Good times with great friends...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  3.75 months :-)

Family,

The Munchkin meeting AJ - her future boyfriend.  That kid
is made of steel - fell out of his swing and didn't say a word.
In fact, the kid SMILED at me when I went over there. Awesome...

And a good Sunday afternoon to you from the bonus room on Regal Court, where the munchkin is currently down for a nap but already making quite a few noises thanks to the 45 minute intruder.  The last few days have been a bit of a challenge, as the munchkin has been quite fussy during eating and wake time.  The GREAT news is that she's still sleeping through the night (10 hours last night and 11 the night before).  During the day, however, K has been more than a little fussy, and all attempts by Team Taylor Detective Services to ascertain the cause of this discomfort have proved futile.  That being said, she started the day VERY sleepy but happy, and so we're hoping that she's just been working through a rough patch these past few days.

Kaitlyn's time to feed:  30 minutes.
AJ's time to feed:  11 seconds.  WOW.  Seriously.  WOW.

In terms of eating, despite some token efforts to push her to 4 big feeds a day, the munchkin seems to prefer 5 feedings, with us going a bit light on the "wake time" toward the end of the day.  Give Wife Muffin credit, as she's been the driving force to keep her awake after her first feed of the day, and I think that's paid huge dividends toward keeping her on a schedule.  Also, JT's made the ultimate sacrifice as of late - mandatory tummy time!  K continues to HATE it, but the progress has been undeniable.  But for some reason, K will only use both feet and her left hand.  No matter where you put her right hand, her first instinct is ALWAYS the same - pull the arm flat and straight down by her side, rendering it as useless as tits on a boar hog when she's trying to lift her head.  But today was a bit of progress on that front, as she did make a few token efforts to put her right arm in "push-up position."

The last couple of weeks or so have been busy from a social perspective, as we've been fortunate enough to spend lots of time with good friends and keep Kaitlyn acclimated to meeting (and being held by) new people.  We were over at Hitman's 2 weeks back, and we were also treated to a surprise visit from one of Jenny's college friends - Katie Colley (with hubby and 3 kids in tow :-)).  This week has seen us hanging with Joe and Kate (at our house), VBGB (K's 4th trip, and she was an ANGEL - slept 2 hours as soon as she got there!), and the featured event of the weekend on Saturday - hanging at Casa de Miller with Matt's family and Old School Cool's family!  We had a blast, and Kaitlyn met her future boyfriend AJ (I'm not ready to call him a son-in-law yet :-)).

ShanTan and the Munchkin - both parties quite Zen.

It is, of course, a very different experience traveling for a day trip to a friend's house with a rug rat.  That being said, it's really been much easier than expected.  At Hitman's, we brought the pack n play, and it was easy to keep the munchkin in a quiet spot where she could sleep.  For folks visiting here (and Dinger's set to arrive in about 2 hours, so add another one to the friend visitation list!), it's obviously quite easy, and at Matt's it was PERFECT, as AJ's only 2 months older than K, meaning there's a changing table, crib, swing, pack n play, playmat - you name it.  Also, as most of our friends have kids themselves (and often kids nearly the same age), there's certainly that sense of camaraderie and understanding.  Rarely does a visit pass without one of us exchanging a look that says, "Hey brother, we've been there."  Which is usually followed up with another look that suggests, "And just you wait - you ain't seen NUTHIN' yet."  :-)  The keys for us:

Katie B!!!!  Well, now Katie C!!!!  And company...

1. Feed before you leave the house if possible, and then try "wake time" in the car.  If that's not possible, then feed as soon as you get there and see if K will get drowsy for a nap.

2.  We practice PDF, so the schedule is flexible to a degree.  That being said, you always need to keep the intervals (periods between feed starts) to no more than 4 hours to keep her from going crazy (and to her credit, she does an AMAZING job of keeping herself on a 3 hour schedule).

3.  Always get her home for the last feed so that you can put her down as soon as it's over.  You want her home by 8:30 if possible to keep bed time in line.  That being said, we didn't do that yesterday after leaving the Miller's, and all was still right with the world once we got her down.  She doesn't sleep as well on the road, which helps a lot when it's time to put her down for the count.

I'll miss you, wee one!!!  But daddy loves you
and will be home soon!!!!!!  Be good for mommy!

Today is a mixed emotion day for the Bull, as tomorrow I go on my first work trip as a father.  I'll be in Costa Rica for a week, and whilst I'm very much looking forward to meeting the team, practicing my Spanish, and crossing off some overdue TARs on my work list, I am really, really, REALLY going to miss my girls.  As I haven't done this before, I'm not sure where my emotions will go, but I imagine that feelings of guilt, loneliness, and missing out will be quite prevalent over the course of the week.  The good news is that we've got a nice weekend with friends upon my return, followed by a few days off for Aunt/Fairy Godmother Kim's wedding the following week.

It's funny - before kids, it was always true that Team Taylor's travel/social calendar was WAAAAAAY crazier in the second half of the year.  And whilst the number of flights might have diminished, I can confirm that, looking at the rest of this year, Team Taylor - now party of 3 - is keeping that same routine alive and well.  When I look at what the next 6 months have in store, I get so excited I can barely contain myself.  But let's not get ahead of ourselves, as I have no desire to rush these precious moments.

Okay, the missus is making pancakes and eggs downstairs, and I don't want to miss that!  Chat next week, after I'm heavy one more passport stamp. :-)

Love,

Sam and Jenny

A BIG week - Grammie's visit, the first reach, and thumb discovery!!!!

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  3 months, 1 week, 5 days (this is getting tricky to remember...)

Family,

And a good Sunday afternoon to you from the Queen City - what a week!  The house is oddly silent at the moment, as the Bull is sitting alone by himself in the living room.  Wife Muffin is on a train to O'Hare (Aunt Kim's bachelorette party was this weekend), Grammie has just turned onto I-85 S, and the munchkin is upstairs PASSED OUT thanks to her newest discovery.  But I get ahead of myself - let's start back on Tuesday. :-)



Bottom line:  this week has been AMAZING.  I've had all my girls (Muffin, Munchkin, Momma, and Katie - the Corolla) all under one roof!  Mom (a.k.a. Grammie) arrived on Tuesday afternoon, and the week has just been a run of perfection in no uncertain terms.  Somebody take my blood pressure, please - it's gotta be at an all-time low.

Tuesday night was the first of many BIG milestones achieved this week - FIRST DATE NIGHT FOR THE PARENTS!!!!  Now I know that some will disagree with that statement (since we've technically been out of the house 3 other times sans munchkin), but this was the first time the Bull and Striker had been out of the house for a dinner date.  As always, Grammie was a wonderful caretaker/babysitter, and  Kaitlyn was her usual angelic self (knock on wood).  I must say that mom's comments are HILARIOUS - she just CANNOT get over how well behaved Kaitlyn is.  Common quotes from the week:

1.  "You lay her down in her crib awake and she just goes to SLEEP!  I've never seen anything like that.  I have to call Steve (my stepdad)."

2.  "She's not even crying!  That baby never cries.  She goes to be happy and wakes up happy.  It beats anything I've ever seen."

3.  "Is she already asleep?  I don't even hear her!"

4.  "Do you have any idea how lucky you are?"

I have one word for EVERY FUTURE PARENT who might stumble upon this blog:  BABYWISE.  Trust me on this one.  I like to think that it's a combination of K's amazing disposition and JT's relentless dedication to keeping the munchkin on a schedule, but I think my mother is more in the "you have no idea how lucky you are camp."  And whilst this is a VERY true statement, I'd like to think that we had a little to do with it. :-)

About .0003 seconds before I went Dikembe
Mutombo on Jenny and said "Not in my house!!!

JT left us in great shape on the milk supply front.
As fate would have it, we only used a total of
8 bags.  Oh, and a fifth of Tanqueray, of course...

Wednesday was a big milestone in the day, as (we think) Kaitlyn reached for the first time!  Now I realize that we sound like "those parents" - look at my genius child, she's got an IQ of 182, the most perceptive child since Gandhi, etc - but I really do think she reached for it.  She can definitely grab things (my finger, her bib, the bottle, etc), but this was the first time she grabbed an object (our Lion rattle) and actually held onto it (around the mane - Simba would have been so proud).  Now granted, getting her to repeat this epic feat of coordination has proved somewhat challenging, so I'm sure the pundits might dispute the validity of this claim.  However, she's managed to reach about once per sitting during wake time, and I am squarely in the camp that she's poised and ready to start smacking Mufasa around.  The side note story to trigger our memory banks when we read this 30 years from now is when I was trying to show Kaitlyn how to slap the lion and, thinking that Jenny had a solid grip on it, swatted the poor critter in the face.  Well, Mufasa rattled all the way to the windows in mid-flight because I had jus SLAPPED IT OUT OF HER HAND.  Kaitlyn just looked at us more than slightly confused. :-)




Thursday was Sammy's day out, and mom took me out for dinner.  We had a blast catching up, as we always do, and Jenny stayed at home with the munchkin to pack.  But the BIGGEST news of the day came on this day, as THE MUNCHKIN FOUND HER THUMB!!!!  That's right, sports fans - our little girl no longer needs a pacifier.  In fact, our little girl no longer cries.  She has about .00003 seconds of pouting, and then - WHA-BAM - there's a little thumb in her mouth.  But a few things to point out about her technique:

The word...is NIRVANA.

1. She can only suck the left thumb at this point, meaning that she now ALWAYS sleeps with her face in that direction.  She might mix it up a bit during the long sleep at night, but the nap is now ALWAYS facing the wall.  Side note - the Bull has tried DESPERATELY to fit that right thumb into her mouth, but this kid is having none of it.  Now don't get me wrong - I LOVE the fact that all signs point to her being a lefty.  That being said, I don't want all signs pointing to daddy dropping five grand on helmets for the munchkin.  I am monitoring her cranium daily - so far so good.

2.  She will miss her thumb on the first pass or two.  In fact, it's pretty much a given that she's going to punch herself in the face at least twice before she finds her thumb.  I can't help but cackle watching it - it's a voyage of discovery EVERY TIME SHE NAPS.

3.  When she does latch on, she sucks on that thing hard enough to suck the marrow out.  She goes from "ready to kill daddy and play a role in the Exorcist" to "all is well - put on the white noise."

And red eyeballs.  Don't forget those...

4.  She can't figure out what to do with her fingers, and so she wraps them around her face, covering her nose and pawing her eyes.  I'm not really sure what I can do about that one, but the effect is that on Friday her eye was RED.  Side note of good news - her stopped tear duct is finally open!!!!  Again, I have the best wife and Kaitlyn has the best mum ever, as Jenny's daily massage (plus a drop of breast milk) have resulted in the munchkin's eyes no longer being sealed shut from gunk (technical term) upon waking - way to go, perfect pumpkin!  Side Side note - K has stopped pawing her eye as of Saturday afternoon, and at this point all is well.

CLEAR, CLEAN EYES!!!!  Take a bow, muffin!

The weekend FLEW by but was an absolute blast.  My mom spoiled me to no end - cooking, cleaning, washing, feeding the munchkin - I was basically "tits on a boar hog" worthless.  She continued to be amazed by K's sleeping patterns (take a bow, JT), and I continued to laugh at the look on her face every time I laid K down in the crib awake and then walked away - too funny.

Grammie and the Munchkin (wardrobe courtesy of Old
School Cool and the Tavares clan).

The munchkin is still holding strong at 10.5-11 hours per night, and she even gave us an 11.5 night over the weekend.  It's always a mixture of witchcraft and science to figure out when to put her down, and I will certain welcome back my wife's sage wisdom when she's back from the Windy City (she left Friday morning).

Hard to believe that June is almost over, especially since July is going to be crazy.  We've got 2 road trips with Kaitlyn, and I've got 2 international work trips.  The first trip is just a scant 8 days away, and I am NOT looking forward to going 5 days without seeing my girls.  Haffa get lots of cuddles and smiles (from both of them) over this next week!

Mom - thank you SO SO SO SO SO much for coming this week - you were a life saver, and it was perfect!  We love you and will see you again in about 2.5 weeks!

Love,

Sam and Jenny (in the security line at O'hare - seriously missing status :-))

One of the best days EVER - The Bull's first Father's Day...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  3 months and 1 week

Family,

And a good Sunday afternoon to you from the Queen City.  First off, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all the dad's out there - I certainly hope it's been as special as mine.  Today has been, hands down, and of THE BEST days I've had in a long time - just a perfect, happy day with my girls.  How does one describe their first Father's Day?  There are no words, but if I had to draw a comparison, I'd say it's like my birthday, the opening round of the NCAA tournament, opening weekend of SEC football, winning back to back fire bets at the craps table, and Christmas morning all rolled into one.  

Move over Paula Dean!

First off, my wife (best wife EVER) has taken GREAT care of me - I feel like a king in his castle.  Her gift (a photo montage of me with the munchkin) is pretty much the coolest thing EVER (and the card did leave me teary-eyed), and I have been waiting upon hand and foot since 7:30 this morning (after a NICE 10 hour sleep).  Jenny also whipped up a GREAT brekkie - eggs over easy (perfectly runny), bacon (I had 7 strips), and - wait for it....wait for it - maple flavored walnut/banana/chocolate chip pancakes!  Oh, and I did I mention she started off the morning with a donut the size of my car and a cup of coffee?  Best.  Wife.  EVER.



It really has been a perfect, happy weekend.  Thursday night we had friends in town and got a chance to catch up for the first time in more than 6 months.  Friday night I had some quality bonding time with the munchkin, and then Muffin Puffin showed up with some chocolate orange IPA as a treat (no better way to kick off a Friday night).  Yesterday we had a great afternoon with friends on the lake, where the munchkin was a bit challenging but still very well behaved all the same.  And again, my wife was an angel and did the lion's share of the feeding/burping/changing while I drank Buckshot Amber and enjoyed the pool and the hot tub.  Again - I lead a guuuuuuuuuud life. :-)  But I would be remiss if I didn't note that K CLEARLY HATES THE STEELERS.  Seriously - my buddy Hitman and his wife bought K this CUTE little Steelers onesie, which she has completely OBLITERATED WITH FECES both times she's worn it.  This last time we managed to save it twice, but after her FOURTH DEUCE IN 40 MINUTES, she ultimately one the battle and we were forced to change her. I mean, she CAN'T be a Ravens fan, right?  Oh dear...

And then there's today - my FIRST Father's Day.  I was definitely excited in the days leading up to it, as it was the day I was officially "moving the tassle" and changing columns from "son" to "father and son."  And obviously I've been a dad for 3.5 months at this point, so it's not like it hasn't hit me yet how blessed I am and how much I'm LOVING being a parent and having a family.  But let me tell you - when you walk into your daughter's room to wake her up on your first Father's Day and find her awake, waiting patiently, and then see her smile when your face pops over the crib, your heart just melts all over, and it hits you how truly blessed you are in life.  A beautiful daughter who recognizes your face and coos as you feed her, a beautiful wife who's also your best friend who is always there for you and won't let you do ANY housework on your big day, and a house that truly feels like a home.  I couldn't ask for anything more - life is PERFECT.

Kaitlyn slept 11 hours last night, and I've gotten to feed her twice today (definitely my favorite activity).  We've got plans for a nice walk today, followed by (hopefully) some pool time for daddy, bath time for the munchkin, and then TV time for the adult constituency of Team Taylor.   Even if I don't get any of the above, today's already been so spectacular that I wouldn't dream of complaining.  I'M A FATHER!!!!  How on EARTH did that happen?  

And now if you'll excuse me - the minutes are flying by, and I don't want to miss a second of this day with my girls.

Chat soon - HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL, especially my dad - Sammie Kyle Taylor, III.

Love,

Sam and Jenny

Lady Kaitlyn at 3 months...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  3 months and 1 day

Family,

And a good evening to you from the Queen City, where the sun is (FINALLY) shining and the summer humidity has officially arrived.  It's been the wettest May and June I can remember in CLT, but no complaints, as it's helped to keep the weather cool in the mornings (especially helpful since I'm now getting up at 6 AM every morning to jog - amazing how things change, eh?).

3 full months - WOW.  Where on EARTH has the time gone?  I am happy to report that, as indicated in the previous blog, the return to work has been easier than expected, especially on the days when I can work from home (will end up being 3 out of 5 this week).  We've established a good routine - we're both up at 6 (me to run, JT to pump), the munchkin rises about 7:15 (same time as when I start work), Jenny has the run of the upstairs and I own the downstairs until about 4:30-5 (with the exception of lunch when I get some time with my girls :-)), and then I get some quality time with K in the afternoon and evening (which works out great since that's when she's fussiest and least apt to sleep - she's a 2 person job!).

I don't want to jinx us, but (touch wood) I think she's officially established a sleep cycle.  She's slept 10+ hours a night consistently for the past 3 weeks, and so dare I say I feel we've got her on a schedule that works for all of us.  Granted, teething and JT's return to work will of course upset the apple cart, but that's 3 months down the road, and for now I just want to focus on a terrific summer ahead filled with fun plans, family, and sticking around the Queen City to enjoy our home.

Kaitlyn has acquired several nicknames this month, and they are sticking.  She's pretty much always called the Munchkin now, but that has been shortened to "Munch Munch," "Mon-chi-chi," and "Munch a Bunch" depending on the occasion.  She can't hold her head up on her own yet, but she's definitely close.  Also, she's SOOOOOOO CLOSE to consistently finding her hand (she's found it on several occasions but then proceeds to just slap herself in the face and eye balls when she tries to relocate it).  She's batting things now, and dare I see I think she's starting to associate her arm movements with the moving critters on her play mat.  Then again, parents always see genius in their children, so I'm not going to raise the red flag of victory just yet. :-)

As most folks will agree, each month does get easier, and month 3 was no exception.  Furthermore, with mum coming in a week or so, fun plans on the calendar each weekend, and the promise of consistently sleeping in the same place for a month, I am hopeful June's gonna be the best month yet.  Talk to me in 4 weeks to confirm that. :-)

Not a whole lot to report on this one, and I know that I've shared a lot of these thoughts previously.  I just wanted to ensure I recorded the milestone for posterity!  Oh, and in case anyone's scoring - the munchkin weighed in at 12 lbs, 8 oz yesterday at the doctor!  We took her in to check on a blocked right tear duct (which we did confirm is in fact blocked).  No treatment other than facial massage during feeding at this point - the doctor said we can just monitor it to ensure it doesn't get red or inflamed (but she's not concerned at this point).

The Muchkin - about 3 seconds before the full frontal explosion...

Oh, and I would be remiss if I didn't mention that, yesterday (her actual 3 month date) the munchkin gave us a new "first" - the explosion of feces out the FRONT of the outfit.  See we were at Hawthorne's with the Parkhouse clan, and K was starting to get a bit fussy (it was hot, she couldn't get comfortable, and Angie rightly assessed that she had a bit of gas).  Well, I offer to take her, and suddenly she goes calm as an underground lake.  It's BEAUTIFUL - I feel like the baby whisperer.  I even get a smile!  And then, about 3 seconds later Jenny says, "Oh, no."  I look down, and the front of her outfit (a little dress that Angie gave us) is no longer the cute lavender color it was 60 seconds before.  Instead, it's a nice shade of brown.  In fact, it's a nice shade of brown that is CONSTANTLY OVERTAKING THE LAVENDER WHILST ON MY LAP.  That's right, sports fans, based on the way she'd been sitting on Sammy "Father of the Year" Taylor, there was nowhere for the poop to go but up and over.  Needless to say that was the queue to head home, and we opened her up at the changing table to discover a site more terrifying than T.S. Eliot's "The Wasteland" - WOW.  I mean, this girl only goes once every 3 days now, but when she does - BE SOMEWHERE ELSE.  Amazing.  I feel certain I've spoken of her pooping prowess before, so I will summarily withdraw back into the shadows. :-)

The words "Parents of the Year" come to mind...

Okay, I realize this one was choppy, but a) we're between feedings, b) she's wide awake and I have to ensure she doesn't saturate herself with spit up again (since I missed it 5 minutes ago, rendering her hair a mop, c) I have to get her fed and to bed within the hour to prep for a work call, d) JT is heading out the door for her first swim since giving birth! (so excited for Muffin Puffin's return to the pool!  I hope there's no drama - Singapore style, lah...), and e) I wanted to ensure I got this in before too many days passed after her rolling 3 months.

Chat soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

And so reality comes crashing down - the Bull returns to work...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  12 weeks and 5 days

Family,

And a good Saturday morning to you from the Queen City, where I'm happy to report that the little munchkin slept ELEVEN HOURS STRAIGHT last night!!!!  In fact, we had to WAKE HER UP at 7:30.  My mother was ALL SHADES OF AMAZED by this news, as I never slept more than 45 minutes at a clip for the first 8 months of my existence.  We're just finishing the second feed of the day as I type this, and Mon-chi-chi (she has SO many nicknames now) is sleepy yet again.

Today's actually another big milestone for the adult members of Team Taylor, as this afternoon will be the first time out as a couple without anyone else around!  We're going to see a matinee of "Catch Me if You Can" at Blumenthal, and we are quite excited.  Grandma and Grandpa Tacy are making the drive up to bond with the munchkin, and we're cooking salmon later this evening when we return. Then tomorrow it's VBGB, but the wee one will be in tow for that affair.  After all, she needs to think of VBGB as a second home! :-)  I know, I know - insert "parents of the year" joke here...

In terms of a routine, dare I hazard the optimistic comment that I believe we've turned a corner?  She's consistently eating 5 times a day, taking between 5-6 ounces at a feed.  She's consistently in bed for the night between 8:45-9:15, and she's consistently slept 10 hours a night for the last 2 weeks.  She's sleepy throughout her first 2 feeds, but then she becomes a LIVE WIRE until we put her down, never sleeping more than 2 hours at a clip (and rarely more than 45 minutes) until the final shutdown.

Munchkin in the morning - sleep, sleep...and more sleep.
But hey - when you're already wearing Polo Ralph Lauren
at 12 weeks, clearly your stress level should be pretty low.

On the medical front, we are now firmly in the camp that the munchkin has a blocked right tear duct.  Her left one was blocked initially, but that one has since opened.  Her right one, however, has continued to be problematic, leaving her eye constantly filled with "gunk" - very technical, I know - pooling up with tears, and always being slightly more "squinty" - again, very sophisticated description - than her left.  JT has been terrific about keeping it clean (both with a wash cloth and now cotton swabs), but we've finally thrown in the towel and have decided we need to take her to the Peds.  So look for an update on that front, as we want the little munchkin to have two eyes wide open when as she continues discovering the world around her.

KJ called this "The Angel Photo" - so true in so many ways.

Show me the fan, Daddy!!!!

She's SO CLOSE to discovering her hand.  Every day she makes a bit more progress (translation - every day she slaps herself in the face about 65 times whilst she tries to gobble her fingers), and the other day Jenny recorded a HILARIOUS video of her efforts.  She's still got a bit of a "rollerball head," but her neck does continue to strengthen (although she does NOT enjoy tummy time).  Also, in case I haven't posted this enough - SHE LOVES EVERY CEILING FAN IN THE HOUSE.  Seriously - our living room has a dark fan against a white ceiling, and she can stare at that FOR HOURS - cutest.  Thing.  EVER.

As for the week in review, well - it was a TOUGH one for the Bull.  Not only did I start back to work, but I made the drive to the office 4 days straight.  Add in the fact that we had a big series of meetings, which necessitated early starts and late nights, and you have a guy who was EXHAUSTED by Friday and was very glad he got to work from home so he could have a bit more time with his wife and baby girl.  That being said, it really was GREAT to return to work and feel like I was contributing to the GDP again.  I felt like I was able to get back into the rhythm pretty quickly, and the new position (really an expansion of the previous one) should bring some very unique challenges that I'm looking forward to working through.  Plus the days Uptown offered a terrific opportunity to reconnect with a lot of folks whom I hadn't seen in several months, so that was a big plus.

This is the look of utter relaxation...and
the joy of being 3 lbs lighter...

As for Muffin Puffin, she was a real trooper this week, especially given all the rain and the fact that I was never really home to give her a break.  We at least got to trade emails or chat during lunch every day, but it wasn't the same as having her on Communicator!  But no complaints, as the days were good and she did finally get a few hours to herself toward the end of the week.  She did have to manage through a pair of BLOWOUTS, and the photos she sent me with the before and after were HILARIOUS!  And speaking of blowouts, the munchkin is on a "once every 3 days" schedule at present.  Two days are all quiet on the "Southern front," but when the rush comes - LOOK OUT BELOW!!!!!!  Wow, it is amazing...and probably something you don't really want me to talk about EVER again.

As we approach the 3 month mark, I will say again what I've said all along - I'm happier than I've ever been, life is better than it's ever been, and our cup(s) truly runneth over.  And now with the sun shining and "date night" on the horizon, life's about to get even better!

Chat soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

And so it ends: Sammy's last day of Paternity...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  11 weeks and 6 days

Family,

And a good Sunday morning to you from the Queen City, where the Bull is sitting on his couch after 2 cups of coffee, contemplating the day that he always knew would come:  the return to work.  That's right, sports fans, after 12 AMAZING, EPIC, LIFE CHANGING weeks at home with my wife and daughter, a new chapter for Team Taylor begins officially tomorrow when Sammy the Bull drives inside of the 277 Beltway, leaving his wife and child alone for a full day for the first time ever.  I honestly CANNOT believe this time has come - TWELVE WEEKS GONE!  But I have NO complaints, as this experience has been such a gift in so many ways, and let's not kid ourselves - who on EARTH can complain about 12 weeks of paid paternity leave?

Am I excited about going back?  Obviously I have very mixed feelings about it, but the short answer is yes.  Whilst this week will be crazy, more often than not I will continue to work from home, meaning I'll get to see the Munchkin and Muffin a bit throughout the day and won't have to worry about a commute keeping me from bath time, meal time, bed time, or play time.  It helps that I really enjoy what I do and the people I work with - I honestly think of them more as friends than colleagues, which makes the work environment a great place to be.  Also, I will confess that I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of things and feeling like I'm contributing to the GDP.  Granted, we'll see how long that lasts, :-) but I am very content about everything right now - dare I say "quite Zen at the moment."

In looking back on the past 3 months, I wouldn't even know where to BEGIN to summarize the experience or how it's changed us (all in a positive way) as a couple.  I think the first big change is that we've seen more sunrises in the last 3 months than the previous 30 years, so we're now definitely morning people!  We are both really excited about this, as it's been incredible to realize how much you can get done in the first 2 hours of the day when you "get up and get amongst it," and I feel really thankful that K's on a 5:20-5:45 start schedule at present.  Once I start back to work, this morning time will serve as my exercise time (targeting 3x weekly) and will enable me to spell Jenny in the afternoons or evenings when my work is done and she's ready to exercise.  And whilst I'm sure the routine will have to change again once she starts back to work in September, I think we're got a plan that will certainly see us through the summer.

How else have we changed?  Well, for starters we've certainly learned a lot about parenting.  Over the past 90 days, we've gone from knob-green novices who didn't know ANYTHING about babies to parents who can at least fake some level of competence and confidence when it comes to child-rearing. Slowly we've started venturing out more, and what once seemed quite the ordeal (getting the munchkin in the car seat, to the stroller, to the destination of choice) now feels very manageable.  In fact, in looking at the social calendar for the summer, I think we've lived Old School Cool's creed of "get 'em on your schedule" quite well.

And while I still VERY MUCH enjoy my wine and beer, I think it's safe to say that a new "threshold for consumption has been reached.  The rule is simple now - if you have more than 3, be prepared for a ROUGH start to the day. :-)  But no complaints, as it's kept us slimmer and certainly helped us feel better in the morning.  Of course, I'd say establishing regular start/end times and getting more sleep is probably helping that as well (and special thanks to the Munchkin for starting to sleep through the night before Daddy returned to work - I love you, little one!).

Have we changed as a couple?  I don't think so.  Jenny and I have always been great (at least I think) about working as a team, thinking of each other first, and pitching in to accomplish whatever task was at hand.  All that's changed now is we've got more tasks to cross off the list and less time to do it, but that hasn't slowed us down.  If anything, our love has grown deeper, as it has always done throughout our time together.  We've got even more to love now, and there really is nothing like those moments when we're all together, everyone smiling and enjoying the simple pleasure of each other's company.

The Paternity "to-do" list?  Well, I think good progress was made.  Those of you who know me know that I'm a list-maker, and whilst there are still tasks left on the sheet, I am VERY pleased with progress made to date.  I feel good about the current state of Kaitlyn's development (most notably in the realm of sleep patterns), the current state of the house (minus some random plants sprouting in our gutters), the level of healing amongst my various ailments (and new shoes to boot!), the goals established for this year (books to read, races to complete), and the new challenges facing me at work (some fun new stuff and added responsibility).  I'm happy about how often K's been able to meet/see her broader family, how comfortable we feel taking her out, and the fun stuff we've got planned for the rest of this year.  But most importantly, I'm happy (beyond words) that I'm a daddy.  There was no question that Jenny and I wanted a child (and hopefully some day children :-)), and I knew it would be an AMAZING experience.  But never in my wildest dreams did I think it would be like this.  Every day is an adventure filled with laughs to remember, challenges to make you stronger, and love that grows ever deeper.  As Jenny said yesterday whilst sipping wine on the (now clean) screened-in porch - our cup truly runneth over.  And now if you'll excuse me - I've got one day left with the munchkin before my thoughts and focus are scattered a bit further, and I mean to make the most of it.

Chat soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny