A week full of new experiences - not all of them good...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  17 months and 2 weeks

Family,

And a good Monday afternoon to you from the Queen City, where the sneetch is down for the count at present and the Bull is on his lunch break.  And while I normally wouldn't use this time for blogging,


I'm trying to maximize time since the Munch is asleep and JT's at a doctor's appointment.  Another great week is now in the books, so let's get amongst it!

The week itself was really good.  For starters, K slept like a ROCK most nights this week, three times crossing the 7 AM barrier (which JT and I thought was gone for good!).  This further reaffirms our thinking that K doesn't sleep nearly as well a) on the road or b) in a pack 'n play.  We'd always heard that, and to be fair - she's still getting 10-11 hours of sleep at night.  However, you can tell that her sleep is a bit more restless, and consequently she passes OUT when she gets back to her crib.  That being said, I will give JT a TON of credit for how she fixed the pack 'n play in Amelia, as she used 3 layers of blankets and sheets to give K a lot more padding than just the pack 'n play bottom (but fret not all you worry warts - the sheet was still tucked VERY securely).

K had some fun new experiences this week, including her first ever trip to the Concord Mills play area! K actually went twice - during the week and once on Saturday.  Saturday was like rush hour - UTTER CHAOS in that pen, led largely by kids older than her (she looked to be the second youngest kid out of about 40 running around), and so it wasn't as much fun for her.  During the middle of the week, however, she had a blast, as it was much less crowded.  She spent time doing her favorite activity - attempting to walk/crawl up a slide.  It's great to have such a nice little play yard so close, and I think K will definitely enjoy it more as she gets stronger and bigger.

K also had a play date on Thursday, and now both she and Jenny have new playmates!  Jenny had randomly run into this gal named Jill at the park (at least I think that's how they met), and they got on like a house on fire.  JT went over there for about 3 hours on Thursday afternoon, and K LOVED the toys on offer.  For my part, I am very keen to meet both Jill and her husband Neil, as they seem really cool.  I mean, he's from Tennessee and has a Jack Daniel's tribute in the house, so he's gotta be ok, right?  Seriously - her and Jenny seem to have a lot in common, and so I'm thrilled that JT's continued

to find great people to hang with since leaving the workforce.  Between Jill and Renee, I think she's got two wonderful new friends in Highland Creek, and I'm very much looking forward to meeting both of them (as well as their spouses and rug rats, of course).

YES - that is K playing with two rolls of
toilet paper.  Despite all the toys on earth,
all she really wants is Charmin extra soft.

Another big first for K this week was first trip to the Y!  So get this - the Y offers FREE day care from 9-1, and they have TONS of toys and things for kids to play with.  JT went two days this week, trying to bike on day 1 and the pool on day 2.  For K's part, day 1 apparently went much better than day 2, as K must have been quite stressed once mommy left her field of vision.  JT returned from the workout to find the ladies pushing K in her stroller - probably K attempting to simulate having mommy around.  This has been the modus operandi for the last couple of weeks, as K will ask for Jenny the SECOND JT is not in view.  K will just keep saying "mama" no matter what you do - one time I'd wager she repeated it 55 times.

Look at K using fork and plate!

And while "dada" is requested on occasion, normally I am just background noise who's occasionally called out of the bull pen in relief.  But that's ok - I know she still loves me. :-)  If anything, I think it helps me appreciate that much more how Jenny must have felt when she was working uptown, as there is always that concern that K won't really know you as someone she can come to for anything (or dole out free hugs and kisses as required :-)).  I know that JT was a bit stressed after the second day, fearing that she might be traumatizing K by leaving her.  However, we're both comfortable now that it's just part of growing up, and I'm thrilled that JT's got a window where she can work out and have some "me time" whilst K meets new people and has some new experiences (and germs, no doubt).  And while K might have a little trouble adjusting out of the gate, I'm sure she'll grow to really enjoy it once it becomes part of the routine.  As for me, JT told me about the security protocols, and I now feel much better about their daycare and the measures in place.

K's other big Y experience was her first visit to the University City YMCA water park - THIS PLACE IS AWESOME!  We spent 90 minutes here, and K LOVED it.  The facility is fantastic, as the pool is huge and only 1 foot deep, meaning that K can walk and crawl everywhere while keeping her head above water.  She walked all over the park, but the majority of the time was spent on the slide (in the shape of a duck), which she LOVED.  And I am VERY proud to report that she was able to walk - that's right, I said WALK - up the stairs to the top of the slide all by herself!  Now granted, toward the end she was exhausted and had to crawl, but she walked using the handles most times (and always placed one foot on each step vs. two) - it was amazing to watch!  Unfortunately the pool closes on Labor Day, but the good news is that we know she loves it.  There's an indoor facility near where Cuz Megan lives, and so I think they'll probably try that spot at some point in the not too distant future.  And rather than me continue raving about this place, let me allow the photos to do the talking.  Let's call this:  "Love on a duck slide - a play in 6 acts."

Act 1:  K first notices the ultimate challenge.

Act II:  The intrepid explorer bounds toward said challenge.

Act III:  K bounds up stairs WITHOUT HELP for the first time ever.  Now THAT is focus.

Summit, baby!

Downhill like a bullet - the kid must have banged her head 15 times over the course of the day.

Back safe in mommy's arms after a WONDERFUL day in the park.

In terms of other developmental items, K started really wanting to play with the bunny rocker this week.  She can dismount on her own (albeit less than gracefully, but still), and she's really starting to rock back and forth with speed, control, and confidence.  She doesn't love staying on there for extended periods, but she does really seem to like it.  She also likes sitting on Scout and being pushed, which is a recent addition to her activity schedule (thanks for that one, Grammie...). :-)


K has also learned that her bath toys (foam letters and numbers) stick to the sides of the tub, and she LOVES doing this - too cute!  It's definitely helping to make bath time more enjoyable - although I suspect nothing will ever make her love the cup of water we dump on her head.  And it should be noted that, at this point, K is getting a bath every night.  We tried to keep it to every other night, but the reality is that she loves to play outside (which is a very good thing), and the bi-product of that is a lot of dirt on her clothes, face, hands, and hair.  My father would be so proud. :-)

The one hiccup of the week occurred on Friday morning when JT and K were playing in the front yard.  Jenny was talking to our neighbor Karen when K suddenly came walking over to her, one arm extended out.  At first Muffin Puffin thought K had grass on her arm, but upon further inspection she realized that the "grass" was moving.  That's right, sports fans - K's arm was covered in ants.

The scene of the crime.

The good news - these were NOT fire ants.  In fact, K never cried or complained.  However, she does have a good 30-40 bits on her arm, and 5 minutes after the incident, they looked TERRIBLE - swollen and red around the edges.  Mercifully they quickly receded, and now she's just got red spots on her arm.  The first 2 nights, K would bite her arm in an attempt to scratch them, but wife muffin was great to get hydro-cortisone rubbed in quickly, thereby immediately alleviating the itch.  K's now acting like nothing ever happened, which is great news.

K discovers movies on the iPad - too cute watching her and Steve.

K with a new favorite hobby - sitting on
doggie while an adult breaks their back
pushing her around.  Thanks for
that one, Grammie. :-)

The weekend itself was absolutely FANTASTIC, as Grammie and Grand Pooh came for a visit!  Steve (my stepfather) hadn't seen K since her 1st birthday, and he'd been wanting to get over the mountain for awhile and see her.  Steve just retired on 1 August, and his celebratory retirement trip was 8 days fishing in Alaska with his brothers.  Well, we were very much the lucky recipients of this, as he brought some of the salmon he caught for dinner on Saturday night!  It was sooooooooooo guuuuuuuuuuud - peppy cheekies.  And what's better - he left some more frozen for us!

As is always the case, the 48 hours they were here passed by in a flash.  However, we definitely made it count, as we ate like kings, did some great shopping, played Spades, and had tons of laughs.  They had the chance to see K Friday night, all day Saturday, and for a good 4-5 hours on Sunday until she

Steve and Mom hard at work preparing hush
puppies and salmon Steve caught in Alaska.
This meal was AMAZING!!!!

went down for her nap - a really great visit for everyone.  JT said it best on Sunday night when she said:  "I'm really happy with life right now.  Your dad was here.  Your mom and Steve were here.  My parents are getting to see K a lot.  Everyone is getting to see her and get to know her, and she's getting to know them."  I couldn't agree with her more, as life just feels absolutely wonderful at the moment.  Between great family time, the trip to Amelia, and a very fun fall schedule, we feel so lucky and blessed at the moment.  I am so glad that JT's still happy and loving being at home, and I'm trying to make more of an effort to get out of the office and into the playroom to see my girls a bit more during the day.  This time passes so quickly - gotta make it count!

Okay, that's all the news that's fit to print.  Chat next week, once the Bull has (hopefully) returned to the ring (or should I say the pavement) - stay tuned!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

Restoring all faith in family vacations - Team Taylor visits Amelia Island...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  17 months and 1 week

Family,

And a good Monday evening to you from the Queen City, where the Bull and Striker are on the couch watching pre-season NFL football and counting the days until the college football season officially kicks off.  But that's neither here nor there, as tonight we're talking about a WONDERFUL last weekin the books - let's get amongst it.

So Monday and Tuesday went quickly for Team Taylor, largely because we were packing and running the entire time.  What was the destination, you ask?  Team Taylor traveled just across the Florida state line to spend 4 nights in a little known paradise called Amelia Island, where we met our cousins Sarah & Steve (and their twins of course) and Kim & Matt.  And I should say right here that a TON of credit goes to wife muffin, as she did almost ALL of the lion's share on this in terms of planning, booking the room, and coordinating everything.  Way to go, muffin puffin!  You made this past week SO wonderful.

"You sure I can't dig to China from here?"

Before we jump to the vacation, 2 developmental notes for K.  First off, she has been SO CUTE lately curling up in our laps and asking us to read books.  Basically she'll grab a book, walk it over to you, give you the please sign, and then wait for you to take it.  Once you take the book, she'll turn her back to you, waddle back to your chest, and plop down so tightly against you it's as though you're about to wrap her in a parental cocoon.  She's been loving reading books lately and loving to snuggle, which I have NOT complained about.  SO CUTE!

Can you hear Chariots of Fire in the background?

The other developmental item is that, for the first time ever, K escaped from the clip on the changing table this week (Tuesday evening to be exact).  Now this wouldn't have been an issue for Jenny, but I tend to clip the Munch in and wash stuff off in the bathroom while she's locked down.  Now, however, that isn't an option, so I'd better be prepared when I lay her on that changing table!  And for the record - she hadn't yet stood up on the changing table...but I have a feeling it was about 3 seconds away...

As for the trip to Amelia Island, it was WONDERFUL.  Seriously - we did have fun in Jamaica (a lot of it, in fact), but it was tough sledding at times.  Between the dangers of the house, the isolation, and K's sleeping pattern being off, Jamaica was tough at times.  This trip, however, featured none of that, and as a result it was a well and truly relaxing vacation.  On the whole Amelia Island far surpassed my expectations, and it's a place I would definitely return to.

"Yeah...I'm pretty sure there are sharks out there."

The drive down should have taken just shy of 6 hours.  However, as we were in no rush, couldn't check in until the afternoon, and knew that the other two couples wouldn't arrive until late, we decided to make a day of it.  And so we stopped at a pair of rest areas, letting K walk around and chase dogs, as well as a Dairy Queen (where we changed a poopy diaper in 98 degree weather on the blacktop of the parking lot - but at least we used a sheet!), a gas station, and even Cracker Barrel for breakfast.  By the time we picked up the keys, shopped for groceries at Publix (because JT REFUSED to shop at Harris Teeter in Florida), and arrived at the condo, TEN HOURS had passed.  That being said, K was great (only slept about 50 minutes all day) and really held up well to the travel.

No comment required really.

Our room was great - bottom level of 3 floors, meaning that it was really quiet.  Again - things were just much easier in this place.  The first night we put K down around 7:30 and then had some chicken (and beer!) on the patio.  We had an amazing view of the ocean, and we were treated to a gorgeous sunset, complete with a FULL rainbow on the ocean - complete with birds flying in formation along the coast.

The gang arrived later that night, and Thursday kicked off a really, really amazing stretch.  For starters, the beach was 500 feet from our condo, and it was an easy walk (with the stroller no less!).  Steve had a tent, and so we passed several hours that first day with the girls (K and the twins) playing in the ocean and under the cover of shade - all of which they enjoyed immensely.  K really loved the water, and this beach was GREAT because it was enormous and had such a gentle slope.  The water wasn't as clear as Jamaica, but it was still clear enough (and VERY gentle).

The sneetch LOVING the Omni pool.

We passed the first 2 days alternating between the pool and the ocean, and it was GREAT.  K didn't love our local pool, but on Saturday morning we took her to the Omni pool and splash park, and THAT was an EPIC success.  For starters, K loved the splash park - both the streams of water and all the new things to crawl on.  We then took her to the "big pool," where there was this terrific step for her to play on.  At first she wasn't a huge fan, but then she started to really enjoy it and got quite brave - she walked on her tippy toes to keep her head from going under!  It was amazing to watch her confidence surface.  JT had told me how much more confident she'd become, but there was nothing like seeing it in person.

A moment of appropriate respect from one
person with Tennessee blood to another.

Inside the house K had another achievement - she finally started walking down stairs with virtually zero help!  She would grab onto the handrail and take actual steps vs. sliding down on her butt - amazing to watch!  It was also funny to watch Malin and McKinley, as they'd never been on stairs before (but picked them up quite quickly!).  I'm not sure their parents were thrilled with them climbing, but they were just so cute I had to let them do it a few times.  :-)

I will say that K basically used 6 words on this trip.  I will now try and provide the breakdown of # of times used:

1.  Up - 15 times

2.  More - 50 times

3.  No - 100 times

4.  Dada - 125 times

5.  Uh-oh - 500 times

6.  Mama - 17,896,532,124 times  - HOLY MOLY I'M NOT KIDDING

Seriously - the Sneetch is ALL ABOUT her mommy right now, and the second she walks out of the room, K goes nuts.  At first she'll say "Mama" about 20 times, which is code for "where is the woman who looks after me?"  After that, it's tears.  And I'm not talking "bad acting in Hollywood" tears.  I'm talking "Demi Moore at the end of Ghost" tears - it's nuts!  She also calls for daddy as well, but there's no question who she goes to when she's' scared, worried, or wants to play.  And while we know that we need to keep an eye on attachment and separation, I will say it's great to see our family unit so tight that this is something we've noticed.  JT and K have that pure mother-daughter bond that I know JT was so worried about, and it does my heart good to see it in action.

"LBRC - I am NOT a fan of adirondack chairs!"

As far as the trip itself, the only thing I would have changed was the length, as I would have made it longer.  Those guys are SO much fun, and it was so cute watching the girls all walk over to me with a book in hand - I felt like a storyteller!  Grandmother would have been so proud. :-)  But more than the laughs and the photos - this trip truly relaxed me.  Now it certainly help that the kids were on the same schedule and that we had 6 adults to spread among 3 kids, but still - this place is a GREAT family vacation destination.  The kids LOVED the ocean (especially Friday when it was overcast), and you can tell they are all water dogs.  K ate great, slept great (until at least 6:15 each morning, which was the point we would pull her in bed and try to get her to sleep on Mommy or Daddy - always to no avail), and really had fun, even when she was EXHAUSTED on that final day (fell asleep within 6 minutes on the drive home.

And while it's a bit of a stretch to say that this trip truly restored my faith in family vacations, it definitely helped to show me that travel with a munchkin absolutely can work and be fun for everyone - you just have to be smart about the spots, have a little help, and get lucky.  We'll definitely keep that in mind as we plan future trips, as we want to keep the roads hot with the sneetch!

So there you have it - nothing profound on this post, just a simple retelling of an AMAZING 4 days in the golden isles of the first coast.  JT and I are already starting to plan the next trip to the sunshine state - and it looks like it will be in October AND will be the first multi-day trip without the rug rat.  She'll be 19 months at that point and will have Grammie to keep her company, so I'm thinking all will go VERY well (knock on wood - this could be foreshadowing for those reading after the fact :-)).

That's all the news that's fit to print.  Chat soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

A VERY big weekend - Our first night away from the Sneetch...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  17 months today!!!!

Family,

And a good Monday afternoon to you all from the Queen City, where the Munch has just rolled 17

K's new favorite animal - Harrod's bear!

months!  But I realize that's a blog for next week, so I'll bite my tongue for now.  Instead we have plenty of other topics to cover from the past week, so let's get amongst it.

"You shall not Pass!" K's new favorite toy -
JT's muscle roller. She basically uses it
as her walking stick while attempting to
punch holes in the hardwood.

This past week was a CRAZY one for the Bull, as I was in South America all week with work.  And since the flight down required a connection, I had virtually NO Sunday with my girls (or my dad, for that matter).  However, JT was great to give me all the updates, and a lot of what I'll relay in this post was originally provided by her (and then observed by me on Friday).

For starters, K can now get to EVERYTHING on the counter.  Seriously - just when you thought the
house was baby-proofed, so grows about 19 feet, develops an insatiable curiosity streak, and begins running at a place you hadn't expected from someone not quite 3 feet tall.  Seriously - the kitchen is no longer the innocuous place it once was, and Team Taylor (the adult contingent, that is) is now having to make a concerted effort to keep all plates, knives, and pot handles out of reach of the sneetch.  It's amazing to watch her with door handles as well.  She KNOWS what they do, and she is always trying to open the door (particularly when you're in the bathroom).  Since they are the rounded knobs vs. the handles, she can't yet open them.  But something tells me the shape of the knob won't be a deterrent too much longer...

The art of war...the art of tic-tac-toe...same thing.

And speaking of the kitchen, K is FINALLY interested in the contents of the cabinet.  For MONTHS we could leave the child-proof clips unlocked, confident that she had NO INTEREST in what was behind door #1.  Suddenly, however, she is ALL ABOUT the dish washing detergent under the sink, the dessert plates under the flatware - you name it.  Now granted, she's not reaching in and taking anything out yet....but I think you can see where this is going.  Team Taylor is going to have to get smarter!

"Sittin' in her rocker, eatin' Betty Crocker..."

In terms of K's development, I did get the chance to witness several new things this week.  For starters, she grabbed a stuffed dog out of a pile of toys and said, "ruff, ruff" - I was amazed!  Seriously - that type of association was a surprised to me, and I was SO PROUD of her for figuring it out.  I know that mom had mentioned it previously, and I thought I'd seen it before with one of her monkeys. This, however, was unmistakeable...and too cute!

Being a kid in this house is EXHAUSTING.

Also, there is no denying that this week marked the moment when she was absolutely able to identify "mama" and "dada."  She is pointing at us and saying it, and she's right 90% of the time. :-)  What's funny is that, whenever one of us isn't in the room, she is constantly saying that person's name.  However, the second you show up and reach for her, all she wants is to be back in the other person's arms. :-)  Personally, I just love hearing "dada" - talk about absolutely MELTING your heart.


She is definitely starting to run now, and when she walks she actually does so on her tip toes!  She has fallen quite a bit lately, but that's just part of a) her learning balance and b) her being so distracted as she learns the world around her.  I will say that she had a scary fall in the garage on Friday (went head over heels apparently), but JT caught her and all is well.  The sneetch does have some scrapes and bruises to show for it (check the pic), but I think it probably bothered JT more than Munch Munch.

JT spent the week down at her parents, where she took K to the pool and said K was absolutely gaining more confidence and testing both her balance and buoyancy.  She continues to be fearless - JT said she kept wanting to walk deeper until she was literally drinking the water, but even then she'd scream when JT picked her up to move her to safety - love it!

K trying to slip into her shoes - such a
fashionista.  Which I'm ok with as long as
we're only talking $4 shoes and hand-me-downs.

I got home on Friday to find a very fussy and clingy (but absolutely adorable, for the record) daughter.  Jenny had warned me that K had become increasingly clingy this week, but I wasn't quite prepared for the leech-like attachment exhibited on Friday.  It really didn't matter if it was JT or myself - K just wanted to be held and carried around.  And whilst this was fine in long pants, as she simply tugged at the fabric, in shorts it was an entirely different matter, as K has now figured out that if you pull and twist leg hair long enough, you will ALWAYS get what you want.  Seriously - I was washing dishes when she did it the first time - crept up behind me and started pulling.  When I looked down, she just looked up with that innocent smile and raised her hand to me (the signal that I was to pick her up).  When I went back to washing, she politely re-commenced her hair-pulling.  Rinse-repeat about 7 times until I capitulated.  I mean, this gal probably has a future at Gitmo as a professional water boarder - just sayin'...

The highlight of the week was actually the weekend, as JT and I FINALLY embarked on a much

needed milestone - parents' first night away!  That's right, folks - as crazy as it sounds, this past Saturday was the first time that both Jenny and myself had slept somewhere else.  Hard to believe that took 17 months!  However, as we've both had plenty of trips and love being with the Sneetch, the time has flown.  JT and I had about 24 hours in Asheville, where we hit 5 breweries, slept 11 hours on Saturday night, and basically went hard with reckless abandon, safe in the knowledge there were no nappies to change or 4 AM wake up calls that could disturb us.  Now Sneetch, do NOT get us wrong - we love you so much we can barely stand it and LOVE every second with  you.  It's just that mommy and daddy very much needed this adult time to recharge after one of the craziest months of our lives (at least it felt that way), and so I hope you'll forgive us for abandoning you for 24 hours.  But hey - you had Nanny and Grandpa, and you had a blast!

Okay, that's all the news that's fit to print for this edition.  As the bull didn't eat lunch and has gone 12 hours between meals, I need to sign off and get some grub.  Plus there is a long to-do list tonight, as Team Taylor has packing to do!  Why, you ask?  Well, you'll just have to tune in next week. :-)

Love,

Sam and Jenny

The sweet, sweet return to normalcy...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  16 months and 24

Family,

And a good Sunday afternoon to you from the Admiral’s lounge in DFW international airport, where the Bull is hoping to chip away (or even finish) this week’s blog whilst waiting for his fl

ight to Buenos Aires.  And while this trip will see the Bull get a new passport stamp, I have no lie to tell – I just want to be at home with my girls!

It feels like life was FLAT OUT this week – JT and I barely got a chance to chat between our running schedules, taking care of K, lots of work, and then my dad’s visit. Now don’t get me wrong, as I LOVED everything that happened this week – K got back onto her normal schedule, my wife logged 6 and then SEVEN miles, as well as running 3+ at tempo!, I got some big runs in and felt really strong, and we had an AMAZING time with my dad (more to come on that below).  However, between the trip to Jamaica (which, while wonderful, was ANYTHING but relaxing) and this past week, I am KNACKERED.  Add in the thought of the week in front of me (overnight flight tonight and Thursday, with meetings in 2 more countries), and I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment.  Luckily I’m trying a new Amber lager brewed in Texas – that’s taking a little of the edge off. :-)

As for the week itself, it was SO GREAT to be back at home.  I was uptown 1 day this week, but by and large the last 6-7 days have felt very much like a return to normalcy.  For starters, despite the Sunday night debacle of K screaming out, she is very much back on her sleep schedule.  In fact, the evening sleeps now seem to be even deeper, with K now sleeping 12 hours consistently and even touching 12.5 hours multiple times this week.  I think that, just like us, she was exhausted and has LOVED being back in her crib (normal noises, temperature, and mattress).  I actually did the impossible the first 2 nights – SLEPT ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT WITHOUT USING THE BATHROOM – AMAZING!!!1

"Um, think you missed a spot over there..."

We did take K to the doctor on Thursday, however, as she has seemed a bit fussier than normal and had run a temperature for more than a week.  She wanted to be held constantly, which, while very cute, was a bit concerning to us (as we were afraid she was quite sick since we could never get her temp down consistently below 100).  Our normal Peds was off on Thursday, so we visited Dr. Berger, who is wonderful and someone else we’ve seen on previous occasions.  She confirmed a) K’s tubes and ears looked GREAT, b) she wasn’t sick, and c) the fever was most likely a result of teething (apparently her canines and molars are coming in, and these are the most painful and difficult).  She told us not to worry about the amount of ibuprofen or benadryll we gave her and that we might even have to give her doses of both for a month straight!  However, she also said not to worry about the temperature as much as how she acted.  This was great news, as a) it meant we could medicate without fear of any addiction or liver damage, and b) it gave us the comfort to know that we didn’t HAVE to try and always regulate her temperature to 98.6.  I am pleased to report that, as I type this, we’ve gone three straight nights without meds – which is a GREAT feeling. 

Also, in terms of the “wanting to be held,” the doctor told us that was a normal phase between 16-20 months and that we should just “enjoy the ride.”  Well, you didn’t have to tell this guy twice, and consequently I’ve picked her up every single time she’s reached for me.  Personally, I am LOVING having her ask for daddy and laying her head on my shoulder when I pick her up – just melts my heart when she snuggles up.  It does get a bit tricky when your hands are full and she grabs both legs and basically buries herself between your legs, but honestly – SO CUTE, and I’m only too happy to oblige her.  Don’t worry – I will be a disciplinarian when the time comes! J

I mean, she may not yet be an expert at
it, but K LOVES brushing her teeth.  You
try to do it for her, and she might rip your hand off.

In terms of K’s development, she’s been simply adorable this week.  For starters, she’s trying to dress herself now.  And while she can’t do it, she is always trying to put on either my shoes, Jenny’s shoes, or Jenny’s sports bras.  Now granted, she only puts them around her neck and treats them like necklaces, but still – she is all about trying to accessorize.  Fashionista in the making?  Oh boy…

But on the subject of shoes, we did have a “moment for the generations” this week.  When mom came at the start of July, she gave me a pair of shoes I wore when I was just over one (basically K’s age).  Well, this week was a milestone, as she found the shoes and BEGGED me to put them on her.  Sure enough, they fit!  She’s worn them twice so far – they are still a little big, but she gets around in them fine.  I couldn’t help but send the pic to mom and dad, and mom texted back that she was in tears from the flood of memories.  For my part, I am just SO THRILLED that she kept them, as that is something unbelievably special that I didn’t even know we still had in the archives.  And even more importantly, I was already thinking about when her kid puts those shoes on and the tears I myself will shed. 

Oh yeah, baby - getting the hang of it...

K is now fully on-board with the “big girl tub,” but at present she LOVES to try and stand up in it.  We let her do this in Jamaica because it was the best way to get the sand out of her roles, but now it’s become a bit of a problem because our tub is so slick (I probably need to look into rumble strips).  I will say that Jenny’s a master in controlling her.  I, on the other hand, am NOT a master (as evidenced Thursday when I had to bathe her and the poor kid was always a heartbeat away from a sliding concussion).  Again, my wife is a wizard!

Other fun things for K:

1.     The new pterodactyl sound – seriously, our child is now making this sound that is something out of Pet Sematary (yes, I know that’s misspelled – just like the novel title).  She does this weird air-sucking, noise clicking, demon releasing a hiss sound, and she’s doing it all the time.  I do have some concerns our next babysitter might call the Exorcist, so I think we better leave this little personality trait in the notes. J 

2.     She LOVES to run in circles.  Seriously – be it my car in the garage, the island in the kitchen, or the loop in the Jack ‘n Jill, she is ALL ABOUT making the loop – I watched her do 7 in a row around the island today! 

3.     She’s now a fan of the bunny rocker! Twice this week K has actually CLIMBED ON IT HERSELF and even proceeded to rock it a bit – too cute!  Granted, she’s not going wild on it yet, but there’s no question she now identifies it and can play on it (and

Another relative sucked into the "Easy
Street" Vortex.  Roll it, roll it, wheels so fat...

actually wants to).

4.     She’s grown 3 inches in the last 6 weeks!  They measured and weighed her at the doctor’s office, and she’s now 32.5 inches and 24 pounds, 10 ounces – she could still be a middle blocker!  All joking aside, that is SERIOUS growing in a short period of time.  Between some extra inches and the fact that she’s now wearing hair bows, she really does look like a little girl (a little angel, I might add).

5.     The hair bows – she doesn’t really like wearing these, but she tolerates them.  Actually, it’s pretty funny, as she will YANK them out of her hair.  However, before she realized she could pull the bows out, she ran around the house shaking her head like a crazy person.  It took Jenny and I about 10 minutes to figure out what she was doing – largely because we were CACKLING the entire time. 

Never miss an opportunity to show
ANYONE your tongue.

Who loves her Granddaddy?  THIS GIRL!!!

The weekend itself was a blast, as GRANDDADDY came for a visit!  It was a whirlwind of activity, but we sure did have fun.  Dad got there on Friday night (had just missed K), but we had a great day on Saturday and a terrific morning today.  He couldn’t believe how much she’d grown, and we have some TERRIFIC pictures of them together.  The only complaint was that it went so fast!  Luckily we’ll be home in October, and so we know we’ll see them again soon.  I could go through the activities list on Saturday, but I think the photos of the day will tell a much better story. J

Okay, sorry so short, but I just wanted to make sure I got all my thoughts down while fresh.  It was SUCH a good, fun, NORMAL week, and I can’t believe I’m already back on the road.  However, I’ll be back on Friday for a full day with the Munchkin, and after the weekend away we’ll have some more good family bonding time (but I won’t spoil the surprise – stay tuned!).

Okay, that’s all the news that’s fit to print.  Chat next week!

Love,

Sam and Jenny