Happy Birthday Thomas!

From Thomas birthday

A birthday message for Thomas:
On Feb. 26, 2009, 11 p.m., you made your wish to come into this world known with a sharp contraction. Then, only two minutes later, another. I woke up after having a dream that I was having twins because it hurt on both sides.
Needless to say, we hurried to make the 45-minute journey as short as possible. You were trying to come quickly.
You were thwarted. After eight hours of “almost there,” you still weren’t almost there. You came, via c-section, Feb. 27 at 7:27 a.m. You were a big 9 pounds, with dark hair and eyes.

From Thomas Michael

From the beginning, you were alert and bright-eyed. Little did I know that those bright, alert eyes would stay bright and alert day and night, even from the beginning. Most newborns sleep — you didn’t. I guess you didn’t want to miss anything.
You still would rather not sleep. But it’s been a big year for you, so I guess I can understand why you feel you haven’t had time to sleep. You’ve learned to walk, and even almost run. You’ve met your sister, and the two of you are becoming friends. I love how you follow her around, imitating her, even throwing your arms in the air and screaming when she throws a fit. It drives her crazy — I think it’s adorable.
A year ago, I was still trying to figure out where you would fit in our little family. Now I can’t imagine our family without you. You are the sweetest cuddler, grabbing on to our shoulders and giving the best hugs. Your kisses, usually followed by a bite, are still a little scary, but I think you’ll get the hang of it. ☺
I love the way you dance to music, and even the way you completely empty my cupboards whenever we’re in the kitchen, and the bookcase whenever we’re in the living room. You do the work with such a determined look, I don’t want to stop you.
We’re so lucky to have you here in our family — heck, the world is lucky to have you here. We love you. Happy birthday!

From christmastime

In lieu of wise words

In lieu of any inspirational or wise words, here are some photos, from Christmas until today.

First, Christmas Day, filled with church, present-opening and trying out new snowshoes.

From christmastime

From christmastime

From christmastime

From christmastime

New Year's in Missoula:

From christmastime

From christmastime

Bowling on Anne Marie's birthday:

From Anne Marie birthday 2

From Anne Marie birthday 2

From Anne Marie birthday 2

Hard-core winter bike riding:

From Anne Marie birthday 2

And, of course, skiing and hula dancing:

From skiing and hula

From skiing and hula

From skiing and hula

Great Day

Do you ever have days where everything seems to be going just right? I don’t have them all that often, but yesterday was one of those days.
It all started at 5:48 a.m., the time I set my alarm so that I could go to the gym and keep my commitment. I’m not a morning exerciser, but I’ve come to the reality that it’s the absolute only time I can do it, no matter how insane it feels.
Ever since going back to work full-time, I have been really missing my children. I never see them enough, and I have taken other things out of my life because I realize something has to give. I can’t have it all- work time, kid time and self time. So the self time has been set aside for the time being. And, honestly, I don’t think there is anything really wrong with that for now. I have no choice but to work, but luckily I have a job I can enjoy, since I have to be there anyway. Of course I would rather be home with my kids much more, but for now, I’m learning to be grateful for what I do have — a job where I feel respected, make enough money for our family to get by, and work steady hours that allow me to have evenings, weekends and holidays free, along with a great benefits package and plenty of sick and vacation days.
So, work time has to stay, kid time has to stay, self time must go, unless you can squeeze it in at 6 a.m. But even then, there is the guilt. If I leave for work at 6 a.m., I won’t be home when my kids wake up. Never mind the fact that they currently wake up about 10 minutes before I leave, just enough time to kiss them and say goodbye.
Then, there was divine intervention. At 5:50 a.m., Anne Marie came to my room, whispered, “I’m ready to get up now,” and “I want to help you wake up Thomas.”
I wasn’t going to wake up Thomas, but I was happy to see her. And, because I had packed my bags for workout/work the night before, I had time to read her a story before I left. It was actually better quality time than a normal morning.
I arrived at the gym at 6:25 a.m. and got on the elliptical machine. Normally, early-morning workouts make me sick to my stomach, but this time I felt great.
I got to work by 7:45, the earliest I have ever arrived.
I guess I’ll go again Thursday.

Happy birthday Anne Marie!

Happy birthday sweet kiddo. Three years ago, in the early morning hours of Jan. 24, you came out, looking like a scrawny little scrapper.

From Anne Marie hospital

It was three very long weeks before you came home, and when you finally did, it changed our lives forever.

On your first birthday, you developed what I’m sure will be a lifelong love affair with cake.

From first birthday

By your second birthday, you had learned to talk, walk, play and wrap people around your little finger.

From Anne Marie birthdays

Now, it’s your third birthday. It’s been a big year. You learned to use the potty, ski, dance and have tea parties.

It also seems that you have learned to be a bit more sneaky when it comes to your love affair with cake.

From Anne Marie birthday

It’s just one of the many things I love about you. Here’s a few more:
• You aren’t a shy girl. Not that there is anything wrong with being shy, but I love that you always have a smile for everyone, and that you aren’t afraid to speak your mind.
• You are an observant little girl, and you take everything in. I am constantly amazed by your memory – both the way you can memorize an entire book in just a couple of readings, and the way you see even the smallest item in a room.
• You have a vivid imagination. You can play for hours with your dolls or toys, making up the greatest stories. I love listening.
• You give the greatest hugs.
Happy birthday, a little late! I love you!

Anne Marie skiing

Here is proof of her prowess. Also note the lack of snow in the background. We could use a bit of help in that arena.

From skiing ANne Marie

2009: A year in review

Change was in the air this year in the Frandsen household. I guess when you have little ones, time just flies and the changes keep coming, but for us, this was an especially big year. I had a new baby, new job, two new cars (only one now), a few struggles, some sad times and a lot to be thankful for.

January:
It’s sad- I honestly don’t know how I rang in the new year. Probably I was at home. The end of the month was when change began.
My grandfather died Jan. 24, on Anne Marie’s 2nd birthday. He was 94. He lived a long, full life, but it was still sad to see him go. I didn’t really have a father growing up, and my granddad was one of the most important male role models in my life. I love him and still miss him.
It was a strange birthday for Anne Marie, I’m sure. My grandma insisted on buying a cake and celebrating. I think it brought some normalcy to the situation.

From Anne Marie birthdays

February:

From Thomas Michael

Thomas came, ending February on a happy, crazy note. We all know how he’s working out so far. :)

March:
March was the month of colicky baby and NO sleep. In the beginning of March, I was asked to fill out an essay test of sorts for a job I’d applied for. They were kind enough to give me a two-day extension since I was still in the hospital with the baby.

From Twin Falls

In March, I didn’t think I was going to survive. Thomas would cry for 12 hours or more straight, and it seemed like that would never end. I had no idea how to put Anne Marie and Thomas both to bed, and since Matt was working night shifts, it was up to me most evenings. I remember crying one night that I had ruined Anne Marie’s life by having another baby. Luckily, by the end of March, it was a lot better.
In March we also bought a Ford Escape that turned out to be a total lemon and cost us several thousand dollars. It was kind of a rough month.

April:
I found out I got the job- and it was a really good one! Thomas was still colicky, but we were getting the hang of things, finally.

From Easter redone for Thomas

May
May was big! Thomas stopped crying. It was amazing. He cried almost straight from birth to 3 months old, then just stopped. He also sat up for the first time.
Also, started my new job, and found Amber, a wonderful person to care for Thomas while I was at work.

From another zoo, Thomas sitting up

June
Thomas was baptized, and we saw our good friends Greg and Denise, also his Godparents. I’m excited to see them again soon!

From Thomas baptism

July
July is always busy- we went to Massacre Rocks for the Fourth of July, and my family reunion at Redfish Lake.

From massacre rocks and fourth of july

October
We bought a van, ditched the Escape and drove to Yellowstone. It snowed the whole time we were there, and the road was closed past Old Faithful, but we still had a great time! Anne Marie was funny- she said her favorite part was staying in a hotel.

From yellowstone

December
Anne Marie’s eye surgery. Uggh.

From eye surgery and random fun

Really, since then life has been fairly uneventful. We’re just continuing on. Here’s to 2010!

Happy Thanksgiving late and Merry Christmas early!

There’s so much updating to do! A month has passed, and it’s been a busy one. First, there was Thanksgiving in Missoula always a good time. Anne Marie and Thomas had the time of their lives. Someday, there will be more kids in our extended families, and those two will have to deal with not always being the center of attention, but right now they are the only kids on either side of our family in more than 20 years. They might as well enjoy it!

From Thanksgiving 2009

From Thanksgiving 2009

From Thanksgiving 2009

From Thanksgiving 2009

We also got to get to know Phil’s girlfriend a little better, although I called her by the wrong name for about 30 minutes, repeating it several times so I wouldn’t forget her name. Whatever I called her, she's very nice. :)

From Thanksgiving 2009

Then came December, both a really long and a really short month. The longest day was Dec. 2, Anne Marie’s surgery day. We got to the hospital at 6 a.m., and Anne Marie was a dream patient- happy, quiet and willing to do whatever the nurses wanted. Two hours later, she was out of surgery, and the doctor told us he couldn’t get the tube in the top of her tear duct, so he taped it to the outside of her eye. Then he said, “I don’t think we’ll leave it in for six months. We’ll probably have to take it out in six weeks.”
What?! He’s had kids. I can’t imagine why he would think a two-year old could go six weeks with something taped to the outside of her eye. Still, there was nothing we could do, so when she finally recovered from surgery, we got in the car and headed home.
In the van, I turned around to ask Anne Marie if she wanted ice cream, only to hear a huge scream and see a long piece of tubing hanging from the side of her eye. Her nose was bleeding and she was freaking out, yelling, “Get it out!” She had noticed something next to her eye and pulled it, just like anyone would do.
We drove to the doctor’s office and he patched it and told us she would have to have another surgery that day to either remove it or put it back in. I told him to take that sucker out, and that we’d hope that the probing was enough to clear the duct. He agreed and apologized. Anne Marie asked me to draw a frowny face on her patch. She wanted it off.

From eye surgery and random fun

Since she had eaten jello at the hospital, we had to wait until 6 p.m. so her stomach was clear again. The poor kid hadn’t eaten anything but those couple of bites of jello for more than 30 hours, but we had to just sit it out.
We went back in, and Matt and I went to the waiting room for what we thought would be a 15-minute procedure. Two hours later, she wasn’t out yet. Turns out, she pulled that tube so far that they couldn’t find a piece of it. Our doctor called another specialist to help, but they still never found it. To avoid tears running into where the piece might be, they put in another tube, but this time the specialist was able to help get it inside the eye. When she came out the first time, she looked fine. The second time, the eye was patched and when we took off the patch later, it looked like she’d been in a bar fight. The best part was the next day at day care, they took photos and made Christmas ornaments of them. Now we have an ornament on our tree that looks like a police photo for child abuse.

But, the tube is in now, and will remain in for 6 months. I’m not looking forward to having it taken out. Anne Marie takes the anesthesia well, but I don’t think any kid really wakes up well from being put under. Both times she spent about 20 minutes screaming, another 20 minutes sleeping, then about an hour of alternating crying and sleeping. Awesome.
All that junk, however, was two weeks ago. Since then, we’ve had a few ear infections, strep throat and other incidents that make it hard to get things done.
Now, however, we’re all well and ready for a fun Christmas. Things are looking up!