Lady Kaitlyn rolls 6 months

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  6 months on the nose!

Family,

And a good afternoon to you on this special mid-week edition of RKWTT, where the Bull is reporting a BIG milestone - THE MUNCH IS 6 MONTHS!!!!  WOW - seriously, where on EARTH has the time gone?  My dad said it will this morning when I sent him a recent photo:  "She's really getting that little girl look now."  And I will also quote KJ's comment on the Michelin baby photo:  "Look at that smile!  #cutest thing ever." :-)

There is NO QUESTION our daughter is rapidly growing up before our eyes.  Tummy time is now a breeze - again thanks to the incredible efforts and dedication of my wife.  K can now hold her head up as long as she wants and never complains.  In fact, yesterday I was exhausted from playing a peek-a-boo game with her in the crib and she never lowered her head once - AMAZING!

Somebody's finally found both feet!!!

She's almost sitting, has found both feet, and is definitely close to teething.  Some of the rashes she's carried for the previous few months are subsiding, thanks largely in part to her getting a bit taller and slimmer.  She can stand on mommy and daddy with little help, is capable of raising herself up when she  wobbles a bit in the sitting position, and is quite the talker now (or babbler, should I say).  Her eyes are starting to predict where something will be, and I think she's even starting to respond to her name.  Granted, she has about 60 of them, and since anyone would respond if you shouted at them long enough, I can't verify this fact.  However, you get my point - she's growing up fast.

With such a pensive gaze, she MUST be my child...but only
if she's thinking - could we dip this horse in hot sauce?

We have her 6 month appointment on Friday, and I will be curious to see where she stacks up on all the percentages.  I think she's definitely grown some and trimmed down a bit, and I'm thinking her head will still be in the bottom quartile (no complaints on any of those fronts!).  And I'm sure we'll get dinged for not having started solid foods yet, but honestly - that just feels like a bridge too far right now, especially since she's still sleeping through the night and can't sit up on her own.  I think we'll be there by the end of the month, but I'm really in no hurry on that, especially given that I'll have work trips and will be out of town for a few days each of the next 2 weeks.  Luckily we're gonna get some grandparent support for Muffin Puffin - that will make a HUGE difference.

And whilst there will be a bigger post about it during the week in review, I can confirm that Team Taylor has survived 3 days worth of daycare.  Having Team Taylor (party of 3) in 3 different locations is DEFINITELY an adjustment, and I think yesterday (Tuesday) was the worst for everyone.  Monday was such a rapid fire of activity that we didn't have a chance to think about anything, and there was still this feeling of "oh, it's just for today."  It definitely sunk in on Tuesday, and that was tough for everyone.  That being said, K was RESILIENT on Tuesday, getting in 2 terrific naps and elongating her feeding schedule PERFECTLY to allow for 2 bottles at daycare and then a quick nap at casa de Taylor before the final feed.

U-C-F - Let's Gooooooooo Knights!  Look at the newest Glycerin!

I don't want to spoil the first week of daycare recap, so I'll shut up now.  Suffice it to say that we're surviving - baby probably better than parents. But then again, something tells me that's true of EVERY set of parents during this first week of separation.

Okay - more to come later this week.  Chat soon.

Love,

Sam and Jenny

And so a new chapter begins - my girls leave the house...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  2 days shy of 6 months

Family,

And a good Sunday evening to you from the Queen City, where the's no denying that a cloud of sadness, anxiety, and apprehension are hanging over the Taylor household.  The reason?  After 6 months of being under the same roof, life as Team Taylor (party of 3) knows it will change tomorrow in two ways.  For starters, Jenny will start her new job with her new team.  And whilst we're both very excited about this, the corollary associated with it is a truth we haven't wanted to think about but no longer have a choice - the Munchkin starts daycare tomorrow.

Now don't get us wrong - we LOVE the daycare we've chosen.  The people seem great, the curriculum (YES, daycare programs have curricula now) looks excellent, the facilities are secure, the environment is clean, and there's no denying the benefits of socialization at an early age.  That being said, there's also no denying the truth that NOBODY will look after your children like you will.  I think that's the part that worries us, but more importantly it's the part that bothers and scares us, as we want to be the people interacting with her all day, every day - encouraging her to sit up, roll over, speak, and take her first steps.  Knowing that won't be our reality (in the immediate near term, at least) and that we'll be outsourcing child care 8-9 hours a day beginning tomorrow is proving a tough pill for Team Taylor to swallow, and this weekend has not been without its tears.

Look at that head control!  Wife Muffin's incessant dedication to Tummy Time has paid off!

Jenny has been an absolute trooper through this period, and I know it's tough for her right now.  Every day for the past six months she's fed, clothed, changed, coached, sang to, danced for, and looked over Kaitlyn.  The way K smiles when she sees JT or when she hears her voice is AMAZING - it's a smile that can melt a room, and certainly one that melts my heart.  I think tomorrow will be tougher for her because she's done SO MUCH for K in these 6 months - tummy time, building a schedule, keeping her stimulated and challenged - and my heart breaks at the thought of not being able to comfort her or

ensure her that everything will be ok.  And don't get me wrong - we both know that the new job will be terrific, filled with new challenges and good people.  However, there's no escaping the fact that, if we could do it, she would stay at home with K.  In that regard I feel I've let us down a bit, as I always thought we could live on one income.  To have the harsh reality hit you that, at present it's not possible, was a rather humbling blow (and certainly has done nothing to improve our spirits in the run-up to starting day care).  I haven't cracked yet, but I think it will hit me when I walk her into that daycare for the first time tomorrow (Jenny dropped her for a half day on Friday to get her acclimated and to confirm the protocols once we start this week, but I still haven't visited this spot).

Not sure how many of these we'll have left, but
we'll do it as long as we can.

As for the weekend itself, it has been terrific.  We've barely left the house in an effort to soak up every possible second with Special K.  We've rocked her longer (and more often) than normal, we've sang songs extra times, we've read new books, and most importantly - we've held each other longer and tighter.  In our heads we KNOW everything will be fine, but as the sun dips below the horizon and the moon rises on this late summer evening, it certainly does feel as though the inevitable has happened, closing 1 EPIC 6 month chapter in our lives and ushering us into a great unknown filled with greater financial stability but certainly less time to focus on our biggest priorities as a family.  However, as my mother has said many a time when speaking of visiting me:  "It's not about quantity - it's about quality."  Well trust me, sports fans - from here on out, we'll make EVERY second count.

For anyone who happens upon this page on Sunday, September 8, 2013 - think about us tomorrow morning.

For anyone reading this years after the fact - here's hoping we have a good chuckle about this post some day.

Either way - wish us luck.  All three of us. :-)

Love,

Sam and Jenny

A trip for the ages - Team Taylor goes to the Left Coast...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  5 months and 3+ weeks

Family,

The Munchkin was an ANGEL on the plane -
check her out just taking in the sights...and
recycled air...

And a good evening to you from the Queen City, where the Bull is laid up due to the world's most bizarre foot pain.  I woke up yesterday unable to put any weight on my foot, and unfortunately it's not improved much today.  I'm going to give it through the weekend to see if it improves, after which time this guy has GOT to make a trip to the doctor.  But I will count myself fortunate, as this injury (if you can call it that) occurred at the end, rather than the beginning, of one of Team Taylor's best trips in a long time.

So a bit of back story - several years ago my buddy Chuck and his wife Catherine (Cat as we call her) moved out to Seattle, Washington.  Chuck is one of my best friends and absolute FAVORITE people on earth, and we'd been talking about getting out for a visit forever since returning from Singapore.  Also, we hadn't seen each other in 3.5 years (since the ash cloud in London), and so JT and I were extra keen to make it work.  Add in the fact that they now have a 1 year old daughter, and, well, what better time to fly across country than when you've got a baby in tow, eh? :-)


Team Taylor used our companion tickets for this one, getting Kaitlyn a seat on the flight.  In retrospect, this was money WELL SPENT.  For starters, we had a row to ourselves.  Secondly, when she was calm and could rest, mommy and daddy got a break.  Third, it's just amazing how much that extra bit of space helps.

The Bull and Munchkin arriving at Sea-Tac - with ZERO
naps to report between them...

All week we'd been worried about how the munchkin would fare on the flight and with the time zone.  Well, whilst it's no surprise to my mother (and really not to us truth be told), she was a DREAM baby.  She was awake almost the entire time, but she almost never cried, kept herself very content, and most notably did not decide to have a blowout on the flight.  That being said - she did have a blowout at the house SECONDS BEFORE WE LEFT, so we counted ourselves VERY lucky.

The flight was smooth, and we arrived on time at noon in the Pac North West.  Now it's no secret that JT and I love the West, and we certainly hope that K does as well (she'll have no choice as many times as we're gonna drag her out there).  If we can guarantee the fun we had this last trip, well - I'd say she could be the generation of Taylors who crosses the Mississippi.

Bathing the Michelin baby...

Thursday was a blast - visiting with CP and Cat, checking out their AMAZING craftsman home in Ballard, having a drink at Chuck's Hop Shop (an absolute RIOT for the record), and spending some time with our other friends Ryan and Shannon.  We ate like kings (they are both quite the cooks, and the food is all natural, which made it even tastier).  We were a bit scared upon arrival, as just 36 hours before the flight, CP had informed us that Archer (their 1 year old daughter) had just been diagnosed with hand, foot, and mouth.  However, Cat kept that place scrubbed, and we took extra steps to keep the kids separated.  So far, so good - fingers crossed.

What most amazed me was that Kaitlyn INSTANTLY adjusted to West Coast time.  She stayed awake for almost 16 straight hours, had 1 extra feed, and then just CRASHED at 7:15 PM - EXACTLY when she would go down at home.  It is just amazing to me how resilient kids are.  We then tucked into some of the best burgers I've ever had, I tasted my first Alaskan Amber on the West Coast in 8 years, and we enjoyed the perfect crispness of a Washington summer evening - all was right with the world.

The gang strolling Bainbridge island like a scene from Reservoir Dogs...

K's first boat ride - a commuter ferry that
reminded us SO MUCH of traveling from
Manly to Sydney.

This photo captures everything...except the
sound of a stroller crashing against the wall...

Friday started a run of fantastic days with perfect weather, plenty of sun, great food, and EXCEPTIONAL beer. :-)  JT and I had visited Seattle before (engaged in '05), but this trip highlighted another reason why we like that place so much - you can visit a hundred times and never repeat activities.  Friday's trip was Bainbridge Island, and it was SO MUCH FUN.  The ferry was something out of a Sydney postcard.  The meal (complete with local beer) was exceptional.  The winery, whilst not spectacular, was still great (picture random techno, a strange assortment of humans, a Simpsons chess set, and a stroller falling over - sans baby - and silencing the bar).  And we topped it off in SOLID form, getting some ice cream at Cat's favorite establishment.  We made it back over about 3 hours late for Archer's nap, but at least Archer (and CP) got some sleep in the car on the ride back across the water.  I couldn't stop looking at the view - SO AMAZING.  Dinner that night was delish - salad with a side of salad - and we crashed about 11.

Saturday was a day for the ages, if for no other reason than it was the start of college football, baby!!!  We rolled out to Woodinville, home to 125 tasting rooms scattered in a small area (as well as the home of Red Hook Brewing).  We hit 3 wineries, and the stuff was DELICIOUS.  We even had a fantastic picnic at one of them, buying a bottle of the local Syrah and knocking it back whilst our little munchkin slept.  It was AMAZING how good a traveler she was - I just can't say enough good things about my child.  I know, I know...but seriously - she is PERFECT.

Archer about half a second before realizing she was out of string cheese...

I think our fave spot was JM, and we picked up a pair of bottles there for the rest of the weekend (we bought a di Stephano as well).  We then rolled home for naps (which I didn't take but was the exception - had a Ranier Beer instead), after which time the babysitter came over and we went out for a night on the town, baby!  We were only out until 12:30, but we hit a pair of AMAZING bars and had a GREAT dinner.  Again, the munchkin went down without a peep, and she slept great on the ground floor with the noise machine blasting away.  The house felt so good in the evenings with a light breeze blowing through - it was CRAZY the transformation from 5 PM (hottest time of the day in Seattle) until 7:30 PM (when the wind kicks up).

Sunday was another great one, starting with the one stop we had on our itinerary - Gas Works Park.  We strolled around with the munchkin in the Bob, and she was GREAT (see a pattern here?).  This trip marked two big firsts - Sammy's first time using the Bjorn, and K's first time facing out in a stroller.  Let me tell you - Bob is the way to go!  And Kaitlyn seemed to love it - I know she absolutely enjoyed the way it laid all the way back like a hammock - that child slept like a ROCK anytime we stopped.  We then wandered over to the Fremont market, where we took in some great food, dodged some yellow jackets, and enjoyed a gorgeous day.  Chuck then walked us along the sound and the lake (and past some RIDICULOUS boat houses) over to one of the featured attractions of the day - the Fremont Street Brewery!  MAN, you talk about some good stuff - that summer ale was GREAT.  The cask of rosemary, honey, and lemon, however, was, well...DONKEY TRASH.  But hey - had to try it!

Pretty sure it's only a matter of time before
Social Services drops by for a visit...

We then rolled over to the best brewery in town - Ruebens.  This place was AMAZING, and we tried basically everything they had on offer.  We then rolled over to Hillard's, where we tucked into hemp beer and ate fried oysters the size of your fist - SO GUUUUUUUUUUD.  I mean seriously - it's hard to eat much better than we did on this trip.  Fresh food, tasty wine, cold brew - it was just perfect.

Monday was filled with lookouts, great meals, and a 3 mile walk around Green Lake.  I'd also jogged 4 miles that day, and when coupled with a mile walk pushing the stroller, I think I now know why my foot feels as though a serrated blade is cutting through it.  But it was all worth it, as that day was just fantabulous.  Plus we had another unexpected highlight - getting to visit Amazon HQ!  We saw some amazing views from their rooftop decks.  I mean seriously - who needs the Space Needle - just sit there and have a beer!

We ordered in pizza that night, and I could already feel the frumpies descending.  We had stopped at Chuck's Hop Shop for a few final pints (chocolate oatmeal stout), and we consumed the last bottle of wine and the rest of our brew purchases with some pizza, courtesy of the Powell family.  It was then off to bed before the Tuesday whirlwind of packing, pumping, and running out the door to catch out flight.  We landed in the QC at 9 PM, exhausted but with huge smiles on our faces, as we'd just lived 5 of the best days I've had in a long time.

K and Daddy say "Welcome to the Gun Show!!!!!"

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that a note of sadness definitely crept into the Bull on the flight back.  As I sat on that plane, my daughter asleep on my chest and my wife resting on my shoulder, there was the unmistakable sensation that this was it - the last great adventure of a chapter of our lives about to close.  We have great news in that Jenny got a job offer and will start on Monday.  But that also means that this shared existence we've had for the last 6 months, with the Bull, Striker, and Munchkin all under the same roof, ends officially in 4 days.  And whilst I know it has to happen and am so, so, SO grateful for the time we've had, I am really, really, really gonna miss not hearing the "Animal Cracker" song and hearing the jumperoo going during my workday.  Come on, lottery!!!

But at the same time, I cannot in ANY WAY complain.  I have my soul mate as a companion, our daughter continues to grow and be healthy.  We are happy at the day care we've chosen.  We have two jobs,  which will make a lot of things easier and will help us live out many other dreams that we have - international travel with Kaitlyn, being able to balance retirement with expenses - you name it.  And

there's also the truth that this is just the first of many chapters which will close (the second if you count my return to work), but the conforting fact is that each closure means a new chapter is opening, and you come into that chapter armed with more confidence, experience, and love than you had the last go-around.  That counts for a lot - bring it on. :-)

I realize I am getting ahead of myself, as a lot of these comments were planned for this weekend's blog. But hey, I'm here and they're on my mind - so I wanted them out there.

CP, Cat, and Archer - thank you all SO MUCH for everything.  You were such wonderful hosts, and we are SO HAPPY that your lives are going so well.  I can't say enough how proud I am of what you guys have accomplished and how terrific you are as a family.  We're already looking forward to the next trip.  The girls can tackle each other next time!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

Re-U-Ni-Ted, and it feels so guuuuuuuuuuud...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  5 months and 3+ weeks

Family,

And a good Sunday afternoon to you from the Queen City, where the Bull and Striker are sitting in the Bonus room with the Munchkin, who's just finished her best round of tummy time EVER and has also just finished quite the bout of screaming.  Wife Muffin is heading to the nursery to put her down as I type, so I figured it was a good chance to knock out this week's update.

It's been a FANTASTIC weekend, off the back of a terrific week.  Jenny was in Orlando with Kaitlyn until Thursday, and they had a blast.  Not only did they get lots of bonding time with Julie, Steve, and their wee ones, Jenny also got a chance to hang out with some of her other college friends - Katie and Stacey.  Up here in the QC, however, the Bull was living the life of a bachelor.  And let me tell you - this house was TOOOOOOOO quiet.  WOW - there were so many moments (especially at night) when the silence was deafening.  To make things stranger, I often heard "phantom cries" or "phantom noises" in the night.  Basically I thought I kept hearing Kaitlyn breathing on a monitor that wasn't there.  Yeah, freaky.  The Bull will come clean and admit that he locked the bedroom door every night.  True, it probably wouldn't have kept out the zombies from the zombie apocalypse, but hey - a man does what he can.

AD Pi's in the house - now all with future diamonds. :-)

The weekend has been quiet but fantastic, and I've got 4 milestones to report this week.  First, the munchkin has FINALLY found her right thumb!  It's funny - JT and I don't actually think she realizes that she has it, but it's definitely there and definitely being used. :-)  She's actually much more reserved with how she handles her right thumb, but that could be because she ultimately always ends up consuming HER ENTIRE FIST.  It should be noted that she's become exceptionally adept at wiping slobber ALL OVER ME.  Seriously - this gal has slimed me on more than one occasion.  It's also worth noting that her neck has become MUCH stronger, having the cumulative effect of her being able to whip that neck around and CRACK my jawbone when I'm burping her.  Rough and tumble, just like mummy!

K with her teething chew toy that also doubles
as a gum cleaner...because daddy's too lazy to do it.

The second milestone is that she's finally found a foot!  Just her right foot for now, but she's got both of those puppies flapping in the breeze, so it's only a matter of time before she tries to consume one.  And speaking of consumption, that poor Mouse the Aussies gave K is now a daily victim of slobber, suction, and chewing.  The "Oz Mouse" is still intact, but it's only a matter of time before "Little Kaitlyn Foo Foo" ribs off one of her ears like a scene from Watership Downs.

That's a good segue way to mention that K is now chewing on EVERYTHING.  We are trying to wipe stuff down and keep her environment relatively sterile, but she is a full-on chewer and slobber box at this point, meaning the quest is pretty much futile (Borg style).  But there's no question she's more alert and aware - she's loving the jumperoo now and has discovered all the lights on the back side of the apparatus.  She's even rolling and pushing the sound button ("Lion's roar!"), but I don't yet think she's associated the cause with the effect.

The 3rd big milestone is that we've come to an end of the swaddle!  That's right, sports fans - the evening swaddle is no more.  Now, the ritual is putting her in pajamas (meaning long sleeves) and putting her down for the night.  Honestly, the swaddle was becoming almost impossible, and she kicks of violently that she was even managing to get out of it some nights.  This is good, as it's giving us a chance to try out some new outfits, all of which are TOO CUTE. :-)

GI Jane in the house - look at this little munchkin's form!
Next up - the army crawl!  But not too soon, as this house is
NOT baby-proof yet...

And the 4th and final milestone - K has really gotten the hang of tummy time!  Whilst I don't think she likes it yet, there's no question that it's working.  Today was her best session EVER - she used her arms and kept her head up for quite a while!  Way to go, Wife Muffin!!!  Your persistence has paid off.

Okay, that's it from our corner of the world.  Chat next week!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

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