The never drying mud puddle

There is a mud puddle in our back yard that never seems to dry up, and it's not because our weather STINKS.  Nope, Wyatt is frequently seen running from the faucet, saying, "Oh no!  It's on?  Who did it?"  Such innocence is not convincing, I tell you.  Wayne will eventually help him to turn it off, but not until there is a 6 inch deep puddle formed that they can schlep through, scoop into a bucket, drive through with their tractor, and do whatever else is going to cover them in mud from HEAD to TOE.  These pictures were taken of them in their puddle the same day that Wyatt had surgery for tubes in his ears - go figure!!!

 

Is 6 and 2 too young to invest in hip waders?

Wayne's BIG Question

Last week, I had to be at work EARLY for a morning meeting, and so my mom came to sit with the boys, and get them onto the bus.  It was Friday, March 16, 2012.  The boys were all ready for school, and they were just hanging out and talking.  Somehow conversation steered toward who Wayne was going to marry someday, and that she should be a Christian.

Wayne:  A Christian?  What's a Christian?
Grandma:  Someone who loves God.
Wayne: I love God.

Grandma:  Well, a Christian is someone who does more than love God.  It is someone who obeys His word, and who has asked Jesus to be in their heart.
Wayne:  How do you do that?
Grandma: Well, you get on your knees and you pray.

**Grandma looks away at Wyatt...

Grandma:  Wayne, what are you doing?
Wayne: (on his knees)  Well, I want to pray.  Can you help me?


I have prayed for Wayne to WANT to ask Jesus into his heart since I was PREGNANT with him.  I never wanted for it to be something that me or anyone else convinced or coerced him to do.  I wanted it to come from his heart, and his love of God and Jesus HIS savior.  What an answer to prayer!

Hide & Seek

I could hear him, but I couldn't see him.  After MUCH searching, I figured out that Wyatt had folding himself into the top shelf of the corner lazy-Susan thing...  Aagh!  Who knew a 2 year old could fit in there?

 It was one of those moments...  get him in trouble or get the camera? 

The Tupes

Poor Weston has had the flu something terrible in the past week.  Days after his 104.6 degree temp and violent puking (or "the tupes" as Weston says) he still has had stomach aches, and "other" issues.  He has gone from a scrawny 36 lbs to a scarce 32 lbs as well - and has dark circles under his eyes.  Poor boy!  I am hoping the sunshine and fresh air over the weekend, and the four hour nap he had yesterday, help him return to his normal self!

The doctor said...

A few weeks back I took Wyatt to an ear/nose/throat specialist, to have his ears checked out.  After a barrage of ear infections over the past 3 or 4 months, it was time to have a better strategy than antibiotics every 3 weeks!  For the entire appointment, Wyatt refused to take his sunglasses off.  I swear, it was the ONLY sunny day in March, and the boy was going to WEAR HIS COOL SHADES.  When the doctor came in, Wyatt was sitting in this chair, and he turned and looked at the doctor and said, "I awesome!"  Dr. Knopps took one look at his ears... actually, just one look at one ear, and we knew we were headed for a small surgery.  Two weeks later, we finally got it scheduled, with a rush because we had to time the surgery between ear infections as best we could... seriously! 

 On the morning of surgery, we left Grandma with the other boys, and headed to Bellingham at 6am.  We breezed through pre-op - with a close call when he decided to sneak food out of the diaper bag and take a bite (a surgery no-no!)  Thankfully, I fished it out of his mouth before he could do any damage, the anesthesiologist came and fell in love with our little dude, and we were off.  I HATED the red line.  I could carry him to the line, but alas, no mom can cross it.  I handed him off to the nurse, and although he was sedated, he sobbed and wailed, "my mama!  my mama!  my maaaaamaaaA!"  Rrgh.  Not fun.  But 20 minutes later, the doctor came out to tell me all was well, all of the fluid had been removed "for now" and the tubes were in place in both ears, and already starting to drain off all the fluid that remained.  Success!!!

45 minutes after his surgery started, we were in our car and driving home. It was a rough remainder of the morning - picture me trying to convince Wyatt to snuggle and rock.  Wyatt wanted nothing to do with that though - he was agitated and fidgety and wanted to walk around. The problem?  He was the closest thing to a drunk 2 year old that you will ever see, and couldn't stay upright when he walked, let alone walk in a straight line.  I finally got him to sleep on me while I rocked him, and Weston and Grandma came back from speech 15 minutes later.  By noon Wyatt was feeling back to his normal self, and by 4pm he was outside playing in the mud with Wayne.  Whew!  We made it through!

Weekend Guest - Corduroy!

Wayne, being a "W" and all, has waited a L-O-N-G time to have his turn to take home Corduroy.  There is only one boy in his class after him, who's mom gave him a name with a "Z" so Wayne was SUPER excited to haul home Corduroy in his back pack!  To make it even more special, it was the weekend after his birthday so he had lots of new toys to share with his furry buddy, AND Corduroy came to the doctor's office with us when we found out that our family will soon enough be welcoming a LITTLE GIRL.  Talk about a packed weekend!  First things first though - 3DS time, and Wayne had to find Corduroy a pair of glasses, so they could be just alike.  And then... Weston couldn't miss out on the photo op!

We had lots of fun with him, and wrote in his journal on Sunday night so that Wayne could take them both back to school on Monday and share all their adventures with his class.  As for me?  I will take a guest that can't talk, scream, eat, or poop ANYTIME!  :-)

It's a......

GIRL!

Without a doubt, there will be a sweet, baby GIRL joining the Silves family in July.  The boys are ecstatic to have a SISTER and Tyler and I just can't believe it.  New adventures are coming our way!

Happy 6th Birthday, Wayne!

Last weekend, Wayne turned SIX.  And I have to say... turning 6 is a monumental birthday.  5 still feels like a baby, but six?  Definitely heading towards "Boy."  (not to be confused with "Big Boy")  We celebrated all weekend, staring out on Friday with his family party, and rounding things out on Sunday with pizza and an ice cream run.  Whew!  Amid all the festivities - I wasn't my stellar self with the camera - so excuse the lack of pictures.  Wayne - someday when you are reading this, know that we spent all weekend having too much fun!  

At his party, after welcoming everyone I had Wayne talk a bit about what it is like to be 6.  He told everyone that 6 year old's like to do their chores, play basketball and baseball, go to school, and they are good at reading.  That sums up his little 6 year old life pretty well!

Hmmm..  I guess these two qualify as "babies" more than a 5 year old, but still...

These two ARE OUR BABIES!  And they always will be.  And I think they like it that way (so far!)

A party isn't a party without Ethan there.  These two are quite the buddies.

Everyone quickly learned Wayne's love for money - "I am saving for a 3DS!"

On his birthday, we opened presents before heading to church.  Wayne was pretty excited!

And Wyatt and Weston were just as excited.

We had just enough time for a little Lego playing before scooting off to church, and from there to the BIG McDonald's by the mall.  The boys ate and played, and then we headed over to TARGET to buy Wayne his 3DS.  He was just a little short, so he sold his old DS to Weston.  It was beyond precious to see the 4 and 6 year old haggle over price and games, but they decided $10 was fair, and the second we walked in the door at home, Weston ran to his piggy bank and forked over the $10 bill.  Wayne handed him the DS, and the shook hands, "Deal!" 

Wayne LOVES his new DS, and the Mario game he bought with all his birthday money.  Weston and he can even "download" together - if you know what that means!

Grandma stopped by with the SECOND Mocha Cake of the weekend.  Seriously - this is the finickiest cake ever, no Baking 101 project.  She made TWO of them, just because she knows it's Wayne's favorite.  And seriously, what 6 year old's favorite cake is a Mocha Cake?

Happy 6th Birthday Wayne! 

You are one amazing kid, and every day we are learning more about who God created you to be.  You are kind, joyful, and full of life.  You are compassionate, and put others before yourself.  Fun loving and eager to try new things - you can out-eat any other kid I know.  I show joy and appreciation, and you love your family so much I think it hurts you sometimes.  You are a great leader to your brothers, and I appreciate all of your help.  Have a GREAT year!

I'll love you forever, I'll pray for you always.  Forever my baby you'll be.
Mom

Wayne - Author and Artist

Wayne has been learning all about being an artist and an author at school, and is perfectly content to sit at the dining table and draw all afternoon.  He loves to make things for people - a boat for my Dad, a family picture for me, you get the idea.  Here is one that he did for Weston's bulletin board - what a brother!

Found: Mario Brothers DS game

We lost Wayne's FAVORITE DS game about 6 months.  I finally caved and bought him a new one 1 week ago. 

Want to know what I found yesterday?  The other DS game.  Where?  In the case.  SERIOUSLY?

Dear Madelyn,

Hello Sweet Niece!

I know you like to have your mom load the blog and play the music for you to dance to, so I added a few new songs.  Rock out!

Love,

Aunt Tanya

PROOF - Project Completion 2012

On December 22, 2004 we moved back into our newly remodeled home (after living at Mom and Dad's).  We spent the next year finishing up all of the major projects: putting in a lawn, painting the house and trim, planting flower beds, and finishing all of the other odds and ends that a major construction project leaves it's handy owners with.  But the ONE project that was ever elusive... the mantel for the fireplace.  Odd, right?  The one thing that everyone sees when they walk into the house - and it took....  6 1/2 years to complete.  Although...  2011 was a rockin' year for progress!  :-)  We finally just got it done, and my sweet mother and her artistic touch came over when the house was quiet one day and stained it.  BEAUTIFUL!    Tyler then told me, "you better take a picture - if the house burns down, I want proof that I finished it."  Well here it is.... PROOF!  

Now, I could have waited until the Duplos were picked up again, but....  then the house might have burned down.  And lets face it...  With Wyatt around, the Duplos are NEVER picked up!  I must say... it is beautiful in there.  Now we are inspired to replace the old windows (next project on the list) and I even took the curtains down.  I have yet to decide whether I am dry cleaning them or replacing them yet.  I better check with my interior designer!  :-)

Nacho Time

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree around here when it comes to the love for nachos in the evening.  Somehow the 3 muskateers here talked their Dad into making them ALL their own plate to chow down on before bed. SPOILED!  :-)  It's been fun to see them start to really play together, and pretend things, and work together to do chores and solve problems.  They have their moments when they are at war with each other (usually 2 on 1) but for the most part these 3 are thick as thieves!