Welcome to Tantrum Alley, baby!!!!

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  18 months and 19 days

Family,

And a good Tuesday afternoon to you on the last day of the third quarter - where on EARTH has the time gone?  Another wonderful (and entertaining) week is in the books, so let's recap, shall we?


For the sneetch, I can confirm that she has officially LEARNED HOW TO THROW A TANTRUM.  A lot of people talk about the Terrible 2's actually being the Terrible 3's, but I'm thinking K's doing a pretty solid job at the 18 month mark of making it well known when she's not happy.  And granted, she still wakes up super happy and has a smile on her face most of the day.  However, when the switch flips these days, it FLIPS.  WOW.

The good news is that she is definitely babbling more.  She's definitely playing with syllables and trying to sound things out, with her favorite phrase being the ever mysterious "da bum dap."  So far that means about 16,000 things, ranging from "Yes, I would love more cheese" to "could I have a cheese stick" to "I would love a honey wheat pretzel with my cube of cheese" to "when do I get more cheese on toast" to "it sure has been awhile since you've given me mac 'n cheese" - you get the picture (and notice the theme).

A similar turn of phrase is dada, which for most children would mean "daddy" or "father."  However, as K currently thinks of me as a plague wandering the house, terrorizing all who lay in my wake, dada has expanded to mean other things.  So yes, at present, "dada" does mean "father," but it also means:

"Love the new Jungle Jim, daddy!  What do you mean
it has to go outside?"

1. My 30 year old baby doll I carry around

2. A school bus (and anytime she sees one, she gets SO excited...all the way up to the point where they turn into a subdivision and she says "uh-oh!").

3. Any type of bird - take your pick

4. Plastic pink flamingoes (yep - I am REALLY down the pecking order these days)

Side note on this:  the most classic "I am NOT playing with daddy" happened yesterday when K was running around in the Bonus room.  Jenny said "Go show daddy!," at which point K ran down the hall, came bounding into my room, saw me, continued to run in a circle (rather than turn around or backtrack), and sprint out the door - Jenny could NOT stop laughing (and I have to admit it was pretty damn funny).

K is definitely saying "dipe dipe" for diaper, which is funny because that's what we used to say back when she was an infant.  Now we can't stop saying it, and she asks to change "dada's dipe dipe" all the time (that would be the doll - not me).  She's also saying "ah-ah," which is definitely apple (as evidenced by her stalking me for bites of my apple whenever I'm eating one).  She has some syllables that constitute banana (and she definitely knows what it is), but she's not saying the full word yet (closer to "nana").  Jenny did tell me that the last time she was at her parents' place she called Jan "Nana" vs. Nanny - that's definitely exciting progress!  Oh, and it should also be noted that "dipe dipe" can mean school bus as well.  Yes, yes, I know - I sound like THE TYPICAL PARENT on this one.

Now all this being said, I will say that her learning and memory have astonished me.  Between the Golden Book and "Rocket's Mighty Words" (from the library), it has been crazy to teach K new words and pictures and then have her point them out the next day.  Some of my favorites have been hammer, robot, moose, possum, and prairie dog (seriously - who remembers prairie dog?).  We're working on lemur and meerkat - just give me time. :-)

Also, perhaps the cutest thing this week has been K saying "Awwwww" whenever she sees a deer or a teddy bear.  She is often playing with Jenny's HUGE teddy bear that's basically the same size she is.  Her favorite activity is to set the teddy bear in her rocking chair and rock her, after which time she lays her on the ground, bounces on her for a bit, and then lays on her like she's about to go to sleep - TOO CUTE!  She's also putting baby in the UNC rocker, which is quite adorable.  The "awwwww" in reference to deer came from the book "Baby Loves Winter," which is another K fave (and part of the library collection - no cost, baby!!!!!!).

The girls learning how to share, which, at the moment,
consists of a wrestling match that equates to:  "Bitch,
you better let go of the stroller or the bunny gets it."

The biggest milestone I had the privilege to observe this week was K stacking blocks for the first time!  Normally she just destroys the towers we build, but this time she actually took the over-sized legos and stacked them up.  As this was one of the "do this by 2 years" milestones, I was quite excited.  I haven't been back in the bonus room with her to see if she remembers how to do it (or is even interested), but it's good to know that she is capable (not that I had any doubts :-)).

But back to the title of the blogs - K's tantrums.  So some of it may stem from some illness (things have been going around a bit lately).  Some of it may stem from teething (although I've been hearing that for EIGHT WEEKS NOW WITH NO CANINES IN SIGHT, so I'm not holding my breath).  Some of it could be the age.  Whatever it is, there is no denying that K does NOT want to be without mommy right now - even for a second.  When she runs upstairs while K's eating, K instantly stops eating and says "mama" over and over until Jenny returns.  The same is true if we are upstairs and Jenny goes down, outside and Jenny goes in - you name it.  And let me tell you who is NO comfort to her - THIS GUY.  The thing is, K's tantrum isn't just a scream.  She will literally bang her head against the floor and wail like a banshee, rolling around and swinging her arms like a Bayblade.  She has a nice habit of punching me in the throat and trying to crush my larynx when I attempt to sooth her (yet I continue to do it).

Coming into this week, Jenny had gone to the Y on a few occasions, dropping K at daycare.  In the morning, this had met with measured success, but the evenings had always been a bit touch and go.  Well, it came to a head this week, as we had our first epic fail at daycare.  That's right, sports fans - the staff actually had to come get Jenny out of the pool because K had been screaming uncontrollably for 30 minutes.  The next day Jenny left K with me at the house, and under advice from multiple sources we tried the method of telling K that "mommy was leaving for a bit."  You would have thought we'd just told her "your parents are flesh-eating zombies and you're locked in the house with them."  Seriously - she.  went.  NUTS.

The trend was the same:  Jenny sits down beside her, and K instantly knows something is amiss.  As Jenny starts talking, K's face becomes a complete frown, and then the second Jenny goes to walk away, K sprints to her (it's more of a gallop at this point - which is also really cute) and buries herself between Jenny's knees, holding onto her for dear life.  If I can manage a distraction, it's usually okay within 5-10 minutes, but Munch will proceed to ask for "mama" about every 20 minutes or so until she returns.  And when she does return - THE WORLD STOPS.  Now that, sports fans, is also about the cutest thing ever, as K stops WHATEVER she is doing - eating, reading, playing, bungy-jumping...you name it - gasps for air, and then marches over to mommy.  Moments like that are great, as they remind you how amazing being a parent is.  And while I'm second (or 27th) fiddle at the moment, the important thing is happening - K and her mom are developing that unbreakable bond that forever links mother and child.  For my part, it's been something special to watch.

Claire's face:  "Are you eating my goldfish?"  Priceless.

The weekend was really great, as Team Taylor played host to a pair of parties, as well as managing to wedge 2 park visits in!  On Saturday Jill and Neal (whom I'd never met) came over with their pair of rug rats, and we had a blast chatting about all things Tennessee, beer, and food - hard to complain about that!  Sunday was a long overdue catch-up with the Parkhouse and Wetzel clan, and this place was a CIRCUS of children.  It was all a bit too much for K, and there was a period where she just went behind the table and tried to stay out of the madness.  Call me crazy, but I think it was Maddie squeezing the life out of her while playing with her.  As the only child without a sibling in the crowd (and the youngest of the bunch), I think she was overwhelmed, but she managed to play quite a bit outside.  Space was key. :-)

Well, no better way to test the swing than to load it
with 5 children and then treat it like a Carowinds attraction.

Okay - I'll close it there for this installment.  The last 4 days were crazy, and this week has been full board so far.  Add in trying to keep up with the morning workouts (5 miles tomorrow!), and you've got a guy who can tell he's running on reserves and trying to keep cough, cold, and illness at bay.  Date night tomorrow, so hopefully a bottle of wine will help kill any lingering germs. :-)

Chat soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

Learning to play - the munch begins her next set of milestones

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  18 months and 11 days

Family,

And a good Monday evening to you from the Queen City (for the record, I've recently heard the phrase

Pensive - Rodin's next muse, perhaps?
Either way - LOVE THE HAIR!

"Crown Town" as well, and I quite like that), where the Bull is still in recovery from his most recent half-marathon.  Munchkin - I am THRILLED to report that you slept much better this go-around (probably helped that you were in your own crib), but you still woke up at midnight and 4 AM on race day!  Luckily your mom was a saint and took care of you both times - I am a very lucky man.  But I digress - let's get amongst it!

"Let's do this thing, baby!!!!"

So this week was another great one, with the highlight being K's 18 month appointment.  Unfortunately it was the ONE DAY this week I had to go Uptown, and so I missed it.  However, as per standard, JT and I worked on our question set together, and we went in with our usual litany of items to work through.  And while I think it went well, JT definitely seemed a bit upset when I arrived home from work.  In listening to her retelling of events, it sounded as though the Peds spoke to her in a manner that suggested we weren't working hard enough on several developmental milestones for K - something obviously no parent wants to hear.
Jenny and I talked about it, discussing the answers to the questions we had and the milestones listed out for the next 6 months, and after talking I think we both felt (and feel) much better.  Also, I think there are a few realities here.

1. First off, I love, love, LOVE our Pediatrician and the entire facility.  From the greeting to the

K PASSED OUT on one of Jenny's stuff animals.
Just when you thought the "Coke bears" from
Pirate's Cove would never see the sun again,
they receive new life. :-)

checkout, it is a fantastic experience.  However, I also feel that they have hyper-aggressive milestones for kids.  As my mother rightly pointed out - NONE of these "milestone lists" and targets existed when I was growing up, and kids have turned out fine for centuries.  Kids grow, learn, and develop at their own pace, and I do feel there is something to be said for "letting kids be kids" vs. always trying to ensure they fit into a certain box.  Coming to that realization (as I did some months back, with this most recent visit solidifying that position) has certainly eased some of my concern and by extension worry.  Now don't get me wrong - I want K to continue to develop and stay in line with her peers.  However, is she doesn't have 50 words by age 2 but still clearly understands what we're saying and is effective at communicating what she wants, then I believe she's fine.  Others may disagree (certainly their prerogative), but I firmly believe guidelines are just that.

K discovers Nala - 

2.  When we started this journey, Team Taylor was CLUELESS about what we were doing.  I mean, I rang the nurse call button to change our first diaper, for crying out loud!  And while I still admit that a lot of what we do is accidental parenting, there is no question we are much, much more confident (and better) at being parents.  For starters, we know our daughter now - her routines, her likes, her moods, her noises - you name it.  We can anticipate her needs, and the schedule we've built has given us an air of confidence to try and guess what the problem is when she's upset.  It's not perfect, and sure - it's more witchcraft than science, but we are definitely getting there.  Secondly, as babies get sturdier and you get more experience, you start to realize that "you can do this."  Life gets easier, the shock of being a parent starts to subside, and you too develop rituals and routines that work for you.  This is another reason why I'm willing to listen to everything a doctor tells me, knowing full well that some elements are being diagnosed based on a 5 minute evaluation every 3-6 months, whereas JT and I see our child all day, every day.  That HAS to count for something.

Love at first sight!

K giving "dada" a bath...while still
wearing a beanie.

3.  I think Jenny (and I'm guessing here) was most rattled by the insinuation that she wasn't working enough with K on a) speech development and b) learning how to play through simulation.  Honestly, I CANNOT SAY enough how amazing a parent Jenny has been.  She has K doing TONS of stuff during the week - the library, Discovery Place, daycare at the Y, the park, play groups with friends, you name it - and that's just the stuff outside of the house.  K is always working on motor skills, learning new things at home in books, and constantly being read to.  And the results are clear - she can identify so many things when asked, can understand lots of commands, and definitely knows what we are talking about.  Case in point was last night when I asked Jenny if we thought K should "have a  frozen yogurt," at which point K started signing please and nodding her head like it was on a swivel.  Note to self - start spelling things more often. :-)  But seriously, we read to K all the time, and you can tell she's following along.  And while she doesn't have a ton of words in her vocabulary yet, there's no question she's building the word bank in her mind.  She'll speak when she's good and ready.  Totally works for me.

On the "play" front, we learned that this is the time when kids need to be given toys that allow them to simulate and imitate what they see their parents doing.  We didn't know this, and so I do feel this was a great takeaway from that session.  They recommended things like cookware, dolls, etc, and we're now on the lookout for some of that stuff.  In the interim, Jenny got into her old box of stuffed animals and pulled out her 30+ year old cabbage patch kid, and let me tell you - WOW, THE WORLD HAS CHANGED.

So this is crazy, but Kaitlyn has become INSTANTLY attached to Jenny's Cabbage Patch Kid.  She calls him "dada," which basically means I'm a second class (or less) citizen these days.  Seriously - if she's screaming for "dada," it is NOT the six foot male in the house.  It's the 2 lb stuffed doll that was in a box until Wednesday morning - AMAZING.

The newest member of Vol Nation.

What's also amazing is how quickly K has taken to her.  K is now SLEEPING WITH THE DOLL.  The first night was HILARIOUS, as she basically PASSED OUT on top of the doll - looked like something out of Monday Night Raw - too funny!  But it's more than just having her in the crib (which she didn't have last night and I would personally like to avoid if possible since she now realizes she can throw baby out of the crib and ask mama and "the dude in the house" to fetch it for her) - she now gives it a bath before her bath (uses her old plastic tub - even uses a wash cloth on her!), changes her diaper, and even puts her in the bassinet before her nap (although she then wants baby back out).  She's fed her at the high chair a few times (although she prefers to feed Harrod the Bear), and she's even learned how to burp her.  For Harrod, she actually tries to CLIP HIM INTO THE HIGH CHAIR - just NUTS how quickly they pick things up.  However, it has been great, as we now realize how much she's learning by watching us and via her own experiences, and we soon plan to further augment that with a few new additions to her toy collection.

One funny note is that "dada" isn't her only attachment.  She also LOVES her rubber duckies in the bath tub (she calls them "baba," which we think is her trying to say quack quack), and sometimes she has to have those with her on the changing table before bed.  A first it was the white polka-dot duck from C-Web and Eagle One, but now she loves the Camo duck (NO IDEA where we got that one).

And wrapping the 18 month appointment, we received good news in that she's now 80% in weight and 75% in height, meaning that a) she's good size for her age and b) she's now much more proportional.  Jenny actually just finished a photo book of K's first 18 months (which is AMAZING, by the way - way to go, Muffin!), and it really is crazy to see how much she's slimmed down in the last 6 months.  All that running is melting the rolls away!

Dinner time!  Best 14 quid I've ever spent.

For the next 6 months, K apparently needs to have 50 words under her belt, master the spoon, learn how to jump, and be able to handle stairs without assistance.  She's pretty much to the stairs figured out, and jumping isn't far off (same with the spoon).  We'll see on the words - I bet she'll be pretty close when the time comes.

The only rough patch this week was early, when the poor thing threw up in the bed.  She was sick and ran a fever a few days last week, including some diarrhea and general discomfort.  She seems back on the go now - is actually in daycare at the Y as I type this.  Also, we did get the change to get to Discovery Place Kids Friday afternoon, and it was a BLAST!  Some of the highlights:

Step 1:  K grabs her favorite toy in the whole place:
a lawnmower!  Where was this energy when I
contracted a lawn service!?!?!

Step 2:  only buy organic.

Step 3:  COVER EVERYONE IN WATER...
except the gal with the plastic cover.

Step 4:  No Carolina girl is truly "Tarheel bred"
until she learns to appreciate NASCAR, baby!

Step 5:  last call for departures from "Huntersville
International Airport," featuring flights to Lima,
Hong Kong, London, Tokyo...and Greensboro.  Nice.

Okay, that's all the news that's fit to print this week.  K - your daddy posted a 1:52:08 in his 26th half marathon this weekend.  Remember that there was a time he was in shape! :-)

Love,

Sam and Jenny

Two big milestones: The Munch rolls 18 months, and the Bull completes his 100th post

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  18 months and 4 days (HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!?!?!?!?!?)

Family,

A big moment for the Sneetch - her first
time climbing to the top of the slide all
by herself!  Way to go, Munch Munch!

And a good Monday afternoon to you from the Queen City, where the Bull is finally over his cough and trying to stay healthy and hydrated in the run-up to his next half marathon (this Saturday in Davidson).  This post is a milestone for the Bull, as it officially marks the move over triple digits.  Considering that I wasn't sure if I was even going to do a blog about being a parent - to say nothing of the fact that I was unsure whether or not I would be able to keep up the weekly pace of writing - I am feeling quite chuffed at the moment.  Now I know that I'll complete K's second year, and if we're lucky enough to get pregnant and have another little rug rat, my goal is to carry that blog through the first 2 years of that one's life.  However, beyond that I make no promises.  In a perfect world I'd write until they were both (all? :-)) through college, but realistically I'm thinking Kindergarten is more like it.  Either way, as I type today, I am SO HAPPY that I decided to do this and have stuck with it.  Going back through these posts is a walk down memory lane, and it's been amazing to watch the pace of development (which is exponential at this point).  I would hate to think that we didn't have all this growth and achievement documented, and speaking of that - we should turn to that topic now. :-)

So K has done the unthinkable, ladies and gentlemen - she has REACHED THE 18 MONTH MARK.  Honestly, I cannot believe we have a girl who is now more of a toddler than a baby.  In fact, I'll go one further, as I returned from Vegas to find more than just a little toddler - she had transformed into a little girl overnight!

This past week was big, as it marked K's first ever dentist appointment.  Now the good news is that K LOVES brushing her teeth. Truth be told, she loves the flavor of the toothpaste (non-fluoride!) and the pressure against her gums since she's teething, but she actually does a good job brushing them.  We do it at least once a day, and Jenny has come up with the theme song for the event:

"We're gonna brush, brush, brush, brush the teeth..."
"We're gonna brush, brush, brush, brush the teeth..."
"We're gonna brush the little teeth, 'til they sparkle and they shine,"
"We're gonna brush, brush, brush, brush the teeth."

"It's go time, mommy!  Check these toupins!"

"Big chair next time!"

Yes - it is incredibly profound.  To quote Ozymandias:  "Look ye mighty and despair..."

"Ballah, shot callah, 20 in blades on
the Impala..."

The appointment went well.  They actually didn't use the dentist chair but instead had K sit in Jenny's lap while they checked her out.  All went well, and Jenny said the entire staff was amazing - a few were even owners of Bubbles the learning whale! :-)  And on the tooth front, the Sneetch continues to teeth.  The canines (apparently the worst in terms of pain while breaking through) are still not visible, but the fact that she puts her fingers in her mouth and bites down tells us that they are swimming around in there, causing some discomfort.  It's hard to tell whether or not it's impacted her appetite, as it is up and down.  However, it has made for quite a bit of Advil lately (which both the Peds and the dentist have confirmed is normal, expected, and totally appropriate).  Fingers crossed she's able to keep sleeping!

In terms of other development, the child is getting stronger than a bull moose.  She can now pull herself up onto almost any couch and chair, and she's become fond of standing in the chair that JT and I sit in to feed her.  Also, her syllable count has EXPLODED, as she is a crazy babbler now, uttering collections of syllables with no discernible meaning.  She is definitely saying a few words, and she continues to understand more and more of what we say.  Matt (Matt and KJ came to visit this weekend) asked her to turn the page of a book at one point, and she happily obliged.  One thing that is funny is that, when she sees something she really wants, she will do the "please" sign so vigorously that I fear she's going to rip a hole in her chest.  And while we know this means she really wants something, the problem is that she has no follow-up or vocabulary to tell us what's perked her interest.  However, she is learning, as evidenced by Peppa Pig.

So while not her most flattering, this is about 14 billion
times better than other photos we tried this weekend.
Case in point is the next photo down. :-)

So K has finally taken a vague interest in television, with Peppa Pig being the most watched show (probably because that's the only one we tape for her).  Well, she can't say Peppa of course.  However, she can give us the please sign and snort (which is what Peppa does during the opening credits) - TOO CUTE.  Now granted, it's a lot cuter mid-week than when she's asking for it during College Gameday, but still - it's pretty funny.


Also, for the first time ever, we let K sleep with a stuffed animal this week.  We only did it during the nap, but she seemed quite contented and enjoyed it.  It was "Herrod's bear," and I do think that might be her fave at present.  She napped with Sophie the teething giraffe today - not quite as cuddly.

LOVE this.  

Head of the table!

Something else that's been cute has been watching K slowly grasp the concept of why diapers need changing.  She's still not shy about the fact that she needs to poop, but when she's done she's progressed from holding her nose to saying "Dipe, dipe!", which is what Jenny and I have called diapers for the last year and a half.  She's not started bringing us the diapers yet, but we do think it's time to start considering potty training and next steps.  Again - perfect timing with the peds appointment coming up tomorrow.

K did have the other big milestone of climbing UP the slide for the first time ever this past week!  I was working when JT texted me a shot of K at the top of the slide - all smiles.  She can go down on her own as well, but she likes to slide feet first on her belly.  At least this week she doesn't clang her head


on the slide, but we're working on having her go down on her bum.  It's a work in progress. :-)

The weekend was great with Kim and Matt in town, and we spent Saturday hanging out with friends and family.  We had breakfast with Nanny and Grandpa (as well as Matt's dad and stepmother), and then we spent the afternoon and early evening with Lauren and Phillip (friends of Kim's from law school who we'd met several times previously).  The whole day was a blast - just went by too fast!  Same with Sunday, which was filled with football and utter lethargy.  No complaints here!

So there you have it - another great week and a milestone post in the books.  It's been an INCREDIBLE first 18 months - can't wait to see how the catalogue of the next 18 months reads!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

Another week of discovery and development for the sneetch

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  17 months and 29 days

Family,

The Sneetch has discovered that you don't need to cut or
peel pears - you just consume them whole...leaving a trail
of juice deeper than Lake Huron in your wake.

And a good Tuesday afternoon to you from the Queen City, where the Bull is fighting a cold post his return from Vegas.  I must confess, Vegas is AWESOME - but as this is the 3rd time I've been sick in the last 4 trips, I think I've finally accepted that I'm not the young man I once was and need to live by the creeds/edicts/proclamations I've made the past year or so to "slow down and take it easy." It's funny, when K was born, life really did slow to a crawl - we didn't venture too far afield, we were more day-by-day, and we kept things simple.  Once she settled into a routine, we did get a bit more adventurous (dinner out, a few trips), but not until recently have we really ratcheted it up in terms of travel.  And now, as I look back over the summer - Jamaica, Amelia, the training schedule, Boone and the race - I realize that we might be pushing a bit too hard.  Throw in an international trip once a month as well for work, and this past week the Bull has come to realize that at some point - something's gotta give (and if you're not careful, it will be you).

The scholar...poised on the edge of her future...but not
there unless she gets a full scholarship. :-)

This was a bit difficult for me to accept, because at first it felt like I was "admitting defeat," but the reality is that I think I've been trying to cram too much in as of late, and my body is paying for it.  Between the morning workouts, the travel schedule, the workload, and everything else, the Bull can tell he's a bit broken down (I'm on cough meds as I type this), and the truth is that I need to just stop, slow down, and enjoy our house, our area, and most importantly - our family.  And don't get me wrong - I do think we have done a great job of traveling as a family, staying connected with friends, and really spending quality time with K.  I just also think that "Batman has found his limits" and consequently need to scale it back.  As a result of this, JT and I have taken 2 trips off the books for the fall, which I think is a great thing.  We'll save a bit of money, get a chance to enjoy the new grill and lots of football, and recuperate from what has been quite a busy last few months.  That being said, we do have a big trip planned for JT's birthday and 4 more races on the calendar, so it's not like we've completely.  Going forward, I think we'll look to keep the travel/big activities to 1-2 a month, as I'm also conscious that we want a lot of time on the weekends with K doing things locally (Discovery Place, for example).

But enough about me - that's not why you came.  :-)  Let's talk about the sneetch instead, as she's had quite the week!  We kicked off the week at Davidson.  It was Labor Day, and we'd always wanted to visit the campus and the little downtown area there (we're talking 1 street).  It turned out to be a great day, as the weather was perfect, the campus gorgeous, and the restaurant we ate at (Brickhouse Tavern) turned out to be FAB.  Seriously - this place is a hidden gem, and we will DEFINITELY be back there!  For K's part, she LOVED running around the campus - especially all the stairs (she seriously spent 30 minutes going up and down the stairs and ramps of the life sciences building too cute!).  

I was in Vegas Wednesday evening until Sunday evening, but JT and the Sneetch stayed plenty busy in the interim, visiting the library for the first time and making the inaugural trip to Discovery Place.  JT took some GREAT pictures, and I got a chance to experience it vicariously through her eyes.  Sounds

like K was lukewarm at best on the library (yet she has a new stack of books now that she LOVES) but absolutely LOVED Discovery Place.  JT said that it was set up like a city with all kinds of different businesses, cafes, shops, etc - K apparently loved the vet's office best - I mean, how can you go wrong with all those "ruff-ruffs" running around? :-)

We were concerned about K sleeping, as there's no question that she's now teething (and they are the big ones - the canines).  However, JT reported that K slept GREAT the entire time I was gone.  That was a relief to me, as K has been waking up quite early over the past few weeks, and I didn't want my poor wife muffin exhausted!

Since discovering that she can power herself, K is all about
motoring around the house in Scout - without parental assistance.

Another new item this week was the introduction of OJ into K's sippy cup.  Basically, as the child will drink ZERO water (total antithesis of her parents), JT had the rather brilliant idea to add in a bit of OJ.  the results were INSTANT:  K suddenly became a water fiend!  It's funny - last night she was wrestling me for the water - she wanted to take the sippy cup to bed with her.  THAT, sports fans, is a first.

In terms of things that make K the cutest kid on the planet, we had some doozies this week:

1.  "Kissing Bunny:"  So I must give Gail Rice a lot of credit, because K's 2 favorite things on earth right now both came from her - the Golden Book Collection by Eloise Wilkins and her bunny seat.  And while she's definitely enjoyed sitting in it recently, as of late she's even started kissing bunny when she sits down.  What's funny is that, aside from daddy, she will kiss anyone and anything on command.  Daddy, however, is apparently to be avoided like the plague.   That being said, she did kiss me on the cheek once when asks - that was enough to melt my heart and keep me content with regular shunning. :-)

 K also thinks of bunny as the "safe zone" when she's running around the couch from "Mommy Monster" and "Daddy Dragon."  Yes, yes, I know what you're thinking - we are warping our child and shouldn't act surprised when she becomes obsessed with Dungeons and Dragons.  Details...

At Coldstone - and NO - we didn't give her
any ice cream.

2.  "We're here!"  So as is normal for kids, K can get fussy from time to time in the car (wouldn't you strapped in with nothing to do?).  JT and I have long made a joke about "almost there, Kaitlyn," and then we we do arrive somewhere we put the car in park, take a huge gasp of air, and say, "We're here!"  Well, funnily enough, we pulled into the house this week and K sucked in more air than a Supernova.  We heard this "AHHHHHHHHH" in the back and turned around to see her smiling.  She now does this EVERY TIME WE STOP, which is HILARIOUS!  It's clear that she thinks that's what you're supposed to do when you arrive somewhere, and now it's a given that we'll hear it.  The excitement on her face is palpable - too cute.

3.  "The nod" - so K is now nodding yes when she wants something.  It usually is accompanied by the sign for please, but there's no question she's now nodding.  If you want to see this in action, hand her a cheese stick. :-)

K helping daddy pack for the Meadows.

4.  "Stinky!":  So I may have mentioned this previously, but JT has now taught K how to hold her nose when she poops.  It is PRICELESS - K will hold her nose and squint while JT and I cackle.  Now granted, this was all funny until this morning.  I came in from a 10.3 mile run and was covered in sweat (looked like death), and K ran up to me and put her arms up.  I bent down to pick her up, lifted her in the air, pulled her to me, and she instantly grabbed her nose and patted my shoulder - HILARIOUS.  No filter in an 18 month old!

5.  "Where is the brown monkey?"  So I NEVER saw this coming, but we were in the bonus room when Jenny asked Kaitlyn to find the brown monkey.  K looked at her stash of toys, found the brown monkey (the rally monkey from the Anaheim angels), and picked it up!  We did this with dogs, cats, pigs, other monkeys, owls - you name it.  K can identify all of them!  I was absolutely BLOWN AWAY - I just didn't expect that.  This means that there's no question she understands what we're saying...which I reckon means I'll need to tone down my language.  Oh well...it was a good run while it lasted.

Okay, that's all the news from this past week.  Speak soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

Team Taylor's first "race-cation" - good beer, good times, and loooooooong nights...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  17 months and 22 days

Family,

And a good Tuesday afternoon to you from the Queen City - what a week to catch you up on!  The

A shot I NEVER thought we'd have - K on the starting
line at 6 in the morning - bright eyed and bushy tailed.

Bull is less than 2 days away from Vegas and fighting a cold as he types this, largely due to the weekend festivities.  And since those will be the feature of this post, let's get amongst it, shall we?

Let's start with "things that make K the cutest kid ever:"

1.  "Hop hop" - So at present, K is OBSESSED with bunnies.  Anytime she sees one in a book, she points to it and ALL OTHER ACTIVITIES FADE AWAY.  She has become a huge fan of the "Golden Books Collection" that Rice's mom gave her, and she will now read that book for HOURS if you let her, just searching the pages for "hop hop."  And while it's more of a "ah ah," there's no question it's what she's saying, as she definite associates that sound (which is unique) with bunnies (many of which bounce around in our back yard as well).  She even says "ah ah" when she climbs onto her bunny rocker, which she can now do all by herself (and really enjoys, for the record).

2.  "Uh oh" - this is the quote you get ANYTIME the house phone rings.  We never answer it, and so K clearly knows it's not part of the "daily routine."  Consequently, she could be eating, playing, going through books, running around the house - you name it - but when that phone rings, she drops everything, looks at us, and says "Uh oh."  Again - and yes, I realized I'm biased, but still - too cute.

3.  "Bubbles" - Team Taylor FINALLY broke out the Bubbles machine this weekend, and the results were priceless.  We fired up the bubble maker on the back porch, and K LOVED it.  Granted, the wind was blowing pretty good, meaning that there were several occasions where a shift in the wind resulted i

n her getting blasted in the face, but she still loved it.   For my part, I didn't realize what cheap entertainment bubbles were. Consequently, this WILL become a regular outdoor occurrence going forward.

4.  "Up!" - in what has become an extension of "night night," K has now started saying "Up!" when she wants to climb the stairs for bed.  Now granted, sometimes it's just because she wants to go to the bonus room and play, but regardless she know has the word "Up!" in her vocabulary, and she walks to the stairs when she says it.  She also points straight up in the air, which is my favorite part.  And furthermore, if you say "Up" and open the gate but she's not ready, she'll calmly walk to the gate and

K hugging this sweet little dog at the
brewery - too cute.

close it slowly for you as it to say "I don't think so, half-wit.  Better luck next season."

5.  "The half step" - So in a big step forward on the motor skills front, K successfully negotiated the half step down to the Bonus room on her own for the first time this week. She just holds onto the doorframe, steadies herself, and then pops down pretty as you please.  It's actually been really amazing to watch her muscle control and development, as her abs are getting stronger every single day.  Plus, it's just insane to watch how she can now climb on furniture that was unattainable just a week ago.  A great example are the couches, which were Mt. Everest as far as she was concerned even in August. Now, however, she's either able to climb them or is almost there, and it's amazing to watch as she tries new positions and hand holds in an effort to pull herself up.

6.  "Mama" - so I realize she's been saying this a TON lately, but now K recognizes her mom (and dad) in photos.  It's so cute - anytime she walks past a photo of Jenny, she stops, points, and says "mama."  Her favorite "family" photo is the canvas of us in Jamaica.  Again - just crazy to watch her start to put it all together...

The week itself was very good.  Jenny was a social butterfly, visiting her friends Leigh and Jill as well as Cuz Megan.  K took it all in stride, and on the whole it was a good week.  We left Charlotte at 2 PM on Friday for the featured activity of the blog - the High Country Half Marathon in Boone, NC.  This was Team Taylor's first "race-cation," and hopes were high going into it - especially with how well K had performed at Amelia Island.  And while we still had a BLAST, this trip was NOT without its challenges.

Friday was GREAT.  We arrived on schedule (2 hours, 20 minutes), check-in was no problem, and the

"Take me with you, daddy!"

room setup was very promising (we had a suite, so K had her own room).  We picked up my race packet and arrived at the dinner spot on time (5:45 PM) - Casa Rustica.  The funny side story is that I thought this place would be totally casual, but we walked in to a FANCY place (odd given the log cabin exterior) where some cats even had sports coats and jackets on.  JT and I were terrified, but as per standard - K was an ANGEL.  Seriously - we have one great kid - as long as you keep feeding her.  This place offered THE BEST pasta I have ever tried (blackened chicken in cajun spices in a blue cheese cream sauce - WOW), and we did have fun.  We knew we were "on the clock," and consequently I found myself less than 100% able to relax and enjoy the meal.  That being said, after it was over I felt very full, very pleased with the selection, and happy that K had been a saint with her food and crayons (we actually had several folks tell us what an angel she was - one lady even held her for a bit!).  It was then to the hotel for bath and bed - which is where the narrative starts to go south...

So K went down at 7:45 but wasn't ready to sleep.  In fact, she fussed (and then cried) until 9:20, at which point she finally passed out.  We fell asleep 18 seconds later, and all was well until 2:45 AM.  At that point, however, we heard our first "mama" of the night, and there was no return to sleep.

So it's funny - we're not sure what actually happened.  Perhaps it was the spicy food.  Perhaps it was teething.  Perhaps it was the new surroundings.  Perhaps it was knowing we were in the next room.  Perhaps it was the noise from the hallway.  Whatever it was, the simple fact was that, despite 90 minutes of JT trying and 90 minutes of me trying, K WOULD NOT GO BACK TO SLEEP.  And so, there I am at 5:30 in the morning, 2 hours from the start of the toughest race I've ever done, drinking coffee and watching as K smashes granola bars with her fists and leaves a trail of ripped Kleenex all over the floor.  JT came in at 5:30 when she smelled the coffee, and the look on her face said it all - it looked like a scene from World War Z.  But at that point, there was only 1 thing to do - load K in the car and head to the race start.  And so off Team Taylor went, complete with a screaming child, out of the hotel and over to the stadium.

"This is just a taste of the terror that
Sauroman can unleash..."

Now I will be honest - on the drive over, I was NOT in the best of moods.  I was frustrated because I wasn't rested.  I was anxious because I knew the run would be tough.  And I was just in shock that, for truly the first time ever, K hadn't slept through the night away from home.  Sure we'd had some early starts and she'd been a bit restless in Jamaica, but she always got a good 8.5-9 hours at a minimum.  So as I pulled up to the stadium, K screaming in the backseat, JT and I looking like something out of a horror film, I couldn't help but feel sorry for myself (pathetic I know, but it's true).  But then we opened those car doors, and everything changed.


Again - I'm not sure if it was the mountain air, the anticipation of the start, or watching the excitement with which K bounded down the track, but suddenly the world was much lighter.  Suddenly I wasn't as worried about finishing the race, as I genuinely felt refreshed and capable of running the race (2 cups of coffee no doubt helped).  My focus was instead on K, as she was ALL OVER THE PLACE!  She loved the track, the field, and especially the stairs of the stadium.

Usain Bolt look out - you have been warned...

So after K and I ran down the track for a bit, JT then walked with K up and down the stairs while I stretched.  What passed was a truly wonderful hour, and I thought there was an outside shot that I just might finish the race.  As fate would have it, I actually did complete it in 1:59:07.  And while I am thrilled with that time, I must confess that the course was short - only 12.82 miles.  All the same, I'll take it given the hills. :-)

On the drive over, I'd already made peace with the fact that I probably wouldn't finish (although JT always knew I'd finish - she told me later).  My goal was to make it to mile 8, and I had already accepted the fact that the journey was the destination, and what I really had wanted the entire time was to be back in shape (which I now am) - the race was just the icing on the cake.  So when I actually did finish and was given a medal that DOUBLED AS A BOTTLE OPENER, life was good.  And then the day only got better.

Dad and Alice had driven over the mountain for the day, and what followed for the rest of the day was a just PERFECT family day out.  Alice had purchased these little pets for K, and she absolutely LOVED them.  K is all about bunnies and dogs, and since both were in there, she was happy as a clam.    We passed the day at a pair of breweries and then back at the hotel for a nightcap with some football, and all was right with the world.  I was drinking good beer, I was visiting family, Dad and Alice were helping watch K some, and I finally got my burger.  All in all, I could NOT complain...at least until 1:12 AM when K woke up.

"Seriously - what's with this guy."

Now honestly, the first night was rough enough, but this one was even worse.  I was in the room with K from 1:12 until 4, and I thought I might break.  I was just so tired (not drunk at all, actually), and after the day I'd had, there just wasn't much energy (or patience) in the tank.  But then, as is normally the case, my wife rocked in and saved the day.

JT had managed to get a little sleep, but by 4 AM she'd had it.  She ordered me - that's right, sports fans - ORDERED me to bed, after which time she took Kaitlyn and said "Night, night."  She then popped her in the pack and play and walked out, leaving K screaming at 4 AM.  5 minutes later, however, K was OUT, and Team Taylor soon followed.  And while I am definitely fighting a cold and feeling quite run down at the moment, I would have been destroyed had JT not come in and saved me.

Sunday was another wonderful day, with Team Taylor driving over to Blowing Rock for lunch with Dad and Alice before driving home.  We then passed the afternoon at home before putting K down at 7:45 PM.  She cried out once but then was PASSED OUT for 12.5 straight hours.  Jenny and I weren't far behind, both sacking out by 10 PM and sleeping until 8:15 the following morning when K awoke.

And so there you have it, an amazing weekend - with 2 very big hiccups.  For us, it was a surreal experience, as we'd never experienced anything like this to date.  And between this and Jenny's foot still being on the mend, Team Taylor is very much questioning whether or not we'll make the trek to Myrtle Beach for the 1/2 marathon in October.  We're not sure if this was just a freak occurrence or if Kaitlyn is truly outgrowing the pack 'n play (which I fear to be the case), but either way it was rough and NOT something we're looking to repeat anytime soon.

For my part, the more I've thought about it, the more I keep coming back to the point that I need to embrace the whole "King in my castle" idea.  We bought a great house that we love very much, and one of the chief goals of buying this house was that we would enjoy it so much we wouldn't want to

"Memories of Jamaica - all the watermelon
you can eat."

leave.  And while there is not doubt we love it and are availing of it, I definitely think I need to focus more on using every facet of this home and this neighborhood vs. pursuing thrills and activities further afield.  For starters, there is some truth in the fact that we need to keep an eye on our finances.  But more importantly, Charlotte and the surrounding area is FILLED with activities, and I need to follow some advice from the tourism board and "discover the state I'm in."  I am resolving to do this more - starting with getting some much needed items addressed around the house (pictures, fans, grill, lights, etc.), after which point Team Taylor will make more and more use of what we have around us.

Ok, that's all the news that's fit to print in this edition.  Speak soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny