Big milestones...and bigger screams...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  23 days

Family,

Team Taylor out for a family stroll in
Freedom Park on Monday, after just receiving
the "all clear" from the LC - WINNER,
WINNER, CHICKEN DINNER, BABY!!!!

And a good evening to you from the Queen City, where Sammy the Bull has just finished "In the Garden of Beasts" (brilliant read, for the record - vintage Larson), and Muffin Puffin is busily reading "Secret of the Baby Whisperer" with Kaitlyn feeding happily at the moment. Somehow it's already 6 PM, and increasingly JT and I are SHOCKED at how quickly the day passes.  She was up before 9 today, and I managed to pull myself out of bed by 9:47, but the speed with which each day goes by (especially when I don't have a litany of crossed off "to-do's" in hand) is shocking.

Today however was a great one, featuring a few milestones for the "old" Team Taylor.  For starters, I got back onto the parkway for my first run as a father!  I went 4 miles on this GORGEOUS, sunny Wednesday, strolling at a 9+ minute pace but just enjoying the fact that I was moving and getting some exercise.  I could tell that my conditioning has (understandably) waned, as it was my lungs that gave out before my legs.  I felt a little pain from the old stress fracture spot, but nothing too daunting (although the pop in my foot before I started was a bit ominous).  If anything, I think Kaitlyn's birth has given both mine and Muffin's bodies some much needed R & R, and my hope is that I'll truly be able to rebuild from the ground up ahead of the fall/winter running calendar.  For Jenny, the hope is that her foot is now fully recovered from surgery last August, meaning she'll be able to mix running with the elliptical and swimming once she returns to the gym.

Kaitlyn "Shackleton" Taylor, ready for the
hike to the Whaling Station on South Georgia
Island...or Highland Creek Parkway.

Additionally, Jenny got out for her 4th walk in 5 days with the stroller.  That has been a great new addition to the routine, especially given that everything is now in bloom and that the weather these past few days has been nothing shy of PERFECT.  Granted, it was chilly enough to deck K in her "Ice Hotel coat" today (courtesy of one of Jenny's friends - TOO CUTE!), but JT still logged 3 miles over roughly an hour.   She made this loop with her friend Kelly, a neighbor who's newest addition is only a few weeks older than K.  I'm so glad that Jenny's got another mom so close, as I know that will be incredibly important once I start back to work (plus it's just great for her to have someone else to talk to aside from a husband who gets all of his information from the internet - where only 100% truth is ever spoken :-)).

We've had several good walks lately, and we've now got a) the quick loop around our street (30 min) when she's fussy, b) the longer walk down the parkway when we're feeling a bit more ambitious, and c) the mack daddy - the Clarke Creek Greenway once we feel confident enough to load the car and go for a stroll.  My hope is that we can pull that off in the next 1-2 weeks, but we'll see how it all goes as we continue to elongate some of Kaitlyn's strolls down the parkway.

Look at those clean gums...well, just trust
me - those puppies are SPOTLESS.

Another big milestone for daddy was completing the book I referenced earlier.  I know it sounds silly, but as a man who's always set 1, 5, and 10 year goals, I've been drifting a bit lately trying to identify what I view as my goals, Kaitlyn's goals, and our family's goals over the next several months years.  I realize that may sound silly (and as with all of the posts for this blog, I feel I've been incredibly inept at articulating myself and my thoughts), and I am conscious that the most important goals at present (without question) are my both my daughter's health and development & my wife's health and happiness.  But as a guy who's always thinking about multiple things (and has never been able to turn off that switch - at least not since college), I've decided to break things down into several different sets of goals:

1.  Daddy for Kaitlyn:  continue gaining weight, ensuring Kaitlyn is bathed and mouth is cleaned every day, ensure she's laying on different sides of her head, start to focus on wake time and focus (I've broken out the rattles since that is apparently something they can comprehend without overstimulation before 3 months)

2.  Husband for Jenny:  ensure she's getting plenty of rest, ensure she gets out of the house at least once every other day to do something fun for her, ensure any stress she has is not child related, do what I can to support good milk supply production (admittedly I'm about as useless as tits on a boar hog on this one, but I can at least track volumes and the schedule), ensure she knows how amazing and beautiful she is every day, minimize the housework she has to do given that she has to handle so much of Kaitlyn's daily activities

3.  Husband/Father for Family:  get K's college fund set up, continue active tracking of debts to ensure that, each year a new debt is crossed off for the next 3-5 years, work on memory preservation - this blog, photo organization, video and photo clips, ensure annual trip with the Rice clan, the Tacy Reunion (Markham-Hunsucker-Tacy-Taylor), ensure annual trips for Jenny with the girls and me with the Boys, annual Granville Six reunion

4.  Personal goals:  For this year, it's all about crossing off some books that I've been wanting to read FOREVER, and getting back into shape (real shape - not just "survive the race" shape).  For 2014, I think the goals will start to shift to potentially adding triathlons to the mix, and there is a desire to begin reading more non-fiction, as I'm keen to try and re-sharpen my intellect and ensure that much of what I learned (and considered such a valuable treasure trove of knowledge) in college stays fresh and continues to reside in accessible reaches of my brain

The conquering - or conquered - hero...I'm
conscious this doesn't look like much progress
in the way of "awake time," but trust us - this
photo represents a victory - in gas relief, at least.

For Kaitlyn, several big milestones have been crossed off, most notably shattering the 7 pound barrier!!!  That's right, sports fans, Kaitlyn is now 7 pounds, 6 ounces!  We had a lactation consultant appointment on Monday, at which time we received the "all-clear" - no more appointments required for the foreseeable future!  For us, this was GREAT news, as it told us that our feeding strategy was working, K was taking in the food she needs, and our plan of working in shifts to allow for some measure of sanity was working for both us and the baby.  We celebrated by having an hour walk on the Little Sugar Creek Greenway with Cuz, which was fantastic - perfect weather, some nice exercise, and a good sense of accomplishment that we are able to elongate the time we are out of the house.

That being said, we are still struggling with K at night.  We've certainly discerned that she's a little gas pocket (but given her genetic code, how could she NOT be?), and we're finding that she's consistently fussier at night than at any other time during the day (starting about 10 PM and going until 6 AM).  Whilst she does take in quality feedings, she screams like a A RABID BANSHEE once the gas builds up.  As a parent it's heartbreaking, as there are fewer things more frustrating than not being able to sooth your child despite a full belly, a clean diaper, and some cuddling.  Consequently, we've instigated a period of "wake time," during which she's burped quite a bit (she normally only burps when you lay her down, and BOY can she let it go!), and then we try to do some focusing exercises for her eyes (this is when the rattle comes in).  I do think that this is paying off, as she is screaming less each evening and sleeping deeper once we let her work through the gas.  But still, the volume that little girl can get her lungs up to is something EPIC.

Now THAT is what you want to see - the rug rat PASSED OUT
on mummy, another successful feeding in the books.

Oh, and in other news, it seems that the tongue tie wasn't the only genetic defect Sammy the Bull passed along to K.  It seems I also passed my gum tie, which required surgery and stitches for me when I was a kid.  So that's 2 known defects that could be passed which have been found within her first month of life.  Here's hoping and praying that she's got her mother's blood pressure.

Okay, a bit of a ramble here, and I'm conscious more of it was about me than my rug rat.  However, daddy needs an outlet to process his thoughts as well, which is another key reason this secret little site exists.  Here's hoping that, when we next chat, I'll be through another book and the rug rat won't be screaming at me as though I've just put bamboo shoots under her teeny little fingernails.

Love,

Sam and Jenny

Kaitlyn's first (surprisingly!) Easter...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  21 Days

Family,

Happy Easter to you from the Queen City!  Lady Kaitlyn rolls 3 weeks of life officially tomorrow, and today finds her wearing her first ever bits of Easter attire.  Given that she's not even 7 pounds and isn't mobile just yet, I managed to dodge purchasing the "Easter dress" bullet this year, but that doesn't mean that K went without!  Case in point - check out these (too cute!) photos of our little one:

Wearing her first Easter bib (courtesy of Grammie):

Wearing her first embarrassing (yet adorable!) hand-stitched beanie (courtesy of Granny):

Tonight should be a fun one, with our friends Heather and VA coming over.  I expect it will be filled with basketball, good food, and a growler of Greenway IPA from Triple C Brewing (that one's a given since I've got it in my fridge :-)).

As for the broader parental commentary, life is certainly easier (and a bit more predictable) at 21 days in.  Team Taylor has managed a 30 minute walk with the stroller the last 2 days, and we might pull one off today (if the rain can hold off).  In terms of sleeping, Jenny and I have decided that sleeping apart is NO FUN, and so we're still doing the shifts but now taking them upstairs.  I slept the best I've slept in a week last night, and I now think my days of sleeping on the couch are done (unless I get into trouble with Jenny, of course... :-)).

Some things we learned this week:

1.  THE WHITE NOISE APP ON THE i-Phone IS THE GREATEST INVENTION EVER.  Like, in the history of EVER (maybe Taylor Swift could sing about this for me).  Seriously - Faith, THANK YOU!!!

2.  The vibrating bassinet is the SECOND greatest invention ever.  Granny, you were right - don't be afraid to use whatever's necessary to put the child down. :-)

3.  If she's not going to sleep, chances are it's not hunger - it's gas.  Burp her more frequently - and be prepared to be SHOWERED with stomach contents.  My poor, poor red Colombia zip-up fleece...

4.  Kanga care really does work.  I honestly think K recognizes me more now that we're doing skin-to-skin on a regular basis.  I know I've said it before, but I'll really miss that when it's gone...(sniffle)...

Thank you, Easter Bunny - bak, bak!

5.  As for me, I'm slowly becoming more comfortable with the realization that there will always be things around my child I can't control (how folks hold her, their "advice" on parenting, volume levels, etc), and I need to find ways to accept that and move on.  Jenny and I have been making conscious efforts to get out at least every other day to continue the socialization not only of Kaitlyn, but also of us.  It's been tougher and easier than expected all at the same time, but I harken back to 2 pieces of advice:

My best friend John:  "Push your limits every day."

Old School Cool:  "Get 'em on your schedule as soon as possible."

I think we're making progress on both fronts, but a new set of questions has already emerged for me.  Now it's a question of how long do we let her cry when she's upset, as it's that delicate balance of "she's a preemie" vs. "it's time to go Baby-wise!"  We've got several appointments and will get some "professional" advice this week, but as with so many other things, I truly believe it's a question of just watching and learning how she acts and cues to us.

Not a whole lot else to report on this last day of her birth month, but no complaints.  I'm as happy as I've ever been - life is good.  God is good.  My cup runneth over.

Love,

Sam and Jenny

The first bit of drama (and heredity) - the tongue tie...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  18 days

Family,

And a good afternoon to you all from the Queen City, where Kaitlyn has just met her last set of grandparents!  I'm very happy to report that dad and Alice (my stepmom) made the drive "over the mountain" yesterday to visit their grand-daughter for the first time, and I'm very, VERY happy to report that they came bearing LOADS of gifts. :-)  Seriously - presents rained down upon us from friends and family, and it's safe to say that little Kaitlyn won't have to worry about clothes for at least the next 6 months (and maybe the first 9 years considering that she STILL doesn't fit into any of the newborn clothes we have for her).

The Cain Mill Crew holding Kaitlyn for the first time

The visit was fantastic - just too short (as always).  Alice whipped up some white chili for dinner, some pancakes and sausage for brekkie (and those were Nuremburger sausages from TJ's - so guuuuuuuuuud...peppy cheekies :-)), and even some lemon lush for dessert last night!  We ate like kings, and it should be noted that we did make the traditional Trader Joe's run to stock them up on wine and Mission St. Blonde Ale!

And I would be horribly remiss if I didn't thank Alice SO MUCH for the absolutely ADORABLE hats she knitted for us.  She knitted several different wool beanies for Kaitlyn, and the photo shoot that ensued was nothing short of hilarious (I mean, it was no "Images by Faith" shoot, which was still one of the most amazing things I've ever watched, but still).  I mean check out the below photo - tell me that she's not the cutest thing EVER.

Alice's handiwork - a handmade beanie for Easter!  So cute...even if we had to practically bolt it to her head.

In other news, this week was a big one for Team Taylor as parents, as we had to deal with the first "painful" doctor's appointment.  Like her father, our first visit to the lactation consultant revealed that our little miracle was born with a type 1 (classic) tongue tie.  Whilst this was not affecting her breast feeding, the chance existed that it could affect her speech down the road.  Consequently, we visited an ENT to clip her tongue (after assurances that it was very low risk, would not affect - except to improve - breast feeding, and that there would be generally no pain for her).  Well, one out of three ain't bad...

Our doctor was absolutely fantastic (even if a Gator - KJ, I couldn't help but think of what your response would have been had your brought your firstborn to a man with a Gator tie and Gator pin on his lapel), and the good news is that the surgery (which truly was minor) was an absolute success.  However, the child SCREAMED BLOODY MURDER LIKE A RABID BANSHEE during the 2 minute procedure.  We weren't actually in the room, and the doctor assured us that a) she was very brave, and b) most of the screaming was from being restrained.  If that's the case, I WILL NEVER TRY AND RESTRAIN THIS CHILD EVER, as the sound effects were something from the Exorcism of Emily Rose...

The other hiccup was that, with her tongue now free and flopping, breast feeding actually did prove to be a challenge when we returned her to the breast 3 hours later.  I think it was scarier for us than her actually, as the look of concern and frustration on her face as she fought to get on the breast was really nothing shy of heartbreaking.  However, thanks in large part to Jenny's constant efforts to keep her latched (trying new positions, soothing her, massaging her, staying with it and ensuring everything was pointing in the right direction :-)), she did get back on the breast, and now everything seems to be back to normal (although sometimes it is a bit of a crap shoot as to whether or not she'll latch the first, second, or third time).

The key essentials for "kanga care":  water, an empty bladder, a reclining chair, and a ripping yarn of a book (check on all counts).  Laying with her like this is pretty much the best part of my day, and I already know I'll miss this when she's too big.

Couldn't resist - even if her face says it all...

I do also feel that I helped (says the proud papa), as we started another big Team Taylor parental milestone this week - the sleep shift.  I am on the first half of the evening, meaning I give Kaitlyn a bottle about 1 AM.  I do think the bottle helped her "re-learn" how to suck, as I was able to wedge (I know, I know...very delicate and loving) the nipple into her mouth, and eventually I believe that helped to push her tongue where it needed to be.  3 nights into the shift work, everything seems to be working, and as a father I am loving a) the bonding time I get with my daughter, and b) the fact that Jenny's now able to get 5-6 hours of consecutive sleep (I'm getting 4-5 hours as well, which does make a HUGE difference).  We're still waking her to feed, but we've adjusted the schedule slightly (more like every 3.5 hours vs. every 3 on the nose), and I think we're seeing better results (she's better rested, feeding longer, etc).  Also, based on a lot of what we've read, we're taking more time to burp her (and doing it more frequently).  I think this is paying off as well, but at present she's much, much fussier late at night, and it sounds like she's still trying to work up a lot of "gunk" from birth.  Regardless, I can say with certainty that the third week has been easier than the first, if for no other reason than we're not worried EVERY SINGLE SECOND about whether or not she's breathing or gaining weight.

This week's assignment for Team Taylor - getting Kaitlyn to lay on both sides of her head (to avoid flatness) and getting her to focus her eyes on the person holding her (and getting her to track the person's head moving without using voice cues or anything else).  Like every other challenge - BRING IT ON!

Dad and Alice - thank you SO MUCH for making the drive over.  It was SO GREAT to see you, and we had an absolute blast.  Kaitlyn has a wonderful family supporting her and looking out for her - she's a lucky girl.

Love,

Sam and Jenny

Life as a father - 2 weeks in...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  2 weeks

Family,

And a good afternoon to you from the Queen City, where the Mountain Fortress of Team Taylor is currently silent like glass - no NCAA Tournament games, no crying newborn, no engaged breast pump, no oven beeping - nothing.  Truth be told, the silence is almost deafening.  I think I can already begin to understand how empty the house must sound after the last child goes off to college - but luckily I don't have to think about that for a long time, as the pitter patter of little feet will hopefully grace these halls for years to come.

You can ask my mother, but I'm pretty sure she'll confirm
that I NEVER slept that well.  I do love daddy tummy time.

Two weeks have now passed.  That's 336 hours, only about 10 of which have been utilized for sleep.  At the time of writing, Jenny is napping upstairs, which is a good thing because my wife has been an absolute WARRIOR in taking care of this child.  Seriously - her dedication at feeding time is truly something to watch - the way she deals with the initial pain (which looks, well, AWFUL) and works so hard to keep Kaitlyn awake.  As an outside observer, it looks exactly the way God intended, and I feel so blessed to bear witness to it.

As for me, I am finding that each day I'm winding down earlier.  I have a good burst of energy starting about 9 AM, thanks largely in part to a shower (which I didn't manage today) and 2 cups of coffee, chased by some Mountain Dew in the afternoon.  Initially I was settling into my "sleep cycles" (I try to sleep during the 3 evening sets) about 1 AM, but the last 2 nights it's moved from 1 back to 11, and then last night it moved from 11 back to 9.  I think I'll "hard stop" it there - otherwise I'm gonna feel like my entire life is being spent in that master bedroom.

Muffin Puffin and the Munchkin with a little "kanga care."

The sleep deprivation is taking its toll on me, and the pistons DEFINITELY aren't firing like they used to (insert the standard donkapotamus "They used to fire?  Really?" joke here).  Case in point was last night, where I had this...let's call it a dream (or a hallucination) that Jenny had this body suit with tubes running from her nipples attached to the baby.  Long story short, she could go anywhere in the house, and the kid could feed, and twice I woke up and went to the bathroom thinking that I was actually carrying Kaitlyn into the bathroom to be closer to Jenny.  I ALSO returned to the bed twice to tell Jenny that she shouldn't sleep with Kaitlyn in the bed because it might suffocate her.  And whilst this is sage wisdom, it should be noted (as my wife so politely pointed out - especially considering I'd just roused her rom sleep) that the baby had NEVER LEFT THE BASSINET.  Oh, and I also woke up screaming from a nightmare where a bald lady was in our kitchen with an axe.  Apparently she'd used a  weimeraner to break into the house (the dog ran into the bedroom), and that's what alerted us to the fact that she'd by-passed the alarm.  I armed Jenny with a Phillips head screwdriver, and I had my fork from supper.  I mean seriously - THAT DREAM IS MY BRAIN CHECKING TO ENSURE EVERYTHING IS FUNCTIONING?  Clearly there's a breakdown in the equipment somewhere...

As for the little one, she has been AMAZING.  For starters, she's FINALLY gaining weight.  In fact, she's gone from just an ounce above "concern weight" 9 days ago to gaining more than an ounce a day!  Again, all the credit goes to Jenny, who's been engaged in a constant stream of feeding, burping, changing, swaddling, pumping - rinse-repeat.  I am so proud of that woman.

Kaitlyn did have a bit of a rough time today, as the poor girl had to have her tongue clipped (just like her father).  However, she was a rock star (yes, dad - she "gut divorced it"), and she even managed to have a solid feeding just an hour later (again, kudos to Jenny for keeping her awake, engaged, and latched despite the screaming).  Aside from that, it's amazing how quickly they change.  She can raise her head high (just not maintain or lower it), can squirm enough that we could almost call it a roll in training, is starting to develop some baby fat rolls (which are SO CUTE), has definitely found her voice, is quite adamant that her arms should NOT be swaddled (especially her left), has ever-lightening blue eyes, and is starting to focus more and more on the world around her.  Our next task as parents is to start encouraging her to focus on us and to follow our faces as we move them.  As I am LOVING staring into those ever-widening eyes, I'm very much looking forward to this task.

Grammie and Grand Pooh - fresh off a "brisk little 14 hour drive" from Port of Everglades to the QC.  Love you guys!!!

Also, she's managed to see a lot of family.  Grammie and Grand Pooh (my mom and stepdad) came by on their way back from a cruise (they specifically picked this cruise date because they were CERTAIN they would be home in time for the baby - the best laid plans...), and my dad and stepmom are coming later this week.  Kaitlyn's already seen Grandma and Grandpa Tacy, as well as Aunt Kim.  Throw in several different sets of friends, and we've been well fed and well attended to during our brief tenure as parents.  Jenny's mom actually spent the last 2+ days with us, tackling a shedload of cooking and cleaning.  Jan - please consider this a very heartfelt - THANK YOU.

The co-hosts of the Baby Shower (with Kim and Matt being)
the other co-hosts.  Who knew that just 2 weeks after that
shower they'd be welcoming the newborn...still not yet
to her due date.

As for the original, founding members of Team Taylor - we are hanging in there. :-)  Whilst the sleep is minimal, this magic carpet ride remains a source of happiness and excitement beyond my imagination.  The look on her face when she sleeps, watching Jenny nurse, holding those little feetsies, dressing her in the cute clothes, looking at our newborn pics - it's all SO INCREDIBLY WONDERFUL.  And I am happy to report that, despite all descriptions of the fatigue factor being accurate, I wouldn't trade a second of this special time and am in NO HURRY for it to go away, as this is time we will NEVER get back.

Jenny looks amazing (as always) - the picture of health and happiness.  The family has been great to help and check in (I even got a call from Nanny this past week!), and all is right with the world.  We are laughing and loving this time, and minus an almost squabble about whether or not to change a diaper before a first doctor appointment, we still haven't fought - knock on wood that continues (forever, that is - not just during this time).

Over the coming weeks we'll start testing our limits.  We've been out for 1 walk so far, and we'll make that a staple of our day once it gets warmer and she can start having "awake time."  I expect we'll have a dinner date out at some point, and there's already a VBGB run on the calendar in 2 weeks time!  The trick will be learning to understand when she's cold, starving, or overstimulated, and then figuring out a way to react on-site vs. retreating back to the Creek for sanctuary.  But I'm sure we'll get to all that - and I'm sure there will be some GREAT stories.

Happy two week birthday, Kaitlyn Elaine!  Mommy and daddy love you!!!!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

Meeting her fairy godmother...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn - 11 Days

Family,

And a good morning to you (at least I think, as days are running together in 3 hour segments at this point, and the bull is quickly wearing down) from the Queen City, where we have GOOD NEWS to report - KAITLYN IS GAINING WEIGHT!!!  That's right, sports fans, in a herculean display of intestinal fortitude, our little munchkin has added 3 ounces this week, raising her to 6.25 ounces (higher than he discharge weight).  Getting that confirmation yesterday was SUCH good news, as Jenny and I have been going balls to the wall on the hyper-aggressive feeding schedule to get her where she needs to be.  Kaitlyn, when you read this, I want it noted that your mother has been SIMPLY AMAZING when it comes to tending to you.  Your father has faded and passed out on several occasions during the feeding sessions, but your mother has fed, pumped, swaddled, you name it - you are one lucky little girl.

Yesterday was a truly unique experience - going into work for the first time as a father.  You see, since K's due date was 10 April, my entire team had assumed that mid-March would be totally fine for a handover workshop.  We'd invited folks from the UK (Y Parchedig), Costa Rica (the Puma), my boss from Dallas, and a host of other folks to work through my current role and hand out the responsibilities appropriately over a 3 day stretch.  But then someone decided to arrive early, meaning this guy was out on Pat leave.  Consequently, the 3 day session became a 4 hour brain dump, which took place yesterday afternoon.

It was so great to see everyone, but it was definitely weird to switch from saying things like "Did you just poopy for daddy?  Yay!!!!!" to saying things like, "Well tell him that is completely unacceptable and threaten to kick his teeth in if he tries that bull@#$# again."  I remember Hitman telling me once the importance of compartmentalization, and I completely understand it now.  That being said, the session was very productive, and I know the team is in great hands with the folks they have in place.  I am sure that observing me was pretty funny, however, as there were plenty of times when I just COULD NOT come up with the appropriate word to describe something (i.e. "contingency" coming out as "commission" and things like that - usually by the 4th attempt I either managed to spew out the correct word or just gave up entirely).

The highlight was afterwards, when my team threw me a surprise baby shower!  The funny part was that Jenny had been invited to this little Happy Hour a month ago, and what I hadn't realized at the time was that these cats had been planning this for 3 months - SO SWEET of them!  We received some GREAT stuff, with the highlights for me being "teething bling" and a handcrafted hammock from Costa Rica!  It was absolutely fantastic, and since JT couldn't make it, I picked up a growler for her so that we could celebrate as she opened the gifts again at home - simply a perfect evening and day.

Gratuitous baby photo - never too early to start 'em!

As to the title of the blog, this past weekend was AWESOME, as Kaitlyn got to meet her Aunt and Godmother!  Kim (or KJ as I call her - my sister-in-law) made the drive up from the ATL to meet her little niece, and Jenny's folks joined us as well on Saturday and Sunday (it was her dad's birthday on St. Patty's Day).  It was a simply fantastic weekend of eating (Jan's homemade broccoli casserole - so guuuuuuuuuuud - peppy cheekies), bonding, and fellowship (to say nothing of the Founder's Breakfast Stout my future brother-in-law sent me - I love that guy).

Less than 2 weeks in, Jenny and I both think that Kaitlyn looks a lot like KJ's baby photos, and so it will be really interesting to watch her grow in the coming weeks and months (hair color, eye color, etc).  I can already tell that she's not going to look like me, so she's a lucky girl in that regard at least. :-)

Today starts one of the biggest perks of March Paternity leave - MARCH MADNESS BABY!!!!!  Tip-off is in 1 hour and 22 minutes - GO SHOCKERS!!!!!!

Work family - thank you again SO MUCH for all of the gifts and for planning the celebration last night.    You are a wonderful group of colleagues, but more importantly - you are a wonderful group of friends. Thanks so much for thinking of us during this extra special time.

Love,

Sam and Jenny

Preserved for Posterity Part III - Team Taylor's hospital stay

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  11 Days

Family,

And a good afternoon to you from the Queen City.  I'm conscious that, if you're reading this all in a clip, you've noticed that the blog goes in "fits and starts."  I'd like to lie and tell you that's deliberate, but the truth of the matter is that, at this point, I'm just trying to write whenever 2 things collide:  a) I have a spare moment between feedings and changings, and b) - I am awake/lucid enough for not only coherent thought but also constructing sentences.  Granted, something tells me I'll read this 6 months from now and chuckle at how incoherent my "brief periods of lucidity" were during this window, but hey - it's all about the story we have to tell (and however we can tell it), right?

The proud (and terrified) parents of Kaitlyn Elaine Taylor -
no real way to describe the emotions of knowing that a) mom
and baby are ok, b) that little bundle of joy is now yours, and
c) there is a new, uncharted depth of love you've just discovered.

This is a post I've been meaning to put together for some time, as the swirl of emotions and events that took place during our hospital stay where torrential in nature and speed, and even now trying to reconstruct everything that happened in chronological fashion will be a challenge.  I've gone through the photo archive in preparation (thank GOODNESS for digital photography, as I really want to take photos of this little girl every second to ensure I don't miss a thing - why do they grow so fast!?!?!), but to use the great quote from the movie "Great Expectations" (which was a horrible movie and even worse book for the record - sorry, Mrs. Ware):  "I'm not going to tell this story the way it happened.  I'm going to tell it the way I remember."

The first night can only be described as SURREAL.  I mean, think about it - you're in a hospital, which in and of itself is uncomfortable enough.  This guy is sleeping on a plastic couch that wouldn't have passed safety inspection in an Iraqi prison.  The room is 72 degrees, and with the adrenaline coursing through my veins, it feels like Death Valley in summer in the room.  At home I would strip down to my boxers, but since all of my boxers are 14 years old and have an exploded crotch, something tells me this is a bad idea since a staff of about 600 people walks in every 20 minutes to check something.

My wife is on a hospital bed in a state of euphoria and delirium.  Also, her breasts are out for an hour at a time every 3 hours, and a host of women I've never met watch her feed and touch parts of her body that, until 3 hours previous, were exclusively off limits to anyone other than me.  Oddly enough, none of this feels odd - it is AMAZING how everything COMPLETELY changes the second you have a child.

The Bible of room 838 - all the instructions
new parents, nurses, lab techs, and doctors
need to ensure little Kaitlyn stays healthy.

Oh, and there's the most surreal (yet tiniest) component- THERE IS A BABY IN A BASSINET IN THE ROOM WITH YOUR DNA.  Holy.  Cow.

You will always hear that no matter how much you read or prepare, parenting is 99.9% OJT.  I can now confirm THAT IS 100% TRUE.  Case in point - Sammy's first diaper change.

So here's the deal - coming into this hospital stay, there were 4 things I was worried about (gotta love how a guy's mind works):  a) the temperature of the house and how to keep the baby warm, b) how to clean lady parts (if the baby was a she), c) the temperature of the milk, and d) how to swaddle.  I didn't know how to change a diaper, but I thought "how hard can it be - I'll just watch the nurse."  Yeah, well, I didn't count on us being alone with the child for NINETY SECONDS before the nurse said, "Ok, you change her and I'll be back in a minute to check her."  Um, WHAT?

I am NOT joking - what came out of her was the same
primordial ooze the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles used
to become heroes in a half shell (Turtle Power).

So I open that diaper, and HOLY SHIT - literally.  For those that don't know, Baby's first "stool" is this black tar called menicotin, and it looks like something out of Resident Evil.  Now I had read about this, but given that K's stomach is the size of a marble, I just assumed that it would be no more than a smear in her diaper - HUGE MISTAKE.  It was EVERYWHERE.  But since I am now a father and must take care of this, I do what any dad does - dive right in.

2 seconds later there's poop on the blanket below her.  4 seconds later there's poop on my arm.  6 seconds later there's poop on the bassinet wall.  8 seconds later Kaitlyn is screaming.  10 seconds later I am frantically pressing the call button, begging for a nurse - good times.

We didn't get much sleep that night, but sleep is tricky when folks come in almost every hour to check Kaitlyn's vitals, Jenny's vitals, wake us for a feeding, deliver meds, make the rounds, you name it.  But honestly, we were so jacked up that night that it didn't matter (it should be noted that I no longer have that much adrenaline running through my veins - it's been replaced by coffee and Mountain Dew - and I'm ready to go at diaper changing like a spider monkey).  But I did get to do a fatherly duty and make the rounds telling folks:  "IT'S A GIRL!!!!!"  Also, on the walk (or ride in Jenny's case) to post partum, the hospital staff "turned the key" that plays Brahm's lullaby on the entire floor, signifying that a new baby has been born.  Hearing that music and knowing that was for our baby girl was certainly an emotional moment.

Sammy the Bull offering "kangaroo care" - and trying NOT
to fall asleep (FAIL).

The craziest part of all the notifications - my mother was on a cruise in the Panama canal, and so she was OUT OF THE COUNTRY when Jenny's water broke.  It broke my heart for her, as I knew she'd be devastated she missed it.  I honestly didn't know what to do, as I was afraid that, if I sent her an email, she'd hop off the boat in Panama City and fly home, and I didn't want her to miss her cruise.  However, I knew that I had to tell her, as I didn't want her hearing it from anyone but me.  So my best friend (Rice, henceforth known as the Hoffler) gave me the solution - send her an email with a newborn pic.  It was a stroke of genius, and when mom wrote back the next day I absolutely broke down in tears of joy.  While I didn't give her the news in the way she wanted, I still was able to show her how beautiful our little angel was (and was so relieved that she'd heard it from me first).

Proud grandparents - Grandma and Grandpa Tacy...and Sam
rocking the Benny Wilson Band "Plan B is for Beer" shirt - quality.

Tuesday in the hospital was a blur of friends and family, including Jenny's folks, Cuz Megan (one of the folks who hosted the shower), Jenny's friend Leigh, and our friend Jen (also a host of the shower).  Jen came bearing snacks, which at first we thought was just a nice gesture but later realized was ESSENTIAL FOR SURVIVAL since dinner was served at 5 PM but you're awake all night (and it should be noted that the baby daddy does NOT get food from the hospital - hurtful).  During this day we had a lot of kangaroo care (skin to skin care, where apparently we deepen bonds and transfer antibodies to the wee one), several lessons on breastfeeding and taking care of both mom and baby, and Kaitlyn passed several inspections (hearing, birth defects, etc).  The one that proved elusive was the car seat test, as she was unable to sit in the car seat for 90 minutes straight without her oxygen saturation levels dipping below 88% (NO IDEA what that really means, but she had to pass it before they would discharge us).  The highlight of the day was Kimiko (our nurse) swinging back into our room before our shift ended to tell us "You guys have really, really improved as parents in these 12 hours.  I am very proud of you."  At the time it felt like some of the highest praise we'd ever received in our lives.  Oh, and at about 1 AM a cop showed up in our room, as apparently Kaitlyn's low-jack had fallen off her ankle and had sent the floor into lockdown.  Luckily the cop didn't think that I'd scaled 8 floors and broken in through the window in an attempt to steal her, so all was well.

So we're clear on this one:  1.  We did NOT color-coordinate
so that our child would grow up to be an Arizona fan.  2.  I
did NOT realize Jenny's purse was on my shoulder (but damn)
I look good.  3.  Kaitlyn does NOT like beanies - especially
those with points that make her look like a member of the KKK.

Wednesday was a day of packing and hoping, as I was DESPERATE to get out of that hospital.  It wasn't just that I was sleeping on a bed of 10 penny nails - I just wanted to be at home with my family, starting out lives together in earnest.  Also, I knew that I wasn't eating right or drinking enough water, and just wanted to be back in my kitchen (read:  DORITOS) and on my furniture.  However, K still hadn't passed the car seat test (failed it a second time on Wednesday morning), and so we had one final shot at it around 3 PM before we would have to stay another night.  Luckily she passed, and we were discharged about 5 PM.

I then finished packing, had my car seat inspected (I PASSED FOR THE RECORD!!!!), and began loading the car.  Once it was all said and done, we said a tearful farewell to room 838 (it really was emotional, as this is where our life as a family of 3 began), picked up our final belongings, and walked to the nursery, where they snipped Kaitlyn's lowjack and we had our first family photo outside of the post partum room (you can't hide sexy - especially wearing your wife's purse).  It was then to the ground floor, where Sammy the Bull experienced another new first of fatherhood - putting your child in a car seat.

Now seriously, I know those of you without kids are all saying "how hard can it be?", but let me tell you - when your child is less than 6 pounds, can't hold her head up, and basically supports herself like a sack of potatoes, I can assure you that it is NOT easy.  Add in the facts that a) her clothes DO NOT fit her at all (seriously - it's like she's wearing a sleep sack), b) you can barely see a creature like that breathing in all those bundled layers, c) she failed the test twice of what you are about to do to her, and d) once you walk outside that hospital door, you are ON YOUR OWN, and you have a recipe for clumsy father fingers.  The good news is that, FINALLY, we managed to wedge her into the seat.  The better news is that we managed to lock the infant carrier into the car seat base.  And the best news - the car started.  But it was at THAT point, ladies and gentlemen, that Kaitlyn Elaine decided to first test her lungs in non-recycled air. HOLY COW.

The bug in the rug - snuggled in for the first
night at home (insert Phil Phillips singing).

Seriously - I know this girl might be a preemie, but HER LUNGS ARE FULLY FORMED.  She was screaming like a rabid banshee, and I was pretty much certain that a) her diaper was wet, b) she was hungry, c) she did NOT like being confined, and d) I would have a headache the size of Mongolia by the time we got home.  Oh, an I dropped the ticket when I tried to hand it to the attendant, further elongating the time the window was down and FREEZING WIND was whipping into my child's face - yes, folks:  FATHER OF THE YEAR.

But hey, we got her home, got her set up int he Bassinet, and actually got some sleep that first night (I think the exhaustion and emotion just overwhelmed us and sent us into a sleep coma - the CostCo mattress didn't hurt either :-)).

Okay, there it is - the recap of Team Taylor (now party of 3)'s time in the hospital, including the most harrowing drive home I've had since hitting my mom's car outside of East Ridge Middle School 31 days after receiving my license - sorry about that one mom - but at least I gave you a grand baby to make up for it!).

It's tournament time - GOOOOOOOOOO CRUSADERS!!!!!!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

To ensure it's preserved for posterity (part II) - the baby shower...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  9 days

Family,

And a good afternoon to you from the Queen City, where the flowers are in bloom, the sun is shining, and our little bundle of joy is PASSED OUT in the pack 'n play.  Day 2 of hyper feeding is going great, and since the mighty Volunteers tip off in the NIT in about 3 hours, all is right with the world. :-)

Kaitlyn has eaten like a champ today, and she's even had her fair share of kangaroo care.  She's also had her fair share of diaper changes, as this child CONTINUES TO BE CONSTANTLY THE SECOND I PULL HER DIRTY DIAPER AWAY.  I mean, are wet wipes just the "open sesame" equivalent for the female bladder?  Inquiring minds want to know...

Anyhoo, similar to the nursery prep blog, I wanted to ensure we had a record of our shower, which occurred on Saturday, 24 February - in a nick of time as fate would have it!  It was an ABSOLUTE BLAST, and I want to ensure the memories I have from it are committed to server.  In true "Sammy the  Bull wants to be Earnest Hemingway" fashion (aka "gritty, terse prose"), the bullet points of the experience:

1. Location - casa de Taylor (doubled as something of a house warming as well)

2.  Hosts - Kim (Jenny's sister and Kaitlyn's godmother) and Matt (my future brother-in-law), Jen and Matt  (Jen's my oldest friend in CLT, Matt's her new hubby), and Cuz (Jenny's cousin who lives here in CLT)

3.  Time of day:  3-6 PM

4.  Memories:

A.  Dad receiving the invite and calling me saying, "I'm not supposed to go to this, right?  I've never heard of a co-ed baby shower."  (Note - I then tell dad, "There will be beer."  Suddenly he thinks a co-ed baby shower is the best idea EVER.

B.  A hilarious trivia game in which dad announces to everyone that he's glad my friends are smart so they can tell when I'm bullshitting people - classic.

C.  Baby T's first Steelers onesie! (courtesy of the Hitman birthday crew)

D.  An AWESOME volunteer onesie!  (courtesy of Hitman and Shantan)

E.  Bob (Jenny's dad) guessing the baby's weight would be 13 pounds, 8 ounces (which would have been the largest child in the history of the state of North Carolina, for the record)

F.  Meeting Tadbit - the SCARIEST @#$#ING STUFFED FROG EVER.

G.  Kim listening to some YouTube video called "still can't feckin' run" about 37 times, cackling every single time (whilst Matt, Jenny, and I cackled watching her reactions)

H.  Gavin (a friend's kid) asking to play Wii, which I set up.  2 minutes later, he comes down to tell me that the batteries are out.  I replace them with the second controller, whose batteries ALSO fail 2 minutes later.  Luckily I am a veritable radio shack for batteries thanks to BJ's and CostCo, so we were able to "mitigate the issue."

J.  A cake that was TO DIE FOR - and then freezing the top rack for Baby T's arrival (which, speaking of, still needs to be eaten - it's sitting beside the Tangeray in the beer fridge in the garage).

K.  Seeing so many of our awesome, AMAZING friends, and realizing just how blessed we are to have so many amazing folks in our lives.

L.  Kale Chips...ok, no so much.

M.  The mozzarella/prosciutto wrap - my life has now changed forever.

The party favors for the event - Matt B would NOT appreciate me telling you that only the 3rd letter isn't capitalized.   

This cake was LIFE CHANGING - and we've still got that butter cream duck on top to devour.  Chuuuuuuubby ducky!!!!!!

All the friends and family from the shower (with Russ beside the lamp glowing like the angel Gabriel.  Then again, he does home brew and gives me a growler every 6 weeks or so, so he has achieved demigod status in my eyes) - such an amazing collection of my favorite people on earth.  It was so amazing to have so many wonderful family members present, just as it was great to have so many members of our work family (whom we've fought and bled with on 3 continents).

With the Tacy clan - Baby for us, wedding for Kim, and twins for the Tacy cousins - big year for the Tacy women!

I simply CANNOT tell you how much I'm looking forward to reading to my children...especially in a Jack Daniels hoodie.  

Trivia was HILARIOUS.  WHO KNEW Charlton Heston's son was baby Moses?  It really should have been Ron Howard...just sayin'...

Jenny's famous spiked poison punch (yes, it was that kind of party), which she STILL has yet to try (been pregnant all 4 times she's created this delicious little concoction) - soon enough, perfect pumpkin!  

It was an absolute BLAST, but those 3 hours FLEW by.  It was just like our wedding day - gone in a flash, but filled with laughter, love, and so many amazing memories.

KJ, Cuz, Verona, and your boys - thank you SO MUCH for making that shower such an amazing, perfect day.  I knew it would be a blast, but it was SO MUCH MORE than I could have ever hoped for.   We love you guys!

To all the family and friends who attended - thank you SO MUCH for sharing your Saturday and, more importantly, your lives with us.  Charlotte truly does feel like our home, and so much of that is because of the wonderful people we have in our circle of friends.

Chat soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny