Taylee in a Box

Now that she's getting more mobile, I had to think of a new way to contain Taylee . . .

Maybe I should start thinking OUTSIDE the box!

Halloween

Halloween was a quiet affair at our house last year. Skyler went out TRICK-OR-TREATING with his buddies. I know, 14 is a little old for trick-or-treating, but BOYS will be BOYS. Kent and I took Taylee to visit her grandparents, and her GIRAFFE costume was a hit. Then she helped us pass out CANDY to trick-or-treaters in the evening. It's amazing how a BABY makes everything so much more FUN!

Here we are practicing our Halloween look a couple days early.

Taylee was nearly abducted by Michael Myers with his scary knife. She looks terrified. Maybe she knows it's her big brother behind that mask?

Taylee also got to meet a giant pumpkin named Elle for Halloween!

Plus, we had a visit from two of Taylee's best friends, Dawson and Daphne!

Three Months

Man she was a cutie at three months! This is when her personality really began to shine. I could swear she was hamming it up for the camera. Enjoy!

Jamie

Many, many eons ago I had a best friend named Jamie. In high school Jamie and I were inseparable. We did everything together, and could always be seen zipping around town in her little blue Volkswagon beetle. When we were in high school Jamie got pregnant, and had baby Kameron in October of 1996. Kameron's dad wasn't involved, so I got to be his daddy! Here we are in 1997 at Olive Garden.
Over the years Jamie and I lost touch. She was living in Logan, while I stayed here. Then recently Jamie found me via our work e-mail and tada, here we are! She drives down from Logan to see us every so often, and she always comes bearing gifts for Taylee and Skyler, and treats for me and Kent. We are so lucky, and she is way too good to us! Here she is holding my little sweets.

And this is a photo of me holding Taylee, and that nearly grown young man sitting next to me? You guessed it- that's our Kameron! What a good kid he has grown up to be. I'm just so proud to be his daddy. ;)

BTW, Jamie is so talented at all things creative and cute! She did Taylee's birth announcement, she is responsible for my adorable blog background, she makes all sorts of cute invitations and such, and her cookie bouquets are better than the ones you can buy! I have been trying to get her to start her own business, but so far she's not buyin' it. If you ever have a need for any of these sorts of things, let me know. She's probably your gal! Love you Jai!

Snowboarding # 2

We made it out snowboarding as a family on Sunday. Grandpa Dave gave a quick lesson, and we were off! Things started a little rough, the boys were struggling, and so was I. It's been 8 or 9 years since I was on a snowboard. It took almost an hour to get down the first run. Did I mention it was the bunny hill? We took a long break, had some lunch, and headed back out again. Things improved drastically in the afternoon. The snow had softened up and we got our feet back under us. I finally remembered what in the world I was doing, and the boys caught back up to speed. Our afternoon was great!
The next best thing was playing with baby Taylee between runs. We took her with us and Grandma Deb stayed in the lodge with her while we were out boarding. She was a good girl and played nice almost all day long! Plus she got some fresh air and got to people watch. Her favorite pastime! Overall, it was a fabulous day. Can't wait to do it again!

Sleep Training Update

Here we are - three nights straight of sleeping through the night. If I had known it would be this easy, I would have done it a lot sooner! And her naps have improved too. AND, the binki is now almost non-existent in our world. Kent couldn't be happier. Oh yeah, me either. ;)
Thanks again Adrienne and Jessy for all your moral support during this entire adventure.

Sleep Training

The dreaded day has arrived. For months now I have been resisting the knowledge that we would someday have to "sleep train" Taylee. I just knew she wasn't going to magically start sleeping through the night on her own. She just isn't that kind of girl. =) For months things were pretty nice. She would get up one time, between 2 and 4 am to eat, then go easily back to bed. Not too bad. Then, recently she started fussing several times a night, needing her binki to go back to sleep. Kent and I were getting up 4,5,6 times a night. Things were getting out of hand!! Thus, sleep training. So, we picked a weekend when we could both be home for 3 nights straight. Thursday night was sleep training night one. Basically, we complete our bedtime "routine" (lotion, jammies, bottle, story), then we put her in her crib, no binki. The 1st night she cried for about 20 minutes, then fell asleep. We were off to a good start!! I thought she would cry for an hour or more! Don't get me wrong, it still sucked. She woke up a few times and cried for 5 minutes or so, but fell back asleep on her own. Not bad. Friday night she only cried for 10 minutes at bedtime. Yay! Then she got up at 11 . . . and cried for an hour and half. It sucked. And she got up again at 4 . . . and cried for an hour. It sucked again. We were a little discouraged on Saturday morning. By the time Saturday night rolled around I was pretty nervous. However, things went a little better. Taylee slept (for the first time in her 8 months of life) THROUGH THE NIGHT! Whoo Whoo! I, of course got up several times to check on her, and did not enjoy the opportunity to sleep myself. The other recent change to her sleep routine is that she will no longer sleep on her back AT ALL. She always goes to sleep on her tummy. Of course, this totally freaks me out, but as she can now roll herself over, I have lost control. Anyways, we are excited to be teaching our daughter good lifelong sleep habits (hopefully!). Stay tuned, I am sure there will be more to come!

Two Months

Some favorite two month shots of Taylee.

It sure was tough catching those first smiles on camera!

Taylee and Skyler were fast friends

Her favorite spot to be was sitting up between us on the couch What a cutie pie!

Faizi Siddiqi

Wondering about the name for this post?! Faizi Siddiqi (better known to us as Dr. Siddiqi) is Taylee's plastic surgeon. No, she's not having a nose job (but if she grows up to have a nose like her mommy's, she might want one!!). She is having her cleft palate repaired! We met with Dr. Siddiqi on Tuesday for her pre-op visit. Her surgery is scheduled for May 26th. Hopefully she will be first case that morning (apparently it goes in order of age - youngest first), because she won't be able to eat for several hours prior to surgery. Dr. Siddiqi said to plan on a 2 hour procedure. We will probably be staying in the hospital for 2-3 nights. Basically until Taylee is eating well. Since she hasn't EVER eaten well, we may never come home again! ;)

This is a picture of Taylee's cleft when she was just a few days old.


Here it is at 4 months. As you can see, it has grown with her.

We are hopeful that her verbal skills will start to improve after her palate is closed. She is not yet making any hard consonant sounds (ie dada, baba, etc). Dr. Siddiqi said this is most likely due to the cleft. She will see a speech therapist after her closure. We are excited to hear those first mama's and dada's. Here's hoping she doesn't fall too far behind!

Pizza Night!

Last night we made our first attempt at making homemade pizza. (If you count a package of pizza dough, a can of sauce, a bag of cheese, and a bag of pepperoni as homemade). But, hey, we put it together and cooked it ourselves. Pizza is one of Skyler's favorite foods, so we thought it would be a good family activity. The end product was pretty good, although I thought the crust left a little to be desired. Does anyone have a good pizza dough recipe?

Ten Years!

So, Thursday was our ten year anniversary. Not our 10 year wedding anniversary (although we are approaching our 5 year!), but 10 years since the day we met. We met on Saturday March 11th, 2000 at a mutual friend's birthday party. It just so happens that the birthday party was at Bogey's (a sports bar). I know, not exactly the story you want to tell your kids, but hey, it is what it is, right? We also don't need to go into a long explanation about how I (at age 19), was in a bar, but it's a good thing I was!! How else would I have fulfilled my destiny to become Mrs Kent, and mom to Skyler and Taylee?! I sure am glad that the fates brought us together.

In the old days, every anniversary, Valentines day, birthday, etc was cause for a big celebration. Well, now that we are busy parents, things are a little less exciting. We celebrated our big anniversary with dinner at Arby's before I headed off to work! Whoa. Exciting Stuff. But, Kent did surprise me with flowers and a present. I too got him a small gift. He always out gifts me when it comes to this stuff. Aren't I a lucky gal?

I just love these flowers. I know they are dyed to these brilliant hues,

but I think they are so pretty and fun anyways!

Sippy Cups!

Taylee has finally figured out how to drink from a sippy cup! (Or maybe it's just that mommy finally got a sippy cup appropriate to her age?) So far she is just drinking water from her sippy cup, and she loves it! Makes me so proud. She really is her mama's girl. Hopefully she doesn't someday develop an equal affinity for coke, like her mom. ;)

Here she is drinking from her sippy cup . . .

Here she is eating her sippy cup . . .

Here she is playing with her sippy cup . . .

And . . . now she's moved on to a spoon

Notice the foil ball on her tray? We are getting more and more creative these days in finding things for her to play with. Yesterday we accidentally let her eat a little piece of napkin. She wasn't impressed. Imagine that . . .

One month

Here are just a few shots of Taylee at about one month old. She sure has changed in 7 months!

Taylee's BIRTHday

Fair warning - this posting is a book. It's mostly for my own benefit, as this blog now serves as my journal. Feel free to read on if you're interested, otherwise skip it!

I was scheduled for an elective induction on Sunday July 26th, at 39 weeks. It seemed kind of strange to be induced on a Sunday of a holiday weekend, (the 24th of July is a holiday here in Utah, for those who don't know) but Dr. Boheen was on call the whole weekend, and was all for it. I was glad she would be on call at home, because her home is closer to the hospital where I was delivering than her office. I wanted her as close as possible in case things went wrong. Well, things didn't go wrong, but it WAS a good thing she was nearby!!

On Saturday the 25th Kent took me out for a small pre-birthday celebration, because we knew things would probably be a little busy on my real birthday (August 4th). That evening we called McKay Dee to find out what time we should arrive for our induction in the morning. They said to call at 0630, and plan on being there about 0730.

I actually slept really well that night (surprisingly!), until about 0430, when the baby started using my bladder as a punching bag. We got up and showered, and called the hospital at 0630. They said to come in at 0830! OK, I know it's only an hour, but I was a little anxious at that point. That one hour felt like 10! We got to the hospital at about 0815 and got checked in. I had cried all the way to the hospital, and was crying again as they checked us in. All the nurses thought I was afraid, but I was just overwhelmed and sad because I wouldn't get to feel her move anymore. I know, it was dumb, but I was a wreck. Maybe a little post-partum setting in early? I should have known then that I was in for it! I got my emotions under control and got changed into a gown. Both my parents and Kent's parents were on call. We planned on having them come up in a few hours, closer to the delivery so they didn't have to spend all day hanging out at the hospital.

Once they hooked me up to the monitors we saw that I was contracting every 2 minutes. We were already on our way! Dr. Boheen came in and examined me and broke my water a little after 0830. At that point I was dilated to a 4 and 100% effaced. They offered me my epidural, but I wanted to wait as long as possible. I guess I was afraid it would slow down my labor?? Fortunately for me the anesthesiologist forced me to get it at 0930. It was now or never, he said, because he was headed into an emergency C-section. So, like any smart woman would, I got my epidural!! The epidural placement was uneventful, but more painful than I expected. After having the epidural placed, my nurse checked me and found I had dilated to an 8! Oh boy, we were really moving! At that point Kent started calling our parents to warn them that the baby might be coming sooner rather than later.

In the next few minutes, things got a little crazy. First, my nurse disappeared! (Come to find out she went to assist with the C-section. Might have been nice to know that.) I was starting to feel a lot of pressure, and I started shaking uncontrollably. Having never done this before I was stressing a little (ok, maybe a lot). My nurse was MIA, the alarms were beeping because my blood pressure cuff was messed up, and I thought I was about to have a baby with only Kent to assist! We spent about 15 minutes in a state of semi-panic. Finally a new nurse arrived. Yay! It turned out to be a blessing, as she was a little more experienced in labor and delivery, and she took control!

She checked me and surprise!, I was dilated to a 10. Ready to deliver! It was 10:00. They had to get Dr. Boheen back to the hospital right away! Fortunately my parents arrived shortly after 10, and I knew Kent's parents were on their way. They had to leave church to come up to the hospital, and they arrived just in the nick of time.

For the next 30 minutes I had to breathe slowly, and NOT push. It was certainly exhilarating. The nurse's aide kept reassuring me that there was nothing to worry about, babies don't just fall out. But I work in a NICU, weirder things have happened! I was shaking like a leaf, Kent was pacing the room, my mom was busy watching the monitors, and my dad was trying to take photos and interviews with the nurses. "So, this is Tiffany's first delivery, How do you feel about that?" It was an adventure, and I am sure the staff LOVED us.

At about 1030 Dr. Boheen arrived, and they prepped me for delivery. My parents evacuated to the waiting room, and just as I got set to deliver, Kent's parents arrived. Perfect timing! The delivery was pretty easy. I pushed about 8-10 times, but it wasn't too painful. Thank heavens for epidurals!! I was even able to chat with the nurses and Dr. Boheen between contractions.
At 1058, sweet Taylee made her arrival. And she let us know it. She had a set of lungs on her! She weighed 6 lbs 13 oz, and was 19.5 inches long. Fortunately, we had a great transition nurse, and during her exam she noticed that Taylee had a small cleft palate. They assured us that it was so small it probably wouldn't affect her at all. Ha Ha! They were wrong!

Taylee transitioned really well, and we were able to attempt breastfeeding immediately after delivery. That's where things went a little awry. She was able to latch, but still couldn't breast feed. That was a source of a lot of stress for those first couple of days. It took over 24 hours to figure out she was unable to breast feed due to her cleft palate. She was a very unhappy baby because she came out HUNGRY!! Fortunately, once I started pumping and feeding her by bottle, things drastically improved.

After our failed attempt at breastfeeding, all the grandparents (and Kenzie!) got to come in and meet baby Taylee. It was one of those perfect, made for the movies moments. Lots of tears, excitement, and photos.

Kent was able to help with Taylee's first bath, while I recovered and moved to our postpartum room. The afternoon was busy, with lots of visitors. Skyler met Taylee just a few hours later. I don't think he knew what to think of her. Since then, he's really taken to her, and he ADORES his little sister. She has made such a wonderful addition to our family. We are all so grateful to have her in our lives. Welcome Taylee!!

Snowboarding!

So, the boys made their first attempt at snowboarding this weekend. Of course, there are no pictures to show for it, because I was home with the baby girl. Kent and Skyler had a great time, even if they are paying for it with sore knees, ankles, and tailbones. I am so proud of them both. They went out and taught themselves how to snowboard with only a short verbal lesson from Grandpa Dave (who taught snowboarding as a side job many years ago). They did really well and were shredding up the mountain in no time. Look out Shaun White!!

Can't Wait for Spring!

Because the weather has been so nice lately, Taylee and I have been taking walks through the neighborhood. Well, Friday wasn't exactly spring-like! However, we didn't let that stop us. I snuggled Taylee in a snowsuit, and off we went. She didn't seem to be bothered at all by the cold.

However, she was not a fan of getting into and out of her snowsuit. She got stuck several times. I was laughing like crazy, but she wasn't so amused. Especially when I stopped to take a picture. Does anybody have any advice for getting this silly one piece thing on a wriggling baby?!

Hallie

This sweet little gal is Hallie. Hallie was one of my babies in the NICU back in 2005. She has come a long ways since then! Hallie was born with an intestinal problem called jejunal atresia. She has always held a very special place in my heart, and her mom, Necia and I have stayed friends since they left the NICU. They moved to Reno a couple of years ago for her daddy's job, but travel back to Utah frequently for medical reasons for Hallie and to visit family. (and certainly to visit me!!) Well, they are in town this week, and Taylee and I got to meet them for lunch in Salt Lake yesterday. This was the first time I have taken Taylee on a long(ish) car trip by myself. She was wonderful. She played in her car seat on the way down to Salt Lake, played with Hallie and enjoyed checking out the friendly folks at Cafe Rio while we dined, then slept all the way home. If you think she is awesome, you should hear about Hallie. Hallie spent the whole morning up at the hospital having an invasive procedure done, then patiently waited for me to come to Salt Lake for lunch and had lunch without a single complaint! And all this was only 2 days after her latest surgery. What a trooper!! Hallie has had a really rough go of things recently. We are really, really hoping that we see a light at the end of this very long tunnel now. To learn more about Hallie, visit www.helpinghallie.com. There is also a link on the right side of our blog, under "Causes we Support." She can definitely use all the support she can get. I just love that little girl. And her mama . . . and her brothers . . . and her grandma . . . well, they are just one heck of a family! Thanks for the lunch date guys, can't wait to see you again!

Nipple-Mania!

When Taylee was born we spent a full 24 hours trying to get her to breast feed. Once we gave up that ill-fated attempt she began eating from a bottle. On that bottle was a hospital issue nipple. A nipple that cannot be purchased in any store. Little did I know that Taylee would become addicted to this nipple, and refuse ALL other nipples! We have tried every nipple sold in stores, including nipples specially made for cleft palates. No Go. Not for Taylee. The problem with this whole situation is that we only came home from the hospital with 6 nipples. These nipples are meant to be single use nipples. They are now cracking and breaking, and I knew we needed a solution!!

Well, yesterday when we returned the pump to McKay Dee I begged for just a few more nipples to get us through until she switched to sippy cups. I figured 6 nipples got us through 7 months, if we could just get a few more, we were golden. After a little persuasion, the nurse went into the back and came out with a couple more nipples to get us through. As you can see, I think we are set!!

Goodbye Pump!

The long-awaited day has arrived! Seven months ago, I rented this pump from McKay Dee. I never dreamed we would have such a long relationship. When Taylee was born with a cleft palate, and we determined that she couldn't breast feed, the craniofacial team at Primary Children's advised me to rent a hospital grade pump. Apparently store bought pumps just aren't quite as strong as these industrial-strength boob-suckers!! Because I would be pumping exclusively, it was important that I have a strong pump to keep up my supply. Well, it worked. I am now known as Bessie the cow. I figured I would pump for 3 months then switch Taylee to formula. I wanted her to get the benefits of breast milk, but I figured I wouldn't last too long just pumping. Well, I lasted much longer than I expected!! But, alas, it is time. My silly baby now seems to like formula better than breast milk. Thus, we say a fond farewell to the Egnell Lact-e. (And by the way, who came up with a name like Egnell Lact-e?)


As a side note, I paid $55 a month for the pleasure of using this pump. I just figured out the cost of Taylee's formula for one month. $40.80! Although breast feeding is usually a money saver, we will be saving lots by using formula. And, the hospital just raised the price of the pump to $65 a month. $25 dollars a month savings?! Yay for formula. And let me just say thank you to Sam's Club for making a cheap formula that my baby likes!!

Au Revoir Pump!

Grandma Karen's Birthday!

Sunday was Grandma Karen's birthday! We celebrated with a family dinner at Texas Roadhouse. Yummy! Here are Grandma Karen and Grandpa Terry anxiously awaiting the arrival of their dinner. Fortunately Texas Roadhouse has some of the best rolls in town to keep us happy while we waited. Unfortunately we were all full before our food came. We took home 3 to go boxes full of those yummy rolls. Can you say carb addicts?!

Our little sweets was, once again, a total gem for her grandma's birthday party. She was totally content to sit in the high chair, as long as she had some kind of dinnerware to keep her busy. This basket provided 20 minutes of entertainment!

Here she is taking advantage of a photo op with her cousin Kenzie. I think Kenzie has her modeling skills a little more polished than Taylee. What a pair of cute girls!

After dinner at the Roadhouse, we went back to grandma and grandpa's for presents. I meant to bake a cake, but ooops, I forgot. Usually grandma is the baker of the family, but obviously she isn't supposed to bake her OWN birthday cake! I dropped the ball on that one! As you can see, Kent and I are proud parents, and we gave grandma a Shutterfly photo book of sweet Taylee. As well as ANOTHER folding chair to add to her collection. With an ever-growing family you can never have too many! All in all it was a nice family afternoon. Hope you had a great birthday Grandma!! We love you!