She's a WHOPPER!

With just three weeks to go, Baby Girl Silves is shaping up to be a WHOPPER.  Her Dad has taken to calling her "Little Chub-Chub" (that's what my Dad called me when I was a baby) and over the past few appointments, the overriding comment is "she's HUGE!"  90th percentile huge.  Her estimated wait (partially based on the current size of her BELLY) is 7 1/2lbs, which is about what Wyatt weighed when he was BORN.  She's got three weeks left, and on average babies grow 1/2 pound per week, so that puts her expected birth weight around 9 lbs.  Now, of course that can be give or take, but the bottom line is that she will likely be our BIGGEST baby.  The boys have weighed less and less - 8-5, 8-1, and 7-7.  Oddly enough, I actually measure small by 1-2 weeks.  I guess her brothers have done her a favor by making plenty of room for her in there.  Ha!

So who does she look like?  It's not the greatest pictures because her face was REALLY smooshed up against me (that will happen when you are HUGE) but it's fun to guess...  Dark haired like Wyatt?  Blondie with no hair like Weston?  Tall like Wayne?  Chubby and a look that is all her own?  3 WEEKS and we will know!

Silves Day Spa 2012

Wyatt is so stinkin' feisty lately....  but he got some serious payback when he went after "Judy" with his water gun enough times in a row to call for retaliation!

 I was busy cleaning house and doing projects, and Wyatt was mostly with me.  Wayne and Weston?  They had the warm water coming from the hose and filled their sand box.  Then they laid down in it.  For two hours.  NO KIDDING.  After the first 2 minutes I figured, "Why not?" We had sand in cracks and crevices that haven't seen the light of day in a loooong time.  But there skin was fresh and bright after a natural exfoliation!

The Herd waiting on 2

We had an impromptu play date inspired by "I need to go to the post office and refuse to take 3 boys with me" and "I'm in Everson helping at church anyway" AND because their moms are great friends!  

I remember when I had Wayne, and Amanda had Grace.  And we thought it was a little hard to visit!  :-)  We were SOOOO naive!  To any of you reading this who have one or none kids - regardless of what you WANT in life - enjoy where you ARE in LIFE!  If you think our grass is greener... it may be, but only because it's been fertilized a TON, if you get my drift.  Ha-ha.  Can you tell I was up with Weston until midnight and then up with Wyatt at 5am, AND up with their sister using my bladder as a trampoline a few times in between?  Hmm.. Probably not the best recipe for blogging.....  Let me focus.

Look at these cute kids!  From left to right....  Wayne (6) Grace (4) Weston (4) Wyatt (2 but almost 3) Vince (2) and Macy ( a boy, he joined our family from Build-a-Bear 2 years ago, and is connected to Weston's hip most of the time...  he even has his own chair at the dinner table!)

 The upside...  We got Vince to smile, the down?  Wyatt got out of line!

And I am taking my own advice... As busy as this morning was, it's NOTHING compared to when we get together after Amanda and I each have our babies....  by then we will have SEVEN kids SIX years old and under.  Anyone want to join us for coffee???

Spring time swimming

Around here, there is no waiting for SUMMER - we swim in the SPRING!  The boys were itching to get into the pool, and even after I tried telling them that 67 degree water is not the same as a 67 degree day...  in the pool they went!  We decided that with the new baby coming, putting the big pool up was too much work, and too much watching of the boys to be worthwhile this year.  We opted for a nice 12 ft, 30 inch deep pool, PERFECT.  Even Wyatt can walk across the middle, no problem at all. 

 Yes... it is THAT cold Weston!

Kindergartener NO MORE!

Thursday June 14 was Wayne's LAST day of kindergarten.  He was PUMPED at 5:45 when he came running into our room, "It's my LAST DAY of kindergarten!"  That was quickly followed by, "I am going to miss Mrs. Venn!"  They had a full day of packing up, and remembering all of the things they did and learned this year, and at 2:15 it was time for their ASSEMBLY.  Wayne's class was in the front row, and he sat patiently, waiting for the AWARDS.  He was the FIRST one called, for 

PERFECT ATTENDANCE

and he proudly stood with his class.  Mrs. Venn's class had 4 kids with perfect attendance, the most in the whole school.  Way to go Wayne!  When I asked him how he earned the award he told me it was because he got plenty of sleep and ate lots of vegetables. 

 After the assembly the kids filed out, and I had to laugh....  This is the spot where Wayne's class was sitting, and it was scattered with pea-gravel from the playground - much like our entry way after Wayne gets off the bus each day!

 Mrs. Silves and Mr. Silves

 

 His last day of school!

 When I look back over the past nine months, I see how much Wayne has grown and changed, and yet all the ways he is still the same.  Sometimes when I look at him, I still see a 6 month old baby, who can't get enough of his Mom and Dad, and is happy all he time.  But then he tells me I'm beautiful, or says, "You want me to do the dishes - I can read your mind" and I laugh.  It's not that I WANT him to grow up, or that I want to rush the inevitable.  It's just that I know it's going to happen, and for all the things I miss about him being little, there are just as many blessings and things I love that he does and says now that he is older.  I know each stage of our next 20 years will be the same, and I am grateful to God for this UNIQUE and SPECIAL boy.  What a gift!

 

BRING ON SUMMER!

Sunday night - Fun night!

After a blissful Sunday of family bonding we promised the kids a fire and smores. The only thing better than that is a fire, smores, and Pee-Paw and Judy!  Well, that's what Wyatt calls them anyway.  Wayne and Weston can manage a Grandpa and Grandma, but truthfully Weston gets the giggles when he says "Judy" so that's usually how it goes...  They were THRILLED when they walked into the backyard, as was I!!!  Dad has been working A TON lately, so we haven't seen him much.  Don't worry boys... winter is coming!

We shot hoops, and Weston messed around with his wood.  Tyler has been building a "chicken poop" for the chickens to live in, and all the extra wood cuttings seem to be squirreled away by Weston for projects.  The boys were excited to sit in their new chairs from Cabela's.  They have all outgrown their old ones, so it was time to size up.  We promptly broke them in by burning a few holes in them with the embers from the hot fire and dry wood, but oh well - they were $7.99!

Weston loves this flower... He picked it out at the store, and he planted it in this pot, and he waters it every day.  That's my boy!!!!

Cabela's, here we come!

We've talked and talked and talked about going, but have never quite made the time...  Until THIS WEEK!  With just one month until this little girl arrives and changes our lives forever, we decided we better whoop it up as a family of five while we still can!

At 7:30am I came downstairs and said, "Let's go to Cabela's" and at 8am we were on the road.  First stop:  McDonald's.  5 sausage McMuffins, $5 and 3 happy kids.

Next stop:  Starbucks.  2 coffees + 2 pastries = 2 happy parents!

From there it was straight down to the BIG show... Cabela's!  Tyler was not happy with me for taking my camera in, I think he was embarrassed.  But come on... it's CABELA'S!  I wanted to stick them all in a stroller or cart, but Tyler thought the boys should roam free...  YEESH!  They had a GREAT time, checking out all the gear and climbing on anything that wouldn't likely tip over.

 This truck/boat combo is on Weston's birthday list!

 Tree hugger!!!

 After an hour and a half (seriously - they should charge admission!) we made a pit stop at Wal-Mart.  I needed a few things, and Tyler had decided that he was going to buy each boy a new Lego set.  Off they went, with a budget, to the toy isle.  They each picked their favorite, and after naps back at home, he helped each of them put theirs together....  they LOVE their Dad!!!

Brother Bonding

We were waiting for Wayne's bus to come, come, and since I had a little time, I was cleaning up the kitchen a bit. When I came back into the family room, I found Wayne and Weston, buddied up on the chair watching a show.  When I asked what they were doing, they told me "Brother Bonding."  When I asked why Wyatt wasn't with them, they told me, "We don't want to bond with him."  Where do they come up with these things?  :-)  Oh well, at least they weren't fighting!

Wyatt knows the rules.  1) No fighting and 2) Be nice!

Wayne's last Kindergarten field trip (sniff-sniff)

Wayne's last Kindergarten field trip was last week Thursday to Berthusen Park for a nature walk... in the rain.  They have been studying wood and nature in their science unit, so this was the grand culmination.  There have been so many things at school, and with work and not moving so great the past few weeks, I just couldn't do this trip.  No bother to Wayne though....  after I told him I couldn't go, the very next time he saw Grandma, all on his own, he asked if she could come with him!  How does a Grandma turn that down?  :-)  So, rain or shine, she was there...  and it was RAIN!  Bless her sweet heart, she led Wayne's group, and apparently by the end of the hike several other groups had joined there's, and the other kids wanted to know, "Who's mom is that?"  :-) 

 After school, Wayne was all abuzz with the trip, and Grandma, and all that they had done and talked about.  He is in AWE of his Grandma, that is FOR SURE! 

Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to work he goes!

When I was growing up, one of my jobs was doing the dishes, which meant unloading the dishwasher.  In a family of 6, that means about 2 loads a day, and I remember spending that time thinking "someday I am going to have kids so they can do MY dishes!" 

25 years later....  I am LIVING THE DREAM!  :-)

With baby girl Silves deciding she was more comfortable using me as a hammock these past few weeks, a lot of things have been pretty darn uncomfortable for me to do.  With her being "transverse breech" there was no concern because of my scheduled c-section, until she decided to lay up against the incision where her three brothers so gracefully entered this world.  Let's just say....  OUCH!

Never fear... Wayne was here!  This 6 year old boy has been absolutely amazing.  The depth of his compassion and empathy is downright dumbfounding for his age.  Most of the time I don't even have to ask for his help, he just pitches in.  If something falls on the ground, he picks it up.  If I finish a glass of water, he brings it to the kitchen for a refill.  He has also started doing regular chores, not only without complaint, but with a cheerful heart.  What chores does a 6 year old do?  For starters.... laundry.  He gathers it from upstairs and brings it to the laundry room, where he sorts it and puts the first load in the washer with the soap.  He then keeps checking back to see if it's done, so that he can move it to the dryer, and then to a basket.  When all of his baskets are done, he tells me, and he hauls them all to the living room where I am told "it's your turn to work!"  :-)  After I fold and hang the laundry, he brings it all away.  AMAZING.  But that's not all folks!  He unloads the dishes 1-2 times a day, he cleans his room, and sometimes he cleans Weston's room.  Not because he made the mess, but because he knows he is helping me out.  He vacuums, and he uses Windex to clean the TV's and appliances.  He makes his bed, and my bed.

On top of all that.. he is madly in love with his baby sister.  He talks to her in my belly, and she kicks and wiggles when he does.  He's already got her a present to bring to the hospital, hand-picked because he knows what she's going to need.   By God's grace he is growing into an amazing boy, and I am so blessed to be his mom!!!

Summer Movie Express

Regal Theatres (at our local Bellis Fair Mall) is offering their Summer Movie Express again.  On Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 10am, they will be showing G and PG movies, and only charging $1 for admission.  Here's the schedule!

6/26-6/27 (10am)

JOURNEY 2

KIT KITTREDGE: AMER GIRL 

 

7/3-7/4 (10am)

DOLPHIN TALE

HAPPY FEET TWO 

 

7/10-7/11 (10am)

LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS

YOGI BEAR 

 

7/17-7/18 (10am)

CATS & DOGS: REVENGE

HUGO 

 

7/24-7/25 (10am)

ADVENTURES OF TIN TIN

PUSS IN BOOTS 

 

7/31-8/1 (10am)

KUNG FU PANDA 2

RANGO 

 

8/7-8/8 (10am)

RIO

SPY KIDS: ALL THE TIME 

 

8/14-8/15 (10am)

CHIMPANZEE

HOODWINKED TOO 

 

8/21-8/22 (10am)

ARTHUR CHRISTMAS

SMURFS

Outside and Flying HIGH - Memorial Day 2012

After hinting (not to subtly) that we NEEDED a gathering to attend on Memorial Day, we finally got an invite to the Bajema's.  Woo-hoo!  After a day of laying low and doing projects, we were more than ready to head out and do some relaxing around the campfire.  It was a little stormy when we got there, but after retreating to the house for an hour, we ventured back out to have smores and play on the swings.   And yes, I said SWINGS.  My dear brother-in-law has a "thing" for swings, and is quite creative in his construction!  The Silves boys were very appreciative of his efforts! :-)

Poor Taylin was not so appreciative of Wyatt's efforts to take care of "the baby" though.

 Weston and Wyatt are frequently "buddies" where I make them hold hands and walk together.  It's good for them both!

 Wyatt had a hard time tromping through the woods, so he stuck closer to the food and the fire.  Even so, he managed to biff it at least 12 times over the course of an hour or so.

 Now this is the life!  Way better than building a chicken coop.

 Swing #2... a WILD ride indeed! 

 The kids snuck off and spent most of the night in the "secret camp" they created behind the pile of dead branches. 

 Oh phew....  Taylin recovered from her Wyatt attack with the help of her binkie!

 Whoops!  It helps to have your chair open BEFORE you sit in it!

 Silves couldn't miss out on swing #2, but Ryan REALLY had to push hard!

 Swing #1 was much more Wyatt's style.

Thanks for the FABULOUS evening!