After the first week of recovery from Annea's birth, I have felt pretty darn good, considering. Calvin has been off of work (one week left of his "man-ternity leave") and catering to our every need. We have time together, Annea sleeps gobs and I am able to get things done. I'm playing Candyland with the girls, reading with them on the couch, and trying to organize the three different sizes of girl clothes we are now juggling. This is some precious time, where Calvin and I are relaxed and on top of our parenting game, where there aren't any pressing things to get done or plan or do, where we can hang out and figure out how to be a family of five, how to have three kids (though I'm sure this is just dipping our toe in, as Annea has been really easy so far), how to be a big or bigger sister. I'm calling it our "Family Moon" and it has been blissful. There is the added complication to this baby-newness time of my mom's cancer, which hangs over my days and makes tears flow at random times, but having a baby and a family of my own to worry about makes compartmentalizing what's going on with my mom easier. Not sure if that's healthy, but it makes it much more possible to cope. I have been able to see her every day-- which I love-- if even for a few minutes. I like knowing she's there.
Beloved friends from near and far, church and community have brought us (and are still going to bring us!) meals, which is the most amazing, wonderful, generous and thoughtful thing. I've said it before, I'll say it again: cooking is such a complex, mysterious, high-stress event for me under the best of circumstances, that having food brought to us is the most tremendous gift. I'm learning new recipes from the delicious dishes that people have brought to us, and... my darling and precious friend Amy, (with her one- year-old, Cassiel), flew up (from LA!) to visit me for the weekend to teach me some recipes and fill my fridge and freezer. Such a gift!! I feel empowered. I have a new list of recipes to make, ingredients to buy, directions for meal preparation, and it feels good. My favorite part of her stay (besides crying with her and the deep, endless, life-long conversations we continued), was when she said: "For a side dish tonight, I'll just look through what you have on hand and make something." Ha! Every day I do the very same thing, look at what I have on hand and... freak out that we have nothing to eat. Amy loves a culinary challenge, so when I told her this, she went through our pantry item by item to let me know what each separate food could be paired with for a dish. Amazing! Miraculous!! Thank you, Amy!!
I didn't get a single picture of Amy slaving away in my kitchen, but here she is providing another important service: painting the girls' nails.
Amy also got to visit with my mom, and snuggle Annea a bunch.
Baby sandwich!
Eliana helping to show that Annea was two weeks old.
Annea's three week old picture (yesterday was three weeks!). Just like...
Adessa's...
and Eliana's! Do our girls look alike, or what?
2 comments:
Wow, Annea is a peanut! And, you look so good, Keidi!! Organizing 3 different size girls clothes must be a challenge! I often find Ben, who wears a 5T, wearing James' 3T clothes. After having 3 kids, I find that it doesn't bother me and I just let Ben wear the 3T clothes if he wants! :) I'm so glad you have had such wonderful friends and family close by to help you. I'm glad you live so close to your Mom, you are lucky for that (and so is she)! Love you ♥
Calvin looks the same in all of them too....fancy that! :-) You guys are so sweet with the baby sandwich and the girls holding her! Such a sweet family of five!
L
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