And then this happened...

July 30, 2013

Surprise!  Chris and Joanna got married!  It was a beautiful ceremony, wonderful party, and perfect evening.  We are so happy for them and wish them all the best.  Finlay was enthralled with the whole event.  He loved having "all the people" at the house.  He understood that something very special was happening.  When the violinist began to play he was mesmerized.  He was a grooms-man but became an impromptu flower girl as she did not want her bouquet.
  

Beautiful family moment.  The lanterns, the lights, the food, the music...  It was amazing!

We had a lovely trip back East.  The boys were well taken care of when we went to Toronto for two nights to celebrate Megan and Kori's wedding.  We swam to Finlay's heart's content.  We ate and drank well (too well).

Here is Shay enjoying some quality time with his Nans.  She sure has a way with babies.

Getting practice with the bottle is key.  Shay is not one to take a bottle easily.  Some babies don't, I guess.  But he did just fine while we were away.

Ty, Shay and I went for a visit to Nanny and Papa's house and when we arrive home Fin was asleep on the couch.  Impressive trick with the vacuum cleaner by Nans.

True Shay-face: laughing one minute, looking concerned the next.

Finlay ate a lot of raspberries.  Here he is showing what he's got.

Jumping into the pool with mama.  He learned so much in the pool over the last couple of weeks.  Changed so much!

It was truly a lovely trip but we are so happy to be home.  Thanks so much to all of the people who hosted us, fed us, entertained us, and visited with us.  We felt so loved and we were so happy to share our lovely kids with you!  See you next summer!

Splash-Pad 2013

July 20, 2013

It was a beautiful day.  The whole family went to the splash pad with "Namma" and had a lovely picnic. The splash pad is always one of Finlay's favourite places to go with his namma (Tyler's mom) when we are in London. We stayed at the park for hours switching between running through fountains, playing on the grass and having our picnic.  Finlay ran all over the place at times stopping to watch the "big kids" playing in the water.

Namma, Tyler and Seamus relaxing in the shade.

The splash pad in Lambeth has a number of different fountains that all spray water at different times. Finlay will just run from fountain to fountain all day long. 

Finlay screaming with delight as he runs through one of the fountains 

Finlay had some koosh balls that we brought with us to the splash pad for a little bit of extra fun.  The koosh balls had attached rubber pieces that you could hook onto a sling shot sort of contraption. After about 5 minutes of watching his Dad play with it Finlay was shooting the koosh balls all over the splash pad.

Dad and Seamus running through the fountains. Seamus was unsure what to make of this whole event.

Finlay and Namma playing in the fountain.  Undoubtably, Finlay would do something cute making one of us stop to take a picture.

Seamus is suited up in a hat and sun suit ready to take on the Ontario summer.

4, 3, 2, 1, Ontario!

July 15, 2013

4 Airports
3 Airplanes
2 Little Ones
1 Mama

Ontario.


I am a rock star.  I can't take anymore of this "your children are so well behaved" crap.
There is no such thing as good or bad kids just parents who work their asses off and those who sit back and try to enjoy their flight.  Bah!

It was Seamus' first car ride.  Fin was super excited to get into a car again too.  We had been talking about the upcoming adventure a lot.  He understood perfectly what was happening and was pretty pumped about it.  Fully awake at 4:45am in the car on the way to the airport.  They both napped at some point.  They were both fed and watered and entertained and snuggled and we arrived in one piece with not a single tear shed.  I almost cried at one point but I found coffee and Fin found a people mover and we were all good.

The journey has been more than worth it.  Seeing Fin light up when he saw the pool.  The way he hugged his family without hesitation.  The way Shay just snuggles in to all of these lovely people.

We took a trip to Sarnia today.  I hadn't been in a long, long time.  Visiting with my grandparents, french fries under the bridge, a thunderstorm...

It's nice to be in Ontario.

Shay is totally cool with this new thing called a carseat.  

Nans lights up for Shay...

Shay lights up for Nans.

Meeting his 7th Great Grandchild.

Fin gets right to work helping out his Great Nanny.

She sure is great.

So cute.

Four generations.  Wow!

More Ontario pictures and stories to come.  Now to enjoy the storm!

Harvey Party

July 14, 2013


Seamus is Six Months Old!  And, just like Finlay, we were in Ontario for this wonderful milestone.  But, unlike Finlay, Seamus did not get any teeth today.

Nans was checking all day.  So was Shay.

NO TEETH!  I know this is a funny picture, and mom will probably kill me for putting it up, but I thought the joint expression was cute.

We went to a Harvey Party at Laurie and Pam's place.  The first three Harvey siblings were all together (Christine, Jim, and Laurie) AND the next three siblings were also all together (Lyndze, Chris, and Carleigh).  There was swimming...

Splashing!  Fin was so excited to see Sha-Sha again!  He had so much fun playing in the pool with his uncle.

Being thrown "up high!"  I love this pic!

Shay went for a swim as well.  All decked out in his sun-suit and hat.  He may have had on more material than his Aunt.  

Auntie Car-Car and Uncle Sha-Sha and the brothers.

There was good food, lots to drink, hot and beautiful weather, and the whole family (except for Tyler and Jo, tear...).

Getting kisses from Great-Grandma Harvey.

Getting playful!

The grandmas!

Snuggling in the heat.

It was a lovely time!

Pride aka "Christmas in July"

July 7, 2013

Pride was a big hit with Fin this year.  It's like any other holiday in that at his age he is really starting to get into the spirit of things.  The parade was well done.  Not a lot of loud horns and scary sirens but lots of engaging music, costumes, dancing, an organic lolly or two, and plenty of half-naked, happy people.  Fin didn't want it to end.  

Seamus also enjoyed the parade.  There were lots of boobs.

He also tried a raspberry.  He's more into boobs than berries.

There was lots of family fun to be had at the Pride Festival following the parade.  Like this little classic of posing as a narwhal and a unicorn.

If only they had a onesie in Shay's size.  

We set up our picnic near somewhere between live music and bouncy castles and Fin was in heaven.

Then Mimi and Alyx showed up and he was a dancing, bouncing, raspberry-inhaling, "Happy Pride"-ing AND happy little munchkin.  

There were new dance moves.

Old ones too.

Picnic time!  I would have brought more cinnamon buns had I know all of these folks would be there!

Then it was over.

One lolly and no nap later...  it was still over!

"I wanna do it again!"  

Next year!

Bunk Beds!

July 1, 2012

They arrived!  They were built!  And they are currently being enjoyed!  Everyone who comes to our house is promptly asked to come see the bunk beds.  Fin is so proud!  

Carleigh helped (although she was under the weather) with the building part.  It took us all day!  Thank goodness Shay was extra sleepy!  Here is a video of the big reveal!  

He looks up at them as though he is laying eyes on the Sistine Chapel.

Loves the ladder.  He is already pretty proficient in ascending.  Still working on descending. Right now we have to help him down.  Pretty soon he'll be jumping off of them though.  

"Looka Mama!"

"High up!"

Where do you want to sleep Fin?

He can touch the ceiling!

He looks so little up there but what a big kid to be ready for such big beds!

First night was on the bottom bunk.

"Night, night!"

Since then, he has been sleeping on the top bunk.  It is so nice for us to snuggle up there and read books together!  Both Tyler and I were getting so sore when reading him to sleep.  Ty and Fin actually fell asleep cuddled up together in bed last night.

Our biggest thanks to Carleigh for assisting in construction and to Nans who ate and breathed bunk beds for weeks in the search and order of the perfect beds (they are perfect!).  Thanks so much!  I am sure they will be enjoyed for years!