Some diary entries … June to August 1994

3/6/94 – It took a long time to get Sean to sleep – the beanbag system has outlived its usefulness.

4/6/94 – Susanna can now roll over on her own, and play a blinking-and-smiling game.

7/6/94 – Sean was at his playgroup. He and Pauline cut our grass and next door’s in the afternoon, except for our back lawn, which I cut, with Sean’s assistance of course.

8/6/94 – Pauline took Sean and Susanna to the Nutgrove in the afternoon – Sean walked all the way there and they got a bus back.

12/6/94 – We all went to the park – it was a beautiful day. Stayed quite a long time, and kicked Sean’s football around.

13/6/94 – It was a beautiful hot, sunny day … Pauline, Sean and Susanna went to the park for the whole afternoon. Sean spent a lot of time playing with the girls two doors down. His sandpits arrived, sans sand, and one was filled with water for him to play in. One of the little girls was stung by a bee in our back garden.

14/6/94 – Sean’s new friends played in the back garden.

16/6/94 – Sean and Alan played out the back with the girls from two doors down – ‘my friends’, as Sean calls them. He’s very proud of having lots of friends.

18/6/94 – Sean, Susanna and I went out for a paper and Sean had quite a long walk. I did some work, and in the afternoon we all went to the park. Sean did a circuit on the miniature railway, and played in the playground.

22/6/94 – Sean had been playing out the back with five little girls – ‘his friends’ … Susanna’s first tooth has come through.

23/6/94 – Sean had a great time playing in the back garden with Grace, Emma, Louise, Elaine and Edel.

27/6/94 – Sean was at his playgroup in the morning, and then played with his friends.

29/6/94 – Pauline, Sean and Susanna went down to Dundrum in the afternoon. They were in the library listening to storytelling. Sean joined, and brought three books home.

30/6/94 – Sean, Pauline and Susanna were collected by Eleanor for a party in her house in the afternoon … [later] Pauline had a driving lesson at 8 – I took Susanna in the buggy while Sean cycled a good distance round the estate.

1/7/94 – I followed the others to the park. Found them in the playground. It was a lovely day again … we saw a squirrel (red) on the way back through the park.

2/7/94 – We heard a squealing in the garden, like a distressed crow might make. It turned out to be a hedgehog, which may have fallen off the wall.

3/7/94 – Went for a walk in the park – ran into Louise, Heidi and co. there; all were asking where Sean was.

6/7/94 – Spoke to Pauline and Sean on the phone [in Warrenpoint]. Sean was up a ladder checking the gutters or something.

8/7/94 – Met Pauline and Sean on the platform [in Newry], Sean smiling and pleased to see me.

16/7/94 – Went to Connolly to meet the 5.15 arrival from Newry, but Sean, Susanna and Pauline weren’t on it. Went to the Palace and drank two pints of Guinness; rang Warrenpoint and was told by Peter that they would be on the 7.20 arrival. Duly met them, and we got a taxi home. Stayed in for the evening – Sean and Susanna were up late.

17/7/94 – There was a puppet show and live music in the park.

19/7/94 – Again we had lots of kids in the garden for most of the day – we put water in both sandpits and some of them got into swimming gear. Sean loves all this.

20/7/94 – Sean was out playing with his friends for most of the day … Olivia and Andrew were in playing with Sean after dinner. Sean was very upset when they went – he hates it when the day’s play comes to an end. Susanna has several teeth coming through to join the first one.

21/7/94 – Pauline and I started playing badminton outside, and soon were joined by large numbers of children; all the little girls doting on Susanna. We had a lively couple of hours or so.

26/7/94 – We distributed personalized invitations to Sean’s party – done on the computer and stuck onto glossy cards from Pauline’s printing stock … [later] Pauline felt that Sean enjoyed being with us for the evening rather than with his friends as usual.

28/7/94 – Sean’s third birthday. The birthday boy opened his cards and present first thing. Pauline had got him a pirate ship and some accessories as a stopgap until we can get him the doctor’s case he wants … I took Sean to the supermarket, and cut the lawns, and made lunch. The guests arrived around three, and the two ‘clown’ girls whom Pauline had hired to do a puppet show and games. The guest were: Sara, Elaine, Louise, Edel, Brian, Heidi, Andrew, Olivia, Ciara, Sean F, Aoife and Alan. The puppet show etc. went quite well, although the clowns did not always hold the children’s attention … Sean got lots of cards and presents. The party went on for several very tiring hours, and everyone seemed to have a good time.

2/8/94 – Mary, Aideen, Medbh and Aoife arrived with Sean in their car, having met Pauline & co. in Superquinn. A hectic day followed, with constant playing for Sean and the girls. Elaine and Louise were also here a good bit. Sean had a great time.

10/8/94 – We took Grace, Emma, Louise, Sean and Susanna to the small park for a walk – they all had a great time. They’re all lovely kids.

11/8/94 – Pauline drove Sean, Susanna, Eleanor and Alan to a farm in Straffan as part of an ICT outing. They had a great time – Sean held kittens, chicks, etc. and got close to lots of animals … [later] Susanna is very cute. When you stand in front of a mirror with her, she waves at the mirror.

21/8/94 – [in Portstewart] Liam, Pauline, Sean, Sian, Susanna and I went to two playgounds. In the second Sean and Sian went on junior dodgems/bikes, which was good fun for everyone.

25/8/94 – Pauline, Sean and Susanna went to see Bosco in Terenure.

29/8/94 – The four of us went to the small park, where we played games and had a lot of fun. Sean was playing with ‘Weese’ [Louise] earlier.