1/3/92 – Sean woke at 7, unfortunately for Pauline, whose turn it was to get up with him.
2/3/92 – Sean was wide awake at 6. He’s got a room of his own now.
3/3/92 – Pauline and I (and Sean) went to Irish Life in the afternoon, and did quite well – it looks as though they’d be willing to lend us £45,000 … [later] Sean was troublesome (teething; one bottom tooth already through).
5/3/92 – Sean gave us a hard time during the night, so we were very tired in the morning. Continue reading
1/6/92 – Sean is now clapping his hands – he’s very cute and clever.
2/6/92 – We bought a ‘car’ cum baby walker for Sean.
4/6/92 – Sean slept right through till 9!
7/6/92 – Sean slept right through till 8.45. Bliss, especially as it was my turn to get up with him. It was a beautiful day … in due course we all went to the Marist Fathers’ and sat on [a mat on] the grass, then Pauline got a 7 to the market and Sean and I went home … [later] Pauline and I had good games with Sean, bouncing on the spare bed. He eventually went to sleep. Continue reading
3/9/92 – Sean slept till 6.30 or so, then went back to sleep in our bed. I got up at 8.10 and Sean danced to Davy Spillane, as I mistakenly thought the TV was still on the blink.
4/9/92 – Met my dad off his train, and we got a bus to town and then a 48A out … My dad was very taken with Sean of course.
5/9/92 – I got up with Sean. My dad and I took him to the shopping centre for the papers. My dad went to Sandycove for a swim.
6/9/92 – We decided that I should go full-time freelance in January. Continue reading
3/12/92 – Sean hadn’t slept during the day, and we hoped to keep him awake till 8.30, but he fell hopelessly asleep at 6.45, and to our chagrin awoke at 7.45. Then he was alternately cranky and lively till all hours.
5/12/92 – We went to Marley Park and had a nice time there.
6/12/92 – Got quite wet going to the shop for a paper. Sean made me play with him rather than read it.
7/12/92 – Met Pauline and Sean in Bewley’s – Sean had a new clear plastic ball with water and a [toy] fish in it. Continue reading
4/3/93 – Sean fell asleep for the night at 7.20, having had a very energetic day playing with various people, and no nap. We were apprehensive as to what time he’d wake up.
6/3/93 – We headed off down Wicklow way, and ended up in Glendalough. A beautiful, peaceful place. We had a couple of drinks in a pub, and wandered around by a lake and a graveyard. Sean had a good time, and chased some sheep – he amused many by eating sugar cubes in the pub.
8/3/93 – Sean idolizes Andrew next door.
11/3/93 – Pauline and Sean were at the playgroup in the morning. Sean had a great time … in the afternoon Pauline took him for his general check-up at the Health Centre … the nurses said that he’s doing all the things a two-year-old should be doing [Sean was around 19 months old]. He weighs 32 pounds and measures 85 cm. And he made a big impression on the nurses … Sean was also in Andrew’s house for a good while. Continue reading
2/6/93 – Pauline and Sean were in the Nutgrove – Sean got new shoes … In the evening we all went for a walk to the green near the roundabout, and Sean threw stones in the water.
3/6/93 – Pauline and Sean were at the playgroup, and Eleanor and Alan came back here with them … Pauline, Sean and I went for a walk. Sean again watched his favourite programme, The Crystal Maze.
6/6/93 – Pauline, Sean and I spent a good while in Marley Park – it was a lovely day.
7/6/93 – Sean and Andrew are playing out the back with water, supervised by Pauline. It’s another nice day.
9/6/93 – Went out and bought the Guardian … all the Irish Times had been stolen from in front of the petrol station shop this morning, and from Spar … the third time in two weeks, I was told. Continue reading
2/9/93 – Pauline left Sean to the playschool – he didn’t want to go in; she had to stay with him for a while and then sneak off. But when she collected him it turned out that he’d had a great time. He now has a schoolbag, which she bought him yesterday, for carrying his lunch in … [later] Sean and I went to the shop for sweets, him on his bike. He went to sleep quite early.
4/9/93 – Sean and I went to the shopping centre for the paper and bread, which he transported home in the tipper of his bike … [later, in Naas] We had a barbecue and wine, and John and I also drank some cans of beer. Blanaid arrived quite late with Hannah and Daniel – she and Daniel left again after a while. Sean had a good time running around with the two kids. Continue reading
2/12/93 – Sean arrived at our door early in the night: the first time he’s done this rather than crying for one of us … [later] it was decided, after Pauline had rung Holles Street, that Susanna should be taken to see the doctor there, so Susanna, Nuala and Pauline went off in the car and Sean and I ‘did runnings’.
3/12/93 – We had lunch and then everyone except Susanna and me went to Dundrum. The nurse called after they got back to do a heel test on Susanna; the first one hadn’t worked. Sean and I did runnings upstairs while she was here. It has been decided that the sander is too loud for Susanna’s ears, so they’ll all be going away for a couple of days soon so that I can get it done.
7/12/93 – I rang Pauline. They’d gone to the hospital on the way to Warrenpoint. Susanna is fine, and 10 lb. They also went to a baby massage class. Continue reading
3/3/94 – Paul and Alan collected Sean, and they went to the party (in Eleanor’s mum’s house) … A woman called Karen left Sean home – he’d had a good time.
7/3/94 – We were expecting to go to Bernie’s for Sean, Susanna and I to get bioenergy treatment, but Bernie rang to say she had a bug.
8/3/94 – Nuala, Sean, Susanna and I went to Bernie’s, where she gave the bioenergy treatment to all four of us in turn. It was interesting and enjoyable, and relaxing. Sean and Susanna were very good.
11/3/94 – Nuala, Sean, Susanna and I went to Bernie’s for our final session. My eczema seemed to be clearing up a bit … We drove to the hospital to see Pauline … Pauline gave Susanna a feed … [later] While stirring together some cod liver oil and apple juice, Sean fell off a chair and most of the CLO spilt … He likes the concoction. Continue reading
Sean’s third birthday, 28 July 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. Continue reading
The road to God knows where ... Brendan O'Brien 