And a good evening to you from the Queen City, where Team Taylor is just closing the books on one
8/1 - So today started PERFECTLY for me. I was up about 6:10, and so was K (she'd come into our room). Instead of opting for the tablet, I went into her room to "meet Biscuit" and play with her animals (I'd had a boys night on Tuesday so hadn't yet met our newest addition). Honestly, it was a PERFECT hour - we had fun, it was just us, and there was no drama (which feels like an increasingly large part of our interaction as of late). I was so thankful for that hour, as I knew in 36 hours I'd be dropping her at the airport.
Seeing how happy K was yesterday and how much Cora seemed to desperately want her own critter, JT returned ($15 coupon in hand, of course!) to Build-A-Bear today and helped Cora select her very own animal. Cora gravitated to this little border collie that was in the same collection as K's animal, and when JT said, "Is that the one you want, "she nodded hard enough to give herself whiplash (I'm sure she signed please in there at some point as well :-)). The photo JT sent me (see here) was AWESOME - Cora was thrilled, and her smile a mile wide. JT got Cora's critter a heart as well, and she equipped it for the sound effects (which was great thinking by her, as she could already hear Cora's frustration when she pushed the bark button but nothing happened while Biscuit just continued to purr and meow away...). Oh, and the name of our newest addition? "Ri Ri Pup Pup!" I mean, I think it's pretty awesome. Well done, JT!8/2 - Today was K's last day of VBS due to the upcoming travel. She was sad, as she really, really enjoyed it (even without Kate in her class!). However, it ended on a VERY high note, as the entire class gathered before she left and made a prayer circle around her, praying for a safe trip to Florida. How cool (and what a great example) is that?
The afternoon went fairly quickly, and luckily Kaitlyn even managed a 90 minute nap. JT "strongly suggested" it given how late they would arrive in FLL (8:30) and how late they'd likely get to bed (prob 10 or later). K was a little whiny when she woke up, and I probably didn't help by coming down rather hard on her when she insisted on bringing Biscuit in her backpack. I said, "If anything happens to Biscuit, you get that there's not replacement, right?" Cue her bawling in the floor, followed by her bawling in the car. Yeah...probably could have played that better before a 5 day absence. Hopefully she'll find it in her heart to forgive me. :-)I got Cora down after eating great about 7:25. She is so cute at bedtime now, as she wants to sit beside you instead of in the breadbasket. Also, when you are rocking her before bed, she reaches down and grabs your finger - just like K did! I love it. Man, I will miss those moments when I no longer have a little girl to rock.
The girls got off on time and landed early. Can't WAIT to hear what they get into over the next 5 days!
8/3 - It was an EPIC day down in Florida, as K started off her day swimming in a pool with Kona and the twins! It's funny - the twins are obviously used to this experience, whereas it was a novelty to Kaitlyn. The girls kept asking K if she wanted to go in, but she just kept saying no. :-) They have an AWESOME house and an incredible setup - K was loving sitting under the umbrella in the pool (who wouldn't right?).
The biggest news from the Sunshine state came while JT was out with Steve and Sara - KAITLYN LOST HER FIRST TOOTH!!!!!! Jemma (the twins' grandmother) reported the news - HOW CRAZY IS THAT!!!!! Luckily, the Tooth Fairy did manage to find her in Boca, where she left a whopping $2 (which K was thrilled about). Between the chores and the tooth, she now has $6 - almost enough for the ray at the aquarium! I must confess that I do hate I wasn't there for the first tooth. But the good news - there will be plenty more. Oh, and K's smile is ADORABLE right now. :-)
Back here in CLT, it was a good day. I took Cora bear to NOMAD in the morning, where she was really good in child watch. We didn't get into much during the afternoon, but JT did have the great suggestion to just push Cora in her little car. She enjoyed that, and so we went about a mile up and down Fairvista. It was quiet, but I certainly wasn't complaining!8/4 - It was a GREAT DAY over here in the Queen City! Cora was up about 7, and we were at NOMAD about 8:40 or so. I logged 11 miles on the treadmill (used up almost my entire 2 hr allotment for child care) before coming home for lunch and nap. It was then off to DPK! It was my first time there with Cora, and it was a HOOT! We spent just over 80 minutes there, and she was pretty non-stop. Obviously she loved the vets office, but the silver medallist was quite unexpected - the creation station! She must have spent a good 20 minutes just coloring the same sheet of paper over and over with markers. I know that she was loving the markers because here at home we only give her crayons (her big sis gets the markers - hence the attraction), and she would literally take one, pull the cap off (or get me to help her), make 4 squiggles, then hand me the cap and the marker before selecting the next one. Too cute!
She is getting better about turning the pages in the board books, and she doesn't like it when she misses a page. Also, she's started just holding onto 1 or 2 while you read the others. If you try to take one of those two books while she's holding them, she will become quite cross. You have been warned...just sayin'...
She has been really good about playing by herself, and her favorite game seems to be "take a large collection of items with nothing in common and place them in a single location." Once this task is completed, she then takes that exact same pile and moves everything to another spot somewhere in the room. Rinse/repeat. Now it should be noted that a) not everything moves each time (which is why the house currently looks like Beirut) and b) Cora wants something in her hands ALL the time now (stairs, when being rocked, when changing diaper, etc). She's a lot like Kaitlyn was at that age - she wants to accumulate things and hold onto them - even when it makes her life more difficult (like the stairs). She is getting harder to pick up as well, as she always wants to hold something (which means it's tough to get a grip and secure both her and her furry friend). I am even bringing "Ri Ri Pup Pup" to the table so she can stare at him while she eats (or wipes peanut butter on her face while pulverizing a blackberry - both of these happen with regular frequency in the high chair). 
ALSO like her sister, she is becoming increasingly more intent on trying to do things herself. The biggest item right now is trying to clip herself into the car seat. She knows where the clip goes, but she doesn't currently have a) the accuracy to get it into the slot or b) the torque to actually secure the latch. She does get rather frumpy when you help, and so I do give her a little time to try it herself before rushing to her aid.Down in Florida, it was another great day! The girls started at the ocean, where an invasion of seaweed made playing in the waves difficult for JT. It didn't deter Kaitlyn, but JT said it was gross and almost more than she could stand. The highlight, however, was in the evening, where the girls went to a Polynesian show! I saw several super cute pictures - including one of K drinking from a pineapple and another of Kaitlyn wearing...makeup. WHAT?!?!?!?! Apparently that was Auntie Sara's idea. Oh well, what happens in South Florida... :-)
8/5 - Today was another good one in CLT. It was my first day volunteering in the Arrows classroom, which meant that Cora had to stay 2 services in her room. They said that she was great, and if anything she didn't seem to want to leave! However, between seeing Ri Ri, the fish in the lobby, and the bubbles outside, we finally progressed back to the car, where I got her home for lunch and then down a little after 1. We hit the Sports Club pool in the afternoon, which was a great activity given the weather and the day (plus I needed something to keep me awake, as I hadn't slept good the previous three nights - I miss my muffin puffin!!!).
One cute thing to note - Cora LOVES it when we FaceTime JT, but MAN does she get angry if you remove the screen from her field of vision. The second you take it away she starts saying, "Mama! Mama!" and won't stop until you return the phone so that she can see Jenny. Cora is definitely missing her, which is another reason I'm so glad mom is coming tonight. She needs another female around this house - especially with football season so close to starting. :-)
And my favorite Cora story from today: I announced after breakfast that I needed to poopy, and Cora started yelling "QUACK, QUACK!" She then bolted into the bathroom and sat down on Ducky Potty. Too cute!
Oh, and I can't believe I haven't mentioned this yet, but Cora is running around EVERYWHERE with crayons these days. So far she has colored on a window, the floor, and her high chair (as well as both her and K's cloth chairs). I am trying to keep an eye on it, but it's basically impossible given all the instruments for art we have in this place. K NEVER did this - incredible how different two kids can be!
Down in FL, the girls attended a big family BBQ, where JT got a chance to see her friend Christa again (her oldest friend!). They had a blast, and then they sailed the intercostal waterway! JT FaceTimed me during their cruise, and I got to watch K drive the boat! It was pretty darn cute.
Highlights from this day down in South Florida:
8/6 - So there are no two ways about it - Cora bear is starting to fray at the edges. She is definitely missing her mom, and she's pretty sick of me. I mean, you should have seen her yesterday at church after I picked her up from FH Kids. She was playing happily (had been in that room 3 hours), but when they picked her up to hand her to me, she just started BAWLING AND SCREAMING! It was the same thing at child watch - she'd been in there for 2 hours happy as a clam, but when I rocked up to collect her, she fought tooth and nail to stay there! I mean, clearly I am NOT crushing the whole "single parent" thing. And when I do pick her up, Cora just spits in my face (raspberries). Basically she sticks her tongue out at me and just showers me in protest. Hurtful...
Luckily my mom had arrived that night, and she was a LIFESAVER on Monday with Cora. It was a HUGE day for Team Taylor - I announced my resignation from Bank of America (after 14.5 years!), and in technology that announcement means you have to kill system access by EOD. Given that, I had about 4 hours to type up everything I needed to do before handing in my laptop, which meant that Vol Nana had to focus 100% on Cora (vs. us splitting time in a more relaxed fashion). It was FLAT OUT, but needless to say it was an exciting and super happy day! Cora has already fallen in LOVE with mom - she's already saying Nana! And she's already started wearing Vol Nana's jewelry, which is quite hilarious during diaper changes.Cora ended up not napping this day, which meant that she was MENTAL by the end of the evening. So mental, in fact, that she got overly worked up from crying and puked on me (and herself). The good news - it didn't get on my clothes - just my hands. :-) I did, however, have to change her.
Side note - she is doing AWESOME about letting me brush her teeth. She wants to put the toothbrush in (and she will NOT debate that point!), but after that, she'll open wide and let you scrub her pearly whites until the cows come home. We've got a pretty good system going.
Also, Cora has new words!!!!! The following are now quite clear:
1. Nana (for mom)
2. Wawa (water)
3. Walk (when she wants to hold your hand and walk beside you vs. being carried)
4. Ball
And when we FaceTimed with JT and K this evening, I noticed something different about K's smile: SHE'D LOST ANOTHER TOOTH!!!! That's the second one in four days!!!!! Holy Moly that kid is growing up so fast!
8/7 - The FL girls were down at the splash pad today, whereas we just chilled in the house for most of the day. I took Cora to Childwatch (where she bawled when I picked her up), but other than that we were in the house.
The highlight came in the evening, when Vol Nana went to pick up Jenny and Kaitlyn from the airport. We hadn't told K that my mom was coming to NC for a visit, and so she was COMPLETELY SHOCKED when she saw Vol Nana in the airport - TOO CUTE!!!!! Jenny was behind her and didn't see her face, but mom said that it was one of absolute shock - she couldn't process what was happening! LOVE. IT.
We got K to bed at a reasonable hour (JT had smartly bathed her down in Boca - her hair still smelled fresh as a daisy :-)), and then we all crashed shortly thereafter. I was EXHAUSTED, and it was just SO NICE to have all my girls under one roof. I slept SO GOOD that night with Jenny beside me and all the rooms of the house full - just so wonderful.
Also, I have to take a moment to recognize something Jenny and I talked about that evening (as well as throughout the week) - how calm, mature, and polite K is compared to SO many children. JT said that she was SO PROUD of her down in FL, and I felt the same thing when watching all the chaos in the Arrows classroom. I told K I was proud of her and tried to hug her, but since Vol Nana is here, she wants NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS GUY right now. But hey, it's all good - at least she knows I love her. :-)
8/8 - So today was a really, really fun day. We just worked through things we'd wanted to cross off our to-do list, and it was so AWESOME to be able to putter about without a) a tether to work or b) a super tight schedule. We took mom over to Bradford, which was quite emotional for her. She just couldn't believe that K was about to start kindergarten, and she teared up. I didn't this time, but just wait until 2 weeks from now... :-)We spent the day in and out of the house, each of us getting some "adult time" and bonding with the girls. K was noticeably tired but was happy as long as she was within 6 inches or less of Vol Nana. They played Operation, which K loved (and apparently was quite good at!).
8/9 - Today was an AWESOME DAY! After starting off with breakfast at Toast, we headed over to the mall. We got the girls some long desired Camelbak water bottles, as well as some school clothes for K. K had multiple highlights in this "Day with Nana," including:
1. The purchase of a new school backpack and lunch box (Rapunzel!)2. A Movie (Hotel Transylvania Part 3) with cotton candy and juice
3. The acquisition of her long desired Ray from the aquarium (purchased with her own money - first purchase!)
The Ray purchase was a big deal, as she used the chore $$$ she'd just received (plus a little extra from Vol Nana and a little bit from the tooth fairy). And credit to JT - we tithed 10% of her earnings!!!! That was a cool moment, and K didn't really put up any fight about it.
Also, Cora's really running great! I got some great video of her galloping through the mall - she was basically sprinting in Outdoor World!
Mom gave us a truly AMAZING gift this evening - she watched the kiddos while sending us out for dinner and drinks (and kicked us out the door with $300 cash!). THANK YOU, VOL NANA!!!8/10 - Today was another great one, even if it started off tough for K. Mom had to leave today, and Kaitlyn knew it as soon as she woke up. She was really sweet all morning, but she was never more than six inches from Vol Nana's side. This is standard on "farewell days," and all we could do was hope that a trip to Carowinds would minimize the pain.
We headed out about 9:15, and K did an amazing job of holding it all together until we all got outside. She didn't stick her tongue out and open her mouth (her normal method of trying to contain her emotions), but she was being so brave and fighting the tears! But when she got into the car after hugging mom, she just lost it. Hearing her scream "I love you, Vol Nana!" through tears is a tough thing for a dad to hear, even if it is wonderful to know how special a bond they have.
K ended up crying the entire drive down to Carowinds (about 45 min all told), but once we got there, it was all smiles. We stayed SEVEN HOURS there - a new record! And best of all, K and I really got a chance to bond. We got to ride several rides together (just she and I, as Jenny had Cora elsewhere), and K held my hand almost the entire time we were in line together at various places. Also, I got to ride with her on her first ever water slide (with a raft) - she loved it! Even told me it was the highlight of her day! We also got to do the lazy river together - her first time ever on that. Jt got to take her into the wave pool for the first time ever, so we all had a blast. And Cora was a ROCK STAR in the kiddie area - she must have played for a good 2 hours! K was over there with her for a bit, and she was a WONDERFUL big sister - I was so proud of her and how well she played with Buke! Love my girls!
8/11 - So these next few days (8/12 - 8/17) will be recorded as relayed to me, as I was in Colorado for most of it. Today was a super chill day for the entire family, as everyone needed some rest and relaxation. It was a pool day, movie day, and general relaxation day - which EVERYONE was happy about.
8/12 - The big news on this day was that Cora suddenly started having some serious digestive issues. We're not really sure what happened, but she threw up at the pool (twice) and had diarrhea pretty much all day. She didn't have a fever and seemed to be playing normally, so JT and I didn't think much about it. We assumed at the time that it was a 24 hour virus and just decided to wait it out. The day was good - just quiet, and everyone expected things to be back to normal on Monday. Oh, naive parents...
8/13 - All was good until 3 AM, at which point JT heard Cora screaming. She said that she walked into her room and was instantly hit by the smell of vomit. Stepping in and turning on some light, she discovered that Cora had puked EVERYWHERE (but somehow missed her hair - thank GOODNESS). Jenny said the place looked unbelievable - told me she wished she'd gotten a picture!
All was good after that until brekkie, when Cora puked so much she FILLED HER ENTIRE TRAY WITH VOMIT. Needless to say, JT did NOT get to the gym, and also needless to say, I felt about 1 inch tall when I called from a brewery (fresh off a 14er) and asked, "So how are things going?" Yeah...suboptimal...but my wife is a ROCK STAR, and she was laughing about it and making the best of it, so it was ALL GOOD. BEST. WIFE. EVER!!!!! It was a chill day for them again (luckily someone was able to take K to gymnastics), but the hope was that they would be able to get out and about on Tuesday...
8/14 - So the morning was great. The girls all got to NOMAD, JT got to work out, and then they came home for lunch and nap. It was then off to DPK, and all was well UNTIL THEY GOT TO THE DOOR AT DPK, at which point Jenny looked down at Cora to find out that she had VOMITED ALL OVER HERSELF IN THE STROLLER. Apparently it was quite special. And when you consider the fact that Jenny then had to tell K they couldn't go in even though they were standing at the door...well, you can imagine how well that played.
That being said, K was AMAZING through this entire ordeal. Despite obvious disappointment in not being able to go to DPK, she was GREAT about helping Jenny around the house. She made her own bed without being asked, helped Jenny with her normal chores, went to get the mail, and even helped with food. She asked Jenny on multiple occasions, "What else can I do to help?" SO PROUD OF YOU, KIDDO!
8/15 - So today was a MUCH better day! Cora still had some digestive issues, but it didn't keep the females in Team Taylor from their plans. The day started with something important - Kindergarten Round Up at BPS! Kaitlyn's alarm was set for 6:30, and she popped up and got ready ahead of an 8 AM start. The session was only 1 hour (you actually drop the kids), and while we didn't get much from K, it sounded like she had fun. She got to play on the playground, where she must have rolled her ankle a bit. And while that's not ideal, it didn't stop her from then playing for 7 hours at Carowinds! K and Kate were reunited again, and I'm sure they were quite the force of nature as they gallivanted around the park. I got the chance to FaceTime with them, and they all seemed in good spirits.
8/17 - Great news - the girls slept like logs until 6:30! Everyone seems good, and they even got some pool (and shopping) time in. I was at the house by myself, as I had a half marathon that evening and wanted to knock out a ton of errands ahead of the race. The errand relevant for this blog was my first one - stopping by Highland Creek to withdraw Kaitlyn from kindergarten. It was a very easy process - just a short form. I found out that she would have had Mr. Potter. :-) 8/18 - After waking up about 9 AM (didn't get to bed until 1 after the half marathon), I did some reading and kept myself busy until about 11 or so - at which point my girls arrived!!!!! YAY!!!!! It was SO GREAT to see them, and it was a wonderful day. Their arrival (in my mind at least) marked the end of my "solo time" and the start of our final "vacation week" before the world gets turned upside down (for the better, I hope).
On the Cora front, there was GREAT news - that girl had her appetite back, and she was SHOVELING down food. It didn't matter what you put in front of her (including veggies!), this girl was ready to eat! We gave her some milk and cheese at both lunch and dinner, and I'm happy to report that she took it down like a champ...and didn't send any of it back up. :-) WHEW! Praise Jesus!
Kaitlyn, on the other hand, didn't feel great. Her ankle (from the Carowinds playground - not BPS, I found out) was still bothering her some (right at the top tendon it seemed), and she also complained about pain on the left side of her chest. Add in the fact that she wanted to sleep with a bucket in case she got sick, and you have two parents who were a little concerned. But no matter what - we were all back together again, for which I was SO very thankful. I slept like a baby that night!8/19 - We went to church today, and I have to comment about how proud I was of Kaitlyn. After icing her foot, she walked into church like a champ. And while I was proud of her grit, I was more proud of how wonderfully well she behaved during church. As I mentioned earlier in the post, JT and I are now both serving at the 10:30, which means that the girls are in 2 consecutive classes. For Cora it's great - she is in with her mum during that second service (and honestly doesn't care where she is as long as there's a) stuff to play with and b) goldfish). Kaitlyn, however, is still in the FH kids rooms with a lesson (which she now has to hear twice in a row), and I wasn't sure how that was going to go. But she was an angel - coloring, singing, learning her memory verse, earning tokens, you name it. I could actually see her for a bit while I was welcoming folks into my classroom, and she was just sitting there so sweetly coloring. PROUD OF YOU, KID!
We had Ashley check her lungs on the way home from church, and I'm thrilled to report that they are clear. That's wonderful news, as a lung infection like pneumonia for the second time this year would have been scary (and concerning). We spent the rest of the day between the Wii (we played like 30+ rounds!) and the pool, and the highlight of my evening was Kaitlyn curling up with me during reading time and giving me a HUGE love hug that night before bed. At present she doesn't want to pray for anyone during the evening prayer time, so I'm just doing it all. That's totally fine of course, and I think she actually prefers it this way. Oh, and K earned another $3 for her chores this week - doing great!
8/20 - So today was EPIC - talk about one for the books! We got up about 7 (actually JT got up before me and started the coffee), and we were in Cora's room at 7:37 when Jenny remembered that DPK - our planned activity for the day - was closed! Regrouping in rapid fashion, Team Taylor amended plans and rolled to Carowinds for what I would call our BEST DAY EVER in that park. We did so much that we didn't even make it to Camp Snoopy!
I got to ride "Kiddy Hawk" (or Flying Ace Aerial Chase) with K 3 times, including 2x on the front row. JT bit the bullet and did Do-si-do with her 3x. K even got to ride the swings 3x (even though she's half an inch too short - shhhhhh....). She complained about her ankle a bit, but honestly it didn't seem to bother her much (she ran all over the place). I was hurting too from gout and the race, so we made quite the pair hobbling toward the roller coasters. :-)
For Cora, it was ALL ABOUT Boo Blasters. I'm not sure if it's the AC or some of the pictures, but she LOVES that ride! We did it 5x in a row with her - the last 2 just me and her! It was too funny - we would finish, and she would instantly do the sign for more. Love that kid!
She also really liked the carousel...until she didn't. After about the 5th time, she just went into meltdown ON THE RIDE. We managed to finish it, but it was clear that she was DONE.
The other big deal (that almost didn't materialize) - we had promised K dippin' dots this go-around as a "farewell to summer." Well, the first booth we saw was closed. So was the second. So was the third. I mentioned that they might not be serving them to K, and you could tell she was getting anxious. Jenny said, "There's one in the water park," and knowing that K wasn't going to think about anything else until we confirmed one way or the other, she and I headed that way.
Honestly, judge me if you have to, but I prayed on the way over that this place would be open. It had been such a PERFECT day, and I really wanted it to be perfect start to finish for K. And sure enough, the booth in Carolina Harbor was THE ONLY ONE OPEN THAT WE FOUND IN THE WHOLE PARK!!!!! So we ordered some, sat in the shade, and ate like champs. Side note - this was a highlight for me, as I still remember the first time my mom bought me dippin' dots (outside "Chaos" at Opryland). So while it was on a smaller scale than taking my first to Disney, it was still cool to be able to do for my child what was done to me. 
After a stop at the water park (Cora got SOAKED and had to ride to gymnastics in K's shirt), we rolled up to Fun2BFit, where I got to watch K in action. I knew it would be the last time I'd get to see her there for awhile, and this was a real treat - she was on the beam, she did some dance moves, she worked on bridge, and best of all - she got her new, custom fit leotard! She looked SO CUTE! Cora was really good as well - that girl was a trooper ALL DAY.It was then over to CFA and home, where we crashed after a VERY full day. JT and I were in bed before 9:15 and slept like rocks! We gave K some ibuprofen for her ankle - fingers crossed it will be better tomorrow.
Oh, and we found out K's teacher: Ms. Janelle Pate. Very excited to meet her on Thursday at the open house!
8/22 - Today was a big one for Sammy the Bull: the first day of my new job! I was at the office from 7:30 - 5:30, rolling in just before 6 to join the family for "breakfast for supper" (JT's casserole). The girls had a good day - NOMAD in the morning, followed by Taylie coming over in the afternoon to play with K. 
On the Cora front, she's getting stronger and more independent! That girl does NOT like it when you tell her "it's time to go up," and she instantly says "No" and runs away. She's getting harder to handle when you have to place her somewhere she doesn't want to go, and to top it all off - not only does she have a shiner under her right eye where she collided with a table at church, but she also has a cut on her left eyelid where she ran into something. WRECKING BALL! Seriously - I can not enroll this child in rugby lessons soon enough. :-)
8/23 - Today was a BIG DAY: Kindergarten Open House! We were there a little over 90 minutes, and K was an angel during the first 45 minutes (the presentation period). She just curled up on me and was very quiet - even asked a few questions to clarify what the teacher was saying. It was then over to room 205, where we met her new teacher - Mrs. Pate! She seems great and was SUPER sweet to Kaitlyn (even if her name was spelled Katelyn everywhere :-)). She had a little Smores packet for everyone (she loves the outdoors), and she even gave all the kids "Jitter Glitter" to put under their pillow the night before the first day (so they won't be scared in the morning). Cute! Their room is very Outdoors themed, and they are the "Happy Campers."
The setup is really neat - the room looks great (and has plenty of space). There are about 25 kids in the class (1430 in the entire school - graduating classes will max at about 120), and Jenny actually knows the teaching assistant (they know each other from the HC Swim team). It was really cool - Jenny prayed for a sign that all would be well, and this gal rounded the corner. All His promises are Yes and Amen. :-)
Also, we got confirmation on which House K will be in! She is going to be in Sabio (Spanish for wisdom), so she's got her cute little green shirt (they wear house shirts on Fridays). It is really neat - she will be partnered up with a 5th grader, and they will have that relationship all through K's time in lower school. How neat is that? VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PLACE!!!We had some good Wii time in the afternoon, and K legitimately beat me 3 times! She got 6 wins total - that girl is getting better at almost ALL those games! We did have a little meltdown when she couldn't beat me at ping pong, but the games were close! It's only a matter of time.
Grace showed up at 3:30, and JT and I headed out for farewell drinks with my old team before our final date night to celebrate the new gig. Cheryl and the girls replaced Grace about 6, so the Taylor girls had a good 90 min+ with the McLaren gang - Cheryl sent us a great shot of the 5 of them reading (to Cora). Too cute!8/24 - K woke up complaining of ear pain today, and Jenny told me that she said the same thing on Thursday. We'll obviously have Ashley look at them this weekend (that poor girl is gonna regret every volunteering that service!), but I am hopeful she's okay. It's hard to know, as for the last week plus she's had a complaint or injury somewhere, so it's just tough to know when she's crying wolf vs. really having discomfort.
What I will say - she had an ENORMOUS poopy today (we are talking bigger than mine!), and she instantly seemed to perk up (and then proceed to eat a MASSIVE lunch). I think that girl's been backed up for a few days, which explains some of the crabbiness and lethargy. She's wrapping up her hour of tablet time as I type this, so hopefully we'll have a pretty chill afternoon. I'm fresh off a massage as I type this, so I will be honest and say I'm not keen to do too much. :-)
Cora went down without a peep and seems to have had a good day. We did have a funny moment yesterday when Jenny walked past her room during nap time and noticed that music was playing in her crib. Sure enough, one of the bunnies I'd given her was battery operated, and Cora was squeezing that thing for all it's worth. JT has since removed the batteries, and Cora bear seems none the wiser. :-)Let me finish with the update that Kaitlyn had ANOTHER HUGE POOPY later on - that girl should officially be cleansed at this point!
8/25 - After a great morning at NOMAD, we rolled down to Fort Mill, where the Heins family had invited us, the Millers, the Tavares Clan, and my buddy Bruce for a cookout/pool party. It was a blast, and the girls made it count! Cora had an abbreviated nap (I had to wake her to ensure we got down there on time), but she rallied well and enjoyed all the food she was able to pound. I mean, that girl CRUSHED crackers, cheese, and an OCEAN of fruit (thank goodness JT had some left from the baby shower she'd hosted earlier in the day!). K played great in the pool - she loved playing with Lily and Grace (as well as the rest of the kids, of course). Lily and Grace were great baby sitters for Cora as well when we needed a break (although JT did the lion's share of the work - I was a lazy bum most of the afternoon).
It was really cute watching Cora run or flinch whenever their two dogs came at her - they were super sweet (loved to swim in the pool) but were big! Cora would always brace for impact when they came near - too cute. Cora actually ate much better than Kaitlyn, who didn't eat a THING for dinner! Instead, she ate a MASSIVE piece of M & M cake that Matt's girls had made for Marne's birthday. I didn't realize she hadn't eaten until we got in the car and she announced that she was hungry. We settled on giving her a pouch to take the edge off and informing her that, going forward, she would be expected to eat what was on offer, as we couldn't guarantee there would be other food available once dinner had already been served (and it was delicious, for the record).
After 5+ hours there, we departed around 8:30, getting home a little after 9. The girls were in bed before 9:30, but it was a no bath night! They were out INSTANTLY. Full disclosure - the girls haven't had a bath in THREE DAYS. Yes, I know, I know - parents of the YEAR. :-)8/26 - Today was a wonderful day for Team Taylor, and we really made it count. It all started at Freedom House, where we got the chance to do something very special - laying hands on all the teachers and students ahead of the start of the new school year. This is a Freedom House tradition, and as church leaders we've had the chance to do this before. This year was extra special, however, as Kaitlyn was going to walk through the tunnel for the first time.
We got in place by the platform, and guess who the first girl in the line was? THING ONE! When it started, you could tell that her mind was blown. She didn't let go of Darla's hand (that's her teacher in FH Kids), and her tongue was out the whole time (which she always does when she's shy or embarrassed). It was really emotional for both me and Jenny, and we shed the tears to prove it. After church, it was the end of summer bash, which we made count! Kaitlyn had a snow cone, tried root beer for the first time ("Is this real beer, dada?") - so did Cora...who LOVED it and kept begging for more "wawa" - played in a foam pit, and went down the water slides for a good 30+ minutes. We were out there over an hour! Cora had fun, too, and we didn't want to run away.
That afternoon was pretty chill knocking stuff out and getting ready for the week. It's hard to believe, but it's here: a bold new season for Team Taylor. Tomorrow is my real "first day" on the job, K's first day of kindy, and JT's first day with just her and Cora. It will be a big change in the "new normal," but I am so excited about it and can't wait to see how God works in the life of this family. I am praying and believing that I will be able to touch lives and help folks see Jesus in my role. I am praying and believing that K will be confident & bold, make new friends, feel safe at school, and acquire a desire for learning. I am praying and believing that Jenny and Cora will forge and even deeper bond and that JT will get a chance to have some rest and "her time" that she's so selflessly given up for the past several months. Exciting times ahead for sure - WATCH THIS SPACE!There was an interesting moment at 3:54 this afternoon. K had been really moody all day, and while we'd attributed some of it to her being tired from the pool party, there was a growing realization that she was likely nervous about starting kindergarten. I had tried to talk to her about it several times, asking her if anything was wrong, but each time she just said now. At this moment, however, playing tumbling monkeys, she just suddenly got quiet and stopped playing the game halfway through. When I asked her if something was bothering her, this time she nodded ever so slightly. I asked if she was sad Kate wasn't in her class - she said no. I asked if she was worried about Kindergarten - she said no. I asked if she was scared about all the new people - she nodded slightly and then broke down into tears.
We snuggled up on the couch for a good 15 minutes, her just wailing the whole time. I tried to reassure her, and eventually she did calm down. I was concerned in that moment - had JT and I over-hyped the start of the new school? Had we built it up too much in her mind without setting proper expectations? We knew only time would tell, but we were happy when company arrived and everyone was in better spirits.
We ended the day with a BBQ at our place, hosting the Mohr's. It was a hoot and a GREAT WAY to end the summer. And now, heart content and body recharged, we look ahead expectantly to see what
lies in wait. THANK YOU, FATHER!!!!!! So excited to see what comes next.
That night we put "Jitter Glitter" from Ms. Pate under K's pillow. When K corrected us and told us "Ms. Pate said put some under my head," we let her put some on the pillow as well - all of which ended up IN HER HAIR when she woke up.
The morning went quickly, and I cannot tell you how grown up K looked in her uniform!!! WOW - it was insane. After completing the standard "first day" pics, we then loaded up the car and headed to BPS for Day 1. They were letting parents walk their kids in on Day 1 to help them get settled, and there was a line out the door before the 9 AM bell. The revelatory moment was in the bathroom before we left to go to school. K asked, "Do I have to know math?" When we explained no, she instantly seemed happier, at which point we realized where all her anxiety had come from - she thought that she had to already know math, reading, and writing to be able to ATTEND Kindergarten! AHA! Once we cracked that nut, all was better.
We got her settled in at Table 1, and after a few final pictures, we were on our way. K was happy as a clam - already coloring and talking to other kids. SUCCESS! And no tears!
JT picked her up via the car pool about 3:50, and I am THRILLED to report that all was aces. K ran to the car, climbed in, and said, "Kindergarten is fun!" When JT said, "I told you it would be," Kaitlyn replied: "No you didn't. You said they would teach us math!" Priceless! Seriously - it must have been awesome, and she even got to play with Kate on the playground during recess time. Also, her teacher sent us an email with things to ask about, and K just lit up when we mentioned each one - so fun! She loved Day one, and right now I LOVE Bradford. :-)
Gymnastics was good - back rolls tonight! And then the last quote of the night - as K was picking up markers dropped by Cora, "Look what you have done my little sweet blob." Such an endearing term...It's now 8:30, and we are WHIPPED. That being said, our hearts couldn't be fuller. Talk about a "cup runneth over Monday!" THANK YOU, FATHER!!!!
8/28 - Day 2 at Bradford, and I honestly couldn't be happier. K is LOVING it. Theresa picked her up today (we are doing a carpool with them), and she said K ran to the car with a HUGE smile on her face. She is absolutely LOVING everything about it right now, and it is spilling over into every facet of our life. She is telling us about her day, which is even MORE awesome! And get this - today they did YOGA! Seriously - how cool is this school? She also came in with two drawings - one for me and one for JT. She had written "Kaitlyn Mom" on one, but for mine she said, "Oh, I forgot to write your name. It's Dad - D-A-D." NICE! Already learning (and loving it in the process) - I couldn't not possibly ask for more. Seriously - THANK YOU, JULIE HOLLIS, for pushing us over the edge and convincing us to try BPS. SO GLAD WE DID! Tonight K actually said, "I am so happy! I'm happier than I've ever been!" And she's already picked out her outfit for tomorrow. YAY!
So I will be honest - right now I feel like I'm scrambling to keep up with everything happening in this family, but in the spirit of "Present Over Perfect," I am just trying to capture it all as best as I can in as close to real time as possible. Given that, some pretty funny updates:
1. I was reading "Barnyard Dance" with Cora tonight (it will go down as one of my favorite children's books EVER), and when I turned to the page with a donkey dancing she yelled "MAMA!" She did this on a subsequent donkey picture as well. Perhaps I won't relate that story to JT...2. Speaking of Cora the copy cat - she has progressed to more than just "No" at this point. Now she's also mimicking K and saying "OW" all the time - REGARDLESS OF THE ACTIVITY. Seriously - we were putting lotion on her last night and she said "Ow." K does it as a running joke we have, but Cora has just taken it to mean you should act as though you're being attacked anytime someone is within 3 feet of you. These children...
3. At night, Kaitlyn is always asking me to "talk in my regular voice so I know you're not a skeleton." She keeps saying that skeletons come into her room (on Fridays only, apparently) to scare her. She also asked me to come to her room if I "find any skeletons downstairs." I mean...not really sure where to go with that... :-) It does confirm that we won't be watching Coco anytime soon...
4. This morning I was scrambling around to get ready for work, and I couldn't find my access badge. I was getting worked up, and K said, "Daddy, just calm down." I didn't and continued frumping about. When K said it a second time, I snapped and just said, "Kaitlyn - not now." But then, 2 seconds later, I found my badge. The moral of the story - K was right, and I should have been practicing what I preach to her all the time. I did apologize to her that afternoon - well done, kid. You are so good for me.
5. Cora's featured activity of the day? Trying to put on her bathing suit all day. Seriously - she wanted to sleep in it - went BALLISTIC when Jenny wouldn't let her. I mean, Cora bear, honey - you know that shirt doesn't exactly breathe, right?6. K is pretty funny right now - we have this routine going where she will ask for something random and then say, "You better do that now, mister, or I will punish you!" She eventually cracks herself up to the point she can barely speak. It's pretty darn funny. LOVE THIS FAMILY!!!!
8/29 - Cora is expanding her vocabulary! She has now added the following:
1. "I" - seriously, this was really cool. We were looking at a book, and and when she saw the uppercase I, she started saying, "I! I!!!" At first I didn't realize why, but then I saw her pointing at it. Really neat! She doesn't seem to know any other letters yet, but that one was unmistakable.
This was similar to something K did a few weeks back. We were reading the Jesus Storybook Bible, and while I was reading she asked, "where are you on the page, dada?" I pointed and she said, "I thought so. That says love." How cool is that? I'm telling you - GENIUSES - both of them. :-)2. "That" - she's getting fairly demonstrative now, but she's clearly saying "that" and pointing to (or indicating what she's after).
3. "May may" - that's Mac 'n Cheese. TRUST ME - it's Mac 'n Cheese.
A separate highlight from today - for the first time ever, Kaitlyn played with another kid in her class! She played with Ellie (as well as Susie and Kate apparently). That's big news and makes me smile - tells me she's making friends!
8/30 - Today was a big day - the first day of the "regular" start time for Kaitlyn. She actually got up before her alarm (set for 6:30), and all was going swimmingly until drop-off. The good news - the drop off line is going much better, and by next week all will be well. This morning, however, JT had Taylie and Jackson in the car, and when Taylie got out she slammed the door (not deliberately - she just wasn't thinking) right in K's face (just barely missed her fingers - YIKES!). They ran on in, but Kaitlyn was just distraught - bawling crying. A teacher came over to comfort her, but she was apparently still inconsolable. Ultimately, JT had to get out - hug K twice (she was still bawling), and then get back in the car, as she was holding up the car pool line! The good news - K was fine by EOD, and we don't expect to have any more incidents. Fingers crossed. :-)Poor K did have stomach issues today - 6 cases of diarrhea! She was a trooper through it all, but you can tell the long days are starting to wear on her this week. It's been a huge adjustment for all of us, and she's still soldiering on pretty darn good. However, I will be glad when Friday arrives and we all get a long weekend to decompress.
On the Cora front, she woke up with a HUGE bite mark from where something got her in the car yesterday. It didn't seem to be bothering her, but MAN - it was enormous! We put on some hydrocortisone and called the nurse, who said just monitor it but wasn't concerned.
Last thing - tonight we tried convincing Cora bear to "try a bit more broccoli before receiving a second portion of Mac 'n Cheese." You can imagine how that went - TEARS! SCREAMING! Oh, the humanity!!!! And in the end...we capitulated. Hey - we gotta make sure that kid sleeps. We'll try that fight again during breakfast or lunch, but definitely NOT at dinner again anytime soon. :-)
8/31 - HOUSE DAY!!! So I realize this sounds very Harry Potter, but apparently the entire school is divided into 4 houses across all grade levels: Sabio, Esperanza, Paz, Fuerza. Kaitlyn and her class are Sabio, and today they met all the other Sabios in the school. It was "sorting day," so some of the kids actually got to spin the wheel (literally) and confirm which house they were in. If they were selected to K's house, then they would run over to them, while the whole house chanted: "S-A-B-I-O! You are now a Sabio!!!!" The whole concept is really cool, as they get a 5th grade (I think) mentor who partners with them from Day 1. Then as they both progress, they stay together, and eventually K becomes a mentor to someone else. Pretty cool, huh? I LOVE BRADFORD!!!!
K clearly does as well. She is ELECTRICALLY HAPPY right now - I genuinely think she's a bit mopey this weekend because she's not at school! She picks out her outfit every day, loves her backpack, and is just all smiles during the week. There is just so much laughter and positive energy in the house - we are brimming over with happiness. I pray this season continues a long, long, LONG time - THANK YOU, FATHER!!!!!!Oh, and K has now taken to calling Cora her "little numpkin." I have NO IDEA where that came from, but it's pretty cute.
So there you have it - an August for the AGES!!!!! A tremendous amount of change, a tremendous amount of happiness...a TREMENDOUS amount of blessing. Team Taylor's heart is full. Praise Jesus for what He has done and continues to do in our life.
That's all the news that's fit to print. Chat soon!
Love,
Sam and Jenny
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