Lots of new experiences - and one old, familiar one...

Age of Lad Kaitlyn:  11 months and 3 weeks

Family,

And a good Monday evening to you from the Queen City - another amazing (and busy!) week in the

K's first visit to Prosperity Park!

books, and plenty to report in the life of the Munchkin.  On the mobility front, our little motorboat is now crawling at WARP SPEED, MR. SULU - it is AMAZING how quickly she can get from point A to point B now!  She's definitely gaining confidence, and she is ALL ABOUT going into the enclave in our room now (that's where we moved all the "breakable adult stuff," and she is quite fond of pawing through EVERYTHING whenever she gets the chance).

I got this, daddy!!!!!

It's actually SO CUTE how she crawls over to us and pulls up on our pants now.  I can tell my back is taking a beating, but I can't resist picking her up every time she crawls over, that huge smile on her face as her hands pound the hardwood with a vengeance.  She's over 21 pounds now, and my scrawny arms can tell!  Putting her into the crib (which is fully lowered now) is no small feat!  

K's first ride in the shopping cart - she was
such a trooper!  

On the parental front, JT and I officially cracked open:  "What to Expect:  the Toddler Years" this week.  This monster is 855 pages, but something tells me we'll read it cover to cover.  It details the next 24 months for a child in terms of general expectations, milestones markers, how to deal with potential problems, and practical solutions for items you may worry about as a parent (i.e. a falling child).  It's actually already been helpful, as we learned that "child is able to put objects into a container" is apparently a 12.5 month milestone.  Well, sure enough, K did it 3 times on Saturday, so we'll take it!  Another milestone in the books, baby!  It's all about celebrating the small victories. :-)


She's still not walking yet (and realistically that will be awhile), but she has definitely started cruising in earnest!  Previously it was a few timid steps, and you could tell that she wasn't terribly confident.  Now, however, she pops up on a moment's notice (it's INSANE how big she's gotten - stuff that was out of reach just a week ago is now fair game for her - and typically ends up in her mouth...), and she can definitely take 3-4 good, steady steps to obtain something that's a bit further down the couch.  In terms of transferring, I've only seen it once (from the coffee table to the couch up in the bonus room), but JT saw it in Atlanta, so I can confirm it wasn't just a freak occurrence!

As for the week itself, two highlights for me:  the first was at daycare on Wednesday, when our Lady Kaitlyn's artwork was featured in the lobby at Primrose! :-)  That's right, sports fans - the next Picasso has arrived, and her work will reap MILLIONS. :-)  Ok, that might be a stretch, but seriously - it was pretty freakin' cute.  See, every day at Primrose, there is new "student artwork" on display up front.  Well, K's made a few pieces of art in times previous (which usually means they dipped an appendage or digit of my daughter into pain - hopefully not lead based - and then pressed it onto a sheet of contraction paper), but this was the first time she "made the cut."  I had to take a photo and send it to Jenny - proud parents, we were!

The other milestone is in the language department.  Now, whilst I have NO PROOF of this, I am fairly convinced that K associates the concept of me (meaning the male running around in her life all the time) with the syllables "dada."  Granted, she doesn't always say it when she looks at me, and sometimes it's a bloody string of 80 dadadadada's, but I still feel confident that she's referencing me (she either wants me there, she's acknowledging my presence, or just testing out her vocal cords with something she knows will glean a reaction from me).  I definitely don't think she's completely made the mental leap - but it's only a matter of time.  A recent article in the paper discussed the importance of "using complex words and sentence structure" to help develop babies' brains.  Consequently, I spent the entire drive to daycare discussing pulsars and quasars with my daughter.  I'd like to think she at least has a vague understanding now of red shift/blue shift...

In other events, we did have a familiar issue rear its head again this week - K has YET ANOTHER ear infection.  We noticed a lot of snot on Thursday, and she REALLY had trouble sleeping (lots of crying out, woke up several times during the night, exceptionally, stuffy, etc).  As with the night before I went to Costa Rica, I spent the better part of the evening in her room with her asleep on me.  She didn't sleep great, but the angle at least drained enough fluid that she could get some rest.  I however, did not, and I was awake from about 2 AM on (meaning I was a zombie on Friday night).

The girls - BFF's at an early age!

Thursday night was rough emotionally as well, as K for some reason reached for me when both Jenny and I went in there to soothe her.  Jenny felt awful and kept saying, "she doesn't want me because she doesn't know me."  It was heartbreaking - both of my girls felt awful (for different reasons), and I was powerless to do anything for either of them.  Jenny is such an amazing, wonderful, dedicated mother, and it breaks my heart to hear her say things like that (especially since I know they categorically aren't true).  K knows who puts her to bed, and on the rare night where I put her down, K will just stare at the bedroom door, waiting for Jenny to walk in.  The last time she was actually waving at the open door and empty staircase, as if she were willing Jenny to arrive so she could say hello and get a hug.   Oh, and for the record, the next time she cried out, she DID want her mommy.   :-)

Well, the good news - K is into golf from an
early age.  The bad news - she's pretty sure the
primary purpose of the driver is to charm snakes.

We took K to the doctor on Saturday, where our doctor confirmed once again that yes, she did have an ear infection.  They put her back on the strong stuff, and less than 72 hours later I think it's already made a HUGE difference.  Her face is less swollen, her balance is better, and she woke up happy this morning.  She's definitely breathing better and draining less, and so I am hopeful this will knock it out quick.  The diarrhea hasn't started yet, and we've got her on 2 yogurts a day to try and keep her (fairly) regular.  Stay tuned for more updates on that front (because I KNOW you are interested...).

Saturday was also a first for K - her first birthday party (as a visitor that is, not as the guest of honor)!  The Parkhouse clan was hosting Reid's 3rd b'day, and so we went over for about 2 hours to hang with them.  There was a good crowd, and K was MESMERIZED by all of the other "little people" running around.  Most of them were at least 2 years older, but her best friend Avery from daycare was there as well, and so they were able to crawl around and play together.  It was SO CUTE to watch them in action - they really are friends, and you can tell it by how excited K is when she sees her at daycare.

The weather Sunday was just epic, and so we went for a walk, stopping at the local park so K could try swings for the first time!  She was less than impressed, as all she really wanted to do was get onto the playground and eat wood chips.  Once I wasn't paying attention to her (for seriously all of about .0000007 seconds), and I looked down to find her munching on something.

K thought it was a GREAT idea to try and
stand using this...until the reverse spin came
back after her.  Suddenly she wasn't such a fan...

Well, I get in there to do a mouth sweep, and a huge chunk of wood falls out - out of control.  That girl will eat ANYTHING (wonder where she gets that from).  She definitely wasn't sure of the grass (very brittle and dead) at first, but by the end she was motor boating on it nicely.  That park (right by the house) will be so much fun come summer time once she can run.

We also pushed our luck and took K to Wal-mart, where she rode in the shopping cart for the first time ever.  She was an absolute ANGEL - I cannot believe how well behaved she was from start to finish.  You can tell she loves looking at people, and Wal-Mart is quite good for that...

So all in all, another very busy and very productive week.  My gout is on the mend, and I actually ran for the first time in a month this weekend.  That was good to help clear my head, and it also served to wear me out ahead of going to bed last night, with the end result being that I slept the best I've slept in probably 6 weeks - fingers crossed that can continue, as it's amazing what a difference a good night's sleep makes.

Ok, signing off for now - chat soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

From baby to toddler...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  11 months and 12 days

Family,

Our little girl - standing and cruising all
the time now - next step.  Walking!

And a good Sunday morning to you from the Queen City, where the Munch is PASSED OUT after an early wake up this morning.  I'm hoping she'll have a good sleep, as we're going over to a friend's house for lunch today and don't want a fussy cutie bootie!  But one hour in she hasn't moved, and so I like our chances for a good sleep.

This week's post will be a quicker one, as it was a bit quieter on the home front.  From a sneetch perspective, Jenny and I both fear that she's getting sick again, as she's pulling her left ear and is horribly congested when feeding (she's back to the point where she can't eat without taking a break for air because her nose is so stopped up).  That being said, she's not running a fever and still seems happy & active, so fingers crossed we can make it until her 1 year check-up before returning to the doctor (2 weeks from Tuesday).

Not sure how many of these we've got
left, so we're gonna make every one count.

As for the week itself, whilst a short one it was still very good.  Poor JT had TONS of work to do, so the week was filled with lots of early mornings and late nights.  Tuesday night I actually had the sneetch all to myself whilst JT worked, and so we had a good chance to play (in every room in the house).  That evening bred a very emotional moment for me (shocking, I know).

You see, typically when I'm playing with Kaitlyn, I have music playing on my i-Pad.  It's quite cute, as the Munchkin crawls all over me searching for the source of the sound but unable to discern that it's in my pocket (this also works well when it's playing and I slide the phone across the floor, as she'll then chase it).  Well, on Tuesday she's crawling away from me and "Swept Away" by the Avett Brothers comes on.  Now this song WRECKED me at Kim and Matt's wedding, as I could already picture K going from "twirling on the floor" of the playmat to walking down the aisle and having her first dance with her husband.  Well, it had the exact same affect on me that night, coming on so suddenly as the sneetch crawled away from me before turning back (leg in the air, of course) to look at me with a huge smile on her face.

Ready to me, mommy!

I was reminded how I always am that it all goes by SO FAST - truly this year has gone by in the blink of any eye.  Case in point - Jenny and I are AMAZED at how big the sneetch is in her crib now!  I remember the little girl swaddled so tightly she couldn't move and wearing a little blue beanie in the bassinet.  Now she doesn't fit sideways in the crib and seems to stretch have the length of it - how is that even possible?  Jenny and I walk in every night to look at our little miracle, and we are amazed at how quickly she's passing from baby to toddler.  The milestones are one thing, but her features are what strike us most - she no longer looks like an infant.  Truly - she now looks like a little girl (and a very pretty one at that).

K's new favorite pastime - opening and
closing doors...repeatedly...

The only other news this week was a surprised visit by my sister down to Charlotte.  As you may know, Pattie's a freshman at Radford and a member of the softball team.  Well, they had a "same day" add to their schedule, changing out UNC-Greensboro for UNC-Charlotte.  That means that I got a text at 12:35 saying that Pattie had a 6:30 game FIVE MINUTES from the house - so cool!  She was actually the first person I saw when I walked to the stadium, and we got to chat before and after the game.  It was really awesome to see my sister's school in action (they won 6-5), and I am proud to say that I've now seen both siblings in action in college - that is just nuts!

Not a whole lot else to report from the CLT - Team Taylor has a day of visiting friends and doing taxes (both US and Singapore), so we won't get too wild and crazy.  This next week should hopefully be a quiet one as well, which is a good thing since our lives flip into overdrive that following week.  Those details, however, will follow in subsequent blogs...so stay tuned. :-)

Chat soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

The Munch rolls 11 months...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  11 months (WHAT!?!?!?) and 9 days

Family,

Happy 11 months, Munch Munch!  Enjoy those blueberries and puffs!

And a good Thursday evening to you from the Queen City, where wife muffin is currently putting the munch down ahead of tackling her kickboxing video whilst I sit here backing up photos (and "entering the time machine").  SO MUCH to catch you up on!  And yes, I realize that it's been more than a while since my last post.  However, between a) traveling to Costa Rica for work, b) getting snowed in whilst there, c) traveling to ATL less than 8 hours after arriving home last weekend, and d) being diagnosed with GOUT (that's right - GOUT - the "disease of kings"), it's been a little crazy.  But I'm back now, so let's get amongst it!

For starters, I feel I simply must type this again in ALL CAPS - KAITLYN ELAINE TAYLOR IS 11 MONTHS OLD!!!!!  How is that even possible?  She is getting SO BIG!  Truly - this year has flown.  Jenny did an amazing job handling the photo shoot without me last week - especially since K no longer fancies the idea of someone putting stickers on her.  :-)  Instead JT used the sticker as "artwork" whilst the munch indulged in one of her favorite pastimes - eating. :-)

Thug life...

Honestly - this past month has just been incredible.  K's got 6 teeth now (those 2 up top are going to be Bucky Beaver - stay tuned), and her smile is 10 miles wide and can melt a glacier.  Her ear infection has FINALLY cleared up, and the results have been almost instantaneous - her head tilt is gone, her balance is better, she's got more energy, and she's back to smiling all the time.  She really is an absolutely perfect, happy baby - as a parent I couldn't be more blessed.

This month was a HUGE one in the motor skills department, as K PULLED UP TO STANDING!  She's definitely starting to cruise a bit more, and with each passing day you can tell that she's getting stronger and more confident.  I am amazed at how she just pops up now, and I'm thankful that she's also learning a bit of balance in there to go along with it. :-)  It's crazy to watch her pull up to tabletops that just 2 weeks ago were way beyond possible - growing so fast!

Laughing and crying...it's really a fine line...

Still no words to report, but she's definitely stretching out that larynx!  She's a squealer now, and we are now being showered with consonants on a daily basis.  But when she's not babbling, she's definitely working on her percussion - WOW.  That kid absolutely LOVES to bang things together.  She knows we like it, as well, as she always smiles whilst doing it. Oh, and when she's crawling, her "new thing" is to make sure you're following.  She'll go two feet, stop, and then spin around with one leg in the air (basically like she's peeing on a fire hydrant), and make sure you're there (her smile is the cutest thing EVER when she does this).  And now is a good time to confirm that, when she catches her, no one can tickle her and make her laugh like Jenny - SO FREAKIN' ADORABLE.

It's go time - show me some snow.

Also, her dexterity and fine motor skills have improved.  I notice it when we build a tower of blocks and she scrambles over to it.  Rather than just barreling through it like the juggernaut, she stops, inspects it, and normally pulls only the top block (granted, there have been exceptions to this :-).  She then pulls them down in order in a mad scramble to the bottom.  I try to thwart this by always adding a new bottom block before she can get to it - drives her crazy (but in a good way).  Do you get the sense I'm a proud parent? :-)

Not exactly the way you
described it, mommy...

As for the week itself - WOW - talk about out of control.  It all started Sunday night (shortly after I'd finished the blog).  Team Taylor settled into bed early (around 9:15 or so), and I was almost asleep when K suddenly cried out.  Now this NEVER happens, and so we were on our guard almost instantly.  Our first thought was teething, but we were terrified to use the orajel (since we'd heard it affects an infant's gag reflex).  We tried some teething tablets, but they did nothing.  We then tried formula, and she did take 4 ounces.  However, that didn't stop the tears.  We then tried Tylenol, but that STILL didn't get it.  Ultimately, we tried the orajel, but even that only provided very temporary relief.  She was screaming again at 1 AM (we are talking standing up in her crib, holding the slats, staring at the camera, BEGGING for help), and ultimately I had to hold her in my arms in the glider until 4:35 AM whilst she slept and I contemplated life.  In retrospect I felt frustrated by the whole affair (especially knowing that a work trip was on the horizon and I was leaving JT with a potentially fussy baby), and looking back now I feel like I was a really bad parent that night.  I did what was required of me, but I didn't do it gratefully or with a smile on my face.  All I could think about was the sleep I was losing and how tough this was going to be for JT, when I should have been thinking about what I could do to help the Munchkin.  Needless to say I was NOT happy with myself the next morning, and I resolved again then and there to be a better father and husband.

Parenting sign #10 that you're exhausted:
You try and brush your teeth with
Desitin butt paste.

This takes its place as one of my
favorite photos EVER.

I put K back in her crib (asleep) at 4:35 AM and walked into the bathroom, where JT was throwing up.  Rinse-repeat this at 5, 6, and 7, after which time I had to leave to go (sick myself at this point) to the airport.  I have NEVER wanted to leave the house more - I felt so bad about EVERYTHING (and physically was wretched as well).  Luckily the sneetch slept soundly all week (no more episodes, so we think it was bad food), and JT got to feeling better later in the day.

I was a train wreck, however, and I actually slept 14 hours that day.  I was sick most of Tuesday as well, and Wednesday I woke up feeling ok but unable to put weight on my right foot.  Only later (after a flight cancellation and a drive to Atlanta) would I find out this was gout, and it got progressively worse throughout the work week.  Add in the fact that THE STORM OF THE DECADE hit Charlotte whilst I was in Costa Rica, stranding JT and K in the house for 3 days whilst a foot of snow and freezing temperatures sealed them in, and you have a recipe for an unhappy Sammy.  For me it was not just the fact that they were up here alone (luckily the power only went off for a brief period).  It was more the fact that it would have been a golden opportunity to be home with my girls (watching K see a big snow for the first time), and I missed it for work.  Now don't get me wrong - I am NOT complaining, and I think it was SO GREAT that JT got this time with K in the house (although she then had to turn around and work late every night to catch up since daycare was closed).  I just wished I'd been here as well.  Snow is hard to come by in Charlotte, so each time it happens is a special event for me, as it reminds me of growing up back home.  But I am sure there will be others - I just hope she's not 11 before a storm like that hits again. :-)

"Wow, this obstacle course is easy.  Aunt
Kim is WAAAAAY skinnier than daddy."

My Thursday flight was cancelled (apparently the worst day for travel since 9/11), but I did get on a flight Friday (delayed 3.5 hours but still got home!).  I arrived home at 1:30, and we got up at 6:30 to pack and head out to Atlanta to visit Kim and Matt.  Matt was stuck in Aspen (tough life, I know), but he got home that evening, and we had a GREAT visit.  K had some trouble sleeping Saturday night (hungry we think, as she took 6 ounces during the night), but on the whole we had a blast.  And the best part - we actually got out of the townhouse this time!  We went over to Lennox park for a bit of a picnic and stroll (the weather was amazing), and I was even able to walk a bit with my cane (Sat was VERY rough for me and my foot).

It was a quick trip (we headed back early Monday), but it was really great to see them, drink some good wine, eat some excellent food, and just relax. I was grateful for other sets of hands with K, as I could barely walk.  I did get to the doctor Monday, and thanks to a boot, a strict diet, and "the mother of all anti-inflammatory medicines," I'm now back on the mend.

Ok - I don't want to give away any more of this week, so I'll stop there.  Happy 11 months of life, little sneetch!  Mommy and Daddy love you!!!!!

Speak soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

One step (or stand) closer to full mobility - the Munch pulls up!

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  10 months and 29 days

Family,

And a good Sunday afternoon to you from the Queen City - another big week of milestones to report!

"Don't you hear the sound, of lions in the
town...roar, roar, roar, Zumba..."

Let's start with Tuesday, where I am VERY HAPPY to report that, after 3 rounds of antibiotics, the munch has FINALLY kicked her ear infection.  This was a BANNER moment, as that infection stretched all the way back to early January (but felt like it stretched back to the summer - WOW, what a journey).  And now that the augmentin (apparently it was more than just amoxicillin on steroids) has knocked the ear infection out, it's all about probiotics to get the good gut bacteria back into her system.  She's been having at least one a day, and the Bull must confess that he's been getting into them as well. What can I say - full fat, whole milk yogurt is so guuuuuuuuuuuud (peppy cheekies).  Plus, she doesn't really like the blueberry ones, and since we purchase them in a mixed pack, it would be a shame to NOT eat them, right? :-)

Sock in mouth in 3...2...1...

As for the other big milestones, Monday (yes, yes - I know - we're out of order already at 3 paragraphs in) was the first day in K's NEW CAR SEAT!  That thing is a bloody behemoth, but she does seem to fit in it good and enjoy riding in it.  Daddy continues to forget that, unlike the infant carrier, there is neither a sunshade nor a rack of toys attached, and so K has been relegated to playing with her socks and beanie during most of the drives.  However, I have ratcheted up playing the "Og's Music time" CD from Daycare, and she does seem to be enjoying that.  As for me, I will say that I'm not totally comfortable that the song "Jiggle up and down, I'm a-ridin' on my pony" is now part of my daily list of humming tunes whilst working.  But hey - when I see those little feet spin in circles and hear her clap as it comes on, who am I to comp

And another change - the cabinet locks
in the kitchen.  We are ALMOST done with
babyproofing - daddy just has to figure out
how to install all those bloody drawer latches...

lain?  Life definitely has its little bonuses. :-)

The car seat definitely takes some getting used to.  It attached smoothly enough (we used the latch, and it's still rear facing), but tightening (and loosening) is a bit tricky.  Also, the safety harness definitely gets twisted a lot, which can be frustrating if you forget to adjust it before you bring the munch back out to the car.  Also, as there is no sunshade, it's a bit tricky to drive her home in the afternoons, as the sun is right in her eyes.  She hasn't complained to date, however, and so hopefully we can get through until it's time to flip the seat forward - that will be a BIG day for Katie the Corolla, as right now that car seat is eating a TON of space in the backseat.

The next milestone is a big one - THE HIGH FIVE, BABY!!!!!  Now this one was a journey, and it started on Monday when I was feeding her.  She was definitely going through a growth spurt last week, as she was SUCKING DOWN 7-8 ounces at a clip from the bottle.  Given that it was tough to keep wiggly wigglerson still for any length of time, I started wiggling my fingers in front of her whilst feeding.  This normally works for a bit, as she can grab on to my fingers (and by extension NOT grab hold of the bottle and rip it from her mouth).  This week, however, she started slapping my open hand.  When I started in on the "Patty Cake, Patty Cake" bit, she started smiling.  Next thing I knew, throughout the day I could open my hand and get a High 5.  That's right, folks - she's hip to the ways of the world!  Okay, so that might be a bit too far...but it's still really cute to watch her do it.  Jenny and I tried to teach her the knuckle blast (including "blowin' it up") yesterday.  And whilst that did result in lots of giggles and smiles, she's not quite sold on its appeal or relevance to mainstream culture.  Don't worry - I'll get her there.

Just seconds before the Sneetch stood up -
she LOVES the cabinets in the Jack 'n Jill.

She is waving a lot more now as well, and we truly believe that, at this point, she actually understands what he wave means.  Last week it was really more an exploration of movement, but I do think we've turned the corner on that one.  Well, I'm giving her credit for it, anyway. :-)

K's photo at daycare as part of National
Reading Month - the cover has her favorite
book listed:  Go Dogs, Go!

The biggest milestone, however, has GOT TO BE with her mobility - the Munch pulled to standing on Tuesday!!!  I arrived at daycare to a Happy-gram, informing us that on this most auspicious day the Munch crawled to the gate by the kitchen and pulled up to standing. WOO-HOO!!!!!!  And since that moment, it's been non-stop improvement.  She can now pull up on Purple Couch, her crib, the changing table, the table in the bonus room - you name it.  Also, she is TAKING STEPS!  I would definitely call it the start of cruising, as she pulls up, figures out where she wants to go, and then takes steps in that direction.  She'll also take steps if Jenny and I are holding her hand - SO CUTE!  I will say that, in the spirit of full disclosure, there is one aspect of the pull-up she still needs to master - sitting back down. :-)  Seriously - this is also SO CUTE (I know, I know - a bit biased) - rather than fall back on her bum, she starts to do a split until she can slide down far enough to fall into a crawl.  It is adorable (even if it's frustrating for her), and even this weekend I'm seeing improvement with her control.  She does get a bit frustrated when she's standing and wants to come down (but can't), but you can already tell she's starting to analyze the situation and think of potential ways down.  The next Rhodes scholar HAS BEEN BORN.

K added kalamata olives (soaked in garlic)
to the list of "foods I enjoy" this week.
She also crushed pears, string cheese, and
tomatoes.  Now if we could just figure out
that whole sippy cup thing...

One of the activities for motor skill development this week was "the obstacle course," and I can absolutely tell that it's paid off for K.  She crawls over Jenny and I all the time now, and no position of our torso or legs (or face for that matter) will keep her from her goal (what that is I can never actually say, but it is ALWAYS on the other side of my body).   I have really enjoyed positioning my legs and body in such a way that she has to think through the strategy to get over/past me (even when that path of least resistance means I get a foot in my larynx).


In other news, the sneetch is definitely teeth right now.  She's running a low grade fever and pulling on her ears today, and her slobber has increased by a factor of ten.  We had to give her some Pedia-care, and I'm glad we did, as she became a new girl after that dose.  We'll give her another one after bath and before bed, and hopefully she'll sleep like a rock once again (12.5 hours the last THREE DAYS).  She's still not sleeping a ton at daycare, but the staff there said that she's been happy and has eaten like a champ, so no complaints from me!  I should note that it's been interesting to watch her thirst for formula disappear as quickly as it arrived - she MUCH prefers solids now.  She tried lemons this week and LOVED them - Texas Road House will never be the same.

Godspeed, little purple Nalgene!  We'll see
you again in the Himalayas of Heaven.

One new tooth did pop in on Tuesday, but I think we've got 2 or 3 about to break through.  We can see the white just under the gums, so we know we're close.  I just hope that Munch Munch sleeps this week whilst I'm away - I'd hate for Jenny to have to pull late nights as well as early mornings.

Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't say farewell to a fallen comrade.  That's right, sports fans - after 8 years of being part of the family, traveling with the Taylors to five continents, and seeing us through 2 home purchases, 2 land purchases, and becoming parents - Jenny's purple Nalgene finally cracked this week.  That puppy has been with us FOREVER, and it was sad to see it go.  JT has now struck up a new bond with my 13 year old Denali Mountain Works Nalgene - fingers crossed it gives us as many good years of service.

And YES - I am conscious that I just gave more print to a plastic water bottle than K's tooth progression, but cut me some slack - I'm a sentimental guy.

Okay, that's it for now - another GREAT WEEK in the books.  Who knows what's in store in the run-up to K's 1 year birthday!  Chat soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

Back to full strength - for at least 24 hours...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  10 months and 3 weeks

Family,

Ready for more solids, mommy!

And a good Sunday morning to you from the Queen City - it's Superbowl Sunday!  I thought I'd try to knock this out whilst the munchkin is passed out - in her newly lowered crib!  That's right, sports fans, Team Taylor has crossed off "Phase 2" of the childproofing today in the form of 2 big accomplishments:  the lowering of the crib and the installation of the new car seat.

The good news is that both activities were pretty quick.  The crib was actually quite easy to lower (but definitely required two people to re-attach), and the car seat wasn't so bad save the fact that IT BARELY FITS IN KATIE (that would be the name of my Corolla to the uninitiated).  We got it in there (rear facing, using the latch), and I think it will be much easier once it's forward facing (which is still quite a ways off, as the sneetch has to be something like 35 lbs before we can flip it).  In the interim, however, JT is going to be quite snug in the front seat!  We're planning to take it for a test drive today - stay tuned to final results. :-)

Droppin' the boom - lowering the crib in anticipation of
the Munch standing on her own soon.  Her mommy once
crawled out of her crib and slept in the floor, so we're being
proactive.  Plus this saves the mobile for a bit longer. 

As for the week itself, it was a good one.  The best news was that, after the third round of antibiotics, it looks as though the Munch has FINALLY kicked her ear infection.  Reports from daycare were consistent with what we've seen here at home - her smile is back and bigger than ever, the head tilt is gone, and she's no longer crying when laid on her back.  Thursday and Friday were fantastic, as she was an absolute BUNDLE of energy.  Our concern, however, is that she already seems stopped up again, and we really, really hope the medicine did in fact knock out the infection vs. just getting it close to the finish line.  Her chest if definitely rattling when we pick her up, and her breathing (which had become so quiet this week that JT and I panicked a few times when checking on her before bed) is starting to get loud and wet again.  To top it all off, she pulled on her ear (the tell tell sign) right before I put her down for her morning nap.  We have the check-up on Tuesday, so we'll see how her ears look then.  Fingers crossed the congestion is just the normal "crud" that the Peds warned us about - more to come.

It was a CHILLY week that even featured SNOW!
We keep the sneetch nice and bundled on the
drive to and from daycare.  Notice the mark by
her mouth - that's from the torrent of slobber we
are always wiping - new teeth should be here
any day now!

As for the Munch, her appetite for formula has come back with a vengeance!  She set several new "single session" records this week, at one point taking down 10.5 ounces of formula!  It's amazing how strong and mobile she's becoming, and one of the items I'm most proud of this week is her ability to negotiate obstacles when crawling.  She really likes crawling on Jenny and I now, and it's SO CUTE to watch her try and figure out the best way over us.  Also, she's learned how to negotiate the "down step" to the Bonus Room!  Now granted, it still involves something of a face plant, but I'll take it - it's a victory all the same! :-)

Within the last 24 hours we have had two finger pinches, meaning K closes something and doesn't have the strength (or understanding) to realize that it's her weight that's pressing down on her finger.  The first one (yesterday) was quite painful for her, and she screamed like a banshee for about 10 minutes.  The one today (on her pink Vtech "laptop") wasn't so much a pain as a shock, and given that she'd been awake 2.5 hours and almost instantly passed out on me, I'm writing that one off to just being tired.

Lastly, in family news - Team Taylor did manage to "get out" yesterday!  That's right, sports fans, abandoning our typical "you stay and I'll go" method of parenting, we loaded K in the Bob and headed for a local mall to knock out some shopping.  We were out of the house 2.5 hours, and K was AMAZING - not a peep from her!  She fell asleep in the car for about 20 minutes on the way home, and that little power nap carried her through until 7:20, when it was finally "night nights."  She really is the cutest kid EVER.

K helping Jenny sort through invoices - financial recon
is a family affair in the Taylor household.  After all - we're
better when we're connected.  :-)

In extended family news, I am VERY happy to report that our "Australian Family," Dean & Dom, were able to move their twins from NICU to a local hospital this week.  YAY!  The boys are both doing great and gaining weight - such good news on so many fronts.  We love you guys!

Not a whole lot else to report this week - certainly quieter than the visit to TN.  Fingers crossed that the Munch has kicked her ear infection, and GOOOOOOOO BRONCOS!!!!!!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

No doubt about it (well, we think anyway...) - Kaitlyn has a word!

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  10 months and 18 days

Family,

Jenny portraying "Alphie" and teaching K
that "AD Pi...is the place you want to be."

And a good Wednesday evening to you from the Queen City.  Family, I am so excited about this blog I can barely contain myself - SO MUCH to talk about.  And whilst the title gives away one obvious milestone for which Jenny and I are celebrating, there have been SO MANY big wins for Team Taylor this week that my list of notes to capture events has spilled across multiple sheets of (admittedly garbled and full) paper.  I am dead serious when I say that I wish I could just follow my daughter around non-stop with a camcorder, as it's insane how quickly she's learning, how fast she's growing, and how much fun it is playing with her each day.  But I get ahead of myself, so let's get amongst it, eh?

K "on the edge of glory" - this was the
first time I ever saw her pull up to standing!

The week itself was a whirlwind, as the bull was up in Toronto (where the thermometer touched -25C, taking it's spot as the 3rd coldest I've ever been in my life) Tuesday through Thursday.  It was a bit distressing on Tuesday when Jenny and I both went in to see K and found her clearly sick and pulling on her ear, as I knew that a) another doctor's visit was imminent and b) I had to hope a plane in 2.5 hours.  JT ended up having to take a sick day, and her visit to the doctor confirmed that K did in fact still have an ear infection.  The quote was "I can't believe how terrible her ears look."  And so we went to the third round of antibiotics, some hyperactive version of amoxicillin.  10 days after the fact (we actually just finished the last dose about 45 minutes ago), I am pleased to report that K is acting much better, has her head back straight again (it had tilted quite severely in the days leading up to and just after the visit), and seems to have much more energy.  I am hopeful that she's finally kicked the ear infection this time - fingers crossed she can stay healthy for a bit (tough when in the midst of the "polar vortex!" - honestly who comes up with these naming conventions?).

"Quick, dad - pocket this while she isn't looking."

It should be noted, however, that no medical victory is without its tribulations.  For K, this manifested itself in the form of VOLCANIC, EXPLOSIVE, HOLY-COW-HIDE-THE-WOMEN-AND-CHILDREN DIARRHEA.  I mean, we are talking AMAZING SQUIRTS OF FURY!  Luckily, I was tucked away in the Great White North and missed a lot of it, but wife muffin was inundated with runny feces.  Case in point - K went through FOUR OUTFITS IN ONE DAY at daycare.  And get this - whilst the doctor did mention this was a possibility, he FAILED to mention the fact that diarrhea can actually persist for weeks OR EVEN MONTHS after finishing the medicine.  Luckily hers abated after 4 days, but still - I saw more than one outfit soiled, and I can only imagine what JT went through on her own.

Notice the letters - JT and I play a game where
we alternate saying a word that starts with
whatever letter she's holding.  Yes, I expect
her vocabulary to be AMAZING.

I arrived home on Thursday evening, and Friday morning Team Taylor set out "over the mountain" to Tennessee for my stepbrother Adam's wedding.  He was marrying his third grade sweetheart - they'd reunited recently after basically 20 years apart.  We knew we had to be in TN and at the church by 8 PM for the Rehearsal dinner, so we allowed PLENTY of time.  Good thing, too, as it took us THREE HOURS of packing just to get out the door on Friday morning.

The drive was smooth - we made it to TN in about 5 hours or so (best case given 1 hour to feed/change/burp and 4 hours of driving), arriving at casa de Grand-Nanny.  Mom wasn't there yet, and so we had some great time bonding with Nan and unpacking.  It took K all of .00003 seconds to identify the most dangerous spot in the living room and make straight for it - a brick ledge right on her chin level.  This actually turned out to be a good thing, however, as it was the PERFECT HEIGHT for her to practice pulling up.  That is a good segue way to announcing 3 new milestones that all occurred this week, more or less simultaneously.

1.  K pulled up!  She actually did this at our house last week, and the first location of choice was the 6 inch "half step" between our bonus room and the upstairs hallway.  K had been eyeing it for weeks, and up until this week she'd required our help to clear it.  This week, however, she finally figured out how to position herself and swing her leg.  AMAZING!  Daycare is working on K in the "obstacle course," and we're doing it as well.  We're seeing the benefits of it, as she's becoming much more adept at negotiating uneven surfaces (such as her parents) and figuring out when she can and cannot scale something.  She also pulled up on the brick ledge at Nanny's (this was the first time I'd seen it) - SO EXCITING!

2.  First steps!  Now granted, they aren't on her own, but K is now finally figuring out that, as long as she's holding something, she can take a step to move closer to her target.  Granted, she doesn't always want to do it, but she's getting more comfortable with every passing day.  Sometimes she's willing to take steps with us holding her hand, but more often than not she prefers to take steps when she's in the "down dog" yoga position (which daycare is noticing as well).  That girl gets into plank ALL THE TIME - her arms (and legs) are definitely getting stronger, and we're seeing some additional strengthening in her torso as well.  The goal for me is to now focus more on reading and thinking with her, as I truly feel that physically she's caught up and is starting to really excel at using her muscles.

K opening her first ever Valentine's Day
present (from Grammie, of course).
And YES - I can confirm that the torch of
$14 per annum has officially been passed.

3.  Cruising (Florida-Georgia Line style!)!  That's right, folks - when you add 1 and 2 together, you get some cruising!  Now granted, it's not much at all, and I can't really get her to take more than 1 or 2 steps at a time.  However, there's now question that she IS taking conscious steps to move toward an objective, and we are SO happy about it.  It really has felt like almost instant improvement in her motor skills over the last two weeks, and I'm feeling better and better about having a professional install those gates (especially watching her shake them for all they were worth today).

Friday night was the rehearsal dinner, and it was delicious.  It was also great to see the fam.  We didn't bring K, but given that dinner started after her bedtime and it was freezing outside (9 degrees Fahrenheit!), we thought it best to leave her with Grammie and Grand Nanny.

Saturday was the wedding, and it was BEAUTIFUL!  They did such an amazing job with their vintage theme, and you could truly feel the love in the church.  I cried on more than one occasion, which I always think is a good thing at a wedding.  JT looked SMOKIN' HOT with her straight hair, and the entire experience was just wonderful - good food, good visiting with family, and that warm, fuzzy feeling that comes with knowing two people are made for each other, are in love, and are a part of your life.  Yes, yes - I am a sappy soul.  K - I apologize in advance for all the times I'll cry talking about you and watching you in whatever you get into. :-)

The fam, with the newlyweds in the center - congrats, guys!

Check out my exceptionally awesome "faux hawk" - quality.

Sunday was a lazy, wonderful day.  I moved a grand total of 10 feet, basically going back and forth between the kitchen and the living room (Nanny made chicken casserole - OH YEAH, BABY!!!!).  K was an angel baby all day, laughing and playing, and it is always so much fun to watch her with Nanny.  It was also hilarious to watch her with mom's necklace - she was a HUGE fan of Grammie's jewelry!  Steve came over, as did Benny, Kay, and Charlie, and it was wonderful to have so much family so close.  I feel really good about how much time we've been able to spend with TN family since K's birth - it's important for her to know them at an early age, and it's important for us to always keep that connection to my roots strong.

Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the milestone for which this post is titled - K definitely has a word!  Drumroll please - it's "light!"  But before we go too crazy and pop open the champagne, a few qualifiers:

1.  She actually pronounces it "aight"

2.  Sometimes she points at a fan that had NO LIGHT OF ANY KIND and says "aight" - we give her credit

3.  Sometimes she just looks up at a white ceiling and says "AIGHT"  - I was a little skeptical about this one until I found out that, technically, babies associate their first words to "concepts" vs. actual objects, meaning that she could really just think about any bright area above her head as "light" - again, I'll take it

K posing with Grammie and part of her Valentine's Day
present - the full length version of her favorite book!

She's also gone consonant crazy, and I believe she's finally starting to associate "mamamamamama" with Jenny and "dadadadadadadadada" with me.  She definitely knows when we're about to pick her up, as she sits up straight and raises her arms (it's soooooooo cute), and I am pretty sure those consonants do directly relate to us.  She's clapping all the time now and even waving some, so as you can see - it's been quite the week of discovery!

Okay, I think that's enough for this session, but a proud papa has to brag. :-)  Speak soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

The art/science/witchcraft that is baby proofing and becoming a better parent...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  10 months and 10 days

Family,

And a good Monday evening to you from the Queen City - what a week!  Actually, I should come clean and tell you that I'm actually writing this on Jan 28th, more than a full week after the post date.  However, considering that the last 10 days have seen me in -25 C weather in Canada and at a wedding in TN, I'm hoping you'll excuse me.  And fret not - the Bull has kept meticulous notes (translation - scribbled highlights in his notebook), and so I should be able to keep the week's separate.

This blog is a bit different, as it's actually less about K and more about her parents.  I have no lie to tell - 10 months in, and I feel like I've been one step behind every second of the way.  Whether it's knowing what milestone comes next, thinking through what solid foods she needs to be starting, or thinking about what sign I need to learn next from the Primrose sign language catalogue, the Bull feels as though, try as he might, he's just not been able to get in front of things coming at him.  This is doubly frustrating for me.  For starters, the project manager in me is NOT used to constantly scrambling without managing against a plan (I mean, I even had a "cutover task list" for our wedding), as I know that being reactive is never the best way to "achieve progress against plan."  More importantly, the father in me knows how essential it is to establish the road map and help shepherd the wee one down the path, and I just feel like I haven't been at that point.  And just when I think I'm getting back to even, we have another Peds appointment, where I usually learn a) we have things we need to work on and b) we're already behind on the next set of activities.  Within the last two weeks, however, I am pleased to admit that I think we've turned a corner.

Parenting is just like anything else - experience is the best teacher, and with repetition comes speed (and by extension more time).  I liken it to basketball in that regard - elementary school moves at one speed, but when you get to middle school everything feels faster.  This is compounded when you get to high school, and then I would expect it's exponential once you get to college (although I can't speak to that one).  However, whilst things feel as though they move at light speed when you're a Freshman, by your upper class years, you do feel much more in control and feel as though the game has slowed down.  Now, in truth, nothing about the game has changed.  Something has changed, however, about you.  You are more comfortable.  You are more relaxed.  And as things move quicker and become rote memory, your mind is finally able to start focusing on tasks ahead.  That's what I'm finally starting to see with Jenny and I, and I gotta say - it's a great feeling.

Now don't get me wrong - we have a LONG way to go.  However, some big steps (that's right - even parents have milestones) have been crossed off recently.  For starters, Team Taylor knocked off 2 big items this week in the world of baby proofing - outlet covers and staircase gates!  I had covered most outlets, but I sealed off the final remaining ones this week (even those above the counters - I mean, you can't be too careful.  Have you seen my wife rock climbing in Thailand?  Those genes are impressive...).  As with so many other "one time" activities, it just felt great to get that off the list and know that you don't have to watch the Munchkin's every move when she's on the ground (which is a good thing, because the increase in speed for her crawling is NUTS lately).

To quote Sean Connery:  "Welcome to the Rock."

As to the gates - I will be honest and say that was NOT my handiwork, but I have NO complaints.  After purchasing two separate sets of gates and finding both of them were a) the wrong size and b) weren't appropriate for our staircase, I was close to the point of desperation, as I knew that the Munch would soon be a motorboat.  Add in the fact that I knew I'd be out of the country soon for work, and I was determined to ensure JT at least had this added bonus layer of security.  As fate would have it, I happened to run into a friend of mine at work who mentioned a baby proofing company that professionally installed her gates.  She couldn't stop raving about this guy, and so I gave him a ring.  All I can say is BEST MONEY I'VE EVER SPENT.

For those of you that know me, you know hanging a picture and changing a light bulb are the extend of my skills around the house.  Between that and wanting to ensure those gates were more impregnable than Helms Deep and less escapable than Alcatraz, I was thrilled when this fella showed up.  He spent 5.5 hours working on these gates, and the end result is peace of mind for Team Taylor.  He also did a sweep of the house to point out potential hazards - I can confirm we failed most rooms, with the nursery being the most epic fail.  Grrrrrrrrreat...

Fashionista in the making - courtesy of Grammie.

Next step for us are the cabinets and the new car seat, and we're hoping to get to the new car seat by the beginning of Feb.  The cabinet locks will have to follow soon enough, as the Munch is already pulling up and LOVES the hardware on our cabinets.

Babyproofing aside, there are other spots where I think we're finally gaining some traction.  For starters, I'm now getting much smarter about what the Munch wears.  Weather this winter has been horrendous, and too often I've just tried to "run her into daycare" with little more than a fleece on.  I'm thinking about it more now, ensuring she's got a beanie on (courtesy of Grammie), that she's got her sweater, and that she's got short sleeves under it all for daycare (which is kept quite warm).  It's just the little bits of planning that ensure K will be warmer when she needs to be and (hopefully) be healthier for longer periods.  We're also starting to raise the temperature in her room on bath nights so that she won't be cold when we're applying lotion (and we're drying her in the bathroom, which is the warmest room in the house).

Seriously - cutest.  Daughter.  EVER.

Lastly, in the foods category, we're finally starting the move in earnest from containers to finger foods.  We are now circling almost the entire menu at daycare (K LOVES Ravioli, but peas are still her favorite - who is this kid?), and K is eating whatever Team Taylor eats when we sit down for a meal.  Most recently she tried pot roast and potatoes at Nanny Tacy's - she LOVED it!  Jenny and I are now starting to think about what types of food are appropriate and how best to prepare them, which is a radical shift from where we were a month ago.  And whilst we still are 100% bottle for the formula, K is getting a sippy cup every day now to prepare her for "toddling out" to the next classroom.

We are also looking at swimming lessons and actively pushing K on her next set of physical milestones (more on that in the next blog).  So far the next batch of "Kipper" swim lessons (9-12 months) hasn't been posted, but if all goes to plan we'll have K in swim lessons just before her first birthday party.

Okay, I realize that post was a bit different than most, but I wanted it recorded for posterity.  K - when you're reading this 30 years from now, remember that mommy and daddy took almost a year to truly figure out that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure - we'll check in with you 3 decades from now to see if our planning paved the way for a better childhood. :-)

Speak soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny