Long overdue update...

Hey all! Sorry that it has been over a year since my previous post. I thought I would jump back in to posting with a quick recap of the past year and what is going on with us today.
Last post you learned about Jack's big boy bed..what has happened since then...
1. We finished building and moved into our beautiful new home in May 2010( which I wish I had pictures of but do not at the moment).
2. We entertained our very first guest in the new house a week or two later. Grandma Gladys came to stay a week with us. Jack thoroughly enjoyed every second of that.
3. The very next week we received our next guests, the McClellans! My wonderful sister and her family moved back to Jonesboro from Idaho and took up temporary residence in my basement, making this the McPalmer house! 6/10
4. Jack turned 2!! 7/8/10
5. Sophia Grace Palmer was born 8/23/10
Having Kristen here throughout the pregnancy and the past 6 months has been priceless and I don't know what I am going to do when they leave me. I think every mom that is transitioning from having one to two( esp when the oldest is two and the baby comes out thinking she is grown) needs a "another mama" or "mama bob". Two loving names Jack has giving her.
6. Jeremy got to come back from overseas. We got to meet the beautiful Salina Rose Holder, and will hopefully get to spend more time with her soon!
Aside from the holidays I really think that is the biggest stuff that has happened.

Presently Jack is 2.5 years old and Sophie is 6 months to the day. Both of them amaze me each day with their love and brilliance!! The first thing they do each morning is greet each other with bright smiles and Jack smothers her in kisses. She is starting to return them now, which is kind of painful but he loves it! They can't stand being away from each other, she is constantly looking for him and whenever he is not in the room with her he hounds me about where she is! I hope this bond keeps growing, though judging from the personalities differences we are going to have our fair share of fighting for sure!
Jack started really talking in November last year( much to my relief) and pretty much started with full sentences. Initially he would say it just until he knew you understood him and would not repeat it for anything, now he never stops talking...to me any way. still a little shy around strangers or people who aren't living in this house....or papa. He learns new stuff every second it seems( pretty sure Piper is homeschooling him) and luckily for me this includes knowing his left from his right and telling me which is which. I apparently haven't fully committed this knowledge to memory yet. Also I am pleased to announce that he is potty trained!!! Even through the night! Not saying we don't have accidents every now and again, but the kid is doing great and I couldn't be prouder! It's amazing to me how much we save without buying pull ups or diapers( I use clothe with Sophie). I think the key to this success was letting him know that he couldn't go to 'presbool' until he could go potty like a big boy and dress himself. Preschool is his dream and he will be starting in the fall. If you need me on Thursdays starting in August, I will probably be a sad sack sobbing with Sophie at home.
Sophia Grace has from the second she was born thought she is grown and could/should be doing what everyone else is doing. This is why at 2 months she was rolling both from front to back and back to front and sitting up by herself, 3 months she was "lunge crawling" across the floor, 4 months she perfected the crawl and and took the fifth month off to work on perfecting that delightful high pitched screech owl type sound she makes to alert you of any emotion she is having, and now at 6 months is pulling up to a standing position and climbing on to anything she can. I was not prepared mentally or physically for this child, I am not even sure there is a way you could prepare. Luckily, she has the same infectious smile as her brother and is a delightful little girl( most always!) Do not ask her Kat-Kat and Papa Jeff about this right now, I think they are still in recovery from a Sophie needs her mommy melt down. Those times are terrifying.

That's life with us. Loud, exhausting fun!

Next time I promise to have pictures! If anyone would like to see pics of the house leave a comment, otherwise I won't put that up because I am lazy :)