The Big Brain and the Big Box

Earlier today, Sydney announced that he is going to be SAD when he goes to kindergarten.

"Why do you think that?" I asked.

"Well, because I am going to miss you guys SO MUCH while I am in school!" he said, emphasizing the so-part of SO MUCH.

"Oh, Sydney!" I replied "You are going to have SO MUCH FUN in kindergarten and your teacher is going to FILL YOUR BRAIN with all sorts of information. In fact, I'm thinking you wont really miss me that much at all because you'll be SO BUSY playing with your new friends and having fun learning at school."

"I do have a really BIG BRAIN!" he confirmed with a smile. (He's been watching A LOT of PBS/Wild Kratts on tv, the computer and the iPad lately. He's LOVING learning about different creatures. He made sure to tell Joey-the-babysitter ALL ABOUT Monarch butterflies today. (So cute!)

Oh, how I love this little boy!!!

• • • • •

Here it is... THE BOX of school supplies that we ordered for kindergarten, conveniently gathered into this ONE GIANT BOX! While the boys stayed home with babysitter, Joey, we went to registration...

We did NOT open it up. (Daddy thinks it will be too tempting to want to use all of the school supplies.) HOWEVER, Sydney peeked into the handle and was curious why there was PlayDoh inside.

"That's because you are going to have A LOT OF FUN in kindergarten!!!" I replied. (He grinned from ear to ear.)

Read to me PLEASE! Sippy cups that wont last forever, I'm sure.

The boys woke to find Daddy asleep on the couch (after an overnight remodel and a relaxing bath). Quickly, they climbed all over him, begging him to open his eyes to read to them.

The begging didn't work and they aborted their mission.

Mike eventually made himself some breakfast and went to bed. We will see him for dinner tonight.

*I like the photo of Mike on the couch. It captures LIFE... everyday life. On the table, you see a green and blue sippy cup; Silas is ALWAYS green, Sydney is ALWAYS blue. They are growing up so fast... I find myself wondering how much longer they will insist upon a sippy cup of juice when they wake up. Capturing the memories...

Beautiful Mess, Cardboard creations, SEND MORE TAPE!

This past school year, I registered for MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) at a local church. The THEME for the season was "A Beautiful Mess". Between MOPS and my reading (parts of) "Hands Free Mama" I had an epiphany of sorts to VIEW messes as a (more) beautiful thing.

Instead of being frustrated that my recycle bag has been emptied onto the floor of my already messy house, I grabbed the iPad and took a few pictures of their beautiful mess without them noticing. The old me would immediately think about the fact that I will likely be THE PERSON to pick up all of the mess, but THIS ME... the ME right now... embraced their imagination and creativity. Sydney had started by making "a dog puppet" from two empty Kleenex boxes. Soon, Silas had hopped on board (in more ways than one) by building a "firetruck".

They've raided the JUNK DRAWER that contains (or USED TO) rolls of tape. They stole the scotch tape dispenser from my office. They've been really, really busy.... entertaining themselves.... without batteries or television. Perhaps I should consider buying stock in 3M. It seems that we're going through an awful LOT of tape lately.

Uh-oh, speaking of a beautiful mess.... they have suddenly STOPPED TALKING. (Always suspicious when the house is suddenly quiet.)

Now, I hear talking about peanut butter and toast. (They are becoming independent and self-sufficient.) Although, I don't know if I could handle another beautiful mess right now...) Better run!

UPDATE: Look what I JUST FOUND them doing now...

I just saw the car I want someday (age 3)

Conversation driving from Hwy. 20, pulling into Walmart, around lunchtime.

SILAS: Hey, mommy? Do you know what I just saw? I just saw the car I want someday. It has an extra wheel on the back of it… and that's what kind I want to drive someday… when I am bigger.

MOM: A Jeep?

SILAS: Yeah, just like that.... With the wheel on the back! That's what I want. Does that sound like a good deal? I want to have a Jeep someday when I am bigger. OK, mommy? Good deal?

Get down... PROUD PARENTS

Four years, whenever one of the boys would yell "get down! " while they were being held by a parent, I tended to start singing a song. My song of choice was KC and the Sunshine Band's 1975 hit "Get Down Tonight".

Get down

Get down

Get down

Get down

Get down, get down baby! 

Naturally, Mike and I broke out in huge smiles when five-year old Sydney started to break out in song after hearing his brother exclaim "get down", while being held by mommy in the kitchen. We were so proud; he sang it perfectly. While he sang, I danced with Silas and soon, we were all giggling.

It was a happy family moment.

Sadly, NOT skin tags for Silas.

For months, Silas had what we thought was simply a skin tag on his upper thigh, near his scrotum. Eventually, we noticed that he had another. Soon, we noticed he had a row of three. Four turned to eight, turned to 10, turned to 18 at last count. This past week, I noticed he had two more on his leg near the backside of his knee.

With my recent outbreak of what we thought were bug bites for myself, we discovered I had been getting hives (and NOT bug bites at all). I was scheduled for a follow up appointment for today, but called to report that all of my hives went away when I stayed the week at my parents house. However, I thought it would be a good time to bring Silas in (in my place) since he had skin tags that were now growing out of control and likely not skin tags anymore.

This morning, while Sydney stayed at the neighbors house for a while, Silas and I went to his dermatology appointment. There, we quickly discovered that Silas had a type of wart that spreads. (Molluscum)  It is common in children and is contagious, but spreads most commonly with skin to skin contact. Poor Silas!

The doctor started marking him with a pen. Then, the nurse came in to apply some sort of acid treatment to the spots. FIFTY-TWO warts were treated at this morning's appointment, in various stages of growth. It was a good thing we had an appointment set up for him as it would have continued to go poorly, spreading and spreading. (I had NO IDEA there were THAT MANY!!!)

In two hours, I needed to wash the medicine off his scrotum. In four hours, I was to wash the medicine off the rest of his body. I was told to treat him with Tylenol throughout the day if he gets uncomfortable. He didn't complain at all until we had to wash it off. His scrotum is full of blisters now and bright red, looking quite uncomfortable. That is the only part that he is truly complaining about right now.

Silas goes back in two weeks for a recheck. There, we hope to discover no more growth. However, they will treat them again as needed. Hopefully, no one else in our family gets them. What a bummer for Silas. We've been instructed not to have the boys take baths together for a while until Silas is under control again. Also, to not share towels or beds.

The acid treatment will burn them from his skin, causing blisters to eventually dry up. We need to watch those blisters for signs of infection. Also, has been encouraged not to go swimming for a while if they open up into blisters to make sure they stay clean.

Upon further review, it appears that his incubation could have been quite some time ago.... likely MONTHS AGO when we first saw what we thought was just a skin tag.

On the day of the appointment, he became uncomfortable and really liked when we squirted cold water with a spray bottle onto the fresh blisters. Thankfully, day two he reports that it feels MUCH BETTER and does not hurt at all! What a relief! (Still keeping him with pants on to protect him. However, he did insist upon big boy pants today and claimed that it felt just fine.) What a little trooper!

BEFORE PIC:

(some) AFTER:

Cousins! JULY 2014 (Sisters!)

And don't forget... the Melon cousin from the Baby Shower! :)

PICS July 11 - 20 from our week at Nana & Papa's house.

SISTERS!
Also taken this week, pictures of AvaLynn and Abigail together.

What a day! Reunion fun... tractor parade... playtime

Having a LITTLE beer with my mom

Mom and I attempted to take a self-portrait (a selfie!) with the iPad while NOT spilling our drinks. Enjoyed having a LITTLE beer with mom... mine is about the size of a shot glass. I had most of mine left after hers was all gone. (I am NOT much of a drinker.)


*Curious about the quality of iPad photos... grabbed this one from Facebook, wondering if it automatically posts as low-res because this one is NOT very good quality from Facebook.

BFG at bedtime

After finishing our family reading of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, we were unsure what to read (and love reading) next. Our local bookstore has recommended another Dahl book... The BFG.

I don't recall EVER having read it (or heard of it) as a child...
BFG = big friendly giant

The first night Nana started the book, Sydney would NOT go to sleep at bedtime. He was incredibly nervous about the BFG. (They had left off at a chapter where a little girl had been snatched from her bedroom, but we had NOT yet learned that it was a FRIENDLY GIANT that took her.) he kept sneaking into Mommy's bed, trembling, multiple times that night. First thing the next morning, he woke and spoke of the BFG, wondering what would happen next and asking for us to read it during the day instead of at bedtime, in case it was too scary.

Tonight, they read some more... and the boys hid under Nana's bedcovers while she read. (So cute!)

3S Stats

33 pounds
39 pounds
144 pounds

Building CARS with Papa

We made TWO of these cars in the garage with Papa this afternoon. FUN!

Mini F150

For MONTHS, Sydney had talked about wanting to get "one of those tiny cars for children to drive". He flagged one in the Toys R Us flyer last Christmas at Nana's house and was convinced that he wanted one for his birthday. When we assured him that we don't have a big enough yard for one, he assured US not to worry because we could have the birthday party at Grandpa Lowell's house and would have PLENTY of room to drive it there.

Upon completing the summer reading program at the library, the boys got to pick out prizes. Sydney picked a HotWheels matchbox car; it just so happened to have a MatchBox keychain underneath, hiding inside of the package. Immediately, he announced that he was going to SAVE IT for his own tiny car's set of keys.

While visiting Nana & Papa, we met some neighbor kids who HAVE one of these tiny automobiles. While out walking the dog, they had announced "If you guys are going to the playground, you can have a turn to drive it!" (I've never seen the boys move SO FAST to get back home again to drop off the dog. For once, there was NO FIGHTING, STALLING or SCREWING AROUND! They were strictly business!)

Sydney quickly discovered that these tiny cars come with their own special key and that he would NOT need his keychain. I thought THIS was pretty sweet when Sydney decided to SAVE his keychain for when he drives someday... Wondering if I should tuck it away to remind him of it when he gets his driver's license someday...

SIX BOYS for BOYS NIGHT!!!

Some of my best friends from high school (Kerri and Jenny) got together on July 17th at Kerri's house for BOYS NIGHT and pizza with our children (ALL BOYS!) Oddly enough, another HS friend - Rachel has two boys (a few years older than all of ours) and Leann, just had a little boy a short time ago.

BOYS!!!

Who'd have thought?!?

The lineup:
Silas, 3... Sydney, 5... Easton, < 2... Cortland, 4 months... Hank, 2.5... Mack, 1.

Building a ROCKET with Papa Olson

Sydney drew these plans to build his very own rocket. AWESOME JOB, SYDNEY!
(We had to modify the plans when Papa and Silas had glued a bunch of wooden circle disks to a project for Silas, leaving only two of them for Sydney's rocket.)

What a great engineer and workshop helper!

:)

Entertaining ourselves in my old stomping grounds

Last night, saying GOOD NIGHT to Papa, he hugged the boys and told them that we would do something really special together today. They were SO EXCITED, since they were a little heart-broken to not spend any time in the garage with Papa.

This morning, they couldn't wait to find out if Papa was awake yet. They ADORE him!!!

Sadly, at the end of the day, they protested going to bed because AGAIN they didn't get to spend ANY time in the garage with Papa today. (I doubt that they will let him get off the hook again tomorrow. They want desperately to spend time with him.)

We DID have fun playing with cousins AvaLynn and Abigail (at Aunt Sue's house), as well as friends Hank and Mack (at Kerri's house) today. We also met some of Nana & Papa's neighbors AND the boys got to drive a child-sized F150 truck at the school playground. We even got invited to play with them again this week. (The boys thought we should go there after supper!)

I will find it hard(er) to go back home again... As I am LOVING our visit to my childhood  "home" community and hanging out with family and friends. {love!}

This afternoon, we kidnapped AvaLynn from a Aunt Sue's house, while Abigail was going to be napping, and had a GREAT TIME together with her! The four of us went shopping at Walmart, bought picnic food, ate a picnic lunch (indoors, due to rain!) and played! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE watching them play together.... COUSINS!

Might need a lottery ticket...
{slim-to-none odds of winning}

Sick of us? Least favorite part of the day...

Papa announced that he was going to Kenosha to help Uncle Mike with the motorcycle trailer. Sydney and Silas wanted to go see Uncle Mike's house and wanted to help, too.

I told them we were staying home (at nana & papa's house) because we weren't invited and because papa needs a break from us.

Sydney: Why?

Sarah: Because I think Papa is getting sick of us.

Sydney: How can he get sick of us?

Sarah: (shrugs) He's not used to being around us so much, you know.

Sydney: (confused) But WE are the most special things ever, right, mom?

Sarah: (heart breaking, fighting back tears) YES!!! You and Silas ARE the most special things EVER!!! Mommy and Nana agree. We believe that with all our hearts! You ARE special and we love you VERY MUCH!

Sydney: I can't wait until Papa gets back from Uncle Mike's house so we can build stuff in the garage!

*********
BEDTIME RITUAL: Favorite Part of you Day

Silas, what was YOUR favorite part of the day today?

SILAS: Well, I'll tell you my LEAST FAVORITE PART... My least favorite part was that we didn't get to go in the garage to build ANYTHING with Papa today!

{heart melting from sweetness and innocence.}

*********
The first thing out of their mouths and their last thoughts of the day for most of our visit has been spending time in the garage with Papa. (If only HE realized how much they ADORE HIM and want to spend time with HIM!)

No ready to give up (training) wheels (yet)

We TRIED to talk Sydney into giving up training wheels, but he is NOT ready (yet). Although, we met a neighbor boy who JUST learned how to ride without them and he is zipping super fast (and learned on the soft grass a little more than a month ago.)

Silas ZOOMS on his balance bike so, I had the seat lowered to fit HIM instead, hoping that ONE of the two boys would master bike riding on this trip. However, Silas is not an expert peddler (like Sydney is!) Silas is used to the tricycle that allows you to back up when back-pedaling. If only we could share the fearlessness of Silas and the pedaling skills of Sydney with BOTH BOYS, we would suddenly have a shortage of tiny bikes!

Part of me IS glad that Sydney didn't learn to ride without Daddy being there to witness it. (Although, Daddy works an awful lot.... it will be difficult to work this into summer yet.)

Sydney built A ROBOT!

The robot designed, built and decorated by Sydney, age 5!

Baby Shower for MUNCHKIN!