Cirrus Week 6 (Mar 24-30)

Cirrus is 6 weeks old.  He is making lots of fun little sounds now, smiles regularly, and is very interested in looking and observing the world around him.

Here he ponders life (so far) while looking off into the distance. 

Senja is warming up to Cirrus and is having some lovely interactions with him.  She is much more likely to interact with him when she thinks she is alone with him.  They had a very nice moment one afternoon when Senja got out her tea set and carefully prepared him a cup of tea.

The week started with another boiling of maple sap.  We have no trouble putting the kids to work.  Cadel and Senja work hard to bring a wagon load of wood for the fire.

Our week ended with our neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt.  The ground was covered in snow but that did not stop the festivities.  Here is Senja looking around for some eggs.

Stacey went on her first post-pregnancy run.  Wait, leave the baby at home!

Cirrus Week 5 (Mar 17-23)

The First Day of Spring brought with it Cirrus's First Smile!

Winter went out with a flourish, dumping another 12" of snow on us and giving Cadel a snow day from school on the last day of winter and a late opening on the first day of spring.  Justin was our local trail 'groomer' packing down the snow on the hill in our yard making a little slope for Senja and Cadel to ski.  When that wasn't enough, he extended the trail network into our neighbor's yard adding a cross-country ski track which got much use by several neighborhood kids (and we're not sure how many kilometers Justin logged around the 30 meter track!).  And, to add to the fun, Cirrus got to meet his Grandpa Cox this week!

Cirrus gets suited up to experience the snow.

Senja, Cirrus, and Cadel enjoy some inside playtime...

And some outside playtime...

Cirrus cheerfully spends some time with his big brother.

Cirrus Week 4 (Mar 10-16)

Cirrus spent this week with a bit more awake time.  He is looking around a lot and seems more aware of Cadel and Senja.  They often ask to hold him and he looks at them very curiously.  We're all settling into life with one another and are that crazy spot of not being sure whether it feels like Cirrus has always been here or whether it seems like he just arrived yesterday. 

Cirrus started out the week with a visit from his Fuellhart cousins, Lindsey, Zach, and Travis, and his Autie Kerry.  He was very happy to meet them.

 

Getting a "good" photo of all three kids is apparently not going to be trivial.

Cirrus snoozes with his little caterpillar friend.

Cirrus Week 3 (Mar 3-9)

Our big adjustment for this week was Justin's return to work.  After two weeks of being at home he couldn't believe it -- people at work do NOT nap from 1:00 - 3:00 each afternoon!  Cirrus (shown below) did not let this news affect his nap schedule.  

Cirrus spent the week trying out his arms, quite unsure of the strange movements they seem to make.  He also got to spend more time outside since we had a few days of sunny skies and warmer weather.  We are still happily up to our ears in snow (well, at least up to Senja's ears).  Justin came home each day for lunch to work on a six foot tall fort on the Common Green (or White, as it is at the moment), oh, and to play with Cadel and Senja.  The fort, a true neighborhood effort, can just barely be seen in the bottom left corner of the picture below (which does not nearly capture the magnitude of it, nor the beautiful sunset that evening).

 Stacey, Senja, and Cirrus (buried in the green Snugli) enjoy a sunny afternoon on the back porch.

 

Cirrus is always content snuggled in his Papa's arms.

Cirrus Week 2 (Feb 24 - Mar 2)

Cirrus is two weeks old!

Over the past week Cirrus practiced lots of facial expressions, enjoyed many moments in his big brother's arms, and took in stride the occasional (or at times more than occasional) squawks and quibbles of his older siblings. He got to meet his Grandma Cox, Auntie Sarah, Cousin Andreas and Cousin Miles, who came for a visit.  And he packed on the pounds, well ounces anyway, returning to a plump nine-pounder from the "slender" eight and a half pounds he dropped to in his first week! 

We have been a little surprised at Cadel and Senja's response to Cirrus.  Cadel often asks to hold him and seems very comfortable around him while Senja seems a little hesitant.  She does ask to hold him once in a while, but is much more comfortable and eager to put a blanket on him or place a toy nearby.  But, both do seem happy to have him around so far.

Two brothers contemplate life

A little flashback -- here is a photo taken 09/06/2010 of Cadel (2 years) and Senja (3 weeks).

We are thoroughly enjoying having this little fella around and, for the most part, are feeling like we are adapting well to being parents of three.  Of course, that is with both of us home full time and with a two hour family nap every afternoon.  Next week's update may tell a different story once Justin goes back to work!  For now let"s just enjoy this week. 

Justin and Senja went to a local running race on Saturday morning, conveniently just a half mile from our house, while Stacey, Cirrus and Cadel stayed home and played board games.  Then it was time to bundle up and take a shift tending to the fire to keep the maple sap evaporator going (tapping trees, collecting sap, and boiling it down to make syrup is an annual tradition in our neighborhood).  Here is Justin with all three kids (you can just see the top of Cirrus's hat) coming back from our outing to check the sap boiling.