The swing

Heather and Gannon are letting us borrow their swing while they are in Portland. We hadn't used it that much because she was so small, and didn't fit in it very well, but this week we got new batteries, and she LOVES it. This is her the first time we turned the little animals on. Now every time she gets in it, she stares up at them until she falls asleep. I need to get it on video. She loves it.

Smiling at her little friends.

Claire and her daddy

I didn't even remember that we took this picture until I was going through them to post today. It's so cute. When she's really serious about her binky, she'll grab your hand to hold her binky in tighter. I'm so glad that we got this picture. I love her little quirks.

This is my favorite of them to date. This picture captures perfectly just how much Michael loves his little girl. This is pretty much the face he has on any time he's near her. She knows her daddy too. At church on Sunday, she was sitting with Cindy Pratt right in front of us, and she put her over her shoulder. As soon as Claire saw Michael she gave the HUGEST smile, and didn't stop smiling at him. It was adorable.

She loves him

Claire and her mama

Claire is starting to realize that I'm her mom, and it's the best thing ever. Lately, she'll fuss until she gets back to me. I can't even express how this melts my heart.

Proud parents

Some pictures of the proud parents. It's going to be so fun to have girls so close in age. I can't wait for them to realize the other exists!

The girls

Well here are some of the really cute pictures we got of the girls the first time they met. We need to take more pictures now. They have so many of the same outfits (courtesy of Nana Palmer), and we need to document them. They are both showing off their dancing moves in this picture. I LOVE it!

Congrats to Jeffrey and Emily

Just wanted to mention how excited we are that Jaclyn has entered the world. She is beautiful, and still bigger than Claire I might add. They couldn't be more different in their coloring. That always amazes me when half of the genes have come from the same family. We got in a good photo session with the two of them yesterday, but I'll wait for Jeffrey and Emily to post some pictures of their own before I post what we got, but here's one that doesn't give too much away.

Just to show their coloring. Claire has serious hair envy!

And a few more

After her bath, which she pooped in. This is right after bathing her again, and right before she pooped in the towel. She's not very lady like in that department.

Getting all powdered up. What a wonderful smell!

She's really started to look at us. She'll follow us around the room, for as long as her little neck will allow.

A little smile. She smiles all the time, but that's the HARDEST thing to capture. This is the best I have so far.

The new camera!

So we did it! We finally got ourselves a wonderful new camera. I'm still a camera retard so I know there's so much more I need to learn, and invest in...starting with a good flash, but oh my goodness...what a difference in picture quality! I'm in love with it! So here's a little preview of what we've taken so far of our girl!

She's getting so strong, and we just discovered that she LOVES tummy time...(mostly because she toots the entire time).

My new favorite I think. It's always so hard to really capture what they look like in a picture, but this does a pretty good job!

Her little feet, and they've grown so much already.

And her little profile. So tiny.

Update on the Palmers

Well it's been a little while since I've posted anything. Things up here have been going pretty well. Claire is a little angel, and I'm learning how to function on little to no sleep (not an easy task for a girl who really likes her sleep). We had her blessing this past Sunday, and Michael did such a beautiful job. I was so proud of him. We then had everyone over to my mom and dad's house for a dinner which was really fun. It was our first day really getting out of the house and into the public. I can't even believe how long it took us to get out the door. It was insane. Cyndi made the blessing dress, and I couldn't have been happier with it. And Judy made the blessing blanket. We were so thankful! Claire looked beautiful, and I only hope that more of my girls will be able to wear the dress, though it's not likely they'll be as small as Claire.

Other than that main event, I've been trying to recover. For anyone who doesn't know, I've had mastitis 3 times since Claire was born, and I've been trying to get myself together so that we can function normally. We aren't able to go out as much now because of my care routine, and that's driving us all insane I think. Oh well, what are you going to do? It could be worse.

As for the picture at the top of the page, that's courtesy of Jeffrey. Isn't it beautiful? I just love it, and can't wait to see more of the ones he's taken. I can't wait to get a better camera. Mine just doesn't seem to cut it anymore. Well I'm sure there's more going on, but I can't think of what it is.

Claire's Blessing Day

Claire's first real bath

Here's some more pictures of our girl

Tired people

Well I'm back...sort of. I've got better access to the internet, but getting downstairs to it, is still a challenge I am trying to overcome. I figured though, since I'm my best to fatten Claire up, that I should post some more pictures as evidence. She's growing (at least it seems that way to me) like crazy. I don't want her to grow up, but I am looking forward to the day of a little more sleep. She is serious about getting her food, so she's a very good alarm clock. I used to think that 6 hours of consecutive sleep wasn't that much, but oh how I would LOVE that now. Oh well, one day! I wouldn't trade it though. I love seeing how she calms right down when she knows I'm about to feed her. She'll be patient for me, but not so much for anyone else. She knows her mom and that is the GREATEST feeling in the entire world I think. I just love her so much already. Anyway, I've overstayed my visit to the computer, and now it's time for her to eat, so I'll just leave you with some more pictures. That's all that really matters anyway!

Here are my 2 favorites!
We're all pretty tired
I just LOVE it when she sleeps like this, it's just like her dad, and she wiggles her little arms out of her blanket just so she can do it!

Some more

Daily Life

See, the proof that she sleeps just like her dad. I love it!
And, still some more proof!

A few words from Michael

It's Michael again.

I hope Melinda won't mind me taking just a minute on her blog (yes I've hacked in without her knowing) but I feel compelled to write just a few words today.

Just over a week ago I watched the love of my life endure the most painful experience she's ever faced. Since she was high on laughing gas she didn't have the headspace to call for me as she labored into the morning on the 27th of February. I slept peacefully until about 6:30am. I must have been awakened by angels because moments later she began to feel the profound pain that only you mothers have felt. The baby was coming.

It seemed like an instant later Melinda was in excrutiating pain and the only relief was to push. The hospital staff were insistant on not going forward with an epidural, and even removed the only pain relief she actually had (this was probably the one time in my adult life I wanted to strike a woman). There are no words that can properly describe my own anguish as my wife, and best friend cried out "Help me, please help me." Tears washed down my face as I relized that although I was at her side, she bore the pain unavoidably alone. Seemingly an instant later this beautful, living, breathing baby was in our arms.

This video is a compilation of some of the moments I've captured within the first 3 days of Claire's life, and is a tribute to Melinda and Claire. Thank you to Kandice, who recommended the song, it is perfect for how I know Melinda feels about our daughter.

I have an entirely new respect for all of you mothers who selflessly bare, and nurture your children. You're nothing less than heroes.

It may take quite a while to load, so if you care to see it please be patient.

Finally some pictures!

Sorry this took soooo long. I've been working on it. Michael is also done the full length movie, but it's taking so long to upload that we have to go home before it's done, but trust me, it's worth the wait. Let these tide you over until tomorrow when we get the internet at home! Yay!

More pictures

Claire Cynthia Palmer

I can't believe it's taken me this long to get on here and announce her name. I'm sure by now, most of you had already heard it somewhere else. Sorry for the delay, but we don't really have the internet at the moment (the Shaw guy was coming on the 28th, but we were in the hospital still). Other than that, I've been totally wiped. Anyway, her name is Claire Cynthia (Cynthia after Michael's mom). She was 5 pounds 12 ounces, and just over 3 weeks early. They did all they could to keep my blood pressure down, but it didn't work so last Tuesday, after my regular checkup, my doctor told me I'd won myself a trip to the hospital. I went home to get Michael and my things together just in case we needed to stay for a while. We spent about 12 hours in triage before they could decide what to do. Finally, they decided to induce me. They were going to use a foley (essentially a catheter for your cervix, which helps move everything along). I was more nervous about this than anything else I think. It was supposed to take about 4-6 hours to get me to about a 3 so I could offically be in labour. Well they ruptured my membranes by accident instead, and I was off to my own room for delivery. It seemed like a total palace compared to the cot in triage. They started me on a IV of cyntosomething to get me going at about 1 in the morning. I was fully expecting to labour for a while, get my epidural (as you all know I was fully expecting to do), and then have the baby. Well, instead I progressed was faster than the doctor expected and the next time she came into check me, I was at a 10. They were all so excited that I could just go ahead and have the baby. I had had a shot of morphine (which did NOTHING for pain, but made me totally out of it). I also had the gas which saved me totally! I asked at that point if I could have the epidural now, and they said I didn't need one since I'd done all of the really hard stuff already. Michael tried to argue for me and I tried too while I was totally delirious. They said I should try pushing for 30 min, and if I wasn't progressing, we could do the epidural. Well 37 minutes later Claire was here, and I just given birth without the epidural I had planned on my whole life I think. It wasn't fun, but shockingly better than I had imagined. And, I can now say that my recovery was better without it, and next time I'm insisting right away that I get the epidural. I don't really want to do that again.

She was so beautiful to us right away, and we spent forever trying to pick her name. We picked just before we left the hospital (which I was in for 3 days). We love the name now that it's picked, and she's such a Claire to me. We're now at home and exhausted, and completely in love with our girl. I can't wait to watch her grow. She's so tiny that none of the clothes I had fit her.

Anyway, Michael's got the camera at work and I think he's going to try and post some pictures right away. We have some good ones. Sorry it's taken so long, but once I get my internet hooked up, I'll get a bunch more up. Thank you for all of your wonderful comments. We are so blessed to have so many people who care about us!

Baby Palmer Teaser

Michael here. Melinda will have tons to share about this little bean so be sure to check back soon.

More on this little one to follow

The latest!

Well since my last post I feel like everything has changed. We are now living in my parent's basement, which I have to admit is better than I thought it might be moving back home. We are so grateful to them for letting us live there for a little while, it's a big help. We moved out last Friday, and had a normal weekend (although it was hard for me to move out, and I have to admit, there were some tears). I had my Dr's appointment on Tuesday, and I went in and saw another Dr. who was covering for my regular one. Well she took my blood pressure, and it was high, so we did the rest of the visit, and then she took it again, and it wasn't coming down (I have to admit, I don't even know what the number was that day). It was so high that she was concerned and told me I had to come back the next day to check it, and the following day to see my usual Dr. and check it again. She sent me in for blood work, and gave me strick instructions to go home and do NOTHING. I was to lay down the whole day and relax. I was a little alarmed, but trusted that she knew what she was talking about. So, I went in the next day again, and my blook pressure was now 130/100...super high. So the same thing, go home do nothing and come back tomorrow. So the next day, I saw my regular Dr. and she checked everything, and although my blood pressure had come down (now 120/82), my blook work was not good. She told me to go home and do the same thing, but this time to measure my blood pressure 3-4 times a day, and go right to the hospital if the bottom number was over 90. I asked if I could go to church on Sunday, and she basically told me she didn't think I would make it until Sunday without delivering. So, a little alarmed, I went and redid the blood work and waiting for them to get me in for an ultrasound asap. Well, the blood work came back good this time, and we had the ultrasound on Friday, and all is well, and my blook pressure has stayed down so far, but I'm still taking it very easy. It was a little alarming. I didn't have a singe supply ready, so Lara went and got me all ready. So we have another appointment on Tuesday, and then another ultrasound next week, and if the blood pressure goes back up, I'll most likely be induced next week, and if it stays down, we still have some time.
So that's what I've been doing. I've been on a roller coaster of blood pressure. We'll see what comes of it all, but for right now, I'm glad that things are looking better. I'm not quite ready to do the whole delivery thing I must admit, but if I need to, she looks like she'll be ok to handle it. I'll keep you posted!

Update

I have no new pictures to post, but I figured, writing without pictures is better than no writing at all right? Right now I sit here as I wait for my laundry to finish. I have a few more loads, and I'm hoping to make the most of my time before I go to bed. Michael and I move out of our home tomorrow and in with my mom and dad. I have to admit, I'm very sad to leave my home. I love it. I'll miss it a lot I'm sure, but I'm not not sad to be done moving out of it. I can't even believe how hard it's getting for me to move around. In the past 2 weeks I feel like I've been doing random tasks all the time. We have painted another room, packed up everything we need to live with, and now I'm doing the last of the packing and cleaning everything up. It's so much harder to clean the floor than ever before I have to admit. I've had to do it over such a long time because if I do too much, but stomach just becomes one big contraction, and it's not that comfortable I have to admit. I just keep telling myself that after tomorrow, I can relax, and prepare for this girl to arrive.

I'm now down to 5 weeks to go, and after next week, I start going to the doctor every week until she's here. I cannot even stand how excited I am to meet this girl. Labour terrifies me, but I try to think of the end result, and take comfort in the fact that I don't have to do it all on my own. I'm for sure not the kind of girl who will forego drugs. I mean, I wouldn't go to get a filling done on my tooth without freezing. And, who am I kidding, I'm a wimp. I just hope all goes well, and according to plan for me.

We still don't know a lot of details about moving, and it's driving me a little crazy. I'm just rolling with it though, and as soon as I have more details, I'll be sure to fill you in. I sure have settled down about planning things since I've been married. For those of you who knew me well before I was married, you'd be amazed at how well I can just wait patiently. It's shocking!

Anyhoo, I'm now going to finish another load, and get into bed. Tomorrow is a busy and tiring day for me, as usual.