Kaitlyn takes on the Volunteer State...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  11 weeks and 4 days

Family,

And a good Thursday afternoon to you from the Queen City, where the temperatures are rising and everything is super green thanks to all the rain we've had recently.  I'm happy to report that, at time of writing, Kaitlyn's pink dogwood is doing VERY well and growing nicely.  I'll water her again today or tomorrow, but I feel very confident about our new little sapling's chances.

The munchkin in her dress from Panama -
mom bought this for her the day she was born.

So apologies that I've been off the grid for more than 2 weeks, but I have had good reason.  Team Taylor spent the last week plus in the Volunteer State, and I didn't want to write a post on any other PC's for fear of folks finding out about my little "project."  And whilst I believe the secret is still intact, the other consequence was that I now have a TON of information to catch up on and limited time to do it given that the munchkin seems to be in a perpetual state of wake and hunger these days.

However, the BIG NEWS that I must share first:  THE MUNCHKIN IS NOW SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT CONSISTENTLY!!!!  While I don't want to celebrate too much for fear of jinxing us, she has slept at least 8 hours at night consistently for the past 10-11 days.  In week 9 it was about 6 hours, but last week she pretty much just dropped the middle of the night and late night feeds cold turkey.  AMAZING!!!!!  Case in point - the Munchkin slept from 8:15 PM-9:15 AM last night with only a 45 minute feed in the middle at 5 AM.  BEST.  CHILD.  EVER.

Team Taylor at "The Big House on the
River" for Zach's wedding - beautiful.

But since I'm sure we'll celebrate all of these milestones when we talk about her progress at 3 months, let's jump into the subject of this post - the 10 days away from the Mountain Fortress.  It all started with a Saturday morning drive to Waynesville, NC, where we were spending the night and attending my cousin Zach's wedding.  We got out of the house about an hour later than expected, but that wasn't a bad thing, as there really was nothing to do once we arrived at the hotel other than get dressed, pump, and wait for the caravan to head over to the service.  It was a big moment, however, as Kaitlyn met 2 very special people - both of whom were named Pattie. :-)

Pattie Ruth wasted no time rounding the corner to FINALLY meet her niece, and Grandmother Taylor (96 at time of writing) wasn't far behind.  It was so sweet to watch each of them interact with her, and it kicked off what can only be described as 10 days of UBER-sensory overload for Special K (seriously, Kaitlyn - if you're reading this 3 decades from now and have repressed memories about being passed around like a football for a week plus, I can pretty much guarantee that it ALL stemmed from this trip).

A photo for the ages - Kaitlyn at 10 weeks
and Grandmother at 96.5 years on their
first meeting.

The wedding was beautiful, albeit SHORT.  Seriously - we had food at the ready in the event Kaitlyn started going crazy during the ceremony, but the actual service lasted all of FOUR MINUTES (not joking).  It actually took longer for the wedding party to walk in than it did for the complete service.  It was so fast I even missed the kiss!  But hey, no complaints, as we had tons of family around, the weather was GREAT, the venue just incredible, and the food SUPERB (THE BEST fried green tomatoes I've ever had...but how could that not be the case when they are covered in bacon and bleu cheese?).

The evening was great, as I got a chance to chat with nearly all my cousins (and found out one of them is expecting!), aunts, uncles, and most especially mom and dad.  We stayed until 9 PM and got the munchkin back home and asleep in the pack and play around 10 PM or so, where she remained sacked out until 6 AM.  Then it was an early rise, a nice breakfast with Dad and company, and a short, 90 minute drive to Morristown where we met mom for lunch at Cracker Barrel.

The rest of the week was spent bouncing all over the place in Tennessee, and I have no lie to tell - it was a little slice of

My mom the real estate mogul...complete with a cat
sleeping on the scanner.  Don't worry, clients - you're in
good hands.

Heaven.  For starters, it was SO GREAT to see Grammie (my mom) and Grand Pooh (my stepdad) interact with Kaitlyn.  She seems to LOVE being around people, which is a good thing considering how many folks touched her, kissed her, and breathed on her in this 168 hour span.

Sandra, Joy, Gail, and Mom with the munchkin - who was
PAAAAAAAAASSED out the entire time we were there...

Seriously - there was enough caffeine in each of those
mugs to power Chicago...not that we stopped shy of draining
them, of course.  After all, those cups would have been
about $600 each in Singapore.

The first 3 days were spent at Grammie's, where we had K in a new pack and play (courtesy of the Rice clan) for the first 2 nights, with the Munchkin moving into Steve's room the two last nights.  This made life MUCH better for the Bull, as I already have trouble sleeping in my old bed (it's a queen, and I'm ALL ABOUT the king size beds these days) and my tendency for being a light sleeper doesn't mesh well with K's breathing patterns whilst sleeping.  The days were great, as we walked the "Morristown Greenway" on Monday before spending a good 4 hours with Dad and company in the "West Virginia State Park pavilion", and then Tuesday we visited the newest culinary icon in Morristown's "Historic" downtown area - the Java Garden.  I'd heard about this place for AGES, and it was so good to FINALLY get over there and drink cups of coffee larger than my torso.  More importantly, however, we got a chance to catch up with Sandra, Gail, and Joy - friends of the family since before I was born - and show of our little miracle.  Tuesday night we went to O'Charley's during what can only be described as a "Flood of Noah" with dad and company, and this was a BIG moment - the FIRST TIME out of the house as a couple without the munchkin in tow.  I checked in with mom a few times, and the response was always the same - "Kaitlyn's doing great - she's asleep!"  Mom found it absolutely AMAZING that K a) could be laid in her crib AWAKE and b) would actually SLEEP according to a schedule (apparently I never slept more than 45 minutes at a clip - YIKES).  I don't know what was cuter - watching them interact or the look on mum's face when she saw that our child actually slept (and slept for good chunks of time!).

Wednesday we went for a walk out at Cherokee Park, where we arrived to find a chain gang working away in 700 degree heat (I'd say odds are good I probably knew someone on that crew).  We made it all of 2 miles before we were again DELUGED by rain.  Classic moment for the TN boy:  Jenny says, "Those storm clouds sure look close," and in my infinite wisdom I reply:  "Oh, that's MILES off."  8 seconds later rain drops the size of Volvos were en route toward my face - AWESOME.

On Thursday we met my buddy Link for lunch before shifting locations and making camp over at Nanny's house in Rogersville.  This turned out to be PERFECT for us, as Nanny basically has a 1 story PALACE with 4 bedrooms and plenty of space to spread out.  This meant that Team Taylor had a king sized bed, a separate room for the munchkin, and plenty of space for the 17,000 items required to raise a child in modes society.  Kaitlyn even had her own crib already set up, and it was arranged so that we could leverage the monitor again - BOOOOOONUUUUUUUS!  So we had a great Thursday evening with Nan, sitting out on the porch and enjoying the anti-gravity chairs.  It was also really sweet to watch Nanny interact with her and watch K smile with her and Grammie around - I think she really likes being around them!

Plan B is for Beer...

Friday we went for a 3.3 mile walk around the neighborhood (weather could NOT have been better) before once again leaving K in the very capable hands of Grammie and Nanny.  Why, you ask?  So Team Taylor could go out and watch BENNY WILSON IN CONCERT, of course!  We hadn't seen Benny play in AGES, so it was great to get out and watch him in action.  There wasn't a huge crowd, but the folks there were really engaged, and as always Benny gave a TERRIFIC show.  I really do think his voice has gotten stronger and his range wider over the years - such a good time.

Saturday was the other featured event of the trip, as we watched my sister GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL.  Seriously - I don't know HOW this is possible, but my little sister starts college in the fall.  Where on EARTH did the time go?  It was a GREAT ceremony, and I was very proud to hear her name called out several times for various awards and accolades.  I was even more proud to watch her interact with her friends, as it was on clear display how mature and wonderful a girl she was and how highly she was thought of by friends, peers, and teachers.  We didn't take the munchkin, but I'm glad considering that the gym was PACKED and the ceremony lasted 2 hours (to say nothing of the commute in, the photo time, and the delay in getting out of the parking lot).  We did, however, take her to the cookout over at Dad's, which was a blast and gave us more time to bond with grandmother (and for Pattie to see her niece, of course).  We then headed over to my friend Harv's for a quick 90 minute visit, where we got a chance to FINALLY meet his kids and to introduce him to K.

Sunday was a day of packing up before driving over to Knoxville, where we spent 7 WONDERFUL hours with Rice and company.  They had JUST bought a house an hour before, and so they were scrambling to fax some paperwork - VERY EXCITING!!!!  They will close on the house at the end of June, which means that next time Team Taylor won't be chillin' at the Holiday Inn World's Fair Park.  That being said, we love that place and had a terrific room (and even received a free glass of wine since we're Priority Club :-)), so all in all it was a great day.  Rice and Beka did a shrimp boil, and it was DELICIOUS.  As always, I left there fat as a damn bear.  I will say that it was quite odd to leave his house this go-around, as that is the place I've been visiting him for years and will, most likely, never see again.  I always loved that house, but I'm really, REALLY excited about their new one, as the photos look EPIC.  Congrats, guys!

Monday we were up about 6, fed the munchkin, and then walked through World's Fair Park and through the University over to Starbucks.  We had coffee and split a pastry before heading back to the room, where I spent about 90 minutes packing whilst Muffin fed the Munchkin and packed.  We then walked over to the Downtown Brewery, where we met Johnny and company again for a farewell meal.  It was then time to get on the road, but the reality is that Kaitlyn needed food and JT needed to pump, so we scrambled back to the Holiday Inn, where I'm happy to report that, since we're priority club, we were granted a 2 PM checkout (it was 1:30).  We didn't actually ask for it, however, and they were in process of cleaning our room when we arrived.  However, my key still worked, which was all I needed to sweet talk our way in and commence with the busiest 30 minutes of our lives (well, maybe not quite, but it was hectic!).

We FINALLY got on the road about 2:15, and we stopped by our Jefferson County Land en route.  15 minutes later, however, the munchkin went CRAZY, and we knew that we needed to find a place to feed her.  Our only option before Asheville (too far) was Waynesville, and so Team Taylor made it to exit 27 and ended the trip the same place we started it!  We did at least cross off the Tipping Point

Brewery and Tavern, as well as a little walk down their main street.  It was 5 PM at this point, but we really thought that, by the time we left at 5:30, we were good to go.  Ooooooh, naive new parents....

TWO STOPS AT REST AREAS TO FEED LATER, Team Taylor FINALLY arrived back in the Queen City.  It was 9:30, and I felt like I'd been slapped in the face with a wet mackerel.  But all in all, no complaints, as we'd been through the fire and emerged on the other side, battle-hardened from travel with the munchkin.

In all honesty, that week in TN was absolutely PERFECT.  We had SO much fun, got some "us time," allowed the fam to spend more time with Kaitlyn, and most importantly, got the change to rest, recharge the batteries, and be a family before I resume work.  I left there more relaxed than I'd been in a long time, not only because of all the sleep we'd FINALLY started to get with her sleeping through the night, but also safe in the knowledge that the family was able to spend so much quality time with the little who (who was DEFINITELY more awake than the last time they'd all seen her!).  JT and I did find it funny how my parents perceive our parenting style.  I think dad feels we're the most over-protective parents EVER, whereas we think my mother things we belong to the Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome school of parenting where the poor kid isn't tended to nearly well enough.  And while we think reality is somewhere in between, I'm sure the debate will rage for years to come. :-)

As for Kaitlyn, I saw 2 HUGE accomplishments for her.  The first was sleeping through the night, but the other was surviving being passed around like watermelon on Independence Day.  Seriously - I think everyone south of the Mason-Dixon line handled her this past week, but that kid was RESILIENT.  Good thing, too, as I don't see that changing anytime soon!

Two words:  Shell shocked...

A few nicknames for Kaitlyn have definitely emerged:  Munchkin, Mon-chi-chi, Munchies, Munch-a-Bunch, and Special K.  Special K is now a running joke with Grandmother, especially since dad told her that "Special" is her real name - quality.

Okay, that was quick and I'm sure I missed a lot, but that'll have to do for now.  Chat next week, when 2 more HUGE events occur - K hits 3 months, and the Bull returns to work (UGH).

Chat soon,

Love,

Sam and Jenny

A milestone always hoped for - Jenny's first Mother's Day...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  2 months and 3 days

Family,

And a good afternoon to you from the Queen City, where the Bull and Striker are currently surrounded by the sound of silence as the munchkin sleeps.  Let me state for the record that this has been a RARE occurrence lately, as the rug rat (whom I've taken to calling "Rally," named after the Anaheim Angels Rally Monkey - she is "our little monkey," after all... :-)) has done pretty much ANYTHING but sleep as of late.  She actually sleeps GREAT from 7-9 and from 10-12, but after that, it's a COMPLETE

Two months old and LOVING the Boppy!

CRAP SHOOT trying to keep her on a schedule (I'm hearing noise from the nursery as I type this!).  However, she's having no trouble feeding, and I'm VERY happy to report that, as of yesterday, our little munchkin crossed the 11 pound mark!  She's now graduated to the 50th percentile in weight (VERY exciting), although she's only in the 10th percentile for height (21 inches as of yesterday) and in the THIRD percentile for head circumference.  As I told my buddy Matt, at least we won't have to worry about anyone calling her a "pumpkin on a toothpick."  Don't worry, little one, mommy and daddy think you have the cutest little "bone head" EVER!

I'm rattling off all this information because K had her 2 month appointment with the pediatrician yesterday.  Everything went well, and K was brave as could be when she received her 2 DTaP vaccinations.  I wasn't there (horrible father), as I was "supervising" some tile and wall patchwork at our condo.  Jenny relayed that the Dr. was well pleased with Kaitlyn's ability to keep her head up, which is good to hear because it validates our belief that she's done great work in that regard (and not just biased parents :-)).  I'm also happy to report that she's been tracking us with her eyes a lot better lately.  In fact, K's level of alertness over the past week seems to have increased by several orders of magnitude, and within the last 96 hours I've found her much more responsive to both Muffin and myself.  She's having much better (and longer) wake time, which we're hoping will pave the way for better sleeping patterns.  In terms of eating, she's vacillating anywhere from 90-150 ml's per feed, which our pediatrician said is spot on (the target is 120 ml's per feed).  She definitely cluster feeds in the evening at this point (read:  EATS CONSTANTLY FROM 6-11:30 AND NEVER SLEEPS), but as that's translating to steady and healthy weight gain, no complaints from this guy!  K might have a complaint however, as her cheap bastard father is trying to use up all the newborn diapers even though she's 3 pounds over the suggested weight limit.  Only 12 more to go, munchkin!

The last 3-4 days really have been filled with big moments - the 2 month photo shoot (and she was ADORABLE) for the record), the 2 month doctor's appointment, and most importantly - JENNY'S

Wife Muffin with the smorgasbord of treats - most of which have already evaporated.

FIRST MOTHER'S DAY!!!!  Jenny admitted that it was a surreal experience to be "in the column" now, and I must confess it was odd to buy more than one Mother's Day card this year!  We spent it with Jenny's parents down in South Carolina, where her mom made us a DELICIOUS turkey breast with all the trimmings (I ate until near bursting).  It was great to watch "three generations of Tacy women" interact, especially with Kaitlyn all over the play mat (and Bob - Jenny's father - couldn't have

Gratuitous Vol shot! :-)

been cuter down on the mat with her).  The funniest anecdote from "our" first Mother's Day was that, not only did my mother send Jenny a gift - she also sent ME something for Mother's Day!  Love me some Harry & David strawberries - thanks, mom!  Jenny's comment after I opened them:  "Does this mean I get a Father's Day present?"  Too cute.

Observations of Kaitlyn at 2 months:

Sooo guuuuuud...peppy cheekies.

1.  Great strength in her neck and back - she will be rolling over VERY soon and earlier than most I would expect.

2.  She really is a good kid - only cries when she's hungry (which just happens to be all the time).

3.  There are few things more precious in life than your daughter asleep on your chest making little cooing noises as she breathes.  I get teary-eyed every time I think about how precious few hours of her "sleeping on daddy" are left to me.

4.  She remains the absolute noisiest child in the history of children.

5.  I think (and I do emphasize THINK) she enjoys my singing.  So far I'm sticking to either Mumford and Sons, "Somewhere over the Rainbow" - the IZ version, or Les Miserables (particularly "Stars" - she seems to love that one).

6.  Names for her at present are:  Rally, Munchkin, Munchies, and Little Creature (not the Pale Ale).

7.  When we know she's full, dry, and clean, we're letting her cry for 20 minutes at a clip.  The pediatrician says we can let her go longer if we know she's full, so look out, little one!

8.  We are FINALLY starting to dress her in all of her CUTE clothes, and below are a few shots of "Kaitlyn in Vogue" - seriously:  CUTEST.  THING.  EVER.  I must confess I'm quite enjoying all the pink and all the dresses in my house.

Pura Vida, baby!  LOVE the hat from the Puma...

K's discovered sitting on the Boppy is the way forward - all the elevation, none of the exertion...

One of the first shots of K in a dress (courtesy of the Parkhouse clan) - clearly the excitement was more than our little munchkin could bear...

Wish she was up on 'ole Rocky Top, down in the Tennessee Hills...

9.  We are learning that it really is more fun to be home with our munchkin in our house cooking at our leisure than it is to go out for dinner.  In truth, JT and I can't imagine trying anything fancier than a pizza joint, as Kaitlyn has this UNCANNY ability to wake up and instantly start screaming bloody murder the second we both pick up our forks at the same time.  We haven't eaten together in over a week (yes, yes, veteran parents - we know this is just the start)...

10.  Every day I fall more and more in love with my little girl.

The Bull's got less than 3 weeks of Paternity leave left, and I can already tell it will be a heartbreaking experience to leave my girls the morning of June 3rd.  However, it will make it that much sweeter when I see them again, and regardless how on earth can a man possibly complain after he's had 12 weeks of dedicated time with his wife and daughter.  As Jenny says, "right now every day feels like the weekend."  Now that's living... :-)

Okay, that'll do us for this week's post.  Chat next week, when we go remote to the Mountain Fortress in Tennessee!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

Sleepless nights and a speedy metabolism - Lady Kaitlyn at 8 weeks...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  8 weeks and 1 day

Family,

And a good morning to you from the Queen City, where the missus is making coffee, the Bull is working on the Singapore photo album, and the Munchkin is passed out (despite our best efforts for the record) in the travel swing.  We're now 8 weeks in, and life continues to be wonderful - if somewhat unpredictable. :-)

My ladies - both bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. :-)

The last week was a great one, with K rolling over (from her belly) for the 3rd time, a lot of big to-do's crossed off the list, and a general sense of calm starting to settle over the Bull.  For some reason, the 7th week of Paternity was a tough one for me, as I felt a bit "adrift in the sea of life" (please feel free to insert "Life of Pi" jokes here).  It was odd, as the first six weeks were completely fine, but I think I felt a bit out of sorts due to a) a foot injury, b) a general lack of progress against my "to-do's," and c) a failure to sit down, assess new goals and priorities, and rededicate myself to the big goals for the next 12 months and 5 years.  All the malaise cleared up rather quickly this week, in large part to some healing (my foot feels better now, and some tooth pain that had spiked last week has since abated) and also in part to being able to run again.  I've always joked that running is "cheaper than a shrink," and those words have never rang more true than these last few weeks.  It just feels good to get out there, clear my head, and have some dedicated time to think about whatever the topic of the day might be.  Some days it's financials, other days it's travel planning, and still other days it's just blanking out and seeing if I can shave 5 seconds off each mile pace.  I am happy to report that, for whatever reason, my times and pace have been noticeably faster lately, which not only makes me feel better but also gets me back to the palace quicker so that I can help out with Kaitlyn.

This girl is CLEARLY not a Utes fan...

As for Kaitlyn's past week, her appetite has found a new dimension, and she's kicked the U.S.S. Stomach into hyperdrive!  Seriously - this kid is now taking at least 100+ ml's at almost every feeding, and her evening feeds have been the stuff of legends.  Seriously - she passed the 200 ml barrier for only the second time the other night.  Of course, in a moment of anything but wisdom, I made the COLOSSAL mistake of trying to clean her tongue (which was covered in white gunk) post feeding.  Well, I stuck my finger in her mouth and give the tongue a good sweep, and instantly her gag reflex kicks in.  Now honestly, at this point I still (naively) thought I'd been fine, but 3 seconds later THERE IS A RIVER OF WHITE VOMIT ALL OVER ME.  Seriously - the runoff from this display could have filled Lake Mead - AMAZING.  Where the hell does she put all of it?

She's been sleeping pretty good, but only once this week did we get 5+ hours uninterrupted.  It's a painful tease, as just when I think we're gonna drop the "middle of the night" feed, she has a few fussy nights on the trot.  The last 2 nights have been pretty rough, as she's having real trouble falling asleep between 11-1, and for most of the week we've been unable to get her down PERIOD between 6-10.  If she does sleep, it's for 15 minutes, after which time the nursery sounds like an air raid siren.  Consequently, over the last 4-5 days we've been less in the "let her cry it out" camp because we KNOW the cause of the problem is ALWAYS the same thing - K NEEDS MORE FOOD. :-)

Currently, Kaitlyn's sleeping great from 2 AM until 6, and then she sleeps like a rock for the better part of the morning and early afternoon.  And whilst this is good for the elder members of Team Taylor when they have things to do, it's less than ideal for establishing a a schedule of feed-wake time-nap.  Right now we think K's "one cycle off," as she's still sleeping better in the morning than she does late at night.  The swaddle is only to her armpits now, as we both think she'll roll over any day now, and we want to ensure she's got her arms free when that happens.

The good news is that, thanks to JT being an ANIMAL with the breast pump, we starting to build a good stockpile of milk.  We actually pulled the colostrum out of the fridge this week to see if K would take it.  She did, but it was clear that she did NOT like having to work that hard to feed.  Luckily Muffin had the brilliant idea to mix colostrum with the newer stuff, and diluting it certainly helped speed up the feeding.

In terms of visitors, we did get a chance to visit with the Crum's this week (first time in probably 5-6 years!), as well as T-Rowe Price and his family.  Also, Muffin Puffin made the trek into the office on Friday to visit with her old team and have lunch with a few friends.  We've still not managed a date night with a babysitter yet, but truth be told I don't think either one of us mind that.  We are absolutely LOVING this relaxed, slower time together at home.  JT said it best:  "Every day feels like the weekend."  I can feel the end of my paternity time nearing (only 1 month to go), but that's a) still a long way off, and b) I cannot complain about this precious gift that's been given to me in terms of all this time to bond with and care for Kaitlyn (as well as Jenny, obviously).  I've just gotta make the last month count!

Okay, back to working on the photo book - chat next week, if not sooner!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

Another milestone in the books (and on the tires) - Kaitlyn's first road trip...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  7 weeks and 4 days

Family,

And a good rainy morning to you on this second day of May, where we as a city continue to be blessed with lower temperatures, good rain (read:  NO NEED TO IRRIGATE), and perfect weather.  I'm not sure what this means for our summer, but even if Charlotte feels like the surface of Mercury for 3 months, it's been nice having this little spring.

The aunt-uncle/Godparents with the munchkin.  It should be noted that the outfit she's wearing is now so threadbare
from the # of washes (all post spit-up) that I fully expect it to be a dishcloth by June.

So apologies for being away from the blog for so long, but the past weekend and this week have been a bit out of control.  And while the weekend was fun and the source of today's blog material, the week has been less so, as I've been at the old condo with a plumber to repair shower issues (and I'm meeting the "tile guy" today to complete those repairs.  In a word:  sub-optimal...

But enough of that, let's talk about why you're reading and I'm typing - our little bundle of joy and carbon.  This past weekend was a big one for little Kaitlyn, as we packed up the fam (LITERALLY, but I'll get to that shortly) and made the drive out of the county for the first time since February, journeying the 200 or so miles from the Queen City to Atlanta to visit K's Godparents, Aunt Kim and Uncle Matt.  Matt hadn't seen her yet, we wanted to do a trial "travel run" before some planned May trips, and we knew this would be the last time we'd see them before their wedding in July, so we thought "why not?"  The result was a fantastic (and VERY informative) 72 hours outside of the friendly confines of Regal Court.

For starters - the packing...WOW.  To set the scene:  we are only talking about 72 hours out of the house here.  However, we went ahead and packed for World War Z just to be on the safe side.  Whilst Jenny and I had a bag COMBINED between us, K had the following:

1 Pack and Play (which was surprisingly easy to break down)
1 BOB Stroller
1 cooler filled with milk
4 waterproof changing pads
4 blankets
7 outfits
7,896 diapers
3 kinds of butt paste (seriously - why did I not get in on the ground floor of this industry?)
Breast Pump and all accoutrements
6 extra bottles
14 wash cloths
8 burp cloths
8 bibs
2 rattles
1 Playmat
1 Partridge in a Pear Tree (and parts to a Mustang GT)

We actually commenced packing on Wednesday and loaded 95% of this into the car on Thursday evening over the course of 1-2 hours (We had some beer for Matt and vases for KJ as well), and we genuinely felt good about a) progress, b) completeness of packing, and c) a 10:30 AM departure on Friday morning.  Ooooooooh, so naive.  So, so naive...

For starters, K DEFINITELY had other plans for the feeding schedule.  In fact, K's been all over the place feeding lately, and it went particularly "wonky donkey" starting Friday (of course it did).  She wanted to eat right when Jenny was supposed to be pumping, but since I was doing some additional packing, Jenny took care of the munchkin and then pumped (whilst I loaded things we'd forgotten - which basically encompassed everything but the kitchen sink.  Shout out to the Hyundai Elantra - that trunk is HUGE!), and we ended up getting out the door at 11:30 - 1 hour later than planned.  However, I wasn't concerned, as we'd just fed K and, in my estimation could EASILY make it the 157 miles to the GA state line - HUGE TACTICAL ROOKIE ERROR.

A new wrinkle when factoring in travel time...and the
distances you are willing to go.  Lesson #1:  start earlier...
and avoid potentially rabid children with no regard
for personal space...

By the 3rd mile of the trip, K was fidgeting and NOT happy.  By the 4th mile of the trip (we'd ALMOST made it to the interstate at this point), she was vocally frustrated.  By the time we hit the on-ramp, she was going BAT SHIT CRAZY.  This continued for about 10 miles before the lull of the interstate white noise knocked her out...for 20 minutes.  At about Gastonia she rose from the dead, complete with a zombie wail and a vampire appetite.  Consequently, the Bull and Striker made their first ever stop at the I-85 S South Carolina Welcome Center, where we spent an hour keeping yellow jackets out of the car, scarfing down lunch as we switched turns feeding her, and I even had the privilege of shooing off 3 kids who were intent on touching and KISSING our daughter.  Seriously - WTF was that all about?  Three kids came out of nowhere (with their parents RIGHT THERE) and touched Kaitlyn, and when I shrugged them off (one was about to EAT HER EAR), one of them circled back and tried to kiss her.  Now I'm all for love and peace, but 2 things:  1) I don't want any rogue germs yet, and 2)  MY DAUGHTER WILL NOT DATE OR KISS A BOY UNTIL SHE'S 35.      Okay, glad we got that out of the way.

The rest of the trip was actually SUPER smooth, and credit to JT for the big decision at the GA state line.  K was due to feed, but she was passed out as we neared the welcome center.  I was thinking of stopping, but we had gas and empty bladders, and she said "Let's just roll the dice."  Well it was better than a Fire Bet heater in VEGAS, BABY, because we made it ALL THE WAY to their place by 4:30 right when JT said we would and just before some of the crazy rush hour for Friday kicked in - WHEW.

The weekend itself was an absolute BLAST.  We were extremely sessile, but it was GREAT to just a) be out of the house, b) visiting with friends, and c) eating like KINGS.  Matt and Kim were AWESOME hosts who kept us fed like you would NOT believe.  Friday night was sushi (featuring the now famous "UN 21"), which JT hadn't had in over 15 months (so guuuuuuuuud...peppy cheekies).  We also broke into their wine collection, which is more than a little impressive.  KJ and Matt really know their wine, and I spent the weekend a) getting pointers and b) writing down wineries and vintages to purchase back at 201 Central - talk about some guuuuuuuuud stuff.  Cambria....mmmmmm...It should be noted that Friday night the Bull and Striker went a bit too hard on the sauce, meaning that the 3:30 feed was, well, PAINFUL.  But hey, it happens, and it was well worth it - especially breaking out "Cards Against Humanity" for the first time with those 2 - HILARIOUS!

A Feast for Kings!  The Tacy-Hunsucker kitchen bustling
with activity and preparation for Saturday's meal.

Saturday was another great, lazy day.  We spent it lounging, playing with Kaitlyn (during the 45 minutes she was awake - that child seriously slept ALL DAY on Saturday), and then were treated to an AMAZING dinner and dessert that evening - steaks, asparagus topped with feta, sweet potatoes, and the also now famous "KJ balls" - brilliant!  We met some of their friends who'd also just had a rug rat, and it was a terrific evening.  This was the day we learned that Kaitlyn LOVES tennis balls - the vibration where they hit the floor, the unique texture of the material - she was fascinated.  Just wait until she can see their ridiculous color as well!  The biggest news of Saturday - KAITLYN SLEPT 6.5 HOURS that night - her first time sleeping through the night!  It was EPIC (although a bit terrifying at first).  Granted, she had been exceptionally fussy during the day, especially at the 3 PM feed, and part of us thought it was a fluke and that she might just be exhausted.  However, she then did the same on Sunday night, making it right at 6 hours.

We thought we were GOLDEN - brilliant parents all the way around, executing our plan to perfection.  Which brings me to my next lesson, kids - DON'T GET COCKY.  Because as a news update - SHE'S WAKING UP AT 3 AM LIKE CLOCKWORK NOW, and the Bull once again looks like he's been shot out of a canon.  Seriously - it's been an uber-productive week, but this guy is EXHAUSTED and walking around like an extra from the Book of Eli or something.  But hey, no complaints, as Kaitlyn does seem to be returning to her normal 3 hour schedule (she was on more of a 3.5-4 hour schedule in the ATL, and the travel really messed up both her feeding and Jenny's pumping schedule).  Her volume ingested at eat feed seems down a bit, and spit ups are now pretty much a regular occurrence for every feed.  Consequently, the child is basically wearing a newborn bib EVERYWHERE she goes.  Oh, and it should be noted that our poor Value City couch now has enough milk vomit on it to be a farm yard.  Seriously - K NEVER hits the burp cloth but instead prefers to go projectile on any part of the faux leather (or my shirt) she can find.  I don't think I have anything in the wardrobe that doesn't have milk puke on it.  And as a side note, we are having to clean K's neck about 8 times a day to keep it from smelling like milk puke.  Kaitlyn - you are cute as a BUTTON - but your neck could have peeled paint off the walls last night.  I know, I know...GREAT parenting...

One of Kaitlyn's fleeting "awake" moments in ATL - I'm
fairly certain that projectile vomiting commenced 11.7
seconds after this photo was taken.

The GA trip was really great soup to nuts, and we learned a TON from it.  We also learned that we need to keep the travel within family confines for a bit, as we did have to do laundry for the munchkin because she went through FIVE OUTFITS IN 24 HOURS - poop, pee, puke - you name it, she was covered in it.  I would never have thought we'd have needed all those outfits, but it's a good thing we brought 'em.  And for the second time, we brought a cute little dress for her to wear but before we could get a photo of it she COVERED IT in spit up.  Good times - especially those "over the head" outfits.

Kim and Matt - thank you guys SO MUCH for hosting us and letting us invade your condo for the weekend.  We had an absolute blast, love you both, and can't wait to see you again soon for your Big Day!

Okay, time to clean up, feed the munchkin, and go meet a tile guy - chat soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

Lady Kaitlyn's world at 6 weeks...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  6 weeks (today!)

Family,

And a good Monday morning to you from the Queen City, where it's actually chilly in late April for the first time in recent memory.  Apparently Kaitlyn was born in the "6th coldest March in the past 44 years" - not sure how they score that or why being 6th place was worth a mention, but all the same I'll say that the weather's been amazing so far this month. We've only touched 80 once, and this week looks to be in the 60's and 70's.  That's terrific news for the little dogwood we planted in her honor, as we need some cooler weather to ensure her roots take a firm hold and get plenty of water (such a parable when you think about it really).  Selfishly it's been great for the Bull as well, as I've been able to get some runs in without 90 degree temps or wicked humidity oppressing my already slow times.  That being said I did 5 yesterday and turned in a 7:59 last mile, which felt amazing.  It's funny, in January I was really, REALLY over running.  I didn't look forward to it, I dreaded any time on the treadmill, and I just wasn't interested in exercise.  But as with so many other things, of course, "having a baby changes everything," as I have now rededicated myself to my running (as well as other things).  Simply put, I WANT to be in great shape not only for me, but also for Jenny (so I don't look like a slob of a husband) and also for Kaitlyn (so I can be healthy and active to chase her now and then hopefully less of a burden on her later in life).  And just as with a desire to be more physically capable, I've now found a resurgence to be more mentally capable as well.  In fact, when I walk K to the map and start talking about countries (I'm trying to do a country a day :-)), I am finding myself reviewing capitals in Africa and throughout Central Asia to ensure I'm learning as well.  Similarly, I've set myself a goal to "finish all the books on my shelf by EOY."  I've had several books (both fiction and non-fiction) on that shelf for what feels like an age, and I've decided that some of them (which have sat unread for upwards of 7+ years) just need to be crossed off.  I'm reading 3 books at the same time right now, trying to balance fiction, non-fiction, and DIY (DIY for baby - not the home, as we know I'm HOPELESS in that category).

I mean, the kid is 6 weeks old and already had 4x the clothes
I do (insert Old School Cool or T-Rowe Price saying "Dude,
homeless people have 4x more clothes than you do" here.
Side note - can't wait to put her in that Vol onesie this fall!!!

For Kaitlyn, it's just AMAZING how quickly she's growing and learning about the world around her.  She's finally fitting into most of her clothes, and we're actually having to change her twice a day now due to the volume she usually spits up during feedings (the kid's taking 120 ml's a shot!).  I don't mind this, as folks have bought us the CUTEST clothes on the planet lately. Every day we crack open that wardrobe is an adventure!  She's much more alert now (most days, anyway), and wake time has become much more of a voyage of discovery for her vs. an exercise in futility for her parents (aka - trying to keep her awake for 30 minutes without going into meltdown).  She can focus on things 12-14 inches from her face, and her (ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL) blue eyes will track images and movement all over the place.  Apparently babies can still only see in 3 dimensions at present (CRAZY when you think about it), but I do think she's doing a nice job of discovering the world around her.  Just  2 days ago she made another leap when she realized that she could touch and manipulate the hanging plush horse on her play mat.  It was AWESOME to watch her realize it was there, reach out to touch it, and then POUND IT INTO OBLIVION.  I'm telling you - this child will have the strength of a bull moose before it's all said and done.

She's starting to figure out that her hands are her own now, and more and more they are finding their way closer in proximity to her mouth.  Her arms are still flailing WILDLY at night, and at present I'm not sure if she fully realizes she has the capability to control those puppies.  Likewise with her legs (which we're still swaddling at present) - she executes about 417,000 leg lifts over the course of a 90 minute sleeping session, to say nothing of the 14,897 grunts which she'll also utter.  Honestly, I don't know when the kid actually gets into "restful sleep," as she looks like one big "active sleep cycle" to me.  But in all seriousness, my favorite activity now is to watch her when she's peacefully asleep - there are fewer things more beautiful or perfect in this world than our sweet daughter passed out with her arms flung wide, making her little cooing noise and breathing softly.

For daddy, the last couple of weeks have been simply amazing, and I couldn't be happier.  I have had to focus on slowing down and truly taking in the moment, as for the past 3.5 decades I've been wired to just "knock out the task and move on," and so slowing down to take stock is something that doesn't come natural (nor is it comfortable).  That being said, I do think the last 48 hours have been better, thanks largely in part to a little message from God on Saturday morning (funny how he gives you what you need when you need it).  I was on the screened porch, watching the leaves from the shag bark hickory and the hickory trees swaying in the breeze.  The image was something from a Norman Rockwell painting - absolutely beautiful, simple, and timeless.  It was one of the images I'd had in my mind when we bought the house - me sipping my coffee, watching springtime envelop the backyard, content in the perfectness of new life, amazing weather, good coffee, and blue skies.  However, looking at it, it occurred to me how infrequently I do take the time to just absorb these beautiful, simple moments, storing them in my memory bank (after all, one of the reasons we bought the house was to "slow down" and just enjoy life).  Watching those leaves, thinking about the unstoppable flow of time and the miracle of spring's rebirth, a lot clicked in to focus.  For starters, slow it down, Sam.  Enjoy the day, enjoy the moment, enjoy this time that you will NEVER get again.  Find a way to slow down the to-do lists, the incessant push to hit benchmarks and goals, and everything in between.  Set goals that you'll enjoy actually meeting and that you can meet without in any way impacting your family, which is the most important thing on earth.  The good news is that, after a nice, head clearing 5 mile run in the rain, I think mentally and spiritually I'm in a much better spot now, and I am seeing the dividends of this renewed focus (no pun intended).  Let's just hope I can continue unabated down that path (which won't be without its challenges, I'm sure, especially when I start back to work and when 1/2 marathon season resumes in the fall).

But enough of all that, as I really just started this blog to show you some images from K's world at 6 weeks.  This was meant to be a photo-montage!  And so, let's get to the subject at hand, shall we?  K's world at 6 weeks:

The featured activity for "wake time" at present - Tummy Time!  Of course, more often than not, K just PASSES OUT,
leaving Muffin Puffin and I to do the Riverdance around her in an effort to wake her up - too cute!

Seriously - WHO KNEW how many different types of pastes there are for a baby's bum?  Granted, not all of those are
for K's bum, but still - how did I miss the marketing meeting where someone said "Let's call our product BUTT PASTE" - you gotta love that (and K does, for the record).

I love this photo because it's sums up my parents perfectly - dad bought the tractor toy to ensure Kaitlyn doesn't forget her roots - she has Tennessee blood in those veins and a bi-centennial farm in her family.  Mom bought the piggy bank because it's never too early to start saving money for a huge purchase that currently I know nothing about...AND it is just TOO adorably cute (and pink) for words.  Love you guys!!!

The sterilization process - 5 minutes in the microwave with 6 oz of water - AMAZING for lazy people like me who don't want to wash bottles.

My favorite Christmas gift from mom this year for little K - MUSLIM MONKEYS!!!!!   I mean seriously - look at them and tell me that I'm wrong...

Lady Kaitlyn getting a burp and feed from Grandma Tacy - K's finally fitting into her clothes these days!

Okay, I reckon it's 10 minutes until the next feed, so I'd better start prepping some bottles.  We've officially hit the halfway point of my Paternity Leave - gotta make these next 42 days count!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

Things I NEVER want to forget...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  5 weeks and 4 days

Family,

And a good morning to you from the Queen City, where Sammy the Bull is in between Lady Kaitlyn feeding sessions.  The kid just took 205 ml's of milk - INSANE!  I put her down just over an hour ago, which means best case I've got 25 minutes to knock out this blog (but I'm not complaining if it gets delayed, as I am LOVING "Daddy Day Care").  Truth be told it should be a quick one, as I just wanted to ensure I typed up the memories currently most vivid in my mind to ensure I never forget the

following aspects of this time with our wee one.  In no particular order:

Tummy Time!!!  Full marks to JT for finding this play mat at consignment for $15!!!!  Especially since Kaitlyn's already covered it with three spit-up pools each the size of the Sea of Tranquility.  Good times...and cheap fabric.

1.  How noisy this child is whilst sleeping - seriously, it is an INCESSANT stream of grunts, gurgles, and rapid breaths.  The rapid breaths (huh, huh, huh) are my favorite - sweetest little sound ever.  The gurgling and screaming as though she's possessed by a demon...not so much.

2.  How ACTIVE this child is whilst sleeping - okay, I know there are "restful cycles" and "active cycles," but I don't think anybody told K about the former.  Her legs are CONSTANTLY in motion - her abs have to be sheets of metal.  I WISH I could do leg lifts like this.

(pause in blog for 90 minutes due to numbers 1 and 2 above being so out of control on the monitor that Sammy the Bull has no choice but to attend to his daughter)

We now return you to your regularly scheduled reading, 53 minutes and 115 ml's later...

3.  Those BEAUTIFUL deep blue eyes staring at daddy whilst he feeds her on the couch (which has been covered in spit up on 2 separate occasions, with about another 900 probable recurrences on the horizon)

This pretty much sums up the 50-50 coin toss you get post-
feeding.  She's either sporting wider eyes than a deer in
headlights, or she is PASSED OUT without possibility of
movement, motion, or consciousness.  But she's still pretty
darn cute (and in the jumper and blanket from Grammie).

4.  The expressions she makes when she wakes up (peacefully, that is - meaning these are the expressions when we rouse her from slumber) - first is the big stretch with the arched back, then the arms flail a bit.  Then she purses her lips and lets out a big "uuuuuuuuuuuuuuu" (which normally follows with a load of flatulence that registers on the Richter scale)

5.  The look on her face during Tummy Time when she gets her head up (it's one of utter wonder that asks 2 questions - why has my vantage point changed, and how long can I keep this position) - the mixture of poise, concentration, and wonder at the change of scenery is just incredible

6.  That "passed out" arm draped across my chest or hanging down my side when she's passed out in kanga care

7.  That "social smile" - I'm not sure she knows that she's actually smiling, but it's just about the cutest thing EVER when she does it

8.  Watching her on the monitor with both her arms up above her head (we're no longer swaddling her with her arms bound as of yesterday, and it's made ALL the difference with her sleeping - good call, Muffin Puffin!), looking like an official confirming a field goal is good

9.  Back when she was breastfeeding, the way her head would swing all over the place and her face would look INSANE before she found the breast and then attacked it like a starving piranha in the Amazon who hasn't seen meat in 14 weeks

10.  Singing to her - and watching her reaction

11.  The first time she realized Jenny's voice matched her face and heartbeat - one of my favorite images from this time will ALWAYS be anytime Kaitlyn goes "skin-to-skin" with Jenny, as she instantly calms, nestles right above Jenny's heart with her ear, and then just goes to sleep - it is nothing shy of a miracle from God

12.  Endless laughter from the faces and the spit-ups...oh, and the peeing - ALWAYS with the peeing!  This is definitely my child...

There are a million more, I'm sure - but these were those top of mind that I wanted to ensure were recorded for the ages.

Okay, I told you it would be a quick one, but there you have it.  Chat soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

48 hours of firsts!!!!

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  5 weeks and 2 days

Family,

And a good afternoon to you from the Queen City, where the Bull and Striker have been slow to rise today.  Lady Kaitlyn has been a wee bit of a challenge over the last 2-3 days, largely due to the fact that we can't get her wake/sleep schedules coordinated and also due to the fact that, rather than eating her normal 120 ml's in a feeding, she's now taking only 50-60 ml's and then sleeping for less time.  She's currently passed out as I type this, and her first 2 "wake cycles" today have been the absolute ANTITHESIS of that - she's basically slept through tummy time during her first 2 feedings despite our best efforts.  The good news, however, is that she did sleep 4+ hours for only the second time ever last night, which was a HUGE win.  Now the trick is getting her to a) elongate that whilst b) starting the first feed consistently at 6:30 AM every morning.  Oh, and in other news, we had an unannounced hydrant flush last night, meaning everything we'd sterilized was sitting in 150 degree sediment-filled water.  Our cold water is better today, but the hot water still has a bit of a tinge (largely due to the fact that it's in our hot water heater).  I am in the process of flushing the hot water, but I expect we'll have "foggy water" through most of today.

But on to the good news - the last 48 hours have seen some AMAZING first accomplishments from the rug rat.  For starters, on her 5 week birthday, K did what I wasn't expecting for at LEAST another month - she ROLLED OVER!!!!  That's right, sports fans - this little girl started on her tummy and, after about 10 minutes, plopped over onto her back.  AMAZING!  It really was SO COOL to watch, especially the shock on her face once she rolled over and realized that her whole field of vision was looking at something different.  She just couldn't stop staring out the window - too cute.

And then, yesterday we were treated to another big moment - K was on Jenny's chest, and as per usual she was arching her back and raising her head.  To date we've been amazing at how high she can raise her head (looking at the ghosts or angels in the ceiling - we're not sure which), and even more impressed with how she can sustain it and hold it in place.  However, until yesterday her head always plummeted like a stone when she went to lower it.  Yesterday, however, she was able to CONTROL THE LOWERING!!!  It was AWESOME, as she really did lower it, stop her head midway down, and then lower it onto her arm or Jenny's chest.  Again, I have no idea when that's supposed to happen, but it feels 3+ weeks early, which is SPECTACULAR!  Baby Bjorn here we come - look out Crowder Mountain!  Okay, maybe we'll start with the Greenway, but still...it's good stuff.

This child is growing and learning daily.  Her favorite book remains "Look, Look!" - in fact she won't even entertain daddy reading anything else.  That being said, she can now focus on the images from farther away (at least a foot), her eyes are definitely tracking better, and she absolutely recognizes mommy and daddy's voice.  Her favorite image from the book would be that of fish swimming - it mesmerizes her.

She's also filling out her outfits (FINALLY).  In fact, she's growing so fast that I fear she won't be able to try on all the newborn clothes before she hits the 3 month window.  We tried her second "sleep sack" last night - she absolutely HATES those things.  If she can't feel her hands on her face, she goes ballistic.  And since these sleeves were too long for her, well...you can imagine the screaming (picture something out of an 80's horror film - and then triple it).

Last thing from me - I've started teaching her about countries.  Yes, yes, I know that most people of all ages find it exceptionally boring, but if she's going to be part of Team Taylor, travel is in the DNA and she has to jump on-board.  Yesterday I taught her about the US and Canada (she wasn't impressed by either), and today I think we're going to focus on Siberia.  We've got the map in our living room, and it doubles as a nice alternative to books and tummy time when K's getting a bit out of control and the swing just isn't cutting it.  My motivation on this isn't purely for her, however, as I am finding that I want to ensure all the neurons and pistons are firing for myself as well.  In that way I can ensure I keep all my faculties sharp and can be a good teacher, mentor, and parent for Kaitlyn as she gets older and starts to learn about various subjects (not to mention her environment and world around her in general!).  Basically, when she gets to the "why" phase, I want to always (or at least almost always) have an answer. :-)

Okay, that's it from here.  JT's off to visit a consignment shop, and this guy's gonna head back into the nursery for another feeding.  Chat soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny