Meet Shamus MKI
 

Well, 57 hours no sleep and a 16 hour drive , low and behold Mr Shamus Quinn Spencer Rugby No.8 man and a damn fine tank commander to boot arrived this am. Born Sept 17th ( I know why this date is important Richard ) 2004 at 10:06am, 6 pounds 10 ounces, 20 inches long.
Mom and baby are doing fine though they had a busy night and I heard some things coming from that room that would curddle a sailors Rum.
Yours,
Daddy
Sean

You silly bunt
 

You'll soon learn that this stuff is counter-productive, but I reckon we all have to find out for ourselves... :D

So, daddy... CONGRATULATIONS!

BTW, Hanno can give you hints on breaking in the new 'uns... :)

Take care of your young 'un (and your wife!)... Shamus is a real cutie!

CONGRATULATIONS! , Sean.

It looks like everything came out OK for you. :D

Rebuilding the Canadian Forces - one trooper at a time. :)

6 Pdr.
 

A 6 Pounder, eh? H.E. or solid shot? Either way, keep the diaper flaps down...

Re: Meet Shamus MKI
 

SEPT 17th ...
WELCOME
and
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
to
"SHAMUS QUINN SPENCER"

Mom and Dad ... Sept 17 brings wonderful strong souls into the world. And VIRGO to boot, lookout cause he's PERFECTION ITSELF! :D

BTW ... 6l bs 10 oz 20 inches ... I know EXACTLY what that can feel like because my first born was exactly that ... I did some of my own bloodcurdling sounds ... next birth was 7 lbs 11 oz 21 inches ... I hope Shamus's Mom is bigger than me (I'm 5'1" SCREeeEeeEaeeaeammmmmmmmmm many many stitches after very panicky med types)

God ... I HOPE Mom recuperates quickly ... and the joy is that the second a child is born all pain is gone and replaced with wonder.

Wow ... hot damn... CONGRATS

Thx all
 

Thought I would share with my surrogate family and I/we appreciate the kind thoughts and wishes, make donations payable to 555-...:D
I've rassled 300 pound drunks to the ground ,saved a girl from being raped in a construction tunnel in Vancouver at 2 am, saved a couple of guys from drowning,debated a bear, rassled 500pound steers in to head gates, played rugby in front of 25,000 people, ran dirt bikes up 80 degree mountain slopes with sheer drop offs on either side, got married, had beers with the tight knit MLU crew in Britain,...but none of it was as intimidating as this runt is. I was really surprised at the emotion that sprang from somewhere the first time I said "MY SON" . Weird.:cheers:
Sean

PS: time to brush up on gunnery practice, never too young to start learning balistics

Re: Thx all
 

MY HERO SEAN ... you don't know how much I mean that. Thank god you were there!

Awesomely POWERFUL isn't it?:)

I know I don't have to say "Enjoy your son" ;)

Re: Thx all
 

Yes indeed, sir. Yes indeed. I'll never forget that myself. And it's something which never leaves you. My eyes are tearing right now as I read your words, remembering an early morning some 24 years ago...

"My son..."

Enjoy, Sean.

Shamus Too
 

This is the little bugger grimacing as the nurse tickled his feet to wake him up so he'll nurse. Just like pop he'll get up when he is good and ready.

Re: Shamus Too
 

Aw ... god... I'm absolutly in love with Shamus :)

And its really stunning to know we all start that
pure and vulnerable ... imagine.

Thank you Sean.

Re: Re: Shamus Too
 

Many congrats indeed from this side of the pond, and I do recall the MLU gathering well.

Sorry to have missed the keel-laying ceremony, but thanks for sharing the launch with us.
Then we find MLU. . . . . . . . . .That'll fix it.

Say Hi to Mum (Mom), I do believe we have met. . . . . .

Well done.

R.

Re: Shamus Too
 

Sean ..
What a fine little lad you and the Missus conjured up...
I believe a Winchester 30-30,trappers model,would be an appropriate 1st birthday present....
Full SNAP ON tool box for birthday #2...
THanks for sharing the pix..
Well done ,old man..
You and Momma are the envy of the MLU board members...

Re: Re: Shamus Too
 

Just make sure no one slips in a set of those sheared bolt and stud "removal" thingies.

Please note these are neither "Easy" or "Out" and are made, we believe, by the SNAP-OFF tool company.

However, if you plan a handy spark-eroding kit for the little lad on birthday No.3, (I cannot bring myself to use #) then ignore the above.

R.

Hi Sean
Congrats to you and your good wife. A job well
done. I had the pleasure of baby sitting my grandson
last weekend and was startled by what the little bugger
could put in that diaper. After more than a 20 year absence
from that chore the memory has dimmed. But guess what?
His mom and dad picked him up on Sunday and he is off home. You sir, don't have that luxury. My sympathies are with you
for what is ahead in that department. Like the rest of us who have been there, this chore is long forgotten and all the pleasures of parenthood lay ahead. Enjoy him while you have the chance because they grow up too quickly.
Barry C
.;)

OKAY LAST ONE
 

I don't plan on being the boorish 'I'm the only father in the world' so one more pic , unless requested. I had some sleep and am on a bit firmer footing though Mom has had all of a couple hours sleep as the little bugger is happy sleeping away instead of eating. This of course bodes well for S.A.S or JTF2 service and I suspect he would rather field strip a Bren or scope a terrorist from 1000 yards, though Dad would be just as happy if he'd eat right now.
Alex, I have a couple of Snap-on ratchet rattles and box end soothers ready to go and if you could make that Trapper a .44mag cal. to match Dada's pistole. Though I think a 'Boyes/Boys' rifle would be very appropriate.
Richard I think you are thinking of Lovely Mary not Lovely Melissa though they could pass for sisters. And when you come west to straighten out the local politicians I'll introduce you to the mommy and a local drink we have called "beer".
Sleeping Shamus Attached.
Sean

Re: OKAY LAST ONE
 

Nah, all old-hat stuff, don't be doin' with that piddly .44 mag or the dreadful .55 Boyes stuff, never did go through a tank anyway, what you need is one of these Hakkaa Päälle:
http://www.military.com/soldiertech/...XM109,,00.html
Might I suggest, however, the "optional" muzzle brake is actually an essential; even for lumberjack-sized Canadians. . . . . . .
Most probably, there were a lot of people at Beltring that year and I think the MLU Camp Brits were almost outnumbered by Canadians, especially at the times Ball-Spinning was actually awake.

I'm not too good on beer, except I can tell our real stuff of darker colour, non-CO2 frothed, 6% alcohol, and flavoursome taste at cellar temp, from the pale gnats-piss, fizzy-pop, ice-cold stuff the rest of the world mistakenly wants to call beer.

Don't you dare start me off on politicians :mad: :mad: :mad:

R.

Fine Gift...
 

R
A fine gift for a first birthday for a new trooper...as long as you threw in a couple of cases of the 200mm air-bursting grenades ...
Of course there is nothing wrong with the .50 cal. McMillan..Our snipers were knocking off the bad guys at 2500 meters in Afganistan with them...

Re: OKAY LAST ONE
 

... and a little child shall lead them ...

That expression (I don't think about organized religeon but of human spirit)
is so human true ...isn't it?

THIS last close up photo made me cry Sean and "Mom" ... and by the way, you SHOULD be acting like an "I'm the only father in the world" because you ARE ... to your son ... knock yoreself out and express all that wonder, awe and pride and panic :eek: .... and I'll tell you a little secret ... you'll never lose that feeling even when your son is a grumpy old fart and you even older and grumpier :p :D

Magic. Wow. THANK YOU for sharing the photos and the whole darned experience with us!

Re: You silly bunt
 

Congratulations all!

To Melissa and Shamus: :salute: - giving birth and being born are the toughest jobs in the world.
To daddy Sean: :cheers: to a job well done.

Hanno

P.S.: stay up on cloud nine for as long as possible, before you know it he'll be wrestling his ole man to the ground.

Six month report
 

Well, it has been a long 6 months that seem to have flown by:confused: I don't get it either. Shamus had colic for the first 5 months, and still a touch, and that was some hard time. Include -40 and no one being able to sleep or go outside...But since the start of his 5th month he finally burps with ease and doesn't have to scream with gas pain anymore. That alone is certainly easier on this guy's bones. He is about 17 pounds now , up from 5ish, and I don't have to worry so much about having a dead baby on my hands,when I wake up, everytime I go to sleep.
He is jsut starting to say sylables like da and ma but it has no meaning as of yet. He also growls and screams as he is testing his voice, quite funny to watch. He loves his jolly jumper and going for walks (its only -10 during the day now) but crys if you squeak his rubber duck.
He will not sit still and inspects everything as if it is new and fun and interesting, as of course it is to him. It would be interesting to see things through his eyes with our experience. Anyway, he loves people and is living up to his friendly name "Shamus".
So having no relatives within a couple thousand kilometers you are all welcome to come visit and play with Shamus so mom and dad can get out:D
Sean

Re: Six month report
 

So Master Snowtractor Sean "da" of the wee Shamus ... send me a plane ticket and I'd be glad to relieve you two of parental hypervigilance so you can eat, drink and be merry, or sleep ;) til you miss the wee lad :D

He sure has changed in 5 months! Happens sooooo fast :( :confused: He looks great ... full of P and vinegar!

(sorry that Shamus, Ma, and Da, had to go through with the colic... ouch ... and glad things are settling down there. I recall laying my head on my daughters chests because I couldn't see them breathing ... but they were :D It's the scareiest sensation until you see or feel their breath hey :eek:

:cheers: Karmen

Re: Sean
 

The only reason he started screaming was because he took one look at you... :p

Re: Re: Six month report
 

You know I really would, but the phrase " when I win the lottery" keeps coming up and with Melissa on reduced income. Not like we're the only parents that this happens to.
As for time away, Melissa is only up to about 2 hours before she starts to get all anxious to get home and that's with me looking after him. Since momma has adjusted (read as 'settled down') to having a wee one I can spend more time away from home,ie 12 hour work shifts, though I sure enjoy his company when I get home. He laughs and giggles and trys to tell you about his day, then looks at the cat and laughs histerically. Cats are apparently funny, who knew?

Sean

Re: Re: Sean
 

Funny, did someone help you out with that answer young man?
You should come visit too Geoff, so Shamus gets used to old people:D
Sean

Re: Re: Re: Six month report
 

Tell ya what... I'll win the Super 7 tonite and buy the plane tickets and treat you... and I'll bring the OLD-FART-TIMER ... right now he's looking around for his cane ... but he'll never find it, as his grey hair is so long its covering his old eyes :D ... hmmmmmmm ... perhaps you should make the wee Shamus wear blinders or a blindfold when the Old Timer visits? :D

Re: Six month report
 

Sean, good to hear the colic is going away. Stijn had terrible colic as well, I still remember how well Kangaroo-vet Arnold Faragher was able to quieten him down. Just last week I tried his technique on Annelot, and it worked very well. Send me a plane ticket and I'll show you how it works ;)

And oh, :salute: to the young mother and father.

Hanno

Re: Re: Six month report
 

Does it have to be return? And if we (mom and I) are under duress, you and mom must be approaching Sainthood with three!
Sean