Another Water Baby

May 19, 2013

Today, the whole family went for a swim at the Y.  This was Seamus' first swim in a pool.  We figured that he would probably be pretty comfortable because he was born in water and is loving bath time.  We were right!  Shay was super chill and smiling and cooing during his brief introduction to swimming pools.

Here we go!  He wasn't nervous but seemed very trusting and interested in what was going on.

He was relaxed at first and just laid back into the water.

Then he was smiling and talking about the pool with us.

He started to kick and stretch in the water.

He was also very interested in watching Finlay swim and splash about.

With all of that chub on him he did not get cold too easily.

Finlay was excited to see his little brother joining us in the pool.  He refrained from splashing around Shay's face and wanted to show the baby what a big kid can do!

So excited to take little Seamus swimming in London this summer.  I'm sure we'll be back in the pool again before then!  Fun!

He's Jumped to 4 Months Old

May 14, 2013

Seamus is four months old.

"You better make me cupcakes!"

Sorry kid, we're sugar-free these days.

"Alright, I'll just poop all over this white shirt I'm wearing."

He's getting pretty expressive.  This is Tyler's favourite.

Big brother wants the big swing

Still little to me.

Finlay helps with gardening.  He is fertilizing...

"I dig the garden."  

So do we.

Seamus is really starting to get the Jolly Jumper.

See the little bubs in action here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ovvc9m5zCGs&feature=youtu.be

Seamus is beginning to unfurl.  With the help of acupuncture, chiropractic, and some positive thoughts and home exercises he finally opening up.  His body is more relaxed and his hands are opening up.  He loves the chiro and the acupuncture so much.  Cooing during adjustments and needles and showing immediate results.  He is still, however, very congested for some mystery reason and we are focusing on that now.  

Our little Shay-me's personality is getting stronger.  He is pretty demanding, playful, and social.  He is sleeping more on a schedule (his own, but at least somewhat predictable).  He is having a poop blow-out at least once a day and I am forever scrubbing and de-staining his cutest little outfits (kid has aim).

I can't believe he's already 4 months old. And Fin is 29 months so I'll start saying 2 and a half.  And they are jumping!  Keeping me on my toes, that is for sure.

To Our Moms

May 12, 2013

When you become a parent you change.  Your very essence is altered.  Every day is new; new feelings, new challenges, new love, and a new you.  With birth there is rebirth.  It is ugly and it is beautiful but most of all it is empowering.

As a new mother, every moment of every day is spent in worship of my children.  I adore and am continuously amazed by everything about them.  To me, they are everything.

I read a book about the universe when I was in high school and in it the author explains that we are made of nothing and stars.  He describes the atom as if blown up to the size a baseball stadium with the centre, the nucleus, represented by a something even smaller than a baseball and the outer part just tiny gnats buzzing about.  And in-between the baseball and the gnats?  Nothingness.  If all of the space was taken out of you, you would be a million times smaller than the smallest grain of sand.  But it's nice knowing we are this emptiness, because this emptiness is simultaneously the source of all being, of human creativity, and of love.  At age 17, I was blown away by the idea that what I am is ancient material, the same stuff that the stars are made of, and nothing.  But now, at age 30, with two kids, I realize that that nothing is not just empty space.  It's love.  We need all that space to fill our being with crazy, passionate, unconditional love for our children.

I feel this for my kids but I am also awakened to the fact that my mother is also filled the same nothingness and stars.  We have been loved in the same way that we love.  That's pretty cool.

It's pretty cool and also an amazing blessing because sometimes people are difficult to love.  Like when they pee on the couch, or sit on a vase and break it (why would anyone sit on a vase?), or play "who-can-annoy-mom-the-fastest."

As a child, we knew we were loved.  But as parents, we are truly grateful for that kind of love.  Our mothers teach us how to love and be loved.  And there is a lot of love over here at the Harvey-Roach-Grant-Carr household this dark and rainy morning.

"There was no fireball, then the fireball erupted.  The universe erupted, all that has existence erupted out of nothing, all of being erupted into shining existence."

We create from nothing these incredible beings into shining existence.  So much love!

We love you moms!