Another Big Milestone - Kaitlyn's first flight - AND she meets the cousins!

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  5 months and 8 days

Family,

And a good afternoon to you from the Queen City, where the Bull is EXHAUSTED after getting up at 4 this morning to catch his flight home from O-town.  And why, oh why, where you in O-town, you ask?  Well, that is a GREAT story - thank you for asking. :-)

The Bull and Striker are making one last big trip before Jenny starts work, heading to Seattle to visit Uncle Chuck and Aunt Cat at the end of August and over Labor Day weekend.  Knowing that is a 5.5 hour flight and thinking some practice is probably a sage wisdom, my perfect pumpkin had the GREAT idea to take Kaitlyn on a test run.  The location - Central Florida, baby!  She picked that spot for many reasons - less than a 2 hour flight, so many great friends there with children and places to stay (translation - THEY ALREADY HAVE ALL THE EQUIPMENT), and the MOST important reason - we were due a visit to the cousins!

Jenny flew down Thursday morning, and the morning schedule for getting out of the house was a GREAT dry run for what life will be like when day care starts.  Basically, the schedule was:

5:30 AM - JT up for showering

6:00 AM - The Bull up, gets the bottles out of the fridge, rouses the Munchkin (who gives daddy a GORGEOUS smile with that single right dimple), changes her diaper, applies lotion and Lotrimin, followed by an outfit change (which must be supervised by mummy since I never seem to pick out the right outfit)

6:15 AM - The Bull feeds the munchkin whilst Muffin Puffin pumps (I am quite excited about this, as I'll now get a morning feed in and some early bonding time with Munch Munch)

Diamonds are forever - Jenny with her Big Sis from AD Pi
at their Blueberry Plantation in Haines City.

6:45 AM - Bull burps the munchin and tries some active time, Wife Muffin finishes getting ready (or in Thursday's case - finishes packing and loads the car

7:15 AM - out the door (this will ring pretty true, as I'll be dropping her at daycare and will need to get her there before 7-7:30 every morning)

The flip side to this is that the Bull will probably return to afternoon or evening running, but JT and I reckon we can figure that out in October (once we start the permanent day care and I'm done traveling with work for the year).

JT said that K was TERRIFIC on the flight - no screaming, ate a bit, had good standies, and was generally fascinated by the white noise machine that is a cabin (Batten - too true on that comment!).  And then she had a friend meet her at the airport with a base and car seat, which was a life saver (as was the SWEEEEEEEET Dodge Avenger with racing stripes - QUALITY).

Malin: "Um, excuse me - you don't look like my twin sister."
Kaitlyn: "Yeah, you don't look like the rings I like to chew on."

On Friday morning JT picked me up at the airport, and thus began a WHIRLWIND trip through Central Florida.  Now I should pause right here and say that WE WERE SOOOOOOO PROUD OF OUR DAUGHTER this entire weekend, as every 3 hours she was basically sleeping in a different apparatus in a different location after being held by a different person.  Seriously - whether it was the car seat, a pack n play, a crib, or resting on someone, we put that poor child through the ringer - and she was an ANIMAL!

Our first stop was Haines City, where we met Jenny's Big Sister from college.  They are now run a blueberry farm and packing plant, and we were given this AMAZING tour of their land and facility - SOOOOO COOL.  Munch Munch was great the whole time, even going so far as to PASS OUT during the drive around the blueberries (the heat and the hum of the Gator we were driving proved too much for her).

Proud Pappas - one of whom is showing off a nice case of
post Bell's Palsy squint eye - YIKES.

After that it was onto Valrico, where we settled in for the feature event of the weekend - MEETING THE TWINS!!!!  Malin and McKinley are 6 weeks old, and we spent Thursday holding them, playing with the Munchkin, and eating like KINGS.  Seriously - Steve Markham is a COOK OF LEGENDS, and the rare steak covered in roquefort was BEYOND DEEEEEEELICIOUS.  Talk about a great night.

We made it an early night, heading to the hotel before 10 so that we could get Munch Munch down.  She slept like a champ, and Saturday morning found her bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for the drive back to their house.  Steve and I then picked up Kim and Matt (they flew down for 31 hours to be part of the action - how cool is that?) before returning to Copper Ridge for a day of laughs, incredible food, spectacular beer, and more tremendous photos than you can shake a stick at.  We had 6 pairs of hands for 3 babies, so the good news is that everyone got a break.  And the twins slept quite a bit as well, so we really did get some quality adult time (read:  CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY).

Sarah says that she's got a "little Kimmy and a little Jenny" -
one's got brown hair and the other is a red head!  Boys of
Valrico - beware!  Too cute...

The amazing thing was how teeny and fragile the twins felt after holding Kaitlyn.  She's almost double their current weights, and her head control is amazing compared to how they just flop and sag (Steve calls them the woodpeckers for how they slam their heads against your chest when you're holding them.  They slept in the most HILARIOUS positions, and the noises they made were SO CUTE - definitely brought back some good memories!

The master chefs conducting a seasoning session ahead of smoking 13 pounds of brisket.  Jenny's comment:  "Why don't you go in there and learn a few things instead of taking the photo."  I love you, too, sweetheart! :-)

Just another typical Saturday with the Taylor - Markham - Hunsucker Team (linked by Tacy women).

Again, Munch Munch was amazing ALL DAY, especially considering that we kept her up until about 11 PM (she still woke up at 7:30 on the nose - amazing!).  Seriously - that kid is resilient, and this trip was great for us, as we saw how far we could realistically push the boundaries and still keep her on (more or less) a reasonable schedule.  We pushed our luck again a bit on Sunday, but by and large she kept to the schedule, ate the normal amount, and continued to sleep like a champ.

Double the trouble - twice the fun!

The house is SO QUIET right now - this whole "life of a bachelor" thing is for the birds.  I miss my girls!  But I am sure they are having a blast with Julie, Steve, Juliana, and Reed (whom I got to hang out with last night), and tomorrow they'll see Katie Colley and the fam, so that should be great as well.  Hard to believe that we'll be on a plane to Seattle in just 11 short days - just in time for the opening game of college football - Tarheels vs. the Gamecocks, baby!!!!!!  Oh yeah!!!!!

Okay, this guy is EXHAUSTED and is going to pass out.  Chat soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

Lady Kaitlyn at 5 Months...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  5 months today!!!

Family,

The Munchkin rolls 5 months - seriously:  CUTEST.
THING.  EVER.

And a good Sunday afternoon to you from the Queen City, where the Bull and Striker have just put the munchkin down for (what we hope will be) a 45 minute to an hour nap.  It's official, sports fans - the munchkin is FIVE MONTHS OLD TODAY - holy moly where has the time gone?

Hard Plastic - it's what's for dinner.

The transformation between 4 and 5 months has been much more pronounced than previous ones, and every day now feels like a journey of discovery - both for Kaitlyn and us.  She's now moved beyond batting at things - she is grabbing them, holding them firm, and pulling them toward her.  And whilst her favorite thing to eat is definitely her bib (doesn't matter which one she's wearing - she thinks cotton is DELICIOUS) followed by her fingers, she has now begun in earnest the act of bringing things to her mouth.  She's got a set of chew rings that she LOVES, and every day she's getting more coordinated with getting them in her mouth.  Now granted, sometimes she whacks herself in the face about a dozen times before hitting pay dirt (which is HILARIOUS, for the record), but she does stick with it until those little nuggets of hard plastic are covered in enough slobber to create a new river (I like our friend Kluttz's phrase - "slobber box" - not really sure what that is, but K more or less fits the bill I think).

Reunited with Nanny!

More active - yes.   Better at critical thinking
(i.e. I have a bunny on my head that I didn't
put there and need to remove it) - well, we're
still working on that bit.

She's also much more active in the jumperoo, where is is now actually capable of jumping up and down (just barely, but it has happened on a few occasions).  Just today she grabbed the "elephant-lion" see-saw, and she's become quite adept at knocking the 3 blocks out of their little holders.  Today she spent a good 5-7 minutes working on just one block, refusing to quit until it tumbled - I was impressed by the "laser-like" focus and discipline (OSC and Hitman - that was for you).

Kaitlyn - when you wonder why daddy turned
you into a Tomboy, just remember - it was to
protect you from the woman holding you in
this photo who wanted to enter you in
BEAUTY PAGEANTS.  SERENITY NOW!!!

She's still consistently on 4 feeds per day, ranging anywhere from 28-32 ounces (and normally she lands in the 30's, usually between 30.7-31.5).  Knock on wood GREAT (strike that - AMAZING) sleeping at night has continued, albeit at the expense of sleeping during the day.  It's been interesting to watch, but over the past few weeks, K's not napping as good during the day as she used to.  Of course, everyone has a theory (teething, moving to an adult sleep cycle and changing circadian rhythms, etc), but most of the sites we've read suggest that this is just a baby's natural progression and that soon they'll just drop one of the naps.  And whilst I do think we'll get to that, this intermediate period has been challenging, as she doesn't always have terrific wake time (because she's' sleepy), but when you lay her down for her nap, she goes CRAZY and begins flailing in the crib.  We are lucky in that she's found her thumb and is a "self-soother," but the flip side to that is that she'll pop that thumb in her mouth anytime she's tired, bored, or on your shoulder being burped.

I have probably posted this one before,
but this is a photo for the ages - and the only
evidence she's EVER slept in that carrier.

She's definitely a big smiler at this point, and K ALWAYS wakes up happy.  She can't quite laugh yet, but just today she got very close to it while Jenny was playing with her (blowing on her belly).  I expect she'll be laughing within the next month or so.  We also think she'll be rolling over in the next month or so, as she's ALL OVER THE MAP in her crib at night.  She uses her legs to shift her around when she's not swaddled (now we only swaddle her at night before the long sleep), and it's not uncommon to find her either perpendicular to how you found her, with her head at the top of the crib, or both - too funny.  She obviously can't do that in the swaddle, but she can sure raise her body whilst confined, and both JT and I know it won't be long until she flips over.  I just hope we're awake when that happens.

Nothing like surprise visitors at 201 Central!

In terms of tummy time, she still HATES it, but Jenny's found a new way to do it that's yielded much better results.  Instead of laying her flat on the playmat, she's now laying her on the boppy and elevating her slightly.  This seems to be much more pleasant for Kaitlyn, and she is FINALLY starting to raise her head and neck.  That, coupled with "standies," is definitely making munch munch stronger.

Who'll come a'waltzin', Matilda, my darlin'...
thanks, Auntie Yazz!

The month coming up is big for SO many reasons:  K's first flight.  K starts daycare.  JT starts back to work.  But I don't want to think about ANY of that right now, as that will turn our schedule upside down and no doubt leave us more exhausted than we are currently (I can barely keep my eyes open as I type this).  All I want to do right now is live this month to the fullest and enjoy every single second I can while having my wife and child under one roof with me all day, every day.  The first 5 months have been nothing short of magical, and I want to ensure we end on the best note so far.

Okay, that'll do it for this installment.  Chat with you next week, after we've confirmed how the munchkin deals with life at 37,000 feet. :-)

Love,

Sam and Jenny

In the new world order, there are few things more precious than a quiet weekend at home...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  4 months and 3+ weeks

Family,

Check out the muscles on the munchkin -
Baby Spanx is the way to go!!!

And a good Sunday afternoon to you from the Queen City, where the munchkin is down for the count and Wife Muffin is whipping up some scrambled eggs and pancakes.  This weekend has been quiet, but NO COMPLAINTS from this guy, as Team Taylor was EXHAUSTED and wanted a few quiet nights in (even an AFD on a Saturday - somebody call Guinness!!!).

The week was good - nothing major to report and steadily busily - but good.  On the munchkin front, Kaitlyn continues to grow stronger.  We've now started "standies," which is basically where we make her stand on our lap (and occasionally on accident my twig and giggleberries when she starts kicking).  I am happy to report that her leg muscles are VERY strong, as evidenced not only by her standing time but also by the way she kicks and wiggles like a banshee trapped in a wardrobe during feeding or uses ONLY her legs during tummy time.  And on the tummy time subject, we may have regressed there a bit, as whilst the K's neck and back muscles are definitely getting stronger, she's now quite content to simply lay flat on her belly and suck her left thumb (and in case anyone's out there scoring - NO, she's still not found her right thumb.  She actually had it in her mouth the other day, but NO DICE.  I mean, why settle for the thumb when you can suck on THE ENTIRE FIST, right?

I think the biggest news of note this week is how we've really settled into a routine during wake time with the munchkin.  The schedule is as follows:

"So rock me, mamma, like a wagon wheel..."

1. Wake (she is ALWAYS smiling when we wake her up - few things in life are as precious as that smile with the single dimple) and nappy change (as well as lotrimin and lotion in the morning, followed by wiping away all "cheese" and "gunk" - both very technical terms - from her face and crevices (knee caps, pits, etc)

2.  Feed - she's consistently drinking 7-8+ ounces, and dare I say I think she's spitting up less. Now granted, when she does spit up, it's something like Mount St. Helens, and it should be noted that she still possesses an AMAZING gift for finding the one stitch of clothing the burp cloth doesn't cover and COATING IT with partially digested milk.  But let's be honest - as all of my clothes are 14+ years old, it's not really that big of an issue

Check out the WARDROBE of clothes from
the Brothernides clan - thanks, AC and Jeebs!!!

3.  Sitting time - we start in the bumbo, which is always best in the morning because she's the most rested and capable of holding her head up.  It's funny to watch as the exhaustion creeps in, as first she finds her thumb and then secondly her head begins slopping further and further forward until she's basically doubled over.  I know, I know - GREAT parenting...but we also read to her here.  Mom- you'll be happy to know that, after the storyboard books, K's first book was "The Great American Road Trip" - your gift to me on my first Father's Day. :-)  Next up - "501 Must See Destinations," courtesy of the Mad Peruvian and Brother Paul.

4.  Active time - we then move her to the jumperoo, where she's a bit more active on one condition - that mommy and daddy sing to her along with the music from the apparatus.  And now's a good time to say it - HAVE YOU HEARD HOW RIDICULOUS SOME OF THESE SONGS ARE?  Seriously - the "animal cracker" song?  Are you KIDDING ME?  That being said, Jenny and I pulled up "Little Bunny Foo Foo" and "Little Rabbit Come Inside" on YouTube yesterday and realized that, much like these songs, those are utter donkey trash.  All of a sudden the Teletubbies theme doesn't feel quite so out in left field...which is terrifying in and of itself.  But the big win on the jumperoo happens when watching K with "the letter blocks," as I think she's figuring out that if you pull the string and push them, they will fall off the board and out of her field of vision.  Now granted, she doesn't yet know how to get them back INTO her field of vision, but hey - baby steps.

Pool training continues...how cute are they...

5.  Filling the 2 hours - this is usually a combination of the playmat and the travel swing, which she's quite enjoying now.  The music is soft, and the swing on level 2 feels just about right for her.  She's also grabbing "Oz Mouse" a lot more now and lifting the little critter to her mouth.  In fact, aside from her bibs (which are CONSTANTLY in her mouth - covered in puke or no), she's now putting Oz Mouse and the KTE blanket (a gift from J-Money) into her mouth as well.  And whilst this screams bacteria, I'm quite excited, as it's definite progress from just "bone-crushing" her thumb.

The other big activity of the week has been increased time in the Bjorn, and today we've got an "excursion" to the tropical paradise that is Target, during which time the munchkin will spend more time in the Bjorn (hopefully acclimating).

This photo was taken about 4 PM on Friday - and no, I am not able to
answer the question as to who was more tired in the photo.

The weekend has been spent getting to bed early (before 10 PM last night!) and sleeping in (meaning 7-7:30...ooooooh, how times have changed), and we managed a nice walk and some overdue to-do's as well.  And whilst we always love the weekends, we know that this time is VERY special now and grows thin, as we've got one more weekend before we start lots of personal and work travel.  In fact, the rest of August will be quite busy, and then September will present a new challenge - JT's return to work.  I have no lie to tell - neither of us are looking forward to that, and there's no question it's something that increasingly feels present as we talk about the munchkin and the future.  But that will be a separate blog for sure, and I think it's fair to say I'm not the person best placed to write about that one. :-)

Okay, the munchkin is ready for food (as is Pappa Bear), so time to get up and get after it.  Chat soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

Babysitters, Bumbos, and Bjorns...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  4 months and 3 weeks

Family,

I absolutely LOVE this photo - she looks like
a "little lady" - nice work, Muffin!

And a good Sunday afternoon to you from the Queen City - another great week filled with firsts is in the books!  For starters, this week saw the first night EVER that Team Taylor left the munchkin and the house without a family member present.  Rather than Grammie or Nanny (as both were on vacation), Team Taylor entrusted the Munchkin to a highly recommended babysitter - "Molly from Cross-fit." :-)

I am pleased to say that all went swimmingly.  Molly fed her, played with her, and put her down right on schedule.  Granted, there is the small hiccup that she put K down with her bib still on, but hey - details. :-)  The good news is that everything went smoothly, the house didn't burn down, and we've now got someone we can trust when the fam isn't available.

YES - the obsession with the fan continues.
But at this point - if you can't beat 'em - join 'em.

The reason for the babysitter, you ask?  We had the Rice clan in town, baby!!!!  Oh yeah!  Johnny and Rebeka were visiting to cross off a bucket list item - seeing Dave Matthews in concert.  I had always wanted to see him as well, and so we bought lawn seats (as you would do for a DMB show), tailgated in the parking lot for a bit, and had a great 2-3 hours hanging out before walking into the concert.  Everything was going according to plan - we had a good spot, the beer was cold, we had confirmation that the munchkin was down, and then EVERYTHING CHANGED.  The Heavens opened up, and we're not talking a drizzle.  We're not even talking a torrential downpour.  We're talking FIND NOAH AND THE ARK BECAUSE THIS IS THE END OF THE WORLD.  They actually evacuated the lawn due to lightning, and I ended up stuck in the men's bathroom with about 600 co-eds (all drinking yet under 21 - quality) for the better part of an hour.

The Hoffler holding the munchkin outside at VBGB.  And
YES - the Munchkin has now been there FIVE times.

The show finally did go on about 90 minutes late, but by then we were soaked and freezing, and as it was still pouring AND Beka is 16 weeks along with their third, we bagged out of there after only 6 songs.  The good news is that we got home early and didn't have to fight traffic.  The bad news is that we really didn't get to experience the concert and were drowned rats for the better part of 3 hours by the time it was all said and done.  But hey, it was still a GREAT night with JR and Beka, and we even saved a little money by getting home early - every cloud has a silver lining, right?

Just another Friday afternoon after partying with Johnny.

The next day was EPIC, and I do feel it made up for the concert debacle, as Team Taylor and the Rice clan pub crawled their way through the QC, hitting 201 Central (Terrapin Tree Hugger = guuuuud), OMB (which Rice loved), VBGB (at which point Rice was ready to move to Charlotte), and then heading home for some Hawthorne's pizza.  Wife Muffin was an ANGEL and tended to K the entire day as we bounced from place to place - BEST WIFE (and mom!) EVER!!!!

I love my BUMBO!!!!

The weekend has been pretty chill, largely due to the fact that the bull has been in recovery from some heavy food and drink consumption during that 36 hour stretch.  However, it's been a busy one for the Munchkin, as thanks to the Rice's she now has a BUMBO!!!!  It absolutely wears her out, but I definitely think it's paying dividends, and she actually seems to enjoy sitting in it.  She's most productive in the morning when she's fresh, as she can actually hold herself up for a quite a bit before she becomes exhausted and starts slouching.  I must confess that it's pretty hilarious, as first she slides to one side, and then eventually she just falls over - sucking her thumb the entire time!

And so begins the slide - to the left this time.

The Munchkin in the water for the second time EVER.  Her response
was, well, enigmatic...I guess no screaming = it's AWESOME, right?

In fact, now is a good time to mention that she IS OBSESSED WITH PUTTING HER FINGERS OR THUMB IN HER MOUTH - it's basically every second that she's not grabbing something else.  And whilst I'm sure that's normal, it certainly defeats some of the effectiveness of tummy time. :-)  Trying to combat this, this weekend I started blocking her mouth so that she couldn't put either hand in there.  I looked like a GENIUS for about 12 seconds (and even that's being generous) before K figured out that she didn't actually need carbon digits to satisfy her need for self-soothing.  Instead, she went FACE DOWN on the playmat and began sucking the material for all it was worth.  I mean...come on, kid...but ya gotta love her. :-)

The picture says it all - you'd have thought
we were pushing bamboo shoots under her
fingernails - WOW.

The other experiment for the weekend was the Bjorn - courtesy of Team Brothernides!  JT had previously tried it on, but today was the first ever "test drive" with the munchkin.  And in case the photo doesn't say it all, let me spell it out - UNMITIGATED DISASTER.  That child screamed NON-STOP from the second her first foot went through the loop until we put her in her crib (10 minutes after she'd exited the apparatus).  AC - does this thing come with an auto-drip of Jim Beam or anything?  Just asking, as I think it might come to that...

Cute side note on the munchkin - she's still sucking with her left hand, but now she ALWAYS has a place for her right as well - behind her head, making her look like she's the picture of total relaxation.  Mum - it should be noted that she also pulls on her ear a lot - so much so that it's now raw and inflamed.  So perhaps that wasn't just a habit of mine.  After all - nothing is stronger than heredity.

We're entering a big week, as it officially kicks off Jenny's last full month of leave.  It has been a sea of emotions for both of us so far, and we both know we ain't seen nothing yet.  If the first 5 months were the Pacific on a sunny day, this last month is going to be the Drake Passage.

Couldn't resist adding this pic of the twins - TOO CUTE,
GUYS!!!!  Even if they are in that hideous Gator blue
and orange... :-)

Okay, time for a shower before the fourth (and final) first of the week - the inaugural visit to Carolina Ale House.  Bring on the Zingers, baby!!!!  Woot-woot!!!!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

Kaitlyn goes for her 4 month appointment...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  4 months and 10 days

Family,

The munchkin demonstrating her MAD NEW SKILLS -
look at that head control!  Way to go, Munch Munch!

And a good Sunday afternoon to you from the Queen City - what a week of incredible progress!!!!  I mean talk about an overnight transformation - I left for Toronto on Monday evening, leaving behind a child that hated tummy time, occasionally (but not deliberately) batted at things, and had virtually zero head control.  I landed back home on Thursday (after my Wednesday flight was cancelled - details...) to a child who had COMPLETELY turned corners on multiple phases of development - it was AMAZING!  For starters, K is no longer just "accidentally" batting things - now she is full on swatting them (a la Dikembe Mutombo in the Geico commercial).  When she's on the playmat, she is unquestionably slapping the horse, the lion, and the Lamaze critter (which I think is a peacock but honestly have NO IDEA), but even better - she's now grabbing and pulling them!




For the past few weeks, she's taken an increased interest in her bib, holding it almost all the time and even putting it in her mouth.  And while up until this week I was convinced that was just because she couldn't find her hand underneath the bib, I now believe she's on a voyage of discovery with her myriad bibs and quite enjoys chewing on all the different fabrics - she certainly enjoys puking and slobbering all over them...

I first noticed how much more control and how improved her motor skills were on Thursday when I put the "Oz Mouse" in her car seat.  She not only grabbed on of the ears, but she actually pulled the critter to her torso.  It was really cool to watch, as I'd seen her try previously but not make any progress due to the weight of the object she was pulling.  This time, however, she had almost no trouble moving that little guy closer to her face.

Lady Brisbee of Nihm would NOT be happy,
as I think the Munchkin as a taste for mice.

She still hasn't found her right thumb, but she is using both hands at this point (although still definitely favoring her left - YEAH, BABY!!!).  That's great news for multiple reasons, not the least of which is that she is now FINALLY using both arms to push up during tummy time (vs. just letting the right hand flop out).  Jenny sent me photos while I was at the airport on Monday night, and just during the hour I was away from home she'd gone from being a "rug" to being a "rug rat," as she was actually lifting herself up and moving around without crying.  Now granted, we've had some mixed success with that since my return, but it's definitely still trending in the right direction.

But perhaps the biggest victory to date?  HEAD CONTROL, BABY!!!!  That's right, folks - the munchkin has gone from a rollerball head to well and truly being able to control her little bone head and hold herself upright!  It really is amazing how quickly this transformation has occurred.  It's as though a light switch suddenly went off and she realized, "you know, this will be MUCH easier if I just do this on my own vs. crashing into my father's sternum all the time" - spectacular.  I am so proud of her, and every day her neck seems to be getting stronger.  JT deserves a lot of the credit, as she's been putting her in the jumperoo every day for 10-15 minutes, and that is paying HUGE dividends.  Now granted her little legs don't go all the way to the ground, but her toes touch the floor, and she's definitely getting the hang of the jumperoo.  Now, in the spirit of complete disclosure, I must confess that the songs on that jumperoo DRIVE ME CRAZY - but hey, she seems to like them, which is really all that matters. :-)

Not really sure who's having more fun in this picture...

So Friday was a very big day in the life of Team Taylor - the munchkin's 4 month appointment!  It was a good news story all around, as I'm happy to report that K is "developmentally on track" (direct quote from the Peds).  Our one big concern heading into the appointment was her weight, as she's chunked up quite nicely lately, and we were a bit concerned that we were over-feeding her.  The doctor said that, whilst she was solid for her age and disproportional to her height (she's just tipped 24 inches, putting her in the 30th percentile) - she weighed in at 14 pounds and 10 ounces, putting her in the 75th percentile - she was not concerned about breast fed babies, as they tend to carry a little more weight at first but burn it off soon enough once they become a bit more mobile.  She did tell us to cap K at 32 ounces per day, which is actually more than she takes on average and consequently isn't a concern.  This weekend she's held steady at about 7-7.5 ounces a feed, well south of her "upper spec limit."  Oh, and in case anyone's scoring, her head now has a circumference of 39.5 cm - she's cracked the 10th percentile, baby!!!!!!!  IQ WILL BE OFF THE CHARTS!!!!!! :-)

"To infinity...and beyond!"

The only items we did have to address (and are in process of doing) were 2 lotion treatments - lotrimin for her neck and pits (daily for a week to clear up a fungal rash) and hydrocortisone 1% for her scalp (2x daily for 2 weeks or until it goes away).  We started both yesterday, and it's INSANE how much better she looks today.  We've also been instructed to start bathing her every other day and to lotion her twice a day due to having slightly dry skin.  And whilst it might be dry, her skin is absolute porcelain - SOOOOOO CUTE.  Oh, and there was a classic moment when I told her that we'd been keeping the
house 75 to try and keep her warm.  The Peds looked at me as though I was from Mars and said, "Oh, that is WAAAAAAY too hot - that explains the heat rash on her back.  Keep it at 71-72."  Munchkin, it's a good thing daddy loves you, because our electric bill is about to SKYROCKET.

The goals for the next 2 months will include rolling over in both directions, sitting up straight without assistance, and perhaps the biggest challenge - starting solid foods.  We've got a good game plan and are quite excited about it, but luckily we've got a good 6 weeks before we have to try it for the first time (translation:  the Bull and Striker have 6 weeks to find a high chair at consignment and figure out how to work their food processor).

The Bull and Striker brought the munchkin along for date night on Saturday - nothing like rocking up
at 4:57 PM and being the first folks in the place.  It's a new world, kids...

There was more soy sauce on the burp cloth than spit up - I'm a pretty classy guy.

Another big happening on Saturday - Mindy's shower.  Very soon Kaitlyn will have a new best friend
who lives down in Charleston - Min is 34 weeks in this photo!

Also, whilst we sing to her often and read to her daily, the doctor said that we need to formalize the reading routine.  Consequently, today the Bull commenced reading "The Great American Road Trip" - courtesy of Grammie - to our daughter.  She is already VERY excited about the Hollywood sign and is glad that the arson fire that damaged one of the "L's" resulted in a 250K renovation.

So there you have it - a daughter who's changing daily and a set of parents who are desperately trying to keep up, document everything, and enjoy every moment.  I think we're doing a pretty good job so far - at a minimum, we're certainly enjoying the ride.  The next 3-4 weeks will be quiet for us and give us some time to recharge before a busy fall that will see the munchkin on her first airplane!  Helloooooo pacifier... :-)

Chat soon,

Sam and Jenny

Lady Kaitlyn at 4 months - just in time for the wedding of the year...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  4 months and 3 days

Family,

And a good Sunday afternoon to you from the Queen City, where the Bull, Striker, and Munchkin are all EXHAUSTED from a weekend filled with festivities.  What festivities, you ask?  Well, I'll be happy to tell you - Kim and Matt's wedding!!!

Happiness is a left thumb.  Period.

Talk about an absolute BLAST - wire to wire, it was a weekend of fun, family, friends, and fantastic beer. :-)  We drove up on Thursday (Kaitlyn's actual 4 month birthday), departing the house to a MONSOON OF GALCIAN PROPORTIONS thanks to Tropical Storm Chantal (to show you how out of the loop I am, I didn't even KNOW there was a Tropical Storm brewing, let alone that it was rolling over the QC).  Traffic was moving at a less than brisk 40-45 mph on the interstate, interspersed with moments of complete standstills.  The cumulative effect of the rain, slow travel, and having a munchkin on a tight schedule meant that, 1 hour into the drive, Team Taylor had made it only as far as Lincolnton, where for the second week in a row Kaitlyn received her 2nd feed of the day at a Wendy's.  She didn't seem too concerned, however.  In fact, I think she quite liked the change in scenery (Jenny certainly enjoyed her free Frosty).  We rolled into Asheville about 2ish, where we checked in and unloaded A FREIGHT LINER'S CARGO LOAD of stuff into our TEENY little room.  I mean, to be fair, the room held 2 Queen Beds, 2 chairs, a fridge, a pack-n-play, and a stroller, but still - it was SNUG.

Throughout the afternoon the families rolled in, and a group of 13-14 went to a place called Farmburger  for dinner that night - AMAZING.  I also found room for some chicken livers (the look on Jenny's face when I ordered them was priceless), and I am pleased to report that they had Pisgah Pale Ale on draft!  Granted, that wasn't the first time I'd had Pisgah that day, as Matt presented me with a Growler of it upon arrival.  Have I mentioned yet that he's pretty much the greatest brother-in-law ever? :-)

The evening was terrific - we'd met some of Matt's family, but this evening we got a chance to meet some more of his crew - all WONDERFUL people.  In fact, it set the tone for what was to be a consistent theme throughout the weekend - lots of love and laughs with lots of good, fun, interesting people.

That night I got a chance to bond with the Munchkin, as K and I went back to the room a bit early to get her all settled.  Jenny and I were both worried how she would fare in the room (and how we'd fare for that matter, as we hadn't been in the same room with her since Tennessee), but, as always, the child was a DREAM when we put her down for bed.  I mean, she was awake for about 45 minutes, but I gave her another bottle, after which time she promptly PASSED OUT and slept for 10.5 hours.  It really is AMAZING how she can keep herself entertained.  It's quite fascinating to watch the recent transformation, as she's much more alert and interested in the world, and when I've got her on my shoulder, she much prefers to be up higher so she can see what's behind me vs. just snuggling on my chest (but fortunately for me she still likes to do that - it's just so sweet when she nestles).  But her highlight from this day was not her attentiveness nor her sleeping but rather HER LARGEST POOPY TO DATE - HOLY MOLY HIDE THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN.  Let's just say that outfit - as well as every other item of fabric in an 8 block radius - needed a washing.

The next morning I woke up to the realization that I am a terrible father, as I forgot to change my daughter out of the ABSOLUTE CRAP "fake jean" diapers before bed, the result of which was a poopy that had found its way through a) diapers, b) pajamas, c) swaddle, and d) blanket.  Yeah...not exactly father of the year on that one (insert more washing of clothes here).  But hey, after that the day went upward like a rocket, as Dad and Pattie arrived, and we all went over to the Early Girl Eatery, a farm to table joint in the main square.  The food was epic, and I spent the rest of the afternoon with dad, Pattie, and then mom (who arrived about 1).  Dad left about 2:15, but it was SO GREAT to see both he and Pattie.  Throughout the entire weekend, Jenny and I were reminded not only how fantastic Asheville is as a city but also how PERFECT it is for a weekend destination or meeting place for family - it really is almost a halfway point for everybody, and the city just continues to impress more and more each time I visit.

The simply STUNNING Tacy women - LOVE this photo.

Jenny and Kim returned back to the hotel about 4 with some VERY stylish nails (Muffin looked HOT), and we then got dressed and ready for both the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.  Grammie was an absolute LIFESAVER, watching the munchkin whilst JT and I galavanted about town and had a proper "grown-up" evening of wine, food, and terrific conversation with lots of friends and family.  The rehearsal dinner was at Posana - a place that I've been wanting to try for years - and it did NOT disappoint.  Matt and Kim had reserved the entire back room, and we were fed (and watered) like KINGS - SO MUCH FUN.  After dinner, a lot of their friends came in and joined us, and we made some new friends whilst catching up with old ones over the next two hours.  I headed back about 11:30 (I got up and worked out every morning but Sunday, so I was dragging by the witching hour), and JT rolled in about 1ish (and had to pump, poor thing - Kaitlyn, remember how much your mommy loves you and made sure you were well fed every day of your young life!).  It was a perfect evening, and the funniest moment was definitely the text from Mom/Grammie that read:  "Put her down awake at 8 PM - went right to sleep.  NO SOUND.  This child is amazing."  Love it. :-)

Saturday was the wedding day, and it was, in a word - PERFECT.  Seriously - the day started gray, but when it was time for pictures, the clouds parted, revealing blue skies and sunlight filtering through the trees.  I felt quite self-conscious because I hadn't brought a suit, but hopefully no one will be upset about how the photos turn out. :-)  Everything ran on time.  The music was beautiful.  Kim was a vision as the bride - Matt could have been a GQ model as the groom.  The venue (called, appropriately enough, the Venue) was immaculate.  The beer selection was superb. :-)  The munchkin went down like a dream.  And then, best of all, was my wife.  Now I realize I might be biased, but believe me when I say that, after her wedding day, my wife has NEVER looked more beautiful - we are talking drop dead GORGEOUS.  And the fact that I had her on my arm and had the chance to kiss and dance with that woman, well - it was a GOOD night. :-)

A big day, Munchkin - your Godparents' (and Aunt &
Uncle's wedding day - They love you!!!

The service was beautiful, tender, and heartfelt.  We didn't bring the Munchkin, but she was certainly there in spirit.  Jenny gave a BEAUTIFUL toast that came from the heart, and I was so proud of her up there speaking to both Kim and Matt.  She was nervous leading up to it, but she didn't look nervous or anxious at all up there speaking - she just looked like the perfect, amazing woman that I know and love.  And when Kim and Matt did their first dance, I got CRUSHED by emotion.  They danced to "Swept Away" by the Avett Brothers, and you could really feel the love in the room.  Feeling that energy and love, I was whisked back to a day 7 years and 6 days ago - July 8, 2006 - the date of mine and Jenny's wedding.  I remembered that dance, remembered how I felt, and remembered what it was like to have everyone that I love in the same place at the same time.  Overwhelming was the only word I had then, and it hasn't changed.  But now add in visions of watching your little daughter in a white dress, you walking her down the aisle, proud of the woman she's become and the man she's chosen, and you've got a recipe for hopeful, happy tears.  I've actually listened to that song 3 times since then (I pulled it down off i-Tunes at the reception), and I've cried every time.  I cry in the first verse thinking about twirling Kaitlyn during the Father-Daughter dance, and then I cry in the third verse thinking about Jenny and I during our first dance and exchanging vows.  I tell ya what - love is a POWERFUL thing. :-)

Grammie and Grand Pooh in action.

Saturday was also a great day because Grand Pooh came over from TN to see the Munchkin! It was so cute to watch him interact with her - just so sweet to watch. I mean seriously, how lucky was I to have so many members of my family make the trip "over the mountain" to visit us?  I am a blessed man in so many ways, and seeing all this family (mine, Jenny's, and Matt's) was just fantastic - my cup "ranneth" over several times.

Today we had a terrific breakfast with them before heading out.  We actually made the drive in 2 hours and 15 minutes, although it should be noted that the Munchkin screamed for at least half the drive.  We "upset the apple cart" in her schedule today, but she's down for a nap now, and I'm hopeful that we've got her back on schedule (or at least will be the end of the night).

Looking at the Munchkin at 4 months, it really is amazing how quickly she's changing.  She smiles EVERY MORNING when you wake her up.  Her eyes are just firestorms of energy, and she's clearly fascinated by the world around her.  She is grabbing at things now and actually holding them.  On Thursday she actually grabbed the little "Aussie Mouse" by the ears and lifted him up a bit - a big first! And whilst she still hasn't found her right thumb yet, she sucks on that left thumb like it's the last morsel of food on earth - TOO CUTE!  The right thumb is only a matter of time, but she seems quite content to just shove her entire fist in her mouth for now. :-)

I am singing to her more and more, and - dare I say or hope it - I think she likes hearing daddy sing to her.  She's tracking everything now - the lion, people walking around the room, rattles, you name it.  And whilst she still can't hold her head up completely on her own, JT's done some amazing work to strengthen her neck muscles, and I truly believe it's only a matter of time.  But regardless - these folks aren't worried. We're just so happy and thankful that the munchkin wakes up happy, is eating well, is sleeping like a DREAM, and, most importantly, is ours to love, hold, and cherish.

We go for our 4 month appointment on Friday, so we're hoping that everything is still looking good.  and I would be lying if I said I wasn't curious what percentile her little head bone will be. :-)

Grammie introducing Kaitlyn to the concept
of "jewelry" - the look in those eyes TERRIFIES me.

Okay, I'm conscious that was a bit of a ramble, but it was a BIG week!

Momma - thank you SO MUCH for babysitting the Munchkin this week.  You were a lifesaver, and Kaitlyn LOVES being around you.  Thank you so much for taking such good care of her.

My Family - thank you all for making the drive over for breakfast/lunch and bonding time.  I can't tell you how great it was to see you all and to watch you with the new addition.

Kim and Matt - we couldn't be happier for you guys.  We love you SO MUCH - welcome to the "other side."  You will love every step of the journey.

Love,

Sam and Jenny

One of the hardest things I've done in a LONG time - Sammy's first work trip as a father...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  almost 4 months!

Family,

The newest patriot - and NO, that is NOT
a weird strand of hair coming from JT's head.

And a good evening to you from the Queen City, where the Bull, Striker, and Munchkin have had a VERY productive day!  Since arriving back home from Raleigh (we'll get to that in a minute), Team Taylor has been on the go, and I'm VERY pleased to report that many a task - ranging from freezing milk to mowing the lawn to buying a portable hard drive to digging up a dead bush - has been knocked off!  But I get ahead of myself, let's rewind to talk a bit more about the title of this blog.

This past week offered two firsts for Sammy the Bull.  The first new experience was one that I'd been looking forward to for almost a year - my first work trip to Costa Rica.  I've been working with the team down there since early 2012, so it was great to finally get the "all clear" to book the trip.  The other first, however, was NOT something I was looking forward to - my first night NOT being under the same roof as my little girl.

I was fine all weekend leading up to it, and Jenny was great to let me do a lot of the feedings (my favorite time with her).  But when Sunday rolled around, I could tell I was getting a wee bit down.  The tidal wave of emotions really hit on Monday morning before I left for the airport.  I'm not sure I've posted this yet, but now once I day I'm whispering the "Three Truths" to Kaitlyn:

1. Daddy loves you more than you will every possible know.

2.  Daddy will love you no matter what - remember that.

3.  Daddy will ALWAYS be there for you.

The Bull getting some quality time in over the
weekend before headin' to Pura Vida - nice hair.

Well, Monday morning I was having a tough time getting through that little speech without tearing up.  But then, holding her and singing the "50 states and their capitals" song, I genuinely started crying.  For some reason, I had this horrible fear that Kaitlyn would completely forget who I was and would cry when I arrived home on Friday.  And yes, I realize that a) she probably doesn't really have a concept of who I am and b) kids can't forget that fast anyway, but at the time I was a very real concern.

It was SO TOUGH walking out that door and driving to the airport.  I didn't want to walk away from the nursery.  I didn't want to stop kissing my wife.  I didn't want to let her go.  I didn't want to see the garage door close and my girls vanish from my field of vision.  And I certainly didn't want to go to sleep alone in a foreign country.  But hey - there were tasks to be done, and so we all sallied forth to do what needed doing.

The work week was GREAT, and I can't say enough good things about the people, the country, and the work going on down in San Jose.  I got to spend some quality time with a work buddy of mine and his family - I got to meet his little one (2.5 years old), his wife, his sister, and his mother, and the last night I even managed 3 hours of dinner conversation in Spanish.  The trip was actually a GREAT confidence booster for my language skills, and the progress made on a lot of work items certainly made the trip feel like it was worth the sacrifice.  But what really made it all work was Jenny, who sent me a picture of Kaitlyn the first night, kept me abreast of everything via email during the day, and then chatted with me every night to give me a status update (total consumption, nap routine, poopy size - you name it :-)).  As always, my wife is my rock, carrying me through whatever tough time I'm experiencing with that same quiet strength I found in her so early on in our relationship - I LOVE YOU, WIFE MUFFIN!!!!!!

I got back home on Friday about 8:50, cleared customs, and had the first bag of the conveyor belt (that actually happened when I landed in San Jose as well - and did I mention I got upgraded to 1st class both ways?  OH, YEAH, BABY!!!!!!!).  I made it home about 10 PM, where the munchkin was passed out but SO CUTE.  It was SO GREAT to be back under the same roof with my girls, and few things in life are better than curling up with someone you love after a long week, listening to the sound of a little munchkin breathing steadily on the monitor.

The weekend was busy but great, as we drove up to Raleigh on Saturday for a 4th of July bash, hosted by our friends Martin and Sara.  They've been putting this shindig on for 5 years, but this was the first time we were in the state and able to make it.  It was AWESOME - homemade decorations, a food truck bringing in barbecue, a bee bee shooting competition (not sure if that's actually legal :-)), a 2002 revival New Belgium Beer (Loft), and a CUTE little 4 month old in a 4th of July outfit - who could ask for anything more? :-)

The Munchkin paraded around in an outfit from Grammie, and she also tried on her first swimsuit (ALSO courtesy of Grammie).  And whilst the 4th of July outfit went over well, K's first trip into a kiddie pool was, well, suboptimal.  Not sure if it was the temperature or just the fact that she doesn't enjoy a hot pink two-piece, but that girl was NOT happy. :-)

Not reeeeeeeeally excited about a) the arctic water or b) the fact that her suit was tight enough to stop bleeding.

But with a spirit more intrepid than Shackleton, Munchkin braves the icy depths...

And has NEVER been happier to be in mommy's arms than in the .00007 seconds after exiting the pool...

Team Taylor and the Warf clan - complete with Pepper.

We had some coffee with them today before getting back on the road, where we made a stop at IHOP in Burlington before rolling on home to do about 2 weeks work of chores.  It's funny, the actual drive time from here to their house is only 2 hours and 40 minutes, but that is just WAAAAAAAAY too long to go between feeds.  We're going to Asheville on Thursday, and who am I kidding - we'll stop at LEAST once on that drive.  But hey, the pace changes, but Team Taylor is still going strong.  In fact, as I was sitting on the screened porch with the missus tonight, I had the quite content thought that, "You know, this is all working" (knock on wood).  We're starting to travel again.  Different speeds and different locations, perhaps, but we're LOVING both of those changes.  The speed change lets us go at a slower pace and guarantees that we'll have some fun meals along the way (who can say no to IHOP, let along the Tipping Point Brewery?  Um, HELLO McFLY!!!!), and the locations are great new adventures, all of which have been loads of fun so far.  Next up is Asheville in 96 hours, but that, dear friends, will be another blog for another time.

Okay, it's after 10 and I'm old, so this guy is going to bed.  Chat soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny