A visitor! Our good friend, Anna, came to visit with her parents. (Anna was born two days after Callie - what luck!) Anna's a little more laid-back than Callie in these photos. 

After a long day's baby-watching, nothing soothes quite like a good baby-nap. 

Baby watching #3 - new pose! 

Baby watching #2 - all those feet and knees you see represent a whole bunch of adults, just sitting and watching the baby. Good, cheap entertainment. 

Baby watching #1 - Callie seems to like this head position 

The Parker clan sure knows how to put together a mean dessert tray... ;) 

What I've noticed so far...

I wanted to put down a few observations while they're in my mind. I'll spare you all the "current state of the baby poop and the feeding schedule" level of information. (Not that I don't obsess about it. I just have enough distance to realize that most people don't, and, in a week, it won't matter anyway.)

Even from birth, Callie has been unusually strong. She moves her legs a lot - from fully extended to folded up with the soles of her feet touching, and back again. She arches her neck and back all the time - sometimes I can pick her up just by supporting her neck and her feet. Apparently that's unusual for a three-week-old.

More pictures coming soon.

Well, we got back from an emergency room visit last night, and Amy didn't need any more surgery, so I'll call that a tentative win.

Thankfully, we've got a good number of grandparents around, to help us handle everything. Don't know where we'd be without them.

Callie meeting her grandparents (father's side). 

What's in a name

A few people have asked about the origins of Calliope as a name. It's Greek for "beautiful voice", and the original Calliope was the muse of epic poetry. She was also the mother of Orpheus. (The Wikipedia has a good link here.)

Plus, it has a nice scansion to it, especially with a short last name like Brandt, and Callie sounds good, too. So there you have it.

Ah, sleep. I remember sleep. 

Callie and her mom, at our front door. We're just back from our first expedition out of the house (to the pediatrician). 

Calliope and her dad (me). I can't remember if I was actually asleep for this picture, or just faking it. 

E-mail update list.

I kind of expected BlogSpot to have this functionality built in, but... they don't.

I will send out e-mail to a list of people whenever I update this blog, so you'll know when to check back. Some folks have already requested this, so if you'd like to be added, send me an e-mail or leave a comment, and I'll hook you up.

A short list.

Here are some things I've learned in our first few days with Calliope:

• Even on very little sleep, you can perform basic tasks, like changing a diaper or walking a baby around the house, surprisingly well;
• Never underestimate a standard oven fan's ability to soothe a newborn;
• Yoga may be the only way to save my aching back muscles.

Little Calliope asleep on in the kitchen. She is swaddled, the oven fan is on, and it's about 6:30am.