A Disney Delight

Way back when tickets went on sale for Disney on Ice, Oliver was still spinning and kicking in the womb and Isabelle had no idea such a spectacle even existed. Needless to say, things have changed since then, the family of 3 that bought the tickets attended today as a family of 4 and Isabelle was hooked! Oliver didn't see much of the show as he huddled snug to his Mom throughout, but Isabelle more than made up for his lack of applause. It took her a few minutes to figure out what was going on, but the instant she saw Nemo come zipping towards her, she was officially excited. All of her favourites were there, Belle, Cinderella, Snow White, Ariel, Tinkerbell... all except Sleeping Beauty, who Isabelle noticed was missing and has been asking why ever since. Aside from the giant popcorn box that she devoured, Isabelle's big highlight was at the end, when all the characters skated past her front row seat to say hello. Snow White and Ariel waved and offered to shake her hand, but Isabelle was a bit shy at first. She soon perked up and was proud to shake the hands of Jiminy Cricket, Minnie, and Tinkerbell as she beamed from ear to ear. A quick stop at the souvenir stand to get herself a Cinderella goblet for her apple juice and one Disney-struck toddler was on her way home, full of stories to tell her family and friends in the coming days! A good trial run for the onslaught of Disney coming down south in 2 weeks!

The other Belle of the ball and her prince


Popcorn princess


M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!


See you all in a few weeks!

Oh, To Be Young Again

Wouldn't you love to spend your days like Oliver does? No obligations, no work, no bills, no taxes, not a care in the world...and he has already perfected the classic male posture!

West Coast Wonderment

It did not take long for Oliver's reign as the youngest in the extended family to end as great news has arrived. Madeline, Adrian and Emilia welcomed Isaac Oziewicz into the world last night! Congratulations and I hope you can hear us all cheer from way out East. We are so happy to see that Six Mile Lake will have yet another little one gracing its waters this summer. Look forward to hearing all about the delivery and the chaos that has surely ensued ever since. All the best to you and once again, congratulations. Get that boy fitted for some skis!

Tep Strikes Again

Anyone who knows Auntie Tep knows she has a supreme knack for shopping and especially gift-giving. She always hits the nail on the head and today was no exception as a box arrived from the west coast. Amongst the many riches for Oliver was a special treat for fashionista Isabelle, who couldn't have loved it more. Every spring wardrobe needs the perfect hat!


Our thoughts remain in BC as Tep gets set to be a grandmother again, with Madeline and Adrian set to deliver baby #2, maybe even today! Emilia, hope you are ready to be a big sister! We wish them well and can't wait to hear news of the blessed event. Seems like such a short time ago when Emilia's first big family event was our wedding. Where does the time go?

One Marvelous Month

Seems strange to say given how quickly the time has gone but Oliver is now one month old! Wasn't it just yesterday that we were in the hospital welcoming him into this world and showing him to his proud big sister? Wow, busy times but also fabulous times as we have all adjusted well and become a happy and loving quartet.


He had his one month checkup with Dr. Chan today and we are proud to say that the little guy is packing on the pounds (or maybe ounces in his case). He was born at 5 lb, 6 oz, but has shot up from 5,9 at his last visit to a thundering 7,7 at this one! We are so glad to hear that he is moving up the percentile chart and is growing like a champ. We are thankful every day to have had two healthy and happy little ones.

We have a big weekend ahead with Isabelle getting set for her first gymnastics class (no cameras again, sorry, readers!) and Oliver attempting to get his passport photo taken. Should be quite the challenge getting him to keep his eyes open and his head up for long enough to get the shot!

Luck of the Irish

As Isabelle trucked off to school with green in her sweater and matching socks on her feet, Oliver, who has been battling an on-again/off-again cold, stayed in his pajamas all day (St. Patty's day green courtesy of Auntie Lesley) and was the perfect little leprechaun for Mom. His day was packed with activity, including his virgin visit to the mothership (aka Holt Renfrew) and a stop at the newest mommy magnet in our neighbourhood, the breastfeeding store known as Milkface. Ottawa born and raised, this is the store's 2nd location and it has all a nursing mom could want and more, including a fully stocked diaper changing area and a play place for toddlers.


Home we went to meet up with the Barrie Bangays, who made a pit stop on their way home from vacation to see the new arrival and also welcome Isabelle home from school. As always, they were an entertaining bunch and got a shy Isabelle to turn the corner quickly and join the party. She was clearly aware that this gregarious Lawrence character must somehow be related to her Grandpa and enjoyed his antics accordingly. Short but sweet was their visit, as soon they were off for the long drive home.

After a long and active day, Oliver ended his day like many other St. Patty's day revelers, passed out due to sufficient beverage consumption!

Isabelle Version 2.5

I know adults are certainly not ones to talk about ages in half-years, but Isabelle still can mark those milestones and today sees her reach the ripe old age of 2 and a half! We have been tracking her height along the way with the traditional pencil marks on her doorframe and are proud to say that this little beanstalk is only a half inch away from being 3 feet tall. Her frame is growing almost as fast as her hair, which is now ultra-long just like her mom's! We can't wait to see how it curls when summertime arrives. Lots of physical growth but most of all, we are so proud of what a smart and fun little girl she has become and how great a big sister she is being to Oliver. She truly is the Belle of our family ball each and every day.

Born to be Wild

More photographic evidence of Isabelle's fearless nature as she hits the open road at the Museum of Civilization:


Isabelle and her Dad visited the museum last weekend and checked out the children's section's many attractions, like the big boat, the pyramid, the market and Isabelle's favourite, the many vehicles for her to test out. Isabelle also got to see Coral Reef on the big Imax screen, truly a sight her young eyes could not believe. Giant fish, beautiful scenery and popcorn, a winning combination! We feel for her poor teachers, she has been going on about shrimp, octopus and sharks ever since. She had a great time and we learned that Imax films not only have the perfect visuals but also a nice running time of 40 minutes, tailor made for little attention spans! It's awesome to have such a great place like this for her and Oliver to check out anytime there's a rainy day wreaking havoc on our plans.

Happiest bus driver in Ottawa!


Does this thing do long distance?


Camels are faster than horses, aren't they?


Safe to say that she is a popcorn fan

Sharp Dressed Man

21 days old now so time for Oliver to get his GQ on and start hitting the town. He made his first trip to the Rideau Centre this week but preferred to doze away his first shopping experience rather than bargain hunt. No worries, O Henri, lots more where that came from! So far he has a great relationship with his car seat, another new place to be comfy-cozy and have a snooze. Soon the warm temps will arrive and he will get lots of time along the lake and the canal in his stroller, which has now been upgraded from Isabelle pink to Oliver denim. He also made his first foray into the Gymini world and although formally dressed for the event, soon got lots of exercise in while dazzled by the music and the animals hanging above. Of course he had plenty of help from his big sister, who has been good about sharing so far, as long as she gets a turn when he is done!

Serenity Now!

A very busy week as we get adjusted to life without Gran to help and with 2 little beans, one that requires constant care and one with a mind of her own more often than not. In addition, Isabelle is getting a molar and thus has been feverish and home from school the past 2 days. One thing is definitely clear, things sure aren't boring around here. Oliver, you disagree?!

A Mud Puddle Jumped On Me!

One of Isabelle's favourite books is Munsch's Mud Puddle, where the little girl comes home muddy from head to toe several times and says the mud puddle did it to her. Given enough opportunity, we might have a real-life sequel on our hands! With spring on its way, the sunny weekend allowed Isabelle to take full advantage of the warm temperatures and head outside to partake in some hardcore puddle jumping. She sported her Hatley gear, the horse raincoat and the frog boots and to no surprise, she was not the least bit afraid to get either of them soaking wet! One tentative stroll through the puddle was enough to get her hooked and we were there for the long haul. It's like she couldn't believe her parents were allowing her to get as messy as she wanted with no desire to stop her! Go ahead, splash away, little one!

We Miss You, Gran!

One of Isabelle's favourite playmates headed out of town yesterday as Gran boarded a plane back to Halifax. She has been a tremendous help over the past 2 weeks as things have been slightly hectic given Oliver's arrival. Gran was always there to spell either Mommy or Daddy, minding Isabelle or Oliver (or both!), helping to feed, to dress, to play whatever game Isabelle wanted and for however long she wanted and to cook like only she fabulously can. I'm sure she is quite happy not to have to medically examine stuffed animals or play grocery shopping in our fridge until the next time she visits! We were all so lucky to have her come not only to help, but more importantly for her advice, company and conversation, which we always appreciate more than we ever tell her. Congratulations again on being a Gran times three, we couldn't have survived the past 2 weeks without you!

Don't worry, Gran, we will bring a dozen down to Florida for you!

Mutual Admiration Society

Look everywhere you can but you'd be hard-pressed to find a big sister who loves her brother more than Isabelle does Oliver. She is so excited anytime his eyes are open and especially if he decides to hold her hand or touch her face. She literally shrieks with delight. He clearly has the same feelings for her, loving her voice and when she sings him Baa Baa Black Sheep. And if you're looking for a luckier set of parents, don't bother, you won't find them.

Moving On Up

Oliver visited his own doctor this week and we are proud to report he has gained half a pound since he left the hospital. Not a big surprise as he has breastfed like a champ since coming out of the womb but it's always good to confirm that he is on the right track. We are very fortunate to have a great doctor for both of them, one that is young, easy to talk to, and makes us feel like they are in good hands on each visit. Oliver is still a sleeper and an eater first and foremost, but he has started to spend a bit more time awake and engaging all of us. He loves to hold his hands up to his face, sometimes as if to say "don't watch me, i'm sleeping!", or perhaps he is just the cerebral, pondering type...

Do You Have This in XXS?

Thanks to everyone that has called and sent cards and gifts for little Oliver and his big sister. Isabelle has loved helping to open his gifts and has been happy to discover some of them were even for her! She has clearly perfected the excited shout of what the gift is once she has torn off the paper. It is a treat to watch. She still has some difficulty understanding that Oliver is allowed to have a few toys of his own amongst her mountain of stuff that is all over our house.

Oliver's size is a bit of a challenge but we received some great help courtesy of Auntie Jessica, who sent some of little Peter's wardrobe. He also received a beautiful winter snuggler from Auntie Meg, who said it was tiny so it would be perfect for him. I hope it stays cold here for a while! Here he is trying it on tonight:


Isabelle is not having any clothing issues whatsoever, and I'm sure none of our readers are surprised at this. She continues down the path to being a toddler fashion icon, with Suri Cruise as her closest competition. Her newest Tea Collection look is courtesy of Auntie Madeline, the Elton glasses and the Chapstick are her attempts at accessorizing.

Daredevil Diver

Class number 4 for Isabelle and Dad in Parent and Tot swimming tonight. She continues to impress and amaze us all with her fish-like water expertise. The little one is Ariel-like in her love for aquatics and beams from ear to ear through the whole pool experience every week. Maybe you are the only friend or relative that she hasn't told that she jumps off the diving board by herself. If you haven't heard, just ask her and she'll tell you. Sorry, still no cameras allowed until the last class. We will see if we can sneak one in next week.

She begins each class with jumps into the water with her Dad catching, which she'll do about 20 times and is almost jumping in as soon as her feet touch the pool deck each time up. Then she sings songs in circles like Wheels on the Bus, followed by blast-offs with kicks on her front and then her back. She enjoys splashing not only Dad but anyone in her vicinity. Front and back floats are next, and she loves them, especially staring up at the fish on the ceiling and singing Twinkle Twinkle.

Now class takes off for Isabelle. The slide! She races to the steps and goes 3x more than anyone else. As soon as she is in she asks to go again. This week she went underwater on her own several times, face and head soaked! She just smiles and brushes her hair out of her face, unfazed. The final act is lifejackets and a boat voyage to the deep end and the diving board. Isabelle sure isn't shy about going first. Last week she even ran to the end of the board, just halting at the edge to wait for her teacher. The first 2 weeks she got lowered to Dad. She's done with that. She fearlessly does full-scale jumps now, a big splash and a plunge underwater. Plus she always goes back for more. If only the class were an hour long!

It is so much fun to see her thoroughly enjoy herself each week. We can't wait to see her take on the condo pool and the ocean in Florida! Hope the seniors know what's coming to their serene pool deck in a few weeks!

Animal Magnetism

As you can see, Oliver has it in spades!