Sandbox Sifters

As kids in Ontario, we spent five or six months of the year playing outside in the snow.  A great white playground just fell from the sky and we did not ever have to think about leaving the neighbourhood in search of entertainment and activities (sometimes we really couldn't).  Winter in Victoria is a foreign concept in comparison and thus it brings on a different way to play; lots of time in the great outdoors is still the key. With the arrival of wee little Seamus, it has become pretty important to have loads of fun activities around home and with the new house and big backyard a sandbox was born.  

So happy to get this project finished during my visit this winter.  Nans and Gramps had picked up the tools and materials when they were out on the last few visits so it has been in the works for a while but is now being played in as I type.  It is very exciting. The construction looked a little something like this...

"It isn't the mountain ahead that wears you out; it's the grain of sand in your shoe." 

Ground breaking ceremony, massive turnout.  
 (Photo credit: self-timer)

Makeshift wheels with a barrel for dual purpose: 

1. haulin' dirt out of that there hole in the ground 
2. giving rides to toddlers around the backyard

But first, a little air in the tires...every job seemed to have six other jobs attached.

  

*Fun Fact: For a long time now, Tyler and I have struggled with the word "wheelbarrow".  We bonded over this awkward feeling years ago as we both wondered, "what on earth is a barrow?"  Well, I finally brokedown and researched it only to find out that "Barrow" is a derivation of the Old English "bearwe" which was a device used for carrying loads.  Sounds like a loose derivation to me, barrow is not a word as far as I'm concerned.  Wheelbearer could be a better option.

Carpenters apprentice..."I help".

Fin was such a talented apprentice that I just left him to finish the job.  He nailed it.      

Finlay, passing his knowledge onto his father and young baby Shay who is snuggled inside Tyler's coat.

After a few rainy days, we had built a pretty sweet mud pit. Very proud.
But the sun was shining again and the mud pit was destined for a brighter future.

Natural ground cover, a good way to recycle the old christmas tree, and it ads a fresh scent to your box of dirt. 

You can take the girl out of beach...
Finally time to add the sand, about 700 pounds of it.

Sanding and fastening the benches.  Sand play has commenced.

"We all leave footprints in the sand, the question is, will we be a big heal, or a great soul." Enjoy the rest of your winter in the backyard beach box... love, aunty car car

One month later...

February 14, 2013

Some call it Valentine's Day but I call it Seamus' one-month birthday.  I can't believe he is a month old already.  So much has changed!  As Carleigh says, he is starting to look like a baby (instead of the old man/alien that newborns resemble) and a very cute baby at that.  He is becoming a big baby; weighed today at 10.10.  Last appointment he had gained more than a pound in one week!

Seamus is starting to coo and make other cute noises.  He is smiling a lot too.  One milestone is his ability to follow someone across a room.  We just had a cold, stomach virus, and mastitis go through the family (cold and mastitis for me, Fin and Ty got a mean GI bug) and this meant that Seamus didn't see much of Tyler for about 36 hours.  Then, he caught sight of his daddy and lit up with smiles and coos and turned his head and followed him for one side of the room to the other.

Well, despite the illnesses and the fact that I am off gluten for the time being, I still kept up the tradition and made cupcakes in honour of Seamus' one-month anniversary!  Finlay was too excited to nap!  He kept saying "my cake" and begging for the cakes that weren't even made yet.

As you can see, his face has already changed so much!

They looked so pathetic, I just had to capture the moment.

Carleigh tried to catch a smile with the camera.  

She came so close.

But there are some new expressions, that's for sure.

Carleigh was pretty excited about having Seamus' beater.

Finlay shared his beater with his dad!

Pizza and Beer

February 7, 2013

Just a pic from today and a video from last week's visit.  

The pic is Seamus with a soother for the first time.  We went to the doctor/lactation consultant today and it seems that everything is fine with nursing but little Shay-me has some growing to do and I have a little too much to offer.  So, it is fine to use a soother which is great news for Tyler's raw pinkie finger.  Finlay, who is quite attached to his soother or "dodder," was a little confused as to why the baby gets his favourite toy.  The soothers look almost identical but the newborn ones are actually different.  Anyway, I tried to ease this new reality by explaining the baby Shay doesn't yet know how to use a dodder and that it is up to us to teach him.  Finlay helped to give Seamus his dodder and helped replace it when it fell out over and over.

The video is from pizza night with the family last week.  There is no further explanation necessary.  It is entirely awesome: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XonH5JhSxqQ

Roach, Grant, Carr, Harvey, Harvey, Harvey, Harvey...

February 6, 2013

Just like his older brother, Seamus is a tourist attraction.  Auntie Carleigh ("Car-Car" to Finlay) arrived on Monday and, after a flight delay, Nans and Gramps ("Nan" and "Practor" or just "that") arrived on Tuesday for a week long-visit with the Harvey-Roach-Grant-Carr family.  There was a lot of baby cuddles, and "Boo-Ah!" games with Finlay, and beer for Tyler, and I got a hair-cut!  We ate some take-out, cooked a little for each other, and Nans and Gramps were personal grocery-shoppers for us for the week.

Finlay was immediately excited to see his grandparents.  He is really easy-going about going out with them without us around.  He took them to his music class and kinder-gym.  He showed them his toys and games.  He played in the pool at their "home" (hotel) and just generally got to be the grand-kid he was meant to be!

And Seamus didn't disappoint.  He was still a little and cuddly newborn even if his grandparents were a day late.  A day is a lot when you are only 15 days old.

Still a squished up newborn face.  Who does he look like?

Auntie Carr is getting more and more comfortable with the newborn.  Seamus is very interested in her!

Sleeping lots.  Sometimes even at night!

We had Great-Auntie Chris and Great-Uncle Mike over to meet Seamus, visit with all of us, and have dinner.  Finlay was pretty excited to play his "Row-row" game with them (a game he invented that involves the back of the couch).

Even Mike enjoyed Finlay's antics.  

Nans did a lot of cuddling.  This meant that Mama could eat, drink, and even shower.

A finger in the mouth.  He is becoming more and more alert and engaged with the world.

Mama, Finlay, and Seamus - Finlay likes to help and to love.  He wants to touch the baby, kiss and rock the baby, and be a big brother in any way he can.

We had a lovely visit with everyone.  Carleigh is still here for a while, acting as the Auntie and my training wheels.  This two-kid thing is really challenging!  Carleigh is keeping me sane.