10 Reason Why I love a Snow Day

1.  Who cares what you (or your kids) look like, no one's coming over.
2.  Who cares what you (or your kids) look like, you're just going to go out and get soaked in the snow anyway!
3.  The day just feels slower.  A to do list?  GONE!  It's a snow day!
4.  Great excuse to make blueberry muffins for breakfast.
5.  Guaranteed coffee/hot chocolate bonding with the buddies.
6.  LONG naps, after all that playing in the snow.
7.  Our boys are old enough to know what a snow day is, and be excited.
8.  They get to use their snow suits!
9.  Our yucky winter yard looks pretty and clean.

10. Three boys outside + one taking an early nap = Time for this mom to blog!  :-)


Happy snow day!

Silves Boy Update!

Talk about a LOT going on these days!  Here's an update on each of the boys!

Wayne: Wayne is doing GREAT!  He is loving preschool, and to quote his teacher "I wish I had 10 boys like Wayne!"  He is conscientious, compassionate, smart, and sweet.  He just finished up his very first basketball league at the YMCA, and enjoyed himself.  There were a FEW moments of 4 year oldness, but there were also a lot of fun being had with his team mates, learning to be independent and listen to his coach, playing with other boys his age,(a few that will be at his school with him in the fall) and an activity for the cold weather!  Oh yes, and he also just went to the eye doctor, and will be getting glasses in the next week or so!  It wasn't a big surprise, I had suspected he needed them.  And the great thing is that because we caught his eye issues (he's farsighted) as an almost five year old, with glasses we can hopefully help him to overcome the need for glasses.  Weird, right?  But I guess that's how it works!  His brain is still building pathways with his eyes, and help his eyes to see right will cause those pathways to build, rather than not and need glasses for life.  Time will tell!  In the meantime - he's excited for the glasses so he can play Lego's without getting a headache!

 

 Weston:  Weston is doing well.  We have been through a gamut of follow up appointments and tests in the past few months, and I THINK we finally have some answers (and results!)  Speaking of results...  I slept for EIGHT HOURS last night, with only Tyler in our bed.  WOOOHOOOO!  :-)  Weston was only up once, and he went right back to sleep in his own bed.  How did we get there?  Well....  turns out he is completely normal from a neurological perspective, which we found out from his sleep study.  That's a praise!  :-)  Disappointing for the no answers, for sure, except the night before we got the results, I had the epiphany that I think his acid reflux from infant-hood is back....  I talked with our pediatrician, who put him back on Prevacid, and what do you know?  He's been sleeping better ever since.  Now, he's built some BAD habits into his nights, and over the next 5 nights we will be breaking those (coming to our room, getting in our bed, etc.) but I have never felt more optimistic.  In addition to the reflux, he also has low iron stores in his liver, etc. so he is taking a supplement for that, and his is almost done with his antibiotics for pneumonia, AND is taking a pro biotic that has really helped with his stomach aches!  So, with the help of a few simple pills, it seems as though Weston had a number of things going on, that were all culminating into crummy sleep.  We expected to find one BIG thing, but I am so thankful everything is a small, no big deal, type of thing instead!!!  He is starting to talk more and more too, and that's exciting!

 And last but by no means least, here's Wyatt!:  Wyatt is the most easy going little guy you've ever known, and continues to be.  He did come down with RSV and Broncialitis, and then an ear infection, but we've been on top of it all week, giving him steam treatments, suctioning him out, and giving him LOTS of snuggles.  I found him laying on our bed, in Wayne's arms yesterday, snuggling and watching a show.  Seriously?  What 18 month do you know that will do that?  :-)  Wayne was loving it!  Wyatt is running around, and has really started climbing things too... Yikes!  Thankfully, he has plenty of "safety police" around here to bust him!  :-)

Did I mention that each of these boys is about the most precious thing ever?  I'm soaking up our time with each of them before they get BIGGER!  :-)

P.S.  If you like their pics, be sure to hit me up for one, I've got plenty to give out!

Poor baby, Wyatt!

Poor Wyatt's cold took a turn for the worse, and by Sunday afternoon he was breathing heavy, wasn't eating or drinking anything, and was VERY lethargic.  Since we found out earlier this week that Weston had pneumonia, I decided that it was time to take him in - and wouldn't you know our doctor's office was closed for the day?  So, to the ER we went.  

Blagh!  I despise the ER.  We were taken into triage where they checked his breathing and found out he was not going to stop breathing any time soon, but that he did need an xray.  The doctor told us to wait in the waiting room, and to look for a sling or blood on someone, and sit by them, not anyone who looked sick.  Good advice Doc!  :-)  Another 2 hours went by of Wyatt doing nothing but lay his head on me and snuggle, and me doing nothing but waiting and trying not to pass judgment on anyone there.  I've never thought of myself as a judgmental person, but...  it was tough!  I thought a couple of the entourages would be ordering pizza!  :-)  

Finally, we were taken back, and Wyatt had to get into a gown.  Poor little thing!  He caught sight of my camera, and weakly said, "cheese!" and flashed a smile. 

 That tuckered him out, and he needed to rest for awhile.

 Poor little guy. 

 And then I picked him up again!  Just what he wanted.

So it was more testing and xrays and waiting.  The good news?  He doesn't have pneumonia, but he does have bronchitis and RSV - lovely!  Nothing they could do for him, except tell me what to watch out for, that he was in the early stages so he would get better before getting worse, and to follow up with our doctor today.  It sounds like we will bring him in tomorrow for a follow up - perfect!  Better than the ER again!  :-)

Feelin' the Love

Valentine's day was a FULL one this year, and a great reminder that our lives (mine and Tyler's) are no longer our own!  :-)  Wayne had a speech evaluation, preschool and a party, and basketball practice!  Somewhere in between we managed a visit from grandma, with her trademark sugar cookies and her NEW HIT Ritz crackers with peanut butter in the center, dipped in chocolate.  I think the kids had them for breakfast, lunch AND dinner one day this week! 

Grandma gave each boy a new shirt, with a basketball - a hit around these boys!

Weston was getting pretty tired here....  turns out the next day I'd be taking him to the doctor, having a chest x ray done, and finding out he had pneumonia! 

Talk about love!  Wyatt and his cookie.

Wayne's party was so cute.  He made his own Valentine's, with only a little help from me!

Oh yeah, his speech assessment!  Turns out he does have a few issues with some letters, but all are "late developing" sounds, typically corrected between age 5 and 8.  Since he's not quite 5 yet, that means he's right on track.  Part of the assessment was also relating to critical thinking and ability, and the lady testing him said he was one smart cookie!  :-)

And during Wayne's basketball practice, Brenna watched Weston and Wyatt.  We've tried taking them to the gym, but at this point they are just tooo busy!  A few years from now though, I know that we all will be spending lots of time in the gym as a family.  The boys all love any and all balls, and are pretty competitive, even though they are so young.  It must be a boy thing!

Are these some serious Auntie loves or what?  :-)

 

There are so many things that fill my heart with love these days.  Of course, the big things; but also the little things too.  Spending time one on one with each of the boys, enjoying their unique and precious personalities - Wyatt is so silly and into everything these days.  He's still easy going, but his little personality is coming out and he is playful and a goof too.  He is a HUGE snuggler, and will hug anyone at anytime.  And he totally loves to tackle Wayne.  Wayne is such a sweet big brother - he really looks out for Wyatt and those two sharing a bedroom has been great for both of them.  He is very gentle with Wyatt when they roughouse, and he really is quite protective too.  Wayne is BIG into "Give me a job Mom" these days, and can start laundry, hang is shirts up, wash dishes, and even "baby watch" for me.  His vocabulary is EXPLODING and the things he says just crack me up - the seem so strange coming out of a 4 year olds mouth!  And he won't be four for too much longer...  Weston is still the go getter - but he also has a softer side too.  He is a big snuggler, and loves to curl up in my arms, as long as I'm holding him just the right way.  We've had lots of one on one time lately, with all of his appointments, and his big smile with his sparkling eyes melts my sometimes frazzled heart every time.  He is quite the boy!

1/2 my Valentine's Days

have been spent with Tyler.  We've had lots of big, grand celebrations, but tonight my two favorite are the first - a handmade Valentine written in Spanish class, far too lovey dovey for a boy who was just starting to "like" a girl - but he really wasn't good enough at Spanish to know the difference; and tonight - basketball practice with our almost 5 year old, snuggling on the couch with our three little Silves boys before bed, and getting take-out from Black Forest, then doing our Bible reading before be.  THIS is BLISS!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Weston's trip to Bellevue

This weekend was Weston's big trip to Bellevue.  We've been trying to get to the bottom of his sleep problems, and after ruling out several things, his doctors really wanted us to get him in for a Sleep Study.  Oh wait.  You might want to grab a cup of coffee (Aunt Thelma!) because this is going to be a long one!

We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.

Psalm 78:4

Now, the thing about being THREE and needing a sleep study is that it has to happen at Children's Hospital in Bellevue.   And because it can only happen there... they are booked WAY out..  like SIX MONTHS out!  To be honest, I was pretty hesitant to take him.  It's a huge ordeal, is an overnight stay, a 6 month waiting list, and if the outcome is only that there is nothing wrong, then WHAT would be the point?  I prayed and prayed about it, and here is how God answered my prayers.

1.  When we met for his speech assessments, his advisors told me HANDS DOWN that if our doctor referred him for a study, we needed to jump at it.  She explained that even if they tests come back with no medical reason for his sleep issues - that that was an answer they really needed and could help them as they work with him on his speech.  They also said that most pediatricians are very reluctant to give this referral.  Ours was NOT.  In fact, we were referred by our pediatrician AND an ear, nose and throat specialist.

2. The next available appointment at Children's was in late June of this year.  I cried when I hung up the phone because I was so discouraged that it could take 6 months to get any answers.  Prompted by the Holy Spirit, I called back and very nicely (and desperately) asked what else could be done to get something sooner.  She then very nicely offered up the wait list - schedule the next available clinical appointment with a nurse practitioner, and then I would be eligible to have Weston on the wait list for the study.  So be it!  That was late January, and his clinical was setup for February 11.  

3.  Two days later, Children's called to see if we could take a February 11 cancellation for the sleep study.  Not only did we already have his clinical that day in Bellevue, which meant that we would only have to drive to Bellevue ONCE, but Tyler was off for the weekend and could stay with Wayne and Wyatt.  Could it have worked out any better?  I think NOT!  :-)  But alas, our God is good, and knows the desires of my heart before even I do.  Read on!

4. I got an email from Tyler's cousin, who somehow found out (maybe the blog?) that Weston might be going in for the sleep observation.  She wanted to let me know that if we ever did the study, they were good friends with someone who works in that division of Children's.  She emailed on TUESDAY and we were going on FRIDAY.  While he wasn't working the night we were there, he will be examining all the data and putting together the report.  He knows Weston's name, and having someone who has that personal connection, so far from home and outside of "normal" for us, means so much. 

5.  Because I had to attend the study by myself with Weston (only 1 parent allowed) it didn't make sense for Tyler to come down with us separately, then drive back separately.  So the plan was for Weston and I to leave at 5:30am, and spend a LONG and LONELY day together in the big city!  Until my mom called....  She wanted to ride down with us, and then meet my Dad for lunch.  He was heading down to pick up a container unit for the storage, and would be in the area.  Perfect!  I would have help with Weston at his clinical, someone to ride with, and spend the morning with!

6.  Later after leaving his clinical appointment, we were driving south on 405 trying to find Bellevue Square and called my dad.  He was less than a half mile behind us, I am NOT kidding!  We pulled off at the next exit, regrouped, and planned to meet up again for lunch when he was done with his business.

7.  While Mom and I were shopping, another series of orchestrated events was going on with Ryan (my sister's husband.)  By God's design, he was also in the neighborhood (it was a Craigslist thing) and was meeting us for lunch.  So there we sat, at Bellevue Square, having lunch with Uncle Ryan, Grandpa, and Grandma!  UNBELIEVABLE!  They all headed north afterwards, and I must say, I was completely choked up as they left.  What a blessing they were to us!  

So that summarizes the WONDERS that God has done in making this weekend happen!   I wanted to capture them in this post - to tell our boys someday!  Now, on to the weekend, and PICTURES!

The ride down was uneventful, and we arrived in PLENTY of time.  The location of the appointment was amazing, so modern and clean, and totally set up for kids.  Weston had a blast pushing Bumble in the provided stroller, riding the elevator, and going for walks with Grandma while we waited.  There was also a full service Starbucks onsite, just in case!

 Bumble comes with to all of our doctor/speech appointments, and comes in handy!

 Once brought to our exam room, Weston made himself comfortable and checked himself in.

 

The nurse practitioner was very nice, kind, and THOROUGH.  She event sent us to the on-site lab for a bit of lab work!  Grandma waited in the lobby - I think she was afraid Weston would pitch a fit.  No worries though, he didn't.  When the lab tech poked him, he said, "Hey!  Ouch!" and scowled at her pretty good.  But he never screamed or cried, which knocked the socks off of Grandma!

Lunch time!  Weston was in awe of this game machine thingy.  He's only ever seen one on Toy Story!

Bumble (Weston's best buddy) scored a new shirt.  Weston had fun picking it out, and wouldn't let the bag out of his hands until we got Bumble from the car and dressed him.

After the crew left, Weston and I cruised the mall for a bit, then went to watch "Nomeo and Juliet" in 3D.  Then it was off to kill more time, until arriving at Children's at 6:30!  The night started out with Weston being pretty overactive, but he quickly settled down and needed some snuggling as they attached all the probes.  They gathered all the data they needed to write their report, and by 6:30am on Saturday we were headed for home.  Just before taking all the probes off, he wanted his picture take so that he could show Dad all of his stuff.  Here is our rough and tough and snuggly little boy!

And now... we wait!  The report should be final in 3 weeks or so.

Tonight's Dinner Conversation:

Wayne:  When I get to be... 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,TWELVE I am goin to go exploring in a big jungle!

Ethan:  But Wayne, there are tigers in the jungle!

Wayne: It's okay, I'll have a gun, and I will shoot them!  And I'll drive a truck and have my gun.

Ethan:  Oh!  Okay, I'll come with you to explore in the jungle.

Wayne:  Okay, when you are twelve.

Ethan:  But when we are 14 we will be dad's!


Oh my...  I could listen to those two little men go at it like an old married couple all day long!  :-)

First Trip to the Dentist

Weston made his first trip to the dentist.  He was SO excited to get to go with Wayne, and did REALLY well.  And then the hygienist tried putting her hands in his mouth!  :-)  Really, it's just to get him used to things.  He did get his teeth counted, and got his 2 front teeth cleaned, but that was as far as he'd go.  Wayne on the other hand took off with Anna, only to be returned to me having had x-rays, a cleaning, and ready to get his toy.  Weston will get there too! 

What kid doesn't like a TV and headphones while at the dentist's?

More fun in the Gym.

Wayne has been having fun with basketball.  That was our goal... for him to have fun!  He's had a couple of practices where he is connected to either Tyler or I at the hip, but all in all, it's gone pretty well.  Our 2 on 2 games in the garage seem to have helped him understand things the most....  We play for popsicles and afternoon coffee making duty!  :-)  Wayne and I against Daddy and Weston.  Fun times!

Just before Wayne's last game, he ran into his friend from preschool at the gym.  I'm told that they are friends because she is the tallest girl and he is the tallest boy in class.  

 Here's one of those clingy moments... Wayne wouldn't leave his Daddy's side!

 And it went in!

 Strategizing.  I heard a little boy on Wayne's team say, "We're gonna get beat bad.  They are all a bunch of 5 year olds!"  Still makes me chuckle!

 Atta boy Wayne - go after the ball!

All in all, it's been a good experience.  Completely weird and strange to see our little baby out there, but really good for him to spread his wings a bit. It's also completely strange to see kids we went to highschool with, sitting on the sidelines watching THEIR kids, just like we are.  The next generation of "ballers" is in the making!  :-)

The Silly Factor

After two days of not leaving the house, our bar for entertainment has been sufficiently lowered.  Wayne's antics had Weston, Wyatt and ME in stitches for a good 10 minutes!  I don't know what makes me giggle more, the expression on his face, the jeans on his head, or his ears!  :-)

The BEAUTIFUL outdoors.

Since it's a balmy 47 degrees, and since the last few days have been "interesting" the two BIGS are outside running and digging in the dirt.  Praise the Lord for barn boots!  :-)

When I say "interesting" I mean it folks!  For Future Wayne, Future Weston, and Future Wyatt reading this post...  I am SO SORRY that some of this happened.  But it did, and you survived.

• What every mom wants to hear at 5:58am "He distracted me!  I was peein' and he distracted me, and I turned and looked and now my pee is all over the wall.  It's Weston's fault!"
• "Are you bein' serious mom, or just jokin'?  Is it really time for bed?
• The following are all Weston adventures, most of which he dragged Wyatt down with him on...
• Turned the ottoman over, discovered it had a zipper, climbed inside, hauled Wyatt inside, and hid.
• Colored all over the toy room tv and windows with marker while I was righting the ottoman
• Somehow while I was cleaning up the marker...  Wyatt ended up with what I had HOPED was a tootsie roll in his mouth, but it WASN'T. 

• Wyatt pulled the vent cover off the heat register, stuffed his binkie and the computer mouse inside, put the cover back on, and walked away.  THANK GOODNESS I was watching him the whole time and knew where to find his "treasures!"

I am hunkering down for two days of NOTHING but being at home.  I am watching the boys run back and forth across the backyard playing and running and screaming and yelling, and having a blast.  It reminds me of when I was a kid, with Tara, Todd, and Tyson.  Well, okay.  With Todd and Tyson, I don't remember Tara outside with us too often!  Better yet... I remember being outside with Todd, and Tyson looking at us through the sliding glass door from inside, too small to come out. That's where Wyatt is now!  :-)  Poor kid.  I think they are playing pirates now, I'm hearing a lot of "Aaarg's!"  :-)

Who knows.. maybe I'll get a few more blog posts up!

How BIG are we?

Weston and Wyatt were both in for well-child checks this week, and both are WELL!  :-)

Here's there stats!

Weston is 39 inches tall, bigger than 75% of boys his age, and 31 1/2 lbs, which is heavier than 50% of boys his age.

Wyatt is 31 inches tall, and bigger than 15% of boys his age, and 22 lb 11oz which is heavier than 10% of boys his age.  The big news here is that Wyatt is actually ON the weight chart again, after a 12 month hiatus! 

Every night before bed...

We watch this...