A trip for the ages - Team Taylor goes to the Left Coast...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  5 months and 3+ weeks

Family,

The Munchkin was an ANGEL on the plane -
check her out just taking in the sights...and
recycled air...

And a good evening to you from the Queen City, where the Bull is laid up due to the world's most bizarre foot pain.  I woke up yesterday unable to put any weight on my foot, and unfortunately it's not improved much today.  I'm going to give it through the weekend to see if it improves, after which time this guy has GOT to make a trip to the doctor.  But I will count myself fortunate, as this injury (if you can call it that) occurred at the end, rather than the beginning, of one of Team Taylor's best trips in a long time.

So a bit of back story - several years ago my buddy Chuck and his wife Catherine (Cat as we call her) moved out to Seattle, Washington.  Chuck is one of my best friends and absolute FAVORITE people on earth, and we'd been talking about getting out for a visit forever since returning from Singapore.  Also, we hadn't seen each other in 3.5 years (since the ash cloud in London), and so JT and I were extra keen to make it work.  Add in the fact that they now have a 1 year old daughter, and, well, what better time to fly across country than when you've got a baby in tow, eh? :-)


Team Taylor used our companion tickets for this one, getting Kaitlyn a seat on the flight.  In retrospect, this was money WELL SPENT.  For starters, we had a row to ourselves.  Secondly, when she was calm and could rest, mommy and daddy got a break.  Third, it's just amazing how much that extra bit of space helps.

The Bull and Munchkin arriving at Sea-Tac - with ZERO
naps to report between them...

All week we'd been worried about how the munchkin would fare on the flight and with the time zone.  Well, whilst it's no surprise to my mother (and really not to us truth be told), she was a DREAM baby.  She was awake almost the entire time, but she almost never cried, kept herself very content, and most notably did not decide to have a blowout on the flight.  That being said - she did have a blowout at the house SECONDS BEFORE WE LEFT, so we counted ourselves VERY lucky.

The flight was smooth, and we arrived on time at noon in the Pac North West.  Now it's no secret that JT and I love the West, and we certainly hope that K does as well (she'll have no choice as many times as we're gonna drag her out there).  If we can guarantee the fun we had this last trip, well - I'd say she could be the generation of Taylors who crosses the Mississippi.

Bathing the Michelin baby...

Thursday was a blast - visiting with CP and Cat, checking out their AMAZING craftsman home in Ballard, having a drink at Chuck's Hop Shop (an absolute RIOT for the record), and spending some time with our other friends Ryan and Shannon.  We ate like kings (they are both quite the cooks, and the food is all natural, which made it even tastier).  We were a bit scared upon arrival, as just 36 hours before the flight, CP had informed us that Archer (their 1 year old daughter) had just been diagnosed with hand, foot, and mouth.  However, Cat kept that place scrubbed, and we took extra steps to keep the kids separated.  So far, so good - fingers crossed.

What most amazed me was that Kaitlyn INSTANTLY adjusted to West Coast time.  She stayed awake for almost 16 straight hours, had 1 extra feed, and then just CRASHED at 7:15 PM - EXACTLY when she would go down at home.  It is just amazing to me how resilient kids are.  We then tucked into some of the best burgers I've ever had, I tasted my first Alaskan Amber on the West Coast in 8 years, and we enjoyed the perfect crispness of a Washington summer evening - all was right with the world.

The gang strolling Bainbridge island like a scene from Reservoir Dogs...

K's first boat ride - a commuter ferry that
reminded us SO MUCH of traveling from
Manly to Sydney.

This photo captures everything...except the
sound of a stroller crashing against the wall...

Friday started a run of fantastic days with perfect weather, plenty of sun, great food, and EXCEPTIONAL beer. :-)  JT and I had visited Seattle before (engaged in '05), but this trip highlighted another reason why we like that place so much - you can visit a hundred times and never repeat activities.  Friday's trip was Bainbridge Island, and it was SO MUCH FUN.  The ferry was something out of a Sydney postcard.  The meal (complete with local beer) was exceptional.  The winery, whilst not spectacular, was still great (picture random techno, a strange assortment of humans, a Simpsons chess set, and a stroller falling over - sans baby - and silencing the bar).  And we topped it off in SOLID form, getting some ice cream at Cat's favorite establishment.  We made it back over about 3 hours late for Archer's nap, but at least Archer (and CP) got some sleep in the car on the ride back across the water.  I couldn't stop looking at the view - SO AMAZING.  Dinner that night was delish - salad with a side of salad - and we crashed about 11.

Saturday was a day for the ages, if for no other reason than it was the start of college football, baby!!!  We rolled out to Woodinville, home to 125 tasting rooms scattered in a small area (as well as the home of Red Hook Brewing).  We hit 3 wineries, and the stuff was DELICIOUS.  We even had a fantastic picnic at one of them, buying a bottle of the local Syrah and knocking it back whilst our little munchkin slept.  It was AMAZING how good a traveler she was - I just can't say enough good things about my child.  I know, I know...but seriously - she is PERFECT.

Archer about half a second before realizing she was out of string cheese...

I think our fave spot was JM, and we picked up a pair of bottles there for the rest of the weekend (we bought a di Stephano as well).  We then rolled home for naps (which I didn't take but was the exception - had a Ranier Beer instead), after which time the babysitter came over and we went out for a night on the town, baby!  We were only out until 12:30, but we hit a pair of AMAZING bars and had a GREAT dinner.  Again, the munchkin went down without a peep, and she slept great on the ground floor with the noise machine blasting away.  The house felt so good in the evenings with a light breeze blowing through - it was CRAZY the transformation from 5 PM (hottest time of the day in Seattle) until 7:30 PM (when the wind kicks up).

Sunday was another great one, starting with the one stop we had on our itinerary - Gas Works Park.  We strolled around with the munchkin in the Bob, and she was GREAT (see a pattern here?).  This trip marked two big firsts - Sammy's first time using the Bjorn, and K's first time facing out in a stroller.  Let me tell you - Bob is the way to go!  And Kaitlyn seemed to love it - I know she absolutely enjoyed the way it laid all the way back like a hammock - that child slept like a ROCK anytime we stopped.  We then wandered over to the Fremont market, where we took in some great food, dodged some yellow jackets, and enjoyed a gorgeous day.  Chuck then walked us along the sound and the lake (and past some RIDICULOUS boat houses) over to one of the featured attractions of the day - the Fremont Street Brewery!  MAN, you talk about some good stuff - that summer ale was GREAT.  The cask of rosemary, honey, and lemon, however, was, well...DONKEY TRASH.  But hey - had to try it!

Pretty sure it's only a matter of time before
Social Services drops by for a visit...

We then rolled over to the best brewery in town - Ruebens.  This place was AMAZING, and we tried basically everything they had on offer.  We then rolled over to Hillard's, where we tucked into hemp beer and ate fried oysters the size of your fist - SO GUUUUUUUUUUD.  I mean seriously - it's hard to eat much better than we did on this trip.  Fresh food, tasty wine, cold brew - it was just perfect.

Monday was filled with lookouts, great meals, and a 3 mile walk around Green Lake.  I'd also jogged 4 miles that day, and when coupled with a mile walk pushing the stroller, I think I now know why my foot feels as though a serrated blade is cutting through it.  But it was all worth it, as that day was just fantabulous.  Plus we had another unexpected highlight - getting to visit Amazon HQ!  We saw some amazing views from their rooftop decks.  I mean seriously - who needs the Space Needle - just sit there and have a beer!

We ordered in pizza that night, and I could already feel the frumpies descending.  We had stopped at Chuck's Hop Shop for a few final pints (chocolate oatmeal stout), and we consumed the last bottle of wine and the rest of our brew purchases with some pizza, courtesy of the Powell family.  It was then off to bed before the Tuesday whirlwind of packing, pumping, and running out the door to catch out flight.  We landed in the QC at 9 PM, exhausted but with huge smiles on our faces, as we'd just lived 5 of the best days I've had in a long time.

K and Daddy say "Welcome to the Gun Show!!!!!"

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that a note of sadness definitely crept into the Bull on the flight back.  As I sat on that plane, my daughter asleep on my chest and my wife resting on my shoulder, there was the unmistakable sensation that this was it - the last great adventure of a chapter of our lives about to close.  We have great news in that Jenny got a job offer and will start on Monday.  But that also means that this shared existence we've had for the last 6 months, with the Bull, Striker, and Munchkin all under the same roof, ends officially in 4 days.  And whilst I know it has to happen and am so, so, SO grateful for the time we've had, I am really, really, really gonna miss not hearing the "Animal Cracker" song and hearing the jumperoo going during my workday.  Come on, lottery!!!

But at the same time, I cannot in ANY WAY complain.  I have my soul mate as a companion, our daughter continues to grow and be healthy.  We are happy at the day care we've chosen.  We have two jobs,  which will make a lot of things easier and will help us live out many other dreams that we have - international travel with Kaitlyn, being able to balance retirement with expenses - you name it.  And

there's also the truth that this is just the first of many chapters which will close (the second if you count my return to work), but the conforting fact is that each closure means a new chapter is opening, and you come into that chapter armed with more confidence, experience, and love than you had the last go-around.  That counts for a lot - bring it on. :-)

I realize I am getting ahead of myself, as a lot of these comments were planned for this weekend's blog. But hey, I'm here and they're on my mind - so I wanted them out there.

CP, Cat, and Archer - thank you all SO MUCH for everything.  You were such wonderful hosts, and we are SO HAPPY that your lives are going so well.  I can't say enough how proud I am of what you guys have accomplished and how terrific you are as a family.  We're already looking forward to the next trip.  The girls can tackle each other next time!

Love,

Sam and Jenny