// Method call in my Controller
[User getUserData:userDict:^(NSDictionary *user) {
    [self.delegate loadUserData:user]; // the avatarImage should be already here
    [self dismissViewControllerAnimated:YES completion:nil];
}];

// User.m
+ (void)getUserData:(NSDictionary *)forUser:(void (^)(NSDictionary *users))block {

    NSMutableDictionary *userDic = [NSMutableDictionary dictionary];

    User *user = [[User alloc] initWithDictionary:forUser];
    [userDic setObject:user forKey:@"user"];
    block([NSDictionary dictionaryWithDictionary:userDic]);
}

- (id)initWithDictionary:(NSDictionary *)aDictionary {
    self = [super init];
    if (!self) {
        return nil;
    }

    self.userAvatar = [UIImage imageNamed:@"placeholder.png"];

    [self getUserAvatar:[aDictionary objectForKey:@"user_avatar"]];
    //_userAvatar = [self getUserAvatar:[aDictionary objectForKey:@"user_avatar"]];
    self.userId = [aDictionary objectForKey:@"user_id"];
    self.username = [aDictionary objectForKey:@"username"];
    self.userEmail = [aDictionary objectForKey:@"user_email"];

    return self;
}

- (void)getUserAvatar:(NSString *)avatarPath {
    // don't need a __block var here
    if ([avatarPath length] != 0) {
        [[AFFnBAPIClient sharedClient] setDefaultHeader:@"Accept" value:@"image/png"];
        [[AFFnBAPIClient sharedClient] getPath:FNB_DOWNLOAD_PATH parameters:[NSDictionary dictionaryWithObject:avatarPath forKey:@"avatar"] success:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *operation, id image) {

            // self got a retain+1 while this was running.
            self.userAvatar = image;

        } failure:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *operation, NSError *error) {
            NSLog(@"Error");
        }];
    }
}