Age of Lady Cora: 1 year, 17 months, and 9 days
Family,
And a good evening to you from the Queen City, where another fantastic month is in the books. Plenty to cover (as always!), so let's get amongst it, shall we?
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| When you gotta go... |
Frank said that she was a great listener and that she really followed directions well (which was important to him, he said, because that meant she was someone he could influence and direct). He also said that her bridge and cartwheel were above the level he would expect for someone her age. Most importantly, he emphasized how much she loved it (which is true, as it's a highlight of her week).
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| Privacy at ALL COSTS... |
We didn't mention it to her that night, as JT and I didn't get a chance to discuss it until after bedtime. And speaking of bed time, K said her own prayers tonight!!!! It was so sweet - she started with "Now I lay me," and then she moved to Kate, the Robinsons, and the Riveras. Each time she would say, "I hope that X PERSON has a good sleep and a good rest and health for tomorrow." She then finished it with "In the mighty name of Jesus - AMEN." Prayer Warrior in training, baby! I was so proud. :-)Also, that night before bed, K actually tried to pick me up (she tried to pick up JT as well). It was hilarious - she said, "Welcome to the Gun show" and flexed her muscles (tried to kiss her arms as well). In case you're curious, I did NOT teach her that. You can thank Kate. :-)
5/2 - Today we gave K the good news about moving up to the next level. We wanted to make a big deal about it, as it was a reflection of her focus and commitment to doing something and trying her best. We talked about a) how proud we were of her and b) what Mr. Frank said about her, which is why she should feel really good about this. We also talked about the conditions associated with this investment in time and money - a good work ethic in the gym, and courtesy within the house. All in all, it was great stuff. We sealed our pact with a knuckle blast, and then K helped me move some yard waste to the curb. :-)
That night JT was at the child dedication training class (we are dedicating both kids on Sunday), and so I had them both for bathtime. Well, let me tell you - that's now VERY easy, as K put on her own lotion AND did her own bath! Seriously - she now brushes her own teeth, does her own bath, puts on her own lotion, and then gets dressed. AMAZING! And yes, I realize that I haven't talked much about Buke over the past few days, but rest assured she's around and present for every second of this. She's still fighting sinus drainage, and while the Zyrtec is helping, she definitely seems to be struggling with all the pollen in the air (same with all of us though). When putting Buke down, I have learned that, as long as you start rocking her immediately, she'll usually quite fussing pretty quickly. Most nights she's already got her head on my shoulder within 3 minutes, but other nights she will just rub my head or try to eat my nose (and cackle the whole time). Either way, she's not crying, which is a good thing. And even crazier, for the last few nights she hasn't made a PEEP when we've put her down for bed. She's so active during the day, which makes her SO tired! Also, we've started feeding her topless, as she smears food ALL OVER herself anymore. There isn't a night that her hair isn't caked with food. STRONG. Oh, and K did prayers again tonight - LOVE THAT KID!
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| Tell me she doesn't look like the Hulk... |
K added another milestone to her growing up list tonight. I forgot the detangler, and so she brushed her own knots out of her hair! This girl is brushing her own hair, putting on her own bandaids, you name it. She's been a HUGE help when there's just 1 adult for both of them, and it's allowed us more time on the back end for reading and playing before bed, which is a very good thing. Speaking of, K even read to Buke tonight! She "read" 10 Little Fairies, The Alphabet Book, and Brown Bear. The funny part - Cora wanted to keep flipping the pages, but K was having NONE OF IT. It was cute to watch them battle over when to move on. Love my girls!
5/4 - K has her official Highland Creek Pool ID! We also had some fun Father-daughter bonding, as she (at her request, for the record) helped me shake out pine needles for the flower beds! She was SO cute out there with her little Minnie Mouse gloves, shaking those little bales with all her might. It took her a little while to get used to it (and she didn't love how prickly they were), but she did GREAT and helped me knock it all out! She also really started using her creativity and imagination, as she worked with some clay and make some real cool shapes - a whale, a sea horse, and some other stuff. It was cool to see.On the Buke front, she did something that will become SUPER helpful - she started blowing her nose! I definitely don't remember K doing that this early, but this is HUGE, as poor Cora has just been draining yellow snot NONSTOP for the last couple of weeks. She's running a 102 temp as well, so she's on a steady mix of ibuprofen and Zyrtec at the moment while we try to get through teething and allergy season.
5/5 - Today was a great one all around, starting with Dada's 41st 1/2 marathon! I came home, got some food, and then K and I went for a swim at NOMAD, we got 50+ minutes in the water, and K swam GREAT! We played the "No More Waves Sissy Kitty" game, where we pretended we were in the ocean and huge waves kept knocking K off her noodle (a wave = me splashing her). She LOVED it, and it was great exercise for us (plus the cool water helped with my inflammation). The afternoon was the Rivera gender reveal - they are having a boy! K got to swing at a piñata and had more than her fair share of sugar, so no complaints from her. :-)
5/6 - Today was a big one for Team Taylor: Child dedication! It was during the service, and Colby prayed over our children while the congregation extended their hands over us and all those being dedicated. It was an AWESOME moment, and we are honored to "stand in the gap" for them as their learn about what it means to be followers of Christ. We paused for a few family photos afterwards...as well as a few "family cupcakes." :-)The Batterson tribe came over for a cookout in the afternoon, and despite gout hitting me full on midway through the visit (we are talking OUT OF NOWHERE), we had a great time. I couldn't walk by the time they left (was literally crawling upstairs and using a cane downstairs), which meant that JT got stuck with the bath time/bedtime rituals and most of the cleanup. BEST. WIFE. EVER.
5/7 - Today was K's semi-annual cleaning at the dentist, and all looked great! Best of all, they measured her teeth protrusion (from when she was sucking her thumb), and they've now come back in 3 mm! That is HUGE! Also, the biggest news - SHE'S GOT HER FIRST LOOSE TOOTH! The hygienist noticed it, so it's likely just beginning to get loose. That being said, the journey with the tooth fairy is about to soon commence! WOW!
When the appointment was over, K got to pick her mouthwash. She asked for the "spicy" minty mouthwash, which obviously shocked the hygenist. Sure enough - K tried it that night...and made it about 5 seconds. The words "fiery spicy" were used. :-)
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| GO RAIDERS!!!!! And Rally Monkey... |
And a general comment - right now, K's official favorite critter is Rally Monkey (with that teeny little pink owl a close second). She goes EVERYWHERE with that thing - amazing! Twink is still very much loved at night and spends his days tucked into bed, but Rally Monkey goes EVERYWHERE she does. Hilarious! Who knew that something I bought 16 years ago would find new life with my oldest daughter? Too cute.
5/9 - So today was a BIG ONE for the Taylor family: MTSU's first ever conference tournament game! So the story here - there are 12 teams in the conference, and only 8 of them make the tournament. Pattie's team had never made it until this year (her Senior year), and how amazing that it was in Charlotte at UNCC's campus (only happens once every 12 years!). They had to win 2 games today (both single elimination) to advance to the double elimination portion, so it was clearly a VERY stressful (but exciting) affair!
The whole family made it out for the first game, where we beat North Texas 1-0 in a thriller!!! Both girls were great, as it was a basquillion degrees, and there wasn't a drop of shade ANYWHERE. The noise did bother K quite a bit, and her classic quote was: "Dada, it's loud, and I'm hot. Those are the two problems that I have." And while I told her that I couldn't do anything about that, I was genuinely impressed with how articulate she was with expressing her concerns. :-) #fatheroftheyear...
Seriously - K was great to sit with Granny A (sour skittles definitely helped), and JT was a ROCK STAR watching after Buke, who was ALL OVER the place. Seriously - that girl was NON-STOP climbing on the bleachers, running around, you name it. But JT was a SAINT and watched her while I focused on the game.
I was solo with Dad and Alice for the second game, where we beat FIU 4-0. Cori threw a no-hitter!
5/10 - K had her 6 month follow-up with the ENT today, and everything looked great! Tubes are still in, and he said all was good. When Jenny mentioned that K almost always complains about the water in the pool hurting her ears, he said, "Oh, yeah. That can happen. It will feel weird." Um, could you have mentioned that A YEAR AGO? We'd always thought she was just being fussy, but now we know there actually is something to it! Sorry, Munch!
We were back at the softball field for the 4:30 game vs. UAB today, where the Blue Raiders won 11-6! Cora was ALL OVER the bleachers playing like crazy (thanks again to JT for managing that). And the best news on the Cora front - her fever has FINALLY broken after 7 days! It was viral and it was nasty, and she's still coughing quite a bit. However, she has always had plenty of energy and smiled a ton, so that's been a blessing. Today she seemed 100% and was SUPER active...which meant she didn't make a PEEP when we put her down that night!
5/11 - Today was a fun day for all the Taylor women, as Granny A and JT accompanied Kaitlyn to "Muffins for Mom" at pre-school. K got a special treat afterwards as well, as she got to swim with Kate at NOMAD! I was at the softball field (the Blue Raiders took down FAU 7-5 in the winner's bracket final!), and we all celebrated the victory by rolling over to Birdsong Brewing, where Cora ate non-stop and loved running around the brewery. And an interesting note on Cora - she's always good about grabbing her shoes when she is ready to go outside, but now she's actually trying to put them on by herself! Obviously she can't quite do it yet, but she's definitely making progress. Too cute!
5/12 - A WIN FOR THE AGES!!!!! MTSU beat FAU 7-6 to win the conference USA title and secure their FIRST EVER NCAA tournament bid!!!!! It was unreal - such an incredible, miraculous run...and such a blessing!!!! We left Cora at home with Ellie (it was 92 degrees and right in the middle of her nap time), but K made the trip and was great. She was so cute in her Blue Raiders gear, cheering them on and hugging Pattie and Cuccia once it was over. We got down on the field for lots of GREAT pictures, and while K obviously had no idea the monumental significance of the win, she enjoyed being there (and it was so great to have her as part of the celebration). She was a rock star through it all, running up the hill to the parking lot at the end of each game, always visiting the pitching statue and checking out the yellowjacket nest in the glove, and eating all kinds of goodies while sweating it out in the sun.  |
| 10:30 AM cupcakes...PERFECT. |
5/13 - HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, WIFE MUFFIN PUFFIN ANGEL BEAR!!!!!! I love you so, so, so, so much. You are THE BEST wife and mother anyone could EVER ask for, and the girls and I are SO BLESSED to have you in our lives. We started the day at Church, where K got to go into the Arrows room for the first time ever. It was a little intimidating out of the gate (a much bigger room, way more kids), but K did GREAT (it helped that Ryann was in there) and really enjoyed it. She told me about the lesson they learned (the importance of honesty and not telling a lie), and she definitely seemed to like the experience. It was great because, given that she's been watching the videos and doing the same old stuff in the FH kids section, this gave her a taste of what's to come at the next level (once she completes kindergarten). Exciting!
We spent the afternoon at REI doing some shopping, where K made some new friends and LOVED playing on the rocks over by the shoes. She also loved hanging out in the tents and sitting on the chairs that were set up. Let's face it - REI is fun for everyone! :-)Two other things to note:
1. Buke really does love to dance to music. It is HILARIOUS to watch, as she will shake, and spin, and gyrate any way she can to the music. Love it! Lately we have been blasting "Thunder" by Imagine Dragons, and she has just loved it (the whole gang does actually).
2. We have reached the point that I was always curious if we would: K is now asking us to watch her do EVERYTHING all the time. I have watched every other kid do this, and we've now landed here with our oldest. I will be honest - it's tough...but there is a flip side. She is growing and changing SO FAST, and she really is a beautiful, innocent, perfect little creation. So while I might not always like being told where to focus my attention, there is a reality that soon enough the time will come when she's no longer asking me to look, and that will mean this chapter of our lives is in the rear view. And with that lens on it, I now understand why parents almost always end up watching whatever it is their kids ask them to. :-)
5/14 - First swim team practice!!!! It went really well, and K got to hang with her friend Leah. They apparently worked on kkckboards, did some freestyle, and all that jazz, so it must have been a really good session. K will miss it tomorrow because of gymnastics, but 1 day in I'm excited about what's on offer this summer in terms of swim lessons.
5/15 - Swim team was cancelled due to (nonexistent) weather today, but K would have had to miss anyway due to gymnastics, so it all worked out well. K came home from gymnastics, sat down, grabbed her legs, and said, "Tuck, pike, straddle position!" Too cute! She went through the motions and then showed off bridge again - that girl is definitely getting stronger!
We have changed up prayers now so that we all say "Now I lay me," and then we each pray for someone. K always prays for Kate (only Kate!), and says, "I hope that Kate is well healed for tomorrow, and has a good sleep." Tonight she added, "And has courage for the swim." Very sweet.
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| Competition suit! With "matching socks." |
5/16 - Unfortunately, Kate didn't make the swim team today. She didn't even want to get in the water, which obviously was sad to hear. The good news, however, is that Kaitlyn did hop in the water again, and she LOVED it. She actually told JT "I want to swim more!" when it was over. YAY! JT took her to the playground afterwards to burn off some more of that energy and continue making friends with some of the younger girls on the team. They have established a great routine where they hit the playground before and after the swim, giving them a good hour of exercise/outdoor time each day (in addition to the playground at preschool and gymnastics). Obviously that makes me happy, as I love seeing K (and Buke) get all that exercise. That evening we instituted the nightly "Team Taylor Dance Party," where we finish dinner and then blast "Thunder" and "Despacito" on my iPhone. It's hilarious - Cora will run from me and REFUSE to let me pick her up until she hears "Thunder," but then she'll come running toward me with a HUGE smile on her face!
They are too funny to watch when dancing. Cora used to just bounce, but now she is actually watching K spin and then spin on her own (repeatedly!). The cumulative effect is that she gets so dizzy she falls on her bum, only to repeat it and then try to walk away from that spot - crashing into EVERYTHING in her path (and laughing the entire time). It's great.
Another thing Cora LOVES - the little plastic shopping cart that is in K's room. Every night while I chase Kaitlyn in a circle through the Jack 'n Jill (it's the "sh,sh,sh" game, where she runs around with mouthwash in her mouth while I sing the Gingerbread Man song and chase her....yeaaaaah), Cora loves to push the cart the opposite direction. Every time we come through and almost clobber her (we are talking ever 5 seconds), she just smiles and thinks that's the cutest thing EVER.
One thing Cora does NOT love, however - me picking her up to take her to her room while K and mommy are still reading. Cora will get that horrible frump on her face, and then you'll watch the slow wind down as she starts bawling. However, if I can start rocking her in the glider fairly quickly, she will calm down. Lately she's been exhausted and has barely made a peep when we lay her in the crib!
5/17 - So Cora is pretty much full on running at this point! It's still technically walking (looks like race walking), but she's definitely moving quicker every single day. It's to the point now where, if she doesn't want to be picked up, you're gonna have to chase her!
And for K, she used fins for the first time ever at practice today! She loved it: "Daddy, they make you go SO fast." Too cute. And her quote of the night: I yawned while reading a story to her and geeked, and she said: "Dada, don't yawn when you read to me because you always spit on me." #TRUTH.
5/18 - Today was K's LAST FRIDAY OF PRESCHOOL. WHAT?!?!?!?!?! How is that even possible?!?!?!?! It was super cute, as they did "Picnic with a Bear" Day. K took Simba (close enough to a bear) and her Sophia blanket for her picnic. Unfortunately it poured, meaning that they had to do the picnic in their classrooms. However, they all still had a blast (and it was "Lunchable" Friday, so what could possibly have gone wrong...). I was in Tuscaloosa this day watching Pattie and the MTSU Blue Raiders play in the NCAA Softball Regional, but Nole Nana came up to hang out with JT and the girls. I am happy to report they danced for her as well. :-)
5/19 - So I hate that I wasn't in town today, as it was another cute first for K - her first ever gymnastics performance at Fun2BFit! Since I was in T-town, Jan took my spot in the crowd (thanks, Nole Nana!), and by all accounts it was a rousing success. K got a cute little trophy after her routine, and JT said that she did GREAT. They celebrated with a little Chik-fil-A lunch, and then it was off to Kate's house for a sleepover! JT took Buke to church and then had a quiet evening in. All in all, a good day. :-)
5/20 -HOME!!!!! Man, does it feel good to be back. Honestly, I have been gone or focused on other things SO much lately, and it's now time to get back situated and focused on my girls. The last 4 weeks have been a BLUR (3 softball weekends and a half marathon), and between sickness, the tooth extraction, and all the driving, I am absolutely shattered. Luckily I've got a wife who reminds me of the need for rest AND has been an absolute warrior looking after the kids while I've been less than 100%. I am SO EXCITED to have some good beach time with them this weekend - it will be some very necessary focused time to help all of us recharge our batteries and reconnect.Both girls were GREAT today. When I got home, K said, "we want to ask you something, dada. We want to go somewhere." She then did charades until I figured out it was the aquarium - cute! So while they did that, I played with Cora for two hours in the bonus room. It worked out great, as I got some focused time with both of them.
K shocked me tonight by virtually reciting two (big) stories from the Princess book - WOW! Way to go, kid! Everyone was down early - I was EXHAUSTED and slept for basically 11 hours!
5/21 - Today was the last Monday for K in preschool! Unreal. One of the kid's had a birthday party, so it was pizza for all (as well as treats, goodie bags, etc). Apparently K ate FIVE pieces of pizza! I mean, growth spurt perhaps, but still - WOW. Just...wow.
JT took Cora with her to visit her friend Melissa, who's now got a month old daughter. Cora fell in love with their little dog Penny - too cute!At swim pactice, K started doing backstroke again. JT said she was an animal! Awesome! She ate good at dinner again, and Cheryl thinks she's going through a growth spurt (she did complain that her legs were hurting her this morning - I know that feeling!).
Re: Cora - she's getting much better at separating pages on the board books. Also, for the books that are also puzzles, she's starting to try and put the pieces back into the pages - just like Kaitlyn did! So I have started to work on "rotate it!" She's managed to get a few in, and she just grins like a lottery winner.
5/22 - CORA IS 17 MONTHS TODAY!!!!! That girl is LEGIT running at this point - hilarious! Also, she's DEFINITELY getting better at the puzzles in the books - it's so cute to watch. She's rotating them correctly now - it's just a question of edges. Also, she is doing GREAT at shape sorting! She was in her room with JT today, and I walked in during a break at work. Sure enough, Cora was spinning the little elephant until she found the shape, and then she was dropping it in pretty as you please. I'm not sure when K started doing some of this stuff (guess I should check this blog I'm keeping, huh? :-)), but it's really cool to watch Cora's progression. Honestly, she's crossing something off the to-do list every single day. The one exception - she's still babbling vs. using words. In fact, I think I might have given her credit for some words (like bubble) she hasn't said. She's definitely got mama and dada down, but beyond that she says "A-BA!!!!" for, well, pretty much everything. :-) I love it. Take your time, kid - you've got your whole life to talk. 
On the Kaitlyn front, that poor girl was on the playground for about 15 seconds tonight before mosquitoes got after her, and she's now got six HUGE welts on her legs. She's just like her daddy - they LOVE her! Guess we'll need to mix OFF! with sunscreen on a nightly basis. Good thing she always gets a bath!
Also, K has learned how to snap her fingers! It's really cute, and she does make some decent sound! She said, "I can't wait to show my teachers how I can snap." Now if I could just teach her to NOT be afraid of black ants...
5/23 - Buke started successfully putting in the puzzle pieces tonight! That's a big deal, as she figured that out quickly! It's really amazing how observant that kid is. She's not saying much (still babbling, but no new words to report), but there's no question she knows what's going on. If you say light, she immediately looks up. She's very clear when she wants something (and uses the sign language she knows as well as pointing or walking to it), and it's hilarious to watch her pound her fists together requesting "more" when you tell her no on a second helping of something. Too cute.
Today was emotional as well. After preschool, K walked in with a binder of "Kaitlyn's preschool memories." We flipped through it, and it was SO WELL done. Incredible thanks and kudos to the teachers for their love, care, and everything they've done for my daughter and all these kids - it's truly something special that does NOT exist everywhere.
And speaking of the teachers - they included a little poem about how much they've loved having the kids. I started reading it aloud and immediately choked up. Jenny was over my shoulder and was the same way. There is just SO MUCH wrapped up into all this - an amazing teaching staff whom we can't thank enough for opening their arms and doors to us. Wonderful people and friendships made - both for Kaitlyn and for Jenny. And beyond that - a realization that tomorrow our daughter will walk out the door of UCUMC for the last time as a preschooler, henceforth labeled as a "rising kindergartner." It's funny, as I don't really know if this passage of time has hit me or not. I mean, I am thrilled for her and anxious at the same time (for some reason I'm worried about kids bullying her), but more than that - I am realizing that the "innocent" period, the period where Jenny and I have more control than others, is starting to end. Come August, she'll spend more waking hours with her teachers and classmates than her family. This happens to everyone, for sure. But with that change comes the realization that you have to make these last few months REALLY count and that you have to be extra vigilant and focused at making every interaction count. I am rambling, I know. There's a lot in my head right now, and I'm certainly not the favorite parent at the moment. The combination of the two has me scrambling to try and find my place with the kids right now, but until I figure that out and normalize, I will do the one thing I can - wrap them in prayer and let them know how much they are loved (and pack lunches from time to time :-)).
5/24 - So today was a BIG DAY in the life of Kaitlyn Elaine Taylor (and her parents, for that matter) - her LAST DAY OF PRESCHOOL AT UCUMC. It was an early dismissal day, complete with a few songs for the parents ("Kindergarten here we come! Here we come!"), followed by an ice cream social. I was at work, but Jenny was able to be there, which of course was great. JT was terrific as the historian, taking photos with Kate, all her teachers, and even Kaitlyn in the morning holding the "Last Day" sign (current planned profession is Vet :-)).Honestly, I am really struggling with it (as I alluded to above). The innocence, the realization of how little precious time is left before "real school," the changing of friends, schedule, the influence of other (and older) kids - it's just been a lot for me to process. Add in a rude kid episode at swimming practice to that mix, and you have a dad who was spinning by 8 PM.
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| Two amazing ladies - K will miss them. |
But then, in a moment of clarity from God, I realized that was NOT what was needed. Look, I don't want to be a helicopter parent. I WANT my girls to figure things out on their own. But at this age, if you have politely asked someone to not do something AND have tried to get away (and they are older), I do think there is a point where you have to step in. BUT - and I give Jenny a lot of credit here - you should only step in if your child feels threatened or if it really seems to be impacting their happiness. In K's case, she was just baffled that people were acting like that, but it didn't affect her disposition. She asked JT in the car, "Why were they doing that?" And when Jenny said that some people are just rude, K asked, "Do they not have God in their heart?" Um, HOW AWESOME IS THAT?!?!?!?! WAY TO GO, FREEDOM HOUSE! YOUR TEACHING IS HELPING. By the time it was all said and done that evening, I was calm again (it did keep me up a bit that night, but I was at peace). JT and I prayed for God's covering and favor in her life, and we prayed about how best to teach her, love her, and support her through moments like this (because let's face it - this is the tip of the iceberg. There will be MANY of these occasions). And I am so thankful for how JT handled it - she talked to K and watched the whole scene, ensuring that she was safe and giving her the chance to work it all out. My helpmate is AWESOME!
One other CRAZY thing to note - K got accepted into Bradford Prep today! Honestly, that was out of the blue (she was like 55 on the waitlist), and we did NOT see this coming. Personally, I am still a HUGE Highland Creek fan and feel with relative certainty that's the winner for us. However, we are going to tour the school and look at it. I just got SUCH a great feeling at HC, think that it will be a terrific fit for K, and don't think charter schools (especially in their infancy) can really compete with Public schools given the funding levels. An interesting development for sure! And had we gotten into Bradford out of the gate, I think we would have gone there (might not even have looked at HC), but HC having things like a playground, smart boards, a library, a cafeteria, a gym, etc - these are just irreplaceable aspects of an elementary education to me. Add in their character building program (the hives), the art and music studio, and other items, and to me it feels open and shut. But as I learned from the Last Lecture - never make a decision until you have to, and so we're going to evaluate it as openly and subjectively as possible. Thank you for great problems like this, Father!
Lastly, let me close this day (even though they'll never read it) by thanking the teachers of UCUMC. Your passion, caring, and commitment to our kids is incredible. To quote something Jenny has referenced so much lately: "It has been exceedingly and abundantly more than anything we could have ever asked or imagined." We heard it was a terrific place. We hoped it would be a wonderful environment and fit for K. The reality is that it was so much more than any of that. Truly, for these few precious years - it has felt like home. THANK YOU for making it a memorable place. Thank you for caring for, loving, and teaching my oldest. THANK YOU for being a City on a Hill. And while Cora won't be there for another 15 or so months (and I'm in no hurry to rush that!), I am thrilled that, like Freedom House, she will have such a safe, wonderful, Christ-filled environment in which to blossom and grow.
An interesting thing to note: Yesterday, as part of the ice cream social and farewell to preschool, every kid received a Story Time Bible. It's a great version for kids, and I'm keen to start introducing Bible stories at night along with the other books she reads. Well, as fate would have it - Kaveen left with K's Bible, and she was given Austin's Bible. K wasn't concerned at all - her question was more around when she was going to get her copy back and be able to give Austin his copy. I don't think she yet realizes that a) preschool is over - not just for the summer, but forever, and b) she'll likely never see most of these kids again. In her defense, how in the world can a 5 year old really process that - especially when it just feels like summer recess at present? But it was just interesting - and a bit sad for me - to realize the finality of things.
5/26 - Memorial Day weekend started with a bang today (as if Carowinds wasn't a good start), as Team Taylor left the Old North state to head southeast for the 2nd Annual Taylor-Rice Edisto weekend. The drive was easy (and scenic - love the low country landscape), and we even managed a 1 hour and 15 minute stop at CFA in Orangeburg. :-) Buke was ALL OVER that playground, and K spent a lot of time climbing and hanging from various pieces of the playground. You can tell she's DEFINITELY getting stronger, and I can see more definition in her legs. All that swimming and gymnastics is helping her get stronger!
We made it to Edisto about 3, and we spent a good 90 minutes at the pool beside the condo. Cora was actually jumping (okay...more like falling, but still) off the side and into the water - including going completely under (before JT lifted her back out instantly, of course)! That girl LOVES the water and was all smiles. She doesn't really like the float (just like K) - that girl just wants to be in the water completely, kicking and splashing the whole time.
Bed that night was about 8:30 or so for Cora and around 9:30 for K. K actually slept really good, but Buke cried out several times throughout the night. That being said, I still got 6-7 hours of rest (Cora was in the Pack 'n Play between us in the loft - K was on her air mattress with the kiddos) and woke up feeling really good the next day.
5/27 - Cora was up about 6:30 or so, and we managed to keep her quiet and keep the house asleep until around 7:20. Once I got back from my run, we loaded up the car and rolled to the beach for a GREAT DAY in the water. Seriously - we had 3 hours there, and it was a BLAST. K's smile was a MILE WIDE - she was as happy as I'd seen her in a long time. The waves were GREAT and the riptide wasn't nearly as bad as last year, so they had a BLAST playing in the waves (as well as playing on the beach and in the sand). Cora was LOVING it also - she was sitting in the waves and laughing every time they pelted her. She wanted to keep running deeper and deeper into the waves, so needless to say she kept us (especially JT) on our toes! 
K tried boogie boarding and did pretty well. She got frustrated after awhile, but once I started picking her up and putting her into the waves, things (I think) got better. She didn't love the board she had, but I had to explain that a) it was still a good board and b) we were being loaned a board and it was a privilege to even partake. Not sure whether or not the message sunk in, but we'll work on it. :-)We spent the afternoon at the pool, where I had the Rice clan + K. We had a lot of fun, and I spent a good portion of time throwing the kids around the pool (my shoulder paid for that the next day!). Cora joined us later, and I had so much fun throwing her high into the air (she loved that).
This day was GREAT for me and a real turning point, as I had the chance to really reconnect with the kids and just enjoy/focus on them. The run that morning helped get my head in the right spot and helped me calm down quite a bit. Instead of thinking about bullies, older kids, problems in the future, my job, etc. - Edisto gave me the chance to just breathe and have some time focused on my family (which was VERY much needed after an incredibly busy May that saw them sometimes regrettably on the back burner). 
5/28 - How's this for another milestone I didn't see coming - Cora used a spoon today! She really did use it the right way. Admittedly the grip needs work, but she clearly understands the concept based on watching us - VERY cool! And a surprise for me - K can open her eyes completely underwater and actually keep them open! Seriously, y'all - I CANNOT (and have never been able to) do this, so to see a 5 year old actually wanted to do it and ROCKING it was crazy. Now, her eyes did look like something out of Twilight the next day, but she had no trouble doing it (didn't want anything to do with her goggles!). The weather wasn't great today, but we had a ton of fun all the same. We got an hour in the ocean (waves were huge due to the first named storm of the season), and then we headed straight to the pool. It was special for me because I had a dedicated hour with K, so we spent that time working on backflips and throwing her all over the pool.
One side note - K mentioned earlier in the week that her ear was hurting, and yesterday we did notice some drainage. We gave her ibuprofen in the morning, and she was great by the afternoon (said that it didn't hurt any more). It was bothering her without pain medication, and I know it's not great that we spent all that time in the water. But come on - we're at the beach, and we can treat it when we get home. So we just rallied, gave her some children's ibuprofen, and hoped for the best.K was absolutely EXHAUSTED that night (as was Cora). Cora actually had a THREE HOUR NAP and still crashed like a champion (she slept wonderfully the last two nights - barely scream when we put her down and then hardly a peep throughout the night). For K, she could barely keep her eyes open either night (even while watching a movie), and on this night she just wanted to curl up on her bed and watch her tablet. I was actually really impressed by her attitude of knowing that she was tired and wanting some alone time (vs. just following Sam like normal), and I even went in there and curled up with her for a bit while she watched her movie (Woody Woodpecker - HORRIBLE). And then, after the movie, she was so tired that she actually wanted to go to sleep - even while the other kids were awake! She said, "Can you sleep with me?" and then grabbed my arm and put it around her. I had NEVER laid down with her before, but it was just too sweet. There she was, sick, cold (she wanted her blanket), and tired, and so I just put my arm around her, snuggled up with her, and laid beside her while she sucked her thumb. She was OUT within 5 min (I felt her thumb fall out of her mouth and her fist land on my arm).
5/29 - Both girls slept great once again, and I woke up feeling really well rested. Buke was up about 6:30, so we took her to the porch for her breakfast. It was great - JT got to get some more sleep, and I was able to just relax on the porch, watching Cora and all the critters as the world slowly came to life.
We rolled out about 10 (tears from Sam, but K was good this time around), stopping at CFA on the way home before heading to gymnastics. K's ear was definitely leaking fluid, but with ibuprofen she seemed fine and was very keen on still going to gymnastics (the final one of this session). Needless to say, we got the girls in bed as quickly as possible, and they slept like CHAMPS.
For me, it was SUCH a great treat. As the Wyndam slogan suggested, I was able to refresh, renew, and reconnect with my family. Also, I now have my lungs back, and I was able to lay down two decent runs. Most importantly, I was reminded to be anxious for nothing and come to God first with EVERYTHING in prayer. A great trip once again - THANK YOU, FATHER!!!!! And the Rice clan for their hotpitality, of course!Oh, and the biggest moment - we finished the 7th (and final) season of My Little Pony! I am in SHOCK, and I thought K would go through withdrawals. Instead, she simply selected the next item in the download list - Spirit (she's now through 4 of 33 episodes). Yes, friends - the beat goes on. I wish Twilight Sparkle and her friends well. Now let's see what Lucky and Spirit get into. :-)
5/30 - Cora continues to impress - today she used a fork with dinner! She's also starting to identify pictures when you ask "where's the orange? Stroller? Shoes?" It was REALLY cool to see, and you could see her smile as she figured out each one. That girl LOVES books - she gives us the "More" sign and runs books over to us throughout the day. Still no words, but hey - we know what she wants, and that's good enough for me.
As for Kaitlyn, we think she might have swimmer's ear vs. just a normal infection. She's got white chalk in her ear, the Ciprodex is barely sinking in, and her ear really hurts to the touch. We skipped swim lessons tonight (as well as skipping a planned Carowinds trip - she just played all day with Kate instead), but she did go to the playground for a little exercise. That night during bath, she told me that "rude boy Teddy" was there, which gave me a chance to tell her how proud I was for her ignoring him and just walking away. She smiled, which was a good sign. She also said, "And the girl was there, too. She's 7 - she should know better!" PROUD OF YOU, KID! Keep fighting the good fight.
5/31 - K was in our bed at 6:03 this morning, still in pain but not as much. We gave her some meds, and then she and JT laid down together in our bed on the same pillow and both fell asleep (it was TOO CUTE).
After NOMAD, JT took K to the doctor, where they told us that she did, in fact, have a middle ear infection. Given the pain she was in, they prescribed the strongest anti-biotic they could, and the doctor also scraped her ear out as best she could (it was so blocked that the doctor couldn't even see the tube!). The first round of scraping went well, but she then hit a nerve in the middle ear, which was of course horrifically painful (I wasn't there but JT relayed the story to me). K was so tired that she actually climbed into bed and passed out INSTANTLY around 3:30 PM. Poor thing was SO TIRED and was so dead asleep that I couldn't really wake her when I tried 45 min later. I shook her, spoke to her, and finally woke her up. All she did was mumble a few unintelligible things to me and then roll over onto her other side, at which point she was basically comatose.
She can't swim or get her ear wet until the draining stops (still a yellowish color), so we pulled her out of the meet for Saturday. We hate she'll miss her first meet, but obviously the priority is getting her healthy. The good news - her ear canal was open enough to get drops in tonight, and she's got ibuprofen and antibiotics working inside her. We are expecting her to feel MUCH better tomorrow. Watch this space!Oh, and one more CRAZY update: after speaking with several folks, Team Taylor has reversed course and decided to give Bradford Prep a try this fall. I know that I was originally dead set on Highland Creek, but after having done more research, considering all the factors for middle and elementary school, talking to folks who go there, and praying about it, we do believe this is God opening the door for a wonderful opportunity. Can't believe I'm saying it, but we are Bradford Prep bound, baby!!!
And so ends a WHIRLWIND month for Team Taylor. Have I mentioned how excited I am that we're not going ANYWHERE in the month of June? Bring on swim meets, the aquarium, a routine, summer camps, Carowinds, and the pool, baby!!!!
Love,
Sam and Jenny
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