Settling in

I started this post a few weeks ago and things just kept happening! Crazy how that works! Whatevs, it's all still true. Even if Ben's coconut is getting bigger and bigger.

We've started venturing out of the house now! We took a trip to the Harris Nature Center and walked a very short loop. Everyone got a stick. Everyone got to keep their stick for the whole walk!

And we visited our old friend Tortoise.

Ben's been trying out Edie's moves

Edie mimics Ben's moves while looking at me. How do she know?

John waiting to talk on the first day of kindergarten.

Edie loves polka dots!

Caught!

I sorted through all the kids' clothes since I didn't have a chance to before Ben was born. That is a lot of cloth. So many piles! So many stains and holes! But now they've all been wrangled into the proper categories and put away very nicely, all ready for Ben.

Nothing is cozier than a pile of sleeping cats.

Ben's got a good rooster-do going on.

And the other children are playing together at the same activity! Miraculous! 

We went on another walk to Valhalla.

They had a merry-go-round! John (of course John) got flung off a few times.

Oscar has been finding four-leaf clovers like a boss.

It got cold all of a sudden and Ben got to try out his winter styles.

I made this sweater for Oscar's first birthday but it got felted. What kind of crazy lady makes baby clothes out of wool!??!

John is very far away and rapidly approaching on a bike with only two wheels. That's right, we've got two bicycle boys in our house now!

A study in orange.

 

Ben's not-so birthday

Tuesday was Bens due date; however he is now three weeks old.  It's a good time to check in on his progress and see how much he has grown ex utero. Margaret says I should say post-partum but I think it's funnier this way. Here is his growth in reverse chronological order:

Why do all babies do this? Any hypothesis? Sometimes ben will be stuck in the whistling position for a few minutes as if this is normal.

Ben was banished to the basement for excessive fussing at 2am.  Garage and I joined him in his exile. Of coarse once we got down there they both fell asleep.

This is two week old Ben.

Week and a half...

One Week...

Couple of days.

Weigh in at a few days old.  I am happy to report he is a chubby boy now at > 7lbs.

Back in the day when all he would do is sleep.  I miss those days.

First day home

Remember when this baby was in there? Also that sunflower bloomed.

Initial reaction of the tribe

John is especially fond of him

This is a yawn not a cry.

Edie is usually much happier while holding Ben than she is demonstrating in this photo.  I made the mistake of telling her to smile.

We even got Oscar to come say hi on Bens first day home.

First time we saw him open his eyes for realzy.

It was short lived.

Hours old here! (also first outfit!)

Minutes old here!

Seconds old here!