A two, A three and A five

Well, my number two turned three this week.  Tyler's birthday was Monday.  We celebrated with a combo Tyler-Tyson birthday party on Sunday.  We did a camping theme and everything went really well.  The weather forecast was pretty grim, but by the time the party really got underway, it turned out to be pretty nice.  We were able to do our pinata outside, the kids ran around, the guys fried a turkey and there was lots of eating and relaxing going on.  

The only part of the day that to be a little bit much for me was when we got to the gift opening.  I wasn't sure what the best way to do things was.  Tyler open one, then Tyson open one.  Tyler do all of his, then Tyson do all of his....there were options.  I decided to go with every other one.  Then, things just got crazy.  There was paper flying everywhere.  I feel like I didn't get to see half of the gifts they got and I'm not even sure whos are whos when it comes to some of them.  But they were happy and that's really all that matters.  

*Tyson got a baby and a stroller from Pat and Leah.  He was beyond excited!  As soon as he saw what it was, he was yelling and clapping and smiling from ear to ear!  Once it was open and the baby was strapped in, he headed out the garage door and could have cared less about any of the rest of his presents.  He even insisted on sleeping with the baby AND the stroller!  

Monday was Tyler's actual birthday.  He had his 3 year check up in the morning and he did AWESOME! He was so cooperative I couldn't believe it!  I did ask the doctor about two of the fingers on his left hand that are swollen and have been for a few months.  She seemed pretty perplexed by it and decided to do an x-ray to be safe.  She didn't really find much other than the tissue around the bones is kind of swollen.  She decided we would just keep an eye on it for now.  

After his appointment--because I have an unbelievably flexible job--we were able to stop at Toys R Us for a game and a case for the Leapster he got from Rhonda and Troy, then a quick lunch at McDonald's before heading back to daycare where he celebrated some more!

Two Two Year Olds

Today starts my month of having two two year olds.  You know, the one month out of the year where Tyler and Tyson are the same age?  Yes, they are just eleven months apart.  It always makes me feel good to hear of other families with children REALLY close in age.  A couple weeks ago, I met a mom at Tyler's ECFE class who has children who are just nine and a half months apart.  Craziness, right?  Oh, how those stories make me feel better ;)

So, today is Tyson's second birthday.  We started the day with his doctor's appointment.  After being given a clean bill of health, I took him to daycare and headed to work.  Tonight we had Grammy over for grilled hotdogs and brats and birthday cake and ice cream.  

It's interesting how, with my current job, where I spend all day, every day with two year olds, I find myself comparing my own children to the children I work with every day.  When I compare Tyson to other kids his age (the ones I know anyway), I'm realizing that he talks more than most of them.  He talks a lot.  I am able to understand most of what he says.  Mike on the other hand, sometimes needs some translation from myself or Kayden to help him figure out what Tyson needs.  

He really is nowhere near ready to start potty training.  We are obviously in no rush, seeing as how Tyler is still wearing diapers.  We WILL get going on that potty-business.  I just often feel like I am wasting my time and energy trying to force Tyler if he just isn't ready.  Ugh, that's a whole other post.  

Tyson's interests right now include baseball, four-wheeling, going outside, swinging, eating, drinking "duce and wata", wrestling with his brothers and chewing on his blanket.  Grandma Doris has already had to sew all of the seams on the corners of his blanket because he chewed them apart.  

He is just a very goofy, happy little guy.  He is a great mix of Kayden and Tyler's personalities.  He has Kayden's calm, laid back-ness, and Tyler's energy at the same time.  We love the little guy :)

2, not 4!

Tyler turned two on the 21st of May.  Although, if you ask him, he'll tell you he turned four.  

We celebrated with a party on Memorial Day.  

The super cute, slightly sloppy, really yummy baseball cupcakes. 

Opening presents.  This happens to be the free bike I ordered with my Pampers points!

Our attempt at a picture of all five kiddos

Taking a whack at the pinata

Who knew!  There's candy inside that giant baseball we've been hitting with a bat!

The theme was baseball.  We had baseball cupcakes, a baseball pinata, T-ball set up for the kids, and everyone almost everyone wore their favorite baseball or Minnesota Twins apparel.  The weather was great.  It was one of the first warm, sunny days of the season.  Thanks to everyone who helped us celebrate!

My little MONSTER!

Happy 2nd birthday to my little Monster, Tyler William! 
We're having chocolate cake with chocolate frosting tonight to celebrate, since his real party isn't until next weekend.  Remember to watch for pictures after the party.  I've got big plans for this one! 
*Also, birth story in progress, will post soon*

Batter Up!

I have never been real creative, or much of a planner, but for some reason, I am super gung-ho about Tyler's birthday party this year, and I have BIG plans. Maybe it's because of the time of year, and the fact that I am HOPING to be able to have the party outside, like we did for his first birthday, when the weather was BE-YOU-TY-FUL!!!!!!
We're going with a baseball theme this year.  I plan on picking up supplies this weekend, but I already know everything we're going to use to decorate, eat, etc. 

The Plan~

Food:
hot dogs with a variety of toppings (ketchup, mustard, relish, onions, chili, cheese, etc)
popcorn and caramel corn(on tables for munching)
peanuts(also on tables for munching)
nachos
baseball cupcakes (white frosting with the red laces in red frosting)


Decorations:
baseball plates
red, white and blue napkins
white table cloths with red, white and blue accents
baseball balloons
I'm hoping to find a cheap baseball pinata




Miscellaneous:
a baseball and sharpie for guests to sign
bats, balls and tee's outside for the kiddos to play
Twins game on the radio :)
guests have been asked to come in their favorite baseball get-up

Now, let's pray for nice weather, and we should be good to go!

My "Little Surprise"

Today is baby Tyson's first birthday! 

It's hard to believe he's been in our lives for an entire year, while at the same time, it seems like he's always been here.  I don't really remember what our lives were like without him.  

*I'm working on his birth story, and will hopefully post it later this week*

Sooooo....for the next month, I will be the mother of TWO ONE-YEAR OLDS who are NOT TWINS.  

I don't believe there are a ton of people out there who can say that. 

Do you know of anyone?  

I'd LOVE to know them too!

Sooooo...hApPy bIrThDaY tYsOn JoHn!!!!!!!

A bowling birthday!*pictures to come*

We celebrated Kayden's fourth birthday at the  bowling alley on Sunday. We go there around 2:30, go things set up and then his "friends" starting arriving.  We celebrated with my family and Mike's family.  Total, there were 15 adults and the five kids. We started with a few snacks, and chatting, then headed to the lanes for some bowling. We all kind of helped the little kids bowl, and at the same time had an adult game of bowling happening one lane over. Everyone seemed to have fun, we took some pictures, then headed back to the party room to have pizza.  

While we were bowling, Mike snuck Kayden's present from us into the building. It was a shiny new bike!  When Kayden finally made his way into the room, he walked up to it and checked it out, like he was waiting for someone to tell him it really was for him. He loved it!  It's a little big for him, but I think once spring comes--if it ever comes--and he can get outside to ride it, it will work just fine. 

After pizza and cupcakes(green cupcakes with blue frosting, per Kayden's request) we let him open the rest of his presents.  He got lots of cool things.  

When he was done opening his presents, we started cleaning up and chatted for a little while, then headed for home.  When we got home, Kayden and Tyler spent an hour or so playing with/fighting over all of Kayden's new loot.  Joy.

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....

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'.  

15???????????

My baby sister is 15 today.  

15.  

Seriously?  

Where did the curly-haired 2 year old go? 

Oh yes, she turned into a 5 foot 8 inch basketball playing teenager.

Don't worry.  She isn't driving.  

Yet. 

So, "Happy Birthday Amazih".  

Thank you for being my extra hand with my boys when I need it. 

Love You!

"Mommy, today's your birthday"

After I finally got the last rug-rat buckled in this morning, I pushed the backdoor of my car shut, and heard, "Happy Birthday Mommy".  Since I realized that I so rudely slammed the door as Kayden was trying to talk to me (and I kinda just wanted to hear him say it again) I said, "What did you say Kayden?".  With a little grin he said, as I climbed in the front seat, out of breath, "Mommy, today's your birthday".  

It is.  Today I am 28.  I used to think that 28 was kinda old.  But now that I'm here, I look at it a little differently.   People ask if we'll have any more kids. I always say, "Not any time soon". (Although, that's what I said after Tyler was born too).  I tell them that I feel like I'm young to be done having kids.  But, on the other hand, I do have 3 of them.

When I think about the past year---the time while I was 27---it's kind of a blur.  So much happened really.  

Just after I turned 27, I found out I was pregnant with Tyson.  Not only was I pregnant, but I was 17 weeks and 2 days pregnant.  (Picture my face, as I sat alone in the ultrasound room with the tech, expecting to hear somewhere between 5 and 8 weeks, which was what I had been told based on my blood work). 

While I was 27, my biggest baby turned 3.  My middle turned 1, and my littlest baby came into the world.  

While I was 27, we lost Mike's grandma, my Godmother, and my uncle.

While I was 27, I started my 3rd (and most likely final) year of teaching in a school where I am just starting to really get comfortable.

While I was 27, I decided to go back to working my Thursday night shift at the bowling alley.  I have been an employee there for about 6 years.  When I was pregnant with Tyler, I decided to just be a sub.  This fall, I decided to go back.  Working every-other Thursday night.  I decided to go back for a couple reasons.  One, we could use the extra money.  Two, it's time out of the house, with some adult interaction.  Three, I missed my job there.  I like the people, and it's usually kind of fun.  

Things have changed.  Good things have happened, scary things have happened, sad things have happened, but it all happened.  We can't change any of it.  All we can do is go forward and look forward to a year of being 28. 

Brainerd

Kayden insisted on sitting on this rock for his picture---lovely angle!

Boats!

Eating lunch

Tyson spent the day snoozing in his stroller....

The airplanes were a favorite from last year

Tyler and Kayden on the Merry-go-round.

Kayden feeding the donkeys (or, in his mind, the horses)

Tyler and Daddy feeding the donkeys

Kayden and Sydney cautiously listening to the big Paul Bunyan welcome them.

This past weekend, we took our camper and headed to Brainerd to spend the weekend with Mike's brother Pat and his wife Leah, and their girls, Sydney and Karsyn. By the time we got there Friday night, the kids had just a short time to play outside and then it was time for a quick bonfire for them and to bed. We put Tyler to sleep in a pack and play in the house and thought we'd be able to move him to the camper once he was sleeping without waking him up---we were WRONG! He woke up when we brought him to the camper. This was a LONG night! We put Tyler to sleep in our bed (I think we finally had him sleeping again by about 1:00 a.m), Kayden fell asleep on Tyler's bed (the bottom bunk). At about 1:30, I heard Kayden fall out of Tyler's bed, which he does not remember =), so, I put him on the top bunk, moved Tyler into the bottom bunk and went to sleep. By 4:00, Tyson was awake and ready for a bottle. I fed him, got him back to sleep, and by 6:15, Tyler was awake for the day. Needless to say, Tyler took a 4 1/2 hour nap on Saturday, and was still in bed at his normal time Saturday night! Saturday night went MUCH better, thank God!

Saturday during the day, Mike and Pat went fishing while Leah and I entertained the kids for a few hours. Right around lunch time, the sky got pretty dark, so we quickly cleaned up all our toys and headed inside. The rest of the day was spent indoors!

Sunday we packed up all the kiddos and headed to Paul Bunyan Land. Last year we went, and since it was free for kids 2 and under, it was cheap entertainment. This year, since Kayden and Sydney are 3, it cost 14.95 for each of them, plus 12.95 per adult! We may skip this next year...

For that price we could take them to Valleyfair! They did have fun though, and Tyson did really well. He slept in his stroller all afternoon, except for waking up to eat one time.

We got home Sunday night in time to check the yard for storm damage, only to find just one tree down. We were expecting much worse based on the information we'd gotten from other people in our area.

Monday I was able to sneak away for a day of shopping at Albertville with some girlfriends. Tuesday night we were at home, and Kayden and Mike took care of the broken tree and some other "chainsaw" work in the yard. Wednesday night we headed to The Landing in St. Anna for tacos for Mike's birthday. Thursday Mike turns 30, and our plan is to go out to eat with Pat and Leah. This weekend we have nothing much planned other than a wedding reception for a good friend of mine.