HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Well Hello everyone,
Sorry it has been a while since my last blog...but we have been very busy getting ready for the season. I am really excited about my first Christmas. I sent a letter to Santa Claus to make sure he knew about me since I am new on the scene and he sent me a letter back saying that I had been an excellent boy and he could hardly wait to come and visit me. As I write this blog I am aware that my Big Cousins are on their way to our house. They are probably in the air right now! We are all very excited here. Nanny Carol arrived safe and sound and has been giving me loads of hugs and kisses. She gave me one from my Auntie Celia and Uncle Geoff...that one was a bit sloppy! And I got one from my Auntie Sandra and Uncle David...that one was a bit long!! She seemed to enjoy giving them to me in fact she's given me a few for herself too I think!!
There have been some changes around here to get ready house full of people we are going to have....most importantly...my bedroom is a bit crowded now with a new double decker bed that my cousin Ellie gets to sleep on top of with her mum and dad on the bottom...I have to move into my Mum and Dad's bedroom while they are here although Dad said maybe auntie Kate and Uncle Dave might let me sleep over with my cousin Noah in their room!!
Well folks...I should go....I have to get to bed so I am well rested for the big days to come. I love you all....wish you were all here (although I am not sure we could fit any more double decker beds in our house). Have a peaceful and happy Christmas. We are thinking of you all!
God Bless us everyone!!
Love
Ollie
ps...mum and dad say happy Christmas too!!

Let it Snow!!

Just a quick one!! Yesterday Mum and I had to nip out....Dad had the rental car (our car is in the shop after Dad got rear-ended two weeks ago). There was all this white stuff floating from the sky that I didn't like hitting me in the face!! It was really wet and cold. It was better when Mum turned me around in the push-chair and put the visor up over me so that it didn't hit me!! In fact, I found it hilarious watching Mum with her funny hat on with all that white stuff landing on her!! Later Mum let me touch it....it's really funny stuff!! When you touch it it gets wet and disappears!! I can hardly wait until my cousin Noah and Ellie get to check it out with me. Mum said its called Snow!! Here's a picture of me ...unfortunatley, all the excitement took it out of me...as you can see!!
17 Days til Christmas!!
13 Days til Nannie Carol!!
16 Days till Auntie Kate, Uncle Dave and Cuz' Ellie and Noah!!
Hooray!!!
Ollie
XOXOXOXOX

Week 27

Hello Everyone....I'm a day late...sorry!! Well, I have had yet another eventful week. Mum had to work in Sarnia both this weekend and last weeklend so, Dad and I got to chill out in the hotel room most of the weekend. We got this really cool big boy chair for me since I am now way too long for my baby car seat! Dad was trying to put me in it but I was way too interested in chewing on all the new unchewed straps I really wanted the one with the red button on it that is at the bottom...unfortunately, Dad can'tplug me in if I am bent over chewing on that one! We took a picture of me in this car seat as I look like I am drowning in it cuz mum and dad say that's what I looked like in my old one and now I look all cramped up in it because I am growing so quick!
I went to the Doctors this week and had my needles again. Once more I was very brave....braver then Dad who only had to get one needle and was trying to make excuses to the nurse as to why he didn't need it. But mum said if he gave me the flu he would be inBIG trouble so, he got his flu shot in the end!! By the way, I am now 72cm!! Which means I am still one of the tallest 6.5 month olds around! I am still skinny as the doctor said I weighed15 lbs something...but mum is going to weigh me again because she doesn't think that is quite right!
Last weekend we went to visit my friend Noah with his parents Peter and Kristi, he is so big now...he was showing me how to dance and walk and talk...I was getting tired just watching him!
By the way, I am not going to like my mother very much for insisting to put that first picture up on the web when i am older...however, she was telling you that I was being a big boy using the big boys toilet and she thinks I look so cute beingso tiny on such a big toilet that she thought she ought to show you all...I apologize for that!
This pic below is me eating my grandad's brain. I am still hungry as a result!! ha ha!! All of you who are coming to visit me at Christmas beware...If you bend your head in front of me like Grandad Bernie here...I am likely to have a good chomp! It's one of my favourite pastimes!!

Dad and mum are getting all excited about Christmas...they got some new furniture delivered last week...and Dad got an early Christmas pressie which was his surround sound so that we can listen to some "phat" tunes when everyone is over. Grandad Bernie insists that we get "Oh Holy Night" by Luciani Pavarotti...guess what... Dad says even he'll sound good thru the new speakers!
16 Days till Nannie Carol arrives!
19 days till Auntie Kate, Uncle Dave and cousins Ellie and Noah arrive.
Till then!!
Ollie
xoxoxoxo

Week 26

Hello Everyone,
Sorry about the two week hiatus...however, computer difficulties made it impossible! Dad was at the computer when a warning box came up saying "The hard drive is about to fail" an ominous message! Shortly thereafter, the screen went black and now our old computer makes a great paperweight Dad says. Fortunately, Grandad Bernie has lent us a lap top until Mum and Dad get a proper computer!!
What an eventful couple of weeks I have had!! I have added to the solid food menu significantly. I have now tried sweet potato, apples, pears, mango, rice and oatmeal cereal, bananas, butternut squash and prunes!! I am not a huge fan of the butternut squash but I love everything else....including the prunes as you can see by my photo! I have taken quite an interest in feeding myself also which Mum and Dad seem to discourage...who knows why??
I have also mastered the art of sitting up! From my Thanksgiving photo's you can see that my sitting abilities were kind of rudimentary! I had to bring my face to everything that I wanted to chew. Now I just pick it up and bring it to my mouth!!Let me tell you...that is alot easier on my Tummy especially after a meal!!
Mum had to give me the prunes for obvious reasons!! I won't go into details...however, we have had success I am pleased to announce that I had my first number 1 and 2 on the toilet!! Dad usually sits with me and we have a great chat and I play with my toes until I need to get down to business...We have to buy me a special seat for the toilet Dad says because I am not quite angled correctly at the moment and can make a mess! Anyway, I think I am a very clever boy and Mum and Dad seem to agree!!
Right...I will try and upload these pics of me now so you can see how big I am getting. There is one picture that I want my Nannies to put their glasses on for and read my shirt!! After all there are only 27 shopping days until Christmas!!
Bye Bye for now!!
Ollie
xoxoxoxo

Week 24

Well folks,
What a week!! As you can see by my previous posting, I am now eating solid foods!! My Dad always told me it was good stuff but, I never imagined just how good!! After a couple of days of rice cereal, I had some oatmeal cereal which was pretty good but by day four I was bored with cereal alone...so, I refused to open my mouth for mum. When she did manage to sneak some in I would blow raspberries to get rid of it. She was wearing almost as much as I was. Auntie Tarika (God love her) suggested that mum add a bit of banana to my oatmeal. At first I thought Mum was really stunned just not getting the hint that I wasn't interested...but, when I licked my lips...WOW!! It was a food explosion! As Peter Kay would say, "this is the future!!". I couldn't get enough. In fact when I finished my bowl I cried and so I got more!! I love it!! I can hardly wait to see what comes next!
I have a few photos from a day out I had with mum and Dad. They took me on a trail called the Maitland trail which is by the Maitland River just down the road from our house. Mum and Dad tell me that I am really lucky because the weather this summer and fall has been phenomenal. Dad was warm enough wearing just a T-shirt on November 12!
Well Mum says I better let her get on with the technical stuff because it sometimes takes a while to get all the photos uploaded. So, I'll sign off and let her take over.
By the way, I would just like to wish my Big Cousin Ellie a happy fourth birthday. Mum tells me I better not grow up as fast as my big cuz is!
Later Gaters!

Look at ME!!!

Wowweee!! I have been practising chewing for a while and it finally came in handy!! After attacking a piece of my mum's toast they thought they would try me with some cereal...Guess what? I loved it...can you tell by my photos???

Happy Halloween!

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Wow!! What luck...two posts in one week! I just thought I would put these pics up on
< my website so you could all see my exceptionally original Halloween costume. I told my Mum that this wasn't very original but she insisted that I would look cute...and that she wouldn't be wasting money on a costume for me when I was in bed by 18:30! We only had about five trick or treaters this year...Mum couldn't believe it! There was one kid whose mum brought him round and he wasn't even dressed up!!!What is that about? He only got one candy and he was lucky he got that..Mum told him that if he didn't dress up next year she wouldn't give him anything....Fancy that..his mum took him out even though she said, "He just won't dress up" My mum said.."Well then I'd say, I guess your not going out!!"
Anyway, here are my shots...talk about higher education...those are some tall books!!

Week 22

Hello adoring fans,
I am sorry I haven't updated sooner. Those cousins of mine are making a show of me what with two blog updates in as many weeks! However, I do have a good excuse as I have been globetrotting again. Well not really globetrotting as I stayed on the same continent and within the same country even however, it is still a good excuse! So, as I mentioned in the previous blog. Mum and I left dad all on his own and off we went to New Brunswick to visit Mum's friend Gilly. Gilly was the lady who's wedding I went to in Newfoundland when I was a tiny baby. She thinks I have changed alot!!! I think I made her a bit broodie since I put on my best charm while I was out there! Here is a picture of me outside her house. She had these curious orange things she referred to as pumpkins. I was more interested in the pokey stuff that they were sitting on. I even tried to eat a bit but Mum wouldn't let me.
So after spending one day at Gilly's off we went to PEI to visit Helga and Steve. Helga and Steve have two new friends for me. I met Matt who is 22months for the first time and his little brother Ben who is only 8 weeks old but...he weighs just 3lbs less then me! His mum had to feed him alot while I was there. I also met another creature while I was at their house. He was huge and furry. I thought he was hilarious. Mum tells me he's a dog. One day, I was killing myself laughing at him because Steve was using this loud tool to work on the house. Everytime the tool made its loud noise, the dog jumped and I giggled. Soon, the dog was running all over the house barking at the tool and I was killing myself laughing. Here are a few photos of me and my new friend. His name is Jasper! I told my Dad when I got back that I would like a furry thing maybe a bit smaller but he's so mean he says I have to wait til I grow up a bit!



















I will eagerly await your comments. I am off to bed now. Take care everyone.
Mum and Dad say "Hi" and the countdown is on for Christmas!
Love
Ollie
XOXOXOXOX

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Hello Everyone,
As a special Thanksgiving treat I thought I would throw on an extra blog!! Three times I had a very funny little tale about the weekend past however, due to computer difficulties...I lost it three times and nearly lost the plot at that....so, I decided to give up and now I'll just send the important stuff anyway...the photos...
The following photos...are 1. Me in the tub with mum getting ready for the Thanksgiving celebrations!
2/3 me showing you how clever I am ...sitting up on my own...sure enough mum or dad have to be close by since I tend to topple to one side or another however, I am getting ther
4. Me in my splash outfit that I got from my great Auntie Celia and Uncle Geoff!
Enjoy the photos...I'll be back after my trip to PEI with Mum!

pics to accompany week 18 post

For whatever reason the pictures wouldn't publish to the last post...now that Adam has defragmented the hard drive and virus scanned etc...we'll try yet again!!
here goes!!
YAY!! It worked finally!!
I'm publishing this before we get infected again!!

Week 18

Well Adoring Fans...
Thank you all for your comments. My mum and dad really enjoy reading them. Especially my mum since she is the one that goes to all the trouble of keeping this up to date! Well, I have been a very busy boy. Immediately after my mum wrote the last post I decided to have my very first belly laugh!! You would too if you saw the antics both mum and dad were doing in an effort to hear me! I had to give them something. In fact Dad was breaking into a sweat while jumping up and down flapping his hands around and saying something nonsensical like bleble ble...anyway, it was hilarious, I laughed so hard that my tummy hurt the next day. Typical mum she started blubbering because she was so happy to hear me so happy...that doesn't make much sense to me! As per usual they got the camera out and got a short clip of my first belly laugh that I am sure they'll be more than happy to share with anyone who cares to listen.
Mum had to go to work in Sarnia this weekend so it was just me and Dad and Gerry (the giraffe that I love that Nanny Carol gave me) I had a good time wrestling him on the bed while Dad of course took some photos...he'll probably stick some on here for you. I have really gotten the hang of eating my feet too....Dad and mum make crazy songs about it. It's not that I am hungry or anything since at my last doctors appointment I weighed 14 lbs and 9 ounces...they are just so tempting with those wiggly things attached that mum and dad refer to as my stinky toes!
I had my second set of immunizations...once again I was a brave boy for the needles but I had a harder time afterwards. I was a little out of sorts for a few days, Mum and Dad didn't know how to help me....I'm not usually so edgy. Unfortunately, I wasn't the happiest camper at my cousin Claire's wedding because of my sore legs....however, I did look really cute regardless sporting a lovely orange sucre d'orge outfit from my Great Auntie Celia. I would have a picture of me in it...but Dad forgot the camera!!
The big upcoming event for me and mum is that we are heading out east again...this time we are going to New Brunswick to visit mum's friend Gillie and Colin who have a new house there..and then we are off to P.E.I to visit Helga and Steve....Helga is that crazy lady that made mum run the marathon a few years back. I am looking forward to meeting my new little friend since Helga had her second baby in September- Baby Ben.
Right...I am knackered so I am off for a snooze. I hope you are all well and keep the comments coming!!
Ollie
XOX

Week 17

Well....all of us survived my return to work! Dad even managed to hear Ollie at night without prompting....or at least not alot of prompting. While on Dad-duty Oliver decided to surprise his Dad....Adam got up in the night to see what was the matter...when he noted that Ollie was soaked in "sweat"...for some reason he thought I might like to come in and feel for myself (at 4 a.m I opted rather to stay in bed!)...shortly thereafter I was delivered one changed, saucer-eyed Ollie to take care of while Dad cleaned up the aftermath....apparently what Adam had been feeling (and rubbing all over Ollie) was not sweat!!! He he...no pictures of that event unfortunately!!
Ollie is getting more and more active....the feet have officially made it into the mouth this week. They just have trouble staying put. He has discovered that kicking the toys beneath his gym is much more fun now then batting at or grabbing them...in fact, he kicked one so hard it wrapped itself around the top bar!! Showing signs of soccer skills to come perhaps?
In an effort to get rid of the bald spot at the back of his head...we have invested in a little chair called a bumbo...you'll see a pic of Ollie in it...actually this is his friends..Ollie's is yellow...Ollie is chuffed seeing the world in a whole new way. He has even joined mum and dad at the dinner table in his throne.
Well that's it for now folks...we'll keep you posted!
ps....We now have light and electricity in the dining room!!! It has only taken 3years!!! Just in time for Christmas!

Week 14

Hello adoring fans....
Well, what an eventful past couple of weeks for the little man! He went on his second flight on the first of September and his first overseas flight. Initially we thought the trip over would be the easier of the two flights since it was an overnight flight and Ollie tends to sleep for 12 hours now per night...so, we thought...perfect feed while taking off and then to sleep shortly afterwards and when he woke up we'd be at Nanny Carols. All went according to plan until shortly after take off the pilot had to blast his announcement as to how high we would be flying...how long it would take and what the temp and time in Manchester was (who cares when you just take off?? and who designed the plane to put the skycot right beneath the speaker??? Do they want screaming overtired children on the plane?) Anyway, after a long announcement in English..we wait long enough to settle all the startled children back off and then go thru the same announcement in English...then, we apparently had the time in Manchester wrong so you need to correct that don't you.......CAN'T YOU JUST FLY THE PLANE???? Anyway, despite fractionated sleep...Ollie charmed them all onboard with smiles and has now found the volume button and managed therefore to be heard chatting over the din of the engines. The trip home was much better with Ollie sleeping and waking as per his usual routine and once again winning the hearts of the surrounding passengers with smiles and chuckles and chatter! This is his latest achievement...he loves to hear the sound of his own voice now (more and more like his dad every day!!) So, he squeals and giggles constantly. He has also found his feet and concentrates on them very hard indeed he has managed to grab his big toe and is desperately trying to pull that foreign object into his mouth (which is the ultimate destination for all new discoveries it seem) but has yet to overcome the strength of his thigh muscles! Still unable to do it despite his father lying on the floor and demonstrating the ease with which he can put his big toe in his mouth! Not a pretty picture!!
Ollie had a great time in England...hanging out with his big cousins Ellie and Noah. I think he must have had a chat to Noah since Noah had never rolled and Ollie hasn't really bothered for a while but the day after the two met and had a chat...Ollie woke up and rolled numerous times for his nan and Noah decided to roll for the first time ever that day as well...so, I think they were having a chinwag about this the day before.
Right...well, we are off to unpack....I am back to work this week....ugh....quite nervous as I haven't even thought about medicine since I had Ollie!!
Take care....no pics this week...will put one of his airplane shots on when I manage to get them uploaded.
Thanks to everyone in England that made the effort to come and see us...we had a great time and we miss you all. We are looking forward to the next visit which will be in January/March!

"I may look like my Dad...but, I love my Mum!!" 

After: "Don't be disgusting...I don't know what you are talking about" 

Before: "It was an accident" 

Week 12

Well week 12 has brought about some significant events. The rolling from Tummy to back was short lived. Apparently that becomes old news within 4-5 days as we have not seen a roll since. Now while on the tummy we prefer to rub our nose in the carpet and complain. An added bonus of tummy time is the ease with which one can shove the new found curiosity into one's mouth...these being the fingers, thumb or often times the whole fist (if I hear any comments about getting the large mouth from his mother there will be repercussions!).
Ollie is now sleeping a good 12 hours thru the night...this too was accomplished at the 9 week mark...on the odd occasion when he does wake...his mother asks his father if he would like to go in and see to his son to which Dad starts "shushing" from the comfort of his bed...not so helpful now that Ollie has moved to his own room!!
Ollie has started to giggle a bit..no full belly laughs yet but his dad is the one who has got the best laughs from him to date...apparently having your legs picked up and dropped on the bed whilst someone says "boom" is one of the funniest things ever when you are 12 weeks old.
On Saturday evening Ollie attended his second wedding and his first East Indian wedding. He was called up to the stage for a dance and spent much of the night entertaining surrounding tables with chatter and smiles while table dancing....we came out a few bucks ahead thanks to the scimpy g-string we had him dance in !! (Just kidding Carol...he wore one of the many outfits you have sent him!)
Today he has decided that lifting ones head during tummy time is passe as well. Instead he keeps his head down...bends at the knees and pulls them into his chest so that he can mash his face into the carpet and then push his legs forward thus propelling his whole body forward. Dont worry it has been caught on video!
We are looking forward to our next family trip as we head over to the UK on Thursday...arriving Friday. This will be Olivers second flight, his first at 5 weeks to Newfoundland for his first wedding was a great success. Now that he is so much older and so much more interested in his surroundings I am expecting that we may not be as lucky as the first time (he slept the whole way there and back).
Now I am going to include some photos if I can and even a short video clip of "the roll" if I am able. One of the photos I had to include was a before and after shot of a rather volcanic eruption that Oliver created for his father. I am not usually the one in our family who finds humour in bodily functions...I think we all know who that is...Katey and Dave.....however, the look on his face in each of the pics is priceless.
Keep the comments coming or who knows what drivel I will resort to!!

WOW!

Well I am amazed by this! How easy is this....Sorry that so far this is probably the most boring website ever however, Adam has just arrived home from his "footie" match and I wanted to show him how to do this too. I certainly hope I am better at keeping a web diary then a hand written one since the only time I ever cracked the spine on my diary as a kid was when I was in the depths of despair...looking back at it now it looks as though I had the saddest childhood...but then if you looked at the entry dates you'd see that there was at least a year or two between entries!!
WEll are there any requests of this website or are you just happy to hear me ramble. If you have specific picture requests just let me know as I have about a thousand or so photos that I am more then willing to share.
Off to bed now...

Just teaching Adam how to do this! 

on the beach 

hmmm...not sure what I am doing

Well folks..I have established this site in an effort to keep you up to date on all Halligan/hawley events...most importantly the comings and goings and photos of the most recent addition. I am not sure what I am doing however, so I am hoping for a steep learning curve! Here goes!