The O'Hara Family: April 2010

Austin Aunt

The highlight of our trip to Austin was our time with Aunt Sydney. Here, Rory enjoys the fine art of afternoon cocktails.

And here, Aven learns the acquired artistry of finger puppets (Kirby and Bagel, as named by Rory).

Austin Cousins

While in Austin, we enjoyed a lovely visit with Mommy's cousins (Courtney and Michael), their parents, their spouses, and their ...

... kids! For the first, all of the Katz family's "youngest generation" were gathered together.

Aven took a special liking to cousin Sam, who cast a favorably eye in return.

Actually, Aven quite enjoyed all of her cousins ... and their toys.

And as you saw in the "princess" blog, Rory enjoyed the costumes from her older and wiser cousins.

Daddy Flies Solo With His Girls

Recently, Mommy traveled to Austin for business, and Daddy and his little ladies joined her a few days later.

Rory was a helpful big sister and a seasoned traveler, plugging into her DVD player for most of our trip.

Meanwhile, Daddy and Aven enjoyed lots of playtime in our shared seat.

Aven had a fun time on her second set of flights ... DC to Chicago to Austin and back again.

Rory in repose ... and quite ready to be reunited with her Mommy! As was Daddy, who doesn't want to make a habit out of flying with two kids under four by himself!

Our Princess

Rory was quite enamored by the selection of princess outfits that her cousins had collected.

What a dream come true!

"I can be Belle, and I can sport this classy Tinkerbell purse!"

As a side note, this was our 400th blog post! I hope you enjoy reading about our little family as we enjoy documenting our pictures and stories.

Easter Egg Hunt

Rory and Aven celebrated Easter 2010 with an Easter Egg Hunt organized by the Easter Bunny on a lovely Sunday morning.

Rory was ready with her Easter dress, "black clicky" shoes, Easter basket, and practiced pose. Let the hunt begin!

This year, Rory knew the ropes and was actually quite competitive in her pursuit of the Easter Eggs and their treasure.

She was thrilled that the Easter Bunny had also brought her a gift, The Princess and The Frog (which we have since watched many times).

Uncle Mike and Cindy helped with the festivities.

And Wrigley helped Aven find a few Easter Eggs of her own!

There's an Easter smile from Aven as she explores the loot in her Easter basket.

Aven went to town on those peeps once she was back inside!

Easter Brunch

We celebrated Easter 2010 in grand style, complete with both grandmothers in attendance, beautiful weather, and new patio furniture.

We ate our Easter brunch outdoors, with a lovely table set for a party of 12.

Aven quite enjoyed her first Easter, especially given that she is eating all the same "real food" that her big sister is eating.

Mommy didn't don an Easter bonnet, but she was double-fisting her Easter mimosas. Ah, that's how you get a harried Mother of two girls to smile!

What a feast! Daddy cooked some yummy egg casseroles.

Aven enjoyed the attention of her Aunt Chelle, while ...

Rory enjoyed the joking of her Uncle Allen!

Daddy's Green Thumb?

Daddy has a new hobby ... beautifying his yard, planting flowers, pruning bushes, growing grass, and planting a vegetable garden!

How green will Daddy's thumb by the end of the season? How good will Mommy's salads be when these tomatoes, onions, and lettuce mature? Stay tuned.

Same Pajamas

This is Aven at 10 months in the same pajamas that Rory wore at 9 months. As you can see if you compare this picture with the next one, Aven and Rory are definitely sisters, but they are beginning to evidence their own distinctive looks.