And a good evening to you from the Queen City, where 2020 has gotten off to a great start! Plenty to catch you up on, so let's get amongst it, shall we?
1/1 - HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!! It was a great day. The weather was nice, the games were good, and we just had a great day. We got outside for a walk, and the girls got to play on their "outside toys for a bit." We also got a lot of the Christmas decos down, and the girls were a big help!
The featured activity was admission into "Team Taylor's Spa," where I massaged the girls feet, followed by a soak and a pedicure. The girls LOVED it - good job JT coming up with that one! It was a wonderful, truly relaxing day...but I paid for all the "consumption" the following day!
1/2 - The girls hit FHC this morning to help with the Christmas decorations takedown, and Jenny said they did great! She said both girls helped and had fun, which did my heart good. I love them seeing Jenny serve at church and serving themselves - start 'em young! After the serve, they headed over to CFA for a play and lunch date with Ellie and her family. They were there for over 2 hours! And the best part for Kaitlyn - she was invited to Ellie's for a sleepover on Friday night!They got home about 3, and shortly thereafter Kaitlyn's featured activity kicked off - Kate arrived for a sleepover! The girls had a blast - running around like cats, coloring, etc - and they were great to include Cora for a lot of it. They are just so sweet together - I love it.
1/3 - I heard the girls about 6:15 or so this morning (that first "THUMP" where they are clearly jumping off the bed), but I can't say what time they actually woke up. They played until about 7:30, and then I put on a show for them before going out for a run (I woke JT up prior to heading out). She played with Kate until about 9 (when Cheryl picked her up), and then it was lounging around the house and knocking out chores until about 3:30, when Alexis picked up K for her sleepover with Ellie.
Obviously I didn't get too many details except to hear that a) there was a late night request for mac 'n cheese, b) some cookies & cream ice cream was consumed with chocolate and caramel syrup on top, c) the girls were still talking in bed until after 9, d) the girls were up early, e) Ellie's dad made them pancakes for breakfast, and f) there were tears upon leaving each other. They have such a bond!
One thing to call out - Kaitlyn has been SO helpful lately. Seriously - making her own lunch, doing her own breakfast, cleaning and tidying, even asking what else she can do. It's been great! She is helping Bear get dressed most days as well (Something Bear loves of course). Bear had Fiona as a sitter this evening, as Jenny and I had DATE NIGHT, BABY!!!!! We hit Armored Cow Brewing for a few before rolling over to Picasso's for dinner. We hadn't been there since Jenny found out she was pregnant with Kaitlyn! It was tasty....oh, the Caribbean Creeper....
1/4 - Today was a busy one for Team Taylor, as we crossed plenty of things off the list while even managing a few activities. Jenny met Kaitlyn in Huntersville at 10 AM for the "Girl Scout Cookie Rally," which JT and K said was good. The girls learned about the cookies they are selling, made clipboards to track sales, made signs to help with their sales, and even learned a bit about money management. Oh, and they did get a snack, too. :-)
I had Bear in the morning, and we had a really great couple of hours playing. She was super sweet, and we read, played with the Frozen dolls, and did some puzzles. The cutest thing - I scratched her back while she was doing a puzzle, and then she said, "I'll scratch your back while you do one." Sure enough - we alternated through 4 puzzles. How cute!
I must say - Cora has really been a lot sweeter and "smilier" lately. Since her birthday, there's definitely been a change (for the better) in her demeanor, and I'm grateful for it. Also, she's really been excited to play with daddy lately, something that was NEVER a consideration previously. She's been giving me kisses on the cheek, hugging my leg, and wanted to show me how pretty she looks in the morning. So great! Not sure what changed, but I'll take it!Also, Cora is now LOVING to be tickled - especially in the "love hug button." She asks for it all the time! It's so cute - she goes from "Queen of Frump" to all smiles in .000000007 seconds. Kryptonite, baby!
The girls were a little whiny today, but for Kaitlyn that was largely just a result of being tired. We bathed them early and then got them to bed early (after some Disney Plus, of course). Cora yelled out, "THANK YOU FOR DISNEY PLUS, SANTA!!!" Love it.
1/5 - So a big day on many fronts, but most notably - the LAST DAY before heading back to school! I am pleased to report that Team Taylor made it count on many fronts.
We started the day at FHC, where it was two services for Team Taylor. Can I just brag on my oldest in Arrows? She is always SO well behaved, but today she was just a joy - big hugs, high energy during worship, and best of all...she did an amazing prayer when we did the offering! She was so articulate - I was so proud of her!
On the Cora front, that is girl is absolutely LOVING being in the 3 year old classroom now. It's like a switch has totally flipped for her. Now, when you ask why she likes it, her answer is simple: "The have ponies in there." Love! But luckily - goldfish and lollipops are still part of the weekly routine.After church, it was back home for lunch, and then the unexpected surprise of the afternoon - Kaitlyn's first ever attempt at selling Girl Scout cookies! And get this y'all - she absolutely CRUSHED IT! Seriously - it was amazing! That girl sold over 50 boxes going door to door! The only person who said no was a former girl scout who'd just purchased some from somebody else (but still bragged on Kaitlyn). One person said, "My wife told me I can't buy any," but then when the wife came to the door, she said, "How can I resist this cuteness? Another 4 boxes - CHECK!" Side note - she's also selling cookies online for scouts, and she's causing it there as well!
I was with Bear, and we spent the time playing ponies and hanging out. That girl is really, REALLY improving on her puzzles - so cool to watch! She's got the gift - a lot like Kaitlyn in the way they put things together. Very cool to watch. And the added treat with Bear - we've now established this routine where we each do the same puzzle, but while one person is completing it, the other person has to scratch the "puzzler's" back. It's just so sweet, and Cora takes it VERY seriously! I mean hey, first and foremost, I'm always a back scratch kind of guy, so I love it.
I should note - Bear is really, really enjoying daddy time right now. I'm getting big hugs, and she genuinely want to do things with me. This is a BIG change from the past, well...THREE YEARS, and I'm loving it. So many more smiles, so many more "huggies," and just much better interaction in general. She's talking more and really stringing together a lot of sentences, and I always love how matter of fact she is. It's just priceless. Plus, you forget that kids at this age really don't get sarcasm, so it's hilarious to see how she reacts to certain things I (jokingly) say. Cora's big thing right now is being tickled by "squeezing the love hug button." I mean, she wants me to squeeze that puppy ALL. THE. TIME. And of course, I'm only too happy to oblige.
The last event of the evening was doing a Gingerbread house, and K absolutely CRUSHED IT! Seriously - not only did she do the whole thing practically by herself (JT did some of the structural stuff, but by and large K did the entire design and decoration), but it looks really, really good! She was so focused! Bear helped for a bit, but eventually the lure of the ponies was too strong. :-)So other things I have to capture:
1. Bear's words: some of her pronunciation is just priceless. My favorite words right now:
AWNUHment - ornament
COWA - Cora
HOSS-EY- Horsey :-)
2. Bed time: Cora likes to read as a family at the moment - especially when it's her night to read with Daddy. She actually flat out told me she likes it better when Mommy reads. I chuckled and explained, "You know, between all the voices, the forensics state titles, and the theater, I was certain that the one thing my kids would love is me reading to them." Funny old world, ain't it? :-)
Also, Cora still wants you to read to her, but she wants her blanket on her in the chair and is clear that she does NOT want to share said blanket with you "because it's mine, Gag." Seriously - she is happy to let YARDS of fabric hang off her side if it means not a bit will touch you. Amazing.
Also, she no longer wants to be rocked to sleep! She might let you pray sitting beside her, but tonight she wanted to get in bed, get tucked in, and then hold my hand while I prayed over her. End of an era? Not sure I'm ready for that...Oh, and last thing - tonight while I was reading a story, I attempted to "accelerate the process" but skipping some words. That girl CALLED ME OUT! It was too funny - she said, "No, Gag! It says...(whatever it was!" I was impressed - smart like sister!
3. Kaitlyn is doing her own hair now! In fact, it's amazing how much she's doing. She's making her own breakfast, making her own lunch on the weekends, doing hair and teeth, and even helping Cora get dressed in the morning. It's incredible (and a big lift!) - our little girl is really growing up!
4. Heavy convo this night about who can kiss you on the lips, what you are allowed to say, and what other people are allowed to touch - came out of nowhere, but I definitely towed the line. Watch this space! Luckily we haven't had one since, and tonight (I'm writing this on 1/10) she told me that she had a boyfriend again but that he didn't know. YES! Back where I wanted things to be. :-)
1/6 - FIRST DAY BACK! I am happy to report it went very well, and K even made time to get back out and sell cookies for an hour. Once again....CRUSHIN' IT!!!!!
1/8 - So we're in a bit of a tough patch with K. At the moment, she's of the opinion that I'm "not respecting her" (she's told JT this - not me...yet). Here's the thing - over the last couple of days, anytime you ask her to do something that isn't EXACTLY what she wants to do, she will either say "You don't love me" or "You don't respect me." She actually said this to JT at bedtime the other night. I am not sure what's brought this about (aside from those normal times when I'm asking her - politely but often firmly - not to do something or to do something expected as part of the normal nightly ritual). It's frustrating, but hopefully it will blow over soon. UPDATE: It's 1/20 as I type this, and things are MUCH better. Honestly, the trip to Minneapolis was a game changer, as she's been SO SWEET since then.
1/9 - Today was another tough one, as right now both girls are talking constantly and asking us to look at things (either them or something they've seen). Now don't get me wrong - I love the fact that they want us involved. It's just a LOT right now - especially since it's both of them. Cora's since had her three year old appointment, and as part of that we learned that this is very much part of her matriculation, as kids her age very much actively seek parental approval. I think it's further fed by K, who's historically always done this. Add in the fact that, as Cora starts to interact with us more and receive more of our attention, a bit of sibling rivalry for our focus is starting to emerge. And so it begins! New ground for this guy! We are really having to tow the line on interrupting, as that's been a REAL challenge as of late. 1/10 - Today was a much, much better day. We had Tessa and Eli over in the morning (I drove them to school with K) and the afternoon, and it was jus a better, more relaxing day in the house. Tessa and Eli are super sweet, and the kids played great together.
Also, the BIG news for today - JT subbed for the first time EVER at UCUMC! And get this - she was in the classroom that K started in. How cool is that? Best of all - Jenny absolutely LOVED it. It worked out perfectly - the schedule was a total gift from God, and we're super hopeful we'll get the call again. Proud of Wife Muffin!
1/11 - The original plan for the day was a birthday party at Ray's Splash Planet (Eammon had a GREAT theme based on Harry Potter), but poor Eammon came down with the flu! They had to cancel the party, but we managed to salvage the day by having a movie afternoon and "Sundae Bar" at the house (think loads of ice cream, covered in our Halloween Candy :-)). Kaitlyn also did a little shopping, spending about $15 to buy a "Poopsie" doll (it poops slime out of it's bootie. I mean....I have no words.....).
1/12 - Today was GREAT! We headed to the Lake Norman campus for morning service, and it was AWESOME! Jackie led worship, and she CRUSHED IT (Waymaker - Best. Song. EVER.). Pastor Michael Singer gave the message, and he was terrific as well. Honestly, it was just fantastic. And best of all for the girls - they had a BLAST in FH Kids. Pastor Michael was in Arrows, which of course made it fantastic for K. It really was just a wonderful experience, and we are thinking we're going to start going up there once a month.
The afternoon was fantastic as well, as Megan and Ryan came over. We had BLAST - tons of good food, tons of laughs, and the kids got on great together. Little Jonathan played with bubbles for the first time ever, and he loved it! We had the fire table going, and all was right with the world.
And I think this was the day that we broke free from the "lack of respect" attitude, as K was GREAT about playing by herself today. Not sure, but I think she just needed to realize on her own that Mommy and Daddy need to have both alone time and adult time. We really had fun today, and when I told her that I was going to sit with the adults, she was really good about it (after the first couple of times). Honestly, it's been GREAT since then, so THANK YOU, FATHER! 1/15 - So I was in Minneapolis for the week (at one point it hit -27 wind chill!!!), but I got the news that Cora had a GREAT three year appointment today! Jenny sent me the pics - she was talking up a storm and was apparently GREAT for Dr. Knutson. Yay! The doctor said that she was talking like a 4 year old and that everything looked fantastic - such good news! The only suggested item to focus on was holding a pen and scissors with regularity to build those fine motor skills - that's it! She was 50% in weight and 45% in height, so very proportional. I was actually shocked that she wasn't a higher percentage for height, as everyone always talks about how tall she is for her age. So happy it was a good report! And Cora proudly notified me "there were no shots today, Gag." Success. :-)
1/18 - So I feel it just needs to be stated. Cora is OBSESSED with My Little Pony. Seriously - they are the only toys she plays with. It's the only movie she wants to watch. It's the only show she wants to watch. They are the only clothes she'll wear. It's amazing! Lucky for us, she has 14,789 of them in the house, so she's never more than 4 inches from a pony. But I will tell you something else - since she turned three, it's incredible how much better she's talking. Her sentences are much more articulate now and longer. Pronunciation is good - even if conjugation isn't. :-) All in all, I'm very, very pleased.
On the Kaitlyn front, I got the chance to review her Second Quarter Data binder today ahead of her Parent - Teacher conference next week. It was a GLOWING report - Check+ in every category but one, with a clear demonstration of mastery across many skills. Mr. McMahon also wrote a very nice summary of her performance, attitude, and demeanor in class - so proud!
Oh, and K broke out the molding clay today...and made a pizza! Seriously, y'all - I know, I'm biased, but that girl is a GREAT little artist. She always does great with drawing and coloring, but the clay was next level! She made a crust, made the pizza sauce, and then made olives - complete with the little pimentos! Add in the cheese that was made to look like it does before baking and the toppings, and you have something that really did look like a flatbread! It was so cool. We had a lazy day with games, but it was GREAT. The reality is that we're making a very concerted effort to spend less money in 2020 and use what we have. We thought about potential activities but ultimately realized that we have TONS of stuff at our disposal in the house, and so instead of going out for lunch or doing something that cost, we broke out chutes & ladders, Candyland, Goin' Fishin', and a ton of other games. It was great!
Jenny and I had to serve for Lifegroup Launch, and we'd planned to take the kids. However, Vol Nana (who was in town for an Oprah Winfrey conference) finished just in time to surprise the kiddos, and so they spent the evening at the house. It was PRICELESS - earlier that day, Jenny had been cleaning the bathroom in the spare. Well, JT says to me, "Eventually these kids are going to figure out that I only do this before family comes." I said, "Jenny, there is NO WAY they can piece that together. You are giving them WAY too much credit." Well, as soon as Vol Nana rounds the corner, Kaitlyn looks at Jenny and says, "Is that why you were cleaning the bathroom?" Amazing. KIDS. SEE. EVERYTHING. It was a sobering moment. :-)
The girls took it easy that night, and the surprise of the day for me came during bedtime. We did the normal "Now I lay me" portion of the prayer, but just before I could start talking, Kaitlyn jumped in and started praying. I didn't know it at the time, but Jenny said that she'd just started this while I was in Minneapolis. It was GORGEOUS. I mean...so thankful and proud of her. THANK YOU, FATHER!!!!!! Please keep pouring into our little arrows!
Last thing to note - Kaitlyn is loving knock knock jokes right now, and so Bear has decided to try her hand at them as well. Admittedly they are complete nonsense at the moment, but the current favorite:
"Knock, Knock."
"Who's there?"
"Horse Pig Frog."
"Horse Pig Frog who?"
"Horse Pig Frog Ribbit."
I mean...baby steps...
1/19 - Today started off at the Sweet Spot, where the girls split a muffin AND Cookie Butter Stuffed French Toast. I mean...I have just never seen children that loves sweets the way these kids do. Oh, wait...their mother is Jennifer Taylor...so much suddenly comes into focus...
We then rolled over to church for the 11:15 service. Jenny and I were serving, and at first we contemplated letting Mom stay at the house with the girls. However, the more I've thought about it lately, the more I realize that I don't want to start that precedent. Church is a privilege and a priority, and I just felt it important that we all pack up and go. Plus I absolutely love it when K is in Arrows with me. She's such a great example for the kids, and I felt I had a good message that day and wanted to ensure I poured into her as well. Mom got to meet Debbie - they sat together! Mom has always enjoyed going to FH, so I think it was great for her as well. Bottom line - this is how I plan to do things going forward when family is in town. We'll invite Alice and Dad the next go-around, as I want them to see the church we call home as well.
Speaking of Arrows and church, Kaitlyn was GREAT as always! She was very attentive and even answered one of the questions correctly - she knew that the temple was in Jerusalem! Good job, kiddo!
The afternoon was AWESOME, as my mom gifted Jenny and I with date night. Woot-woot!!!! Actually, it was more like date day, as we were gone from 3-9ish. THANK YOU SO MUCH, VOL NANA!!!! Seriously - it was just great, as it really gave me and Jenny some down time to just relax. We have made a conscious effort to do more of that in 2020, and so far I think it's really, really worked out great. We have been focusing on our vision for 2020 (pun fully intended), and it basically boils down to spending less, eating less, drinking less, focusing more on our marriage, simplifying our lives, reducing trips and expenses, and spending our $$$ where it really matters (like date night). 22 days in (as I type this anyway), I feel really, really good about how the year has started and how we've aligned our priorities. 1/20 - Today was another fun day with Vol Nana...and we even had Abby to boot! Abby's mom had to work and had a sitter cancel, so she came over for the day and played with Kaitlyn. It was perfect - the girls all played great together (including bear), and Vol Nana really got some focused time with Cora while K and Abby played. I LOVED that, as that's been rare thus far. They spent a good chunk of time up in mom's room, playing with ponies on mom's suitcase. It was pretty adorable. :-)
The mornings with Vol Nana are now pretty standard. Kaitlyn isn't allowed to enter mom's room until 7 AM, but you better believe that she's in there the second the clock either rolls 7 or the second she wakes up (if it's after 7). Cora will follow soon thereafter, and it's absolutely ADORABLE to see them all curled up in bed together. In the afternoon, they went over to Northlake and watched Dr. Doolittle. Kaitlyn loved it, but Abby, Mom, and Jenny only referred to it as "interesting." Honestly, it was more about a) the activity and b) the cotton candy than anything - plus K got some focused time sitting beside Vol Nana, which is just about the most precious commodity in the world. :-)
And update on piano - Kaitlyn has mentioned to her mom multiple times that she wants a break, but I'm not yet ready to capitulate. Honestly - the girl is talented. I know that every father says that about their kids, but music and art are fortes for her, and I love watching the progress she's making and hearing her music fill the house. Something that did pique her curiosity that I am going to try - yesterday I pulled out the Adult guide and some basic Christmas music I have. I started playing it, and Kaitlyn immediately got interested. In that moment, it hit me - I have been saying for years that I want to get back into piano, so why not play some with K while she's practicing? Ultimately, what she wants is someone up there with her, so what if I do that but also get some of my practice time in as well? Watch this space! Either way - we just paid for another 4 lessons, so you better believe we've got at least a month in front of us. :-)
At bed tonight, Cora sang ALL of "Twinkle, Twinkle" by herself. It was amazing! I'd never heard her do it before, so it was such a treat. I'm gonna have to try and get it on video - so cute! Love that kid! Honestly, it's crazy how quickly her vocabulary and pronunciation are improving on a daily basis. Really, really cool. Mom put Cora to bed first that night, and then she played with K for awhile in her room. Kaitlyn was absolutely in Heaven. Honestly, the laughter was the stuff of Heaven - infectious, honest, and the picture of happiness. Needless to say - we were in no hurry to break that up, especially given that tomorrow wasn't a school day.
1/21 - Today was K's quarterly conference, and in a very cool twist - K was invited and was an active participant in the discussion. It didn't start off with a bang, as she had to say goodbye to Vol Nana right beforehand. Obviously there were tons of tears (I missed all this), and apparently K was barely holding it together when she walked into BPS and sat down with Mr. McMahon. Apparently she couldn't respond to his questions, as she was just trying desperately to fight back tears. Poor thing!
However, she did rally, and Jenny said by the end she was all smiles and had warmed up. And the good news - the conference went great, and Mr. McMahon was nothing but complimentary toward our oldest. Makes a daddy proud!
The girls celebrated with lunch at Panera (Bear was at Preschool, where she was confined indoors due to the cold - it was FREEZING out there!) before picking up Kate and bringing her back for a sleepover. All the girls had a BLAST - playing games, running around, watching some TV, eating Mac 'n Cheese, staying up late in bed talking, and blowing up about 600 balloons that were scattered all over the house when I got home. They got to play and chat in bed until a little after 8:30, at which time we did hear everything go silent (as requested) in their room. They are great together - so fun to watch them interact. And I even played some Monster with them. :-) Update on that - Cora loves to play it with the big girls, but she does NOT like me to be the Monster when it's just us. Duly noted!
1/22 - Editor's note: it's 1/28 as I type this, and I must confess that I am really struggling to keep up with the blog right now. The decision point nears - March 11 - and I find that I am wrestling with the question of whether or not to continue for an 8th volume. I realize that this is self imposed and that realistically I may be the only person who ever reads this (or ever re-reads it), but I also tell myself that it's not really about that. This blog is where I come to recap and remember parenting - the good and the bad. It's where I come to laugh again about funny little conversations or special moments, carving them onto some server blade because that's the only way I know that they'll always be recorded and won't be forgotten - especially when the years and new memories pile on top of them. It's where I go to make sense of my parenting style. It's where I go to record milestones. It's where I go to ensure that, in all the day to day, I don't forget the amazing moments, the beautiful people, and life's rich pageant that God has blessed me with. In short, despite the scramble to keep it up to date, it more or less in the fabric of my being at this point. It's part of who I am and the legacy I want to leave for my kids. That doesn't mean I'll always be able to do it, but often it's akin to running. There will come a time when I no longer can do it - I either don't have the time or no longer have kids in the house - just like there will come a day when I cannot run the distances I'm turning out now. Today, however, is NOT that day. And if you're going to do it, you gotta be all in. Okay - good talk. Back to it. :-)
Today was Girl Scouts and piano, and both of them went very well. I must say - it's amazing to listen to K practice piano these days. She doesn't like practicing, but she does it all the same. The difference between practice and lessons - she does everything at 2x the speed! At first this annoyed me a bit, but then I realized something - she's still keeping the correct tempo, she's just doing it much faster than is written. Also, she's getting the notes right - even the chords! I mean, the girl really is getting it, and I really, really does hope she starts to enjoy it more. I haven't been up there with her lately, but I definitely need to get up there and sit with her at some point so she knows how proud I am of how well she's doing.
The girls made "friendship rocks" at Girl Scouts, which means they painted a bunch of rocks and then left some with cute messages or drawings around the church where they meet. They also brought some home - I was quite impressed with K's artwork!
But one thing I am NOT impressed with. In fact, one thing I COULD NOT BE MORE OVER - Glitter Force. That show is TERRIBLE! Seriously - NO ONE likes it except Kaitlyn. The horror, the horror...it's almost more than I can bear... :-)
Speaking of Bear - that girl is really, really showing my smiles now. Her kisses on the cheek are just Heavenly. She still frumps, but largely it's just when you tell her she can't do something. And here's the thing - we're very rarely fussing at her, but she can't understand the differences in our tone and just assumes we're scolding her. The poor girl pretty much breaks down anytime you correct her. But we'll get there!
One thing I did notice with her that's funny - she asks if you want to play with her all the time, but truth be told she doesn't actually want you to play with her. She wants to assign you a toy that she does not want to play with, and then have you sit beside her while she plays with the toys she's interested in. It's fascinating, and I've noticed it on multiple occasions. Too cute! But hey - at least she's giving me one toy to play with. :-)
1/23 - It was finally back to school today, and by all accounts it was a smashing success. The girls didn't seem tired in the morning, and Kaitlyn wanted her hair "like Jasmine's," which involved a pair of scrunchies. :-) Good job, Wife Muffin!
Also, a comment about Bear's (very cute) fashion choices - she always wants to wear a sleeveless dress, so the rule is that she has to wear a long sleeve shirt underneath. She never fights it, which actually gives us the control to ensure she's warm. It's a win/win!
One thing to note that we started today - Portion Control and the removal of sweets. This is a big, big deal, and I'm so proud of how it's gone so far. Simply put - we had too many sweets in the house, they were too readily available, and there was too much of an expectation that treats were a daily occurrence (and more treats were available on the weekend). Knowing that we are a big eating family, Jenny and I just want to ensure we're establishing healthy limits and boundaries for the girls. To that end, we implemented a few changes in the house:
1. The portion of protein/starch is now smaller. Girls can have a second (even smaller) portion, but they have to eat 2 rounds of vegetables and 1 round of fruit.
2. All Halloween candy was thrown away.
3. There are no more treats after dinner and no sweets during the week. I'm sure we'll make an exception to that from time to time, but "sweets" are now more fruit, melty mints, or yogurt.
4. No screen time during the week, capped at 2 hours a day on the weekend.
Dare I say, it's gone great. We sat down with K and Cora (although obviously Cora wasn't really listening) and explained that we were making a conscious effort to eat healthier and that we were all going to participate. We're making changes to her lunch as well, and K's been really, really good about it. I actually think we've seen an improvement in behavior as well, as better food normalizes the sugar level and the sleep, which pays huge dividends in terms of general health. Watch this space, but I'm feeling very good and saying Thank You, Father for how it's gone so far (about a week in).
1/24 - The girls headed to Raleigh today for a big weekend of hanging out with the cousins! I was still in CLT (joined them Saturday morning), but they got there about 4 PM and by all accounts had a great evening. Bed time was a little dicey, as Jenny (rightly) tried to put Cora in with the other three girls. They came downstairs about an hour later (10 PM at this point), saying that Cora was throwing stuffed animals at them. Consequently, Jenny had to move Bear to our room. Needless to say that didn't make her happy, and a lot of screaming ensued. Then Cora apparently hit her head at 1 AM and ended up in bed with Jenny. Bear then got up at 6:16! Kaitlyn apparently fell twice as well, once cutting her chin (still scabbed) and another time getting a little nick on her neck. I mean...what in the world was going on over there! :-)
1/25 - I made the drive to the Triangle this morning, where Steve, Matt, and I caught a HUGE Tarheel victory over the Miami Hurricanes (by 23 points - it was 30 at one point!) at the Dean Dome and showed Steve some of the sights of Chapel Hill. It was a BLAST, and the girls had a great time as well, hitting Laurel Hills Park and Bartaco before returning home to watch some TV (Elena of Avalor was the featured selection when we arrived). The park was incredible - lots of slides, monkey bars, and even this zipline where you were clipped in! Cora did it twice but took a hit to the beak the second time. There was apparently some crying, but she seemed none the worse for wear when I saw her. :-)
We spent some time in the afternoon shooting hoops in the driveway. It was a perfect height, and K was ALL ABOUT it. It was really, really neat to see, as she started to get a rhythm and develop a shot! She enjoyed shooting hoops so much that she asked me a) why we didn't have a rim and b) could she have one for her birthday. I mean....I am not opposed to it, but I'd need to do some research on that of course. What I will say - at one point she hit 9 shots in a row! It was really neat to watch her calculate the shot, adjust her form, adjust the angle, and then try again. Markham kept saying, "She is good, dude. When are you going to get her playing." I'm not ready to call UT just yet, but it was really neat to shoot hoops with my girl.
The girls went out for Sara's birthday, while the guys got the wee ones bathed and to bed. We then hung out watching basketball and relaxing - talk about a GREAT day!
Lastly, let me brag on both of my girls. Cora was a rock star keeping up with the other cousins - that girl is fearless! And obviously going that hard takes it out of a little body. Well, right after dinner she looked like she wanted to cry. I picked her up and said, "Do you want to go to bed?" She nodded yes and put her head on my shoulder. How cute (and self aware) is that?!?!? It was adorable! And so I took her up, we had a nice bath, we read "Biscuit" twice and "Good Night Galaxy" once, and then she went over to her little air mattress and sacked out without making a peep. Amazing!
As for Kaitlyn, there are a lot of things I simply must praise her for. For starters, she was really great about sharing with the cousins. I won't go into deal her, but let me just say I'm so proud of how she shared balloons, the basketball, the toys...all of it. She really went out of her way to ensure others were treated fairly. Secondly - she was really great about keeping her composure and not whining - even when some other kids were in meltdown or lost their cool. I was so proud of how she just kept it together, surveyed the scene, and reacted appropriately (usually by letting something unfold and going somewhere else). Third - she listened when other cousins didn't, and I was so proud of her for that. When I asked her to do something, she did it - VERY cool to watch. Fourth (and my favorite) - at night during prayer, the other girls tried to rush through their prayers as quickly as possible. Kaitlyn, however, really took the time to craft a thank you to God for everything that day. I COULD NOT have been prouder - as an Arrows Leader OR (more importantly) as a Dad. Love you, kid!
Another note I need to raise here - the wheels are turning in front of me, and I realize that I need to increase my focus on the world around my girls. There are so many other influences now, and with each passing day their world expands, meaning I am a smaller percentage of their focus and influence. I need to make a conscious effort to watch and monitor things I either have never noticed before or have not focused on as much recently - friends, diet, activities, words, attitude, interests, etc - as I can tell that a whole new world is rapidly opening up before Kaitlyn. Admittedly we still have a lot more control over Cora - even with preschool 3x per week, she's still largely being shaped by her parents. Kaitlyn, however, I can tell is starting to notice things and push boundaries that she likely wasn't aware of before, and I realize I need to stay in front of that - while at the same time not being over-bearing with rules and control. Dear Jesus, help me on this one! :-)
1/26 - Today was another great one, starting back at Laurel Hills Park (well, for the girls at least - I started with a big 18.15 mile run around Raleigh - THANK YOU, FATHER!!!!!! Talk about some miraculous healing and a great run!). We spent about an hour at the park (after a very leisurely morning) before turning and heading over to a spot that had been on my "must return to" list since last summer - Clouds Brewing! The kids had an absolute BLAST - there were balloons for the taking, the basketball hoop, good food, and tons of toys for the kids. In fact, there was even a first birthday party going on! Cora was absolutely in Heaven - it's amazing how good she plays by herself! She was "cooking" and packing things into boxes, happy as a clam. Kaitlyn continued with her passion for basketball, and she took on all comers at pop a shot. Seriously - she had the rhythm! There was one really tough moment I must call out (#dadfail). K said, "Watch me shoot!", and I did. She missed. She then said, "Watch me until I make one," and I watched through 6 shots. However, as I was the person also allocating the food and managing that process, I then had to look down to sort it. I looked back up and saw K turning around. She said, "Did you see that?" I lied and said yes, and her face completely fell. In fact, she sat sullen in front of her food and was ready to cry. When I went over and asked why, she said, "I'm sad because you said you saw me hit the shot but I don't think you really did." OUCH. Remember this moment, Sammy Taylor! I have always told K - "I'll never lie to you, but I'll never sugar coat it either" (with a notable exception, of course). Well, I broke my own rule, and you can see what happened. Lesson learned.
We did rally, and the kids had a great time. Too soon it was time to say goodbye, so hugs were shared before the drive home. K was very sad that night, as she did have so much fun with the cousins (which was wonderful to hear). 1/27 - The girls slept like ROCKS last night. Cora woke up on her own, but Kaitlyn needed rousing. I went in there at 7, and she was PASSED OUT. Seriously - she had hair like a child of the forest with her thumb partially in her mouth - hilarious! I should have taken a picture. :-)
The night was really good. In fact, as I type this on the 29th, I have to say how proud I am of the girls for how they've been. They haven't complained about not watching television. They have been GREAT about eating their fruit and veggies - no complaints about the new rules or the fact that it's clearly less food. There's been zero pushback on the absence of treats or screen time. If anything, there's been a real peace in the house as we've established a new rhythm - play time from the time K is home until dinner, then chores after dinner: cleaning the floor, putting away toys, putting food away, practicing piano, emptying the dishes, laying out her food, etc. It's been GREAT to see. And even better - tonight at bath, Kaitlyn did her own hair 100%! We are talking shampoo and conditioner! And Cora even did the rockaway! Talk about things getting easier - it was amazing!!!
1/28 - Taylie came over today, and the girls were GREAT. Honestly, they get along and play together so well - it's wonderful. They ate good, ran around a lot - it was cute. So thankful they are in our lives!1/29 - Kaitlyn was AMAZING today. She got up before 7, put her clothes on by herself, and then came downstairs. She then went up, got Bear out of bed for us, changed her clothes, and walked her back down. I mean...JACKPOT! Seriously - it was just about the best thing ever.
And speaking of amazing, Cora was as well - today, for the FIRST TIME EVER, she got up on her own, took off her pull-up, walked over to Ducky Potty, and peed! I mean, game changer!!! I told her, "Do that every morning, Cora! That's great!" She said, "I will, because Ducky Potty loves to eat it." I mean...gross...but whatever it takes. :-)
1/30 - Today had a rather ominous beginning, as Kaitlyn said her throat hurt right as she got into the car for the drive to BPS. She was clearly upset and started bawling. Add in the fact that Cora banged her elbow getting into Rex and the fact that Jenny and company were about 10 minutes late getting out of the house, and you have a less than ideal start to the day. We didn't think K had a fever (she'd been totally fine all morning up until that point), but all the same Jenny made the wise move and gave her ibuprofen at Theresa's. The good news - she totally rallied and ended up having a great day! She was all smiles when she returned back to the house.And get this - because she didn't get to have piano lessons (the instructor's father was sick), Kaitlyn went ahead and PROACTIVELY WORKED AHEAD in her lesson book! Seriously - she just flipped to the next section and went after it. I couldn't believe it! And the best part - she CRUSHED it. I mean, that girl really has a knack for it thus far. So proud!
1/31 - Today was a big day for Kaitlyn: her first time EVER clearing the monkey bars at BPS end to end on her own. PROUD OF YOU, KIDDO!!!! You really are getting stronger - no question about it.
That night was fun for the girls, as Fiona babysat for us while we had date night. Kate came over as well, so obviously Kaitlyn, Kate, and Cora were all in Heaven. And I'm happy to say that Fiona seemed to have fun as well. She is just so great with them. As we left they were playing, "What time is it, Mr. Fox?" Fun!
Okay, so there you have it - an EPIC January, filled with plenty of activities while returning us to some semblance of normalcy. For my part, I will be honest and say that this has been the most "herky jerky" month even in terms of recording activities, as I feel I have had several huge gaps between recording events. However, it is what it is, and I'm glad that everything is at least committed to the server. Bring on February! Talk to everyone in a month!
Love,
Sam and Jenny
