Sylvie is officially a month old! She is a snuggly baby, full of coos and early smiles, even if she makes us work for them. She makes a wide variety of old man expressions that keep me giggling and the kids have still not tired of smothering her with kisses and hugs. They all want to hold the bottle, tuck in the blanket, and help us dress her and care for her. Griffin still sneaks into our room to watch her sleep. She is a miracle for all of us, and we have so enjoyed returning to the days of a newborn, even at 3 AM!

That said, the rest of our lives have run a little less smoothly. We had a lot of travel planned right after Sylvie’s arrival that the kids were really looking forward to. Even though it was lots of fun, it meant that the chest cold that ran rampant through our family continued a little longer than it should’ve. Per the usual, I lost my voice from coughing. It’s one of the most frustrating side effects of getting sick, as that also means I can’t read stories or sing or correct kids from across the room. I was down to a squeak for a week there, and even the kids were disconcerted. After a couple of weeks of this, I was on the mend… Until one giant cough that threw my back out. I was only out of commission for a few days, but after a few weeks of feeling crummy and the juxtaposition of my expectations for more family time and organizing and getting to know Marie, I will admit that it’s been a rough spring!

Little Sylvie also caught the cold, and her pig-like snorts would be funny if they didn’t worry me so much. The doctor isn’t worried, and told us how to keep her nose as clear as possible and help her feel better. I wish I could be sick for her, even though I’m super happy to be feeling better. And she seems to be recovering dramatically faster than I did, so that’s a relief.

Friends brought us meals, which were even more appreciated than they normally would have been as I was spending so much time in bed. Heroic David held down the fort, and Joy, Marion, and Marie went above and beyond to keep the household humming as seamlessly as possible during these epic transitions. During this, Marion left on her five-week tour of the US. We miss her terribly, but we’re so grateful for all that she did and all that she is and will be to our family. Marie has settled in beautifully, and is everything we hoped she would be. Her calming presence, wonderful smile, and ability to get everything done is going to make 2018 a blast. If she is this good while we are in such rough shape, I can only imagine how much fun we’re all going to have now that we are staggering back to our feet.

So now that we’re recovering, we are really experiencing spring! April gave us the last few snows just to tease us, but Tess and Remy have started basketball, we’re making plans for summer camps and sports, and swimming lessons start up again soon. Test mastered my banana bread recipe, and we have adjusted well to having the Bigs up and about in the afternoons now that they’ve dropped naps. Onward to health, being outside, and having a tidy house!