Third FIRSTS of 2010

   Every year Daddy has to go to Washington and attend a bunch of meetings for his job. Luckily, Washington is home to both of us. It’s weird to me that you’re probably going to grow up thinking that the Californian High Desert is home. Momma grew up in the damp Northwest surrounded by pine trees and drizzle and Daddy grew up in Eastern Washington surrounded by apple orchards and a whole lot of nothing. Talk about a change. Anyway, once a year we have an excuse to take a few days and visit the old haunts. This year we decided to do something crazy and take you, our 4-month-old daughter, with us and Road Trip it!

Here’s a synopsis of some of the stand out FIRSTS from your First ROAD TRIP, April 9th to April 23:

First VISITS TO OREGON, WASHINGTON, IDAHO, UTAH, ARIZONA, and NEVADA which means you are quite the little traveler having visited 7 states already – 3 more than months you are old. Not bad, Little One. Of course we will be adding to that number. Daddy and I love to be on the road. Since we fell in love over 9 years ago, we have visited something like 42 (or 43?) states together. We’ll get through all 50 someday, hopefully with you (and your future brother/s and/or sister/s in tow.)

First VISIT TO CANNON BEACH, one of Momma’s favorite places on earth. When I was a kid, we would go just about every year. We’d fly kites, build sea turtles made of sand, and feed the sea gulls off the balcony of our room at the Tolavana Inn. Mima’s mom, *MY* Mima would usually come with us. She was a really, really wonderful lady. I wish she could have met you. But then I believe you’ll get to meet her some day, on the other side. Actually, I think I have a picture from back then. Let me see if I can find it. Yep, here it is…

Isn’t that cool? I think I was about 9 in that picture. I love photographs.And you’re my favorite subject. Here’s one of you, Daddy, and me on your first trip to my favorite beach.

First VISIT TO MOMMA’S CHILDHOOD HOME in RENTON. Lucky for me, we still get to visit the house that holds a million memories for us McIntires because your Tia Kristy and Uncle Brian now live in the house I grew up in (from age 1 to age 18). It was wonderful to watch your Tia make you laugh. She’s funny and you really like her. She loves you lots. Here you are playing “blanket cave” with her.

We also got a chance to take you on your First TRIPS to the SEATTLE WATERFRONT (my favorite place in the city) and COULON PARK (my favorite lake in the world). I have a thousand memories at each of those places as well. Here’s me at about 16 or 17 years old hangin’ with my friends.

I’m a nostalgic ‘ol sap, in case you hadn’t noticed. Thanks for humoring me. Here’s me almost 15 years later with you on the same boardwalk where I spent so many of my teenage days.

Then we got to travel 5 hours over the Cascades and take you on your First VISIT TO DADDY’S CHILDHOOD HOME in OROVILLE. The most important thing we did there? Meet your Granny and Grandpa Tranmer of course. They waited 4 very long months to meet you and we’re so, so excited to get to give you squeezes. They love you very much and wish they lived closer. But they promise to visit you as often as they can.

And here’s a quick take on some of your other firsts since we’ve been back home in our desert:

April 24 – First Time you REACHED ACROSS YOUR BODY FOR A TOY. You rolled over on your left side to grab a toy on your left with your right hand. Despite Daddy’s obvious desire to see you join the ranks of the left-handed, I’m fairly certain you’re going to be a common ‘ol righty.

April 25 – First Time you SLEPT IN YOUR CRIB ALL NIGHT. You went to bed with no fuss and woke up for your usual feedings. It was hard, but it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. You keep on growing up.

May 2 – First Time you REACHED FOR ME. Now, I’m not *completely* certain you meant to, but I’m *almost* certain. We were at Mima’s house meeting her friends who were in town visiting and when it was time to go and you were fussing, you leaned toward me hands first. You definitely know the word “Up” now. Whenever I go to get you out of your crib, Bumbo, car seat I ask you if you want “up?” and you arch your back and stick your arms out like airplane wings. Such a smarty!

May 5 – First FOOD, rice cereal as recorded in a previous post and also the First Time you ROTATED 180 DEGREES in your crib during a nap. When I went to get you up, your head looked suspiciously like your feet. Cool trick!

May 8 – First Time you SAT UP on your own – with us positioning you of course – (as recorded in a previous post) ,and also the First Time you GOT MAD. Yes, you actually showed some obvious attitude, a whole new form of crying, more like yelling and turning red and squealing in anger. Mima and I laughed. It’s cute now, but hopefully you learn to ask for things you want in a nicer way because it’s not going to be cute for long.

May 9 – First MOTHER’S DAY. It wouldn’t have been a true Mom’s Day unless you decided that you were tired and hungry right as I got my Olive Garden meal. I shoveled in about half of it as quick as I could before rushing off to the car to feed you, leaving Daddy to pay the bill. Silly baby. Wouldn’t trade being a Momma for anything. Nope, nothing.

May 11 – First TRIP TO THE CHURCH NURSERY. This one was hard for me, but I finally broke down and did it thanks to some encouragement from my friends. I dropped you off at 9:30AM while I went to Ladies’ Bible Study and didn’t get you until after 11:00AM. Boy was it hard to concentrate. But God was good and provided a kind teenage girl to look after you. She was really sweet and told me you did awesome, just a little fussing about halfway through. But she put you in the swing and you took a half-hour nap. I’m so proud of you!

May 15 – First Time IN THE POOL, but I already blogged about that.

Those are the highlights anyway. Until next time… I love you L.O.