Easter

So there was a little change of plans for Easter, but it all worked out well.

We were going to go to mass at 8am.. but after a late night of shopping on Saturday night (Finn didn't go to bed until almost 11pm!!!) we all slept in until 930am!

So we quickly got ourselves ready, Finn and I had a quick piece of toast, and we made it to 10am mass in good time to get seats (which was the original reason I wanted to go to 8 so it wouldn't be so busy, but it was okay). After mass we came home and Conor started making scones so we could have them with our scrambled eggs and bacon. Yummy Sunday breakfast!

Then Finn and I went upstairs and played while Conor 'hid' easter eggs. When we came down we gave him his basket and told him to look around, when he found the first one he wanted to open it right away, but we told him to put it in his basket and we pointed out another one. Then he started to get the concept and would "ohhhhhh!" everytime he saw an egg. It was so so so cute. It definitely made up for the egg decorating experience the day before!

After that it was a late naptime and we woke up and got ready to go to some friends for dinner. I'm so glad we got invited out... holidays just feel like any other day when you don't spend it with other people.

It was hot out, and he needed a diaper change, so I threw on some undies for a bit to see how he did. But we had to leave a half hour later... NO I'm not actively potty training!

They served an amazing (and huge!) dinner as always, and we had a great time visiting. Finn was having so much fun playing with all the kids toys (and the kids) that he didn't have a bite to eat for dinner, and didn't even LOOK at the dessert, I was shocked. After dinner Kevin, Eleonora and another girl came over and we had dessert and chatted. It was another late evening, but really nice.

Conor's amazing Almond Orange Amaretto cake!

All in all Easter turned out really well! And here's to spending our last holiday away from our family (for this time at least!)

More pictures in the April section on the sidebar - as well as more videos posted on YouTube - check 'em out!

Christmas Videos

Here are a few of my favorites

1. I love his face after he throws the stocking down and realizes what the Kinder Surprise is

2. His reaction is priceless when he finally notices the train on the box



3. First time playing with his train

4. After he takes his tractor off the track he makes his new "funny face"

Lazy Holidays

Well the last few days have been lazy and mostly uneventful.

I hadn't left the house at all since Mass on Sunday morning. Monday and Tuesday morning I stayed home on the couch while Conor went outside to the park or shopping with Finnian. They would come home for lunch and then Finn and I would take a three hour nap. After Finnians nap yesterday we had a snack and then he was being really fussy, so we let him watch "Thomas & Friends" (we bought one off iTunes, how come we had never thought of this show for him before?!?). Once the show was over he was pretty upset, as usual... but it was almost dinner time so I tried to play with him and distract him.

Nothing was working, and I still wasn't feeling so good so I lay down on the couch and somehow Finnian ended up cuddling on the couch with me. I should have known right then that something was up. We snuggled on the couch for about 15 minutes listening to Christmas music while Conor made dinner.

Then we tried to get him to eat. Finally got him to the table but he only ended up having 1 bite of chicken. I had noticed while cuddling that he was a bit warm, and he was still warm after dinner so we cancelled bath time and I eventually got him back onto the couch with me and we snuggled while listening to music again until just before 8 (about 45 minutes!)

I got him ready for bed and brought him up, he put up a bit of a fuss but then let me read him his books and kiss him goodnight. he woke up a few times with a really stuffy nose, but he wasn't hot anymore.

This morning he woke up very chipper, so we thought we were out of the clear. I actually ventured out to the grocery store with the boys this morning and tried not to over do it. Finnian and I went down for naps again... but his snoring woke me up at 2 so I got up and left him sleeping. I heard him talking just before 3, but then nothing, he fell back asleep. Conor had gone out and got back just after 3:30 and then we heard Finn wake up... unhappy.

He was hot again, and didn't want to eat or drink so I took his temp and it was a bit high.... we've finally got him on the couch watching Baby Einstein (Thomas didn't cut it, I guess) and we'll see how the night goes.

I hate seeing him sick :*(

On the second day of Christmas....

I got a cold :(

About to open his stocking

Aside from that, Christmas Day was great. We ate breakfast and then sat down to open presents. Finnian was as cute as ever!! My favorite part was when he opened his stocking and saw the kinder surprise and it took him a second to understand what it was and his eyes got really big!

Unwrapping the first present

A tractor!

We originally intended on only giving Finnian two presents and a stocking. I had bought a tractor from home and my brother Mike got him another tractor. But lately he really likes to draw, and Conor gets him paper from the recycling bin at school but we were running out, so I bought him a little notebook from the dollar store. While we were there he saw a train set and was just looking at it in awe, so Conor couldn't resist and we got it for him.

Blue notebook, green tractor (from Uncle Mike) and train

Setting up the train set with Daddy

After presents we headed off to church and then home for an early nap since we were going out at 2pm for dinner. During nap time Conor made two apple pies to bring.

Funny face! He looks upset here, but really he's happy and trying to hide it

We headed to the Australian families house for a great Christmas afternoon/evenings. It was the family (with 5 kids), the moms mother and father, and the moms sister, as well as a friend if theirs from the Emmanual community, an aussie friend living in London and Father Anthony (he put up some pics from the night as well on his blog, click here). We had a lot of fun - Finn loves playing with those kids. They had a few little presents for him as well that he pretty much played with the whole night.

Conor's pies that got rave reviews (as well as his truffles and toffee)

The sister, Bron (who we were friends with in Melbourne as well) is currently in culinary school to become a chef, so I think she was the mastermind behind the 5 course dinner last night (they even printed a menu!) and it was very delicious! It was just so nice to spend Christmas Day with a great group of people. We are very blessed to have them living so close (even though they leave in about 4 weeks), and it's nice to know that Finn can play with these kids again in the future.

I hadn't had a nap that day, so I was getting really really tired, so we left their house about quarter to 8, when we got home we went on the computer to see what Conor's family were up to, and got to have a nice 2 hour video chat with them! Finn showed off his toys for a bit but then started melting down, so I got the pleasure of showing off to the grandparents how well Finn goes to bed now! I was pretty proud - haha. After I got Finn tucked in I came back down and Conors family had migrated to the living room with the computer, so it was really just like being there, the whole family hanging around, talking, rehashing old old stories over and over again, and just catching up.

All in all it really was a great Christmas!

The kids watching "A Bee Movie"

This morning I woke up with a cold though, which wasn't very pleasant, and we were going to mass again (yesterday, today, new years day, as well as sunday and then there's a Holy Day of Obligation on the 6th - mass, mass and more mass!) Before we left I couldn't find Finn's soother, so I thought mass two days in a row was going to be a disaster - but he did really well. There's this little boy that's a bit older than him (but a good 2 inches shorter!) who we see at mass every Sunday and they usually acknowledge eachother - but because of our time with the Andersons he's really starting to be able to play with other kids. Anyways, we were in the back pew at mass today and there was a kneeler behind us, so the little boy came over and sat on the kneeler. Finn had two of his new cars there, and so he gave one to the little boy and then just started driving them around together - it was so cute!! Finn shared his cookies and raisins with him and they were making silly faces and giggling... it made my day!

Some of the gang

So that was our Christmas - home away from home!

*My 8 week post still to come*

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

This is a bit of a sad Christmas for me because we aren't in Canada with our families. It's our first Christmas just Conor, Finnian and I. But I'm so thankful to be together and to have so many friends where we are.

Last night we had been invited to a Christmas Eve party, but the son of the family had been sick in the morning, so they cancelled it. Instead we invited our neighbor across the hall (who was also supposed to go to that party) over for dinner. Finnian really likes him, and he showed off by eating a lot of potatoes and meat - we should have our neighbor over more often!!

Finnian went to bed and Conor and I watched a movie and then put Finn's toys under the tree and filled the stockings (err, Santa filled the stockings).

This morning we brought Finnian downstairs and left all the lights off while Conor turned on the Christmas lights. Finnian was really excited. Then when we turned on more lights Conor said "Finnian, what did Santa put under the tree" and that's when he noticed the presents! He was so cute. He grabbed one and then pointed at the ground because he wanted to sit and open them.

We let him play with them for a bit, but now Conor's making breakfast and we told him we will open them afterwards.

We will hopefully skype with my family again tonight (if we don't get back too late from Christmas with the Australians) and then we'll get to talk to Conor's family on Monday night.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Merry Christmas!

I totally forgot to post something yesterday!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. It was really nice being home with my family for Christmas, but I really really missed Conor. I did get to call him though before I went to bed on Christmas day, so that was good!

Tonight we'll go to the extended Sweeney family boxing day Christmas dinner...should be good!

It's Beginning to look alot like Christmas!

Well it is snowing like a madman outside!! It's so nice to look at - although I haven't ventured out yet.

Baby Finnian is doing well, and starting to get some sort of day/night pattern. Unfortunately that pattern involves being very difficult at around midnight for the past 3 nights! haha. But then after he finally goes to sleep, he wakes up twice in the night for feeding and usually goes right to sleep afterwards, which makes Mommy very happy!!

At Conor's cousins house, a couple of blocks away, they have a pond that freezes over enough to be able to actually skate on. So yesterday afternoon Conor and his siblings went and bought some cheap new ice skates. Right now they are over at the cousins testing them out! And it continues to snow and snow.

I was feeling a bit antsy yesterday, Conor has gotten to go out a few times, but I've only left the house twice, to go to the doctor...so I needed to get out of the house. Plus I had left all my pre-maternity clothes at moms house, and since I'm pretty much back to my pre-pregnancy weight, I needed some clothes! So yesterday evening we took Finn over to Grandmas house, his first time there. Mom was pretty excited, she gave Finnian a tour! haha. And it's a good thing we went yesterday, because the snow is not letting up here.

Doctors appointment went pretty well on Monday. Finn is up to 7 pounds 7.5 ounces! He was down to 6 pounds 10 ounces when we left the hospital, so he's doing well in the weight gaining. The doctor was a little concerned, however, about one of his testicles still being a bit big. And he said it didn't feel like it was just fluid filling it, so he's set up an appointment for us to have an ultrasound done to make sure that his intestines haven't slipped in there (a type of hernia) He's kind of a new doctor so I'm hoping he's just being extra cautious and that nothing is actually wrong...cross your fingers!!

Anyways, Conor just got back from skating, time to go!

Bite Christmas Party!

Last night (Friday) we had our christmas party for the cafe, Bite, that I work at.

It was great fun...we went to this restaurant/club called Hoo Haa!

There were 9 of us, and we're a good bunch! Paul, our boss, had been telling us about Hoo Haas amazing parma for the last 2 months!! Oh, parma is like breaded chicken schnitzel with melted cheese on top, and I think it had tomato sauce as well.

All of us, except for the two vegitarians, had the parma...it was sooooo big!! The four of us girls that were at my end of the table probably should have just shared one between all of us, because most of us ate about a quarter of ours!...but it was really yummy.

The gang: (left to right)

Rachel, Matt, Alice, Jess, Jo, Ivy, Me, David and the boss, Paul

THE HOO HAA SUPER PARMA!

Spreading the love :)
Awww, the girls
The loving couple
Ivy and Jo
What a weirdo! haha, but alot of fun

Christmas!

Well our first Christmas as a married couple (and also away from home) has come and gone. Since we had plans for Christmas Day, Conor and I decided to have a special dinner and open our presents on Christmas Eve. We had steak, mashed potatoes, veggies, and garlic bread. During dinner we listened to Nat King Coles Christmas CD and then the Messiah – that music really set the Christmas mood! After dinner we relaxed a bit, had a bible reading and then dove into the presents! Marcia from the Respect Life Office gave me a cupcake recipe book, Liz from Sumo Salad gave us Jelly Belly’s and Conor got me Body Shop body wash, a plant called “Gollum” and chocolate! Conor got a bottle of wine from Monsignor Elliot (the Director at the Institute), a bottle of dessert wine from Dr Nick (a teacher from the institute), and from me he got the first season of the British “The Office”, some flip-flops, lynx dry deodorant and some more chocolates.

Although the previous week we had near 35 degree weather, Christmas Eve and especially Christmas Day, the weather really cooled down to 10 degrees and we had a fair amount of rain and wind – we think that was for us, to make us feel more at home!

Christmas morning we went to 930 mass at the Cathedral. Midnight mass or the Solemn 11am mass would have been very nice, but trams don’t run late enough for us to have gone to midnight mass, and we were going out in the afternoon so couldn’t go to 11am mass – maybe next year. Conor made mint chocolate truffles this past week, so we wrapped up some of them for Dr Nick and his family who were having us over for Christmas Day. After we wrapped them up we hopped on a tram and at the end of the road met Louise (the American student at the school who came to Australia the same time as us) and her mother who’s visiting, and then Dr Nick picked us up from there. They have four kids, two girls 21 and 19, and two younger boys, so that was fun. The girls are really nice, and from what I understand, did most of the Christmas Dinner cooking. I was very happy (and I mean VERY happy) when I saw and smelled the turkey! After missing turkey for thanksgiving I was afraid we wouldn’t have any, but thankfully we had a fairly traditional Christmas dinner – turkey, ham, bread, salads, etc. It tasted great! After dinner Dr Nick’s brother and family came – they have three little kids, the youngest being 3 and they were very cute! Dr Nick had built them a little wooden kart and they had a lot of fun with that! Later on during dessert the little boy kept coming around and bringing everyone cookies – after bringing two or three people a cookie he would take one for himself, hehe. There was pavlova for dessert as well as a cheese cake, plum pudding, blueberry cake and my favorite chocolate mousse!

After we ate (it wasn’t really dinner because we probably ate around 2-230) we played a few games of pool and just sat around the table talking – Dr Nick drove us all home around 8.

We were happy to receive a call from Grannie and Papa Sweeney at 11:30 am Christmas Morning, and they sang “We wish you a Merry Christmas”. Conor’s family also called and sang to us, Conor got to talk to a couple of his brothers and sisters and hear about all the going-ons. This morning I called my mom on her cell phone since I knew she would be at my Aunt and Uncles in Victoria and I got to talk to my brother Dan as well.

So all in all our Christmas went well – we definitely miss you all, but I guess I can handle one more Christmas. When we return my brother Kevin and his family will also be back in Canada and it will be the first Christmas our whole family will have together (and that we’ll have with my niece and nephew) in 8 years I think – so we’ll get an extra special Christmas when we get back.

Today, boxing day, I worked and Conor came into the city and did some shopping. I have tomorrow off, and we got some Christmas money from home, so we’re going to go do some more shopping since the stores will still have sales.

Oh, and this is for mom – Dr Nick also had to cracker boxes with the crowns in them – so we all go to wear the crowns, that felt like Christmas for me!!

***It's the 28th now when I'm posting this, and Conor and I went shopping yesterday and didn't find anything! How disappointing! But now we can save the money to do more fun stuff when Liz comes :)