The Munch rolls 11 months...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  11 months (WHAT!?!?!?) and 9 days

Family,

Happy 11 months, Munch Munch!  Enjoy those blueberries and puffs!

And a good Thursday evening to you from the Queen City, where wife muffin is currently putting the munch down ahead of tackling her kickboxing video whilst I sit here backing up photos (and "entering the time machine").  SO MUCH to catch you up on!  And yes, I realize that it's been more than a while since my last post.  However, between a) traveling to Costa Rica for work, b) getting snowed in whilst there, c) traveling to ATL less than 8 hours after arriving home last weekend, and d) being diagnosed with GOUT (that's right - GOUT - the "disease of kings"), it's been a little crazy.  But I'm back now, so let's get amongst it!

For starters, I feel I simply must type this again in ALL CAPS - KAITLYN ELAINE TAYLOR IS 11 MONTHS OLD!!!!!  How is that even possible?  She is getting SO BIG!  Truly - this year has flown.  Jenny did an amazing job handling the photo shoot without me last week - especially since K no longer fancies the idea of someone putting stickers on her.  :-)  Instead JT used the sticker as "artwork" whilst the munch indulged in one of her favorite pastimes - eating. :-)

Thug life...

Honestly - this past month has just been incredible.  K's got 6 teeth now (those 2 up top are going to be Bucky Beaver - stay tuned), and her smile is 10 miles wide and can melt a glacier.  Her ear infection has FINALLY cleared up, and the results have been almost instantaneous - her head tilt is gone, her balance is better, she's got more energy, and she's back to smiling all the time.  She really is an absolutely perfect, happy baby - as a parent I couldn't be more blessed.

This month was a HUGE one in the motor skills department, as K PULLED UP TO STANDING!  She's definitely starting to cruise a bit more, and with each passing day you can tell that she's getting stronger and more confident.  I am amazed at how she just pops up now, and I'm thankful that she's also learning a bit of balance in there to go along with it. :-)  It's crazy to watch her pull up to tabletops that just 2 weeks ago were way beyond possible - growing so fast!

Laughing and crying...it's really a fine line...

Still no words to report, but she's definitely stretching out that larynx!  She's a squealer now, and we are now being showered with consonants on a daily basis.  But when she's not babbling, she's definitely working on her percussion - WOW.  That kid absolutely LOVES to bang things together.  She knows we like it, as well, as she always smiles whilst doing it. Oh, and when she's crawling, her "new thing" is to make sure you're following.  She'll go two feet, stop, and then spin around with one leg in the air (basically like she's peeing on a fire hydrant), and make sure you're there (her smile is the cutest thing EVER when she does this).  And now is a good time to confirm that, when she catches her, no one can tickle her and make her laugh like Jenny - SO FREAKIN' ADORABLE.

It's go time - show me some snow.

Also, her dexterity and fine motor skills have improved.  I notice it when we build a tower of blocks and she scrambles over to it.  Rather than just barreling through it like the juggernaut, she stops, inspects it, and normally pulls only the top block (granted, there have been exceptions to this :-).  She then pulls them down in order in a mad scramble to the bottom.  I try to thwart this by always adding a new bottom block before she can get to it - drives her crazy (but in a good way).  Do you get the sense I'm a proud parent? :-)

Not exactly the way you
described it, mommy...

As for the week itself - WOW - talk about out of control.  It all started Sunday night (shortly after I'd finished the blog).  Team Taylor settled into bed early (around 9:15 or so), and I was almost asleep when K suddenly cried out.  Now this NEVER happens, and so we were on our guard almost instantly.  Our first thought was teething, but we were terrified to use the orajel (since we'd heard it affects an infant's gag reflex).  We tried some teething tablets, but they did nothing.  We then tried formula, and she did take 4 ounces.  However, that didn't stop the tears.  We then tried Tylenol, but that STILL didn't get it.  Ultimately, we tried the orajel, but even that only provided very temporary relief.  She was screaming again at 1 AM (we are talking standing up in her crib, holding the slats, staring at the camera, BEGGING for help), and ultimately I had to hold her in my arms in the glider until 4:35 AM whilst she slept and I contemplated life.  In retrospect I felt frustrated by the whole affair (especially knowing that a work trip was on the horizon and I was leaving JT with a potentially fussy baby), and looking back now I feel like I was a really bad parent that night.  I did what was required of me, but I didn't do it gratefully or with a smile on my face.  All I could think about was the sleep I was losing and how tough this was going to be for JT, when I should have been thinking about what I could do to help the Munchkin.  Needless to say I was NOT happy with myself the next morning, and I resolved again then and there to be a better father and husband.

Parenting sign #10 that you're exhausted:
You try and brush your teeth with
Desitin butt paste.

This takes its place as one of my
favorite photos EVER.

I put K back in her crib (asleep) at 4:35 AM and walked into the bathroom, where JT was throwing up.  Rinse-repeat this at 5, 6, and 7, after which time I had to leave to go (sick myself at this point) to the airport.  I have NEVER wanted to leave the house more - I felt so bad about EVERYTHING (and physically was wretched as well).  Luckily the sneetch slept soundly all week (no more episodes, so we think it was bad food), and JT got to feeling better later in the day.

I was a train wreck, however, and I actually slept 14 hours that day.  I was sick most of Tuesday as well, and Wednesday I woke up feeling ok but unable to put weight on my right foot.  Only later (after a flight cancellation and a drive to Atlanta) would I find out this was gout, and it got progressively worse throughout the work week.  Add in the fact that THE STORM OF THE DECADE hit Charlotte whilst I was in Costa Rica, stranding JT and K in the house for 3 days whilst a foot of snow and freezing temperatures sealed them in, and you have a recipe for an unhappy Sammy.  For me it was not just the fact that they were up here alone (luckily the power only went off for a brief period).  It was more the fact that it would have been a golden opportunity to be home with my girls (watching K see a big snow for the first time), and I missed it for work.  Now don't get me wrong - I am NOT complaining, and I think it was SO GREAT that JT got this time with K in the house (although she then had to turn around and work late every night to catch up since daycare was closed).  I just wished I'd been here as well.  Snow is hard to come by in Charlotte, so each time it happens is a special event for me, as it reminds me of growing up back home.  But I am sure there will be others - I just hope she's not 11 before a storm like that hits again. :-)

"Wow, this obstacle course is easy.  Aunt
Kim is WAAAAAY skinnier than daddy."

My Thursday flight was cancelled (apparently the worst day for travel since 9/11), but I did get on a flight Friday (delayed 3.5 hours but still got home!).  I arrived home at 1:30, and we got up at 6:30 to pack and head out to Atlanta to visit Kim and Matt.  Matt was stuck in Aspen (tough life, I know), but he got home that evening, and we had a GREAT visit.  K had some trouble sleeping Saturday night (hungry we think, as she took 6 ounces during the night), but on the whole we had a blast.  And the best part - we actually got out of the townhouse this time!  We went over to Lennox park for a bit of a picnic and stroll (the weather was amazing), and I was even able to walk a bit with my cane (Sat was VERY rough for me and my foot).

It was a quick trip (we headed back early Monday), but it was really great to see them, drink some good wine, eat some excellent food, and just relax. I was grateful for other sets of hands with K, as I could barely walk.  I did get to the doctor Monday, and thanks to a boot, a strict diet, and "the mother of all anti-inflammatory medicines," I'm now back on the mend.

Ok - I don't want to give away any more of this week, so I'll stop there.  Happy 11 months of life, little sneetch!  Mommy and Daddy love you!!!!!

Speak soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny