Boy Mom...Enough Said

Eli's Birth Story

We welcomed Eli Jonathan Loxtercamp into the world on June 21 at 3:51 in the morning, just hours before my scheduled c-section. Leo and I had finally made it to bed around 11:00 on Thursday night and had only been in bed for about five minutes when I felt a contraction starting. I had been having them on and off for days so this wasn't unusual.  I had just told Leo "I'm having a contraction" when I felt my water break. Similar to Lucas, it was an explosion of fluid, but luckily this time it happened in the privacy of our home and not while I was at work.

Leo jumped out of bed and started throwing things into a bag. We called the hospital and were told to head in for an assessment. Thankfully, my parents were already here to take care of the boys the next day so no late night childcare scrambles were necessary.   We got to the hospital around 11:45/12:00, and they led me into a room where they could verify my water had broken, see how far I was dilated and listen to Baby's heartbeat, which sounded good and strong. Contractions started around 12:15 and I had them consistently every 10-15 minutes after that.

Because we had eaten supper at 7:00 and I was only 3 cm dilated, the c-section was pushed to 3:00. You aren't supposed to eat within eight hours of surgery so I'm really glad I didn't have that bowl of ice cream I had been thinking about before heading to bed, or it may have been an even longer night of laboring. Leo and I spent the next three hours surfing the Internet and trying to find something interesting to watch on TV. At that hour of the morning, we were not successful. I continued to have contractions, which got more painful over the course of those three hours. By the time 3:15 rolled around and the Doctor still had not arrived, I was dreading the arrival of the next contraction.

The Dr. arrived shortly after 3:15, and we talked about the procedure. He would also be removing a cyst from my right ovary (the reason for the c-section), so things were a bit more complicated than when William was born. If all went well, the baby would be delivered first, and then he would begin work on the cyst removal with the hope that he would not have to remove my ovary as well (and put me into early menopause).

I was walked to the OR and prepped for surgery. After a prick to the back, the lower half of my body quickly became numb. I started to feel queasy but thankfully did not get sick. Once they were ready to begin surgery, Leo was led back into the room and sat near my head. It seemed like they had only just started operating when the Doctor pulled our baby boy from my open belly. He held him over the curtain, and we got our first glimpse of Eli. He was angry and covered in all sorts of gunk, but it was love at first sight.

His cries got louder and angrier as the nurses started messing with him. My relief at seeing him and hearing those angry cries was instant. My tears started immediately; happy tears that he was here and sounded healthy. Leo left my side to watch as they checked Eli's heartbeat, weighed him, and did all of the other newborn tests that are completed right away.

Our little guy weighed in at 7 pounds 15 ounces and was 21 inches long.

As soon as they finished cleaning up Eli and wrapped him in a blanket, he calmed down. Leo brought him over to my head so I could get a better look at our son. Words can't describe all of the emotions I was feeling at that time.

Leo was led out of the operating room and into the recovery area with Eli in his arms while the Doctor continued to work on me. I had been told the cyst removal would probably take longer than the delivery, although the whole procedure was pretty quick as they were done around 4:30. Thankfully, the Doctor was able to remove the cyst without taking my ovary. The entire procedure went as well as could be expected.

Once they were done, I was wheeled into the recovery area where I was finally able to hold Eli. He latched on to me immediately, and I enjoyed the feel of his tiny body held so closely to mine. Oh how I love this little boy.

Soon To Be Four

The last picture of my three boys before there were four.

Apple Season

Nothing says fall like a trip to the apple orchard. Minnetonka Orchards has become our apple picking destination of choice. The boys were completely and utterly happy for four hours. Yes...four hours! This orchard has so many activities to keep a family with two young boys who seem to need constant stimulation entertained...rides on the Apple Express, a corn maze to explore, barn animals to observe, hay bales to jump on, tractor rides, the best apple donuts to snack on, face painting, live music and the primary reason for the visit...apple picking. We stayed until closing time, and if the sun weren't going down, the boys would have stayed longer.

Swinging Around

This is the sort of activity happening in our front yard on any given night of the week. Throw in a little hide-n-seek, hike, Stomp Rocket, or Captain Hook, and our two consider it a very good night indeed.

Cross Lake Camping

We spent a few days of our week off in early August camping at Cross Lake. This campground has quickly become a family favorite this summer since Cass Lake has been closed due to storm damage. The boys absolutely love camping! They love being able to spend the day outdoors...exploring, chasing, hunting for acorns, swimming, feeding the fish, and having adventures. They love having campfires at night and indulging in graham crackers and chocolate squares...no marshmallows for these two! They love waking up in the mornings and being able to pick out their own mini box of cereal from the variety pack that has become a camping staple for us. I remember loving this as a child as well! We took in a bit more of the city this trip with a visit to a local ice cream shop. We also did a little driving around the actual lake (prompted by the boys being in desperate need of naps) and dreamed about what it would be like to own some of the houses and cabins we saw there. Unless I can talk Leo into a September camping adventure, we won't be back to this area until next summer.  I'm glad we found another campground to add to our list of summer outings and traditions. 

Hike

There was an intense game of hike going on in our front yard tonight. Just look at the ferocity in William's face. This boy is a force to be reckoned with.  And the joy Lucas experiences when engaging in any sort of roughhouse with Daddy is contagious.

William & Kaylin Turn 2

At the end of June, we had a birthday party at the cabin to celebrate Kaylin and William turning two.  We could not have asked for a nicer day to be outside.  The boys spent hours in the water, relaxing on their floaties and jumping off the end of the dock (or in Calvin's case, face planting into the water).  When the lake got tiring, the slip n' slide was a hit.  Even William enjoyed getting in on the sliding action.  It was next to impossible to get the boys out of the water, although the mention of food and cake seemed to do the trick!

Camping at Cross Lake

We had our first camping adventure of the summer mid-June. The boys loved it! Apparently, you need to make reservations months in advance if you want to camp in a state park anywhere near the metro area. So, we decided to head to Brainerd and check out Cross Lake Campground. We showed up around lunch on Friday and got one of the last three sites available. Seriously...camping is such a popular activity!  

It was a great weekend...perfect weather, a nice swimming beach, a rip roaring dam where the boys could watch the "fast water", fish to feed, and play structures for the kids to climb on. Lucas especially loved sleeping in the camper (and peeing in the woods). William got to try S'mores for the first time, but after getting his hands sticky decided they weren't his favorite treat.  Other things the boys loved - being able to pick out their own little box of cereal to eat each morning from the multi-pack we brought with and eggs.  They never eat eggs for us at home but gobbled them down in the campground. I guess eggs taste better in the great outdoors!

The Palomino Pinto

Here's to many more camping adventures! The 30+ year-old hand-me-down Jayco has officially been retired for a set of new camping wheels, canvas that is mold-free and wood paneling that does not have holes in it. Really...could you ask for more than that in a camper?!? 

In other exciting news, someone got their cast taken off on Thursday and was pretty happy to be reacquainted with their left leg.

The Ford Fusion

Leo didn't waste much time deciding on a "new to him" vehicle. On Tuesday night, he went car shopping and drove home with this beauty. Lucas was excited to ride to school in new wheels on Wednesday morning and had Leo check out all of the interior buttons.

Daddy's Tired Face

This picture cracks me up. William is so excited to be playing with the purple balloon Lucas and I brought home from Party City on Friday night. Daddy's shirt is covered with stickers and from the look on his face, it has been a long morning.  

Sunday In Review

We cleaned (in our winter jackets), we ate, we napped, and we baked.

Oh, Christmas Tree

As soon as our Thanksgiving festivities were over last weekend, we jumped right into Christmas preparations, pulling out all of our Christmas decor.  Lucas and William helped pick out a Christmas tree at our local Menards.  Leo and I debated bringing the boys to a tree farm where we would cut our own Christmas tree down but decided William might not appreciate that sort of outdoor adventure quite yet.  Perhaps next year we will be able to start this new tradition.  

Second Annual Grazzini Halloween Party

Last night was the second annual Grazzini Halloween party. We donned our costumes and drove down to Lakeville for the festivities where there were kids, costumes and candy galore.  Tony and Shannon  even had a few voting games prepared.  Last year, Leo was a contender for the "worst costume" award. I don't remember what he was anymore.  Leo did not win worst costume this year, but as a couple Leo and I tied the Grazzini's for the honor of another award, the specifics of which I won't mention here. Hmmm...I'm not sure the crowd's reasoning for voting for us, but Leo believes there is the perception we are so busy chasing our boys we have no time for anything else in our lives! 

Pumpkins and a Pot-Bellied Pig

We enjoyed our second annual trip to Eveland Family Farm on Sunday morning. Calvin and Lucas thoroughly enjoyed checking out the farm animals and feeding the goats and pigs handfuls of hay. William wasn't overly excited about sitting in a field of pumpkins but did enjoy watching the rather large pot-bellied pig that roamed freely throughout the farmyard.

Arboretum

On Sunday, we spent a few hours at the Arboretum, enjoying the warm weather.  My goal was to snap a few pictures of the boys playing in the leaves.  Unfortunately, they weren't all that interested in playing in the leaves.  Lucas' favorite part of our Arboretum adventure seemed to be checking out the many different scarecrows on display, while William enjoyed chasing the geese.  Leo and I could have spent several more hours walking the grounds, but our little people were ready to leave by the end of the morning and asleep within minutes of our car ride home. 

Six Years

Happy six years to my wonderful husband. I would choose you all over again.

Are You Ready For Some Football?

Even our littlest enjoys getting in on the football action these days.

Zip Line

This summer we have become very familiar with the many parks Eden Prairie has to offer. Our most recent park find includes a few different pieces of playground equipment, including a zip line. Lucas loves the zip line! After watching Leo fly through the air, he insisted on trying it himself. Daddy was close by to catch him when he fell.