Oops!

Correction: Mrs. What-Cha-Ma-Call-It  is NOT who made the cake!!  I just got an email from Terri that said Karen made it!  Sorry Karen!  It's a good thing someone is reading my blog! HAHA
Thanks Terri for keeping me posted~ :D

Terri took this picture and wanted me to add it! Thanks Terri! It is a great picture of Grandma and her cake. 

If anyone else has a picture, or anything you want me to put up here- let me know!  It is a great way to get information out... right or wrong... yikes. 

I will update more later.

Grandma Kreuser's 90th Birthday! 10-10-10

Today, to finish out our crazy busy weekend, we went to Jordan for my Grandma's 90th birthday.  We had ham buns, pasta salad, yellow beans and many bars.  OH, and of course, a cake from Mrs. What-Cha-Ma-Call-It!  haha.

We only stopped in for a quick hello, a golf cart ride for the boys and to see Grams open her present.  Everyone in the family made a memory page to put in a book for her.  My cousin Rachel put it all together- thanks Rachie!  :)  I think it will keep grams busy for a little bit reading all the memories we wrote for her.  She is quite the grandma! Here are a couple pictures....

Auntie Em, Grandma Mitty, Stephen and John on a ride to the cemetery.

Thank you Auntie Em for the Little Critter book, toothbrush and a Barnes & Noble gift card!!  What a surprise- You do know us, books and tooth brushes are 2 of our favorite things here!!  :)

A group shot of the party!

 I feel bad I took this after Miranda, Javi and little Jack had already left- sorry guys.

Take 2!

Grams and her daughters.

Sue, Em, Grams, Connie, Mitty, Terri

Grandma and Emmy

Great Grandma and Grandma! ;D

John with the girls!

Lauren and John.

Ryan and Jinette's Wedding!

Welcome to the family Jinette!!!!!!!!!! 

We had an awesome time at the wedding this weekend!  It was so fun to get to spend time celebrating family and being able to re-connect with our friends and family from out of town. 

We had my cousin Katie Krebs stay at our house, and it was great to have an extra set of hands to help out with holding Stephen, bathing John, etc.  Thanks Katie, it was great having you! Katie is staying until Monday, so the help continues. ;D

My brother Mark came home from his study abroad semester in Rome for the wedding.  We have been missing him, so it was very special that he could come home for the festivities.  Mark leaves to go back already tomorrow.  His studies, or should I say "studies" resume for the second half of the semester in Greece- Mark, you live quite the life! :)  We are so happy for you!! XO

Me with one of my newest sisters, Jamie!  Jamie is Jinette's triplet- it was very fun to get to spend time with her and her boyfriend Jeff this weekend.  Loved her wedding shoes! :)

Quick! Doing one last feeding before I got dressed to take pictures.  Stephen was a trooper being on my schedule this weekend.  We took pictures outside; on a bridge, in fields, in front of a barn...very much a Madelia wedding- Loved it!  And, the weather was perfect- sunny and 85!!

There is a lot going on in this picture; it is John getting dressed in his tux and my brother Ryan playing peek-a-boo with him.  I want to take this chance to thank all my helpers!  Erin and Ellen came to help with Stephen and Nana Jana came to help with John.  They were quite the team and there is no way Ryan and I could have done it with out them!!  It was so special for Ryan, John and I to get to be in the wedding party.  If you are looking for help, I would highly recommend Erin and Ellen!  (I can't offer Nana Jana, she is ours to keep!!) :)  Thank you again!

Here he is, our little Ring Bearer!!!  He did a perfect job walking down the aisle with the flower girl, Autum.

John is wearing his daddy's tux from when he was little.  Nana Jana had to do some alterations, but with a pair of suspenders and a shirt and shoes from Grandma Mitty- he is the complete package! 

Ryan and Ryan minutes before the wedding began!!

In the back of the church waiting to walk down the aisle, let the celebration begin!!

Daddy and Stephen enjoying each other's company.  How sweet. 

AND!  Stephen sat up alone while we were in the hotel room!!!!  It was pretty wobbly, but very exciting to catch it on film!  Little Stephen is getting so big....

Thank you again to Jinette and Ryan for having us be a part of your big day, it was beautiful!  A job well done, now you get to go relax and have fun on your honeymoon!

Thank you to all the family and friends who helped us through the wedding- it was a challenge to have all of us in the wedding party, but well worth all the extra work!  The memories will last forever! 

September 2010

The Patrick's have done lots of new things in the past couple weeks!

Stephen is getting SO big, he is almost 4 months old!  A couple nights in a row he was waking up very hungry, we decided to try giving him a little rice cereal before bed.  He was a pro at eating, and loves it!  I also let him have a lick of an apple one day at lunch while John was eating some.  Stephen thought it was interesting, but enjoyed the new taste. 
I scheduled Stephen's 4 month well-child checkup, and I realized they were going to ask me how much "tummy time" Stephen is getting.  NONE! haha  I am always holding him because he is so cuddly and he has a big bro that just wants to play, play, play! (We haven't figured out the concept that Stephen is still too little...)  We made him a safe zone in his bedroom.  I put him in his crib with some toys, and he LOVES it!!  I was so excited, he was grabbing the toys and moving them around. 

John had his first school!!  He started ECFE in South St. Paul.  We go on Tuesday mornings from 10-11:30.  His teacher's name is Ms. Jana, and mom's teacher is Ms. Carol.  There are many fun friends and toys in his class.  We have even had homework to do, things like, bring a banana, an apple, go for a nature hunt.  His favorite part is the large muscle area; surprise, surprise!
We have been slowly starting to potty train John! He has been showing interest in trying to push, telling us when he has a soiled diaper, etc.  Nana Jana bought him a little green potty that he has been going on.  When he goes he is SO proud of himself!  We have been rewarding him by doing a family dance and song! haha- It is quite a sight, but it gets John excited. 

We are looking forward to Uncle Ryan's wedding this coming weekend!! John has been wearing his bow tie and suspenders around the house.  He is pretty cute!  We are heading down to Mankato on Thursday morning- let the festivities begin!!!

September 22, 2010 Stephen's first rice cereal meal.  He did such a great job with the spoon concept!

Our two boys!! 

 John giving Stephen a kiss.  He is so sweet to his little brother- this is what having kids is all about!

John practicing for Jinette and Ryan's wedding. 

 Stephen sound asleep in mom and dad's bed.  So warm- I love those red cheeks!

John standing next to his first school art project, and his nature scavenger hunt homework.  He is one proud student!!

A busy last few years!

Ryan and I have had so many amazing changes in our lives over the past few years, and we really would like to start documenting life with these boys!
Some of our important dates/milestones:
Our Marriage: 12/28/07
John Roman was born: 12/31/08
Ryan graduated college in winter 09
We bought a house in spring of 2010
Stephen Joseph was born: 6/3/10

Ryan is finishing his CPA exams this October, he has been going to school at night after work on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Any extra time he has is spent studying!  Ryan has been able to maintain his love for the gym while working, studying and being dad.  He goes before work a few mornings a week.  On the weekends, Ryan has been taking the family to different parks.  John and Ryan even ran bases one day...I think Ryan has his work cut out for him! ;D

John is 20 months and full of spice!!  He has been so much fun to watch grow!  John is a very busy boy with few limits.  He loves to be outdoors, swimming, climbing and eating.  John took swimming lessons with Nana Jana last winter, and now loves the water!  John's favorite calm activity is reading. His favorite books right now are; Harold and the Purple Crayon, Baby's first Bible, and Bible Song's For Baby.  It is the only way we can get him to sit.  John is a big morning eater and as the day gets going he finds little time to stop and focus on eating. :)

Stephen is a very special baby, just a ray of sunshine!  Stephen is very good at everything babies do- Eating, sleeping and smiling! Stephen is always showing off his big dimple and gorgeous red hair- my two favorite things about him! I have been nursing Stephen for the past two months and we are both loving it.  Stephen is sleeping through the night and and just learned to do little giggles.

I am sure blessed to have these three boys in my life!! I have been just being mom.  I joined a mom's group this spring while waiting for Stephen's arrival.  It has been fun to meet other moms and their kids!  One day a week I am nannying for a family in St. Paul, I take JR and SJ with- 5 kids under 4! I am also doing some subbing at the preschool.  It has been nice to get to see my old co-workers and get out of the house for a bit too!

A little update about us-
I will be trying to blog about life here as often as possible.  Thanks for reading.