Age of Lady Kaitlyn: 4 years, 1 month and 20 days (as of 31 May)
Age of Lady Cora: 5 months, 9 days (as of May 31)
Family,
And a good evening to you from the Queen City, where another amazing month is in the books. Let's
get amongst it, shall we?
 |
| I'm sure it's more comfortable than it looks. |
5/1 - So today started really sweet. I was downstairs at about 6:45 when K came running down. Normally, the first thing she wants to do is watch her show, but today she just curled up right in my lap and put her head on my chest - it was SO SWEET! I was absolutely in HEAVEN - I could have sat there for hours. I probably got a good 10 min of cuddles - you won't get a complaint out of me!
The day was good on all fronts, and K loved the fact that Kate got to come over and play for a couple of hours. Apparently they were wrecking balls (AND took a yogurt pop without permission - did I mention some yogurt ended up on the walls...), but they had fun. Cora was actually on a GREAT schedule today. The cadence where we put her down before we start K's evening ritual is GREAT, as both JT and I get to tuck her in. We can't always make that happen (yet anyway), but I really hope we can get to that some time soon.
Also, let me give MAD PROPS to JT for the way she's helping Cora work on sitting up right now. Obviously Cor Cor is more than a little wobbly at present, but there have been a few moments where she has REALLY sat up straight! We apparently need her sitting in the high chair and taking 6 spoonfuls of solids by 6 months, so we're wasting no time strengthening those back muscles. Way to go, JT!
5/2 - K had her follow-up ENT appointment today, and I'm thrilled to report that all looks FANTASTIC! The fluid is gone, the pain is gone, and the tubes are in - all is great! He's requested a follow-up in 6 months time, but by all accounts we're cooking with gas now. Yay!
And on the Cora cuteness front, she's starting to giggle now. JT is really good at making it happen, and I've even managed it a few times. The key is to get right up to her cheek and kiss her softly going "mamamamamamammama." She loves it. She also seems to love my strange voices and accents, although speaking to her only in Spanish during a feed the other night did NOT seem to win her over.
5/3 - Cora was up at 4 AM! The reality is that this girl is only going to give us 8 hours of sleep at night, so it looks like we just need to get used to it. And it's funny, because we've tried multiple ways to make her sleep longer. However, the reality is that, unlike K, she is just going to max out at 8 hours between feeds at the moment. While that's not ideal, the good news is that a) she's still sleeping soundly at night for those 8 hours and b) we get up that early anyway, so it's all good.
One thing we will say - Cora definitely seems to be taking formula better than JT's milk (frozen) at this point. It's odd, but the formula absolutely seems to cause less irritation (even if it does make her poop more). That being said, she has been spitting up a TON lately, and we just can't seem to crack the code. We've tried 4x feeds daily, 5x feeds daily, a mixture of breast and formula - you name it - but we just can't seem to make it subside. That is strange given that we were definitely better a week or two ago. However, as long as she's still gaining weight, not fussing, and sleeping at night, I reckon we can't really complain and shouldn't worry (be anxious for nothing :-)).
But the other thing - Cora will chew her bibs and sleep sack with RECKLESS ABANDON. If she doesn't have a bottle in her mouth, she is chewing on something. It's nuts (and TOTALLY different from K). She will just consume her nasty, puke soaked bib for an hour after a feed, and then she'll just eat her sleep sack when you put her down. We are going to have to invest in svelt body suits! But the good news - she has no interest or desire in the pacifier when she lays down. It won't stay in her mouth at all, and she doesn't even seem interested. I view that as a win. She's also babbling all the time - really high pitched. It's super cute! We have some good video. :-)
On the K front, she had a swim lesson today, and it went MUCH better. However, while she was great about wearing the ear plugs, she had NO DESIRE to wear the swim cap. Not sure if it's too tight, makes the world too quiet, or she just doesn't like it, but she was NOT interested. We obviously didn't push it. Add it to the list of things we've purchased that did NOT go over as expected. :-)
I will say that K doesn't seem as enthused about swimming lessons these days. Her instructor is taking a break over the summer, so we're going to just keep the Branden lessons at Emmi's pool and not double up on it. After all, she can swim, dive, and float, and we want her to enjoy it. Plus she's going to get a TON of pool time this summer, so I hopeful she won't regress.
Oh, and the K cuteness factor is high right now while playing Go Pup. When she asks for a card and we don't have it, she yells, "Ah, Man!" before drawing her card. It's hilarious.
5/5 - So it was another good day for Team Taylor, and the weekend kicked off with a bang when Granny A and Granddaddy rolled in about 7 PM. We were actually ready to take K up for the evening, but once those two rolled in, we scratched that idea and actually let K stay up an additional 2 hours! But it was great, as she was ALL ABOUT Granny A. Honestly - when that child has grandparents around, JT and I pretty much disappear. Alice had plenty of crafts (and even a few presents to hand), and so K was ALL about it.
5/6 - This was a FULL DAY! JT and I were both up at 5 AM. JT was running 9 miles (and she CRUSHED IT - WAY TO GO MUFFIN PUFFIN!), and I was up feeding the Scream. Not sure why
Cor Cor decided 5 AM was a good time to rise and shine, but hey - we're pretty much on that schedule anyway. Actually, JT has done some research on this, and apparently Cora needs 13-14 hours of sleep total during the day. Since she's been taking longer naps, she's only sleeping 8 hours or so at night (odd that food doesn't really have that much to do with it in her case, which is made doubly odd by the amount she spits up - especially at night). The update on this one is that JT has started shortening her naps, and it INSTANTLY increased the evening session. The last 2 nights (it's 5/9 as I type this) have seen 10+ hours. BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE! Way to go, Wife Muffin! K has been sleeping great as well, so we've definitely been in a good rhythm over the past few days.
JT had prepped Pastor Penny's breakfast casserole the night before, so we tucked into that properly in the morning before heading to the ball field. JT went to a friend's memorial service, so Dad drove K while I had Screamus with me. I was hobbling (not sure what's wrong with my left foot), so the walk down the hill with the bags and the stroller was a little challenging. So was feeding Cora on the concrete under an awning since there was no shade. But hey - we had a blast, and most importantly - WE GOT TO SEE PATTIE PITCH!!! She threw it great and really fought hard. They lost, but I was SO proud of her.
Cora was really pretty good. For the longest stretch, she just sat on my lap and watched the game. I had covered her in a Muslin blanket since we can't yet put sunscreen on her, and she was really pretty chill (we pulled out a hat later, and she was absolutely adorable). K was a bit fussy, but on the whole she handled the day pretty well for a kid forced to be at the ballpark for 4.5 hours. :-)
After the game, we rolled over to 26 acre, where Jill, Neal, and their kids were there already. My buddy Matt showed up as well, and we all just hung out with the fam while we knocked a few back and watched the 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby. It was a great day, which we then capped off by grilling at home. Everyone was EXHAUSTED - the whole house was asleep by 10!
5/7 - We were up at 7 on this day, which was INSANE because I haven't slept that long in donkey's years. Cora (who didn't sleep at ALL the day before) slept 11 hours. We ultimately had to wake her up because we needed to get her in rhythm for church. JT left at 8:15 to serve at church, and I left about 8:40 with Cora because I was attending the 9 AM. Dad, Alice, and Kaitlyn rolled over to IHOP, where K must have CRUSHED her meal (who saw that coming...) - that girl LOVES that place! Can't say I disagree!
We rolled over to UNCC for the last game in the series, which ultimately was a loss and the last game of the season for the Blue Raiders. It was a bit emotional, as Pattie also officially graduated on Saturday - CONGRATS, SIS!!! Game Day and Graduation Day at the same time - pretty awesome, and not many folks get to say that. I got teary eyed watching her pitch, and I got a little emotional watching them take the final team photo in the outfield before they got back on the bus. Luckily a lot of her best friends are back next season, and I'm definitely looking forward to getting to as many games as I can.
They headed out about 2:30 or so, and on a whim (the weather was just amazing) JT and I took the kids to OMB. The outside area was just fantastic - live music, kids everywhere, fenced in, lots of dogs - and we had a good time (Mark and C-Web even came out for a bit!). K had a great time with the puppies, and bringing a lot Go Pup was a win, as K was excited to play with me. There were a ton of kids there, and she wanted to play with them. Unfortunately, however, they were older, and the end result was that she pretty much ended up just following them around a lot of the time (although they did play tag and chase for a bit). At one point K rocked up and told us that she peed her pants, and JT was a saint who went and changed her outfit. When I took K to the bathroom later, she said, "Daddy, those girls told me not to follow them, but I want to follow them." I tried to explain that, if someone says not to join them, you have to be polite and respect that, but that just ripped my heart out. She did find some younger kids later, and they were able to chase bubbles together (JT and I brought bubble wands), but it was just tough to hear that and watch her tagging along with those kids, so eager to play and participate. Luckily she often has friends her age around and at pre-school obviously, so it's a non-issue. That was just tough to watch.
Another thing eating at me at the moment - I feel I've been a good help around the house, a good organizer of activities, and honestly pretty good at helping with Cora. However, aside from meal time and bath time, I don't feel like I've had a ton of time with Kaitlyn lately. Work has been busy from 8-5, and by the time I come downstairs, it's time for K's show while we make dinner. We get good time while she's eating all the way until bed, and I do get to see her periodically throughout the day. However, it tears me up inside when she asks, "Daddy, can you play with me?", and I have to repeatedly say no, as I'm either running to a call or have work to do. And yes, I realize that's how the rest of the world operates - you do your job during the day and then try to pack it in at night. But it's just been tough, as I've not even had time to take 15 minutes with them during the day to just play a hand of cards, eat lunch, or run around and play monster. And in addition, I feel like K's been on the verge of tears every time she's been around me lately. I am trying to go super easy on her while at the same time enforcing our rules (which are not bad at all), but I just feel like she's ready to burst out crying anytime I correct her (which I have had to do some lately, because she's been trying to play Jenny and I off each other).
5/9 - JT and the girls hit story time at Meck today, where K of course got to see Kate. Not a lot else to report on this day, but I am happy to note that we finally got some new episodes of Sofia the First on the DVR. :-)
5/10 - Today was Muffins for Mom at Pre-school. I wasn't there, but I heard JT and K had fun. I actually heard that K LOVED it, as she ate all of her muffin plus some of JT's (shocking... :-)).
5/11 - So an interesting thing to note today - K's imagination continues to expand. In the bath she is telling better and better stories, and this evening's story was about a mommy and daddy duck who had to rescue their baby duck after he fell over a waterfall. The stories are getting more involved, which is neat to watch.
Another interesting tidbit - K is asking more about death and Heaven over the last few days. I'm not sure if she's having her "Spring and Fall to a Young Child" moment (props to Mrs. Ware for teaching me that one), but today she asked Jenny a bit more about Heaven and where you go after you die. She even asked if we were all going to die at the same time (fingers crossed that one doesn't happen!). As a side note - tonight while playing (I'm writing this on 5/16), she was playing in the living room and announced, "Dada, the parents have died but all the children are still here. And that's ok - they know what to do." As I type this now I can't help but think - I hope that truly is the case when the time comes. If so, I am a lucky father and have done something right (and praise to Jesus for seeing us through the good times, the bad times, and everything in between).
Last note on K - today Jenny innocently mentioned that pre-school was almost over for the year and that summer camps were soon to kick off. This seemed to hit K like a bolt from the blue, and she started asking questions. When Jenny explained that she would have a new teacher and new classmates next year, she almost started crying! Her first statement was: "You mean I'll have a new teacher?" Her next statement was the heart of the matter: "Will I be in the same class as Kate?" Only time will tell, but we really, REALLY hope they are together...the good news is that K did recover, but she is very emotional at the moment, and so I definitely want to work hard to keep play dates on her calendar over the summer.
On the Cora front, we are finally getting consistent smiles!!!! It's so cute - she will now smile when I smile. LOVE IT! She enjoys peep-eye - that is something that will really make her smile, as she enjoys the interaction and the game. Once again I must say how amazed I am that Cora has largely been a textbook baby, which is the complete opposite of Kaitlyn (K was NEVER really impressed with peep-eye). Cora is also reaching and gripping things (including my face and chest hair) with some serious force, and she is transferring objects from hand to hand (but ultimately always into her mouth).
It really is amazing to watch Cora and how much she likes to chew on things. She's still not teething yet, but she INSTANTLY puts whatever she can find into her mouth. Her sleep sack is usually soaked after her naps because she's chewed the bloody thing until falling asleep. But still no thumb, and the girl is DEFINITELY not a fan of the paci in the crib (which we really like). I am thinking she might skip the thumb entirely (which would be wonderful, as we are nowhere NEAR breaking K from the habit).
5/12 - a scary moment today: I was in my office working when I looked out the window and saw K running full speed toward the street! I flew down the stairs and got down there in time to see her touch the stop sign before turning around. Upon further investigation, the "boy neighbors" were playing "the relay game" and told her to run there. Obviously we talked to K about it that night, and her first response: "Dada, how did you know I ran to the street?" I'm everywhere, Fokker. :-)
The neighbors have actually been coming over almost daily lately. It's usually about 4-4:30, and Kaelyn walks up and rings the doorbell...six hundred times. :-) And while I do think they are using K a bit for all her toys (and the fact that her Cozy Coupe still has the key), I also think K and Kaelyn get along well. The rough-housing has actually been good for her, and Kaelyn's mother even commented on how much K has come out of her shell. It has been good for us as well, as we've had to learn to let her play a bit on her own outside without us (although we'll definitely be looking on the window more for the next little bit!). I just wish they'd play in the (fenced in) back yard. Perhaps I'd better look for some more fun stuff to play with out there. :-)
And fast forwarding to 5/14 - JT did tell the boys (and their mother) about the street incident to ensure that it didn't happen again.
5/13 - So this was a GREAT day, as we rolled over to the Rivera house for a cookout with the Rivera's and the Williams clan. Ry was there, so K was of course in Heaven. She was a cute little shadow, and Ry was great with her. They dressed up together, played baseball together, played in the sandpit together, and K ate like a champ at dinner! The big news of the evening - K got her first ever shiner! It was one of those "who's kid is that crying" moments, but we knew instantly it was ours.
Sure enough, JT went up the stairs to find K screaming with her left eye swelling. Apparently the kids had been playing with a nerf gun when it accidentally went off, with the little nerf arrow pegging K in the face at close range. She did scream (and it definitely swelled), but she got some more food out of the deal PLUS a bag of ice to put on her face, so truth be told she quite enjoyed the attention after the shock wore off. All told, she was really pretty brave about the whole thing.
One thing to note right now - K is asking ENDLESS WHY QUESTIONS. It's nuts, but overnight she has started asking "Why" about everything (just like the textbooks said she would - nuts). She wants to be part of every conversation, look at anything we open (including all of Cora's poops), and ask us to repeat anything that Jenny or I have said to one another (you can expect some follow-on questions after that. Add in her reluctance to accept any direction, initial refusal to do what is asked of her, and her tenancy to ask you to repeat everything 3-4 times, and you have a dad who is slowly getting a bit frustrated. I really hope I'm not being to rough or controlling on her, but I am having trouble dealing with the tone and the endless barrage of questions. I know I must resolve to do better, and I think I start strong every morning. It's really during the stall tactics around bath time that I find patience wearing thing. But as Pastor Penny said on Mother's Day - Pressure is a Privilege. You feel this pressure because you know your children are priceless, and you want to do what's right by them.
5/14 - Happy Mother's Day!!!! This was a really, really great day. Cora was up at 5, but I was reasonably awake and so I fed her. JT laid back down at 5:30 and then slept until 9:20! K slept in as well, which actually gave me some good prayer time and Bible time.
Cora likely has a little virus, as she's had 5 poops in 24 hours. But hey - we are still getting smiles, and we're even starting to get giggles now!
The day was great, starting with a terrific service at church (but K lost it and started bawling when I dropped her off - no idea why). We got some cute pics as a family and even did the horse ride (K enjoyed that because she got to ride with Ry) before rolling over to lunch at Three Amigos. We then went home for some cards on the porch. K played some with us before playing with Kaelyn and the boy neighbors. :-)
5/15 - Another note about K: right now she is saying "watch this" to everything, and I mean EVERYTHING. We are talking jumping onto the couch, pounding on the table, rolling on the bed - you name it. :-) Also, she doesn't like it when Jenny and I start laughing and she doesn't know why. She gets really agitated and asks why we're laughing, which usually only makes us laugh harder (as often it's something she's done or said).
As for poor Cora, she is pooping constantly right now - we are talking after every single feed (at least once). Her poor little bum and vagina are NEON red, and wiping her is like navigating a mine field. She's actually been pretty strong and pretty brave, but that perfect little frown has been quite active. The poop itself ranges from quite stringy (think mucus) to complete water, and the net result is that she's not sleeping through the night despite getting a TON of formula (she's still spitting up quite a bit, so she's losing so many calories from both ends at the moment). We thought some of it could be from teething (apparently babies swallow more saliva during that period), but Dr. K ruled that out. It's tough to watch, as she's clearly in pain and not sleeping, as evidenced by the red bags under her eyes (which she's constantly rubbing). She looked particularly rough today - that porcelain skin and those red bags made her appear absolutely vampiric.
5/16 - So we got up with Cora again last night (1:30-3:15), and this morning we took her to the Peds. They think it likely is a virus, so there's nothing really we can do. One thing we are trying - soy based formula (they gave us some samples). The smell is flat toxic, but we're hoping this helps some. The jury is out (and we don't think she loves the taste), but she did take a bottle with me earlier and is almost done with the last feed of the night, so fingers crossed.
But the good news for Cora - she found her feet today! She hasn't wedged them in her mouth yet, but she definitely knows they are there! Oh, and speaking of things in mouth, we have now realized that Cora is using her sleep sack AS HER PACIFIER at nap and bed. I mean, it's DISGUSTING. Seriously - every time that we take her out of the crib, the front of it is SOAKED.
On the Kaitlyn front, she visited her old preschool today! Apparently she and Jenny (and Cora) were quite the hit, and she got to both play with them and enjoy snack time. Jenny even read a few books to the kids! K really seemed to enjoy it. She played with mimi (her best friend from her time there), and they seemed to really enjoy themselves. I only saw a bit of that on a video from JT, but it's really great to see her with friends at her age that she enjoys playing with (and really seems to be engaging with). The smile on her face as she walked across the video screen was one for the ages.
Other note - I read "The Paper Dolls" to K tonight. That story BREAKS ME UP EVERY TIME I READ IT. Seriously - I get teary-eyed every time the little dolls sail into the girl's memory and then there is the page where the girl grows up - I can never finish it full volume and just have to whisper the last words through tears. I love my girls! Man, they are growing up fast.
5/17 - K did a free dance class tonight with Emmi and Claire. She must have had fun, but it was tough to pull out of her what they learned. We finally confirmed that a) there were 3 Disney songs played, b) they did dance, and c) they did NOT dance Hip Hop ("Dada, what is hip hop?"). She did show off first position and "sa-shay" across the foyer, and she was thrilled that we were impressed. It was cute.
Also, today was the end of school year blowout - BUBBLEPALOOZA. K must have had a blast (said that she ONLY played with Kate), and she did confirm that there were LOTS of bubbles. Her job today was flag holder. As I type that, it occurs to me that I've not done a good job of recording her roles and responsibilities this past semester. She's been song leader, prayer leader, weather, snack helper, name tag helper, calendar, line leader, and caboose as well. I really give UCUMC for teaching these kids that everyone has a role in the classroom and society and that they have a responsibility to do it to the best of their ability. I am super impressed and really hope that next year's ensemble is this good.
5/18 - K and JT hit the park today to play with Theresa and Taylie, and they apparently had a blast.
They then rolled over to the Dermatologist, where both of them received a glowing report. They noted 2 moles on K's head and looked her over, but they weren't worried about anything. They did look at her wart and told us that we did need to treat it with over the counter medicine, as catching it now will keep it from spreading (and making the recovery time longer) as she gets older. It's not ideal, but hey - it needs to be done.
Also, K had 2 great quotes tonight:
1. (while in the bath) "Dada, will my eyes be closed when I die?" (Um, WHAT?) My answer: "Probably. Most of us go in our sleep, so your eyes will likely be closed."
2. (before bed) "I'm gonna knock you down you know, my little chubby cheeks." (I mean...what does that even MEAN?) She had just finished knocking Jenny down while trying to hug her, but chubby cheeks? Come on...talk about kicking a guy while he's down after just returning to running...
5/19 - So I am officially calling it: Cora is army crawling!!! I mean, it's not a thing of beauty, and it's so subtle that you almost don't realize it, but that girl is now covering some ground! Between a mixture of rolling and pushing, she can get off the play mat fairly quickly - sometimes with the end result of her head going THUMP against the hard wood (but sometimes she'll stop to chew on the beams above the play mat - yummy...). The reality is that I know I'll have to start baby proofing this house pretty soon - my girls are growing up!
And a big win for K today - she actually started playing on her balance bike by herself! JT adjusted the seat height, and that seems to have made a huge difference (plus she's 5 months stronger now). K did a GREAT job of balancing going down the hill - I was quite excited. The evening finished a bit rough, as she tripped on the scepter of light and stubbed her toe (it ended up hurting the next 3+ days). But all in all, it was a great night. We even got K in bed at 6:43 because we had company coming (Mike and Julie).
5/20 - so today started with a HUGE win: Cora slept 8 hours for the first time in a week! The little thing has just been in so much pain with her stomach bug. She's basically pooped 8 times a day, and her little bum and vagina have been so red they have almost glowed (and have been borderline scabbed over). The sickness ended up taking about a week to work its way through. Throughout the whole thing, she only had a fever (very low grade) once, and she really wasn't very fussy once we started using wet paper towels instead of wet wipes. However, she was always in pain during feeding. She would always start out eating so strong, but after about an ounce or two, you'd hear the gurgling in her tummy and know that she was about to be in pain. There was a lot of grunting and gas, but she powered through!
Minus the sickness, it's been a real treat watching Cora play with (and eat) her toys. It's such a change, as K never really played with ANY of the infant toys we got her. Cora, however, loves the soft blocks, the tag blanket, and especially Sophie the giraffe (she inhales that thing). Also, she's really starting to sit up GREAT! I have been amazed at how quickly that's progressed. And while we can't just plop her down in the floor on her own yet, she is definitely gaining control and able to sit up longer.
Today was a big day for another reason - it was Cora's first trip to the pool! Again, in another big contrast, Cora actually seemed to enjoy the little infant float (she was covered from head to toe as well since we still can't put sunscreen on her). I took K earlier so we could swim (we were there over 2 hours!), and she and I had a really good time - especially when JT arrived with her noodle. K wanted me to throw her over and over, and that was a hoot - even if one of her ear plugs fell out! The good news is that we found it, and we also learned that her Hello Kitty goggles are not terribly conducive to playing rough in the pool (they are just too loose). However, she had fun all the same.
There is no question that she's regressed on the swimming front, but I have made peace with it. As Jenny said - we have absolutely NO concerns with her around water, even if she's just more treading water and otter swimming at this point. I have to remember that it was never about turning her into an aqua devil - it was about water safety and enjoying swimming. And with that lens on it, she definitely seemed to have fun. Her endurance is clearly down as well, but I know that's something that will come back. We just have to stay in the pool this summer and really work on it. Even if her stroke work isn't great, I do want her to be able to play and go hard for increasingly long periods of time.
So something to note (and it's appropriate as it's happening now) - I fear I need to be very careful about getting so caught up blogging about life that I don't actually stop and live the life I'm describing. Case in point - in this last hour that Cora is awake, I'm sitting here feverishly trying to get caught up on the blog (Because I find I start to obsess about it when I don't make updates for a few days). This is not a point I want to belabor, as I do feel I'm very involved in my kids' lives. However, I do want to make a point of finding other time to write vs. this narrow window I have with C dawg.
5/21 - today was a great day all around. K went into FH kids without tears, and JT actually worked in Cora's room! She was apparently a screamer (which is odd because she must NEVER scream when other folks look after her), but all went well. We headed over to Sean's in the afternoon, where K had a BLAST swimming in the pool, splashing in the hot tub, eating great food, and petting their 2 dogs. We ended up crashing there that night, and K loved it because she had "her own room" (they have a guest apartment). It was wonderful to swim with K and just chill with friends - much needed given how crazy the weeks have been.
5/22 - Guess who turned 5 months today!!!! WHA, WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!!
5/23 - So luckily Cora slept 11 hours each weekend night, but Monday that girl was up at 2:40 in the morning! I was already up, so I fed her (got back down about 4:25 after a little Father time). We're not sure if it's a) catching up from the sickness, b) a growth spurt, or c) just one of those things, but needless to say it set us up to be TIRED all week. But hey - we've still managed to get some exercise in, so all isn't lost. :-)
5/24 - Cora put her feet in her mouth for the first time today! She sucked on that toe for a bit in the rock 'n play while we were reading to K.
And speaking of K, today was an emotional one for us - the end of this year's pre-school. And while I know that we've got a full year left, it was still tough ending what has been such a wonderful experience. K met her first real friend in that classroom. K made so many wonderful memories. She was SO much happier there than PPC, and she absolutely loved her teachers. I know this is part of the inexorable march of time, but MAN - my girls are growing up fast. Add in that I don't like to see them sad (K has been emotional about summer coming and not seeing Kate as much), and it was just a tough day.
I was a little blue as well given that I feel I've been working a lot lately, which has meant less time with the family. That means less time to support JT, play with the girls, and help around the house. Also, K is definitely in a mommy phase right now, and tonight I realized that, after such a long run, I am reeling a bit from that. Lately K has wanted mommy to bathe her (something that used to belong exclusively to me), and I have become more of the second parent. Now don't get me wrong - I LOVE that she wants to hang out with JT, and I get the added perk of getting some focused time with Cora (who is really starting to come into her own with laughter, smiles, and an inquisitive spirit). It's just the cumulative weight of everything has weighed on me a bit. That is why I am SO excited about this beach trip - this will provide some much needed family time.
Some Edisto Highlights (see below for the actual recap - I ran out of space!):
5/26 - So today was an AWESOME day, as Team Taylor packed it up and headed to the Beach! I worked a half day, and we dot on the road about 12:30 or so. The destination was Edisto Island, and we rolled really good (including a stop at Chik-fil-A, of course. Cora slept about 2 hours, and K was an angel on the drive down (it's amazing how good she's been driving with Cora beside her. Her favorite game is to look at the infant carrier and ask, "Dada, do you think her eyes are open or closed?" Too sweet).
We got down there about 5:30 or so, and it was pretty much electric from the moment we arrived. K took to Sam (now 7!) immediately and NEVER wanted to be more than six inches from her side. Seriously - it is NUTS how she attaches to and is fascinated by older girls. She would have swam the English Channel if Sam had jumped in from Dover - NOT KIDDING. Seriously - all weekend she would only eat what Sam was eating (and would eat it even though she would never touch the stuff under normal circumstances), would only go where Sam went, would only play what Sam played, and at one point she only wanted to set her shoes where Sam put her shoes! :-) All that being said, they had an AMAZING time. Sam was great playing with her (and really did enjoy having another girl around), and they had tons of laughs and good times. The first couple of hours was the "warming up" period, but after that the 4 of them got along like a house on fire. It was truly, truly amazing. Rice said it at one point when he said, "It's pretty amazing that our kids are all in the same bedroom in their laughing." No doubt.
Parenting point - at first I was concerned about K's fixation with Sam. Not so much because I was worried about her desire to run with someone older, but more because I was worried that Sam would get annoyed. The good news is that didn't seem to be the case. They played cards, swam in the water, and Sam was the MASTER at getting K's hair into a ponytail or pigtails! K will barely let us brush her hair, but she let Sam work on her forever - it was too cute!
That night was pretty chill - we got in, ate some good food, and set up our respective rooms (we were in the loft with Cora, who slept like a CHAMPION the entire time - WAY TO GO, KID!). The Rice kids were very intrigued by Cora, especially Henry, who was ALL ABOUT patting her head (and they did get to hold her some). We did step down to the pond to feed the turtles (there were TONS!). I didn't stray too far from K's side, as there are gators in those ponds, and I was on high alert.
The highlight - at 9 PM, the Rice clan is watching Harry Potter (K had never seen it before - was mesmerized), and Rice walks into the living room with a bowl of popcorn and M&M's. The kids were in Heaven, and K - who had NEVER seen anything like that - was a kid in a candy store (quite literally). She was tearing through that food like it was her JOB! I mean, this girl is going to LOVE vacation with the Rice's. :-) We didn't get the kids down until 11 PM that night! Talk about starting with a bang!
5/27 - This day was another great one, starting with a nice run around the island (including a bit with Rice) before packing up and heading to the ocean. Cora was still napping, so I stayed behind while JT went ahead with K and the girls. I rolled up about an hour later, and I walked onto the beach to find JT and K walking back from the bathroom. When Jenny said, "Did Johnny tell you anything," I knew something was up. JT looked a little rattled (think me in a class 4 in Thailand), and she said that, while swimming with K, a big wave had come and PUMMELED them. K lost her goggles, JT lost her Maui Jim's, and both of them went under. JT apparently had K in a vice grip the entire time (so she was safe), but needless to say it rattled them quite a bit. Plus all the shells scratched them up pretty good, with the net result being that K was NOT super thrilled about going back in the water.
The rip tide currents were a LOT stronger than I expected, but luckily the Rice clan had extra puddle jumpers. I then went down to the water with K (after feeding Cora), and, while starting out rough, things did get better. The current was strong, and truth be told I think K had as much fun playing on the sand and making castles with the kids (the cutest moment was when Sam wrote "I love Kaitlyn" in the sand). Sam is also calling her TT, which is just too cute.
The kids came back for a nap, and then the evening was filled with burgers and Harry Potter. We got the kids down about 9:30 this night - THEY WERE EXHAUSTED! But they did continue with Harry Potter (it was a marathon weekend of it). K learned who Lord Voldemort was (from Sam of course), and she also learned about "the boy in the glasses." Too cute when she looked at me and said, "Dada, is the boy in the glasses a nice boy?" Oh, and there is this video where it keeps saying, "Snape, Snape, Severus Snap" as well as a few other characters. The kids LOVED watching it, and they have even sent videos to each other of them singing it since then. They are bonding! Good memories, and the start of a good tradition in the making... :-)
5/28 - Today was another great one, and this time things went MUCH better in the ocean. :-) The waves were calmer, and K and I spent a lot of good time playing in the water. I would cheer anytime she rode over a wave, and I would laugh anytime we got splashed in the face. She seemed to have a blast (especially when Sam was there), and she would often say, "I'm getting the hang of it, dada!" We were at the beach a lot longer this day, and it really was fun. On Friday, my mind had trouble getting off work. On Saturday, I think I was still in scramble mode AND arrived at the beach with 2 of my ladies rattled and another starving. On this day, however, I truly felt relaxed and comfortable. It was a perfect, happy day with fantastic weather, and I really took it all in. I had good bonding time with all my ladies, had a few good beers, had a lot of solid water time, and then even got to the pool for an hour (I took Sam and K - they were cute together). Dinner that night was pizza, and we all actually settled down at a reasonable hour.
5/29 - We headed out this day, and K was pretty good until all the Rice kids packed up for the Beach. There were some tears shed, but some of that I know was pure exhaustion (those 4 had been in the same room together for 3 days sleeping - which they LOVED). The drive was long due to a) holiday traffic and b) some accidents, and what should have been a 4-5 hour drive ended up taking 7. I will say, however, that K and Cora were both absolutely FANTASTIC through the entire thing, so in the
round I have to say that I was happy it was civil.
On the whole, the trip was just fantastic. We had tons of laughs, really did feel like we got away, and most importantly - started to cement some memories with "the cousins." I think of Johnny as a brother, and to think about where we are after 4 decades of friendship is just incredible. The kids really got along great - they played well together, talked and communicated together, watched movies, played cards (especially Go Pup and Old Maid), and really enjoyed their time. Every morning featured a pack of chocolate donuts for all the kids, so K was IN HEAVEN. They really are bonding, and that is just incredible to watch. I want to see that continue, just as I want to see K continue to bond with Malin and McKinley (the same is true with James, of course). Our families are small, but I want them to be tight and connected.
5/30 - So Cora has started giggling! She really responds when you tickle her belly (her ribs), and she finds it hilarious when you nuzzle her cheeks. Her personality has really blossomed out of nowhere, and she is crying SO MUCH LESS now. Honestly, that is an absolute miracle, as the personality we're starting to see (now that the pain and discomfort has subsided) is really super cute. She is very curious, very strong, and ALL ABOUT eating everything that's in her path. Truth, the playmat can no longer hold her, as she is a rolling, army crawling, moving machine! JT and I both realize that we simply HAVE to buy a bigger play mat, but we also have to baby proof the house again. Cora is much more mobile than K was at this stage, and I have to keep reminding myself that I can't really take my eyes off her at this point. Cora no longer loves the chair (she bounces that thing like a Jack Russell Terrier), as she is keen to get out and move. And luckily she's now spitting up much less and keeping food down, which means she can have more mat time. That thing will soon outlive its usefulness, but MAN was it a life saver.
5/31 - we closed the month with K's best swim lesson in a long time. She had fun, really worked her strokes, and closed her NOMAD lessons for the summer on a high note. Proud of you, kid!
Okay, that's all the news that's fit to print. Chat next month!
Love,
Sam
Also, let me give MAD PROPS to JT for the way she's helping Cora work on sitting up right now. Obviously Cor Cor is more than a little wobbly at present, but there have been a few moments where she has REALLY sat up straight! We apparently need her sitting in the high chair and taking 6 spoonfuls of solids by 6 months, so we're wasting no time strengthening those back muscles. Way to go, JT!
 |
| Mobile pool party!!!! |
5/2 - K had her follow-up ENT appointment today, and I'm thrilled to report that all looks FANTASTIC! The fluid is gone, the pain is gone, and the tubes are in - all is great! He's requested a follow-up in 6 months time, but by all accounts we're cooking with gas now. Yay!
And on the Cora cuteness front, she's starting to giggle now. JT is really good at making it happen, and I've even managed it a few times. The key is to get right up to her cheek and kiss her softly going "mamamamamamammama." She loves it. She also seems to love my strange voices and accents, although speaking to her only in Spanish during a feed the other night did NOT seem to win her over.
5/3 - Cora was up at 4 AM! The reality is that this girl is only going to give us 8 hours of sleep at night, so it looks like we just need to get used to it. And it's funny, because we've tried multiple ways to make her sleep longer. However, the reality is that, unlike K, she is just going to max out at 8 hours between feeds at the moment. While that's not ideal, the good news is that a) she's still sleeping soundly at night for those 8 hours and b) we get up that early anyway, so it's all good.
 |
| I mean, chocolate ice cream doesn't make itself. |
But the other thing - Cora will chew her bibs and sleep sack with RECKLESS ABANDON. If she doesn't have a bottle in her mouth, she is chewing on something. It's nuts (and TOTALLY different from K). She will just consume her nasty, puke soaked bib for an hour after a feed, and then she'll just eat her sleep sack when you put her down. We are going to have to invest in svelt body suits! But the good news - she has no interest or desire in the pacifier when she lays down. It won't stay in her mouth at all, and she doesn't even seem interested. I view that as a win. She's also babbling all the time - really high pitched. It's super cute! We have some good video. :-) |
| Absolutely NO idea what's going on here. |
I will say that K doesn't seem as enthused about swimming lessons these days. Her instructor is taking a break over the summer, so we're going to just keep the Branden lessons at Emmi's pool and not double up on it. After all, she can swim, dive, and float, and we want her to enjoy it. Plus she's going to get a TON of pool time this summer, so I hopeful she won't regress.
 |
| Never to young to mix your first batch of margaritas for Cinco de Mayo. |
5/5 - So it was another good day for Team Taylor, and the weekend kicked off with a bang when Granny A and Granddaddy rolled in about 7 PM. We were actually ready to take K up for the evening, but once those two rolled in, we scratched that idea and actually let K stay up an additional 2 hours! But it was great, as she was ALL ABOUT Granny A. Honestly - when that child has grandparents around, JT and I pretty much disappear. Alice had plenty of crafts (and even a few presents to hand), and so K was ALL about it.
5/6 - This was a FULL DAY! JT and I were both up at 5 AM. JT was running 9 miles (and she CRUSHED IT - WAY TO GO MUFFIN PUFFIN!), and I was up feeding the Scream. Not sure why
Cor Cor decided 5 AM was a good time to rise and shine, but hey - we're pretty much on that schedule anyway. Actually, JT has done some research on this, and apparently Cora needs 13-14 hours of sleep total during the day. Since she's been taking longer naps, she's only sleeping 8 hours or so at night (odd that food doesn't really have that much to do with it in her case, which is made doubly odd by the amount she spits up - especially at night). The update on this one is that JT has started shortening her naps, and it INSTANTLY increased the evening session. The last 2 nights (it's 5/9 as I type this) have seen 10+ hours. BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE! Way to go, Wife Muffin! K has been sleeping great as well, so we've definitely been in a good rhythm over the past few days.
JT had prepped Pastor Penny's breakfast casserole the night before, so we tucked into that properly in the morning before heading to the ball field. JT went to a friend's memorial service, so Dad drove K while I had Screamus with me. I was hobbling (not sure what's wrong with my left foot), so the walk down the hill with the bags and the stroller was a little challenging. So was feeding Cora on the concrete under an awning since there was no shade. But hey - we had a blast, and most importantly - WE GOT TO SEE PATTIE PITCH!!! She threw it great and really fought hard. They lost, but I was SO proud of her. Cora was really pretty good. For the longest stretch, she just sat on my lap and watched the game. I had covered her in a Muslin blanket since we can't yet put sunscreen on her, and she was really pretty chill (we pulled out a hat later, and she was absolutely adorable). K was a bit fussy, but on the whole she handled the day pretty well for a kid forced to be at the ballpark for 4.5 hours. :-)
After the game, we rolled over to 26 acre, where Jill, Neal, and their kids were there already. My buddy Matt showed up as well, and we all just hung out with the fam while we knocked a few back and watched the 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby. It was a great day, which we then capped off by grilling at home. Everyone was EXHAUSTED - the whole house was asleep by 10! 
5/7 - We were up at 7 on this day, which was INSANE because I haven't slept that long in donkey's years. Cora (who didn't sleep at ALL the day before) slept 11 hours. We ultimately had to wake her up because we needed to get her in rhythm for church. JT left at 8:15 to serve at church, and I left about 8:40 with Cora because I was attending the 9 AM. Dad, Alice, and Kaitlyn rolled over to IHOP, where K must have CRUSHED her meal (who saw that coming...) - that girl LOVES that place! Can't say I disagree! 
We rolled over to UNCC for the last game in the series, which ultimately was a loss and the last game of the season for the Blue Raiders. It was a bit emotional, as Pattie also officially graduated on Saturday - CONGRATS, SIS!!! Game Day and Graduation Day at the same time - pretty awesome, and not many folks get to say that. I got teary eyed watching her pitch, and I got a little emotional watching them take the final team photo in the outfield before they got back on the bus. Luckily a lot of her best friends are back next season, and I'm definitely looking forward to getting to as many games as I can. 
They headed out about 2:30 or so, and on a whim (the weather was just amazing) JT and I took the kids to OMB. The outside area was just fantastic - live music, kids everywhere, fenced in, lots of dogs - and we had a good time (Mark and C-Web even came out for a bit!). K had a great time with the puppies, and bringing a lot Go Pup was a win, as K was excited to play with me. There were a ton of kids there, and she wanted to play with them. Unfortunately, however, they were older, and the end result was that she pretty much ended up just following them around a lot of the time (although they did play tag and chase for a bit). At one point K rocked up and told us that she peed her pants, and JT was a saint who went and changed her outfit. When I took K to the bathroom later, she said, "Daddy, those girls told me not to follow them, but I want to follow them." I tried to explain that, if someone says not to join them, you have to be polite and respect that, but that just ripped my heart out. She did find some younger kids later, and they were able to chase bubbles together (JT and I brought bubble wands), but it was just tough to hear that and watch her tagging along with those kids, so eager to play and participate. Luckily she often has friends her age around and at pre-school obviously, so it's a non-issue. That was just tough to watch.
Another thing eating at me at the moment - I feel I've been a good help around the house, a good organizer of activities, and honestly pretty good at helping with Cora. However, aside from meal time and bath time, I don't feel like I've had a ton of time with Kaitlyn lately. Work has been busy from 8-5, and by the time I come downstairs, it's time for K's show while we make dinner. We get good time while she's eating all the way until bed, and I do get to see her periodically throughout the day. However, it tears me up inside when she asks, "Daddy, can you play with me?", and I have to repeatedly say no, as I'm either running to a call or have work to do. And yes, I realize that's how the rest of the world operates - you do your job during the day and then try to pack it in at night. But it's just been tough, as I've not even had time to take 15 minutes with them during the day to just play a hand of cards, eat lunch, or run around and play monster. And in addition, I feel like K's been on the verge of tears every time she's been around me lately. I am trying to go super easy on her while at the same time enforcing our rules (which are not bad at all), but I just feel like she's ready to burst out crying anytime I correct her (which I have had to do some lately, because she's been trying to play Jenny and I off each other).
5/9 - JT and the girls hit story time at Meck today, where K of course got to see Kate. Not a lot else to report on this day, but I am happy to note that we finally got some new episodes of Sofia the First on the DVR. :-)
5/11 - So an interesting thing to note today - K's imagination continues to expand. In the bath she is telling better and better stories, and this evening's story was about a mommy and daddy duck who had to rescue their baby duck after he fell over a waterfall. The stories are getting more involved, which is neat to watch.
Another interesting tidbit - K is asking more about death and Heaven over the last few days. I'm not sure if she's having her "Spring and Fall to a Young Child" moment (props to Mrs. Ware for teaching me that one), but today she asked Jenny a bit more about Heaven and where you go after you die. She even asked if we were all going to die at the same time (fingers crossed that one doesn't happen!). As a side note - tonight while playing (I'm writing this on 5/16), she was playing in the living room and announced, "Dada, the parents have died but all the children are still here. And that's ok - they know what to do." As I type this now I can't help but think - I hope that truly is the case when the time comes. If so, I am a lucky father and have done something right (and praise to Jesus for seeing us through the good times, the bad times, and everything in between).
On the Cora front, we are finally getting consistent smiles!!!! It's so cute - she will now smile when I smile. LOVE IT! She enjoys peep-eye - that is something that will really make her smile, as she enjoys the interaction and the game. Once again I must say how amazed I am that Cora has largely been a textbook baby, which is the complete opposite of Kaitlyn (K was NEVER really impressed with peep-eye). Cora is also reaching and gripping things (including my face and chest hair) with some serious force, and she is transferring objects from hand to hand (but ultimately always into her mouth).
 |
| Look out, Nikki Manoj... |
It really is amazing to watch Cora and how much she likes to chew on things. She's still not teething yet, but she INSTANTLY puts whatever she can find into her mouth. Her sleep sack is usually soaked after her naps because she's chewed the bloody thing until falling asleep. But still no thumb, and the girl is DEFINITELY not a fan of the paci in the crib (which we really like). I am thinking she might skip the thumb entirely (which would be wonderful, as we are nowhere NEAR breaking K from the habit).5/12 - a scary moment today: I was in my office working when I looked out the window and saw K running full speed toward the street! I flew down the stairs and got down there in time to see her touch the stop sign before turning around. Upon further investigation, the "boy neighbors" were playing "the relay game" and told her to run there. Obviously we talked to K about it that night, and her first response: "Dada, how did you know I ran to the street?" I'm everywhere, Fokker. :-)
The neighbors have actually been coming over almost daily lately. It's usually about 4-4:30, and Kaelyn walks up and rings the doorbell...six hundred times. :-) And while I do think they are using K a bit for all her toys (and the fact that her Cozy Coupe still has the key), I also think K and Kaelyn get along well. The rough-housing has actually been good for her, and Kaelyn's mother even commented on how much K has come out of her shell. It has been good for us as well, as we've had to learn to let her play a bit on her own outside without us (although we'll definitely be looking on the window more for the next little bit!). I just wish they'd play in the (fenced in) back yard. Perhaps I'd better look for some more fun stuff to play with out there. :-)
And fast forwarding to 5/14 - JT did tell the boys (and their mother) about the street incident to ensure that it didn't happen again.
5/13 - So this was a GREAT day, as we rolled over to the Rivera house for a cookout with the Rivera's and the Williams clan. Ry was there, so K was of course in Heaven. She was a cute little shadow, and Ry was great with her. They dressed up together, played baseball together, played in the sandpit together, and K ate like a champ at dinner! The big news of the evening - K got her first ever shiner! It was one of those "who's kid is that crying" moments, but we knew instantly it was ours. Sure enough, JT went up the stairs to find K screaming with her left eye swelling. Apparently the kids had been playing with a nerf gun when it accidentally went off, with the little nerf arrow pegging K in the face at close range. She did scream (and it definitely swelled), but she got some more food out of the deal PLUS a bag of ice to put on her face, so truth be told she quite enjoyed the attention after the shock wore off. All told, she was really pretty brave about the whole thing.
One thing to note right now - K is asking ENDLESS WHY QUESTIONS. It's nuts, but overnight she has started asking "Why" about everything (just like the textbooks said she would - nuts). She wants to be part of every conversation, look at anything we open (including all of Cora's poops), and ask us to repeat anything that Jenny or I have said to one another (you can expect some follow-on questions after that. Add in her reluctance to accept any direction, initial refusal to do what is asked of her, and her tenancy to ask you to repeat everything 3-4 times, and you have a dad who is slowly getting a bit frustrated. I really hope I'm not being to rough or controlling on her, but I am having trouble dealing with the tone and the endless barrage of questions. I know I must resolve to do better, and I think I start strong every morning. It's really during the stall tactics around bath time that I find patience wearing thing. But as Pastor Penny said on Mother's Day - Pressure is a Privilege. You feel this pressure because you know your children are priceless, and you want to do what's right by them.
Cora likely has a little virus, as she's had 5 poops in 24 hours. But hey - we are still getting smiles, and we're even starting to get giggles now!
The day was great, starting with a terrific service at church (but K lost it and started bawling when I dropped her off - no idea why). We got some cute pics as a family and even did the horse ride (K enjoyed that because she got to ride with Ry) before rolling over to lunch at Three Amigos. We then went home for some cards on the porch. K played some with us before playing with Kaelyn and the boy neighbors. :-)
5/15 - Another note about K: right now she is saying "watch this" to everything, and I mean EVERYTHING. We are talking jumping onto the couch, pounding on the table, rolling on the bed - you name it. :-) Also, she doesn't like it when Jenny and I start laughing and she doesn't know why. She gets really agitated and asks why we're laughing, which usually only makes us laugh harder (as often it's something she's done or said).
As for poor Cora, she is pooping constantly right now - we are talking after every single feed (at least once). Her poor little bum and vagina are NEON red, and wiping her is like navigating a mine field. She's actually been pretty strong and pretty brave, but that perfect little frown has been quite active. The poop itself ranges from quite stringy (think mucus) to complete water, and the net result is that she's not sleeping through the night despite getting a TON of formula (she's still spitting up quite a bit, so she's losing so many calories from both ends at the moment). We thought some of it could be from teething (apparently babies swallow more saliva during that period), but Dr. K ruled that out. It's tough to watch, as she's clearly in pain and not sleeping, as evidenced by the red bags under her eyes (which she's constantly rubbing). She looked particularly rough today - that porcelain skin and those red bags made her appear absolutely vampiric. 
5/16 - So we got up with Cora again last night (1:30-3:15), and this morning we took her to the Peds. They think it likely is a virus, so there's nothing really we can do. One thing we are trying - soy based formula (they gave us some samples). The smell is flat toxic, but we're hoping this helps some. The jury is out (and we don't think she loves the taste), but she did take a bottle with me earlier and is almost done with the last feed of the night, so fingers crossed.
But the good news for Cora - she found her feet today! She hasn't wedged them in her mouth yet, but she definitely knows they are there! Oh, and speaking of things in mouth, we have now realized that Cora is using her sleep sack AS HER PACIFIER at nap and bed. I mean, it's DISGUSTING. Seriously - every time that we take her out of the crib, the front of it is SOAKED. 
On the Kaitlyn front, she visited her old preschool today! Apparently she and Jenny (and Cora) were quite the hit, and she got to both play with them and enjoy snack time. Jenny even read a few books to the kids! K really seemed to enjoy it. She played with mimi (her best friend from her time there), and they seemed to really enjoy themselves. I only saw a bit of that on a video from JT, but it's really great to see her with friends at her age that she enjoys playing with (and really seems to be engaging with). The smile on her face as she walked across the video screen was one for the ages.
Other note - I read "The Paper Dolls" to K tonight. That story BREAKS ME UP EVERY TIME I READ IT. Seriously - I get teary-eyed every time the little dolls sail into the girl's memory and then there is the page where the girl grows up - I can never finish it full volume and just have to whisper the last words through tears. I love my girls! Man, they are growing up fast. 5/17 - K did a free dance class tonight with Emmi and Claire. She must have had fun, but it was tough to pull out of her what they learned. We finally confirmed that a) there were 3 Disney songs played, b) they did dance, and c) they did NOT dance Hip Hop ("Dada, what is hip hop?"). She did show off first position and "sa-shay" across the foyer, and she was thrilled that we were impressed. It was cute.
Also, today was the end of school year blowout - BUBBLEPALOOZA. K must have had a blast (said that she ONLY played with Kate), and she did confirm that there were LOTS of bubbles. Her job today was flag holder. As I type that, it occurs to me that I've not done a good job of recording her roles and responsibilities this past semester. She's been song leader, prayer leader, weather, snack helper, name tag helper, calendar, line leader, and caboose as well. I really give UCUMC for teaching these kids that everyone has a role in the classroom and society and that they have a responsibility to do it to the best of their ability. I am super impressed and really hope that next year's ensemble is this good.
5/18 - K and JT hit the park today to play with Theresa and Taylie, and they apparently had a blast.
Also, K had 2 great quotes tonight:
1. (while in the bath) "Dada, will my eyes be closed when I die?" (Um, WHAT?) My answer: "Probably. Most of us go in our sleep, so your eyes will likely be closed."
2. (before bed) "I'm gonna knock you down you know, my little chubby cheeks." (I mean...what does that even MEAN?) She had just finished knocking Jenny down while trying to hug her, but chubby cheeks? Come on...talk about kicking a guy while he's down after just returning to running...
5/19 - So I am officially calling it: Cora is army crawling!!! I mean, it's not a thing of beauty, and it's so subtle that you almost don't realize it, but that girl is now covering some ground! Between a mixture of rolling and pushing, she can get off the play mat fairly quickly - sometimes with the end result of her head going THUMP against the hard wood (but sometimes she'll stop to chew on the beams above the play mat - yummy...). The reality is that I know I'll have to start baby proofing this house pretty soon - my girls are growing up!
And a big win for K today - she actually started playing on her balance bike by herself! JT adjusted the seat height, and that seems to have made a huge difference (plus she's 5 months stronger now). K did a GREAT job of balancing going down the hill - I was quite excited. The evening finished a bit rough, as she tripped on the scepter of light and stubbed her toe (it ended up hurting the next 3+ days). But all in all, it was a great night. We even got K in bed at 6:43 because we had company coming (Mike and Julie).
5/20 - so today started with a HUGE win: Cora slept 8 hours for the first time in a week! The little thing has just been in so much pain with her stomach bug. She's basically pooped 8 times a day, and her little bum and vagina have been so red they have almost glowed (and have been borderline scabbed over). The sickness ended up taking about a week to work its way through. Throughout the whole thing, she only had a fever (very low grade) once, and she really wasn't very fussy once we started using wet paper towels instead of wet wipes. However, she was always in pain during feeding. She would always start out eating so strong, but after about an ounce or two, you'd hear the gurgling in her tummy and know that she was about to be in pain. There was a lot of grunting and gas, but she powered through!
Minus the sickness, it's been a real treat watching Cora play with (and eat) her toys. It's such a change, as K never really played with ANY of the infant toys we got her. Cora, however, loves the soft blocks, the tag blanket, and especially Sophie the giraffe (she inhales that thing). Also, she's really starting to sit up GREAT! I have been amazed at how quickly that's progressed. And while we can't just plop her down in the floor on her own yet, she is definitely gaining control and able to sit up longer.Today was a big day for another reason - it was Cora's first trip to the pool! Again, in another big contrast, Cora actually seemed to enjoy the little infant float (she was covered from head to toe as well since we still can't put sunscreen on her). I took K earlier so we could swim (we were there over 2 hours!), and she and I had a really good time - especially when JT arrived with her noodle. K wanted me to throw her over and over, and that was a hoot - even if one of her ear plugs fell out! The good news is that we found it, and we also learned that her Hello Kitty goggles are not terribly conducive to playing rough in the pool (they are just too loose). However, she had fun all the same.
There is no question that she's regressed on the swimming front, but I have made peace with it. As Jenny said - we have absolutely NO concerns with her around water, even if she's just more treading water and otter swimming at this point. I have to remember that it was never about turning her into an aqua devil - it was about water safety and enjoying swimming. And with that lens on it, she definitely seemed to have fun. Her endurance is clearly down as well, but I know that's something that will come back. We just have to stay in the pool this summer and really work on it. Even if her stroke work isn't great, I do want her to be able to play and go hard for increasingly long periods of time.
 |
| Her thought: What is this DONKEY TRASH YOU ARE TRYING TO FEED ME. |
5/21 - today was a great day all around. K went into FH kids without tears, and JT actually worked in Cora's room! She was apparently a screamer (which is odd because she must NEVER scream when other folks look after her), but all went well. We headed over to Sean's in the afternoon, where K had a BLAST swimming in the pool, splashing in the hot tub, eating great food, and petting their 2 dogs. We ended up crashing there that night, and K loved it because she had "her own room" (they have a guest apartment). It was wonderful to swim with K and just chill with friends - much needed given how crazy the weeks have been.
5/22 - Guess who turned 5 months today!!!! WHA, WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!!
5/23 - So luckily Cora slept 11 hours each weekend night, but Monday that girl was up at 2:40 in the morning! I was already up, so I fed her (got back down about 4:25 after a little Father time). We're not sure if it's a) catching up from the sickness, b) a growth spurt, or c) just one of those things, but needless to say it set us up to be TIRED all week. But hey - we've still managed to get some exercise in, so all isn't lost. :-)
5/24 - Cora put her feet in her mouth for the first time today! She sucked on that toe for a bit in the rock 'n play while we were reading to K.And speaking of K, today was an emotional one for us - the end of this year's pre-school. And while I know that we've got a full year left, it was still tough ending what has been such a wonderful experience. K met her first real friend in that classroom. K made so many wonderful memories. She was SO much happier there than PPC, and she absolutely loved her teachers. I know this is part of the inexorable march of time, but MAN - my girls are growing up fast. Add in that I don't like to see them sad (K has been emotional about summer coming and not seeing Kate as much), and it was just a tough day.
I was a little blue as well given that I feel I've been working a lot lately, which has meant less time with the family. That means less time to support JT, play with the girls, and help around the house. Also, K is definitely in a mommy phase right now, and tonight I realized that, after such a long run, I am reeling a bit from that. Lately K has wanted mommy to bathe her (something that used to belong exclusively to me), and I have become more of the second parent. Now don't get me wrong - I LOVE that she wants to hang out with JT, and I get the added perk of getting some focused time with Cora (who is really starting to come into her own with laughter, smiles, and an inquisitive spirit). It's just the cumulative weight of everything has weighed on me a bit. That is why I am SO excited about this beach trip - this will provide some much needed family time.Some Edisto Highlights (see below for the actual recap - I ran out of space!):
5/26 - So today was an AWESOME day, as Team Taylor packed it up and headed to the Beach! I worked a half day, and we dot on the road about 12:30 or so. The destination was Edisto Island, and we rolled really good (including a stop at Chik-fil-A, of course. Cora slept about 2 hours, and K was an angel on the drive down (it's amazing how good she's been driving with Cora beside her. Her favorite game is to look at the infant carrier and ask, "Dada, do you think her eyes are open or closed?" Too sweet). 
We got down there about 5:30 or so, and it was pretty much electric from the moment we arrived. K took to Sam (now 7!) immediately and NEVER wanted to be more than six inches from her side. Seriously - it is NUTS how she attaches to and is fascinated by older girls. She would have swam the English Channel if Sam had jumped in from Dover - NOT KIDDING. Seriously - all weekend she would only eat what Sam was eating (and would eat it even though she would never touch the stuff under normal circumstances), would only go where Sam went, would only play what Sam played, and at one point she only wanted to set her shoes where Sam put her shoes! :-) All that being said, they had an AMAZING time. Sam was great playing with her (and really did enjoy having another girl around), and they had tons of laughs and good times. The first couple of hours was the "warming up" period, but after that the 4 of them got along like a house on fire. It was truly, truly amazing. Rice said it at one point when he said, "It's pretty amazing that our kids are all in the same bedroom in their laughing." No doubt. 
Parenting point - at first I was concerned about K's fixation with Sam. Not so much because I was worried about her desire to run with someone older, but more because I was worried that Sam would get annoyed. The good news is that didn't seem to be the case. They played cards, swam in the water, and Sam was the MASTER at getting K's hair into a ponytail or pigtails! K will barely let us brush her hair, but she let Sam work on her forever - it was too cute!
That night was pretty chill - we got in, ate some good food, and set up our respective rooms (we were in the loft with Cora, who slept like a CHAMPION the entire time - WAY TO GO, KID!). The Rice kids were very intrigued by Cora, especially Henry, who was ALL ABOUT patting her head (and they did get to hold her some). We did step down to the pond to feed the turtles (there were TONS!). I didn't stray too far from K's side, as there are gators in those ponds, and I was on high alert.The highlight - at 9 PM, the Rice clan is watching Harry Potter (K had never seen it before - was mesmerized), and Rice walks into the living room with a bowl of popcorn and M&M's. The kids were in Heaven, and K - who had NEVER seen anything like that - was a kid in a candy store (quite literally). She was tearing through that food like it was her JOB! I mean, this girl is going to LOVE vacation with the Rice's. :-) We didn't get the kids down until 11 PM that night! Talk about starting with a bang!
5/27 - This day was another great one, starting with a nice run around the island (including a bit with Rice) before packing up and heading to the ocean. Cora was still napping, so I stayed behind while JT went ahead with K and the girls. I rolled up about an hour later, and I walked onto the beach to find JT and K walking back from the bathroom. When Jenny said, "Did Johnny tell you anything," I knew something was up. JT looked a little rattled (think me in a class 4 in Thailand), and she said that, while swimming with K, a big wave had come and PUMMELED them. K lost her goggles, JT lost her Maui Jim's, and both of them went under. JT apparently had K in a vice grip the entire time (so she was safe), but needless to say it rattled them quite a bit. Plus all the shells scratched them up pretty good, with the net result being that K was NOT super thrilled about going back in the water.
The rip tide currents were a LOT stronger than I expected, but luckily the Rice clan had extra puddle jumpers. I then went down to the water with K (after feeding Cora), and, while starting out rough, things did get better. The current was strong, and truth be told I think K had as much fun playing on the sand and making castles with the kids (the cutest moment was when Sam wrote "I love Kaitlyn" in the sand). Sam is also calling her TT, which is just too cute.
The kids came back for a nap, and then the evening was filled with burgers and Harry Potter. We got the kids down about 9:30 this night - THEY WERE EXHAUSTED! But they did continue with Harry Potter (it was a marathon weekend of it). K learned who Lord Voldemort was (from Sam of course), and she also learned about "the boy in the glasses." Too cute when she looked at me and said, "Dada, is the boy in the glasses a nice boy?" Oh, and there is this video where it keeps saying, "Snape, Snape, Severus Snap" as well as a few other characters. The kids LOVED watching it, and they have even sent videos to each other of them singing it since then. They are bonding! Good memories, and the start of a good tradition in the making... :-)
5/28 - Today was another great one, and this time things went MUCH better in the ocean. :-) The waves were calmer, and K and I spent a lot of good time playing in the water. I would cheer anytime she rode over a wave, and I would laugh anytime we got splashed in the face. She seemed to have a blast (especially when Sam was there), and she would often say, "I'm getting the hang of it, dada!" We were at the beach a lot longer this day, and it really was fun. On Friday, my mind had trouble getting off work. On Saturday, I think I was still in scramble mode AND arrived at the beach with 2 of my ladies rattled and another starving. On this day, however, I truly felt relaxed and comfortable. It was a perfect, happy day with fantastic weather, and I really took it all in. I had good bonding time with all my ladies, had a few good beers, had a lot of solid water time, and then even got to the pool for an hour (I took Sam and K - they were cute together). Dinner that night was pizza, and we all actually settled down at a reasonable hour. 
5/29 - We headed out this day, and K was pretty good until all the Rice kids packed up for the Beach. There were some tears shed, but some of that I know was pure exhaustion (those 4 had been in the same room together for 3 days sleeping - which they LOVED). The drive was long due to a) holiday traffic and b) some accidents, and what should have been a 4-5 hour drive ended up taking 7. I will say, however, that K and Cora were both absolutely FANTASTIC through the entire thing, so in the round I have to say that I was happy it was civil.
On the whole, the trip was just fantastic. We had tons of laughs, really did feel like we got away, and most importantly - started to cement some memories with "the cousins." I think of Johnny as a brother, and to think about where we are after 4 decades of friendship is just incredible. The kids really got along great - they played well together, talked and communicated together, watched movies, played cards (especially Go Pup and Old Maid), and really enjoyed their time. Every morning featured a pack of chocolate donuts for all the kids, so K was IN HEAVEN. They really are bonding, and that is just incredible to watch. I want to see that continue, just as I want to see K continue to bond with Malin and McKinley (the same is true with James, of course). Our families are small, but I want them to be tight and connected.
5/30 - So Cora has started giggling! She really responds when you tickle her belly (her ribs), and she finds it hilarious when you nuzzle her cheeks. Her personality has really blossomed out of nowhere, and she is crying SO MUCH LESS now. Honestly, that is an absolute miracle, as the personality we're starting to see (now that the pain and discomfort has subsided) is really super cute. She is very curious, very strong, and ALL ABOUT eating everything that's in her path. Truth, the playmat can no longer hold her, as she is a rolling, army crawling, moving machine! JT and I both realize that we simply HAVE to buy a bigger play mat, but we also have to baby proof the house again. Cora is much more mobile than K was at this stage, and I have to keep reminding myself that I can't really take my eyes off her at this point. Cora no longer loves the chair (she bounces that thing like a Jack Russell Terrier), as she is keen to get out and move. And luckily she's now spitting up much less and keeping food down, which means she can have more mat time. That thing will soon outlive its usefulness, but MAN was it a life saver.5/31 - we closed the month with K's best swim lesson in a long time. She had fun, really worked her strokes, and closed her NOMAD lessons for the summer on a high note. Proud of you, kid!
Okay, that's all the news that's fit to print. Chat next month!
Love,
Sam
No comments:
Post a Comment