As most friends do, Philip, Belle, Shawn, and Mimi did everything together. Since Phillip and Belle had problems conceiving and Mimi suffered uterine damage after her abortion, both couples decided to try in vitro fertilization together. Belle was to be implanted with the fertilized egg and a surrogate mother, named Lauren, was to carry Mimi and Shawn's baby. Tyler Kiriakis was supposed to be the son of Philip Kiriakis and Belle Black, but the mysterious Salem "Black Glove" hand switched Belle's egg with Mimi's egg. Thus, Mimi's egg was fertilized with Philip's sperm and implanted into Mimi and Shawn's surrogate, Lauren. When the truth came out, both couples broke up. Mimi and Philip signed papers that allowed Lauren to terminate the pregnancy.

But, Mimi's mother, Bonnie, bribed Lauren to keep the baby. Bonnie felt that a Kiriakis son would be a good "investment" for her daughter. Lauren carried the baby to term and gave birth to Tyler Kiriakis. But, when Bonnie went to jail, Lauren's money ran out. So, she started harassing Mimi and then Philip for more money. Philip was shocked to learn that the pregnancy had not been terminated. He enlisted Billie's help in tracking down Lauren, and then traveled to find his son. He eventually caught up with Lauren in Oklahoma. She did not have Tyler with her and refused to tell him where Tyler was.

Unable to care for him on her own, Lauren had left Tyler at Salem University Hospital. Kayla, who had been unsuccessfully pressuring Steve to have another baby, was drawn to Tyler immediately. The state agreed to let Steve and Kayla foster the baby, whom they named Pocket, until permanent arrangements could be made. But, when Pocket turned up in the hospital multiple times for "poisoning," the state took him away and gave him to another set of foster parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wilkens.

It wasn't long before Philip and Shawn confronted Lauren for more information about Tyler. During the confrontation, she accidentally fell down a flight of stairs. Before she died, she left a clue that "Pocket" was actually Tyler. Philip petitioned the state to let him have his son. Steve and Kayla were also petitioning for Tyler, as were the Wilkenses. Eventually, Philip realized that he wasn't ready to be a father, and signed off on the adoption papers. Steve and Kayla agreed that it would be best if Tyler went to live with the other set of foster parents. So, Tyler was adopted and went to live with Mr. and Mrs. Wilkens in November of 2007.