Holiday Traditions

I know it's been an almost unforgivable amount of time in-between posts but it's been a very busy few months.

So we'll start this post from where we left off...Halloween.

This year Ollie went as his very favorite bug...a spider. He caught on really quickly to the trick or treating tradition. He was a very good boy when asked to only take two candies.

Oliver loved his spider costume so much that he slept in it for a few nights. (Don't worry, we took off his hat so he didn't suffocate in the middle of the night).We also celebrated Grandpa's birthday at the end of October in CT. Oliver enjoyed the festivities especially when we Skyped with family in Mexico. He also got his first taste of Mole Poblano...there truly is a little Mexican inside of him.
Oliver practiced his present opening skills when he helped his Grandpa open some of his birthday gifts.

In preparation for one of Jennifer's last Football games of the season Oliver got himself prepared with a good blow drying.

This year, the Boston Novoa's hosted Thanksgiving. We had a great time and uncle Erik practiced his parenting skills while playing with Oliver.

Oliver really enjoyed having his family in town for the holiday. He was all smiles. We visited the playground during Thanksgiving and Oliver practiced his rock climbing technique. He's my little daredevil.

Oliver also really enjoyed play soccer with his Grandpa. It was the highlight of the afternoon.

Oliver also tried his hand at my profession...construction. Safety is number one so no one goes on a job site without a hard hat, especially my son.

A holiday tradition amongst our friends is the annual Lodka and Vodka party. We partook in the consuming of lots of Lodka but no Vodka for these Novoas. Oliver also really enjoyed reading books with his Auntie Q.

Along with the colder weather comes the purchasing of a new winter hat. Of course what could be better than a spider hat?

What could be more precious than the first time your child picks out his very own Christmas tree? (ok so we really didn't buy the tree he selected; it was a little too small).

Oliver did a really excellent job trimming the tree. He was very careful as usual and did a really great job.
One of Oliver's Christmas wishes was to have his two puppies in his bed with him. His wish was granted with pleasure.

This year we celebrated Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa in CT. Oliver got all dressed up and prepared for the fun that is Christmas Eve.
Oliver tore into his presents like there was no tomorrow. I think the present opening practice he got at Grandpa's birthday really helped.
One of Oliver's favorite gifts was a toy trumpet. He's been playing non-stop since the day he opened the gift.

Ollie also got his very favorite book that he likes to read at school. But his very favorite gift of all was from his Grandpa and Grandma....his very own remote control spider.

Jennifer's been tolerating the spider but this was almost pushing her over the edge.
The next morning Oliver still had some gifts to open. This time he was pleasantly surprised with his very own scooter. Not quite a good winter gift but he will get to play with it a lot during the warmer months.

Later that Christmas Day we drove into NYC and went to the Big Apple Circus. Oliver actually enjoyed himself although it took him about 1 hour to warm up to the action.

After all our Christmas fun it was time to head back to Boston...where a big storm was awaiting our arrival. We made it home just in time and today got to enjoy all the white and fluffy snow. Ok, so Oliver got to enjoy it and we got to shovel it.

Terrific Twos!

We know it's been an ungodly long time since we posted, so to reward all of you who have been patiently waiting, we have provided many pictures of what Oliver's been up to the last few months. Not only has Oliver explored lots of new activities but he also hit another milestone....turning the big 2! We like to think of the next year as his terrific twos instead of the more common saying because Oliver is just terrific...well, at least we think he is. Enjoy!

Ollie had lots of practice swimming this summer. Every time he got in the water he became more brave and explored new techniques. While at Grandma and Grandpa's house he tried out their mini boogie board. I think he liked it!
Oliver also has had the privilege of receiving swimming lessons for his birthday from Grandma and Grandpa. He's really doing well and refining his swimming skills. He even goes under water now!
In August, Oliver started at a new school. It's a lot closer to home and the environment is great. He really loves pointing out all the different things he sees as he walks down the hallways of the school when I pick him up. He seems to be blossoming with knowledge every week and it's pure joy to watch him learn and grow.
Oliver has also really developed a love for spiders....big and small. Here is a funny picture of him the day he made me purchase a Halloween spider for him to cuddle with. Mind you, this was not a soft and cuddly spider but he insisted on sleeping with it nonetheless. This is what our little Entomologist looks like through the lens of his baby monitor.

To celebrate Oliver's 2nd birthday we went with an outdoor party at our house. Just a small gathering of friends and family and a little pizza and cake. Really, what more could a two year old ask for? We can't believe two years have passed by but we are trying to savor every single moment that passes because we know that before we can blink our eyes he will be all grown up.
The end of summer/beginning of fall just wouldn't be complete without football! Oliver really loves attending his Mommy's football games and on this day he even got to play with Aliza a little. What a cute little pair they make!
Oliver also tried his hand at some sushi (really a California roll) and chopsticks. Her definitely does not lack dexterity.
Next on the list of new experiences to check off was a travel adventure. This October we all ventured to Chicago so I could indulge in the craziness that is marathon running. Oliver was an excellent traveler. He enjoyed the plane rides and got better and better each time (we took a total of 4 planes on this trip).
Once in Chicago, Oliver really loved exploring this new and beautiful city. We rode a bus, a boat and a train. I'm pretty confident his favorite was the bus ride since every time a bus drove by he yelled out "bus!" and demanded that go on it.
We took Oliver to see several of Chicago's famous sightseeing points including the Sears Tower, the Grant Park Fountain and The Bean at Millennium park.
I'm pretty sure Oliver enjoyed this lollipop more than the view from the Sears Tower.
After I finally completed the marathon, Oliver showed me the proper way to stretch. Very good technique if you ask me.
After a few days in Chicago, we headed further north to visit Jennifer's Grandmother in Houghton Lake, MI. There, Oliver got his first taste of playing in fall leaves.
Oliver loved meeting his only Great Grandma and found that she was really a lot of fun.
While in Michigan, we drove even further north to visit the Mackinac Bridge. It's the 11th longest suspension bridge in the world! We drove over it and into the U.P. (upper peninsula) thus becoming an official Yooper. We also had to stop at a playground and christen the area with Oliver's awesomeness.
And this brings us to fall...yes, fall is officially in full swing when you go pumpkin picking. This was Oliver's first time and he really loved selecting his very own pumpkins.
You know pumpkin picking has been a success when your two year old asks to take his pacifierless (that's right, the pacifier is officially gone!) nap with the very pumpkins he picked, along with his football and gold slippers of course.