Happy Holidays

Instead of writing this huge, long post about Christmas and repeatedly telling everyone, again, how fun Patrick is at the holidays, I'm just going to say Merry Christmas!  We had a great weekend with both families and here are some pictures.  Of course, mostly with just Patrick in them...I really should try to take pictures of other things once in awhile.

 Patrick got a Finding Nemo hat...so funny.

 Patrick enjoying his gifts and showing off a new outfit.  Since he's little and wouldn't know any better, Jon and I pretty much just got him a seat so that I can feed him solids more easily.  Boring gift, but needed.  Luckily, the grandparents saved the day and got him all the toys he could ever want.  He loved all the attention...and wrapping paper.

 Patrick with his newest cousin, Keaton

Family Pictures!

Oh, I can't tell you enough how much I enjoy having such a talented photographer in the family.  This time Aubree was kind enough to take pictures of my whole family.  She did a great job and I'm soo excited about them.  Last time my family had a picture of all of us was when I was in 5th grade.  In comparison they were very...amateur. :)  Plus, I was going through that very awkward stage and my teeth hadn't had braces yet...not a pretty site. Anyway, since there's too many pictures to put them all up I'll just post a few of my favorites.  Pretty much all of them are my favorite so I'm not cutting back much but anyway, here ya go:

Love this one

 Seesters

 We're just that sexy

Thanks again, Aubree!  And, Merry Christmas everyone. :)  I can't wait for Santa to come to our house this year since we have a cute little boy he can spoil.

Dear Patrick,

The other night you oddly woke up an hour after you went to bed.  Normally, I'm good at remaining unemotional to the crying but that night was different.  You sounded so heart broken and I decided to do something I normally avoid.   I went and held you.  For some reason I just wanted to comfort my poor, heart broken little boy.  You immediately stopped crying when I started to rock you and it was soo nice to just cuddle with you.  I've spent so much time trying to get you to go to sleep without my aid that I've missed out a little on how great it is to hold a sleeping baby.  Sitting there, staring at your cute, innocent, peaceful face, I was  overcome with emotion and love for you.  I can't believe I'm soo lucky to be your mother.

 I hope you always think I'm funny and charming.

  I hope I can always comfort you.

 I hope we can always be best buds. I hope you always remember that you're wanted and that you're here for a reason.  And, I hope you learn to become close to your Father in Heaven, who will also always be there for you.

And, can you pleeeease stop growing so fast.  It seems like yesterday you looked like this:

  

We love you forever, bud!

Love,

Mom and Dad

    

O Christmas Tree!

Call us lazy, but we finally put our Christmas tree up.  When is Christmas?  10 days from now?  Anyway, it's up and I love it.  Jon and I always have this argument discussion on when it's o.k. to listen to Christmas music and put up a tree and obviously he won this year. :)  Next year, I win.  Have I mentioned I love having a little baby?  People are probably tired of me saying this but everything is more magical through a child's eyes and I have to say the tree was no exception.  Patrick loved it.  In fact, he got up 30 min. early this morning so I laid Patrick by the tree and he just stared and smiled and rolled around by it for 20 min.  New babysitter. :)  Of course, I have to take pictures so here they are:

I just added this picture because I like his pajamas. :)

All about Patrick

Yes, I'm writing another post about Patrick.  What can I say?  I'm obsessed.  It's seems like he's just growing so quickly and learning new things all the time. He can now sit without my help for about a minute and he's recently mastered rolling from back to stomach so now he can roll both ways.  This means I have to be more careful when I set him on the couch!  He can also pull himself up to a sitting position if he's laying in a reclined position.  When I took this picture, Patrick was in the process of trying to sit up.  

  We'll be starting solids soon because I can't keep up with how much milk he wants to drink, which is getting to be large in quantity.  Plus, he is super interested in what I'm eating.  He's constantly trying to steal my drink, or my fork or anything he can get his hands on when I'm eating.  I mushed up some peas yesterday and he's pretty much a natural at eating.  Definitely my child. ;)

Fortunately and unfortunately, Patrick has learned the joy of squealing.  He squeals all the time and sometimes it's pretty darn loud.  Cute, but loud.  It never fails to make me smile when he starts giving me his cute little squeals. :)

I love this video.

A little bit of everything

Guess who came to visit?  Patrick loved his Aunt Karolyn. :)  They were best buds the whole time she was here.  It was nice because we had our whole family together for Thanksgiving this year.  We just did a small dinner with our immediate family which hasn't happened for quite awhile.  Unfortunately, my camera died so none of these pictures are from Thanksgiving day.  

Buds.

These next three pictures are of my family at Pizza Hut on the day of my dad's last radiation treatment.

Patrick and Karolyn

Derek and I

My mom and dad

I just wanted to add this picture because I think Patrick looks so dang cute in his new pajamas. All I had to say was, "Patrick, smile!"  And, this is what I got. :)

Patrick is learning the joy of babbling.  He really likes to make the mmm sound and multiple times a day, it sounds like he says mumma.  It's really cute.  Especially when he's looking right at me and says mumma, it makes me feel like he's starting to learn I'm associated with that word.  This morning he woke up early, crying, which doesn't happen very often and he kept saying mumma, mumma, mumma, over and over again which really makes me think he's starting to learn that the word gets my attention.  I don't know.  He's young and I'm sure it's just his easiest sound to make but I like to believe he's a little genius and knows how to call me. ;)  Him saying that word so much might have a little to do with the fact that I repeat mama to him on a daily basis.  Anyway, he also loves the sound of his squeal.  Sometimes he just does it repeatedly over and over again even though no one is entertaining him. ha ha  He loves to hear the sound of his own voice and lately he's also learned it's fun to stare at himself in the mirror.  I'm sure he doesn't know it's himself yet but he does know that mama's in the mirror and a funny baby smiling at him so it makes him giggle almost every time.  He even tries reaching out to grab the little baby.  Too cute.