those 0-3 month sized outfits are too big! Unlike Avery, Caleb actually needs the newborn sized clothing and diapers because he is so little!

Introducing Caleb!

2010-10-15T20:27:00.000-07:00

Well, we will still call this blog "AveryO'sPhotos" although it is now "Avery and Caleb O's Photos!" Caleb was born on October 13th, weighing 7 pounds and measuring 19 and 3/4 inches long. He is perfect! He was born 2 weeks early -- Carolyn was induced after having high blood pressure for about a week. As I write this, Caleb and Carolyn are still in the hospital but will come home the day after tomorrow.

We are thrilled that Avery is a big brother, and we think that once he gets used to the baby, that he and Caleb will be great friends.

We had an amazing view from our (spacious, comfortable) labor and delivery room. It was rather a shock when we moved into the tiny, cramped postpartum room that Carolyn had to share with roommates.

Right after C-section:

Post-bath, we couldn't get over how perfect Caleb looked:

To be honest, Avery didn't show all that much interest in his baby brother. He was more interested in these Thomas stickers that Carolyn had bought him for this special occasion. He did, however, decorate Caleb's hat with one sticker, which the nursery nurses later said helped them to remember which baby he was -- they just looked for the sticker!

Of course, we loved that James was our first visitor in the hospital. He had come to visit when Avery was born, so we were happy to continue that tradition!

Penguins and Zoo time

2010-10-10T17:06:00.001-07:00

What goes well with penguin pajamas? A penguin hat, of course! And to tie together the whole ensemble: some handsome basketball slippers!

We love visiting the Bronx zoo in the Fall, when the weather is cooler, it is less crowded than the summer, and the kids wear Halloween Costumes for "Boo at the Zoo." Avery didn't wear a costume, but we had a great time. Carolyn was a trooper -- we walked a long time and she is nearly 38 weeks pregnant!

Carousel fun!

2010-09-30T19:28:00.000-07:00

We went to Olivia's 4th birthday party at a carousel on Long Island. Avery LOVED it!

Avery with the birthday girl:

36 weeks 5 days!

2010-09-30T19:16:00.001-07:00

We are getting ready for the new baby, and Avery decided to help put things in the crib.

Getting Ready for Baby

2010-09-24T20:23:00.001-07:00

As we get ready for baby #2, our colleagues threw us a big baby shower (a surprise for Carolyn, not so much a surprise for me). It was wonderful, and we were touched by how much thought and generosity went into the festivities.

When we were getting ready for baby #1, we took a "Weekend Warriors" Lamaze class, and we still get together with several couples every few months. It is always fun. This time, our kids are 3 years old! We met up at Central Park where the kids played on the playground, and then we found a nice grassy area to sit and have a picnic:

Avery's first day of (pre)school!

2010-09-14T04:29:00.000-07:00

Avery is starting preschool! He will be going to preschool every day from 9-11:30. Then one of us will come pick him up and take him to daycare for the afternoon while we are still at work. He had met the teacher already, and since the preschool is in our backyard, he knows it well! On the first day, both of us stayed in the classroom to watch him play, color, paint, and then sit at the table with his classmates and eat his snack (raisins) while the teacher read "Goodnight Moon." Avery kept looking at us like "Do you hear this!? She's reading OUR story!!" all excited because he knew the words. Overall, it went well, and we hope that he loves it. The other moms were all very nice, and Avery already made a new friend.

Rye Playland Rocks!

2010-09-11T18:19:00.000-07:00

I had been dying to take Avery back to Rye Playland. We only went once before, for the 4th of July in 2008. It is ridiculous that we haven't been more -- it is less than 30 minutes away, inexpensive (for an amusement park), and so fun! We went with Avery's friend Reed and his mom. The boys loved everything: a slide that you go down in a burlap sack (funny how much they loved the least high-tech ride), a log ride where we got very wet, a kid's roller coaster, and pretty much everything else they weren't too short for! They especially loved what looked to be a decades-old window display featuring Little Miss Muffet who jerks back every time the spider drops down into her whey. The boys shrieked with delight every time the spider dropped! Today was even (LGBT) "Pride at Playland!" so we came on a good day.

This was an odd ride, where the boys sat in a monkey's lap and it jiggled around. They LOVED it and rode it twice!

Hanging out by the Pride pavilion:

On this boat ride, both boys kept getting scolded for dunking their hands in the water. But how could they resist?!

Just relaxing at home:

33 weeks 4 days and fun with a scooter

2010-09-11T18:11:00.000-07:00

Just some cute pictures of Avery playing blocks:

Avery got this cool Toy Story scooter for his birthday from friends. We waited for a quiet weekend day with no plans to take it out and enjoy it outside. Avery LOVED riding it around, and he even took it with him to the playground and buried it in the sand.

30 weeks pregnant!

2010-08-17T16:07:00.000-07:00

Carolyn is now 30 weeks along in her pregnancy. We are so excited for Avery to be a big brother and for this new addition to our family!

Carolyn at exactly 30 weeks pregnant:

Rebecca at 30 weeks pregnant (way back in April 2007!)

Carolyn snuggling with soon-to-be big brother Avery!

Last Saturday, we went to the West Haven beach in Connecticut. We'd been working on the potty training, but it was a beautiful day outside, and we needed to go out! Avery LOVED the beach (well, we all did)! Unfortunately, our camera battery died so we only got a few pictures. But Avery could have spent all day sitting at the edge of the water, letting each wave splash his chest, and shrieking with joy each time.

This was the same beach we took Avery to when he was just a couple of weeks old:

Fun with Parker!

2010-08-10T18:49:00.000-07:00

We went up to Massachusetts to visit our friends. Avery adores their daughter Parker. Since we got back, he has been asking to "go Parker's house?" It is so fun to see them playing together. Avery also played with her baby brothers and sister (triplets!).

I LOVE the joy and exuberance expressed in these two pictures:

Blueberries for Avery

2010-07-25T16:07:00.001-07:00

We drove up to a farm near Red Hook to pick blueberries! Avery at first was very good about putting each blueberry carefully into the bucket. Then he decided that eating them was more fun! The farm had its own cafe where we ate lunch and fed some goats.

Swinging and Zoo time

2010-07-22T17:16:00.000-07:00

Avery is getting ready for his baby brother . . . he has been enjoying rereading his "baby" board books, swinging in the baby swing, and he even wanted to go for a stroller ride (the first one in months if not a year). We're hoping he kind of gets this out of his system before the baby is born!

I took Avery to a special members-only evening at the zoo. We went into the Mouse House THREE times! Avery loved the mice, and the skunk, and he learned the word for chinchilla. Some of the animals who are nocturnal are kept in dark cages, so Avery ran by them, yelling "Good night! Good night!"

Avery's 3rd birthday: Sno-cones and Sand art!

2010-06-27T16:00:00.000-07:00

We had such a fun time just setting up for the party! We blasted Lady Gaga songs, danced, and munched on the snacks!

The Sno-Cone machine was definitely a hit!

We set up a table with sand art supplies; it was also a big (messy!) hit.

Avery turns 3! Daycare party!

2010-06-26T16:32:00.001-07:00

Lately, Elphy has been accompanying Avery to daycare:

Avery LOVES Miss Belen (also Miss Frieda, Miss Bero and Abuela!)

Spencer turns 1: happy birthday!

2010-06-26T16:28:00.000-07:00

Gogo and Grandmpa save the day (well, week)

2010-06-20T06:31:00.000-07:00

Carolyn and I have been extremely busy lately. We are both working a lot -- I am teaching an evening class 4 evenings a week for a few weeks out in Queens, so I don't get home until 9:00 most nights. Last week was even busier: Carolyn was gone at a conference for three days, I presented at a conference for one day on Staten Island, and then Carolyn and I went away for an overnight trip to Maryland for a wedding. So Gogo and Grandmpa planned to have their visit coincide with our busy time so that they could help out with Avery. It was a tremendous help!

Avery makes EVERYTHING into a train:

Grandpa with Avery at Stew Leonard's:

Carolyn and I dolled up at the wedding:

Michigan-Massachusetts Trip

2010-05-31T10:40:00.000-07:00

We spent a few days up in Michigan at Bubbe and Opa's house.

We went to the East Lansing Arts Festival, and we took a break to get ice cream at the MSU Dairy Store. Yum!

Avery loves his Opa!

Avery with his aunts and his puzzle:

My parents' neighbors have an awesome trampoline!

We got to visit our friends and see their new house!:

Our hotel in Massachusetts had a great indoor pool. Avery was a bit reluctant at first to go in, but once he came in the pool, he didn't want to get out!

We took our friends' daughter with us to the Holyoke Children's Museum, which was lots of fun. They had so much fun making big bubbles, exploring how leaves blow in the wind, and buying vegetables at the pretend market:

It's hard not to notice the huge size difference between Avery and Parker (who is about 6 months younger than Avery). Parents at the museum tried to figure them out (assuming that they were brother and sister, when told how old they are).

No trip to Massachusetts is complete without a visit to the Yankee Candle Flagship store (where it is always Christmas and snows every 4 minutes -- we love it!) and also to Shelburne Falls, where we visited the Bridge of Flowers and saw the falls:

Playing Trains with Gogo and Sarah Lawrence Pride

2010-05-31T10:39:00.001-07:00

Norwalk Aquarium

2010-04-24T19:16:00.000-07:00

Easter 2010!

2010-04-05T19:35:00.000-07:00

Our Train-Cation in Strasburg, PA

2010-03-19T17:37:00.001-07:00

Our motel was great! We got to stay in our own caboose! And the motel had a petting zoo, two playgrounds, a gift shop, rides, and an amazingly nice staff! We'd had such a good time when we went to Dutch County last summer, we decided to return to check out all the trains!

We ate breakfast in the motel's restaurant (which was an actual dining car from a train). The waitresses were very charmed by Avery. Avery loved his big blueberry pancake!

The gift shop had a love tester! (like the "Love-matic Grandpa" on The Simpsons!)

We went to the train museum where we looked at old train cars and played with a lot of model trains. Then we walked across the street where we got on board the oldest running train in the world (from 1882) and took a short train tour of the area.

We stopped at Bird-in-the-Hand Bake Shop to stock up on some homemade jams and to get Avery an ice cream cone and let him play on the playground.

We couldn't come to Strasburg, PA, without making a pilgrimage to the Thomas the Tank store. We ended up buying just a couple of Thomas things, and Avery didn't even throw a temper tantrum! A true Thomas miracle!

Hannah's visit

2010-03-19T17:34:00.000-07:00

Hannah came to visit for a few days during her Spring Break. Avery loved seeing his aunt! Hannah and I had fun ice skating, seeing "Billy Elliot" on Broadway, and shopping!

Avery the Artist: finger paints!

2010-03-04T15:52:00.000-08:00

Babies and Birthday hats

2010-02-22T13:37:00.000-08:00

Avery's new favorite chore:

Avery's friend Reed turned 2 and had a Thomas the Tank themed birthday party at daycare. Avery wore the Thomas birthday hat home, in the bathtub, during story time, and even wanted to wear it to bed, but we took it off because of the elastic. Oh and look, Avery finally got to wear his handsome dinosaur sweater (size 5T!) that we got at a consignment sale.

Avery found his baby doll, "Baby Avery" and has been kind of obsessed with tucking him into bed. "Tuck in! Tuck in!" Avery says. Cute, right?!? The last time we remember Avery playing with "Baby Avery" was here.

Snow day and trip to Massachusetts

2010-02-14T17:19:00.000-08:00

Last Wednesday was a Snow Day! No work, no daycare! We took Avery outside to walk around and play in the snow. Avery enjoyed kicking his green ball around and he tried to make a snow angel after Carolyn showed him how, but he forgot to move his arms and legs. Then we went back inside to warm up. We brought all our bedding and pillows into the living room and rented "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" on TV. We made Avery hot cocoa, but he was not at all interested, so he drank juice instead.

Avery enjoying his new Thomas book (a gift from Bubbe and Opa):

We headed up to Massachusetts to visit our friends and go to their daughter Parker's birthday party. She and Avery are close in age but on completely opposite ends of the size spectrum but played pretty well together and were very cute!
(Avery slept in the car on the way there):

Parker has three baby siblings (triplets!). She and Avery tried to play in the babies' bouncy seats. Parker fit okay, but Avery was really too big:

Decorating a Birthday Cake

2010-02-06T18:36:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is"Turkey Mom's" birthday but we decided to have some cake and presents tonight. I just made chocolate cake from a mix. When Avery saw the box, he recognized the photo of the finished cake on it and said "Cake! Cake!" and we had to explain and show him that the cake has to be mixed up and baked. Then when it was cool, we made frosting and decorated it. Avery wore an apron and LOVED putting on the frosting (well, eating it) and shaking on the sprinkles! Then we (I) sang "Happy Birthday!" and Avery clapped and then helped to blow out the candles. Happy Birthday Mom!

This is what the apron says. We got it when we won a gift certificate here during the R Family Cruise.