Many Firsts

Adessa is experiencing her firsts in everything, of course, as she is so recently on the planet. Her first time to Trader Joes, first time to the beach, first bath, we went on like that for her first few days. Now its bigger events, and we had a few last week up in Tahoe. It was her first big road trip (she did great, slept most of the time in the car), her first vacation, her first toe-dip into chilly Lake Tahoe (she didn't like it), her first foot-dip into warm sand(she wasn't sure about it), and her first family reunion (she benefited from many aunts and uncles to hold her and tell her she's cute). It was great fun, and I'll get pics up and running soon.

Adessa is now five weeks old, and it's flown by as everyone has promised. Truly precious, all-consuming, annointed time. We were definitely thrown much more into the present moment than we were used to, good place to be. And in five weeks she's changing so much already. She is much less of a bundle of reflexes and more of a focused, kicking, cooing, (still eating/pooping/sleeping) aware baby. Here's a list of developments--
Adessa:
*has started to enjoy her mobile;
*makes satisfied sighs after eating;
*kicks her legs and waves her arms, definitely favoring the left side in a toe-tapping, fiddle playing way--if you squint and imagine her with a baby violin, she looks like a bluegrass gal giving a concert;
*makes sustained eye contact with brow-furrowing, (she's serious about studying us and her world);
*sleeps in three hour chunks (we're quite accustomed to sleep deprivation and existing in a land of unfinished sentences and evening grouchiness);
and finally,
*she's growing a ton, she's already almost 11 pounds and outgrowing her
cute, pink clothing.

Babys don't seem too complex, and the directions of care are pretty straightforward so far: feed, change, bathe, hold, rock, repeat. So its exciting to think that, so far, we're probably doing a nice job of this parenting business. I doubt Adessa has anything so far that would qualify her for therapy. Yet. So far, we are all fresh and eager, Calvin, Adessa, and I. We are still trying our hardest. It feels like we are on each on stage for the others, or maybe just for ourselves: "In this scene, Keidi and Calvin will be playing loving parents. Calvin will say funny things to Adessa to make Keidi laugh, and then all will gaze lovingly at each other." So far, so good.