Silvey Family Update For September

My family has started doing a monthly update on our website and I figured it is something you all might enjoy reading too so here it is:

September was a crazy month. We had two soccer games every Wed and Fri and then we had one soccer practice every Tues and Thurs. In addition Rachel has piano lessons every Tues and we try to do Family Home Evening every Mon. Needless to say our weeks were CRAZY! Caleb and I both let out a sigh of relief after the last game was over. However, Bryant and Kaylee were not ready to be done. Thankfully the weather held out for the games and we only had one day that was rainy and cold.
In addition to the crazy soccer schedule we had three birthdays (Caleb, Rachel, and Sara) to celebrate and Caleb was gone for 6 days. He happened to be traveling to Texas for business the same week as the BYU/Texas game in TX. So, for his birthday he was able to stay two extra days and go to the game with some friends of ours that live there. He had a blast of course and came home to a very relieved wife. ;-)
Heather has started playing volleyball at the church once a week for a couple of hours. The first night I had to come home and ice my arms and my hip, but I know each time will be a little easier and it really helps me to get out and do something I enjoy. Our ward has also started a Zumba class once a week during the day with a nursery for kids. I thought, "Fun exercise with free sitters... um, heck yeah!" I also met with an orthopedic doctor for a bunion on my left foot and we have scheduled surgery for that on November 16th.
Rachel is loving her piano lessons and practices every chance she gets. School is still going well for her and her teacher has realized that she likes to talk so she has already been moved. (She was sitting two desks over from her friend who also likes to talk.) She has also started writing a story and is enjoying that. For her birthday I pulled her out of school early and took her to pick out a necklace and two charms to go with. We then went window shopping and to DQ for ice cream. She also was lucky enough to get a glitter strand put in for free while we were window shopping. She is definitely 10 and starting to act like a giddy school girl. It's fun to watch... until she gets too giddy to get anything done. ;-) We also replaced the full bunk beds in the girls room with double bunk beds so that we can sleep all the girls in the bunk beds and get Sara off the crib mattress on the floor and into her own bed. They love it!!!
Kaylee is sad that soccer is over, but still tries to get outside a lot. I walk to school with them once a week and she really enjoys taking the trail and picking up speed on her bike then. She has taken to drawing recently and thoroughly enjoys it.
Bryant is also missing soccer, but is enjoying some times to play video games and with his Lego's. School is going great for him this year. He comes home almost every day and tells me that school was "awesome." It's so good to hear. I've chatted with his teacher a few times to check on him and she also says he's doing awesome! YAY, Bryant!!! He has grown a lot since last year. Even at home he is much more helpful and we have very few tantrums compared to last year. It's fun to see him so excited about school and hobbies. Bryant also had his yearly check-up for his heart murmur. He is still doing good. His doctor said there is a little thickening of the valve but it is normal. They will watch it and if it gets too bad there are medications that can help, but she said he isn't anywhere near that. She reminded us that he shouldn't play football or wrestling and if he does weightlifting it should only be for strength, not bulk (meaning any weight he lifts he should be able to lift it at least 13 times consecutively).
Sara is still cute as ever. She is very helpful and likes to hold Brooklyn. When she gets dressed with a skirt or dress she will come to me and say, "Look Mom, I'm so pretty," as she sways her skirt around. I've learned that if I ever tell her she's pretty and she's not wearing a skirt I get in so much trouble. She loves to be outside and to be with her siblings, but she also plays good on her own while they are gone. She got squinkies, bath letters, and a sleeping bag for her birthday and she still tells everyone she meets what she got. her older siblings have squinkies and so they all play and trade together with them. They also like being able to earn them for doing chores, etc at home. (I love easy rewards.)
Brooklyn is growing fast! She has started to reach for things and is discovering her hands and feet. She is always full of smiles and sleeps through the night (8pm-9am) most of the time, which makes Mommy happy. Her daytime schedule is still a little irregular, but I know it will get there eventually. She rolled over for the first time in the beginning of September and we all cheered for her. The kids plopped her right back on her stomach and watched her roll over again. They repeated it 4 more times and she rolled over each time. She has been rolling from her stomach to her back ever since. She's looked close to rolling from her back to her stomach, but hasn't done it yet.
I still feel like I am running crazy most of the time but I try to breathe and enjoy the moments. November is going to be crazy: I'm doing a wedding cake, having my surgery, and then Thanksgiving. So, I'll try to get our update in, but we'll just have to see how that goes. Till next time...

Heart Murmur Check-up

Bryant's yearly check-up was a few weeks ago and I actually remembered to take some pictures. His check-up went fine. His doctor said there is a little thickening of the valve but it is normal. They will watch it and if it gets too bad there are medications that can help, but she said he isn't anywhere near that. She reminded us that he shouldn't play football or wrestling and if he does weightlifting it should only be for strength, not bulk (meaning any weight he lifts he should be able to lift it at least 13 times consecutively).

Here they are doing an ultrasound of his heart. He was excited to learn that he got to watch a movie during this part.

He has 13 of these sensors across his torso. He did great until time to take them off. He insisted on doing it by himself, and slowly... until I showed him that it really is less painful to rip them off quickly.

We love his pediatric cardiologist. She has monitored him since he was born and is always so great with him.

He really was such a trooper. Of course he didn't mind that he got to miss a full day of school because it's such a drive to get to the doctor office. On the way home we stopped at McDonald's for a late lunch and he was super excited to get a happy meal.

Soccer Pictures

Brooklyn was all buckled in and ready to go when Caleb snapped a few shots. She wasn't sure what she thought about the flash at first, but then gave us a smile. I love that double chin and wide eyes.

Here are some action shots of Kaylee:

Beautiful rainbow in the background. Couldn't have planned that better.

Check out that kick!

It got pretty chilly during the games and Sara bundled up in the blanket to keep warm. We convinced her to poke her face out long enough to get a few pictures and then she buried it again.

Here are some action shots of Bryant:

Go Bryant!

There's that rainbow again. Love it!

He spends quite a bit of time fiddling with the reversible jersey and sticking his arms between the layers. Silly Bry, at least he's having fun.

It's been fun watching the games this season and seeing how they have both improved in the last year and a half. They both go after the ball more and try to kick it toward the other goal. Not quite as much goofing off as the last time they played either. Kaylee likes to run and does pretty good in goal. Bryant doesn't mind running for a little bit, but I think he prefers to be in front of the goal where it's easier to just charge up and meet the ball when the other team is coming.

Rachel chose to take piano lessons this year. We'll post a video of her at the end of the month to show what she has learned during her first month of piano.

Cute kids!

Here are some random pictures of the kids from the last few weeks:

Cute Kaylee, finally getting some front teeth. (She was so excited that she could actually eat the corn straight off the cob last time we had it.)

Goofy Rachel. ;-) She is becoming more and more silly and giggly these days. Definitely hitting preteen years.

There's are handsome boy. He's also getting those front teeth back.

Sara, of course, has to copy Rachel's goofy face. Cute girl!

Like mother, like daughter... I sucked on my middle two fingers when I was little and my parents had a hard time breaking me of that habit. My poor mom tried putting hot sauce on my fingers (which I eventually licked off), sewing little covers that went over my fingers and tied around my hand (that didn't work either), and finally they took me to the dentist to have something put in my mouth which wouldn't let me get a suction when I tried to suck on my fingers.
I should have guessed we would have some struggles with this with Brooklyn because even in most of the ultrasound pictures she had her hand in her mouth. I've just about given up trying to keep them out of her mouth now, although I do on occasion still try to get her to take a pacifier instead. Sometimes it works, but not usually. I guess we'll eventually figure out if this habit is as hard for her to break as it was for her mother. (Hopefully not. ;-)

As part of the daily charts for the kids they have to set out their clothes for the next day. One day I walked into Bryant's room and this is what I found. He had set out clothes and jammies for the next few days for himself and his stuffed monkey. They were all so neatly displayed on his train table I had to take a picture. Silly boy!

Sara still likes to have turns to hold "Book-a-lynn". She only lasts for a few seconds most of the time, but they both love it. Brooklyn's face lights up when her siblings talk to her.

I went to check on Sara during nap time one day and this is what I found. You can barely see her head and her arm sticking out from under the book, which she apparently fell asleep reading.

Yes, Sara LOVES her stickers. She occasionally gets a treat of Mom giving her a full sheet of stickers to play with. Once in her hands, they don't last long. I just have to try and make sure they all come off before her clothes get washed. So far we've only had one mishap. ;-)

Brooklyn loves to play with her mobile. It's fun to hear her squealing and squirming with delight, and I love that it keeps her occupied so I can get something done occasionally.

Sara and her baby doll, which she convinced the Moore's to let her take home. (Thanks again Lisa.) She absolutely loves carrying this doll around with her and gets quite concerned if the music doesn't play the same, or if it doesn't light up (usually because the batteries are not in the perfect position, or need to be replaced.)

Caleb's Birthday

I had to throw this picture in cause I love it!

With everything else going on birthday's this month have been CRAZY, but we did finally manage to fit in a song and pie for Caleb's birthday a couple weeks ago. His request was raspberry Danish Dessert pie. We did manage to fit 34 candles on it. The kids also made him a huge banner, which we hung across the garage door for him to see when he came home. By request of the kids we bought him some balloons. Can't you tell he loved them? We actually had a lot of fun tonight as he inhaled the helium and talked to the kids sounding so funny.

As much as he likes to watch the BYU football games we thought he would enjoy a "bag-o-snacks" for all the football games coming up.

The kids also gave him (or attempted to give him) some birthday massaging. Here's Sara using the vibrating massaer on his feet.

Sara's Bellybutton

So, we're sitting at the soccer games and I glanced over at Sara to see her intently studying her bellybutton. I chuckled and turned back to watch the game. A minute later Sara says, "Mom, I have a hole!" After I stopped laughing I reassured her that it wasn't a hole and even had Rachel show Sara her bellybutton just to reassure her. It was quite funny!

Brooklyn's Two Month Check-up

On August 25th we had Brooklyn's two month check-up. Every thing looks good and the doc said she's doing fine. She was surprisingly long at 23.75", which puts her in the 97-99% for length. She weighed 10.9 oz, which put her in the 50%. She is already fills the length of her sleepers when she is fully stretched out. Here's some pictures of our sweet little baby.

Sooooooo Cute!!!

First Day of School

Kids started school August 22nd and they were all very excited, even Sara. I was very nervous about how Sara was going to handle the kids going back to school and being gone all day without her. So, Sara put on HER backpack and I loaded her and Brooklyn into the double stroller and walked the 20 minutes to school with the other kids. Thankfully we didn't have any meltdowns when we said goodbye to the other kids. She did ask quite a bit during the first few days where the kids were. The new school charts are helping and we are all gradually adjusting to the new school/soccer schedule. (A couple weeks before school started we had the kids yearly doctor check ups so I've included their stats.)

I forgot to take an individual of Sara the day school started for the others so we took it the day after, but here it is. Sara is such a cute two (almost three) year old. She is 36.5" tall, which is finally leveling off in the 35%, and her weight is in the 55% at 31 lbs.

Rachel is going into 4th grade this year and will soon be ten years old, which I still can't believe. She and Kaylee are exactly the same height at 49.5", but she weighs three pounds more at 55.2 lbs. This puts Rachel in the 3% range for height and the 15% range for weight. We continuously remind her that big things come in small packages.

Kaylee starts 3rd grade this year. Once again, she is 49.5" tall and weighs 52.2 lbs. At least she and Rachel can share lots of clothes. These measurements put Kaylee in the 35% for height and 25% for weight.

Bryant is very excited to be in 2nd grade this year. He is just shorter than his sisters at 48" tall, and weighs 46.6 lbs. These measurements put him in the 50% for height and the 25% for weight. He's already finding lots of "mates" in his classroom and soccer team. We are strongly encouraging this because he will need lots of them to survive with four sisters. ;-)

Here's the group (minus Brooklyn) all ready for their first day of school. (Take note of Sara's backpack. She was so excited to have one too, just like her big brother and sisters.)

Summer Pictures

Here are a bunch of random shots from this summer.
Lots of pictures, not much reading... enjoy!

These pictures were taken Aug 6th, so Brooklyn would have been six weeks old. Just starting to smile.

Sara put this headband in "all by herself" and insisted that Mom couldn't fix it. Very independent, this one.

Kaylee is the best of the kids at calming Brooklyn and getting her to sleep. Of course it helps that she has the patience/interest needed to hold her for any length of time. :-D

Here's Bryant finishing every last bit of his yogurt.

Here's Brooklyn at almost eight weeks. (Rachel or Kaylee picked out this onesie and they love to have her wear it.)

Kaylee enjoying Brooklyn's smiles.

Rachel and Brooklyn.

Sara playing with our stash of potato heads. One of the favorites when kids come over to play. (Sorry, I couldn't figure out how to get the underline off.)

Sara found this butterfly net in the garage and filled it with toys. It was so full she could hardly lift it off the ground for the pictures, but she wouldn't let us take anything out of it.

Here's two of my helpers this summer, fixing chicken rolls for dinner.

Bryant really likes to read stories to Brooklyn, and she loves it too. Win, win for everyone!

Kaylee was making this crazy face and I couldn't pass up the picture perfect moment.

Hope you enjoyed the snapshots of our summer.