Simply Me | Amy Scott's Thoughts

Operation Better September 26, 2015

Filed under: Parenthood,Simply Me — Amy Scott @ 5:56 pm

Friday’s Instagram Post

I posted yesterday to Instagram the countdown on my period tracker app. It stated that I was 30 days to my due date. Tomorrow I’ll be officially 36 weeks. Yesterday morning when I made that post, I was thinking it’s 30 days plus or minus. Who knows when babies decide to come, right? I went to my doctor’s appointment that afternoon and explained to her the new symptoms I’ve been experiencing. Let’s just say that I’ve had about every awkward, annoying and uncomfortable pregnancy symptom there could be. I would list them all for sympathy, but that might be an overshare and gross out some of my readers. I guess being very honest with my doctor paid off, because she offered to induce me at 39 weeks. I had no clue that was an option. Jeremy and I told her we would talk about it and think on it. We’ve pondered it and I think we are going to accept the offer. Having a plan and knowing ahead lets us be prepared as best as possible. Especially when it comes to making plans for Owen and Toby. Also it will allow me to have my ducks in a row before heading to the hospital and my personality really likes that. If for some reason, the induction doesn’t pan out, it won’t be the end of the world, but right now it’s an nice sounding option.

A quick stop by Grandpa’s office before Mommy and Daddy head to the doctor

If we induce at 39 weeks, I’m looking at three weeks of pregnancy left. For some reason that makes this all more real. I’m filling out hospital pre-registration paperwork. I’m making plans to be gone from my Wednesday night class. I’m thinking through what all still needs to be done before our little guy arrives. This has led me to “Operation Better”. It was already on my to do list to clean the house today. Jeremy is going out of town for part of the week and my mom is planning on staying with Owen and I. Whenever someone plans to come over to my house for more than a couple hour visit, I usually try to clean. I’m scared that if they spend too much time here, they we’ll see how truly messy the house is. We are spending more time at home these days and we actually LIVE here. It’s a used house. I have a toddler and an indoor dog. Things get messy. I have decided that over the next few weeks I’ll add one or two small things to my cleaning to do list that I wouldn’t normally do in my weekly cleaning routine. I got a jump start on things today and it feels good. I know that the house will instantly be dirty again after I clean it, but hopefully it will be better than it was. I’m not looking for spotless, just better. Just an improvement on what was there. I clean my house on a weekly basis, but somethings very rarely get deep cleaned. I’m talking some things don’t get wiped down for months or years… So I guess my version of nesting is attacking the grime in my house (real or imagined). My sweet friend, Maggie, kept posting all these interior decorating things she was doing while she was nesting. I decide to wipe down all the doors in my house and clean the windows. I wish I decorated instead of cleaned. Oh well. It’s how I’m wired.

I have mapped out a few projects that I want to complete for Operation Better. They are spread out over the month of October so I don’t over do it. It’s hard to balance my desire to be on top of things with my inability to move and keep up with life. I know that this pregnant body can’t do everything I want it to right now and that’s okay. I will attempt to give my house a jump start on cleaning since chances are I’ll slack a bit once our little guy arrives. While I “nest”, I will accept better and not perfection. Spotless is not an option.

We are in the final countdown and we are mostly prepared. I’ve learned a lot about life with a newborn. Owen was good training. This go around we are stocking the fridge and pantry more. I’m making sure that I duplicates of most of my household products. We ran out for so many little things when Owen was first born. I’m sure that will happen again to some extent, but I feel like I know what we need to have on hand this go around. I know I can feel as prepared as possible and I’ll still forgot something. That is okay. We are doing the best we can and being very proactive. It feels good. I know that real life is messy and plans don’t always pan out. It’s best to hold things loosely. So with roughly three weeks left to go in this pregnancy, we will see where life takes us!

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More September Fun September 22, 2015

Filed under: Family Time,Parenthood,Simply Me — Amy Scott @ 7:34 pm

I’m really lacking in creativity when it comes to giving my September posts a good title. My days are such a hodge podge. It’s really hard to pick a theme and then come up with a snappy title. Please forgive me for the lame blog titles. Maybe my brain will start working again soon, but I doubt it!

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, September is hunting season. This last week has afforded Owen and I a lot one on one time as Jeremy treks out into the woods – this time in hopes of killing an elk. At first, I was doing okay with being on kid duty and then by Thursday, things started to fall apart. Last Thursday was a rough day. By the time Owen got to bed, I was totally spent and I was unsure that I could keep him alive another day. I texted my reinforcements and we ended up spending Friday evening at my parent’s house. I figured more adult hands would help me out and Owen would appreciate the change of scenery from our usual evenings at home together. Jeremy has yet to get his elk, but he is out for one last attempt tonight before early season ends. However, he took Owen with him tonight. If he does get it an elk, I am sure it will be interesting experience for both him and Owen.

I’m still trying to “slow down”, but that is easier said than done. I’ve been trying to squeeze in a few more social gatherings before the month of September ends. October will be busy, but I’m hoping that it will be busy with family outings. The goal is to have Jeremy along for most of our October adventures since getting out and about with just Owen and I is becoming less appealing. I’ve been dealing with a certain back pain that sends pain down my lower back and into my legs. I kept telling myself it wasn’t sciatic nerve pain, but then I googled what sciatic nerve pain is and it turns out that it is exactly what I am dealing with… It seems to be getting worse and at times it effects my ability to walk or stand. Today I almost fell over because I couldn’t put any weight on my right leg. I joked with Jeremy that if I am down on the floor unable to get up, I will text him code word “life alert” and he’ll know to come home and help me. Right now, my goal is to do as much as I physically can in September and then hopefully be more of a bum come the month of October. We’ll see how that pans out.

Owen and I enjoyed a visit down to Auntie April’s house this last week. We ran some errands together and Owen got to run around April’s house which is always an adventure. We had a blast playing with my friend, Kaly, and her two boys yesterday. Because my dog is a biter, I have started doing play dates at Mom’s house as a dog-free space. It works out great because my mom has awesome toys and the kiddos have a great time. My mom is very generous for letting me host people in her home and letting little boys destroy her living room! Today, Owen and I joined our MOPS group for our monthly outing. This month was making apple cider using an apple press. It was interesting to watch the process. Owen, however, was completely unaware that apple cider was the purpose of the outing. He found trucks, rocks, water and mud to play in. He was a very happy camper and was truly sad when I had to take his wet and muddy little self home for lunch and nap. Overall, the outing was lots of fun. I got to talk with other moms while Owen ran amok and we have a big jar of apple cider in the fridge to show for our efforts.

Well, that’s the update for now! The end of September and the beginning of October promise to hold some good times ahead (as long as my body doesn’t give out on me). We are officially at 33 days until my due date. It was super funny because at the MOPS outing today someone told me that I was really starting to show. I laughed and told them I better be showing since I could have a baby in the next month! I’m still praying that #2 comes early. I’m perfectly fine with anytime after Owen’s big birthday weekend (coming up in just a week and a half, yikes)! I’m happy to be arriving at the “go zone”. Little brother can feel free to join us sooner rather than later!

My office assistant helping me get ready for MOPS

My boys just relaxing

Watching Winnie the Pooh with Auntie April

What happens at Grandma’s house… But it’s okay because it’s Grandma’s house!

Play date with good friends

An apple cider outing for MOPS

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The Fun of September September 14, 2015

Filed under: Family Time,Parenthood,Simply Me — Amy Scott @ 8:21 pm

September is always a unique month in the Scott household. It’s a big transition season with the school year starting. MOPS has started up again. I have a new class of girls at church. Pumpkin goodies are again being stocked in stores. It’s also hunting season which is a major priority to one particular family member. Since I’ve been feeling pretty crummy, I’ve been slightly more motivated to get the last of the baby preparations done. I have the diaper bag fully packed, I have my hospital bag started and I have a to-do list of last minute items that I hope to purchase this week (the main item we still need is diapers since I’m guessing Owen’s size 4 diapers won’t fit his little brother). My hope is that by the end of September, I’ll be completely ready to go for Baby #2. This will allow me to sit on my bum through all of October and not feel the pressure to finish things up.

I’m trying to balance my life right now. Which is pretty impossible. It’s hard to cut down on my activity level when my daily life includes so many weekly commitments like MOPS and church. This week was a bit on the busier side, but for a very worthwhile cause. I got to spend some girl time with one of my forever friends, Christa, on Friday. I realized that it has been months since I sat in a coffee shop and just talked with a friend. It was so refreshing. On Saturday I drove down to Portland to spend time with Christa and some of her close friends. Not only is Christa getting married in the next month, but she donated her kidney today to save the life of a friend. It was a night to celebrate Christa as a bride, but also to honor the sacrifice that she was about to make. Since Saturday was her last day before the pre-op instructions set in, we lived it up. We got pedicures and then went to dinner a local place in downtown Portland. Christa is truly an amazing and selfless individual and I know my life is forever better for her influence and friendship. From the updates I’ve been receiving, it sounds like her surgery went well today. I am praying for her as she enters recovery and adapts to life with only one kidney.

Saturday was also the beginning of elk season so Jeremy had plans to be out in nature most of the day. His mom agreed to watch Owen so Jeremy could hunt and I could go to my ladies night in Portland. The original plan was for Jeremy to pick up Owen and get him to bed. We knew that it would be a later bedtime than usual, but my hope was that Owen would be down around 9pm. It figures on the day that I plan for my husband to put Owen to bed is the day that Jeremy gets a deer. It’s been a few years since my hunter has actually brought home fresh meat so this was big news in our household. Because Jeremy had to come back in and skin the deer and I was driving from Portland, Owen’s bed time ended up being a lot later than I expected on Saturday. On Sunday morning, we ended up leaving church early because Owen was just too tired to be there. He had woken up with enough time for us to get to church, but once I arrived on site, I realized that he wasn’t in the right mood to be there. Oh well. I tried.

Other fun highlights of the month include being a part of Sarah Bessey’s launch team for her new book, Out of Sorts. Sarah Bessey is my favorite blogger so getting to read an advanced copy of her book feels like heaven. Part of being on the launch team involves promoting her book via social media. Don’t be surprised to see a full length blog totally devoted to my thoughts on the book. I’m only able to read a chapter or so a day due to being tired and trying to keep up with a toddler. So far, I’m loving each chapter. Sarah is honest and brave as she shares her faith story and how it has evolved over the years. She has walked some hard roads and grown so much through her experiences. I am thankful that she is willing to share her journey and that I am able to grow through her honesty. She is truly one of my favorite people on the planet. Read her books, read her blogs. She is amazing!

Owen continues to become more and more of a big boy each day. He has completely entered the terrible twos. The level of drama has certainly escalated in our house. The nice part is that even though he has monumental meltdowns, they don’t seem to last too long before he moves on. However, they are extremely annoying in the moment. He has also become clingy on a crazy level. At almost two (and with me being very pregnant), I’m trying to get him to walk on his own more. He doesn’t seem to like this new trend and demands to be held more than ever. Part of me wants to keep him my baby boy forever and the other part of wants him to use his own two legs. My joke is once little brother arrives I’ll need to carry Owen in the baby carrier since he seems bent on being held. Such a dork. I feel a bit sorry for him that his world is about to be turned upside down, but he’ll adapt.

The rest of the month will be filled with mentor hang outs, a few play dates and hopefully a lot of rest. I’m trying to slow down and keep my schedule low-key. It’s hard to do because I feel like I owe the world 150% and I only have like 25% to give… It’s frustrating, but I know it’s only for a season. With less than a month and a half left, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I won’t always be sharing my body with a little human. So until then, I’ll just take deep breaths and do the best that I can. Sorry if that means I’m a bum. I have officially quit trying to keep up with life. I’ll just do what I can.

Owen woke up ready to read

Such a big boy – taking the dog for a walk!

So excited to be a part of the launch team for this book

All dressed up in camo and ready to head out into nature with Jeremy. These boys love going on adventures together!

Celebrating my awesome friend, Christa!

Owen was way too tired to be at church on Sunday. He ended up snuggling with me for most of the time he was in service with me.

This is what happens when the high chair tray of cereal gets flipped over. Owen and Toby are racing to eat all the pieces off the floor. Gotta love my little vacuum cleaners.

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Celebrating 9 Years! July 8, 2015

Filed under: Family Time,Simply Me — Amy Scott @ 3:10 pm

The kiss that sealed the deal!

Today marks 9 years of wedded bliss for Jeremy and I. Okay, not all moments have been bliss, but it’s been a good 9 years and God has been so faithful to us. I remember when Jeremy and I started talking. I was so surprised that he was interested in me. At age 18, the 5 year age difference seemed like a big deal. Why would this mature, Godly man want to date me? I was taken back by his interest but I was pleasantly surprised when our relationship kept developing. Jeremy was more than I could have hoped for! God really blessed me. While I knew that Jeremy had a heart for ministry and he wanted to be a pastor, I learned a lot of things about him that I didn’t know. I learned that Jeremy is a hunter and a golfer. Later on when we purchased our house, I learned that Jeremy loves plants and will grow just about anything he can try. He is into superhero movies and sci-fi. He is a weather geek and if we lived in the Midwest, I’m positive that he would be a storm chaser. He also keeps up on local volcanoes and their activity. He is a man of many diverse hobbies as you can see.

Jeremy is the kind of guy that has plenty to do to fill his time. He is often outside in the yard these days sharing his love of nature with our son. He keeps up with the outdoor maintenance which is something I appreciate since I am indoor girl. Give me a vacuum over a lawn mower any day! With his full days and many hobbies, Jeremy still had time for his family. He puts Owen and I first before his own interests. I know that he makes sacrifices so I feel loved and get quality time with him. He is super involved with Owen and gives me many chances to rest and have breaks. He is thoughtful about that. Jeremy is also a super hard worker. His job is busy and sometimes has a crazy schedule attached to it. I am always amazed at how Jeremy gives 100% at work providing for us and then comes home continues to give 100% to our family.

I am beyond blessed. I am so thankful that this man is in my life. The last 9 years have held many adventures and memories. God has continued to grow us closer together and I believe that the best is yet to come. I am so lucky that I get to walk alongside Jeremy in life. He is a wonderful husband and father. He is a hard worker and caring pastor. He is goofy and laid back and go-with-the-flow. We compliment each other in so many ways and I know that his influence is good for me. He makes me slow down and enjoy life. He encourages me not to worry and stress. I am better person because he is in my life. I will forever be grateful that he looked my way!

We had dinner to celebrate our anniversary last night. We then took a picture at the waterfront where Jeremy proposed to me!

He didn’t have to get me anything, but apparently Jeremy knows the way to my heart is with candy!

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Ending June, Starting July and lots to Celebrate! July 7, 2015

Filed under: Family Time,Parenthood,Simply Me — Amy Scott @ 10:51 am

It’s been a few weeks since I sat down to blog. The days have been full and by the time Owen goes to sleep, I am usually ready for bed myself. This has meant less down time for me to just hang out on the blog. Sometimes sleep comes first! It’s my new motto – sleep now, do other stuff later!

We’ve been hot, hot, hot here in the PNW. It’s rare, but we’ve been in a massive heat wave. The 90+ degree days have gotten old now that they have been around for a couple of weeks. We’ve been playing chess with our portable air conditioner and the fans. Overall, we’ve been able to keep the house cool. I’m so grateful! I’m okay with one or two days of heat… I am so over the endless warmth that has seemed to move in. As a result, we’ve been spending a lot of time outside. Owen has been splashing around the front yard. It’s really felt like summer in that regard. I’m not an outdoor girl, so I’ve been stretched this summer. My idea of a good summer day (or any day) is being inside with a book. That has not been my summer, but that is okay. This is a different season of my life. I’m sure some day I’ll have plenty of inside days and books to read.

Family time has been the name of the game over the last few weeks. We’ve gotten to see quite a bit of our immediate families and we’ve been blessed to enjoy the summer sunshine with them. Owen has especially enjoyed the cousin time. Kids in the yard, running around, having fun – yep, this is what summer is all about!

This last weekend was a big one for celebrations! On Friday, we celebrated my dad’s almost 60th birthday a few days early. We had pizza and a cake and then wrapped up the night with John Deere rides in the front yard. Saturday was Independence Day and we spent it over at Papa & Nana’s house. Owen got to splash around the yard with his cousin, Nolan. We got to catch up with Jeremy’s brother and sister-in-law and hear about life with two kiddos. Of course, I got a few snuggles in with my newest nephew, Bennett.

Sunday rounded out the big weekend with a massive celebration at our church. This spring, through generous donations over the years, we were able to pay off the mortgages of both our Chehalis and Centralia campuses. We had a Freedom Party to rejoice over the fact that we are now debt free. My father who is all about debt free living got to present the numbers on how much we will have saved in the long run without a mortgage and interest. Now we can put that money back into the community and use it for kingdom work. I thought it was fitting that on my dad’s actual birthday we got to blow up the mortgages. We literally blew them up. No pieces or ashes remain. Bye-bye mortgage! It’s gone forever! The party ran late into the night and ended with a giant fireworks display. I took Owen home after the mortgage explosion since waiting up for the fireworks was beyond his toddler bedtime. The pictures and videos I saw of the fireworks were impressive. What a perfect way to end a big weekend and a huge celebration.

Water time!

Sunny play date with the cousins

Owen loves his wagon. He asks or should I say demands rides daily.

Living outside this summer

S’more season!

Learning colors and keeping cool!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Owen might want John Deere rides every time he visits Grandpa now!

Enjoying a family filled 4th of July

Owen loved the swing ride at the Freedom Party! He went on that ride at least 6 times!

My Dad explaining the freedom of debt free living!

BOOM! There goes the mortgage!

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Weekend Projects June 6, 2015

Filed under: Home Improvement,Parenthood,Simply Me — Amy Scott @ 5:52 pm

A glimpse into our weekend!

Our little family has been looking forward to some time around the house this weekend. Owen is doing a lot better, but his mood and appetite are still a bit affected by his tummy bug. We decided to stay around the house and give Owen just a little more time before he re-entered the real world. This did mean that we missed a few opportunities to celebrate with some high school graduates, but I’m sure they appreciated us not bring our screaming toddler to their parties. With two days fully at home, we went into project mode. As always, Jeremy and Owen had plenty of time outside to work on yard stuff. On Friday, while the boys were outside, I took on steam cleaning our carpets. It’s never an easy task, but it’s so worth it. I find it rewarding to pour out that dirty water and know that the dirt isn’t in my carpet anymore. I love it! With our office now cleared, we set work on moving things around. Owen got a new chair (relocated from our room) and a new dresser. Toby moved in our room where the chair had once been. We moved Owen’s old dresser, glider and changing table into the new nursery. It’s no longer an office. I know it’s a bit early to set up the nursery. We still have a long way to go before we have everything we need. We assumed that switching things up in Owen’s room might take a bit of adjusting. We would rather go through a slow adjustment period before the next little Scott arrives. Jeremy assembled Owen’s dresser this morning. It’s an Ikea product, so of course, there were many pieces and screws. Owen helped and hindered as his mood preferred. I tried to keep Owen from relocating important screws all over the house. Once the dresser was complete, I spent a good deal of time this afternoon rearranging things and sorting them as I tucked into their new homes. I love organizing and this puzzle was just the challenge I was looking for. I really like how things turned out. Owen’s new chair now has his raccoon lamp by it and the corner looks like a reading nook. The new dresser and the new chair really give his room a more “big boy” look. The funny thing is Jeremy didn’t want to move the glider’s ottoman out of the room until we find a replacement ottoman. The look isn’t quite cohesive, but I’ll try to fix that in the near future. Overall, it has been a busy weekend for the Scott family. Lots got accomplished and now we are looking forward to a day of rest! That is what Sunday is for, right? (After church, of course!)

Owen loved his dresser in this form – the boxes were perfect for playing!

Nothing complicated about this, right?

Helping Daddy build with his new drill

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A Girl’s Night, a Birthday Party and a Tummy Bug June 5, 2015

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Family Time,Parenthood,Simply Me — Amy Scott @ 9:00 am

Last weekend was a big one. I put off writing about it because there was a lot of other stuff bouncing around in my head, but now I am able to back track and revisit the weekend.

On Friday night, I had a game and craft night with 4 girls from my Wednesday night class. It was a smaller group than usual. This years class is a group of busy girls, so most of them had prior plans. Big groups can be fun, but small groups are a great too. I got to have more one-on-one conversations with the girls. Plus, the noise and mess were slightly less. We started off the night with a game of croquet. I only play once a year – at this event. Somehow, I manage to get in the top three every year and this year I took first place. Oh yeah! It fun to play croquet because most of the girls have never played it before. I like introducing them to new things. After our game, we headed to backyard to roast hot dogs around the fire. I was super nervous about Owen and the fire, but I am happy report that he did a great job and stayed away from it. We happily munched on our meals until everyone was full. We came inside to work on a craft project after that. I supplied paper, stickers, magazines and ribbon so the girls could decorate wooden picture frames with Mod Podge. They all loved it. Mod Podge isn’t something I let them use on a regular basis so big crafts like this are a special treat. I always pray that Mod Podge stays where it’s supposed to and that my house survives pre-teens and liquid glue. We let our craft projects dry while we went back outside to make s’mores for dessert. This was my first time making s’mores this season and let me tell you, they hit the spot! Yum! I predict more of them in my future. The girls roasted/ate/burnt the whole bag of marshmallows. Once the bag was empty, it was our time to clean up and head home. It was a fun night and I love opening my home up to my students. I want them to feel a part of my life and I want them to know that I am here for them not just on Wednesdays, but any day of the week. Their friendship is important to me and nights like this go a long way to say that.

On Saturday, we got up early (that was hard after the late night before) and took off over the mountains to celebrate my nephew’s 5th birthday. I swear he was two yesterday. It’s crazy! Carson had a Star Wars themed party and my sister-in-law and brother-in-law did a great job making that come to life. Yoda even made an appearance and was promptly attacked by a mob of 5 year-olds with foam light sabers. It was very intense. Apparently they are all on the dark side. Owen had a great time playing in the sprinkler and then once the big kids took off, he took over the pool. Jeremy had to pull him out occasionally because the water was so cold his teeth were chattering and his lips were turning blue. You would have no idea that he was cold from his actions though. He was one happy water baby!

Sunday morning, I decided to skip church because the big weekend had tuckered me out and I figured a little extra rest wouldn’t be bad for Owen. He slept in and I felt like I had made a good call for the both of us. Then Owen started to get clingy and woke up from a nap with a fever. We ended up missing our growth group that night and the cherry on top of the day was Owen throwing up on Jeremy. Okay, that was so not a highlight. But Sunday was the beginning of a week of illness. Owen turns into a slug when he is sick so I’ve spent a good part of the week with my kid flopped over in my lap or laying on my chest. Poor boy. He is just now starting to come out of it. He has had a few fever free days, but his diapers and eating habits are still a bit off. I’m praying that things keep getting better from here.

Croquet time!

A boy and his hot dog bun

First s’more of the season

Love this sight!

Chatting with Nana on the ride over the mountains

Happy Birthday, Carson!

Water boys!

Sick kiddo

Starting perk up! Playing with his new tool set!

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Almost Officially Outnumbered June 4, 2015

Filed under: Parenthood,Simply Me — Amy Scott @ 7:50 pm

On Tuesday afternoon, Jeremy and I took off for our doctor’s appointment. I’m 19 weeks (20 on Sunday) and our doctor had promised to give us a sneak peek of our baby before the big anatomy appointment that comes next. We were very excited and anxious. I think more so finding out baby #2 than baby #1. With #2, I was thinking of Owen and what it would be like to have a little brother or little sister. I was also thinking of all the stuff we currently have and what things we would need to get if we had a girl. There was lots to weigh and consider. Either way, I know we would have been thrilled. Owen, of course, could really care less about a boy or a girl since I’m 99% sure he has no clue what is happening in our family.

We got to our appointment early because they are good about getting us back sooner if we show up early. However, we heard the front desk page our doctor saying she was needed in delivery. Before our appointment, I had this sinking feeling that something was going to happen and we wouldn’t get a chance to have the ultrasound that day. When we heard that our doctor was being called away, I thought for sure that my suspicions were coming true. They weren’t though. Our appointment was just 45 minutes late. I did feel bad since Owen was home sick with a tummy bug and I didn’t want to leave my sister with the kiddo for too long. But things have a way of happening and you just have to roll with it.

Once we got into the sonogram room, our doctor quickly set to work. Probably because she was behind and needed to make up some time in her schedule. The baby was super wiggly and wouldn’t get into an ideal position. We did, however, get a chance to see what we needed. Our doctor claimed that the baby was “most likely” a boy even though she didn’t get the perfect shot she was hoping for. We took “most likely” to mean “highly likely” since the Scott family tends to be male dominated. Both Jeremy and I were guessing boy. So we were right! Hooray!

I had promised to do a big gender reveal for my class on Wednesday night and we debated holding off sharing our news until things were more settled, but in the end we decided to go for it. Our next ultrasound is in a week and half. If something changes between now and then, oh well. We’ll have a funny story to share with people. We wrapped up our outing with a stop at Carter’s to get a few new newborn outfits. Of course, the tags will stay on until our next appointment and I have the receipt tucked safely way. I high doubt that anything will change, but better safe than sorry.

Once we got home, Jeremy made calls to our siblings and parents. April got to find out in person since she was the one watching Owen for us. I quickly set to work making my gender reveal cupcakes. I decorated the cupcakes to be pink or blue with blue frosting hidden in the middle. On Wednesday night, I let the girls pick a cupcake by color and use that as their vote for the gender. I had 10 girls in the class that night and they were evenly split with their guesses. Half were right and half were wrong. It was fun to do a gender reveal with pre-teen girls because they got really excited. They all took a bite on the count of three and then were was an eruption of “IT’S A BOY” from the whole class. It was a great moment.

While we are holding off on deciding a nursery theme until after we know officially, our nursery is starting to take shape… or lose shape… The office that it once was is disappearing. Just tonight, we sold our desk which was the last big piece of furniture to sell and get out of the house. Now it’s time to steam vacuum the carpets and start rearranging furniture. Owen will get a new dresser that will now double as his changing table. Owen’s current dresser and changing table will move to the nursery. Owen’s rocking chair will also move into the nursery and Owen will get an arm chair from our bedroom. Toby’s crate will move into the spot were the arm chair once was. It’s going to be like musical furniture for the next little bit. I am excited to get things in place. Hopefully making these changes now will give Owen a chance to get used to things before the baby comes. I want to make these changes gradually so it isn’t like his whole world and house are turned upside down at the same time.

Looks like I am officially going to be outnumbered by boys in this household. I will admit that I am totally okay with that. I have this vision of Owen and his brother outside following Jeremy around. I will be inside either cleaning or reading a book. I was really worried about having a boy the first time. I didn’t know anything about boys and I am still learning a lot, but I think Owen has prepared me to a boy mom. I’m ready for the next one. At least, I think I am!

Something new for the newest member of our family!

Pink or Blue?

BLUE!

My Wednesday night girls with their guesses!

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Wrapping Up MOPS June 2, 2015

Filed under: Simply Me — Amy Scott @ 6:55 pm

Our theme this year was “Be You, Bravely” so this is my “Valiant” table. I am so grateful for each one of these ladies. I am blessed to have been their table leader this year!

There are a lot of big highlights that I could blog about from the last week, but I want to focus on one specific thing that happened this morning. Today was our last official MOPS meeting for the year. We have a leadership team meeting next week and park dates throughout the summer, but this was our last time all together. Wow. Lots of thoughts and emotions are running through my head about MOPS.

Let me start off by saying that my first year (last year) of MOPS wasn’t amazing. It wasn’t bad, but I didn’t have a lot of discussion around my table and I felt like I carried the conversation a lot. It was weird because I wasn’t really a leader but there was a leadership void at my table. I had my frustrations and I almost didn’t come back this year because it.

Flash forward, our MOPS coordinator asked me to join the leadership team at the end of last year. I was tempted to say no, but then I thought if I didn’t enjoy my MOPS experience, I might as well do something to improve it instead of just quitting. I am glad that I made this call. The start of this year was a bit bumpy. I had to learn the ropes of MOPS leadership. A lot of the ladies had been on the team for years, so I felt a bit behind and out of the club. That feeling didn’t last for long though. As I have mentioned, our steering team meetings are a hoot. We talk about the most amazing stuff that you can only talk about in a group of moms. It’s a great bond and I feel like I went a lot deeper in my relationships.

This year, I produced a monthly newsletter for the group and I was a table leader. I am happy to report that my table was always the most attended. We had the largest, most dedicated group and it was a pleasure to lead them throughout the year. While we might not walk away from the year as besties, I know that I got to know women in my community who I would have never gotten the chance to know without MOPS. Some of the moms attend our church, some of them don’t. It was a great opportunity for me to make new friendships. I went from somewhat dreading meetings last year to looking forward to them this year. I am glad I decided to stay.

Now looking forward, our table will be different year. They will move us around and hopefully, I’ll be able to build more amazing relationships next year. I will be table leader again and do the newsletter, but I’ll also add “table leader coordinator” to my list of titles. My job will mainly be reminders and making sure the groups know what food to bring to the meetings. I’m looking forward to taking on a bit more responsibility without going overboard. Our coordinator for the last four years is stepping down so she can go back to work full time. I’m unsure what MOPS will look like without her at the helm. It was bittersweet to know that today was her last meeting. I am excited for the next year, but it is a new team. Not a lot of people are returning (mostly because their children are now too old). It feels strange, but I know that God is in this. I had one year with an amazing team who have been at this for many years. Now they have passed on the baton. I’m curious to see where we end up and I am hopeful that next year will be just great as this year.

I knew that I would probably join MOPS when I started to have kids. It was assumed… I didn’t really plan on joining the leadership team, but I’m glad that God pulled me in that direction. I know it was God because I wasn’t looking for it. I didn’t ask to be a part of this. I saw a need and said yes. It’s crazy to me how much I have grown through this year. It’s stretch me in a lot of ways, but the relationships that I have built have so much value to me. It’s crazy to think that my second year as MOPS mom is under my belt. On to year three with new and exciting things to come!

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Getting Back to Life January 22, 2015

Filed under: Family Time,Parenthood,Simply Me — Amy Scott @ 3:14 pm

Only now do I feel like I’m coming out of the haze of the last month of illness in our house. I’ve been slow to re-enter our routine and our commitments. It’s amazing to me how we are nearing the end of January and I just now feel like I’m fully entering into the new year. It’s taken me a while to get back on my feet. Now that Owen is out of the woods, we are back to life and moving full steam ahead. Because there were a couple really slow weeks at the beginning of January, it seems like the end of January is trying to make up for entire month. I tend to do that. Unintentionally, I feel weird about not having commitments or not being able to keep them, so I flip everything over into the second half of the month and make that part super busy. It’s all good stuff, though, so I’m excited for some social time and hanging with friends and family, but I guess I will share more about that later – after it actually happens.

Over the last two weeks, Owen’s sleep schedule has changed. My kid who dependably slept till 9:00-9:30am is now waking up before 8:00am most morning. You are probably thinking “no big deal”. 8:00am isn’t all that early to most of the world. Well, I am a late sleeper by nature and I was really enjoying sleeping until 9:00am most morning. I would wake up before Owen and have some time to pull myself together before he got up. Now Owen is awake before me and I’m pulling myself out of bed when I would rather keep snoozing. We’ve had a couple super late nights in the last week and I hoped that Owen would go back to his normal schedule, but no. Despite what time we put him down, he is up early. This looks like our new routine. For the first time ever, I think I’m looking forward to “springing ahead” with daylight savings time. Maybe that will rewire him to sleep a little later. So anyway, I’m tired. I’ve been staying up late like usual, but getting up earlier. I haven’t adjusted yet to the lost hour of sleep. In the grand scheme of things, this is a positive change. Owen is sleeping more solidly through the night and not waking in the early morning hours. I’m just going to have get used to the new wake up time.

In other Owen news, we were finally able to get him a haircut. It was on our “January To-Do List”, but with all the buggies, it took us a while to get it checked off. On Saturday, we took him back to the kid’s salon for his second haircut. This time it was more of a big boy haircut and not a trim. He looks like a big boy in a little body now! I miss a lot of things now that his hair is short. I miss the spunky personality of his hair – it still has some, but it’s not as crazy. I miss his hair being able to cover up bonks on his forehead. Most of all, I miss playing with his hair when he sits on my lap. I never thought I would be a mom who was emotionally attached to her kids hair and I’m trying not to be. I just happen to like it long and crazy because it seems to be a part of him and his personality. Owen is a handsome kid no matter what hairstyle he has. I am lucky that he likes going to the hair salon and does very well while he sits in the chair… I mean, the go-cart! I’m grateful that he views getting haircut as a happy experience.

Today has been a quiet, but productive day. I’ve been busy but I enjoy setting my own pace. While Owen napped this morning, I cleaned the house. I’ve spent part of the afternoon updating pictures around my house. I hadn’t changed any of the photos since July. It was time to showcase some of our fall and holiday pictures. I love looking at my pictures and it can be so hard to pick which of the many get to be the one on display! The next thing on my to-do is to change my Scentsy scents around the house. I know, I am a wild woman! Cleaning, photo organizing, fiddling with my Scentsy! What a life… Oh there is a kid that I take care of too. He is pretty hands on so it’s hard to get much done while he is awake. Yesterday, he let me make cookies in the morning, but even still he was tugging on my leg asking for me to hold him. Holding a toddler and making cookies can be a complicated endeavor. I must lack talent in the multitasking department. These days I don’t try to multitask when Owen is up. I work on a few things, but mostly, it’s just hanging out with him and playing around. I really enjoy getting to be his buddy throughout the day. I don’t mind stopping my own agenda to goof off. The way I see it is these days are numbered. Days around the house just playing won’t always be our stage of life so I better soak it up while I can. I remind myself that school days are coming when my free time will come back (I daydream about this phase a lot). I remind myself that he’ll be a teenager some day and playing with Duplos on the floor won’t be his favorite thing. I got to make these moments count, right now. It’s such a blessing even though this time at home does come with it’s fair share of meltdowns, temper tantrums and fighting naps. I’ll take both the good and the bad. Keeps like interesting, right?