Sunny Days

Stirling Castle and the Royal Gardens
(taken on one of my sunny day walks!)

I had heard that it rains every day in Scotland – maybe not all day, but at least part of the day, every day. I’m happy to report that this is a false reputation. For the past couple weeks we have been blessed with several terrifically sunny days! I’m trying to make the most of this great weather by spending time outside each day, loading up on fresh air and vitamin D! The air is cool so we have to bundle up, but it’s still great to get out for walks, especially when there are so many great things to see in this city.

I haven’t posted an update since Toby & Rebecca’s visit, so I’ll start from then. After our visitors left on Monday morning, Liam and I went to St. Mary’s for Mass. I had not yet made it to weekday Mass but decided that by week 3, I was well enough established to start making the morning trip to St. Mary’s for 10am. As it turns out, Fr. Kenneth is off on Mondays, so parishioners gather for Liturgy of the Word and communion. I joined the small group gathered in the sacristy, and afterwards was invited to tea by one of the ladies there. I enjoyed a nice visit with her and two others, and then started towards home with the intention of walking about town a bit and taking some pictures.

One of the many historic buildings in Stirling is the Church of the Holy Rude (“rude” is Gaelic for cross). It is situated at the foot of the castle hill, about a five- minute walk from our apartment. I took a few photos of it from a distance and then approached to see if I could go inside. A sign said that it was closed to visitors for the season, but I noticed that the door was ajar so I went in anyway. There were some people inside who appeared to be on a tour of the place. I wanted to hear what the guide was saying but was shy to approach them, so I hung back a bit. Eventually one of the men came over to me and asked where I was from. I asked if the others were on a tour and he said that the church was officially closed but that people (like me!) kept wandering in! I asked him when the church was built and he said, “Well come over here and I’ll tell you about it.” He then led me to the middle of the building and proceeded to give me a short history! I felt very fortunate to have happened upon a free tour of the church! 

Here’s a summary of what he told me: Holy Rude now belongs to the Church of Scotland, but was originally a Roman Catholic church. The first part was built in 1414. A second part was built later – I don’t remember the date. It is the only church in Scotland (still standing) at which a coronation took place – that of James VI, son of Mary Queen of Scots. After the Reformation, Holy Rude was taken over by the Church of Scotland and all the stained glass windows and side altars were removed. Eventually, the congregation split, and a dividing wall was constructed to separate both parties – so there were two different congregations using the church as their place of worship. They were later reconciled, however, and the wall removed. In the 1930’s a transept was added in the middle of the church (where the wall had been), to give it more of a cross shape. A beautiful organ was also purchased and fitted in this space. Gradually, patrons of the church contributed funds to have some of the stained glass windows redone. Today most of the windows are stained glass, but a few are still plain. I wish I had taken pictures of the inside… but I didn’t. Hopefully I’ll have another chance to visit. The church often hosts choir concerts, and we’re planning to attend the Christmas one. Apparently the choir is quite good - I’m looking forward to hearing them.

After visiting Holy Rude, I walked through the cemetery behind it to take some pictures of the castle on a sunny day. Here’s one of the better ones:

Monday night we went out to a birthday party. Christy, whom we met at the Catholic Society, had a birthday that day and invited a bunch of people over for a party. We were also out on Thursday night – one of the girls who had been to our place for dinner the previous week invited the group to her house for dinner. Apart from those two nights out, the week went by fairly quietly. We stayed close to home on the weekend too. We had been very active the previous two weekends, so it was nice to have a bit of down time. Brendan spent most of the weekend studying while Liam and I entertained each other. On Sunday afternoon we joined the youth group in Christmas card making. They make cards every year to sell as a fundraiser for their activities. A few others from CathSoc were there too. We made cards, listened to Christmas music, drank hot chocolate… it was a lovely way to spend an afternoon!

Thanksgiving dinner

This past week has been a bit busier than the previous. Tuesday I had a meeting with Fr. Kenneth and Catriona about helping out with some of the parish ministries, which I’m very excited about. It’s so good to be connected to a parish and have a chance to serve! That evening the Catholic Society held an American Thanksgiving dinner, to which we all contributed various dishes. I made my first roast chicken and stuffing. I worried about over or under cooking the meat, but with directions from my mom, I turned out a successful bird! There was an abundance of delicious food and we all left the table quite thoroughly satisfied!

Father-Son time before Thanksgiving dinner

Wednesday Brendan had planned a special surprise for me. He doesn’t have class on Wednesdays, but he normally goes to school anyway to study. This week, however, he didn’t study at all and we spent the whole day together as a family! In the morning we went to see a pantomime called Snow White of the Seven De’ Wharffs, a modified version of the Snow White story that included a man playing Maria from the Sound of Music! The theatre was packed with school kids, which made the pantomime experience a lot of fun! (Pantomime is a style of theatre in which the actors interact with the audience… hundreds of 6-10 year-olds need very little prompting to engage enthusiastically!). The theatre is at the university, so we stayed afterwards for Mass in the chaplaincy and lunch with our friends. We walked home to make the most of yet another sunny day. 

Some shots taken on our walk home:

Stirling Bridge, where William Wallace won his most
famous battle. 

View of the castle from the bridge

View of the Wallace Monument from the bridge

Tonight CathSoc is hosting a St. Andrew’s Day Ceilidh at St. Mary’s. I’m looking forward to my first real Scottish ceilidh! 

Liam

I thought it might be nice to give my favourite wee boy his own blog post every once in a while… after all, he is my main topic of interest these days! The highlands are beautiful, but they’ve got nothing on a human child. My little son is to me the most wonderful, intricately fashioned, miraculous example of God’s creative genius. I like to say he’s the best boy there ever was… that may be a matter of contention with other moms, but to me there’s absolutely no doubt!

Liam Timothy is now 10 and a half weeks old.  His eyes have darkened a bit but are still blue, and he still has the old man haircut he had at birth (I’m sure there’s been a bit of growth in that department, but not significant enough to be noticeable!) We went to the doctor yesterday, so I have up-to-date measurements of his height and weight: 24.4 inches, 14.4 pounds. He’s a big boy! He wears 3-6 month clothes now and, thanks to the generous hostel keepers in Skye, his wardrobe is bigger than Brendan’s and mine combined! I have fun dressing him in something new each day.

Liam’s happy disposition is becoming more and more evident as he gets older. Like any baby, he has moments of discontent (which he communicates with extraordinary vigour – I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole neighbourhood could hear him crying!!!), but for the most part he is peaceful and happy. He smiles nearly every time someone looks at him, which has the consistent effect of melting hearts. He has a bright, broad grin, and is now beginning to let out little laugh-like sounds. My favourite thing is to be greeted with a smile when I pick him up from his crib. He’ll have been crying, but when he sees me, his face lights up as if to say, “There you are! I missed you!” He doesn’t do that every time, but when he does it’s pure magic. Occasionally he even smiles up at me when I put him down for a nap, and then peacefully drifts off to sleep – could there be anything more angelic?!!

Brendan and I are also enjoying Liam’s ever-increasing use of his voice. He can go on cooing for minutes at a time, sometimes on his own, but most often when we’re holding him and responding to his conversation. He has lots to talk about – just like his dad!

Fortunately for mom, his sleep patterns are becoming a bit more regular. He now goes down for naps in his crib and will often sleep up to an hour. His nighttime sleep is also longer. He still wakes up for a night feeding, but is now going to bed a bit earlier, which gives Brendan and me some time together in the evening. He continues to nurse well, is now drooling like crazy (could it be teething already? – there seem to be little white buds quite near the surface of his gums…), seems to get stronger every day (he can actually sit for a few seconds on his own!)… and effortlessly wins the hearts of all who meet him (yes, I am a doting mama – I just can’t help it!).

When I was pregnant for Liam I used to wonder what it would be like to finally hold my child in my arms. I don’t think I could have imagined it being as moving, challenging, and wonderful as it. Being a parent is at once a rich blessing and a grave responsibility. I often look at my son and marvel at the radical freedom of each human being. Here is a tiny baby, now dependent on me for everything, but who will one day grow into a fully independent man. Brendan and I can love Liam, teach him our values, offer him guidance, but ultimately, he is free to choose his life’s path. I pray that all my children will choose to seek God and that Brendan and I will have the courage and wisdom to guide them as we ought.

Becoming a parent has also given me a much more profound appreciation for my own parents. My love for Liam is an indication to me of how much my parents love me. Once when B and I were adoring our little son I said, “I wonder if he’ll ever know how much we love him.” Brendan replied: “He will when he has kids of his own.” Parenthood requires an extraordinarily generous and selfless love – one that cannot be reciprocated by the child. I love my parents immensely, but I think their love for me will always have a unique character that I cannot emulate – except in my love for my own children. I suppose that’s how God has designed the beautiful economy of family life: parents invest time, energy, and love into their children, not so that it will be returned to them, but so that their children will go on to invest in children of their own… and in so doing come to recognize the magnitude of their parents’ love and sacrifice. I’m grateful to my parents for teaching me to be a parent myself by loving me as I grew. I consider that their greatest gift to Liam. He can’t see it yet, but he will – when he has children of his own.  

My boy is sleeping right now, and crazy as it sounds, I kind of miss him! I guess when you take the time to reflect on a blessing, its power to move you becomes even more tangible. I’m grateful to God for entrusting Liam to Brendan and me. Life is so much more beautiful because of him!

Here are a few of my favourite recent photos:

Visit from Toby & Rebecca

Rebecca & Toby on the Stirling Castle hill
(Wallace Monument in the background)

Last weekend we hosted our first overnight guests: Brendan’s high school friend Toby and his girlfriend Rebecca came from London to spend a few days with us. Both Toby and Rebecca are from New Brunswick, but Toby moved to London in August to begin a Master’s degree at London School of Economics. Rebecca was over to visit him and they decided to spend a couple days of their time together with us, as neither one had been to Scotland before. They travelled by train and arrived at around 7pm on Saturday evening. It was wonderful to see some familiar faces! We had a great evening together: Brendan insisted on a four-course meal - or five if you count the Scotch as its own course!

(A quick aside: I think one of Brendan’s favourite things about being in Scotland is the Scotch. Nearly every time he meets someone new, he suggests doing a Scotch tasting together - he’s absolutely itching to do a tour of a distillery. The other day I bought him some tumblers at Pound Stretcher (the equivalent of a dollar store). He was over the moon! He ran right out and bought a bottle of Scotch so that he could give his new tumblers a proper christening!)

We enjoyed our dinner over the course of about six hours, all the while engaged in lively conversation. I think it’s safe to say that a good time was had by all!

The weather was beautiful on Sunday, so we decided to spend the day enjoying the Scottish countryside. While Brendan, Liam and I were at Mass, Toby & Rebecca set out to track down a rental car. The task proved challenging, but in the end they did manage to secure a vehicle. We decided to drive along the coast, in the hopes of getting a nice view of water and hills. The road we took didn’t quite offer the view we were hoping for, but the drive was pleasant nonetheless. Eventually we came to the town of Aberdour and happened upon one of Scotland’s oldest castles. The oldest part of Aberdour Castle was constructed in 1198 and is now in ruin. Attached to the ruin is a more recent structure, dating from the 17^th century. The castle was built near St. Fillan’s church, which was constructed around 1140. We spent a long time walking the castle grounds and marveling at the history of the place. As per his resolution, Brendan purchased the official guidebook. Now that I’ve finished the one on Stirling Castle, I’m eager to read about Aberdour.

Aberdour Castle ruins

St. Fillan's 

Inside St. Fillan's

Dusk was upon us as we left the castle, so we drove to a nearby beach where we thought we might get a good view of the sunset. We didn’t catch the sun setting, but dusk over the water was still beautiful. We could see the lights of Edinburgh across the way, as well as an old abbey that B and I might go back to visit some other time. 

Before returning home we stopped at the Allanwater Café in Bridge of Allan, which has a reputation for the best fish & chips around! We were not disappointed!

At The Allanwater Café 

The monumental fish & chips!!!

Toby & Rebecca left on Monday morning to spend some time in Edinburgh before returning to London.  We really enjoyed our weekend with them. It made me look forward to more possible visits from friends and family!

Another Full Week...

Liam and I have been in Stirling only two weeks, but somehow it seems like much longer... and yet, the days have also flown by. Time has a curious way of expanding and telescoping all at once... I suppose that paradox adds texture to life. In any case, we're making ourselves very much at home here. Though I still feel I'm in the phase of adjusting, this week has been nearly as full as any back home!

Our dinner guests: Chris, German, Paola, and Carolina

On Tuesday, Liam and I took our first bus ride to Stirling University campus to meet up with the Catholic Society. It had only been one week since we first arrived, and already it felt like we were being greeted by old friends. The trip to Skye had, as I suspected it might, solidified our relationships... plus introducing Liam makes his parents popular anywhere! Wednesday I went out for tea with three of the girls from the society - four of us from four different countries with four different accents, none of us in our hometown, but all having made ourselves quite at home in Stirling... these are some of the joys of travelling! Thursday we hosted a dinner party for some people from Brendan's program. We love to host back home, and it's nice to be able to do it here too. 


Friday was a fun day for Liam and me: our first Baby Sensory class! Baby Sensory is a program designed to stimulate babies' senses through play, music, and interaction with other babies. I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of participation, but was pleasantly surprised to find a group of about 15 moms with their babies. A few of the babies looked close to Liam's age, but most were a bit older. I'm sure Liam will have a ball playing with them when he becomes mobile! One of the moms I met told me about a baby massage class offered at the sports centre not too far from where we live, so I'm eager to try that out too. It was really nice to get out and meet some other moms and babies. I'm looking forward to getting to know some of them a little better. 



Friday afternoon we went to visit Stirling Castle with German and Paola (his fiancée). Since we live in Stirling, we get free entry into the castle, so we can go as often as we like! This first visit was on a cold and rainy day (rather a common occurrence here!) - it will be nice to go again when the weather is a little more clement. The tour was good, although we didn't get to see the royal chambers because they are currently being restored. Luckily they will be reopened in April, so we'll get to see them before we go home. Stirling Castle has quite a rich history - B bought the official guide book, which he plans to do at every castle we visit. There is so much to learn here – it’s a little overwhelming, especially if you love history, as we both do! Brendan’s Christmas break reading list is already about three miles long. I’ve suggested he narrow it down a bit, but his spirit is indomitable: he just keeps adding titles! Fortunately the souvenir guides are short – I’ve finished the Stirling Castle one while nursing (a great time to get in some reading!). So even if we can’t find time for all the books we’d like to read, at least we’ll come home with a modest knowledge of Scotland’s people and places. It would be a shame to leave this land without having absorbed some of its story…

The Great Hall

The Inner Close

Castle wall overlooking the city

Sweet dreams after an afternoon of sightseeing!

Skye

On Friday morning, Brendan and I packed our bags for our first weekend excursion in Scotland. The Catholic Society had discussed a trip to Skye earlier this fall - Brendan told me he lobbied hard for the trip to take place after the study break. I'm glad he did!

We left Stirling around 1:45pm, Brendan, Liam and I travelling with Fr. Kenneth in his car, and the rest of the crew in a minibus. We stopped once on the way and made it to our destination -  a hostel in Flodigarry, along the North Eastern coast of Skye - at around 7:30pm. It was dark by the time we crossed the bridge into Skye, so we would have to wait until the next morning to take in the glorious landscape. 

After settling into our rooms, we had dinner and then headed out to the beach for fireworks and sparklers (our celebration of Guy Fawkes Day!). We discovered in the morning that the beach was quite near, but in the pitch dark it seemed miles away. The path there was wet and swampy and littered with what appeared to be cow patties (although we didn't see any cattle!). Though we all returned to the hostel wet and dirty, we thoroughly enjoyed the fireworks display and the adventure of setting out into the unknown!

Saturday was a very full day. We left the hostel in the morning and made our way to Kilt Rock (a rock that looks pleated, like a kilt) to enjoy the view. 

Kilt Rock

We then headed further down the road to the Old Man of Storr hiking trail. The Old Man of Storr is an impressive rock formation that juts out of the Storr hill. Hiking up was challenging but enjoyable. Fortunately, we had perfect weather - the forecast had been for rain, but the day turned out to be crisp and clear. Brendan carried Liam in the Baby Bjorn and I took loads of pictures - one of my new favourite things to do!


The view from the top of the hill was absolutely breathtaking. The landscape of Skye is powerful and rugged. It's colours are deep and dark, mystical and earthy. My pictures capture a hint of that, but don't come close to disclosing the full impact of the place. The rocks and hills and trees of Skye spoke to me of the majesty of God... something that is difficult to seize in a mere photograph! 


We paused at the foot of the Old Man to eat lunch and take in the view. Brigid and Christy, who had eaten their lunch at 10:30am, managed to trade juice boxes and fruit for extra tuna sandwiches... they had been working on the terms of this trade from about halfway up the hike - lamenting the fact that they had already eaten their lunch and wondering aloud if anyone might be willing to offer them an extra sandwich! I don't know who ended up succumbing to the trade - it didn't seem like a very fair one to me (although I must admit that the whole thing was quite entertaining!) Pascal was disappointed that there was no pub at the top of the hill - apparently this is what he looks for on every excursion! I nursed Liam  and enjoyed my tuna sandwich (which I did not trade for orange drink!). It was cold that high up, so after a brief rest, we were all eager to get moving again.    

The Old Man of Storr

View from the top

 Our next stop was in the town of Portree. Brendan and I got hot drinks and wandered around, enjoying the quaint harbour town. We made a brief stop at a craft fair and Brendan bought me a wool hat, for which I was especially grateful the next day (Sunday was windy and cold). As we walked, we marvelled at how wonderful it was to be there together in Skye - the adventure we had dreamed about for so long was now a reality!

The harbour in Portree

Back at the hostel we enjoyed some well-deserved rest and then Fr. Kenneth celebrated Mass for the group. One of my favourite things about travelling with a group of Catholics is the chance to celebrate Mass together. We were a group of 18 people (including Liam) from all over the world, gathered around a common table, sharing the same liturgy. The Mass has an incredible unifying power that highlights our shared humanity - we are all children of the same loving Father.


After Mass we had dinner and then spent the evening having a raucous good time! Christy, representing the entertainment committee (which consisted of her, Brigid and Brendan - an explosive trio, as I've come to observe!), moderated some games for us. The first was a modified version of Cranium, and the second was a contest to see who could pick a cereal box up off the ground with their teeth without touching it or the ground with either hands or knees. The catch was that after each round, the box was cut down shorter and shorter. It was quite hilarious! Brendan was immediately disqualified, being far too tall and no where close to flexible enough to even survive the first round! He took on the role of game show host and camera man for the rest of the game, entertaining us with his loud and hilarious commentary. I always enjoy seeing how Brendan can animate a group, and this was no exception! I'm sure most people like to have fun with friends, but Brendan really thrives on it, and has a knack for boosting the fun index for everyone else while he's at it!!! The prize at the end of the game was a bottle of wine, which was to be shared by four of us - all girls, and all quite flexible! Once the game was done, Fr. Kenneth decided it was time to sing sad songs about how the Scots were oppressed by the English - which he did with vigour. His last number was The Skye Boat Song, which Jessie, Leah and I had learned when we took singing lessons with Mrs. Thompson. It was neat to be singing it again so many years later, this time from the coast of Skye.

Dinner at the hostel

Liam on his 2 month birthday

The cereal box game

Sunday morning we packed up our things and began the trip back to Stirling. B and I left with more luggage than when we arrived: in addition to our things, we now had a giant garbage bag full of baby clothes! The hostel owners had an 11 month old son and were looking to give away his old clothes - Liam was the perfect recipient! We were very grateful - with the amount of clothes we got, the trip to Skye practically paid for itself!


 We made several stops on the way home to take in more of the island. The first place we stopped had been recommended to us by the hostel owner as the best view in Skye. It was spectacular. Again, the pictures hardly do it justice. Next we stopped in a small harbour town for a tea break and then made our way around the western coast of the island towards Dunvegan Castle. The castle grounds were closed to visitors (apparently a clan chief still lives there!) but we could see the castle as we drove by. Eventually we parked and hiked to a beautiful coral beach. The wind was now quite fierce - so strong, in fact, that it made walking difficult, especially on the higher ground. Once again, however, the view was phenomenal - definitely worth the hike. 

The view at our first stop on Sunday

Another shot from our first stop

Above the coral beach

Our last sightseeing stop was Eileen Donan Castle, on the mainland. We couldn't go into the castle but it was still nice to stop and take it in from the outside. Some of my favourite pictures are from that spot.

We arrived back home at around 8:45pm, having enjoyed a fantastic weekend. The weather was perfect, the company was great, and the landscape was absolutely magical. We had listened to Scottish pipe music as we drove through the highlands on the way home... and I thanked God for having once again extravangantly exceeded my expectations.

Group shot taken on Sunday

The Skye photo gallery would not be complete without
a picture of sheep - they were everywhere!

P.S. Check out Facebook for more photos of our trip!

The Roman Catholic Society

As many of you know, we moved to Scotland so that Brendan could do a Master's degree at the University of Stirling. He is studying Energy Management, a program which I believe is unique to the university. It's a relatively new program with a few wrinkles to iron out, but Brendan seems to be enjoying it so far. The first semester is heavy in math, which is proving to be a bit of a challenge, but one that B has embraced with energetic determination. 


Because the program started in September, Brendan came to Stirling on his own to begin classes. He arrived on September 16th, 10 days after Liam's birth (I was in no condition to travel across the ocean at that time! Plus we had decided that I would stay at home until after Jess & Joel's wedding, B would come back for that occasion, and then we would go over together). In addition to attending classes, Brendan tasked himself with making a home for his little family here in Stirling, and creating a social network that Liam and I could fit into when we arrived (so that we wouldn't be too lonely!). His efforts proved quite successful (not that there was ever any doubt - if anyone is good at making friends, it's Brendan!). After a few attempts at engaging strangers on the street (yes, he actually walked down the street trying to talk to locals - what a guy!), he finally connected with some people who would become his friends. Among them a Colombian named German (pronounced Er-mahn - accent on the mahn) who ended up rooming with him for a couple weeks, and two Italian guys - all from his program at school. He also met some members of the University of Stirling's Roman Catholic Society. 


The encounter with the RC Society was providential. One day during his first week here, Brendan was feeling lonely and burdened, so he stopped by St. Mary's to spend a few moments in prayer. The church was locked, but there was a grotto outside so he prayed there. The time of prayer and reflection brought him much needed peace, and he returned home feeling lighter and more hopeful. During that visit to the church he had also noticed the schedule of Masses and times for confession. The following Saturday, he went back to St. Mary's to meet the priest for confession. He was a bit late and found the doors locked again, but two men sitting on the steps of the church told him that Fr. Kenneth was in the rectory and would likely be willing to hear his confession there. So Brendan made his way over to the rectory and introduced himself to Fr. Kenneth. After imparting the sacrament, Father told Brendan about CathSoc. The group meets three times a week: Tuesday evenings at the parish for dinner and discussion, Wednesday afternoons on campus for Mass and lunch, and Sundays after 11:30 Mass at the parish for lunch and fellowship. They also organize visits to local historical sites, as well as weekend trips to various interesting places. Brendan has been attending the Tuesday and Sunday gatherings since Fr. Kenneth introduced him to the group and, ever the enthusiastic host, invited some of the members over for dinner one evening in October.


Brendan was eager to introduce me to his new friends, and since my first full day in Stirling fell on a Tuesday, he didn't have to wait long. That evening's dinner was preceded by a tour of St. Mary's given by Fr. Kenneth, who has been pastor there for about 6 years I think (I don't know that for sure - just deducing from a few things he said during the tour). The church was built in 1905 and renovated in 2005. It's quite beautiful inside, displaying a quality of architecture and decor that was made possible through the generous donation of a wealthy benefactress. Fr. Kenneth gave an excellent tour - having been responsible for overseeing the 2005 renovations, it was evident that he takes great pride in the beauty of this church.

St. Mary's - view from the choir loft

View from the sanctuary

After the tour we had dinner together in the rectory. I enjoyed getting to know some of the members of the society (not all were there that night - the group counts approximately 35 members but not everyone can attend every gathering). Of the 12 people present that night, only 3 were Scottish: Fr. Kenneth, Catriona (who helps moderate the group, organizes activities, makes meals, etc.) and Michael, a student from Edinburgh. The others included 3 Canadians (us!), Rafal and Kasia from Poland, Carlos from Spain, Brigid from Australia, Christy from England, and Sylvia from Slovakia. I understand the rest of the group is quite international as well. It was fun to have so many different accents around the table! The society's next event is a weekend trip to the Isle of Skye, which B signed us up for before he came home. I've heard that Skye is absolutely gorgeous and am looking forward to seeing it. I'm also glad to have an opportunity to spend some time with the group - travelling together is always a great way to solidify friendships!

The group

Brendan doesn't have class on Wednesdays, so we were together all day yesterday. He had lots of schoolwork to do, but we still managed to enjoy some family time. Liam is a real joy - B & I are loving watching him grow. He smiles all the time now and is becoming more vocal every day. I discovered yesterday that he can now hold his rattle, which thrilled me to pieces (having a baby really makes one appreciate the small miracles of life - a hand that once couldn't grasp anything can now hold a rattle!!!) He whacked himself in the head with it a few times but no serious damage was done!

My little munchkin

Tummy Time!

Holding his rattle for the first time

I also had the opportunity to meet German yesterday. He accidentally locked himself out of his apartment in the morning, so he came over to pass the time before his fiancée came home.  It was nice to meet him - he and Brendan seem to get on very well. 


The rest of the day was spent doing a few errands, unpacking suitcases, caring for Liam, etc. I was more tired yesterday than the day before - I suppose that's normal. Excitement keeps fatigue at bay on the first day, but only rest can prevent exhaustion. Luckily I had a great sleep last night. Little Chincer was fussy in the evening and didn't settle down to sleep until about 1am... but then slept like a champion until 7:45! He was in a great mood this morning when I went to get him, cooing and smiling as I picked him up. Moments like that make me so happy to be a mom!!!

Outside our apartment before going out to do errands.
German took the picture.