About Us

Victoria, BC, Canada
This blog began as a modern "baby book" for our first child, Finlay, who was born in December of 2010. The recent addition of Seamus, born in January of 2013, has meant continued efforts to put into words and pictures his early years. We also use this forum to catalog our family life: two loving partners, two beautiful kids, car-free, child-centred, attachment-focused, with a love of food and health thrown into the mix!

My, How We Grow

June 14, 2013

Five months and two-and-a-half years old.  I'm not sure Finlay understands that he is growing older, getting bigger, or that he will one day be a big kid.  I'm not sure he understands that one day very, very soon little Seamus will not be so little.  I don't expect him to get it.  He might, actually, comprehend this concept but be unable to verbalize it.  It's fascinating.

The babes are growing up.  Everyday I try to soak them in, live in their moment(s), and just be their mom.  But days fly by faster than I can imagine and Seamus was weeks old and now months and pretty soon years...  It is unlikely that there will come a day, when they are grown, and I say, "I should have held my babies less.  I wish I hadn't cuddled/played/enjoyed them so much."  Not likely at all.

Finlay is starting to see Seamus as an actually person and a playmate.  I overhear him saying "Looka Seamus!  I jump!" and telling him what he can do or what is in a book or how he can run or hide or dance.  He wants to share his toys.  He brings Seamus what toys he believes to be the baby's favourites. He carefully holds them out so that the learning-to-grasp five-month-old can get a hold and shove whatever it is between his sore gums.  "Oh!  Seamus drool!  All wet!" Fin says gleefully!  He loves getting drooled on.  If there is a spit-up, it is Fin who runs for a burp cloth and is dabbing Shay's face and wiping up the floor.  No one believes me until they see it.  He is a nurturing, helpful, and engaged older brother.  He dotes.  It's beautiful.

When Shay wakes from a nap Finlay jumps up and runs to the room saying "Hello Seamus!  Awake!  Time to get up baby Shay!"  He strokes his cheek and helps with the changing and the entertaining.  Fin often wants to "up-a bed!  Want to cuddle with Seamus!" and he crawls under the covers and talks to Shay, 'reads' him books, and mostly just stares at the baby who is staring, with admiration, right back at him.  

Seamus, at the breakfast table.

Seamus is a joker.  He laughs and wants to play all of the time.  If he isn't watching Finlay or if Finlay isn't around, Shay will make some noise until you are playing the game he wants you to play.  He breaks out into big belly laughs when anyone acts silly.  Funny noises, zerbers, tickles, games, anything in the name of fun elicits a great response from Shay.  He has started to make some of his own funny noises too.

He's a happy guy!  A little sponge, just taking it all in.  He has begun to pass objects between his hands.  Teeth are nigh.  He jumps higher than Finlay ever did in the Jumper.  He wiggles and flaps his arms when he sees his dad (too excited to contain his joy).  I love him!

Here are a couple of videos of Fin doing things that big kids do.
Finlay sings his ABCs:
Finlay rides his balace bike:

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