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!

Words

November 30, 2012

A lot has been going on in the Harvey-Roach-Grant(-Carr) household but our lack of camera is still bringing the blog down.

Quick update:

1)  Car is sold!  We are officially car-free and really excited about this new adventure.  So far, so good. 

Finlay and I are loving the bus.  I love my quiet ride in the morning to work with a beautiful view of the city from the Bay Street bridge.  I can see the mountains, the lights decorating the legislator building, and most of an early morning Victoria. 

Finlay loves the whole process.  When we get to the bus stop he tells us where to sit and that we will have to wait for the bus.  He tells us!  He says bus and rolls his arms and talks about the "beeps" and the doors opening and closing and says "hi" to the other people waiting for the ride.  He attracts a lot of attention.  He prefers to sit in a seat on the bus rather than the stroller.  He lookes for a "handle" to hold and a bell or button to press and is happy to wait until it is time to ring.  He screams with excitement when the doors open or shut and says "more" for the doors at every stop. 

Finlay is still riding to daycare in our bike trailer.  We are walking more.  We are prioritising our shopping in a different way.  We are living with less immediate gratification which is a really exciting direction for us, as it has been a goal for a while.  Most people are pretty supportive.  We are also pretty happy with how our budget looks!


Finlay waiting for the bus!


"I sit."


"Hi." to anyone sitting near us.

2)  Billy is breech.  Looks like this spinning baby is spun out and has landing with its bum down, head in my right ribs, and feet kicking my left side.  This is not ideal.  So, as it stands, I am 33 weeks in and if the baby doesn't turn by 35 weeks there may be a hospital birth.  We are trying to stay positive.  It is really rare that babies stay breech, especially for a second delivery.  I have been stretching, somersaulting in the pool, yoga, inversions off the couch....  Tyler has been talking and singing to Billy, trying to coax her/him down.  We have been using the strob on the bike light and the baby really seems to follow this!  This is the only thing that seems to get results!  I am also scheduled to visit a different chiropractor on Monday who does the "Websters" adjustment which has been shown to have some success in balancing the round ligaments and promoting a breech baby to turn head-down. 

A healthy baby is always the ultimate goal.  But we also would like to be at home, without drugs, and have another birth surrounded by comfort and in an environment we have more control over.  But, as we have learned over this child-bearing/rearing process over the last three years, there is very little within your control.  So, I am trying not to stress about it and just keep doing what I can do.  Billy will be Billy.  We may not always like the directions our children choose but it is their choice and all we can do is love them, right? 

3)  Finlay is really talking.  He doesn't stop.  He brings home new words every day and he is starting to repeat words without being asked.  He is just really interested in communicating.  Tyler and I are pretty talkative people, so as it is, there is a lot of chatter in our home.  Now Ty and I have to be conscious enough to tune him in, stop our conversation and engage with whatever it is that Finlay is trying to tell us.  The other night he wanted pepper on his pasta and there he was saying "more that, pepper!"  He tells us about daycare and all of the people he has kissed and seems to have a lot to say about his favourite games (recently, he and his friend Emmy play "make-up" or "I sleep" or "EllaFun" which I believe Carleigh had when she was a toddler).  Another funny game at daycare is "Find the Dodder."  As some of you may know, Finlay has been calling his soother "dodder" since the summer.  Well, now the whole daycare is using this word for soother!  The kids are all saying it and they sing songs about dodders and play games where they hide it and find it.  Parents are asking Marnie what the heck their kid is saying at home, "something like daughter?" and she has to explain!  It's a riot!

This talking thing is happening really fast.  He is also picking up on names and even has said his own name a few times.  He points as his chest and says "me" most of the time but he has said "Finlay" a few times too.  I love our little conversations.  But my heart breaks when he talks about "Bye Mama" and "Mama work" and anything related to missing me.  My heart explodes when he says "Lova ya" and "night, night" and "more pepper" - so cute! 

"Elmo" is on Piggy.  Finlay just looks like he is really pretending something here.


Elmo or Piggy is making him laugh!

Pushing Piggy so Elmo gets a turn.

Finlay says "I hide" and he and Piggy go into the closet.


Finlay likes to do whatever Daddy is doing.  Tyler is pretty into his morning stretches and so is Fin.


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