Where have the Palmers been?

So one posting every six months, not bad....

Audrey: Finally cralwed tonight! She's been up on all four for a while now but finally figured out her hands need to move forward in order for the rest of her to move forward. She's a very happy baby, and also decided that sleeping through the night was fun last week. Daddy and I are very happy to say the lease. She's a great kid, but we really didn't need to check in between 1-4 AM. We have been working on eating regular foods and she thinks graham crackers are a delicacy! She can't get enough. Yogurt is also another fav, Palmer girls like to eat and she's making us proud.

Caroline: Loving school. She goes to Mercy Center of the Arts two mornings a week and loves it. She's learning letters (asks us to spell all kinds of words) and counting, advent calendars come in handy for that skill. She seems to enjoy Audrey more every day, and really loves her sister... we know this won't last forever but will enjoy it while it lasts. She loves ballet, got her first Barbie doll this weekend - loves it - and is 100% girl. (Ryan is learning all kinds of things he never knew before with all of these women.) She's a sweet three year old - most of the time - and we can't believe how quickly she's grown.

Ryan and I are doing well. He has 1.5 years left here in Erie, 18 months... but who is counting. He is talking to people about different job opportunities, but we hope to be somewhere back in the midwest when all of this residency thing is done. I'm still working at the ENT office 4 afternoons a week. It is great to have time with the girls in the morning (and get a workout in every few days) and then a little adult interaction in the afternoon. Maybe my New Year's resolution should be one blog posting a month. Time will tell.

Spring Time Photos

A good friend in Erie is beginning a photography company, she came over to take some photos of the girls for her web site. Check out www.gigglygoosephotography.com and see if you recognize some faces!

Where to begin?

I've been such a slacker with this blog, and I'm sure my memory is not going to help me out with every small detail of Caroline's life in the last few months.

As many of you know, I lost my Mom to abdominal cancer in July. It rocked our world - to say the least - and has given the entire Eidson/Palmer family a new reminder at how precious life truly is with each day.

We returned home at the end of July and somehow managed our way through August. Labor Day, we were back in KC to celebrate Lori Bettinger's wedding. All kinds of good fun and such a happy occasion to be back home. It was really a great time of healing for all of us - and with Caroline as a side kick, you just can't be down for too long - she always says/does something to cheer you up!

This Fall we have enjoyed being in Erie, yes you read that right. It was really nice to just be here - after non-stop travel the first half of the year. I wouldn't have changed any of the trips, but it was a little chaotic! I think we have hit almost every festival, fall event and local attraction we can think of around Erie. Niagara Falls was a big hit - Ryan hadn't been there since he was a little kid. It is only a 2 hour road trip and fun to say you went to Canada for lunch! We also got some happy news that we will become a family of four next April. That's right, 02 (thanks Erin Majka for the nickname) will be here around Tax Day - who knew there was ever a reason to get excited about Tax Day? We will be surprised once again on gender, but I'm thinking pink... that crazy Mom instinct. Guess we'll have to wait and see!

Caroline is a walking, talking kiddo these days. She's all about song and can break into Row, Row, Row Your Boat, Wheels on the Bus or a number of other favorite tunes. In September, she got a big girl bed and LOVES it! The kid can crank out a 3 hour nap and be happy to get back in it at 7.30 PM at night - we are so happy she made the transition with ease... now about that potty training thing. She loves to ask, "What doing?" or "What that?" I guess the inquisitive 2 1/2 year old is cranking into high gear!

Those are the big highlights as of late. I'll post some pictures to show you all how she's growing. Happy Halloween!

February, here comes the snow!

Having had a mild winter - for Erie standards of course - the snow found us in February. Caroline had a few chances to test out her sled in our neighborhood, she wasn't a fan of the sitting on the snow. Maybe next year!

Caroline is growing up big time. She's saying please "Be be" and thank you "Dank do". Each week is filled with Mom workouts - Caroline playtime at the YMCA, story hour on Wednesday at our main library branch by the lake, and Babygarten class on Tuesday. She loves singing the songs at Babygarten and we practice them weekly at home.

She loves books! We read three each night, and her usual five from the library each week - at least a couple of times a day. Caroline has also embraced, Elmo. If we are home, 10 AM on any weekday she's watching Sesame Street. The toughest part is having to wait until the end of the hour to see Elmo's World. The kid is mesmerized, and Mom can take a shower without any worries.

Her Piggy is definitely her best friend - sorry Charlotte. She'll hold that thing (we have an extra in the car and one at Debbie's) and suck her left thumb. She'll make a little humming noise that seems to calm her down and soothe her! Whenever she and I disagree - it happens a few times a day, the joys of an almost two year old) she'll say, "I Piggy" and I tell her to go and find it. She'll trek up the stairs just to get Piggy, amazingly enough it calms her right down. No complaints from her parents!