Let the Potty Training Begin!

Just a quick note to say that I am absolutely so proud of my little boy for going tinkle in the potty chair today! The first two times he sat on it, he just wanted to read and play...but the third time's a charm! He woke up from his nap dry, so we gave it another try, and ta da! It's a proud day in the Palmer house! :) Way to go, big boy! :)

February (so far)

February has been quite a busy month already! After the nightmarish 15 month check up, Evan got to spend the weekend with Grandpa and Grandma Palmer while Mommy and Daddy took the youth group kids on the winter retreat. On our way home, we got to visit with Aunt Shana and Bethany and Lily. Two visits in three weeks! What a treat!!

Valentine's Day week was busy for Daddy, so we cooked in and watched a couple of movies together. (We highly recommend the new Cusak movie--The Martian Child. It's fantastic!) Evan thought he was pretty hot stuff because he got to help mommy cook the ground turkey for daddy's favorite--Mexican Mounds (also known as taco salad or supreme nachos, depending on how you top it...)

Evan has been learning how to be a big help for mommy around the house this month. He's been sweeping the floors and helping mommy vacuum...he likes to turn his lights off, he helps pick up his toys at night, and he helps mommy transfer the laundry from basket to washer and washer to dryer. And he's feeding himself with a fork and spoon! He's still a little sloppy, but I must say we're impressed with his mad eating skills! :) And he can crawl up and down the steps by himself so Mommy doesn't have to carry him anymore. Now on to potty training...

Evan has also started answering questions better this month.
Evan, what sound does a car make? Vroom! Vroom! (he'll even say this anytime he sees a car on tv or on the road!)
Evan, what sound does a cow make? Mmmmm (we're still working on the ...ooo)
Evan, what sound does a sheep make? ba ba ba ba
Evan, what sound does a lion make? RAAAAR!
Evan, what sound does a horse make? (he can't figure out the "neigh" part yet...but he likes to imitate my head motions when I say it!)

Enjoy the February pictures!

February (so far)

Winter Retreat 2008

Feb 8-10 Jon and I took 14 youth on their first Winter Retreat to Camp Omega in southern MN. Despite all odds (no offense to those of you who may have worked there previously), the kids managed to have a great time. Let's just say it was kind of hard to "Be still and know I am God" when you have "musical elephants" (also known as loud and wild 6th graders) prancing around on the floor above you...did I mention that the floor amplified every step? But that was merely the icing on the cake...Anyway, I digress. The theme of the retreat was "I AM" based on the study about having a relationship with an invisible God put out by bluefishtv.com. (It's an awesome resource for relevant videos, all you church workers out there!). There were four main group sessions, each with their own small group discussions, we had lots of fun and crazy ice breakers and games, we enjoyed tubing (thankfully right before the temps dropped to 40 below zero wind chill factor!), and we had awesome worship! Enjoy the pictures from our fun excursion (and our 2nd away trip from Evan...we're getting good at those! :) ) And take special notice of the pictures of my frozen hair...Oh, Spring! Come soon!! Enjoy! :)

Winter Retreat 2008

15 Month Check-Up Review

Today Evan had his 15 month check up (yes...I know he's 16 months old tomorrow...). After hardly eating anything for the last three days, he weighs 26 pounds 7 ounces (70th percentile), he's 32.25 inches tall (73rd percentile), and his head is 19.25 inches in circumference (87th percentile). (Did I mention that he has had nasty diarrhea with projectile vomiting for the last three days? Thanks a lot, flu shot!)

So I've always been very happy with the entire staff of the office where we take Evan. We've always been able to get last minute appointments, we've always been able to talk to a nurse or a doctor, and we've never had to wait more than 5 minutes to get in. Today was different. It was a last minute appointment (because I totally forgot about it! oops!) so we saw someone we've never seen before. For the third time with three different doctors in this office, I have been given VERY different instructions for Evan's ezcima. She practically scolded me for doing the things the last doctor told me to do. GRR! You'd think that doctors in one office would get it together to give out the same message...or at least take better notes on what they are telling patients to do! Well, that I could handle at least. I'm not sure how much of her "advice" I'll listen to, but that was at least manageable. Things got much worse, however, while she was examining Evan and discovered that his foreskin had started growing over the "mushroom head" (her words, not mine!). She tells us now is a good time to get it fixed "since the skin is so thin." So what does she do? She rips it off right in front of us! No warning, no brief second to tell me to hod Evan tight. Nothing. I just couldn't do anything but drop my mouth open while my poor baby screamed bloody murder. And then, since she didn't have everything she needed when she started this "procedure" she had to do it again to put vasaline on it! AHH!! I will NEVER go to see her again! And by the way, why did no one else ever catch that something wasn't right all the other times he's been there since he was 8 months old?! GRR!

I digress.

Thankfully, other than being sore and still having diarrhea, Evan is back to his normal chipper self. The doctor was very pleased that he is doing a lot more than most 15 month old kids. (Except pointing out noses, eyes, ears, and the like. He enjoys our games, but just doesn't get into it...hmm...). And for no more projectile vomiting, I am eternally grateful! :)

Evan's Words

Evan has really started talking in the last couple of weeks! It's so amazing to watch him listen to what Mommy and Daddy are saying and then try to sound it out for himself. I think this is truly one of my favorite moments in parenting! Here's what he's saying:

• crash! (he likes to play with his trucks!)
• color (he loves to draw!)
• yellow (although he only says it after me...he doesn't realize which one is yellow yet)
• tickle, tickle, tickle! (he's been saying this one for a while now...and he knows when he's being tickled and when he wants to tickle other people)
• yes! (hallelujah--he doesn't know "no" yet!)
• bad dog! (he's been hearing that one a lot recently with our potty training efforts...)
• kitty (he's fascinated with petting their soft fur, but often has to be reminded to be gentle!)
• ma ma
• dad dad
• pa pa (for grandpa)
• this (when he's pointing to something)

On a funny note, the other day as we were getting ready to leave for Bethany's house, I accidentally pulled his hat down over his eyes, and I could have sworn I heard him say, "I can't see!" But wow, that would be pretty amazing, and he hasn't said anything like that since... :)

He has also started shaking his head "yes" and "no" to let us know what he does or doesn't want. It's so awesome to have decent communication with him! I just wish he could tell me when he doesn't feel good--we've been cleaning up "both-ends disease" for the last three days. Yuck!