Age of Lady Kaitlyn: 4 years, 1 month, and 23 days
Age of Lady Cora: 4 months and 11 days
Family,
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| Such a good little helper! |
And a good evening to you from the Mountain Fortress here in Highland Creek, where the Bull continues to fight a nasty bit of gout in his toe (first time ever in that joint!). But we're not here to talk about me, so let's get amongst it, shall we?
4/1 - So I was in Knoxville preparing for the marathon, but this must have been a good day back in the Queen City. Jan watched Cora while JT and K went to Ian and Eli's birthday party at Ray's Splash Planet. Kaitlyn had a blast in the water and must have chased Ryann all over the pool. She's taken quite a shine to Ry, and she is wearing ALL the outfits that Lindsey is giving us now that Ry has outgrown them. It's pretty cute to watch, and they really do play well together. Jenny said this one was a little sad to watch since Ry had a cousin there and was more focused on her than Kaitlyn, with the end result being that K basically followed them around while receiving limited attention. However, she still seemed to have fun, so no complaints.
4/2 - I ran my 14th marathon today, posting a rather unimpressive 4:06:32 but still happy to have completed the run on such a tough course. JT took both the girls to church (her first attempt), and it was a success - even if Cora was quite mental throughout the entire process. The good news - they didn't call Jenny back to the nursery, so she actually got to enjoy service. However, Cora was off the entire day after that. The good news - going forward, we'll both be there to manage the kids, so hopefully that will make things a bit smoother.
4/3 - So here's a crazy bit of news for you - Cora is ARMY CRAWLING!!!! Now granted, she's not moving too far, but if you leave her on the mat, she WILL get off that mat fairly quickly...with the end result being her face down on our cold, dirty hardwood floor...but I digress. the other day she was actually off the mat eating the cloth beams that stand above it - too funny! She's definitely different than Kaitlyn in that she really does try to put EVERYTHING in her mouth. She's not teething yet, but that doesn't stop her from chewing on EVERYTHING she can get her hands on (especially bibs and burp cloths). Also, Cora will just spin around and around - it's very normal to find her 90 degrees different from how you placed her on the play mat.
Feeding her is getting a bit tougher, as she is grabbing the bottle and pushing/pulling on it while feeding. Previously she had neither the strength nor the muscle control to push away, but that girl is strong as a Bull Moose! One other thing to note is that we started giving her meds again, as we felt like she was exhibiting some signs of reflux.
On the K front, she was up at 3:45 AM. When JT went in there, she said that she was cold and wanted JT to turn off the night light. Both of these are things should obviously could have handled herself but chose not to, and it's happened a few nights in a row. While that is odd, the bigger issue is that K has suddenly started saying that she doesn't want to be alone and will NEVER go into the bonus room by herself. She will always say she's afraid or "I don't want to be alone," which has come out of nowhere. She is also saying "Watch This!" or "Look!" fairly constantly as well. That I think is probably fairly normal. For the other - we'll keep an eye on it.
4/4 - Cora rolled over for the 3rd time (from her belly), and I missed it AGAIN! However, I can then confirm we SAW IT - so cool! She is so active and so alert. Her vision is improving, and you can tell that she is fascinated by the world around her (and everyone chuckles at that super serious face).
So I have been joking with JT that she's become "soft" with Cora, forcing me to become a cast iron dictator. Obviously I'm joking, but it's hilarious to look at the difference in our techniques for putting C down. Jenny rocks and shushes, cuddling her and simulating white noise. I tried that with ZERO success, so now I just plop her down in the crib and hold the paci in her mouth until she settles. Seriously - the girl WILL NOT settle on me! Cora - when you read this, know that I tried! I really did!On the K front, she's really snoring pretty loudly at this point. That is a big indicator of enlarged adenoids, and so I am really hopeful this surgery alleviates a lot of these problems. She's sleeping great, but I am sure she will breath better once that kind of an obstruction is removed.
We went to the park today (K and I), and her arms got SO red! I know it's from the skin condition I passed onto her - lucky girl. Sorry, kid!
4/5 - Kaitlyn went back to private swim lessons today! It wasn't great considering a) how long it had been and b) she didn't seem overly interested, but it was WAY better than the group lessons. Miss. Sara said that she needed to work on endurance, and obviously her strokes need a bit of work to get back on form. She was playing quite a bit (not always listening good), but Ms. Sara said that, out of the gate, that was good, as she wanted to ensure it was fun (to keep her interested). After the lesson, I swam with her 50 minutes, and we had a blast ("I want to chase your bubbles!"). Oh, and a HUGE moment at pre-school: K rocked up (her hair was down), saw Kate (her hair was in a pony tail), looked at me, and said, "My hair is different than Kate's but that's OK!" She then gave me a hug and just ran in. WHA, WHAT?!?!?!!??! HOLY MOLY, we've turned a corner!The tough moment came when it was time for K's show. I turned on the Roku to let her watch Cinderella (obviously she didn't know we had Amazon Prime), and she got SUPER excited. However, when I couldn't get the sound to work, SHE. WENT. MENTAL. Luckily I figured it out, but MAN she was NOT a happy camper.
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| Arms out, sports fans!!!!! |
4/6 - JT and K went to Bounce U this morning with Briel and Katie, leaving me and the Screamus at home to bond. Cora is just SO CUTE in her little sleep sack now - it's so cute to watch her kick up those little legs! She's continuing to get more active and move around - she's actually rotating her body COMPLETELY in her sleep during the night. The side note here - while she continues to be tough during the day (can't really get her into a routine, and the witching hour - or hours - is tough), we are SO thankful that she's sleeping at night.
On the K front, she can unbuckle her own seat belt in the booster now! She can't quite clip in yet, but it is exciting that she's a bit more independent when it comes to getting out of the car. The one catch - I have had to tell her that she CANNOT unbuckle until the car stops and daddy tells her. I will say that she's been pretty good about it, so I'm not overly concerned on that front.
Her two quotes of note that have been cute:
1. "I can do that by my own." She says this one a lot. ADORABLE! JT and I corrected her for about a month, but now we've just embraced it. :-)
2. "Don't chew that, dada - it's a human part." She says this when I am chasing her, grab her, and then chew on her ears (I gum them). She laughs, and when I tell her that I'm going to eat her, she always has a clever response like informing me that she's human or confirming that she is not, in fact, food. LOVE THAT KID! |
| On the starting line with Kate. |
The other note for the day - K fed Cora 3 oz! K has been really good with Cora, especially in terms of calming her down. I've probably noted more than once what a calming influence K is on her (K likes to rub the top of her head), and it's always true without fail (Cora will just watch her with the most serious gaze known to man). K has been interested in feeding her lately, and on this day she really held in there on her own for a good 10-15 minutes - it was great to watch! Sister Power! :-)
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| New Room! |
4/10 - K ran in the room today to snuggle, and I was ALL ABOUT it this morning, as I knew it was likely the last time that was going to happen for awhile. Obviously the surgery was going to knock it out as an option the rest of the week, and with me starting back to work and moving working out to the early morning, I knew that, shy of weekends, there weren't going to be too many days in the immediate future where I was going to be in bed when K woke up (and when Cora wasn't screaming :-)). Consequently, when she ran in, I got a big love hug and snuggled up right beside her.
The day was pretty flat out, with JT and K hitting CFA for Mommy & Me before heading over to BJ's. They also ran around with the Williams clan in the afternoon, which K LOVED! That girl is in LOVE with Ryann, and we all benefit because Lindsey is unloading TONS of Ry's old clothes on us! SCORE!!!!! Seriously - K is pretty much only dressing in stuff that Ry has given her, but since it's a) comfy and b) super cute, everyone wins!
Also, we moved to the fast flow nipple today - talk about a HUGE difference! The feed time dropped instantly from over an hour to about 20 minutes, but Cora did NOT like the pace during the first feed! The good news is that K can always calm her down fairly quickly, and Cora will just watch her big sis in rapt fascination.
And speaking of big sis, she continues to be a little tough at present. Between refusing to play by herself, constantly whining, testing us at every turn, and complaining EVERY TIME that she's in pain when she runs into stuff, it's been a bit of a challenge as of late. I am trying to make her rough and tumble, but that's been a bit of a journey recently. She actually said, "I am NOT rough and tumble!" to me the other day - classic.
4/11 - So this was a tough day: K's second surgery for tubes. She woke up on her own about 7, which worked out perfectly - she got a show, wasn't hungry yet (key because she couldn't eat), and we were out the door about 7:30ish. We rolled up about 7:45 and were admitted almost instantly (and told the surgery was 4K, of which our part was 5.1K!), where there was a cute little bear and a child's hospital gown waiting. The staff was GREAT - 5 different people came in, and they were all super sweet to K (and made it fun for her). She enjoyed getting her blood pressure, and she really, REALLY enjoyed taking "silly juice" (a kid's dose of Xanax) and the MEGA syringe of grape Tylenol. When they took her blood pressure, she asked, "Dada, are they going to get blood on me?" Too cute.
Once they administered those, she wasn't allowed to walk around, so she sat on my lap and then watched some Mickey Mouse Clubhouse while we waited our turn in the OR. K was REALLY great, and at one point (when the meds were starting to kick in) she looked at me and said, "Daddy, why am I wobbly?" Too cute. When the moment came to wheel her out, she looked at me and said, "Daddy, I'm scared." In looking back at the photos of the experience, I really think she was fine, but she definitely was woozy from the meds, and I think that moment of seeing Dr. Lovejoy gave her a brief second of clarity where she knew (subconsciously at least) something was about to happen. I then walked with her around the corner, and when we got to the "kissing corner," I had to give her a kiss on the head and watch as she looked back at me waving before disappearing around a corner. It's funny - I was okay at the time but am emotional as I type this.
The whole procedure took about 15 or so minutes, Dr. Lovejoy said that her adenoids really were quite enlarged and that there was quite a bit of fluid back there. Hearing that made me doubly glad that we did it (although there was never a question that it needed to happen). We talked procedures, and he told me that it could be awhile before she woke up. But as fate would have it, she actually woke up well before the anesthesia wore off, and that was, well, a disaster.
They walked me back there, and you could hear the wailing from outside the door. The poor girl had woken up before they could get the IV out of her hand, and she was just sobbing uncontrollably. Also, she had this little thing attached to her toe (checking her Pulse Ox or something), and that was driving her crazy. She was coughing SUPER deep and coarse, and when she blew her nose, blood would come out. The nurse told me that normally they stay under much longer, and consequently she probably felt extremely drunk at the moment. And so I pulled her onto my lap and just held her for a good hour while she screamed. We managed to get a popsicle in her and some water, and within an hour she was at least a bit calmer (the nurse was great). And so I loaded everything up (including her) and carried her out (think of it as like how you carry bags on a Disney vacation), just hoping to get home before she puked.
The GOOD NEWS: She was GREAT from almost the time she left. She didn't really complain of any pain (she was on ibuprofen 4x daily to stay in front of the pain), and she was even jumping on the bed that evening! We tried to limit her to soft, cool food that day, but there was never really a moment after that where she couldn't eat whatever she wanted. We obviously just stayed in that day and watched TV, but she was really good as gold and seemed to feel good (ate GREAT at dinner). THANK YOU, JESUS!!!! And the best news - both girls slept through the night. And even better? For the first time in YEARS - Kaitlyn was SILENT all night (no snoring). Amazing. the doctor said that her adenoids were so big that she'd likely now breathe better, and night 1 certainly sounded that way! And as if all this wasn't enough, our friend Katie left a little "Get well" present on the doorstep for K. Too sweet.
The day in pictures:
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| In the waiting room - getting ready to get called back. |
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| Curly Wurly was waiting for us. :-) |
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| Checking BP: "Dada, don't let them get blood on me." |
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| "You mean they have TV? And the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is on?" #catatonic |
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| Silly juice starting to take effect. "Dada, why am I wobbly?" |
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| Staying loose. |
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| This one got mom teary eyed. |
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| Moment of truth (the arrival of Dr. Lovejoy). |
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| In recovery at home watching movies - SUCH A BRAVE AND STRONG GIRL! |
4/12 - GREAT NEWS - K woke up happy today!!!! She didn't have preschool since it was spring break, but that didn't keep her from seeing her friend Kate! It was really cute actually, as Kate and her mom came over to give K a little "get well and Happy Easter" gift - too sweet! We started the day with a movie (the Nut Job - really cute), but by the afternoon we were actually able to go to the park - K rode her trike there! Honestly, K seems totally fine - THANK YOU, FATHER!!! We only gave her meds 3x today (as that's still a LOT of ibuprofen), but we'll likely keep the cadence of 3x daily through the weekend (recommendation was for 4, but she really seems fine).  |
| Do you have the dalmatian puppy? GO CATCH! |
4/13 - And suddenly, here it is - MY LAST DAY OF PATERNITY. It's funny - K asked last night, "Where are we gonna go in the morning?" At the time, I hadn't expected to do anything, but then her comment took hold like inception, and next thing you know we were en route to Toast after all the fam was up. And it was a big day for K, as it was her first time ever riding in a high back booster!!!!
After Toast, it was over to DPK, and then we hung out playing "Go Pup" until JT and I headed out for...OUR FIRST EVER DATE NIGHT AS PARENTS OF TWO!!!! WOOO-HOOO!!!!
Jan watched the girls while we went to see Chris Tomlin & friends. It truly was a perfect last day and great way to cap this family time.
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| This is K calling Grand Pooh to ask about the kitties. LBJ!!!!!! |
4/14 - So Cora woke up at 3:30, and my saintly wife tended to her (after all, I had work! He says chuckling...). K woke up early and watched the Nut Job again - she is all about that movie right now. As for me, it was the first day back, and I was actually in the office. It was a ghost town (Good Friday), but it felt really, really good to be back. I was refreshed, excited to start on some new work, and excited about getting back into a routine. I do think work helps me compartmentalize and really focus on the various aspects of my life, and I am SO thankful for that. I have seen many examples where I am a much better father in that window I see them in the afternoon/evening just because I know how precious it is and how quickly that time goes.
As for JT, we've had a weird occurrence - she is still pumping the same, but for some reason her supply has suddenly dropped in half. we don't really know why, but obviously that is quite frustrating.
One side note - we are contemplating instituting quiet time again, as K still refuses to play by herself or ever be alone. At present she doesn't even like to lose sight of us. I do remain hopeful it's a phase, but it has been difficult.
4/15 - It was a great Saturday throughout. For starters, I had the girls during JT's run, and it was fun with them. Cora was a hungry little bunny! She was crushing some breast milk - we are talking some 8 oz feeds here! I read 45 min to K at one point (the gout limited my ability to play, so we had to focus on more stationary pursuits), and she and I had some good bonding time. She was pretty much my shadow, as she was never more than 3 feet from me at any point. And while I absolutely LOVE the attention, I also want to ensure that she's not regressing in terms of being able to play by herself and use her imagination. It's just been really interesting to hear her say repeatedly that she's either "scared" or "doesn't want to be alone" anywhere. I don't think that's reality, but she certainly postures as if it is.
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| Army crawling is imminent. |
The afternoon was over at Nole Nana and Grandpa's, where K had a BLAST playing with James! Seriously - those two were in separable and were constantly laughing - it was too cute! It was a rare "no-nap" day for James, but he was a rock star and held on until his bed time! Jan had little Easter baskets for each grandchild, and they had a blast opening them and playing with everything. K received some "firefly light up toothbrushes," and she absolutely LOVES them. Side note - K is really doing a great job brushing at this point, so good in fact that I don't really have to help. A switch flipped on that overnight, as she really is hitting all the zones in her mouth now.
The evening was a bit tough, as Cora woke up at 2:39 (she was hungry and took 6 oz!), and then K woke up at 4:15 screaming of ear pain. She'd wet the bed as well, and so we had to not only give her meds but also strip the sheets. At least she managed to go back to sleep. She'd also wet her pants at Nole Nana's (that time I think just from excitement and refusing to go to the bathroom due to FOMO), so it was a rather interesting (but great) day. All in all, Cora set a new feeding record - 35.5 oz!
4/16 - HAPPY EASTER!!!!!! Despite the gout and being sick, it really was a fantastic day. Cora slept in, which allowed us to have some focused time with K. That was great, as we were able to watch K hunt for Easter eggs all over the house (Jenny had hidden 30 the night before) before watching her shred her Easter Basket from the Easter Bunny. We hit the 10:30 service at church, where we had the second straight week of getting through the whole service without being called to go pick up Cora! RESULT! Church was really wonderful, as the message was just so wonderful, the music fabulous, all the people in good spirits, and the kid activities plentiful. There was a petting zoo, bounce houses, inflatable slides, and even a roaming Easter Bunny! Add in a HUGE sucker, and K was in Heaven. :-)
In the afternoon, we played a lot of our new little "Go Pup" card game (K loves it - thanks, Nole Nana!), and JT also took K to BJ's in the afternoon. My gout was in full flare up, so I was just on the couch knocking stuff out online. Oh, and K actually sang a good bit of the song "Impossible" from the Cinderella movie today. It was so cute that I HAD to tape it and send it to Granny A, who has already declared that she'll be a star. :-)
The Easter Weekend Recap:
The Easter Weekend Recap:
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| K dyeing eggs for the first time. |
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| Cora showcasing her displeasure at a present from Granny A. |
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| The Easter Bunny came! |
The one comment I will have about K's behavior today: she's currently sassing me anytime I ask her to do something and saying, "Dad, you say that every time!" Consequently, I've had to start taking animals. I think it's largely reflexive now, so I am conscious it will take time to stem (and stop) the tide. However, I'm confident we'll get there. :-)
One thing that frustrated us today (especially Jenny): For no apparent reason, JT's milk supply has suddenly started to wane. We're not sure why, as nothing at all has changed in our routine or diet. However, the drop-off has been quite staggering. JT was noticeably down (she said as much), and she even said that she felt she was letting her daughter down. That absolutely broke my HEART, as no one in the history of motherhood has ever done more to try and stimulate/maintain supply. From the fenugreek to the different milks to changing diet to heating pads to different pumps to squeezing her own breasts to different types of nipple cream to teas to wheat beers, she has tried it ALL, and it killed me to hear her say that. We did talk about it, and I think she's starting to make peace with it. She only pumped 3x today, and the results were never great. I just don't want her feeling like she's a failure, as she's worked so hard and is SUCH an amazing mother. JT - when you read this, know how much I love you and how proud I am of you! I know it comes from wanting to ensure the kids get equal treatment. Another instance was how despondent she felt when she realized we didn't get any Easter pictures as a family of specifically of Cora with her "My First Easter" bib (but she did wear it all day). However, I can confirm she did rectify that promptly on the morning of 4/17. :-)
One thing that frustrated us today (especially Jenny): For no apparent reason, JT's milk supply has suddenly started to wane. We're not sure why, as nothing at all has changed in our routine or diet. However, the drop-off has been quite staggering. JT was noticeably down (she said as much), and she even said that she felt she was letting her daughter down. That absolutely broke my HEART, as no one in the history of motherhood has ever done more to try and stimulate/maintain supply. From the fenugreek to the different milks to changing diet to heating pads to different pumps to squeezing her own breasts to different types of nipple cream to teas to wheat beers, she has tried it ALL, and it killed me to hear her say that. We did talk about it, and I think she's starting to make peace with it. She only pumped 3x today, and the results were never great. I just don't want her feeling like she's a failure, as she's worked so hard and is SUCH an amazing mother. JT - when you read this, know how much I love you and how proud I am of you! I know it comes from wanting to ensure the kids get equal treatment. Another instance was how despondent she felt when she realized we didn't get any Easter pictures as a family of specifically of Cora with her "My First Easter" bib (but she did wear it all day). However, I can confirm she did rectify that promptly on the morning of 4/17. :-)
4/17 - So today was my first "real" day of work, as I had all my access and actually had a schedule that I wanted to work through of the course of the day. I was excited about it, and I must say that it went GREAT. Seriously - it really helped me compartmentalize and focus, and it was a strong reinforcement to confirm I am a much better parent and father in spurts. When I was working, I was focused on the task at hand. When I was with Jenny, I was switched on. And when I was with the girls, I really was engaged and an active participant. Time for each person/activity was precious, and it just felt good to have those time boxed, controlled bursts of focus with each person.
Kaitlyn had a GREAT day, as Cheryl picked her up and dropped her off. Add in the fact that Kate stayed at our house to play until 3:45, and you have pretty much the best day EVER for the Sneetch. We also got in some card time (Go Pup), K watched some TV, and we had our usual evening rituals. I couldn't run around the house with her due to my gout, but it was still a great day.
It was really good for Cora as well, as she kept a great schedule all day. We have upped the bottles from 6.5 or 7 to 8+ oz, and that seems to be helping her sleep more at night. Perhaps we were underfeeding her before, but you never really know. What I do know is that she has been CRUSHING it the last few nights, and we are really hopeful we'll get a long sleep from her this evening.
One other thing to note - adenoid removal can cause stinky breath, and I think it's arrived for K. It's nothing earth shattering, but even after 3 brushing sessions today (which she is getting VERY good at doing on her own, for the record), I still noticed that her breath smelled a bit. It doesn't last long, but the good news is that so far she does seem to be a text book case (and today was MUCH better with pain - she didn't complain once, and we only administered it twice).
4/19 - So I am doing the happy dance - we didn't give Kaitlyn any meds last night! We didn't give her anything today either, so I think we're officially out of the woods and off the medication. That is great, as we basically went through an entire bottle of ibuprofen, which is a lot of pain reliever to give to a 4 year old.
Cora was a little tough today, as she really struggled to feed. Also, I felt a bit out of sorts because I didn't get to hold her until 8 PM that night (largely due to work). The funny part - I had been holding her for about 30 seconds when she dropped a MONSTER STEAMER. I mean, we are talking hide the women and children. And for the record - I had forgotten how much formula poops stink. WOW! Oh, and did I mention that she puked on me? Good times...
In terms of adjusting to life with work now in the picture, I think I've got a decent rhythm with K. So far I've been able to have lunch with her, and usually I come down about 4:15-4:30 so we can play cards (Go Pup) or run around a bit. I am supporting Europe as well as North America, and the early starts give me some flexibility in the schedule. I do not, however, have a great routine with Cora yet. I think I'm going to have to focus more on the evening/last feed of the night, as realistically that's the only time I won't have other responsibilities and can truly focus on her. More to come on this, as I do want to get it sorted.
One interesting K note - tonight while reading she asked me to move the book closer to her, saying that she couldn't see the picture. When I pulled it a little closer, she said she still couldn't see it. In fact, it wasn't until it was right in front of her face that she said she could see it. This concerned me, as I was afraid she really might have a problem. I asked myself - is that why she's a bit timid at times? Because she can't see everything in front of her? Or is that why she runs into everything. Since then I have shown her stuff from a distance, and she seems to see it fine. Consequently (and adding in the fact that her teachers have never mentioned anything), I think she's fine. However, we likely will get her eyes checked this year - no reason not to since we've hit the deductible! :-)
So an interesting trend - Cora has been waking up in the middle of the night for the last couple of nights. The timing has been a bit all over the shop, but normally it's around 3:15-3:45. JT has been an absolute ROCK STAR and has gotten up every time - sometimes with both children! The gout and my cold have brought me low, and all I can say is THANK THE GOOD LORD I have such an amazing wife who can burn the candle at both ends. We're not sure about Cora, but hopefully this is just a growth spurt or something. We think it has to be, as she is KILLING food right now.
Also - I think I mentioned earlier that JT was starting to get really upset about her pumping, especially since her output basically halved for no apparent reason. Well, I am thrilled to report that she's now in much better spirits about the whole thing. She's made peace with the fact that she likely won't pump much longer, but her attitude has completely shifted. Now it's about getting as much out as possible, realizing that anything is better than nothing. Instead of working feverishly to keep pace with demand, it's now about supplementing the formula and giving Cora whatever JT is able to provide. JT certainly seems happier, and I am so thankful that she is. She works so hard at everything (especially this - WOWSERS), and I hate to see her beating herself up over something she truly can't control - especially when you look at everything she's done to maintain supply (heating pads, lactation cookies, lactation tea, squeezing her breasts, actually milking herself - not kidding there - into the bottle, pumping in the car, trying wheat beers, trying the power pumping approach, hot showers before pumping. I could go on and on, but you get it).
The last thing to note - after more than 100 years, Grandmother Taylor passed away today. My dad called at 4:40 to tell me "Your grandmother has gone to sleep." She passed in her sleep about 3:45, at which point she was reunited in Heaven with her husband of 63 years, all of her brothers and sisters, her parents, grandparents, and most importantly her Lord Jesus Christ. The funeral was set for Saturday, and so we decided to get up early Saturday morning and make the drive.
4/20 - So today K played with Eli and Tessa, the children of JT's friend Liz. They were at the house and seemed to have a good time. Her funny quote of the day was asking when we were going to get a dog! Um, in the month of NEVER! That's what the grandparents are for!
And speaking of the grandparents, Jenny talked some sense into me and helped me to realize that getting the kids up early and driving to GMT's funeral on Saturday wasn't practical. Consequently, we decided to leave on Friday. This was great news, as K was quite upset that she was going to see Vol Nana but wasn't going to get to sleep in her room (we were going to stay with Dad so we could see the family more). The conversation between JT and K must have been cute. As it was recounted to me:
JT: "We are going to spend 2 nights in TN now."
K: "Why?"
JT: "Because Grandmother Taylor went to Heaven."
K: "You mean she died?"
After JT confirming that and explaining how, K raised both hands to the sky and looked up, saying: "You mean she's up there in Heaven?" Cute. Good job FH kids - you are training this girl right. :-)
On the Cora front, she's definitely crying less. That might be formula vs. breast milk, but no matter what we'll take it! The interesting thing - she is not sleeping as long at night. In fact, she's only giving us 9 or so hours vs. 11 previous (I know, I know - we shouldn't complain!). We also have had to switch back to 5 feeds a day because she's just not taking as much currently.
4/21 - K made an interesting statement today: ""Mommy, Kate has two siblings. So does Sam. I want another sister." Cute. :-) We drove to TN after work today, arriving at mom's about 6:30. Originally we hadn't planned to do that, but I am SO GLAD Jenny suggested it. The girls were pretty good in the car (honestly - they almost always are at this point), and the evening was pretty easy. Also, Vol Nana and Pooh had rejiggered the sleeping arrangements, which meant Cora was no longer in our room. That was WAY better, and I am so thankful for it (we did sleep pretty good).
4/22 - So Cora woke up this day at 3:45 again. She is totally out of rhythm, and we're just not sure what to do. Additionally, when she does get up in the morning (and really all day), she's just not eating. Feeding her is a real struggle (lack of desire to feed, knocking the bottle away, etc), and I must confess I am getting frustrated and not handling it well.
And totally unrelated - have I ever mentioned that instead of saying, "Spread out my blanket," K always says "Unspread my blanket?" I mean, that's pretty cute. I corrected her for the longest time, but I've given up now and am just embracing the cuteness.
So today was a big day - we said farewell to Grandmother Taylor. It was a blessing for her to pass away, as she is now with her Heavenly Father and the man she called husband for 63 years. She can see again, has a strong body, and is at peace. Sure there were some tears (dad delivered the eulogy, and it was pretty emotional), but honestly - it was a blessed day, a celebration of LIFE! I mean, talk about living it to the fullest!
We left K and Cora with my mom, which definitely helped - especially since it was 3 hours of receiving friends, then the drive to graveside, and then some time at the house on Needmore (not sure when I'll be back there). After that it was over to Dad's, where we ate a good meal before sacking out early. The one hitch in the giddy-up was that not everyone had a bed when we got there, and we had to scramble to put the air mattress down for K. She did NOT want to sleep there (she wanted to be in her room, which had been promised to her), and she went into full on MELTDOWN. I think having to say goodbye to Vol Nana probably didn't help...anyhoo, she actually ended up watching a movie and sleeping with Alice, which was fine in the end.
There is obviously a lot I could say about this day - the emotion, the memories, the thoughts about everything, but this isn't the forum. Instead let me just say that Cora Pattie Taylor was one of THE ABSOLUTE FINEST PEOPLE I have ever known, and I want to ensure I raise Cora right so that her namesake can be the same city on a hill that GMT was for so many people. We love you, Grandmother. Go rest high.
The day in photos:
4/23 - A general comment: K is TOUGH right now. She's whining constantly (and we are talking instantly reverting to that voice), running into EVERYTHING in sight, and then acting like EVERY injury is the worst thing that's ever happened to her. I hear "my tummy is hurting" a lot, and when I'm doing conditioner in the bath, she often complains that she's in exquisite pain (which I know she isn't because I pull harder on days she's occupied and hear nothing). She is covering her ears constantly and saying that things are too loud (we're talking even a toilet flushing). Now granted, that could simply be that the world really IS louder now and she's just adjusting, but it's pretty much constant.
I do fear I was a bit too harsh on her today, as she wanted JT to bathe her vs. me. That request is NEVER made, which suggests to me that I probably focused a little too much on discipline and not enough on love and fun. I know some of her behavior was due to exhaustion from the night before (she didn't get in bed until 10:30-11), and she was out of sorts with all the travel (TN for a weekend is a LOT - especially for kids who don't really know what's going on). She did sleep like a rock in the car. She's actually LOVING her booster, as she can lay her head on her pillow and sack out. It's been crazy to have both girls passed out in the back at the same time - that's a sign we are keeping them busy!
We have been making good use of the Frozen karaoke CD, and it is AMAZING how much K has already learned! We were doing the Anna/Elsa scene in her bedroom the other night, and she actually corrected me when I said the wrong words! She really is singing extended bits of all the songs. Kids really are sponges at this age.
On the Cora front, she's really starting to coo now, and I am loving it. I am even loving how she punches me in the face when I pick her up. She actually does a cute little thing with her right arm where she almost hugs you when you are burping/holding/carrying her - it's pretty cute. The salient point is that I do think I'm starting to bond with her more, and that is a GREAT feeling. Vol Nana said that she really started to bond with her over the weekend while she watched her.
4/24 - So today was a big day - Cora's 4 month appointment! It went really, really great. She was really calm the entire time (which shocked us since we woke her up in the middle of a nap!). She was 30% in height, 20% in weight, and 20% in Head Circumference. So while she's petite, the doctor was fine with that, as she was proportional. It was also a great sense check on her feed schedule (28-32 oz per day is the target), sleep schedule (Doc said she was doing great), and poop schedule (she said breast milk babies sometimes just go once a week, whereas formula babies don't need everything in the formula and tend to get more regular - must closer to daily). She was bang on for all her milestones, and so the next step is getting her sitting up and introducing solid foods!
She got 3 vaccine shots and 1 oral vaccine today, but she was a rock star. Obviously when the first stick went in she started crying, and she turned red and sucked in air NON-STOP for the next 2 injections. But after the first couple of screams, she was totally fine. And the band-aids (Daffy Duck) on her legs were just too cute!
Side notes from today - in the last 2-3 days, I think Cora and I have really bonded. She is smiling and getting more interactive, and that is drawing me in. It's a great feeling, as I can feel that recognition in her. I am talking to her more, and she's giving me smiles much more often. Also, she really is crying less at this point, which has made a HUGE difference. I am very thankful there, not to mention that the reflux seems largely gone (the Peds was good with our stopping the medicine). Cora is a little stuffy, and checking on her just now while napping I noticed that she's trying to breathe through her nose but just can't, so she's having to open her mouth (I think it just woke her up).
Other note - I had a long day today. I am actually doing the work of 5 people (that's not an exaggeration - 3 people left, 1 spot didn't get filled, and I have returned to my day job), and I have concerns that it could turn me into a "weekend dad," even with working from home. Obviously it's something I'll have to monitor, and I'm conscious it's early and I'm just getting stuff set up. However, today I definitely didn't feel that I was with my children much. that being said, I had 2+ hours in the evening, the hour for Cora's appointment, and saw them in the morning, so I can't really complain.
It's just a new normal and a new balancing act, and I need to set my expectations accordingly.
Last little bits as I wrap the evening: I used the Nose Frida on Cora for the first time ever! The poor little girl was having so much trouble eating because her nose was stuffed up, and I pulled out a TON of stuff. Also, K and I often do the "Elsa freezes Anna's heart" scene after her bath, but tonight she actually sang the words AND corrected me when I said the wrong things! Impressive! She and Kate actually sang the songs together on the ride back from preschool. Apparently K was trying to explain who was who, but Kate kept saying, "I know." :-)
Oh, and when JT and I both put K to bed, she is loving "double kisses." This is basically where we each attack a cheek and tickle her at the same time in bed. She LOVES it and just cackles. And I love the smile on her face, so I am always willing to keep doing it. :-)
4/25 - today was FLAT OUT!!! It felt like the fam was running from one spot to the other, but it was really good. First off, K had her dentist appointment, where everything looked great! They even gave K her first fluoride polish. K is taking more of an interest in brushing her own teeth now - perhaps the firefly toothbrushes have helped (thanks, Nole Nana!). In addition, she even skipped the "kid flavors" for her toothpaste selection and went with mint (like Mommy and Daddy). Good stuff!
JT and K then went like a shot from the dentist to the ENT, where K was fitted for her first ever pair of ear plugs. They are silicon plugs, and the thought is that they will prevent water from entering the ear and blowing out the tubes. Given what we just paid to put them in, I think that's a GREAT investment. :-) It was then over to NOMAD, where we FINALLY, FINALLY, FINALLY picked up K's personalized swim cap. Family, this has been a JOURNEY, as we ordered that cap in October with the expectation that it would be a Christmas present! (they told us delivery time was 2 weeks). But hey - it's all good as we now have them, and K looks cute as a button. :-)
4/25 - So not quite on the day, but we did knock out the 4 month pics today. Check out this little cutie in action. She's growing up so quickly!!!
Also - JT pumped for what we think might be the last time today! We'll see if she can stay pain free, but given how little she's getting out, we just feel like it makes sense. And I will give Jenny a TON of credit - she's been GREAT about it. She is being very positive and thinking about all the other things she can do now that she's no longer the single source of sustenance, and I am really proud of the way she's handled it. I LOVE YOU, WIFE MUFFIN!!!!!
4/26 - K had her first swim lesson with the cap and the plugs today. The good news - she looked adorable. The bad news - she seems to have really regressed on her freestyle, and apparently she didn't do a lot of listening to Ms. Sara (I wasn't there but heard all this). In her defense, she's had basically 1 lesson in 6 weeks, and we've not been able to get to the pool with her in ages. However, we will definitely rectify that this summer. She definitely can still swim - we just need to get back into stroke work.
My other concern - the first thing they did was dive and get rings off the bottom of the cold pool. While that is AWESOME and an amazing new milestone for K, that also is DEFINITELY deep enough to cause a pressure change that could blow out the tubes. K has an appointment tomorrow (her 4 year), and I am PRAYING those puppies are still in. Honestly, the thought of a) another one of those surgeries and b) PAYING for another one of those surgeries does NOT excite me.
4/27 - So JT actually did have to pump a bit today, but I can confirm (as I am typing this 4 days later) that it was, in fact, her last pump! BIG MILESTONE FOR WIFE MUFFIN!!! And yes, sports fans - she is totally at peace.
Today was a big day for another reason - it was K's 4 year well visit!!! I am pleased to report that she got a GREAT report across the board, and most importantly - the tubes are still in! WHEW! :-)
Everything looked really good. She recorded as tall for her age (no surprise), but they didn't give us percentages this time. She had an ear test (which she rocked) and an eye test (which she CRUSHED - read the bottom line, thank you very much!), and she was even a super brave girl when they gave her 2 shots! It's funny - she was actually more afraid of the pain of taking the bandaid off (they stayed on 3 days before I mandated they come off - and this is INCLUDING BATHS DURING THIS WINDOW) than the shot - too cute. JT said she was super brave (they hit Chik-fil-a to celebrate).
One thing they did confirm we need to watch is her sugar intake, and so we are going to monitor that rather aggressively. But the good news - she is super active and looks super healthy, which obviously makes us very happy. And the other thing that was hilarious - they gave us a sheet about "things your 4 year old likely does," and it was CLASSIC. THAT KID IS A TEXTBOOK CASE OF ADOLESCENCE. Seriously - from "asking why" to "crashing into things" to "starting to be social" to "not quite ready to share generously" to a million other topics, it was pretty amazing to see how well documented (and constant) the behavior is at this age. Crazy!
4/28 - Today was a good day as well. Tait and Beth came over, and we grilled at our house. The classic moment came when I was warming up the grill. It normally does smoke a bit, and JT asked me about it at first. I said it was nothing, but when K asked, "Daddy why is the grill smoking so much?" and I looked over to see black smoke, I become a little more concerned. This was the point at which Tait said, "Yeah, your grill's on fire." Good times. But the happy ending - we still grilled that night, and the grill is now SUPER clean - just in time for summer. :-)
4/28 - One scary note today - JT was babysitting a friend's kid, and while they were over late in the afternoon (her mom was here at this point), she fell down the stairs from about halfway up. I didn't see (or hear) it, but JT said that it was really, really scary and that the poor little gal (Tessa) hit her head on the hardwood. Luckily everyone is ok - PRAISE JESUS!
4/29 - So today was a GREAT day, and Team Taylor definitely made their 36 hours with the Cooper-Robinson express count. JT and I were up fairly early, but luckily Tait and Beth were able to snooze until about 9. JT logged 8 miles (BEAST MODE!), and after showers and cups of coffee, we started the day at Toast. K was really pretty good, and Cora even cooperated for a lot of the time at Toast (she really didn't fuss much at all but rather just took in the world).
We had to take 2 cars everywhere, but it worked out really good. Tait, Beth, and K rode with me (K liked riding the in the back with Beth, and I LOVED having someone to help buckle her in), while JT had the Scream. We rolled from brekkie back home and then to the National Whitewater center, where we had a really good (but SUPER HOT) afternoon walking around. We all walked as a family for a bit, and then JT took Cora to a pavilion to feed (it was her best feed of the day - 7 oz) while I pushed K around in the stroller. There were dogs EVERYWHERE, so Kaitlyn was in Heaven. It was actually a BIG day, as she FINALLY had the courage to walk up to people and politely ask, "May I please pet your puppy?" Of course everyone said yes, and it was really cute to watch her in action. The first couple of times it was always, "Daddy, will you come with me?", but when I took the hard line and said no, she did get out of her comfort zone and make it happen. Proud of you, kid!
But not only that - there were other firsts this weekend. K opened the car door by herself (and swung it wide into Jenny's door, but I was able to buff it out). She also brushed her hair COMPLETELY by herself (and did a really good job). She even rattled off the five senses by herself and is starting to demonstrate an understanding of the concept of time - AMAZING!
We hit Publix in the afternoon (I have a great pic of K between Beth and Tait - all holding pinkies - in the parking lot) before rolling back home, where we got changed before dinner at Hawthorne's and then a special treat - HOMEMADE ICE CREAM!!!!!!!!! We did cherry vanilla, and it was SOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOD (peppy cheekies). We went to bed that night fat, happy, and EXHAUSTED!
4/30 - So today was a GREAT day all around. JT and I were up at 5 (Cora was up for a feed, so JT was on duty - I was running with Tait), and the day was flat out. After a 10K and dropping Tait and Beth at the airport, we rolled to church as a family. I am happy to report that, for the third consecutive time, there were no requests on the big screen for us to pick up the Scream! Yay! It was a fantastic - service - powerful, emotional, thought provoking - and it was just so great to be back in church.
After that we tidied up the house, as we had Kate and her family over for dinner. They showed up about 3, and the girls were ELECTRIC. They have 3 kids - all blonde, teeny, and cute as buttons - and it was a wonderful 4+ hours of laughs, good food, and relaxation. K was absolutely in Heaven - she was running around with those girls all over the place. No concerns about exercise yesterday! :-) And we really got on well with Cheryl and Wayne. They seem like wonderful, down to earth people, and it was great to just share travel stories and experiences with them. I am very thankful that K and Kate are friends, as this will enable us to become better friends with her parents. It's funny how your social circle changes with kids, but so far we've been really blessed on that front (same with our new church peeps).
The weather was amazing (noticeably cooler than Saturday), and we got to sit on the deck for hours and just relax. It has been SO GREAT using the grill, sitting outside, and just taking it all in. This weekend made me especially thankful that someone else is managing the lawn, and I could just sit and enjoy it. Money well spent!
My side note for Cora - that girl isn't teething yet, but even I am going to go public and say that I think it's close. She is CONSTANTLY shoving her bib in her mouth and chewing it for all that it's worth. Too funny! I mean, it's hard to know where the spit up stops and the slobber starts. I love that little howler monkey.
The other thing I should mention is that she's basically back to just 8 or so hours of sleep during the night. She didn't nap well at all today in the morning (was awake the entire time at church), but she did get a 3.5 hour nap in the afternoon while the McLaren's were here. I'm actually typing this on May 1st, and I can confirm she gave us 10 hours last night. Hopefully we can get that good train going again!
So there you have it - an EPIC April in the books. I am now back to work and feel very much in the rhythm. We're still trying to work out the morning schedule, but I think it's safe to say that things will likely just be a bit fluid as we roll into the summer. The good news is that, if there is ever a time I can be flexible, it's summer, so that's good. I did have goals/aspirations of being totally caught up on blogging, letters to people, house to-do's, etc by April 30, but I guess there's nothing wrong with making those goals all due at the end of May, right? :-)
Chat with you in a month!
Love,
Sam and Jenny
One other thing to note - adenoid removal can cause stinky breath, and I think it's arrived for K. It's nothing earth shattering, but even after 3 brushing sessions today (which she is getting VERY good at doing on her own, for the record), I still noticed that her breath smelled a bit. It doesn't last long, but the good news is that so far she does seem to be a text book case (and today was MUCH better with pain - she didn't complain once, and we only administered it twice).
4/19 - So I am doing the happy dance - we didn't give Kaitlyn any meds last night! We didn't give her anything today either, so I think we're officially out of the woods and off the medication. That is great, as we basically went through an entire bottle of ibuprofen, which is a lot of pain reliever to give to a 4 year old.
Cora was a little tough today, as she really struggled to feed. Also, I felt a bit out of sorts because I didn't get to hold her until 8 PM that night (largely due to work). The funny part - I had been holding her for about 30 seconds when she dropped a MONSTER STEAMER. I mean, we are talking hide the women and children. And for the record - I had forgotten how much formula poops stink. WOW! Oh, and did I mention that she puked on me? Good times...
In terms of adjusting to life with work now in the picture, I think I've got a decent rhythm with K. So far I've been able to have lunch with her, and usually I come down about 4:15-4:30 so we can play cards (Go Pup) or run around a bit. I am supporting Europe as well as North America, and the early starts give me some flexibility in the schedule. I do not, however, have a great routine with Cora yet. I think I'm going to have to focus more on the evening/last feed of the night, as realistically that's the only time I won't have other responsibilities and can truly focus on her. More to come on this, as I do want to get it sorted.
One interesting K note - tonight while reading she asked me to move the book closer to her, saying that she couldn't see the picture. When I pulled it a little closer, she said she still couldn't see it. In fact, it wasn't until it was right in front of her face that she said she could see it. This concerned me, as I was afraid she really might have a problem. I asked myself - is that why she's a bit timid at times? Because she can't see everything in front of her? Or is that why she runs into everything. Since then I have shown her stuff from a distance, and she seems to see it fine. Consequently (and adding in the fact that her teachers have never mentioned anything), I think she's fine. However, we likely will get her eyes checked this year - no reason not to since we've hit the deductible! :-)
So an interesting trend - Cora has been waking up in the middle of the night for the last couple of nights. The timing has been a bit all over the shop, but normally it's around 3:15-3:45. JT has been an absolute ROCK STAR and has gotten up every time - sometimes with both children! The gout and my cold have brought me low, and all I can say is THANK THE GOOD LORD I have such an amazing wife who can burn the candle at both ends. We're not sure about Cora, but hopefully this is just a growth spurt or something. We think it has to be, as she is KILLING food right now.
Also - I think I mentioned earlier that JT was starting to get really upset about her pumping, especially since her output basically halved for no apparent reason. Well, I am thrilled to report that she's now in much better spirits about the whole thing. She's made peace with the fact that she likely won't pump much longer, but her attitude has completely shifted. Now it's about getting as much out as possible, realizing that anything is better than nothing. Instead of working feverishly to keep pace with demand, it's now about supplementing the formula and giving Cora whatever JT is able to provide. JT certainly seems happier, and I am so thankful that she is. She works so hard at everything (especially this - WOWSERS), and I hate to see her beating herself up over something she truly can't control - especially when you look at everything she's done to maintain supply (heating pads, lactation cookies, lactation tea, squeezing her breasts, actually milking herself - not kidding there - into the bottle, pumping in the car, trying wheat beers, trying the power pumping approach, hot showers before pumping. I could go on and on, but you get it).
The last thing to note - after more than 100 years, Grandmother Taylor passed away today. My dad called at 4:40 to tell me "Your grandmother has gone to sleep." She passed in her sleep about 3:45, at which point she was reunited in Heaven with her husband of 63 years, all of her brothers and sisters, her parents, grandparents, and most importantly her Lord Jesus Christ. The funeral was set for Saturday, and so we decided to get up early Saturday morning and make the drive.
4/20 - So today K played with Eli and Tessa, the children of JT's friend Liz. They were at the house and seemed to have a good time. Her funny quote of the day was asking when we were going to get a dog! Um, in the month of NEVER! That's what the grandparents are for!
And speaking of the grandparents, Jenny talked some sense into me and helped me to realize that getting the kids up early and driving to GMT's funeral on Saturday wasn't practical. Consequently, we decided to leave on Friday. This was great news, as K was quite upset that she was going to see Vol Nana but wasn't going to get to sleep in her room (we were going to stay with Dad so we could see the family more). The conversation between JT and K must have been cute. As it was recounted to me:
JT: "We are going to spend 2 nights in TN now."
K: "Why?"
JT: "Because Grandmother Taylor went to Heaven."
K: "You mean she died?"
After JT confirming that and explaining how, K raised both hands to the sky and looked up, saying: "You mean she's up there in Heaven?" Cute. Good job FH kids - you are training this girl right. :-)
On the Cora front, she's definitely crying less. That might be formula vs. breast milk, but no matter what we'll take it! The interesting thing - she is not sleeping as long at night. In fact, she's only giving us 9 or so hours vs. 11 previous (I know, I know - we shouldn't complain!). We also have had to switch back to 5 feeds a day because she's just not taking as much currently.
4/21 - K made an interesting statement today: ""Mommy, Kate has two siblings. So does Sam. I want another sister." Cute. :-) We drove to TN after work today, arriving at mom's about 6:30. Originally we hadn't planned to do that, but I am SO GLAD Jenny suggested it. The girls were pretty good in the car (honestly - they almost always are at this point), and the evening was pretty easy. Also, Vol Nana and Pooh had rejiggered the sleeping arrangements, which meant Cora was no longer in our room. That was WAY better, and I am so thankful for it (we did sleep pretty good).
4/22 - So Cora woke up this day at 3:45 again. She is totally out of rhythm, and we're just not sure what to do. Additionally, when she does get up in the morning (and really all day), she's just not eating. Feeding her is a real struggle (lack of desire to feed, knocking the bottle away, etc), and I must confess I am getting frustrated and not handling it well.
And totally unrelated - have I ever mentioned that instead of saying, "Spread out my blanket," K always says "Unspread my blanket?" I mean, that's pretty cute. I corrected her for the longest time, but I've given up now and am just embracing the cuteness.
So today was a big day - we said farewell to Grandmother Taylor. It was a blessing for her to pass away, as she is now with her Heavenly Father and the man she called husband for 63 years. She can see again, has a strong body, and is at peace. Sure there were some tears (dad delivered the eulogy, and it was pretty emotional), but honestly - it was a blessed day, a celebration of LIFE! I mean, talk about living it to the fullest!
We left K and Cora with my mom, which definitely helped - especially since it was 3 hours of receiving friends, then the drive to graveside, and then some time at the house on Needmore (not sure when I'll be back there). After that it was over to Dad's, where we ate a good meal before sacking out early. The one hitch in the giddy-up was that not everyone had a bed when we got there, and we had to scramble to put the air mattress down for K. She did NOT want to sleep there (she wanted to be in her room, which had been promised to her), and she went into full on MELTDOWN. I think having to say goodbye to Vol Nana probably didn't help...anyhoo, she actually ended up watching a movie and sleeping with Alice, which was fine in the end.
There is obviously a lot I could say about this day - the emotion, the memories, the thoughts about everything, but this isn't the forum. Instead let me just say that Cora Pattie Taylor was one of THE ABSOLUTE FINEST PEOPLE I have ever known, and I want to ensure I raise Cora right so that her namesake can be the same city on a hill that GMT was for so many people. We love you, Grandmother. Go rest high.
The day in photos:
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| Mom watched the girls - she was a life saver. |
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| Granddaddy giving the eulogy - he was amazing as always. So proud of him. |
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| Chris and I singing Amazing Grace. |
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| Go rest high on that mountain. Your work on earth is done. |
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| Dinner that night - exhaustion but smiles. |
4/23 - A general comment: K is TOUGH right now. She's whining constantly (and we are talking instantly reverting to that voice), running into EVERYTHING in sight, and then acting like EVERY injury is the worst thing that's ever happened to her. I hear "my tummy is hurting" a lot, and when I'm doing conditioner in the bath, she often complains that she's in exquisite pain (which I know she isn't because I pull harder on days she's occupied and hear nothing). She is covering her ears constantly and saying that things are too loud (we're talking even a toilet flushing). Now granted, that could simply be that the world really IS louder now and she's just adjusting, but it's pretty much constant.
I do fear I was a bit too harsh on her today, as she wanted JT to bathe her vs. me. That request is NEVER made, which suggests to me that I probably focused a little too much on discipline and not enough on love and fun. I know some of her behavior was due to exhaustion from the night before (she didn't get in bed until 10:30-11), and she was out of sorts with all the travel (TN for a weekend is a LOT - especially for kids who don't really know what's going on). She did sleep like a rock in the car. She's actually LOVING her booster, as she can lay her head on her pillow and sack out. It's been crazy to have both girls passed out in the back at the same time - that's a sign we are keeping them busy!
We have been making good use of the Frozen karaoke CD, and it is AMAZING how much K has already learned! We were doing the Anna/Elsa scene in her bedroom the other night, and she actually corrected me when I said the wrong words! She really is singing extended bits of all the songs. Kids really are sponges at this age.
On the Cora front, she's really starting to coo now, and I am loving it. I am even loving how she punches me in the face when I pick her up. She actually does a cute little thing with her right arm where she almost hugs you when you are burping/holding/carrying her - it's pretty cute. The salient point is that I do think I'm starting to bond with her more, and that is a GREAT feeling. Vol Nana said that she really started to bond with her over the weekend while she watched her.
4/24 - So today was a big day - Cora's 4 month appointment! It went really, really great. She was really calm the entire time (which shocked us since we woke her up in the middle of a nap!). She was 30% in height, 20% in weight, and 20% in Head Circumference. So while she's petite, the doctor was fine with that, as she was proportional. It was also a great sense check on her feed schedule (28-32 oz per day is the target), sleep schedule (Doc said she was doing great), and poop schedule (she said breast milk babies sometimes just go once a week, whereas formula babies don't need everything in the formula and tend to get more regular - must closer to daily). She was bang on for all her milestones, and so the next step is getting her sitting up and introducing solid foods!
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| Brave girl after shots! |
She got 3 vaccine shots and 1 oral vaccine today, but she was a rock star. Obviously when the first stick went in she started crying, and she turned red and sucked in air NON-STOP for the next 2 injections. But after the first couple of screams, she was totally fine. And the band-aids (Daffy Duck) on her legs were just too cute! Side notes from today - in the last 2-3 days, I think Cora and I have really bonded. She is smiling and getting more interactive, and that is drawing me in. It's a great feeling, as I can feel that recognition in her. I am talking to her more, and she's giving me smiles much more often. Also, she really is crying less at this point, which has made a HUGE difference. I am very thankful there, not to mention that the reflux seems largely gone (the Peds was good with our stopping the medicine). Cora is a little stuffy, and checking on her just now while napping I noticed that she's trying to breathe through her nose but just can't, so she's having to open her mouth (I think it just woke her up).
Other note - I had a long day today. I am actually doing the work of 5 people (that's not an exaggeration - 3 people left, 1 spot didn't get filled, and I have returned to my day job), and I have concerns that it could turn me into a "weekend dad," even with working from home. Obviously it's something I'll have to monitor, and I'm conscious it's early and I'm just getting stuff set up. However, today I definitely didn't feel that I was with my children much. that being said, I had 2+ hours in the evening, the hour for Cora's appointment, and saw them in the morning, so I can't really complain.
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| Bumpers! |
Last little bits as I wrap the evening: I used the Nose Frida on Cora for the first time ever! The poor little girl was having so much trouble eating because her nose was stuffed up, and I pulled out a TON of stuff. Also, K and I often do the "Elsa freezes Anna's heart" scene after her bath, but tonight she actually sang the words AND corrected me when I said the wrong things! Impressive! She and Kate actually sang the songs together on the ride back from preschool. Apparently K was trying to explain who was who, but Kate kept saying, "I know." :-)
Oh, and when JT and I both put K to bed, she is loving "double kisses." This is basically where we each attack a cheek and tickle her at the same time in bed. She LOVES it and just cackles. And I love the smile on her face, so I am always willing to keep doing it. :-)
4/25 - today was FLAT OUT!!! It felt like the fam was running from one spot to the other, but it was really good. First off, K had her dentist appointment, where everything looked great! They even gave K her first fluoride polish. K is taking more of an interest in brushing her own teeth now - perhaps the firefly toothbrushes have helped (thanks, Nole Nana!). In addition, she even skipped the "kid flavors" for her toothpaste selection and went with mint (like Mommy and Daddy). Good stuff!
JT and K then went like a shot from the dentist to the ENT, where K was fitted for her first ever pair of ear plugs. They are silicon plugs, and the thought is that they will prevent water from entering the ear and blowing out the tubes. Given what we just paid to put them in, I think that's a GREAT investment. :-) It was then over to NOMAD, where we FINALLY, FINALLY, FINALLY picked up K's personalized swim cap. Family, this has been a JOURNEY, as we ordered that cap in October with the expectation that it would be a Christmas present! (they told us delivery time was 2 weeks). But hey - it's all good as we now have them, and K looks cute as a button. :-)
4/25 - So not quite on the day, but we did knock out the 4 month pics today. Check out this little cutie in action. She's growing up so quickly!!!
Also - JT pumped for what we think might be the last time today! We'll see if she can stay pain free, but given how little she's getting out, we just feel like it makes sense. And I will give Jenny a TON of credit - she's been GREAT about it. She is being very positive and thinking about all the other things she can do now that she's no longer the single source of sustenance, and I am really proud of the way she's handled it. I LOVE YOU, WIFE MUFFIN!!!!!
My other concern - the first thing they did was dive and get rings off the bottom of the cold pool. While that is AWESOME and an amazing new milestone for K, that also is DEFINITELY deep enough to cause a pressure change that could blow out the tubes. K has an appointment tomorrow (her 4 year), and I am PRAYING those puppies are still in. Honestly, the thought of a) another one of those surgeries and b) PAYING for another one of those surgeries does NOT excite me.
4/27 - So JT actually did have to pump a bit today, but I can confirm (as I am typing this 4 days later) that it was, in fact, her last pump! BIG MILESTONE FOR WIFE MUFFIN!!! And yes, sports fans - she is totally at peace.
Today was a big day for another reason - it was K's 4 year well visit!!! I am pleased to report that she got a GREAT report across the board, and most importantly - the tubes are still in! WHEW! :-)Everything looked really good. She recorded as tall for her age (no surprise), but they didn't give us percentages this time. She had an ear test (which she rocked) and an eye test (which she CRUSHED - read the bottom line, thank you very much!), and she was even a super brave girl when they gave her 2 shots! It's funny - she was actually more afraid of the pain of taking the bandaid off (they stayed on 3 days before I mandated they come off - and this is INCLUDING BATHS DURING THIS WINDOW) than the shot - too cute. JT said she was super brave (they hit Chik-fil-a to celebrate).
One thing they did confirm we need to watch is her sugar intake, and so we are going to monitor that rather aggressively. But the good news - she is super active and looks super healthy, which obviously makes us very happy. And the other thing that was hilarious - they gave us a sheet about "things your 4 year old likely does," and it was CLASSIC. THAT KID IS A TEXTBOOK CASE OF ADOLESCENCE. Seriously - from "asking why" to "crashing into things" to "starting to be social" to "not quite ready to share generously" to a million other topics, it was pretty amazing to see how well documented (and constant) the behavior is at this age. Crazy!4/28 - Today was a good day as well. Tait and Beth came over, and we grilled at our house. The classic moment came when I was warming up the grill. It normally does smoke a bit, and JT asked me about it at first. I said it was nothing, but when K asked, "Daddy why is the grill smoking so much?" and I looked over to see black smoke, I become a little more concerned. This was the point at which Tait said, "Yeah, your grill's on fire." Good times. But the happy ending - we still grilled that night, and the grill is now SUPER clean - just in time for summer. :-)
4/28 - One scary note today - JT was babysitting a friend's kid, and while they were over late in the afternoon (her mom was here at this point), she fell down the stairs from about halfway up. I didn't see (or hear) it, but JT said that it was really, really scary and that the poor little gal (Tessa) hit her head on the hardwood. Luckily everyone is ok - PRAISE JESUS!
4/29 - So today was a GREAT day, and Team Taylor definitely made their 36 hours with the Cooper-Robinson express count. JT and I were up fairly early, but luckily Tait and Beth were able to snooze until about 9. JT logged 8 miles (BEAST MODE!), and after showers and cups of coffee, we started the day at Toast. K was really pretty good, and Cora even cooperated for a lot of the time at Toast (she really didn't fuss much at all but rather just took in the world).
We had to take 2 cars everywhere, but it worked out really good. Tait, Beth, and K rode with me (K liked riding the in the back with Beth, and I LOVED having someone to help buckle her in), while JT had the Scream. We rolled from brekkie back home and then to the National Whitewater center, where we had a really good (but SUPER HOT) afternoon walking around. We all walked as a family for a bit, and then JT took Cora to a pavilion to feed (it was her best feed of the day - 7 oz) while I pushed K around in the stroller. There were dogs EVERYWHERE, so Kaitlyn was in Heaven. It was actually a BIG day, as she FINALLY had the courage to walk up to people and politely ask, "May I please pet your puppy?" Of course everyone said yes, and it was really cute to watch her in action. The first couple of times it was always, "Daddy, will you come with me?", but when I took the hard line and said no, she did get out of her comfort zone and make it happen. Proud of you, kid!
But not only that - there were other firsts this weekend. K opened the car door by herself (and swung it wide into Jenny's door, but I was able to buff it out). She also brushed her hair COMPLETELY by herself (and did a really good job). She even rattled off the five senses by herself and is starting to demonstrate an understanding of the concept of time - AMAZING!
We hit Publix in the afternoon (I have a great pic of K between Beth and Tait - all holding pinkies - in the parking lot) before rolling back home, where we got changed before dinner at Hawthorne's and then a special treat - HOMEMADE ICE CREAM!!!!!!!!! We did cherry vanilla, and it was SOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOD (peppy cheekies). We went to bed that night fat, happy, and EXHAUSTED!
4/30 - So today was a GREAT day all around. JT and I were up at 5 (Cora was up for a feed, so JT was on duty - I was running with Tait), and the day was flat out. After a 10K and dropping Tait and Beth at the airport, we rolled to church as a family. I am happy to report that, for the third consecutive time, there were no requests on the big screen for us to pick up the Scream! Yay! It was a fantastic - service - powerful, emotional, thought provoking - and it was just so great to be back in church. 
After that we tidied up the house, as we had Kate and her family over for dinner. They showed up about 3, and the girls were ELECTRIC. They have 3 kids - all blonde, teeny, and cute as buttons - and it was a wonderful 4+ hours of laughs, good food, and relaxation. K was absolutely in Heaven - she was running around with those girls all over the place. No concerns about exercise yesterday! :-) And we really got on well with Cheryl and Wayne. They seem like wonderful, down to earth people, and it was great to just share travel stories and experiences with them. I am very thankful that K and Kate are friends, as this will enable us to become better friends with her parents. It's funny how your social circle changes with kids, but so far we've been really blessed on that front (same with our new church peeps). The weather was amazing (noticeably cooler than Saturday), and we got to sit on the deck for hours and just relax. It has been SO GREAT using the grill, sitting outside, and just taking it all in. This weekend made me especially thankful that someone else is managing the lawn, and I could just sit and enjoy it. Money well spent!
My side note for Cora - that girl isn't teething yet, but even I am going to go public and say that I think it's close. She is CONSTANTLY shoving her bib in her mouth and chewing it for all that it's worth. Too funny! I mean, it's hard to know where the spit up stops and the slobber starts. I love that little howler monkey.
The other thing I should mention is that she's basically back to just 8 or so hours of sleep during the night. She didn't nap well at all today in the morning (was awake the entire time at church), but she did get a 3.5 hour nap in the afternoon while the McLaren's were here. I'm actually typing this on May 1st, and I can confirm she gave us 10 hours last night. Hopefully we can get that good train going again!So there you have it - an EPIC April in the books. I am now back to work and feel very much in the rhythm. We're still trying to work out the morning schedule, but I think it's safe to say that things will likely just be a bit fluid as we roll into the summer. The good news is that, if there is ever a time I can be flexible, it's summer, so that's good. I did have goals/aspirations of being totally caught up on blogging, letters to people, house to-do's, etc by April 30, but I guess there's nothing wrong with making those goals all due at the end of May, right? :-)
Chat with you in a month!
Love,
Sam and Jenny
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