Palmer Family Gazette

NYC trip

2012-01-08T22:49:00.005-05:00

Starting the visit to NYC at Grand Central Station

A stop at the office......and the requisite Blak & White cookie to cap it off.

Oregon Ducks' good luck charm

2012-01-06T00:43:00.003-05:00

She could be the reason the Rose Bowl crown lives in Eugene for the first time in nearly a decade.
Well done, Riley. Well done.

Oh Christmas tree...

2012-01-04T23:34:00.006-05:00

First you cut.

Then you decorate......and enjoy

A New Arrival...

2011-11-09T10:09:00.006-05:00

Please help us welcome little RILEY MAY PALMER into the world!!!
She's been here since 12:52am on Tuesday morning and has been lighting up the Labor & Delivery wing ever since. Our sweet little one even had time to give her big bro a nice present when he came to the hospital for his first visit.

Riley weighed 7lbs and 1oz. and measured to be 20". She's a wee little one, but she's carrying a solid appetite with her. We don't expect that she'll be this tiny too long. She's also been quite boisterous and didn't stop making noise from delivery until the inaugural feeding time. She probably got that from her father.

Mom is doing great, too! After setting a "PR" (personal record) in the delivery room, Emilie has been recovering nicely and getting some well-deserved rest. Truly a job well-done! And now she reaps the benefits while holding our beautiful daughter. Awesome.

We're FAMOUS... not really

2011-08-30T09:44:00.002-04:00

Our good buddy, Michel, wanted to make a spec ad for grocer/delivery chain Fresh Direct. The spot we created is not for air, but once this cute little monkey on the slide goes viral perhaps our ad, staring the Palmers, will make it to prime time.

Park from Michel Rothschild on Vimeo.

Summer Vacation

2011-08-29T21:39:00.003-04:00

Untitled from Adam Palmer on Vimeo.

...and then there were FOUR

2011-06-17T09:50:00.004-04:00

IT'S A......

We have exciting new news to share this morning. Palmer family is expecting a little baby GIRL and we couldn't be happier. The Chinese Calendar was right again.

Day with Thomas the Train

2011-05-22T21:36:00.009-04:00

This was quite a day for Kellen. As some of you might know, little boys LOVE trains and Kellen is no exception. One of his favorite characters is Thomas the Train. He has the trains, toys, and loves to watch Thomas on TV. Today, we drove up to Essex, CT where Kellen and his 3 friends got to ride on "Thomas the Train", go on a few carnival rides, and, to top it all off, K received a "Junior Engineer" certificate. The highlight for Kellen was probably the roller coaster ride. He wanted to go on it so bad, he had a tough time understanding why he had to wait in line for his turn, and when the ride was over, didn't want to get off. We just couldn't get over how old he looked on those rides...such a big boy!

EXTREME Biker!

2011-04-05T10:31:00.004-04:00

Check out our lil buddy learning the ins-and-outs of bicycle riding, with patient tutorial from Mom. Kellen's first whip is a present from Nana and he loves it. He got on this weekend for his maiden voyage shortly after Dad assembled (thank you very much, naysayers). We'll be looking to remove these training wheels in no time!

Maple Row Part II

2011-01-07T13:02:00.009-05:00

We had so much fun getting our tree, we decided to join my Mom the following weekend and help her find her "perfect" tree. It was another fun day and another great photo op!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2011-01-07T12:40:00.006-05:00

This Christmas, we decided it was time to cut down our tree and make a day out of it. My Dad was in town for a visit and Kellen was certainly getting into the spirit of Christmas. We got in the car and had a beautiful drive through the CT countryside and arrived at Maple Row Tree Farm. Our journey included a tractor hay ride, some homemade cider (spiked, of course) and donuts, lots of picture taking, and a short hike through the trees to find the perfect one. It was a success! We found our tree and had a lot of fun!

K's Birthday Part 2

2010-10-12T13:22:00.005-04:00

We celebrated Kellen's birthday a few days early, so when the actual day rolled around, we decided to have a little ice cream party with two of Kellen's friends, Gavin and Olivia (or as Kellen calls her, ee-ya). Kellen LOVED his strawberry ice cream cone and is still talking today about his "special treat".

These are pics of Kellen enjoying one of his birthday presents from mom and dad, a wagon! This wagon has it all- cup holder, compartment for his toys, and a seat belt! Certainly not like how they used to make 'em! (or so I am told)

Deuces WILD

2010-10-03T14:42:00.019-04:00

We celebrated Mr. Kellen's 2nd Birthday with family this weekend and lucked out with some beautiful weather. Em and I got the festivities started by making limited edition birthday tee-shirts to commemorate the day. Kellen got his own special tee, which elicited a couple 'happy birthday!''s from strangers.
We packed a cooler with lunches, drinks and some treats (animal crackers are awesome!) and headed to the Bronx Zoo for the day. Kellen enjoyed seeing all the animals with one minor exception: the sea lion got a little too close for his comfort.
Our perfect day was topped off with BBQ, cake and presents back at our house. We did some really good eating for dinner (to be expected!) and Emilie stayed up late with Zach, Jill and me (not going to bed until 11 o'clock!!!). Kellen now has a nice set of wheels in the new wagon his Mom and Dad got him. It'll be perfect for some pumpkin picking in the next week.

The (little) Man of Many Talents

2010-07-13T13:45:00.003-04:00

And because I am on a roll, I wanted to share some of K's new "talents". He does make his Mommy and Daddy so proud:)

1. Loves to high five. Also loves the "foot five" which we created in the car when he is in his seat and he can't reach our hand. The high five isn't just saved for people, he also likes to high five stuffed animals and Hazel (the dog).
2. Says "bless you" when someone sneezes (or his version of bless you)
3. When Adam is at work and I put K on the phone, he either says "choo choo" or "shower" which, I am guessing, are the two things that come to mind when he hears Adam's voice.
4. Does all of the animal noises. My favorites are his version of "cock-a-doodle-doo" and when he snorts to make a pig sound.
5. Obsessed with flushing the toliet...sorry to all those water conservationists.
6. Plays peek a boo non stop, even when no one is looking.
7. Likes to find garbage and either throws it out in the garbage can, or says "ewwww" and hands it to me to throw out.

More to come...

Vacation Part 2

2010-07-13T13:07:00.017-04:00

Some pics from our trip to Bend. We enjoyed a beautiful hike up Iron Mountain...brought Hazel (the dog), but left K at home. We also enjoyed a bike ride at Sunriver, a float down the Deschutes River, lots of amazing meals, and most importantly, the sun!

This was our trip to Oceanside, Or with our friends from college and their little ones. Had fun catching up, playing on the beach, taking a tour of Tillamook Cheese factory, and watching the kids play together...wish we could see each other more often!

And of course, the impetus for our trip was Dave's retirement from the Oregonian...45 years! We had a lot of fun surprising him and getting to meet all of his co-workers at his retirement party. Portland was all about spending time with friends, family and EATING! We certainly miss all of the good food (and beer) that Portland has to offer.

Vacation Part 1

2010-07-13T12:47:00.010-04:00

As you probably have noticed, I am not the best blogger. I try my best to keep you all up to date on our little guy, but I obviously need to do a better job! Kellen is changing everyday. He is talking up a storm, running all over the place, and occasionally showing some signs of the oh so lovely two year old behavior ( and considering he is only 21 months, I am not sure what that is all about) I knew he was advanced, but I was hoping not in that way!

Here are some pics from our trip down to Florida. We had a great time visiting family and enjoying all of the beach/pool time. K loved his time with his cousins, Aunt and Uncle, and his Mimi and "Pop-pop". He also got a little spoiled with his 1st ice cream sundae! We then spent a few days in Key Largo with Adam while he was working...K and I had no problem tagging along for that part of the trip!

The three cousins!

2010-03-22T20:09:00.008-04:00

As soon as we got home from our trip out to the left side of the coast, we were greeted by Ben, Nicole, Alex, and Mikey. Ben was taking his first official "business trip" to do some work on both our house and Mom's house. It was the best of both worlds because we got to spend time with family and also get some excellent work done on our house. Ben was able to put new flooring in our kitchen and take the wall down between our family room and kitchen, to make one nice BIG room. We are very satisfied customers and already have plans for his next trip out!

February trip to Oregon

2010-03-22T19:50:00.012-04:00

We had quite a trip out to Oregon this February. As you can see from the pictures, we were able to enjoy both the winter weather, and the gift of some really nice spring weather. Among all of the time we were able to spend time with friends and family, we also went downhill skiing, cross county skiing, snow shoeing, and hiking. Kellen was able to join us on the last two activities and was quite a sport! He definitely loved being outdoors. Kellen also grew a very strong attachment to my Dad's dog, Hazel. In fact, Kellen has now added 'doggie' and 'woof woof' to his vocabulary.

New House in Fairfield, CT

2010-01-28T10:57:00.015-05:00

The day of the closing, we got right in the house and started to paint. Our goal was to get the master and the kitchen done by the move day, which happened to be the next day. By midnight, we were finished and exhausted! Definitely happy we did it though!

Random pic, but too cute to pass up. This was taken on New Years Day for the Rose bowl. Kellen was all ready for game day...sorry the Ducks were not:(

Dining Room

Downstairs hallway

Kitchen in its "before" color. It is now painted in a pretty blue they call "ocean mist"

Adam strutting through our new house

Living Room

Family Room...some people aren't too fond of this purple, but we love it!

Yes, there is a telephone in the bathroom and no, we will not be calling anyone from it.

Master Bedroom also in its before color. We decided on the color "twilight" which is a greyish/purple.

Upstairs Hallway

New House + Snow = FUN!

2010-01-28T10:32:00.004-05:00

We have officially been in our new house for 6 days! Luckily we did not have snow on our move day, but as you can see in the pictures, are certainly enjoying the beauty of it now. We had a lot of help from friends and family which made the move go very smoothly (definitely helps having a mover in the family...thanks Uncle Bill). While there are still many boxes to unpack, we already feel like its our home. With home ownership, we do have a lot of new responsibilities, but we are ready for it all! Already fixed the garbage disposal...now if we could just figure out how to work the thermostat!

1st OFFICIAL haircut!

2009-12-17T15:17:00.006-05:00

We knew it was time for Kellen's 1st official haircut when we started to notice a ducktail growing in the back. I say "official" because I don't think we can count the time I trimmed the hair behind his ears with dog scissors.

We decided to take Kellen to Sharky's in Westport, CT. As Kellen sat in a John Deere tractor, watching Yo Gabba Gabba! on the television, the hairdresser went to work. Besides making a few funny faces, Kellen was a good sport (and had plenty of distraction) to make the experience completely painless, and actually fun. We even got a certificate that included a pic of his new do and a lock of his hair for his baby book. I can hear my mom now..."they certainly didn't have that when YOU guys were kids".

Halloween sans CANDY!?!

2009-11-07T09:36:00.007-05:00

Kudos to Kellen for picking the perfect pumpkin from the patch and braving the hay-ride lines at Blue Jay Orchard in Bethel, CT. We picked a wonderful, though brisk, fall day to venture out which included many cider doughnuts.

No candy on Halloween for Kellen, but that really didn't seem to bother him while he boogied in his Lobster costume on All Hallows Eve with some of his best pals (including a bumble bee, a ballerina, a puppy dog and a legion of Disney characters)

KDP's 1st Birthday!

2009-10-09T22:47:00.006-04:00

We are still trying to figure out how Kellen is now 1 year old! The year went by so fast, and yet, it feels like forever ago when we were in the hospital welcoming the lil' man into this world. We had a very nice little party commemorating Kellen's 1st year. There was cake (hand-crafted by Adam), decorations. presents, a little bocci playing, and some champagne (for the adults of course) to celebrate the very momentous occasion! Simple, but perfect!

Apple picking with the fam

2009-10-09T22:29:00.009-04:00

It would not be fall in New England without a trip, or two, to the farm for some apple picking. We were fortunate enough to share it with family on both trips. As you can see, there were some great photo ops and we took advantage of them all!

Summer Pics Uncensored!

2009-09-28T08:22:00.008-04:00

What a Do!

2009-09-28T08:12:00.007-04:00

These pics were taken right after Kellen got up from his nap. As you can see from his big smile, he is one well-rested baby. He is also showing off the fact that he finally has enough hair to illicit "bed-head"!

Stepping-Up his Game

2009-09-28T07:40:00.005-04:00

After some 11 + mos of training, Kellen has brought his skills as a walking man to our attention. Please note that no infants were hurt during filming (those are cries of joy).

Soooooo BIG!

2009-08-31T21:05:00.007-04:00

This is what folks in hip-hop refer to as 'call and response', as in; when I say 'so', ya'll say 'big'...
Kellen's getting a bit of a lesson here, which he obviously passes with flying colors. Next up, Kellen learns how to hype-up a crowd.

Trip to Wisconsin

2009-08-07T09:06:00.007-04:00

In June, Kellen got to spend time with his Uncle Ben, Aunt Nicole and cousin Alex. He also got to meet his new cousin Mikey, who was born on January 1st. They all got along very well and we look forward to watching them grow up together!

The many talents of Kellen!

2009-08-05T22:04:00.011-04:00

It has been a very busy July for Kellen (aka KDP, buddy, little man, oosh...the list goes on). As you can see from the pictures, he has really expanded his talents. Kellen is now eating eggs, making messes, going for boat rides, fishing, swimming (more like floating), opening cabinets, riding in a bike trailer (not his favorite past time), digging in the sand and overall just looking cute!

Summertime!

2009-06-17T22:31:00.007-04:00

What can I say...the sunglasses were an impulse buy and worth every penny!

The Fenway Franks...and lil' frank!

2009-06-17T21:04:00.007-04:00

Recently, Adam, Kellen and I went to Oregon to visit our very missed family and friends. Our inspiration for the May trip was the Pole, Pedal, Paddle, which is a relay race that takes place in Bend. We each had one leg to complete in the race. After a lot of disputing, it was finally decided who would complete each part of the race. It started with downhill skiing (Zach), followed by cross-country skiing (Dad), a 20 mile bike ride (Jill), 10k run (Me), kayaking (Diane), and Adam finished it off with a sprint. Kellen was our official mascot, which Adam, in all his creative genius, gave the name "Bay-B" (which of course is for Jason Bay AKA "The Yankee Killer"). Overall, a really fun event that will hopefully become a tradition in the Channing/Palmer household!

Kellen's 1st Car

2009-04-14T22:34:00.003-04:00

Kellen is getting accustomed to his new toy, which happens to also be a car. I am not sure what to make of all the grunting, but you can tell he is focused and just a little overstimulated with all there is to look at. The footage is a little less than a minute, which is about all the time he is interested in spending in it for now.

Baby A-Go-Go

2009-04-14T21:54:00.016-04:00

Whether it by train, plane, or automobile, we are taking full advantage of traveling with Kellen while we can. The latest trips include a vacation down to Florida to visit relatives including Kellen's Great grandparents, a few trips into NYC, and a trip to Boston to visit KDP's Uncle Zach. I have to say, Kellen makes a great travel buddy!

2009-04-14T21:18:00.002-04:00

We received a video camera for Christmas (thanks Dave and Jan) and finally got some video downloaded on the computer. Here is some footage from Easter weekend of Kellen hanging out with his Uncle Zach...notice Zach's big grin because it takes him a few seconds to realize he is being video taped and not photographed (He was trained by the best...thanks Mimi).

Big Smiles!

2009-02-16T21:03:00.004-05:00

While Kellen laughs (hysterically), and smiles nonstop,
getting a picture of him doing so is a real feat. It took some time, including some very off key singing by his mom, to get this one. This picture is definitely worth the time and effort put in...don't you just want to squeeze him!

He keeps on growing!

2009-02-16T20:59:00.003-05:00

Month 4! 14 lbs 8 oz, 26 1/2 inches...and already showing good manners!

Mmmmmmm!!

2009-02-16T20:18:00.004-05:00

To all our faithful blog followers who are sick and tired of seeing the same picture of Kellen( I won't name names...Laurel and Ushma), I, Emilie, have taken it upon myself to post one of the latest pics of our little guy. While this may not be the cutest one, more to follow, this does demonstrate how Kellen feels about our latest venture....rice cereal. While we are not expecting him to say "yummy", for many reasons, we are hoping that he will soon learn to at least swallow.

Obligatory Pumpkin Pic

2008-11-05T19:07:00.012-05:00

Granted, it's too early still to bring Kellen out into public areas (unless he wears his plastic bubble); however, with Gram & Grandpa leading the charge, we threw caution into the wind to take in a gorgeous day at the pumpkin patch to celebrate All Hallow's Eve. Kellen was mostly unimpressed by the excursion and slept the entire time. But comparing one's child to the smallest pumpkins in the patch was entertainment enough for Emilie and me. Gram & Grandpa Palmer had a nice visit back east to meet their Grandson in October. I've got more pictures of Grandpa holding Kellen than I know what to do with. Thanks for the visit, Mom and Dad. Kellen misses you guys; he told me so.
We are currently discussing who Kellen most resembles: his mother or his father. Since our folks all dusted-off the old albums for the newborn pics, we haven't been able to decipher who's got the dominant set of genes. Only thing we can do here is take it to a vote. Here's a quick look at the candidates. Provided I don't stuff the ballot box (which I will), I think Emilie has a good shot at it. Cast your votes to the right.

EMILIE

ADAM

8 Pounds & Counting...

2008-10-21T18:07:00.015-04:00

Hello friends and family ~
Our little Kellen has carb-loaded his way to the 8 lb. mark (7lb 15oz - close enough); a great sign for a healthy beefcake-in-training. Certainly the bench press and protein shakes are just around the bend. In addition to the weight gain, Kellen's also grown an inch-and-a-quarter since birth. The pediatricians' all refer to this measurement as the baby's 'length', as opposed to the vertical term for us upright folk. Since I'm not an M.D. I'll definitely say that Kellen is 21 3/4 " tall.

Emilie is busy competing for the Tri-State area's Most Pro-Active Mother by demanding a cure for newborn hiccups. Bonding with the child has reached a new level now that the rotting remains of the umbilical cord fell off this morning. Efforts were made to preserve the piece (perhaps for the scrapbook?!), but Em practiced her maternal-tone and pleaded to have me "throw that away and wash your hands".

The most bizarre baby-accessory to this point has to be the scratch-proof mittens that keep newborns from tearing up their cheeks. These are necessary, as I've learned. All newborns have the tendency to inflict nasty marks on themselves. To help remedy, Emilie has taken up the habit of using an emory board on Kellen's fingernails nightly.

But it's not all mittens & manicures around the house; we've added another member to Red Sox Nation. Kellen was able to catch a little bit of every game in the ALCS since coming home from the hospital, including the awesome Game 5 come back with me. More than a few tears were shed at the conclusion of Sunday's Game 7 against the Rays. Can't dwell on the end of the baseball season, since our beloved Blazers will pick-up the torch shortly. We're still in the market for a Trail Blazers' one-zee for the little man. If you have a good lead on a Joel Przybilla away jersey in a size 0-3 months, please let me know.

Top Marks of Health

2008-10-13T21:36:00.003-04:00

Kellen David Palmer was given a clean bill of health, doctors said Monday morning in Norwalk, CT. The weight gain is upon us, and Kellen has been slowly getting back to birth weight. He measured-in at 6lbs. 13ounces at the pediatricians' today. Still a wee little lad, but he and his mommy are having some marathon feedings to combat that, especially since he's got a wardrobe full of the cutest outfits that are way too big.

Last night also marked the inaugural bath for Kellen ('cause all kids love those). No babies were harmed in the combing of these locks.

Pee on Daddy tracker: 3 times. The latest occurrence was at the pediatricians today. Thanks, kiddo!

Diaper changes by Mom tracker: 1. She plays the sympathy card like a pro.

All this new found excitement in the house, yet Emilie somehow found time to give a dude a proper Birthday Brunch with a side of mimosas. Em, you rule! Now can I please remove the paper crown? I feel like a dork.

Kellen's first outdoor Adventure

2008-10-10T18:20:00.008-04:00

Baby Kellen is now home with Em and I, ready to terrorize the neighborhood. We had a very nice trip from the hospital yesterday and introduced the little peanut to his home. Nana (Stephanie) came by to make sure everyone was rested and fed ~ Thanks Nana!

Kellen is doing very well; a lot of crying, feeding, burping and sleeping, etc. He did enjoy his first Red Sox game last night, and didn't object to Em and I watching, too. We're taking him for his first stroll later this morning, since the weather is gorgeous outside. Emilie and I are prepared to swat-away any walking petri dishes that want to pinch Kellen's cheeks.

All harnessed in and ready for his first ride .

Down for a nap.

Wee little man

Mom and Kellen get ready to leave the Hospital on Friday afternoon.

It's a Done Deal

2008-10-09T11:00:00.007-04:00

Kellen David Palmer; DOB 10/08/08.
Our little man finally arrived last night and is just as healthy and happy as we could
hope. hgt = 20.5 in. wgt = 7lbs 6oz. I was previously unaware that newborns were given Lo-Jack for their hospital stay. Kellen has an alarm attached to umbilical cord that's about the size of a walnut. I figure if it lights up and vibrates, our table at the Olive Garden is ready.

Emilie is doing well, too! Thanks to all for the well-wishes. Em and I can't begin to describe how thankful we are.

Soooooo Close!!!

2008-10-08T17:43:00.006-04:00

Our valet directed us to the VIP parking spot when we pulled-up today at 2pm (est).

Maternity Ward is the place to be tonight! We got a Jacuzzi tub, a single-room & mimosas on standby; Parrr-tay!

And once Emilie delivers and we bring him down the hall to the Nursery, we get to ring the bells! Emilie's doing AMAZINGLY well. All good news so far.

Wheels are TURNING!!!

2008-10-08T11:23:00.002-04:00

A sleepless night of contractions led Em and I over to Ma's place (much closer to the hospital and less on-the-job-training). From R-L (Grandpa, Mimi, Emilie, Adam, Mom & Danny the plumber, i believe). Not pictured - Uncle Duane. Okay... this is not how it was imagined, but so far-so good.
The family reunion was completely coincidence. Mimi & Grandpa are heading out this morning to meet their cruise-liner, shipping out and setting a course for Alaska; Uncle Duane is back from checking in on his place at Lake George; Danny the plumber...?!. All very nice surprises!

Facts about our Bundle!

2008-10-07T15:17:00.007-04:00

His birthstone is Opal (Hope).

His Astrological Sign is Libra.

He will be born in the Chinese Year of The Rat.

He will start kindergarten in 2014, be old enough to drive a car in 2024, finish high school in 2027, and will graduate from college with the class of 2031, give or take a year.

This time last year Emilie was not pregnant (and Adam had no signs of grey hair).

....but still no news!!!

It's ON!

2008-10-04T19:06:00.004-04:00

Emilie recently told me, "Hombre," ('cause that's what she calls me when no one's around) "we should jump on this blogging fad and invite friends and family to have a look at our great photos, get baby updates and more!". I had no readily available excuses, so it's time to make good. I give you, The Palmer Family Gazette. As editor-in-chief of PFG, Emilie will be sure that this site maintains the highest-level of class, dignity and be damn cute. My role as special-assistant to the editor is less defined, but I'm certain that she'll let me know when necessary.

PS, Emilie just read this first post and doesn't believe that readers will understand I was being sarcastic with the "hombre" comment. I disagreed. Is this what Brandon ran into when Andrea Zucherman took over at the West Beverly HS paper? Methinks so.
Welcome to the Gazette, hope you all enjoy!

ap