Thats fair

Riding firefighter cow

Ro wanted ice cream too

Ro meets the fair queen

Sawyer meets the fair Queen

Ice cream!

This baby is such a sweetheart! Look at that grin!

Feeding goats

Cows

Look Mom, baby chick!


Last week Zach and I took a wonderful kid free trip to the lake with some friends. It was so much fun to get away and have no responsibilities for 5 days. And yes, Im still exclusivly nursing Ro- I had enough milk frozen for the trip and pumped while we were gone- gotta love dragging a breast pump everywhere you go. We had pretty good weather with only one Thunderstorm- we sat out under the covered boat dock and watched it roll in. Last year we had such a bad storm that we lost power, and we lost power during the storm again this year. Most of the time the weather was great. We had an awesome dinner one night (did I mention no kids!!) way up on a hill overlooking the lake and had drinks and watched the sunset- it was perfection. But when it was time to go home, I was beyond ready to see the boys, and they were both so happy to see us! They had a blast staying with Nanna and grandpa, they took them to the fair AND to adventurland! Sawyer even rode the big log ride and love it- what a stud!

After we got home Zach and I decided that we wanted to take the kids to the fair too, so Tuesday afternoon we spent a few hours at the fair. The kids both had a ton of fun. We hit every animal barn. Sawyer especially loved the pigs, ducks, chickens and the big bull. The petting zoo was a huge hit with Sawyer again this year. He fed all the animals but he loved the goats again this year because I swear those goats are ALWAYS hungry! Sawyer's favorite part of all was getting to ride the big slide. He talked about it the whole time we were there! We also met the fair queen- she came up and wanted to take a picture with Sawyer- he is a lady killer.



We spent pretty much the rest of our week at the pool because this was the last week it is open- which I find totally depressing. I adore summer- even when it is unbearably cold outside I still love summer. I never will be one of those people who looks forward to fall, and school. Each year I am still happy that I don't have to go back to school and I am totally sad thinking about my boys leaving me someday to go to school everyday. The pool was wonderful- its wild to think that next year both boys will be able to swim!

Summer Fun

Bowling party!

Hi Brother!

"holding" Ro

Sawyer telling Ro that he can NOT play with Sawyer's toy cars

But Sawyer apparently is allowed to play with Ro's toys

Giraffes

Monkey

Everyone staying hydrated

Woke up with blanky on his head

Check out that flexibility!

We have been having a great summer! We spent a weekend this July in Omaha with two of my friends from nursing school and thier families. We drove down friday afternoon and went swimming in the pool at the hotel and had dinner. Of course Sawyer loved the pool. Saturday we hit the Omaha zoo. We planned this trip back this winter- what were we thinking planning a zoo trip in July?! It was HOT! We hit the zoo first thing in the morning when it opened to avoid the dead afternoon heat. We went to all of the outside exhibits in the morning and then did all the air conditioned exhibits during the afternoon when it was hot. All the kids seemed to enjoy themselves. Even Baby Ro seemed interested in all the excitement. The zoo was awesome. They have really amazing, and HUGE indoor exhibits. I think Sawyer loved the jungle the best out of everything- but all of the animals made him a bit nervous. He was worried they would get out of their cages like in one of his bedtime stories- Goodnight Gorilla. We got ice cream cones in the afternoon and Sawyer fell asleep eating his! Zach and I still wanted to see the rest of the zoo so we kept going and when Sawyer woke up we were in the "night life" exhibit, in the swamp area. There are alligators literally right below the path you are on and Sawyer woke up and kept tellling us- "NO gators! They are trying to eat me!" What a scary place to wake up! Saturday night we had a BBQ at one of my friends home and let the kids play. Sunday we hit the closest pool and did some swimming and Sawyer had a blast and then we headed home. We had a great time seeing friends and letting the kids hang out.

We have also been hitting the outdoor pool and granny's pool almost every single day recently because it has been HOT! Both boys really love the water. Sawyer is an awesome little swimmer. He even holds his breath, puts his whole face in the water and opens his eyes under the water and will tell you things that he can see on the bottom of the pool! He still wears his life jacket- and he tells me that I can't take it off because if I do he will "leak". This year he will even go down the "big green slide" at the public pool on his own.

In other Sawyer news, he has still been doing great at peeing on the potty. For the past month he has been only using pullups at bedtime and he has woken up dry every morning with the exception of 1 or 2 nights. In fact, he has worn underwear to bed a few times and we havent had any accidents yet. I have even taken him places over an hour from home with big boy underwear on and he hasn't had any accidents! We are very proud! I love only having to change one set of diapers! Plus little underwear is so cute.

Baby Rowan is getting so big! A few weeks ago at his 6 month check up he was almost 19lbs 10oz- SO close to being 20 pounds already! For the past month he has been sitting up well and he is starting to scoot around on his belly a lot more now too. He loves to sit and play with all of his toys, just like Sawyer used to love to do. He thinks Sawyer is hilarious. He loves to watch everything that Sawyer does and he laughs and laughs when Sawyer plays with him. I absoltely love to watch the two of them interact together. They are so sweet.

Hi July!

Baby Rowan's first boat ride and his first trip to the Ozarks

Sawyer loves the jet ski

Grandpa and Ro

Hello precious baby!

Sawyer and his first fish!

I can not believe that it is already July. Wasn't it just January and we were welcoming home a tiny newborn??!! He isn't a tiny baby anymore! Rowan is getting to be quite a big boy! He is now sitting up for longer periods of time on his own, and I have once again started making home made babyfood for him- and just like Sawyer, he is quite the eater! And I must say- it is quite tasty! So much better than anything you can buy at the store- and healtier since I make it using nothing but fresh veggies and breast milk! Yum!

A few weeks ago we took our first summer trip down to the lake of the Ozarks. We had a great time swimming, boating and relaxing. Sawyer adores all things water related so we spent almost all day, every day in the pool, then on the jet ski, then on the boat, and then fishing! And Sawyer caught his first fish! We were down on the dock fishing- using chunks of hotdog left over from Sawyer's lunch as bait. I was helping Sawyer and Zach was fishing with a different pole. Where should we fish? I asked Sawyer? And he picked out a spot near a boat lift. I casted his line and let him hold the pole and before we knew it he had caught something- and it was big! I ended up grabbing the pole and reeling it in for him before he lost the whole pole into the lake and he caught a big catfish! Zach thought it was at least a pound and a half and it was pretty long too! Sawyer was terrified of the fish though "Its too big!" He told me! "I really wanted to catch a little one"

We also enjoyed celebrating the 4th of July. We had a busy weekend- we got a new cabinet and countertop to put in the laundry room, went to a birthday party, and went swimming on Saturday. Sunday we had a family day and we had a grillout picnic next to the lake. Then we took the kids up to the top of the observation tower- and THAT was a long walk with baby Ro on my back. The boys all walked in the parade while I worked, and then we all watched the fireworks together. Sawyer enjoyed them, and Ro slept through them- he LOVES bedtime and it was too late for him.

June Joys

Baby Ro passed out at the reception

The only picture I got of him looking at the camera in his tux- playing in the church nursery

Mommy and Soy Boy

Go Ro Go!!

Hi there Daddy!

Its June :)

We have had some excitement the past few weeks! On Saturday Uncle Ben got married! Sawyer was the ring bearer and Zach and I were both in the wedding party- so we were busy! Sawyer wanted nothing to do with having his picture taken before the wedding, so I was a bit nervous about how he would do walking down the isle. And of course there wasn't time for a nap that day. About 30 minutes before go time I took him and Ro into a sunday school room, turned off the lights and made sawyer lay down and watch and movie and eat a snack, and baby Ro had a good nurse and a little snooze. It must have done the trick because Sawyer walked down the isle like it was no big deal- Im sure it helped that both Zach and I were stanind at the front for him to walk to. At one point during the ceremony I did hear him say "I see my mom up there, I want her!" Baby Ro spent the ceremony in the nursery with a babysitter and Sawyer went there pretty quickly after going down the isle. He was more excited about the church nursery toys than the wedding. The reception was a lot of fun because it was under a tent outside. Sawyer ran and played with all of the other kids and had a great time. Baby Ro took a nap and eventually both kids hung out with a babysitter in our hotel room. Zach and I had our reception in the same place under a tent almost 4 years ago so it was really fun to do it again- it brought back so many happy fun memories! Can't believe 4 years later and we have two wonderful little boys at home. Then next day we were all so tired that all of us ended up taking a 3.5 hour nap! I slept until almost 6 and then went to be at 11 and slept all night long with no problem! Yikes! Exhausted!

Other exciting news is that Sawyer is now completly potty trained while we are at home! He even wakes up every morning dry- and it turns out it wasnt even a big deal to get him to use the potty. I thought that he was ready a few months ago but there was no way I was going to bother trying to potty train when Ro was a newborn and I wanted to wait until it was warm so I could take him outside in just underwear. It only took a few accidents in big boy underpants and it seemed to just click! Zach and I are both very proud of him and how well he did. The only time we run into trouble is when we go out- he does not like to use a big potty without his little potty seat on it so if he has to go and we are out grocery shopping, ect, he will either choose to hold it or will pee in his pull up. He WILL however, pee outside pretty much wherever we are. Boys will be boys?? Its awesome to only be changing one set of diapers now. And little boy boxer briefs are just adorable!

Baby Ro is doing great, getting big. He sat up using only the boppy pillow to play with Sawyer's toy garage a few days ago. How do they grow up so fast???!!! He was 17lbs 7oz at his 4 month check up! 88% for both height and weight! He is still such a sweet and happy baby. I just can't get enough of him.

We have also been enjoying the start of summer! Sawyer still absolutely adores the public pool and we have been enjoying the warm weather!

"May"hem

Sawyer after his "race"

Before the race-excited to run

Could not for the life of me get a good picture of both kids...

My handsome Dutch boy

Baby Ro in the parade

Baby parade

Best Friends

Outside hanging out in the shade

Same old excuse, different blog post. Life is busy- but in the best of ways! We had a streak of great weather and literally spent every single second that we could outside. It was even warm enough to play in the baby pool 2 days this week- which Sawyer and I BOTH loved. I got a new comfy lawn chair for mothers day, and while he splashed and swam- I got to lay out. And I actually got some sun.

Since I last blogged in march-oops- I have gone back to work. Still just 2 days a week thank goodness. I don't think I could be gone more than that. I of course dreaded having to leave Rowan, but just like when I went back after having Sawyer, thinking about it was much worse that actually doing it. I liked seeing all my friends again, getting out of the house, and contributing to our family. Plus Sawyer loves getting to go to nana's or TT's house again while I work. Rowan was mad and didnt take a bottle the first day I was gone until about 10 hours after I had left, luckily zach was home with the boys my first day back and now Ro takes a bottle just fine if Im gone.

We had a wonderful Easter- it was on my birthday this year so we celebrated both! I like to forget that I got another year old- Im still 22 in my mind :) I had a wonderful day with my family. I got furniture for our deck for my birthday and I LOVE it- we eat dinner on the deck every single night that the weather is decent. Sawyer adores getting to eat outside. Sawyer got to have three, yes, three easter egg hunts and he loved every second of it. "Eggs are hiding everywhere!" he told me when he woke up on easter morning.

We also celebrated Tulip Time- Sawyer adored the parade. Its been a whole week and I dont think a day has gone by that he hasn't woken up and asked me if we can go to the parade. There was a float that looked like and ice cream truck and he named it "mack" like the truck from Cars, and he asks me about Mack every.single.day.

He also ran in the kids klompen classic- a 3 block kids race. He LOVED it, and he didnt get tired or slow down. He ran and yelled "im racing!" He tells me that he won. But he also told me he ran fast because he wanted a popsicle- and Im pretty sure he had no idea he would get a popsicle at the end.

Rowan actually liked the evening parade at Tulip Time. The afternoon parade fell right during his usual big nap time- so he wasnt really a fan of that at all, but the lights of the night parade made him smile.

Both boys are growing up so fast. Sawyer talks up a storm and he is hilarious. He makes me laugh on a daily basis. He is certainly not a baby anymore. He is a full blown little boy now.

Rowan is such a sweet baby. He is in that rolly baby stage. He has rolled over from his tummy a few times, but more often he just spins his whole body around and will end up facing the complete opposite direction from where he started.

Sawyer still likes having a brother. I told him once- Rowan is going to grow up and be your best friend, you guys will have so much fun! And sawyer asked "will he play cars with me?"

Yep! I said, "and lots of other stuff too!"

Sawyer got so excited "I want him to grow up right now and play soccer with me!"

March On

Well, I guess its been awhile- I've been enjoying my boys and my time at home. I would say things are now back to "the new normal" around here. Pretty much the same as before Rowan arrived- execpt that now I tote two kids out and about with me to playdates. Truthfully I can't just sit at home everyday or I get stir crazy and so does Sawyer. We have been out and about and we really enjoyed the warm weather here last week. We went to the park with granny and also with friends and played outside in the yard a lot which was wonderful! We are getting excited to start our garden. I think each year we buy more seeds than the previous year! Can't wait! We also bought some new fruit trees to plant this year- something we have been meaning/wanting to do since we moved in! Two apple trees, two pear trees, a peach tree and a plum tree- they are yearlings so we wont get fruit for at least 3 years but 3 years goes by so fast! And at the rate that Sawyer eats fruit now we are going to need them in 3 years. I realized recently that my family eats 12+ pounds of fresh fruit every week! Yep, you read that right, shocked me too! But I make everyone each fruit at each meal- healthy and delicious, can't beat that! Its exciting to think that we can grow our own.

Sawyer finally had his 2 year Dr. appointment and as always, he is a big boy. Dr. W was pleased with how well he talks also. Full blow sentences and conversations now, and the kid is a jabber box- I dont think he stops talking! And he also makes up new stories everyday to tell me- ussually involving himself, owls, eagles and Cooper dog. Lately an owl takes him away and cooks him/me/cooper into macaroni. And he is into telling jokes- apparently macaroni and poop are the two funniest things when you are two because all of his jokes revolve around one or the other. He is quite creative. And he seems to like being a big brother- he likes to touch Rowan's hair and tonight he told me- Rowan has small hands mom, but I have big hands! And he asks for Rowan to do things with him, such as Baby Rowan take a bath with me, Baby Rowan play cars with me, ect

Rowan had his 2 month Dr. appointment and was also a big boy- apparently I grow large children. He was 14lbs 12oz and 24.75 inches. 90% for both height and weight. I now have 50lbs of children- and somehow manage to still lug them both around. He is into 3-6 month clothes already but he can still wear 0-3 pants since he still has a skinny waist for now. Rowan so far has been a pretty easy baby. Right after he came home he caught some nasty boogery gunk from Sawyer and was a bit fussy until that was gone- but now he really just goes with the flow and spends a majority of the day sleeping on me in the baby carrier while Sawyer goes to playdates with his friends ect. He smiles a lot now and is one the verge of giving us a big belly laugh, he just does little "ha ha's" as of now. He loves to watch everything that Sawyer does- if Sawyer is around Rowan's eyes are glued on him. This makes for easy tummy time which is awesome. Everyday he seems more laidback and happy. I think for me going from 1 kid to 2 has been less of a transition than going from 0 to 1. It just seems like he has been here all along.

Welcome Rowan

Rowan Zachery Van Wyk is here! He made his way into the world on January 20, 2011- which was his ultrasound due date, and the day that I said he would be born :) If you don't like birth stories- you better stop reading now. Here is how Rowan made his debut.

On Wednesday the 19th Sawyer had a bad croup attack and we ended up taking him in to the ER where I work at 5 am. He came into our room with dusky blue lips and fingernails, and he was shaking and wouldn't open his eyes. He was fine, got some steroids, got to visit with Dr. D at 5 am :) but there were about 10 scary minutes at home before we took him out in the cold car and he started to get better- I had contractions pretty much the whole time- nothing makes me nervous ussually but I love my kids and it was a bit scary. We got home at 7am and I noticed I had lost my mucus plug- no big deal, you can lose it and not go into labor for weeks, but with Sawyer I lost it when I was IN labor. Had an OB appointment at 10 am- had Dr. W strip my membranes and I told him "tomorrow is the day I guessed he will come, does that work well for you?" And we had a good laugh and I went home and spent the day with playing with Sawyer, cooking, cleaning, ect. That evening I noticed that I was having some really really mild contractions, and they felt different than my usual braxton hicks contractions- because they actually didnt hurt at all and sometimes my BH did hurt a bit. I laughed and told Zach "well tomorrow is my guess and I think I could be trying to go into labor!" Went to bed and slept well most of the night, except waking up to go to the bathroom and check on Sawyer a lot. At 430 am when I was going to the bathroom I noticed I was having contractions. Was up again at 530 and still having contractions. Sawyer woke up early at 630 and came to our bed to cuddle and I announced to him and Zach, I think we get our baby brother today! Horray! Everyone was excited- Zach decided he would go in and get some orders dropped off for the week if today was going to be the day- so he didnt have to worry about doing it after baby came. He told me to get up and time a few contractions before he left. Got up at 7am and timed my first set of contractions and they were about 5 minutes apart, and once I was up and about, they hurt! I told him to go to work but to make it quick because this wasn't going to take 26 hours like it had with Sawyer, I could tell! I got up and got ready and got Sawyer ready and was by 830 when he got home I was breathing through contractions every 3-4 minutes. Sawyer went to Zach's parents house and I decided I would sit down and see how far apart my contractions were if I relaxed a bit- they were still 3-5 minutes apart and painful. We decided to go to OB at about 930 or 10am- I wanted to make sure I didn't get to far along before I could get my epidural because with Sawyer I transitioned without it and it HURT and I had noticed I was already having bloody show at home. Got to OB around 10ish and was 5cm dilated and contracting every 3-5 minutes with strong contractions. Labored there, did admission stuff, and waited for Dr. W. Zach rubbed my shoulders and we played monopoly on the ipod to try to distract me from the pain. Dr. W. came around 1130ish and I was 6cm. He said to go ahead and get my epidural and he would be back to break my water. Got my epidural from one of my best friend's husband's and he did an awesome job. He gave me a half dose rate because I told him I wanted to be able to feel my contractions still- it was wonderful. I could move my legs and I could still feel every contractions but the pain wasnt bad, they just felt like a LOT of pressure. Once I was feeling good Zach went to get lunch- it was about noon. Dr. W came and broke my water while he was gone, and when Zach came back upstairs with food Dr. W. joked that if Zach got to eat, he wanted to also. I was feeling amazing so I told him to go enjoy his lunch! A few friend from work came down to see me and we chatted a while. Immediatly after my water was broken i could tell my contractions were really strong and were coming one after the other. at about 1230 dr. w came back from lunch and checked me and declared i was complete and ready to push "he's right there!" our nurses were pretty suprised how quickly i had progressed. they got all the baby equipment in the room and at 1247 i started pushing. I pushed about 10ish times and 21 minutes later at 108 Rowan Zachery Van Wyk arrived. Everyone was shocked at how big he was (although i thought he seemed so small compared to almost 2 year old Sawyer) he was a big 8lb 9oz and a shocking 21.5 inches long- too long to ever wear newborn clothes even though he is so long that his legs and waist are too slim for newborn still now. and the best part was- even as big as he was i didnt tear at all- so even right after he was born i felt great. i told zach if it was going to be like Rowan i could have 10 more kids- he told me no way to that many :)