I’d like to dedicate this post to the following people:
Camilla, Amy L., Amy K., Mary, Mom, Lindsay, Shayna, Ted, Brian, Marisa, Jena, too many of the GGMG (Golden Gate Mothers Group) members to count, my wonderful husband Matt, and all of the other people I hit up for advice. Drum role please…

Autumn Sophia Pritchard slept for eight straight hours last night in her co-sleeper. Those of you who helped us get there know what a big deal this is. Of course she’ll probably be up every hour tonight since she knows I’m so well rested. Oh well. Onward into the night…

Two Mondays ago Grandma Mary played hooky from work and came to the city to hang out with her girls. The weather was gorgeous and we went for a walk and had lunch out in Laurel Village. Autumn enjoyed a day full of cuddles and songs and Mary indulged in some one-on-one time with her fourth grandchild. We’re hoping she’ll decide to skip work again and come play with us soon!

When a pitcher is seven innings into a no-hitter, you don’t talk about it.  Everyone knows what’s happening; his teammates, his coaches, and foremost: his catcher.  Suggesting he’s on the verge of something rare and great is enough to send the psychological construct of the whole thing tumbling down.  You leave well enough alone, keep your thoughts to yourself and give him the time and space he needs.

When Autumn is having an exceptionally well-tempered day, we don’t talk about it.  “Don’t tempt the beast,” is our mantra.  A two-month old girl, given the right conditions, can be a source of profound joy or intolerable cruelty.  We’ve experienced more of the former, thankfully, but memories of the latter keep us vigilant.  We sing and swaddle, bathe and bounce.  We surround her in every way with a world of joy and peace.  And when we’re on a roll, and smiles abound, and the ringing in our ears has faded, we drink it in and keep the beast at bay.

The last week in October Autumn got to meet Grandma Eileen, Jody’s mom. Grandma sang funny songs and proved to be the ultimate cuddler. She and Autumn spent each afternoon wrapped in each others arms napping, and falling in love. It was so great having her here during the first week Matt was back at work. Autumn seemed to enjoy every minute.

The following weekend Uncle Brian, Aunt Marisa, and first cousin Bodhi flew in for a visit from Vancouver, WA. Having a 20 month old son has turned my little brother into a seasoned baby soother. Brian took Autumn during a fussy evening and magically put her to sleep in 15 minutes while I got to enjoy a hot meal. (Thank you, thank you, thank you!)

On that Sunday we enjoyed a trip with the Great Grandparents to the Bay Area Discovery Museum. Bodhi had a blast playing with all of the great interactive displays and we quickly decided we will be getting a membership here as soon as Autumn is crawling. What a great place to have so close to home!

Last Monday (10/27) the first official smile fluttered in like a butterfly. And each day we are blessed with more and more. If you want to feel like a million bucks, sing to her and bask in her toothless grin. It’s a treat requiring no trick at all.

Yesterday she turned six weeks old and yes, we had more cupcakes to celebrate! She’s growing so fast and is a joy to spend the day with. I’ve been experimenting with various wraps, slings, and carriers to figure out the best way to haul her around so I can be hands-free. It’s a fine science, this baby wearing, but I think I’m starting to figure it out. We took our first walk today with the Sleepy Wrap and she loved it. Here she is playing peek-a-boo after napping during a walk up to Laurel Village.

Getting out of the house each day is paramount. Yesterday we went to Mom and Baby yoga. It was basically controlled chaos, but fun none-the-less. We also enjoy walks with the other mammas and babies in our neighborhood. My friend Shayna and I had a mid-day moment last week on a corner in Presidio Heights. One stroller, one Moby Wrap, two baby girls, and a conversation that turned to recipe websites. We paused… OMG we’ve turned into those women! I’m officially an SF mommy. Ugh. Oh well, when in Rome…

The air was crisp and the aspens ablaze in color as Autumn arrived in the Sierra last weekend.  We took a three-day trip to the Hope Valley to introduce our little girl to this Range of Light.  We followed our well-worn path toward Carson Pass, hoping that Autumn wouldn’t mind the four-hour drive.  We arrived at Sorensen’s in one piece, and settled into our little log cabin for the weekend.

We missed the apex of fall color by a week or two, but the stands of Aspens were still shining bright.  Autumn was captivated by the new colors and the ever-changing view.  Our agenda was lean, and we spent most of the weekend relaxing in the cabin, taking walks and exploring a few nearby corners of the Hope Valley.  We also grabbed our 2008/2009 season passes from Kirkwood, an optimistic move that should prove interesting once the snow starts to fall.

It was our first trip to the Sierra since June; an unprecedented dry spell for the two of us.  It felt good to smell the pines, breathe the thin air, and hunt for a tin of Carmex to soothe our chapped lips.  Winter is right around the corner.  The next time Autumn sees these mountains they’ll be covered in snow—a new world for her to explore.  We look forward to many happy returns.

You can find more photos on Flickr.

This weekend was all about family. Autumn spent some quality time in the arms of her Great Grandma Salsig “Nana” and Grandpa Salsig. Nana sang her songs and Grandpa joined her on a picnic to Crissy Field. You can find additional photos here on Jody’s Flickr site. Grandma and Granddad Pritchard also came over Sunday evening for dinner and some long awaited cuddle time with our favorite little girl. We are thrilled to share her with so many generations of loving family.

In just over three weeks she has already outgrown some of her clothes and is starting to hold her head up on her own. She also studies our faces with intent and makes us laugh out loud with her repertoire of facial expressions and sounds. We’re looking forward to Autumn’s first of what we anticipate will be many many trips to the Sierras this weekend. We’ll be staying Friday and Saturday nights at Sorenson’s Resort near Kirkwood. We don’t have any summit attempts planned yet – just some relaxation time spent amidst the aspens in a private cabin. Stay tuned for photos and a narrative of our first road trip!

Rhythm.  It feels like we’ve found some semblance of rhythm.  Autumn is the maestro, and we’re expecting a change in time signature at any moment; a little syncopation, maybe something up-tempo.  But for now, we’re playing along—one note at a time.

Today Autumn met her great grandparents.  The Clovers (Jody’s maternal grandparents) made the trip down from Sebastopol to confirm their line is healthy and intact.  We pulled together a picnic and found a shady spot in Golden Gate Park.  It was a beautiful day, with bluebird skies and plenty of warm, autumn sunlight.  Today is also Autumn’s three week birthday, which means we’ll be celebrating with cupcakes…again.  Because we’re not in the habit of looking for fewer reasons to eat cake.

We have a big weekend ahead of us.  Grandpa Bill is coming down from Portland, and Autumn will also meet her great grandma Natalie (Jody’s paternal grandma).  She’s a lucky girl to have three great grandparents to enjoy.  Let’s hope the weather holds.