Recapping one really, really long (exhilarating, exhausting) day - January for Team Taylor...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  3 years, 10 months, and 20 days

Age of Lady Cora:  1 month, 9 days

Family,

And a good afternoon to you from the Queen City, where the Bull is frantically trying to record all this for posterity amidst a sea of tears, bottle washing, medicine, coffee, and laughter.  I am barely coherent at this point, so please bare with me for any misspellings or grammatical errors.  But enough of that - let's get amongst it, shall we?

1/1 - Cora's newborn photo shoot!  So this was just TOO fun!  Luanne actually came by the house, and thanks to some of Jenny's friends, we had enough bows, baskets, and props to make this work.  We were afraid that, given Cora's propensity for SCREAMING BLOODY MURDER 23.975 hours a day that this would be a disaster, but she was actually FANTASTIC!  We were able to do almost all of the shoot in one go before feeding her, something that Luanne said was a rarity.  And oh, were the photos wonderful!  K was a great helper as well and quite the poser - it was just so much fun to watch.  Kim was actually here as well, and she got some great pics as well.

The photo shoot highlights:

On that note, I should say that Kim was a HUGE help to us during her visit.  She played with Kaitlyn a ton (including introducing her to "the blocking game"), and that was such a relief for me and JT.  Obviously a concern all along is ensuring K doesn't feel marginalized during this early period when a baby demands so much, and Kim was just so wonderful to play with her.  K absolutely LOVED it, as normally she has to share Aunt Kim with James.  However, as KJ was solo this go around, it worked out great for everyone.

This book is from Kim & Matt - it has
Kaitlyn's name in it!  Cute!

Today was the first day of the year, and I thought it an appropriate revelation to realize just how active you can be all day and not actually DO anything.  Between bottle washing, changing diapers, doing laundry, washing dishes, trying to eat, playing with K, and al the other jazz, the day just flies by!  I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again for the peanut gallery - I have NO IDEA HOW SINGLE MOMS DO IT.  More to the point, I don't really know how anyone who works and doesn't get paternity does it.  Tip of the cap to all you fine people.

The cutest quote of the day came from K as she and JT went to publix.  She looked back as she walked out and said, "Bye, dada!  Take good care of Cora!"  And speaking of Cora - she had a 7 oz feed this day!  She eats a ton but unfortunately is spitting up constantly.  And we're not talking just little hiccups (although she does have those, and they RACK HER ENTIRE BODY) - we are talking get some good, chunky milk on your so that you smell stale kind of spit ups.  We are using Medela bottles, and you can actually see the air bubbles moving as she feeds.  Consequently, we're trying to burp her more frequently and see if that takes care of it.  Also, we are trying to hold her upright as long as we can without having her sleep on us, as we're trying to keep to the mantra of putting her down drowsy but awake (and striving for full feeds and at least 45 min of wake time).  Also, as her little bum is quite red, we've started applying Desitin.  Hopefully that alleviates some of her pain there.

Crushing the rock wall at DPK - looking
strong like mommy on a deep water solo!

1/2 - So we've made the switch to the bottle with the exception of 1 nursing session per day.  Cora is clicking at the breast, which means (apparently) she isn't latching properly.  She does seem to be getting milk, and the good news is that JT is pumping 2x what Cora is eating.  For my part, I love the fact that we are using the bottle, as it means I get to help more.

My side note - Cora does NOT like pooping.  It is hilarious, as her face goes NEON CHERNOBYL RED and she starts grunting.  Then her entire body tenses as you hear this gurgle in her stomach.  Then, like that, her whole body goes slack, at which time a ROCKET SHOOTS OUT OF HER SPHINCTER AND ROCKS YOUR LEG.  I mean, this girl is explosive.

Cora is already getting more alert, which is good.  Today was a good day in the spit up category as well, but my new challenge is keeping her from clawing her face while she feeds.  I mean, the girl has WOLVERINE CLAWS - we have got to do something about those puppies.

1/3 - First bath!  She was great (we have a much better tub than what we had with K) and basically slept the entire time!  We broke out the playmat as well.  Obviously she can't see the shapes at the top yet, but it's just nice to have somewhere to lay her and watch her (especially when your arm needs a break).

The weigh-in is tomorrow, and we are hopeful.  She's gone from stick thin to the saggy, baggy elephant, and her cheeks are WICKED peppy.

Good swim session with K today (she and I swam).  I will say that, early on, I think we've done a good job of balancing time between the two kids.  JT has obviously had Cora more, and I've had K more, but that's been fine, as JT realistically is pretty limited in what she can do given her recovery.  I will say that K seems a bit standoffish or defensive with JT (noticed this really throughout the month), and she's definitely a "daddy's girl" right now.  I am obviously not complaining, but I am going to keep an eye on it and ensure she doesn't start disrespecting JT.

Next up - the Tour de France.

1/4 - Cora's two week appointment!  Apparently this is the most critical appointment within the first year of life, and I'm THRILLED to report that Cora "passed" with flying colors.  All looks great, and she's even slightly above her birth weight!  She's 7 lb, 9.5 oz, so that's terrific news (as it means we don't have to keep slamming food into her every 2.5-3 hours.  She's actually already going 4 hours at night between feeds, which is HUGE.

Today was the first day that I think all of this started to sink in for me.  As I flip back through my notes, it's funny how many times I've said that, and I think each time I've written it, it's been true.  This was the first time that I felt like I was starting to find my feet and get some semblance of peace/appreciation for what has transpired and what it means for us.  It was a day of peace, love, and happiness for me, and I went to bed that night feeling great.

I picked up Cora's birth Cert and get her enrolled in benefits, so that was a big win.

K says "BEAR DOWN!"

On the Kaitlyn front, that girl actually folded clothes today!  She folded wash cloths and towels really, really well!  She's also doing a terrific job of putting away her plate and place mat after meal time.  She's also started cleaning the floor after she eats, and I'm pleased to report that she's doing a good job!  Oh, and she is also really starting to brush her teeth on her own.  She is building up a lather, hitting all the zones, and genuinely scrubbing.  I still do a once over at night to ensure we've got all the food, but she's definitely getting the hang of it!




Oh, and today was K's first day back at preschool, and I dropped her off for the first time ever.  It was HILARIOUS, as I was clueless as to what to do.  Luckily there was a parent there who walked me through everything (but at some point did ask "Your first time?"), and from here on out I'll be good to go.  However, in the moment, I was STRUGGLE BUS.

Lastly, K had a great swim lesson!  She is continuing to make progress - so proud!

1/5 - So I think it's safe to say that Cora still has her days and nights mixed up.  She's quite sleepy during the day and then EYES WIDE OPEN once the sun goes down.  Also, she's continued to be quite fussy and gassy, but mostly during the night feeds (which are largely just one big feed).  Her little face gets SO red, her screams get so loud, the corners of her mouth turn down with anger, and her little tummy is SO tense!  We are trying to get that gas out of there, but each deuce just results in a redder bum, and each burp just results in a big spit up, so it has been a challenge.  In fact, she pretty much spits up any time you lay her down flat, regardless of the amount of time you've been holding her.  And she really doesn't seem to like her bassinet, most likely because it's the flattest thing we have her lay on (she doesn't mind the little bassinet with the pack 'n play that's downstairs).  And on that note, we didn't get a 4 hour stretch this evening, so it was extra coffee the next morning!

What is interesting - Cora LOVES the pacifier - took to it instantly!  It's amazing, because K wanted no part of it EVER.  It's just one of many things that has made this experience COMPLETELY different and showcases how different two children can be, even when the same techniques are employed by the same people.

That's Pattie's old umbrella!

Kaitlyn spelled her name out loud correctly today!  Oh, and she had a great quote.  She ran into the bathroom when I was doing my business, looked at me sitting there, and said, "Dada, when you poop you have to sit down because you can't get poopy out of your little hole (that would be my penis)."  I mean, she was medically accurate - how could I argue?  One other note for K - I think she must be growing, as her coordination has taken a nosedive as of late - she is falling down and running into stuff all the time!  Some of it is deliberate, but most of it isn't.  Oh, and anytime the kid runs into something, she wants a band-aid.  It doesn't matter if there's no scratch - she wants a band-aid.  that's fine as long as it's her princess/Frozen band-aids.  But if she starts messing with my water blockers, she's in trouble. :-)

And another milestone for us - we moved the camera out of K's room today and shifted it to watch the bassinet!  We told Kaitlyn that she was a big girl now and could either call out or open the door, so there was no longer a need for the monitor.  She seemed quite excited!  Honestly, I think it was more emotional for me, just because it means K really is growing up so quickly right before our eyes.

On the Cora front, the love is really starting to take hold.  Last night was really tough (lots of screaming, and I'm pretty sure she doesn't like me), but her great facial expressions, the smell of her head, the way she leans into me and snuggles after eating - it's all just incredible.  Her little quivering chin is just too cute, and I gotta say - I LOVE raising little girls.  Now don't get me wrong, if you'd asked me to type this at 2 AM after hours of shouting, I might have said something differently.  But that's why I take notes and record all this after the fact. :-)

1/6 - Cora is eating like crazy!  I mean, we are talking WAY north of what is normal - perhaps she's just catching up (as apparently we were starving her for the first week of her life).  Her eyes are getting so much bluer - I will be curious to see if it sticks with her.  Also, she currently has strawberry blonde hair, and I will be curious to see if that sticks once she loses it and the next batch starts coming in.  Right now she's starting to lose some on top, but she's still got her monk's cap!

Side note - there is talk of a HUGE snow storm coming.  K is so excited!

For some reason, this makes me think
of a Mat Kearney album cover.

1/7 - Snow day!  This was a lot of fun, as K and I got out in it a couple of times.  We don't really have the right gear for it, but we got a couple of sessions in and even tried to make a snow man.  Cora had her first full 90 minute wake session.  She's taking 4.5-5 oz per feed, which is north of the 3-4 average for kids her age.  She's also sleeping upstairs full-time now, as we want to get her used to that.  One side note - swaddling that child is NOT easy, as she's quite the wiggler (total opposite from K).  However, we are getting better at it, so that's worth something.

1/8 - another rough night, but we did get a 3-4 hour block of sleep.  I am just outrunning a cold I think, but I believe the limited sleep, the exercise, and the grace of God are helping me keep it at bay.

Cora continues to gain weight - her saggy little wrinkled skin is so cute! Some other Cora callouts:

1.  When she takes the Nuuk pacifier, she looks like Hannibal Lecter.  It's hilarious - especially when he eyes are wide open.  Chianti, anyone?

2.  We started the arm down swaddle, and it does seem to be helping.  However, if she's not really, really tired and you try to do that, LOOK OUT.  You have been warned!

3.  Her poops are straight legendary - they are seriously vibrating our legs when she's sitting on us and goes.  What is frustrating is that she usually only deuces AFTER you've changed her diaper, so we've stopped changing her the second we wake her, as that will only result in a wasted diaper. :-)

4.  And if you're trying to time the spit up, FORGET IT - she will get you every time.  Sometimes it's explosive.  Sometimes it's just a trickle.  But what you can count on - it will always hit you somewhere the burp cloth is NOT or she will only pop the one time you don't have the burp cloth on your shoulder.  EMBRACE THE SMELL OF STALE MILK.

"Well, Clarice...have the lambs stopped
screaming yet?"  CREEPY.

A really sweet note - whenever Cora is crying (which is, well, all the time), Kaitlyn will grab her Frozen music box and play it for Cora to soothe her.  What's been interesting is that it really works, and Cora always looks at K/in her direction when it starts playing.  So sweet!

1/9 - So the witching hour continues to be a challenge.  It's basically 6-9 PM, during which time Cora just eats, spits up, and cries non-stop.  The last two nights have been insane, but the good news is that we are at least getting a 4-4.5 hour stretch of sleep - progress!

I love this pic.  It's call the "you can't
seriously be my father, right?" pic.

1/10 - We actually slept decent last night, which is always a bonus and gives my mind and body a chance to come up for air and recalibrate.  Personally, I am struggling with the guilt of splitting my time, and I know that's weighing on me.  It's cliche to say I'm trying to be "all things to all people," but I am trying to maintain the old schedule and commitments with a HUGE new commitment in the mix.  The end result has been some frustration on my part, and I am not pleased with the way I've handled that.  I am desperately trying to find the new normal (and praying about it), and I know the reality is that I've got to start doing things differently.  It's just, of course, easier said than done.

One other tough moment - keeping Cora awake during feedings.  This is really tough, as she's desperate to sleep and sometimes won't even open her eyes during a feeding.  And side note - when she does open them, she won't BLINK.  She just stares at me while she sucks that bottle down - it's crazy!

How Cora looks 23+ hours per day.

Oh, and a lifetime first today - Cora had an explosive poot that shot feces UP AND OUT THE FRONT OF HER DIAPER.  I didn't even know that was possible!  Let's just say I've spent a lot of time scrubbing her little meningning!

Tough moment with K today.  I've been sleeping in the spare, and when K wakes up, she's been running in with her animals and crawling in bed with me.  It's become one of our things, but this morning (6:30 AM), I was just exhausted.  When she came in, I told her I had to stay and sleep, and she started bawling (real tears).  I caved and let her climb in bed with me, as I felt terrible.  She's been a rock star, but there's no question all the crying, shared time, and exhaustion has taken its toll on her as well, and I hate that.  I am resolved to ensure I get quality time with her, and I am also aware that I could just have some late nights and early mornings for awhile.

With little Ian.

1/11 - Last night marked my 5th straight night sleeping in the spare.  I have no choice, as that child is SO NOISY while sleeping.  JT can sleep through it, but not this guy.  Even with the white noise, it's just too much, and I know I have to get precious sleep when I can.

The good news - Cora continues gaining weight.  It's amazing how different she looks already!  Her chin is still her most prominent feature - too cute!  Second would be the rolls on her legs - they are making diaper changing very difficult!

We had a big win with K today - life with board games!  We broke out Candyland, and K LOVED it! It's a princess edition, and she is really enjoying it.  For my part, I enjoy playing it with her, and we've even pulled cards for Cora and JT while pumping. Big win!

Speaking of K, she woke me up 3x last night complaining of ear pain - 1:19, 2:21, and 4:40.  I heard the crying first (I was sleeping with the door open) and thought it was Cora - went and got the bottle and everything!  It was only as I walked past K's door that I realized it was her.  Poor thing - sounds like we'll need to visit the doctor again.  I gave her some Ibuprofen to try and get her through the night (it worked).

1/12 - confirmed :  DOUBLE EAR INFECTION FOR K!!!  She cried again last night, but she's felt ok during the day.  It's likely just the pressure when she lays down.

The exciting bit - she conquered the Rock Wall at the Greenway playground today!  Oh, and we broke out Chutes & Ladders - another big board game hit!

Side note for me - I have CRAZY shoulder pain today from the way I've been holding the bottle.  Consequently, I'm now stacking up the pillows to try and rest that arm more.  Cora feeds for a LONG time, so I"m sure that's part of it.

1/13 - So K is now LOVING wearing a pony tail (which she calls a pig tail because another girl in class calls it a pig tail, so clearly I'm an idiot).  It looks BEAUTIFUL on her - she looks so big!  I can't believe how long her hair is now - insane!  So the bottom line here - Kaitlyn loves this girl in her class named Kate - can't. stop. talking. about. her.  We even pray for her now (the only person/thing K prays for, in fact).  So whatever Kate does, Kaitlyn wants to do.  The night before we'll guess whether or not Kate's hair is going to be down, in a ponytail, or in a braid, and K will select her hairstyle based on a desire to match Kate.  And if it's wrong, well, Kaitlyn GOES INTO MELTDOWN when she sees her at preschool. Seriously - it's the craziest thing I've ever seen.  Luckily if it's as simple as just pulling the ponytail out, then we're good.  But if she needs a braid, well...LOOK OUT.  Luckily Ms. Meg is awesome and has actually been good enough to fix K's hair so that it matches.  However, I am coaching Kaitlyn that this can't be SOP and that she needs to "celebrate her differences!"  More to come on this...

1/14 - Another huge feeing night for Cora, and another tough one.  As for K, she's really starting to get into action figures.  She's using her doll house and other, bigger toy stations now (which is great to see), and her imagination is continuing to expand.  I think preschool is really helpful in that regard, as I think watching other kids her age helps stimulate her mind (vs. just playing with us).

Check out that pony (pig) tail!

JT went to the 5 PM service this night, meaning the I was with both munchkins on my own for the first time!  All in all it went really well, even if Cora was a spit up fountain.  I must confess that I was quite keen on seeing how I'd fare with both of them, and I think I acquitted myself well.  In truth, K is super easy, which makes SUCH a difference.  And she is still being very good about rolling with the punches.  Storytime in K's room with Cora in the rock 'n play was a little tricky - especially when Cora just started screaming like a banshee and wouldn't keep the passy in.  But hey, it all worked!

First bag of frozen milk!

It is getting to be a bit more fun, even if I am covered in milk vomit every single day.  I mean, you can always count on the "reverse C" back pat to knock something loose in Cora - that girl can burp!  Oh, and C (I am calling her C-dawg, which K has quite taken to) rolled over on the playmat today1  Obviously it's early and was accidental (and easier since she doesn't currently weigh much), but the good news is that she seems to be super active and strong as a bull moose!

Cora was fussy today, but she calmed instantly when K sang to her - too sweet!  I think she definitely recognizes K's voice, and she really seems to associate with her.  K has a very calming effect on her at all times.

As for K, she is all about daddy at the moment, but she's been really good to play on her own when I've had to do something.  Again, I think preschool is sparking that imagination and independence, which has been a big lift for me.  Oh, and K was a TORPEDO in the water at NOMAD today!

Today felt really different for me - in a good way.  I got time with both of my daughters, and both of them really felt like my daughters for the first time.  We are finding a new rhythm and a new normal, and slowly but surely we are managing to get some rest and still make time for ourselves.

1/15 - Just a note to say that K was a HOLY TERROR this evening.  It got to the point we had to put her outside on the screen porch in her PJ's to just let her scream!  I even had to take Twink (now that is serious stuff right there).  She wouldn't use her words - it was either pointing or meowing and, well, you know how I feel about that.

1/16 - The long day continues, but JT and I are now spelling each other with sleep breaks.  Cora is starting to focus on things, which is really neat to see.  She definitely knows where I'm at when feeding her, and I think she's starting to recognize my voice.  Her wake time is better as well - we haven't had to use ice cubes in a week!  That is a blessing, as I did NOT enjoy doing that to keep her up and feeding.    She is still fussy - every diaper change, outfit change, and swaddle feels like hand to hand combat.  It really is almost impossible to swaddle her when she's active and alert, as she does NOT want her hands at her sides!  Luckily the passy will calm her down quickly, but it's always a screaming, spit up filled adventure when she hits the changing table!

But the big news - we moved Cora to the crib today!  She definitely likes it better than the bassinet, so that's a win.  However, I still can't sleep in the bedroom because of all the noise she makes on the monitor.  But hey - baby steps, right? :-)  I mean seriously - the kid's grunting sounds like a 9 lb pterodactyl.

1/18 - So today we learned that K and Kate are actually SUPER TIGHT at preschool.  We weren't sure if it was just a K fascination, but apparently those two do EVERYTHING together.  I mean, K has been talking about her nonstop - especially on the drive to school (does K bring her "friends" in the car, does her mommy leave them in the car, etc).  They must play together all the time, and apparently whenever one goes to the bathroom, the other tries to go to the bathroom as well (Meg said she's heard them talking).  For me, this is really exciting, as I think it represents the first real "friend" that K has made a bond with.  She didn't have that at the other preschool, so this is just one more reason we're really, really happy that we switched.

K with the music box - she really is a GREAT
helper!

The swim lesson was great that night as well, as K seemed to really have fun with Miss Cassidy and do really well.  Also, she was great to play with other kids before and after the lesson, sharing her diving rings with them.

Cora found the fan today - that's one small step for Team Taylor.  One giant leap for the small fry.

1/19 - Today was an afternoon of sidewalk chalk with K, and it was a blast - seriously the most fun I've had doing that in a long time.  We did Rapunzel castles, made cloudette the rain cloud, and made lots of Mickey faces.  This was a marked improvement from last night, when we once again had to put her outside to let her scream (oh, and did I mention she quasi-broke the door to the screen porch? Yeah - the lock doesn't go as easily now - awesome...details...).

that's Rapunzel, in case you're curious. :-)

With Cora, it was another tough night, but we continue to muddle through.  It's not just her screaming that eventually unnerves me every night.  It's also the knowledge that she's likely affecting K's sleep (as well as mine and Jenny's).  I ask K every morning if she heard Cora, and she always says, "No...a little bit."  K always wants her door open when she goes to sleep, but we've been closing it as soon as she's out.

1/20 - this was the first night that K prayed for Kate (too cute).  Also, Team Taylor is departing from the "by the book" Babywise approach.  We are instead letting Cora sleep more and feed less.  Honestly, the change in harmony in the house was INSTANTANEOUS.  Seriously - Cora must have slept 21 hours over the course of this 24 hour period, and everything was just much, much smoother (2.5, 3.5, and 3.5 hours of sleep in a row - INSANE!).  There had been a pull to stop following the books and the talking heads with this one, so I'm glad we finally said geronimo and jumped for it.

Memoirs of a 9 lb geisha - in stores soon.

In terms of feeding, the spit ups have continued with the same frequency, regardless of whether we use medela or Dr. Brown bottles.  Also, despite trying all kinds of holding and placement techniques, Cora is still spitting up every time we put her down.  But either way - this new approach of actually letting Cora wake up on her own, eat less food, etc is definitely bringing more peace into the house.  Lindsey Williams, baby whisperer extraordinaire, to the rescue again (we also call her the boogie whisperer for the way she's managed to help JT with tips on breast feeding).

1/21 - As Cora continues to be fussy and scream every time we put her down, we tried letting her cry it out for the first time this evening.  It actually worked, but it took about 20 minutes.  During the day it took less (sometimes 10 min, sometimes 6 min, etc), but we actually felt like that was a good sign.  Different books say different things about kids crying it out at this age, and we felt like it was worth finding out if that would work.  I was feeling proud about getting through a "cry it out session," but little did I know the truth (skip ahead to the 1/23 entry for more).

Dad and Alice came this day, and we did our last official Christmas with the fam.  Oh, and who knew 201 Central would have My Little Pony plushes?  This guy didn't, but when K saw it, there was no stopping her.  Thanks to Granny A for that pick up. :-)

1/22 - We hit IHOP (as promised) today, and K KILLED her chocolate chip pancake.  Nothing but a vapor trail (with chocolate milk to boot!).  We returned to find the Williams clan here (all 3 kids), and they had a BLAST playing all afternoon.  They all did a really, really good job interacting and playing, and it was so nice to just be able to relax and chat with Lindsey while the kids had a blast and ran wild in the house.  Cora slept like a champion the ENTIRE TIME THEY WERE HERE - including the house she was curled up on Lindsey!

Oh, and I created the song:  "Boobie juice, boobie juice, Cora loves boobie juice" today.  I taught it to Kaitlyn (who of course loves it), and I'm pretty sure it's only a matter of time before she sings that to her pre-school teachers.  Oh dear, what have I done... :-)

The big news is that Cora hit ONE MONTH this day.  How is that possible?  True to JT's prediction, it has felt like one long day, but now I do feel I'm finally starting to embrace the miracle.

The highlights from our little photo shoot (you'll see a theme):

Finally - capitulation.

1/23 - Cora's 1 month appointment was today, and everything looked GREAT!  She weighed in at 9 lb, 5 oz - 50% in height, 50% in weight, and 30% in head circumference (yet another small headed Taylor!).  Everything looked great, but Cora was inconsolable the entire time she was there.  After talking to Dr. Knutson, she said Cora likely has reflux (GERD), which explains why she's in pain every time we lay her flat.  This was a gut punch for me, as it meant that the night I let her cry it out wasn't letting her work through a normal progression but was instead just leaving her to suffer in pain.  It makes sense now, as 4 times last night I had her asleep until I put her down.  Now I realize it was just the stomach acid washing back through her esophagus.  Poor kid!  Dr. K prescribed some Zantac, and the transformation has been INSTANT.  Seriously - it is nuts how quickly this stuff works, and now we can set her down flat no problem.  She still spits up, but the crying/tears/red face/tight body is all gone, replaced by a kid who is pretty much out as soon as she's done eating and never fights the swaddle anymore.

One of the worst...ugh.

So to recap - we starved her the first week, overfed her the second week, deprived her of sleep the third week, and let her suffer in pain the fourth week.  Yeah, not a great start out of the gate...but the good news.  She's now much, much better (I really can't tell you how much of a difference it's made - just miraculous), and I do think we'll quickly turn a corner.

As for K, the Peds confirmed that she's got fluid in both ears and recommended we have an ENT visit.  Hopefully she won't have to have tubes, but it sounds like it might be going that way.

And at preschool today, K had a MELTDOWN when she showed up and her hair didn't match Kate's - real tears!  Luckily Ms. Meg rescued me, but needless to say I need to continue monitoring this one.

Oh, and K kept throwing out 3 or 4 letters and asking, "Is that how you spell Kate?"  As it was always wrong, I corrected her.  This did NOT make her happy, and she went into an absolute tailspin every time I corrected her.  Good times...but something she does enjoy - these water reveal books from Melissa & Doug - she is mesmerized by them!  And I must confess - they are pretty cool.

JT creating her homemade pump bra.

Lastly, while K doesn't like many of my voices, she LOVES my pirate voice (which is really Scottish accent meets pirate - details) and is constantly saying, "Dada - talk like a pirate."  Arghhh, Lassie...

1/24 - So this guy is absolutely SHATTERED - no other way to describe it.  The last 2 nights have crushed me, and today I was worthless.  Luckily my amazing wife let me sleep until 10 (didn't get to bed until about 3), but I was unable to nap during the day.  Between two injuries (shoulder and foot), a sudden rush of sinus pressure, exhaustion, and the feeling of getting sick, I wasn't much fun to be around today.  I didn't really want to play with Kaitlyn, and I was frustrated with Cora from the night before.  I was disappointed with myself, but I just couldn't shake the funk. My hope is that a good night's sleep will rectify much of this, as I am not fit for purpose at the moment.  Luckily my wife is taking the "witching hour shift" (8pm until....who knows) this evening, so I'm going to try and hit the sack at 7:30.

1/25 - STOP THE PRESSES!!!!  STOP THE PRESSES!!!!!  Cora slept 9 hours straight last night!  I, unfortunately, was fighting a cold and had a terrible night's sleep, but the rest of the house slept great (12.5 hrs for K).  The good news - I was actually able to get up early while all my girls were down, sit in my normal perch, and pray first thing.  I then had time for a devo and the Bible - just like I wanted!  Today marks the end of the 5th week of paternity, and to think that we might actually have a child who's sleeping through the night would just be incredible with 11 weeks to go.

Cora is already starting to track with her eyes and follow our faces as we move in front of her.  And since she's now a month old, we've started Tummy Time!  She likes it about as much as could be expected, but she's quite strong and really is moving around pretty good.  However, she did have a 7 chug vomit on me today - it was basically a river running down my shirt, along my pants, and onto the floor.  Special...

1/27 - So I am getting into the habit of sneaking into Cora's room and watching her sleep more.  Just like when we used to "check the sneetch," I'm now "checking the fry (that would be small fry)."  She's starting to get into a routine, and there is NO DOUBT that the medicine is working.  One thing I will say - JT had the idea to start cutting the naps back 15 min per session each day until we get to about 2 hours, and that already seems to be working, as it means Cora is getting more food during the day (so has less reason to wake up at night).

I had a great swimming session with K today - we pretended we were swimming with Ariel and running from Morgana and Ursula.  It was really fun!  It was the most fun I've had in the pool in a long time - good stuff!



Oh, and the BIGGEST NEWS:  Kate and K had their hairs in different styles at preschool ALL DAY TODAY.  No tears.  No changes to the hairstyles.  Just an acceptance of differences.  BOOM GOES THE CANNON!

1/28 - Cora had a 5 hour sleep stretch last night!  that's great news, as the night before was a tough one.  We didn't have K's white noise on, and I think she was awoken several times (as she was quite tired).  I do think she sleeps through most of the crying, but all the same I can tell K is tired every day.  If we could get her to nap at 1, I think she'd still do it.  However, 3 PM is her exhaustion witching hour, and that's just too late.

On the Cora front, that child is losing her baby hair!  JT had noticed the other day some black hair all over Cora and thought it was from her sweater.  Nope - it was from C-dawg's head!  It's coming off fast and furious.  The only question now is what will replace it...

Some other Cora notes:

1. I have officially named her "floppy esophy," as that girl is now spitting up ALL THE TIME.  The good news is that we are getting her acid under control. The bad news is that she's started vomiting rockets/rivers of milk back up.  Typically this happens when she's not had a proper "rock the diaper" blowout, but there really is no rhyme or reason at this point for the occurrence.  We'll continue to monitor it obviously, and I was at the point at the end of the month where I wanted to schedule an appointment with the Peds.  However, as the last 24 hours have been better, we're back to the "wait and see" approach.  JT has been a WARRIOR when it comes to working on "isolating the variable" - she's currently trying lactose free milk, and almond milk is next on the list to see if that impacts it.  We'll also dial back the chili for a bit to see if gassy food makes a difference.

2.  While she hates tummy time, Cora is really, really good at it!  She's doing GREAT lifting her head up and trying to move.  The kid is strong as a bull moose.

3.  Cora has already broken out of her swaddle THREE TIMES!  Seriously - RUTHLESS TENACITY.  When she decides she cannot be contained, you're pretty much hosed and better off letting her just have some down time in the bassinet to mellow out.

On the K front, I took her to Chik-fil-A as our activity to get us out of the house.  I will be honest and say it wasn't my preference, but while I was out and about (can't remember doing what), that was what she told JT she wanted to do.  Well, we rocked up, and it was BEDLAM in that place.  Seriously - I'd never seen anything like it.  However, we did get served quickly and get a seat, but only to have this truly strange kid just walk up to our table and stare at K nonstop while she ate her ice cream.  I said hi to him (twice actually), but he wouldn't go away - he just kept slapping his face with a book and staring at my daughter.  Finally K asked, "Daddy, why is that boy staring at me?"  And unfortunately, I didn't have an answer.  But the cone was good, and we at least got out of the house.  I tried to let her play on the playground, but two older kids were in there screaming "WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!!!!"  constantly, to the point that K said it hurt her ears (it did mine, too).  Also, twice she started to play with other kids, only to have their moms come in, so that was less than ideal.

1/29 - Emmi's birthday party!  This was over at Bounce U, and it was a princess tea party theme.  Kaitlyn had a BLAST and came back all smiles - SO GLAD she had fun.  It's just wonderful to see her all smiles, especially knowing how much of an adjustment and transition all of this is.  She showed me all of her new jewelry, stickers, etc - great stuff.  And as we are actually (finally) planning to have a proper party for her this year, this helps give us some ideas as to what we need to consider.

Not sure, but I'm hoping this isn't actually
Chris Farley's baby.

1/30 - we signed K up for 5 days at UCUMC next year!!!!  While we'd originally planned to just do 4, our thought was that a) it gives JT a break when she needs it, b) helps us when we can't think of activities, c) will allow JT to focus more on Cora during this developmental period, d) wasn't much more money for a lot more flexibility, e) prepares her for Kindergarten (this is called PRE-K!!!!), and f) her friend Kate is doing the same, so they are hopefully going to be in the same class.

1/31 - Cora slept 6.5 hours last night!!!!!!  Holy moly!!!!  Counting the time I slept as well, I had almost 8.5 hours UNINTERRUPTED!!!!!  I might do 10K pushups and build a space shuttle today - no idea really. :-)

I'm actually upstairs hammering this out while K plays downstairs with Elizabeth (Jenny's friend Megan, due in February, is over).  This will be the first time in AGES that I've actually managed to get the blog done on the month in which it actually ended, and that feels great.  And truth be told, I feel great as well.  Last night's sleep was huge, as I've been burning it at both ends lately.  Cora has been keeping me up until about 11-11:30 given the witching hour feeding shift, and then K has been coming into our room and waking me up around 7 (sometimes 6:40) every morning.  And while I love every bit of it, it has made for some exhaustion, and I can tell lately that I haven't been as sharp as normal.  However, I was able to run a half marathon yesterday, so God is still clearly blessing me with energy, focus, and discipline.  THANK YOU, FATHER!!!!

Cheers!

And on that note - I am wrapping a one month fast (alcohol) today.  It has been amazing, as it has given me the space to survive what has been a grueling month.  As I have said multiple times - this was all tougher than I thought it would be, and I have learned a lot about myself and what it means to be a parent during this stretch.  Now, standing on the end of the survival period and hopefully starting to get more sleep, I have learned quite a bit.  First, the old schedule no longer works - you can't pour new wine into old wineskins.  Second, if it's a priority, then it truly must come first, or it will never get done.  Where your heart is - there is your treasure also.  Third - you can't be perfect, so just be present.  Fourth - you must make time for you.  Fifth - treasure every moment, even when it's tough.  You won't come this way again (likely), so don't run from the pain.

Okay, that's all the news that's fit to print.  This guy is gonna add the pics and get this published.  Chat with you in a month!

Love,

Sam and Jenny