John is 2!!!

Dear John Roman,

We have been so blessed with your smile and love these past two years!  We are also very happy that you are feeling better on your birthday.  These past few days have been very hard on mommy and daddy, and you, as you have been very sick and in and out of the hospital.  You were running a very high fever (104-105 degrees!) and mommy and I were very worried about you!  Mommy and I both had tears in our eyes when the doctors had to put IV's in you and draw your blood, not once, not twice, not three times, but four times!  Seeing you in such pain, and so scared about what was going on was so hard!  Even though you did not know what was going on, and from your end, mommy and daddy looked like the bad guys (holding you down for the nurses) you still just wanted to be held by mommy and daddy.  Your innocence and love just makes our hearts melt.  We love you so, so much and are so lucky to have you as our little boy!
John, here are some of our favorite memories from the past 2 years.

Let's start from the beginning...finding out on Mother's Day that Mom was pregnant was the perfect day to find out!  We were both so excited!  After Mayo Clinic and countless other doctors had told mom that she may never get pregnant, we were able to prove them all wrong.  It was a long slow wait for you to be born.  I was in school at the time and working full time, and mom was also working full time at Nativity, so we kept busy.  Finally the time came to go down to the hospital, and welcome you into the world!  You were born on 12/31/08 - the perfect day for an accountant's son!  The amount of love that we felt when you were born was overwhelming.  You were and are perfect! 

February 2.  You always loved to be held and rocked when you were a baby, and on this night, Mom was rocking you in the living room, and it was the first time that you looked up at her and smiled.  Your smile would prove to be infectious, and you could light up the room anytime you flashed it!

Fast forward a few months, and you became mobile!  We were living in Grandma and Papa's apartment building at the time, and I remember Mom and I sitting on the floor in the living room one night trying to get you to walk.  All of a sudden you did, and you were waling back and forth to Mom and I!  It was so fun, because you had a big smile on your face the whole time and were so proud of yourself.  Little did we know that we now had a mobile destruction unit on our hands that would put any army ranger unit to shame...

Going to the cabin.  Your first summer, we went to Nana and Grandpa's cabin quite a bit to try to get away and relax...well, it didn't always work out so well. You were never really a good sleeper as a baby, and we spent many sleepless nights up holding you.  Even though these were long, hard nights, we would not trade them for anything because it was just more time that we got to spend with you.  I do remember your first fourth of July, and you playing on the beach at the cabin.  It was right around the time that you were first sitting up, and you loved squishing the sand.

November of 2009.  Mom and I held an early college graduation party for me at our apartment and invited Grandma, Papa, Nana, Grandpa, and all of your aunts and uncles.  Little did any of them know that we had something else in mind...when it was time for cake, I lifted up your sweatshirt to reveal a homemade t-shirt that said "I'm going to be a big brother in July 2010!"  You were so excited, but really, you were just excited for the cake that Mom made, and that you would soon have spread all over your face and dining room floor.  You were just thrilled for all the enthusiasm and attention you were getting!!!

Curious George John.  You are such a curious little boy and have always been very interested in how things work.  Not only are you curious, but you are also very intuitive and seem to have a knack of knowing how things work, even if you have never seen them in action.  One thing I remember is a sprinkler that you found outside at Nana's.  You had never seen it before, but after looking at it intently for a moment, you reached out and flicked it so it spun in circles.  Another passion of yours has been books.  For as busy as you are, books are one thing that you will sit down with for hours.  You love to have Mom and Dad read to you, even if it is the same book over and over again.  Your favorite bedtime book is Go Dogs Go! ever since Papa read it to you one night.  We love reading to you, and love that you love books!  Lately, one of your favorite things to do has been to read books to your Elmo doll at night.

As mentioned before, bedtime has never been easy for you.  You slept in bed with Mom and I until you were about 9 months old when you switched to a crib.  Now you are in a big-boy bed and you love it!  Bedtime is my favorite part of the day.  After working a long day, and not seeing you, I love laying down in bed with you.  Our routine goes like this:  First we have to find your tootsie - that is the main priority!  Then, we brush your teeth.  You stand on the toilet and I scrub your pearly whites.  After this, we get in bed and read Go Dog Go! Then we sing a few songs as you drift off to sleep.  Lately you have wanted to hold someones hand while you fall asleep. 

Nana and Grandpa.  Mom and I were very fortunate to have a lot of help from our family when you were a baby.   One of the biggest helps was Nana.  Nana watched you for several months while you were a baby so that Mom and I could go to work.  I was still in school too, so we had a lot to be thankful for for all the help.  You developed a deep love for Nana, and really enjoyed spending time at her house.  Nana kept you busy with all kinds of art projects, playing outside, and reading.  You also love seeing Grandpa over at Nana's house.  You have always been very smiley when Grandpa is around, and he loves showing you new things.  One of the latest things Grandpa has shown you has been a whoopee cushion!  You and Grandpa and I will laugh for hours while you sit on it over and over again, all the time while Nana and Mom just shake their heads - they will never get it!  For Christmas this year, you got a fishing pole and net to take to the cabin.  Grandpa is really excited to teach you how to fish, as it is something he is very passionate about.  We can't wait to see you catch your first fish.

Mama.  After I got my full time job and after Stephen was born, we decided that Mom would stay home with you and SJ and work part-time.  Your Mom has been the best mother you could ask for, and is always ready to give you a hug, read a book to you, or make you some nummies (lunch).  Mom takes you to ECFE two times a week so that you can play with other kids.  You absolutely love going to school with Mom and playing with her there.  She is so dedicated to you and your brother, and you are very lucky to have her.  We both love you so much, and are so happy that you get to stay home with your Mom.

Grandma and Papa.  We were very lucky to be able to buy our first house in St. Paul so that we would be close to both sets of grandparents and Nativity where we hope to send you boys to school.  Our first house on Ashland is only three blocks from Grandma and Papa's house.  You have really enjoyed having them walk over to our house and drop in to see you and SJ.  After I graduated school, I had to take more classes to study for my CPA exam, so that left Mom at home with you and SJ every Tuesday and Thursday night for about 9 months.  Mom took this opportunity to head over to Grandma and Papa's to spend time with them and have dinner.  You enjoyed being able to see them this often and spend this time with them.

NO.  By far your favorite word.  I think you get some sort of satisfaction from saying 'No!'  No is your answer to pretty much everything these days.  When we were in the hospital recently, we were asking you what kind of food you wanted after we left or what you wanted to do- it went something like this:  "John, do you want some french fries?"..."no"..."Do you want some ice-cream?"..."no"...."Do you want to see Nana?"..."no"...."Do you saying anything other than no"...."no".    We do have to admit John, that it is quite cute.

Trying to sum up these past two years is not easy, as there are so many memories.  You are such a sweet boy, and so loving.  Mom and I are so blessed to have you as our son, and we look forward to many more memories with you!  We love you John!  Happy 2nd birthday buddy!

Love Mom and Dad