Monday, February 28, 2011

Kayden Michael Frericks--birth story

I have decided that since I wasn't blogging yet when the boys were born, so I never posted their birth stories, I'm going to do it for their birthdays this year(what I can remember of each story anyway).  So, here it goes:

About two or three weeks before Kayden's due date, we found out that he was a BIG baby. The ultrasound tech estimated that he was about 9 pounds by 37 weeks gestation, and was also breech.  So, my doc decided that if I haven't gone into labor on my own by 39 weeks, he would either induce me if baby had turned around, or schedule a c-section if he was still breech. 
So, at my 38 week appointment, I expected to be scheduling a c-section, since I hadn't felt the baby flip, and I assumed that if he was as large as they were telling me, that I would have noticed.  I had mentally prepared myself to be having surgery.  THEN, my doctor went to examine me, and said, "it sure feels like the baby is head-down", so he ordered another ultrasound, and sure enough, the little bugger had flipped!  So, we scheduled an induction for February 26th, and were on our way. 

This is where, four years later, things are a little foggy.  I really wish I would have documented this experience better when it first happened.
Our induction was scheduled for 8:00 (I think).  We arrived at the hospital, got checked in, put on a beautiful gown, answered five million questions, climbed onto a bed, got hooked up to an IV of Pitocin, and waited. I don't remember exactly how far into things the real contractions started, but I know that it was some time after my doctor came and broke my water.  I do remember that there was A LOT of water!  The nurses couldn't believe how much water I had.  They had me walk around to keep things moving, although this didn't last long, because I was much happier to just lay in the bed and be miserable.  I remember extremely painful contractions, and holding onto the side of the bed.  I know that I fought through the pain way longer than I should have. I tried a drug before my epidural, and it kind of helped, but it didn't last long.   Once I got my epidural ( I don't remember how many cm I was when I got it, I'm thinking 7ish?) the pain was manageable, but not gone. I remember my nurse, giving me a little controller and saying that I could push the little button to give myself another dose every 15 minutes.  She said I could push it as often as I wanted to, but it would only release medication every 15 minutes. That little button was my friend!  I remember asking quite often, "Has it been 15 minutes yet?", then pushing the button and feeling the cold liquid move down the tube against my back.  Lovely I tell you.

Once I had the epidural, I was able to rest, and even sleep for a while.  I went through at least three or four nurses throughout the day.  One told me she thought I'd have a baby by 7 p.m.  When that didn't happen, the next nurse said, by 9:00, so I had Mike call my mom and tell her she could come down, because we'd have a baby by 9:00.  
At about 8:00 p.m, the nurses had me start pushing.  I pushed, and pushed.  And pushed.  And pushed.  They had put me on oxygen to help me breathe through all the hard work.  I pushed for four hours before my doctor decided that the baby just wasn't going to come out.  So, he rolled in a cart with a little machine with a suction cup on the end.  He attached the cup to the baby's head, and as I pushed, he pulled him out.  When he finally came out, I remember hearing the doctor say, "Well, no wonder he wasn't coming out!  He's huge!"  
They put him on the scale, and there were the numbers:  9 pounds, 14.7 ounces.  That's a ten pound baby.  
He was huge, but he was healthy and he was beautiful!

Two days later when it came time to go home, we realized that the cute little outfit we brought for Kayden to go home in was too small, and Mike had to go home to get a new outfit that was a little bigger.  Of course, the one he brought said, "I love Daddy!".  

4

Kayden turned 4 on yesterday, and I was absolutely dreading it!  I'm not sure why, but the fact that he is going to be four years old really freaks me out.  It seems like three is still little, and four is BIG. 

This means that he'll be in daycare full-time for just one more school year, then he'll go to kindergarten.  This means that I no longer have three boys, three and under.  I now have three boys four and under.


He talks about all these new, big boy things he wants to do.  He wants to go to swimming lessons, he wants to go fishing, he wants to go to school, he wants to ride a big boy bike(which is what we got him for his birthday), not his trike, he wants to help shovel the driveway, he wants to help make supper...


But he still needs his blankey at bedtime, or when he's sad.  He still wants help going potty.  He still wants to rock with his mommy.  He still needs help buckling his seat belt in the car.  He still needs a hug and a kiss every morning when I drop him off at daycare.  He still likes to be carried.  

I know that my kids growing up is inevitable.  It's going to happen.  I just wish it wouldn't happen so stinkin' fast....

Friday, February 25, 2011

Not yet...

I went to Kayden's room to wake him up this morning.  He stretched his little arms and said, "Mommy, am I four?"
"No, not yet.  Two more days.  But you get to celebrate your birthday at Sharon's today!"


Not yet.  
Thank God.  
I get to keep my 3-year-old for two more days.  
Wouldn't it be nice if we could freeze our kids at our favorite age?  
I would keep Kayden three for-ev-er!  
Just sayin'.  

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Uh oh!

I just wanted to point out (mostly for family journaling purposes) that Tyson now waves bye-bye, throws things on the floor and says, "Uh oh" then laughs like it's the most hilarious thing he's ever seen, and also officially has his two bottom teeth!

Thankful Thursday

This week I'm thankful for:

=a Kayden/Mommy day=

=a Monday off=

=pediatricians=

=Target (and their pharmacy)=

=coupons=

=a last few days with my 3-year old before he becomes a "big boy"=

=Rhonda coming over (again) so that we can watch Amazih play basketball with only ONE child with us= 









Sick baby (again)

For some reason, my little Tyson just can't stay healthy!  Although he is one of the happiest sick babies I've ever seen, it seems like he's always got something going on.  

Toward the end of last week, he started a little cold/cough.  It seems like whenever he gets a cold, it goes right to his lungs.  I picked him up from daycare on Monday, and Sharon had a look of terror.  She explained that she had to give him the "baby heimlich".  She said that he was sitting on the floor, then started coughing and couldn't catch his breath.  She had to flip him over, and hit his back.  Nothing came out, so she stuck her finger in his mouth to make sure there was nothing in it, and then he just threw everything up. He's been sounding really wheezy, and when things were getting worse rather than better, I decided that I'd take him in yesterday afternoon. 
We waited for about half an hour in the germ-infested walk-in clinic waiting room before we were called back.  The doctor that saw him found an ear infection, and said his breathing sounded really bad. She decided to treat him for the ear infection, asthma and possible pneumonia. 
So, I headed to Target to pick up FIVE different prescribed medications.  He is on drops for his ears, an anti-biotic for his ears, his albuterol in his nebulizer, a steroid in his nebulizer and prednizone.  I literally, had to make a schedule for his daily medications so that we can remember when to give him each one.  It's going to be a miserable two weeks....

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Kayden/Mommy day!

After  our Friday night basketball adventure, we headed home, and put the kids to bed.  Saturday morning, we got up and got ready, then headed to Brainerd for Sydney's birthday party.  We spent the entire day there, and headed for home at bed time.  All three boys fell asleep on the way home, and we were able to put them all right in their beds. Heavenly I tell you.  
Sunday we spent the day at home watching the snow fall.  It was one of those days with no real plans so I had lots of things I wanted to cross off my "to do" list.  I did get a lot done, but the house was still by no means in order.  

Monday was President's Day, which meant no school for me!  So, I took Tyler and Tyson to daycare, and then Kayden and I headed into St. Cloud for a Kayden/Mommy day.  We had a bunch of errands to run, starting with his 4 year pictures.  After some prodding and bribing, he did quite well.  After pictures we headed to Target for necessities, and toy browsing, then to Space Aliens for lunch.  He absolutely loved it!  It was so nice to have that time with just him and I.  We ordered lunch, played a few games, earned tickets to get chincey crap to take home with us, took two potty breaks, pointed out every alien picture in the building, it was awesome!  
By the time we were done with lunch, he was getting tired, but we still had a few stops to make.  We headed to Old Navy, where I scored some deals on a few shirts for (believe it or not) myself!  Then we headed to Sam's Club.  He fell asleep on the way, but (very unlike him) woke up when I got him out and didn't even whine or complain!  After Sam's we still needed to hit up the grocery store.  By the time we were done, we were both exhausted!  We headed home, dropped off our bags, put away groceries, then headed to daycare to pick up the little boys.