Name that Stoeber

Oooh, sometimes this blog website drives me nutty! I wanted to have a text introduction before the pictures appeared, but for whatever reason I did something that wouldn't let that happen. Rather than reload everything, I'm jjust keeping it as is. I know it's natural to make comparisons between your children - though everything I read/hear says that is not the right thing to do. I promise I'll do my best to make a point to acknowledge my sons' similarities and difference rather than to pin one against the other. For now, I'll let you make note of the likeness (or you may see differences) between Ryan and Patrick. The top picture is Patrick, age - a few minutes. Below is Ryan, age - a few minutes. I remember Ryan's head being skinnier at the top, and wider at the bottom. Ryan's hairline resembles Dean's (Dean is the first to admit this), whereas Patrick as more hair, a shorter forehead for a lack of a better explanation.

I'm sure that when I look at the next two pictures years down the line, I will definitely be befuddled. To me, the boys look exactly alike and I may need to time stamp them in order to know the difference.

For those of you who guessed Patrick is with the white blanket and Ryan is the green and white checked one - you're correct!

Which boy is with Daddy?

Ahh, if you said Patrick is sitting up, while Ryan is lying down, you again are right. But - did you just guess that way because Ryan was in the same outfit as the previous question? Fun note about these two pictures - Dean is wearing the same orange Illini t-shirt in each. He wants me to note that he is proud that his physique hasn't grown in the 2 .5 years these photos were taken, though the shirt probably has been washed many a time and has probably shrunk. For those of you who would like to make contributions to the Stoeber family, we are currently accepting donations at WWW.BuyDeanANewWardrobe.com

Next, taken at as an extreme close-up, who is this?

And this?

Answers: Patrick, then Ryan

And now, who are these smiley (okay, gassy) babies?

I'm with Patrick and Dean is with Ryan. Again, note Dean's orange shirt. This was even taken on a different day, since Ryan has a different outfit on!

Last question, who is this?

And that would make this . . . ?

Correct answers: Ryan and Dean. Ryan was about 13 months when that was taken, unfortunately we don't know how old Dean was (I'd guess either 9 or 12 months). Those arched eyebrows and pouty lips, they are spot on twins. For those who think Patrick looks like Ryan, I'm going to guess that he too will look like this a few months down the line. Keep checking back for future photo-look-alike posts!

Along comes #2

I went to the doctor on Wednesday, July 6 since I was 4 days overdue. The doctor called to see if there were openings that night for me to be induced and the hospital was already pretty booked with patients. So I was told to call at 9:30 on Thursday (7/7) to try again. HOWEVER, baby #2 had other plans. After leaving the doctor's at about 11:25, I went to Target, then ate lunch at Potbelly's, then went home. I was sitting on the patio, reading the newspaper when all the sudden at 1:24, OUCH! A slightly unusual pain that I hadn't felt before that lasted about 35 seconds. I made a note of this in the margin of my newspaper. 4 minutes later, it happened again. Uh oh, this is go time. I called Dean and home he came. This continued about 4 more times as I waited Dean's arrival. The doctor told me to just go to the hospital. We checked into Lake Forest Hospital at 2:30 - fortunately by now there were some Labor and Delivery Rooms available. Here's my last "before" picture. Obviously it was after I'd received the epidural.

And by 5:22pm:Patrick Daulton Stoeber, 9 lbs, 2 oz. 21 inches long with his Proud Papa.

And relieved Mama.

The next day, Papa Bernie brought Ryan to the hospital for their first formal introductions.

Granted, not the best family photo, but it was better than the other attempts.

Headin' Home!

4th of July weekend

Meemee and Papa Bernie came out over the 4th of July weekend hoping that maybe their new grandchild would be born and they'd be here to watch Ryan. However, that wasn't the case (that post to come soon). It was a little on the warm side, so we pulled out the beach ball sprinkler for the first time. While he didn't play long with it, Ryan did seem to enjoy himself.

He even managed to drag me through the sprinkler's mist.

And in true Ryan fashion, we were honored to have him "perform" his Greatest Hits on the back stage, aka our patio steps.