The Palmer Tale

Maren June Palmer

2-25-2015

Dear Maren,

You are one week old today, which also happens to be your big sister Kanyin’s birthday as well. I am sure you two will grow up to be great friends.

One week ago, your Dad and I got up early to head to the hospital to be induced to have you. I did not really sleep the night before anticipating what the next day would be like. Kanyin was such a big baby, that we were worried that you would be really big as well so decided to get induced. We were the only ones at the hospital having a baby the whole time we were there. It was kind of nice having all the attention. We had a great nurse named Gail, who was so funny and outgoing and made me feel like it was no big deal having a baby. After a few hours, they started Pitocin and I got my epidural as well. Things were progressing slowly at first and then around noon or so I started feeling quite a bit of pain. My epidural wasn’t working very well on my right side and you also turned and were now sunny side up, which was pretty painful! Eventually you turned back and at around 3pm you were born! Doctor Pevoto let your Dad deliver you, which was exciting. You came out a very dark purple and when they layed you on me, instead of feeling excited for what just happened, I was very nervous if my new baby was okay. I had you for just a minute before they took you away and started you on oxygen. After about thirty minutes on the oxygen, you were still pretty purple and your numbers weren’t rising very well. They then pumped fluids out of your stomach and did a chest x-ray to make sure your lungs were developed. Another 15 minutes passed and you were now pink and breathing well. It was an emotional time for me when your dad walked back in the room with you and you looked good and pink, and were ready to cuddle. I was overcome with love for you and we had an instant bond. You weighed 7lbs 7oz and 21inches long! Long and skinny.

It is so hard to describe the instant love we felt for you. What a precious soul you are and we are so blessed to have you. For the next few hours we just stared at you and talked about what we should name you. We eventually decided on Maren June, which is a family name and a character from one of your Dad’s favorite movies Braveheart(:

That night, Jaca, Meysa and Kanyin came to the hospital to meet you. Kanyin has been talking for weeks now about coming to the hospital when baby sister is born. She was so so excited to see you! She kept saying “oohhh look her cute toes etc.” I hope you two will grow up to be good friends that love each other.

Of course in the hospital you don’t really sleep much, so we were excited to go home the next afternoon. You are a very sleepy baby. It takes a lot to wake you up and keep you awake while you nurse. When you are awake, you are calm and content, looking around at your surroundings. You are sleeping pretty well at night. You wake up about every three hours to eat. Once again, it is very hard to keep you awake for those feedings, so it takes a long time, which means not much sleep for me. That is how it goes, and I know this time will pass by so fast, so I am enjoying every minute I have with you whether it’s in the middle of the day or 3am.

I thank Heavenly Father every day for you and that you are here and healthy and that he trusts me to be your mom.

I love you!

Mom

p.s. Well mom already told you most of the story of your birth, but she left out a few details that I will try to include. Besides being dark purple when you came out, you also had a head full of dark hair! Kanyin had quite a bit too, but you definitely beat her on that. When your hair dried it stuck straight up almost into a perfect mohawk and hasn't come down since! We listened to the Braveheart soundtrack in the hospital in honor of your namesake (that is where I got the idea for Maren, it was just confirmed when we saw it was a family name).

Your cousin Tanner returned home from his mission to South Africa that day, and his flight was delayed so he actually landed in Salt Lake about the same time that you were born! You'll like Tanner, he's a good egg. You are grandbaby #50 for your Grandma Davis and for Grandpa Palmer, how cool is that! You must be pretty special. We love you to pieces. You have the most peaceful face when your asleep and you're always hungry, and I can't wait for all the fun ahead. We like to party so you better be ready!

Love Dad

Headed to the hospital!

Shawn got to deliver baby Maren. What a cool experience!

I don't think she is to excited to be in this world :)

I love Kanyin's hands in this picture. She is ready to hold that baby!

Grandma "Jaca" and Meysa spoiled Kanyin while we were away. Including her first cross country skiing trip!

Grandpa "Bepa" came the next morning to meet Maren

Time to go home!

Kanyin is THREE!!!

2-25-2015

Dear Kanyin,

Today you turn three years old! You are currently taking a nap along with your baby sister, so I a want to write you a letter. You have been so excited for your birthday. You will tell strangers in the store that your birthday is “next week” even if it was a month away. There is a heart drawn on the calendar on the 25^th so you know which day it is. It is very common for you to drag us to that calendar and say “See!! My birthday!” and point to that day. We are now living in Delta, CO and living with Jaca, Bepa and Meysa, while we try and find a house. Your baby sister Maren was born one week ago, so we are going to have a small little birthday party for you tonight when everyone gets home.

You continue to be a spunky, fun, energetic and sometimes a stubborn little girl. Your Dad and I often talk about how you like to disagree with us. For example, going to bed is something you do not like to do and it has been a fight lately to get you to lie down without you being really upset. Something else you have been very stubborn about is potty training. Pooping in the potty is just not an option for you right now. You really want nothing to do with it! You will hold it for days, and then poop in your diaper in the middle of the night and we have to go in and change you. Hopefully one of these days, you will have a desire to poop in the potty, hopefully before kindergarten J. Even though you can be stubborn, you have a very soft loving heart. Since baby sister has been home, you have been very concerned about her when she cries. You don’t like me to change her diaper because you know it will make her cry. Sometimes out of nowhere, you will come up to me, give me a hug and say “ love you Mom.”

You have a great imagination, which usually involves tigers somehow. You love to play as long as someone will play with you. Hide and go seek is a favorite, along with wrestling and dancing with Dad. You are always up for watching a show. Dora is STILL the favorite, along with Disney princess movies. You are very much a girly girl. If I let you, you would wear a dress every day, and you always notice other peoples nails if they are painted. You usually grab their hand and say “Wow! Pretty!”

You have become a brave girl lately. Up till now, you have not been much of a dare devil. Lately you love to climb. If there is a climbing wall at a park, you are determined to make it to the top on your own. We went sledding and you loved it! You also recently with cross country skiing with Jaca and Meysa. Jaca pulled you on the sled, and wanted her to go faster. I think she got a pretty good workout that day.

It is hard to believe it has already been three years since you were born. I can’t imagine life without you and I hope you know that your Dad and I love you very much and always will. You are our little Kan Kan) and bring so much life and excitement into our home.

Love, Your Mom

Kanyin got her "Let it Go" dress

Jaca "grandma" got her some cross country skis! Guess what they are doing on Saturday??

This girl has been SOOOOO excited for her birthday

Belly Pictures

Like most first time mom's I have quite a few pictures of my belly when I was pregnant with Kanyin. Not so much with #2 and I feel bad already. My mom was kind enough to take a few pictures for us, so we have proof to show this little girl down the road that I really was pregnant with her. I was about 37 weeks along when we took these.

Life is about to Change...

"Patience is a virtue" has been my modo for the last while. My due date is in two days, but I have been very ready for this baby to arrive! I am trying to be patient and enjoy this time growing a little one and feeling her kick and move. What a miracle it is and a huge blessing to be able to bring her into this world.

We have been trying to buy a house for months and finally, we just bought a house last week!!! YAy!! It has been a long process of looking and looking and we finally found one that will work after five months of looking and trying to get a house. It is a smaller 50's home, so there will be much work to be done, but we are excited to do that work and learn how to be handy haha...maybe. Shawn has been reading his "Do it Yourself" book, so I have full confidence in him :) We still have to get an inspection done etc, but hopefully by the end of March, we will move in. I am so grateful to my parents for letting us stay with them for so long. I have been blessed with a great family that is patient with us and helpful. I am excited to move all of our stuff in and get unpacked. When we moved all our stuff into my parents shop, I put all the baby boxes at the bottom of the piles of boxes and in the back, cause I thought for sure we would be in a house by the time baby arrived. Alas, it was fun watching Shawn digging through the piles of boxes, trying to find all those necessities that come with a baby.

I have been really trying to enjoy my last few days with just Kanyin. We have had three years with just her and so it is weird to think that there will be another little girl that I will love just as much as her. Kanyin knows it's coming and is very excited for baby sister to come. She always sings to her, plays peek a boo with my belly and gives my belly hugs. I know it is going to be an adjustment at the same time, but she will be a great little helper.

Here are some recent pictures of what we have been up to

We love taking walks at the near by park

These two could throw rocks in the river and look for ducks all day! Whenever we go for walks, Kanyin wears her "hiking hat"

Meysa got her ears pierced over Christmas break! She is going to look good with those earrings.

It has been such a warm winter, but the few times it has snowed, Kanyin is out the door playing.

Kanyin's new favorite thing, is a ham and cheese sandwich. If I let her she would eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Kanyin is into getting dressed herself these days

Picking up our bountiful baskets

The end of 2014

2014 is almost over!! Here are a few random pictures of our adventures lately. We are still waiting on finding a house to buy here in Delta, and are so grateful to my parents for letting us stay with them. Hopefully soon, we will be home owners, but until then we will enjoy being here. Kanyin loves the attention and just wants to play all the time. She really is such a cute but spunky girl. She has to wear a dress everyday, potty training is not her thing, she loves the cats, snow and fruit snacks. Shawn is loving his job as a Physician Assistant. He works with great people, which always makes things much better. I am just getting ready to be done with being pregnant. Only five more weeks till this new little girl joins our family. We are super excited, nervous etc etc.

Kanyin loves doing "Jaca's" nails

In celebration of Shawn passing his boards, we took a little day trip to Colorado National Monument. So so pretty

For awhile, Kanyin loved to set up her train and read books while the train went around and around and around etc etc.

We went to Laramie WY for Thanksgiving this year, where Shawn's sister and her family live. Another one of his brothers came with his family as well. This is a picture of Stillman and Shawn