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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50 Days and Counting September 5, 2015

Filed under: Parenthood — Amy Scott @ 10:00 am

It’s been 50 days since I last posted anything “mostly” about my second pregnancy… Blogging about this second pregnancy hasn’t been easy for me. When I was pregnant with Owen, everything was new and around every corner was a “what if” to ponder. My life was going to drastically change and it was all I could think about. This go around, I still think about pregnancy a lot, but in a totally different way. Keeping up with a toddler while growing a little human inside me has been quite the life experience. I try to post mainly positive things on this blog. I don’t want to be a downer and a whiny pregnant lady doesn’t sound like an interesting read. A lot of people love being pregnant and I don’t want to offend them by saying that I don’t love it. I don’t like it at all. Very little of this process is my idea of a good time. I view it as something to endure for the end result. I also have a fear that if I mention some of my aches and pains then people will freak out and treat me like I am about to explode (which is semi true, but annoying nonetheless). Anyway, I walk on egg shells with what to say about being pregnant and how I am doing. I just don’t like to be too honest because often I don’t think it’s the answer that people want to hear. So for those of you want to think of pregnancy in the same light as fluffy puppies, bunnies, unicorns and rainbows – maybe you should stop reading this post, like right now.

Okay, this pregnancy has been hard. I’ve been trying to compare this pregnancy to my one with Owen and I think this one wins for being harder. I have been sicker this go around and I have felt worse overall. This could be thanks to keeping up with a toddler, but for some reason it is just more icky in lots of ways. I hurt a lot. From back pain to headaches to the force of my little one kicking me in random places, I am not comfortable a good portion of the day. It’s all about living with and through the pain. I often hear “have you talked to your doctor about that?” And yes, I have. It’s, sadly, normal stuff, that I just need to deal with. The last month has been one where I went from “Wow, we’re in the third trimester” to “Are we done yet?” I am over feeling this way.

Apart of physically feeling bad, I feel like I am not doing a great job at keeping up with life. There are days where staying home with Owen is too much for me and I am spent by the time Jeremy gets home from work. When I add outings or commitments outside of the house to my calendar, they are almost too much for me and I question almost every time I walk out the door if I have the “umph” to do what I have planned. I have joked with various family members that I feel like dropping out of the human society for a couple of months. Going into hiding is a tempting option. However, I know that things that I do and the people that I see are worthwhile and then I feel really guilty about wanting to hide from the outside world.

While I was getting ready one morning this week, I was thinking about all the things that I am not doing well at right now. The list is long. I started to go down the road of beating myself up for not being more awesome and then I remembered that my goal in life isn’t to be awesome. I just read about this in Jen Hatmaker’s new book For the Love, which I highly recommend. I can’t be all things. I can’t do all things. I can be awesome at all things. I want to love Jesus and love others, but even that looks different in each season of life. Right now it’s a slower season. Having little ones makes you slow down to their pace and it’s a good reminder to go easy on myself. I doubt that Jesus would give me the same verbal smack down I was giving myself. I have a feeling his words to me would be much more grace-filled. Giving grace to others seems to be easier than giving grace to myself. The truth is I need it more than ever these days. I am not a superstar. I am not getting everything done. I do not have the energy or stamina to socialize with every person that I genuinely like or enjoy. Some seasons are scaled back and some seasons of life are not awesome. Being pregnant falls under the “not awesome” category of my life.

I’m sure kid #2 will be worth it. Once he arrives on the scene and I see him growing and developing, I will willingly put aside the memories of being pregnant so I can focus on the present joys and frustrations of parenting. It took me a while to get into the swing of things with Owen and I assume that it will be the same kind of adjustment period with #2. I am not fooling myself into thinking that having a toddler and a newborn will be easy. But it will be a new adventure and it will be progress and it will move quickly because it’s shocking how fast newborns aren’t newborns and how fast infants become toddlers. Pregnancy is one uncomfortable wait game that is worth the end goal. I’m so glad that there is an end in sight and that it is coming in roughly 7 weeks. Less than two months. Less than 50 days. I can do this. I will make it. I might have to repeat that often. The most amazing part of this journey is that for as awful as I feel, it causes to me to turn to God and rely on him for strength. Pain has a way of bringing us closer to God and I truly feel like pregnancy and parenting has drawn me closer to my Savior because I have needed him like never before. Even the tough stuff of life can be used for good when given to God. I am thankful for that and optimistic for the future.

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Random Snapshots of Life September 3, 2015

Filed under: Amy's Bookshelf,Family Time — Amy Scott @ 8:43 pm

I love to blog. Writing is something I enjoy and it keeps me sane… Or maybe it helps me get out my insanity? I don’t know. I love it. I’ve been itching to blog this week, but haven’t had the energy to do so. Plus, I don’t really have a cohesive theme of which to write on. This leads me to the post that you are about to read. Random. It will be very random. A little of this and a little of that. I used a lot of brain cells to write a post all about my second pregnancy, but I won’t be sharing that post until this weekend, so until then let me tide you over with the random musings of Amy Scott.

Fall is here in the PNW. We went from hot, hot, hot to cloudy, rainy and cool. Can I say, praise the Lord! I was over the heat. I know it might come back, but I am grateful for the break from hot weather. Tuesday was the first day of September and I woke up to clouds and the school bus driving past my house. I went to church and worked on my classroom bulletin board and then went to our MOPS registration social. It really felt like the first day of school (waking up with a new pimple really added to that feeling as well). MOPS is now back in full swing and I had my first class of the 2015-2016 school year last night at church. I love the transition of September. Mostly because I love the fall and in just a few weeks the calendar will officially concur that autumn is here!

Note the pumpkins from Jeremy’s garden!

This last month was a good month for book releases. I discovered that the parent’s of Jon & Tim Foreman (members of my favorite band, Switchfoot) released a book on parenting. I was so intrigued to see what the parents of these rock’n’roll stars had to say about raising their boys. I also knew that their dad was a pastor, so I assumed that part of it would include raising your kids in the context of ministry. The book is called Never Say No by Mark & Jan Foreman. The title had me a bit worried because I say no a lot and honestly, I believe that your kids can’t do whatever they want – like walking off a cliff. Sometimes no is an important word – for safety purposes and what not. However, the book is much more about saying yes to your kids and raising big picture kids. It’s about creativity and letting your kids discover who they are and who God is and helping them transition through each season so they can be healthy adults. It’s a very good read and it was fun for me as Switchfoot fan to picture little Jon and Tim as I read about them from their parent’s perspective.

The other book that I read this last month was For the Love by Jen Hatmaker. I love Jen Hatmaker. Her book 7 changed my perspective in a ton of ways. I follow her on Facebook where she regularly makes me laugh out loud. Her new book is a combination of so many things. It’s thought provoking, encouraging, inspirational and down right funny. I frequently laugh out loud while reading her work which is silly because I am often alone in a room just laughing to myself. One night this last week, I was reading in bed with Jeremy beside me and the chapter was so hilarious that I was unable to talk and share what was funny with Jeremy. I was crying and trying to talk and I couldn’t catch my breath. I felt like a total dork, but a good laugh is important every now and again. Plus I provided my husband with some great entertainment.

Enjoying the plastic “neigh neigh” at Lattin’s Cider Mill & Farm

Last Friday, we went on a family outing to local farm. Owen enjoyed all the fake animals at the farm more than the real animals. He kept saying “neigh neigh” and I thought he was looking for horse because he assumed that a farm would have horses. It turns out that the farm had a collection of mechanical horse that he had seen and he wanted to ride those. We picked up some yummy baked goods and then let Owen play on the rides. Of course, we had a no quarters so none of the rides actually did anything, but he enjoyed sitting them. One of them was a rocking horse and Jeremy was able to give Owen a decent ride on that one since it moved without money being required. After our morning at the farm, we went to get Owen a haircut. Owen seems to dislike getting his hair cut more and more each time we go. This resulted in Jeremy having to hold Owen in his lap like a human straight jacket. It might be time that we watch some YouTube videos and learn to cut Owen’s hair at home – for the sake of the poor lady that has to cut our toddler’s hair and for all the people in the salon with us. It was quite the experience (interchange with the word exhausting). However, now our little boy has big boy clothes and another big boy haircut. He is looking so old these days. It’s mind boggling.

Below are photos that depict the end of August and beginning of September in the Scott house. Nothing too epic, but this is our everyday, real life. It’s good and fun and crazy.

Owen is obsessed with this shark shirt from our vacation. He requests to wear it and cries when we take it off. He has the same reaction to any clothes that have trucks on them.

Owen has been sleeping in this week and Toby doesn’t seem to mind the extra down time. This was Sunday morning while I was waiting for Owen to get up.

My new class bulletin has a travel theme. I may have started singing " Come Fly with Me" while putting it together.

My new class bulletin board has a travel theme. I may have started singing ” Come Fly with Me” while putting it together.

At the MOPS social, Owen put Harper’s name tag on his forehed and would not let it be taken off. Not a great pic for smiling, but the silly memory was documented!

Helping Daddy shop for stuff to make freezer meals. Another highlight of our weekend was getting a chest freezer for the garage! Now to fill it up!

Hanging with my class on Wednesday night. This yarn game is a September tradition!

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2T August 27, 2015

Filed under: Family Time,Parenthood,Recollections — Amy Scott @ 9:56 pm

Kissing his reflection in the shoe department of the Columbia Outlet

A week ago we took Owen shopping at the Lincoln City Outlets. It could have been a disaster since he hadn’t napped in hours and had already spent the morning running around the Oregon Coast Aquarium. I was very concerned about his energy storehouse. Plus, shopping with Owen is always a gamble. He seems to be on his best behavior when shopping with just Jeremy, but add me to the mix and we have a crazy child on our hands. I wish I knew why. Oh the mind of a toddler. I’m happy to report that our shopping experience with Owen was delightful. Minus a tragic fall in the Old Navy Outlet that caused his mouth to bleed and Owen to wail loudly for some time… That was the low point, but it happened early on in the outing and Owen moved on from the whole ordeal fairly well.

It was hard to get a good picture, but here is Owen walking around with his very own shopping bag. He really got into the shopping experience!

I decided that Owen’s next wardrobe would be made up of clothes sized 2T. I compared and contrasted 24 months to 2T and decided that we would make the plunge into 2T. This meant shopping in a whole new section of most stores. My little boy’s clothes are now defined by years, not months. It really feels like he is no longer a baby even though he has been very a much a toddler for sometime. Transitions always have a way of reminding me how quickly time is flying by and how fast this little human is growing. Shopping with an almost 2 year old could have been a nightmare. Instead, Owen was quite helpful and carried items around the store for us. We would pick something like a jacket, pair of jeans, or pajamas and he would proudly walk around the items in hand. Just another reminder that he is big boy. Cashiers gave Owen small little bags that he could carry out of the store himself and he was as pleased as punch. It was the cutest sight.

Now I fully I expected all these 2T clothes to be HUGE on Owen, but for fun we tried a few on this week. They fit fairly normally which breaks my heart in a strange way. He is bigger than I expected. Owen also loves his new clothes (many of them have bulldozers and dump trucks on them). He begs to wear them and cries when we try to take them off. Since when did this kid ever care about fashion? He has suddenly developed an opinion on what he wears. I knew this was coming, but it’s a small thing like 2T clothes that make me realize we have a big boy on our hands.

This last week I’ve read a couple of sappy parenting articles on Facebook. Lord, help me. I am pregnant and hormonal and I should not be reading these. The water works have been insane. One article was about how older siblings might never remember a time without their younger sibling, especially if they are born close enough together. My sister and I are just a few weeks shy of two years apart and I don’t remember life before April. My memories have always included in her. I suspect that Owen will be the same way. He is will always remember his little brother. He won’t remember these days as a family of three. He won’t remember my transition to being a stay at home mom. He won’t remember the long days spent in our pajamas or the diaper time struggles. He won’t remember my joy over watching him learn words, shapes, sounds, colors and animals. In a lot of ways, I have begun to mourn the fact that it won’t always just be Owen and Mommy at home. I’m sure little brother will bring a whole new dynamic of fun and love, but things will never be the same. It was a good reminder for me to cherish in my heart the time that I have had with just Owen. I have grown and changed so much in the last two years. I guess I’m trying to keep up with Owen in more than one way. He is changing me as he changes and grows and develops. What a sweet period of time. I will remember it even though he won’t.

The other article was about how someday you will realize that your kid has passed a series of “lasts” and you might have missed it – last time building a fort with blankets, last time needing your help washing their hair. While Owen is still very much young and dependent on me, I am reminded that he won’t always be. He will continue to grow and mature through the different stages of childhood and into adulthood. I want to make the most of these moments and not let them slip by. I’m so amazed at how it’s the small things that seem to make the most impact in the long run. I am blessed that I can be present in these moments and enjoy them for their simple pleasure. I certainly have my days when this parenting gig seems like no fun and I wonder what I signed up for. It’s no walk in the park and my kid is hitting the terrible twos. But it won’t be this way forever. Someday I will have a quiet house and it will probably be clean and I will be an empty-nester. The family years will go fast. As the quote goes, the days are long but the years are short.

I think being pregnant around Owen’s 2nd birthday (about a month away from that milestone) has made me even more sentimental and emotional (aka hormonal). Maybe I would feel the same way about things if I wasn’t pregnant. All I know is that I want to remember this time. I want to remember shopping for 2T clothes at the outlets with my proud, big boy. I want to remember the family of three days with fondness. They have been so good and so hard and so worth it. I know that being a family of four will be awesome in a new way and I am excited to discover that. I am also excited to see the little person that Owen is becoming. He is funny, smart and creative. While I mourn the fact that he is no longer a baby, I wouldn’t want him to stay a baby forever. He just keeps getting more amazing with time. I love watching him become more and more himself as he discovers the world. It’s been an incredible journey and I am blessed that we get to start the process all over again with kiddo #2. However, I am not excited about the newborn sleep schedule that is right around the corner. I guess Owen has been a good guinea pig kid, because now I can remind myself that this to shall pass. I have survived life with Owen thus far and I am sure I’ll make through all the ups and downs with #2 as well. Plus, hopefully, I’ll have a little helper and Owen can show his little brother the ropes. I’m sure he’ll have some good brotherly insight into surviving life with their crazy parents!

Telling his buddies all about “trucks”

Helping water the fruit trees

Playing with a new assortment of construction vehicles

A chocolate milk reward for tagging along to my doctor’s appointment

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Life at the Beach August 25, 2015

Filed under: Family Time,Parenthood,Travels — Amy Scott @ 9:10 pm

We got back on Saturday from a beach vacation. It was the longest I’ve ever stayed at the beach. It was nice to have a slow pace. We had time to do everything we wanted and then some… sometimes multiple times! We ate way too much food and enjoyed some of our favorite things. There are so many highlights from our trip. It’s hard to figure out what to share without making this blog massive in length! The highlights for me included in eating at some of my favorite places like the Cannon Beach Bakery, Pig’N’Pancake and Mo’s. I enjoyed reading before bed every night and started/finished a book. We took multiple trips to the Tillamook Cheese Factory. Owen got so familiar with the cheese factory that he actually directed us around to what he wanted to do while there because he knew where everything was. He developed a deep and passionate love for their Baby Loaf bus. If only we could install one in our backyard. We visited some historical sites like Fort Stevens and Fort Clatsop. We went to the beach multiple times. We did a drive out to Cape Meares Lighthouse and spent a lot of time throwing rocks in the water at Cape Lookout. Jeremy flew his kite and made a great fire on the beach for s’mores. Jeremy also got his shellfish license and went crabbing for the first time. Owen loved having Grandma & Grandma and Auntie & Uncle around to play with at all hours. Owen’s vocabulary expanded and he said many words over the course of the trip that I had never heard before. It was fun to see his mind keep up with his expanding circumstances. There was lots of talk about “wa-wa” and “ba boats”. It was a fantastic trip. Owen loved it and so did we. It’s been quite the adventure keeping up with Owen and seeing the world through his eyes. I’m sure vacations will only get more exciting as he explores the world and experiences things for the first time. I love being along for the ride!

First walk on the beach

Flying a kite

Building a sand castle

Enjoying a windy night on the beach while making s’mores

Fort Stevens

Attempting to take a nap at Fort Clatsop

Owen and Lamby at the Tillamook Cheese Factory

Early morning beach walk with Daddy

Enjoying the view at Cape Meares

Spending a day down south at the Oregon Coast Aquarium and shopping at the Lincoln City Outlets

Tide pools at Haystack Rock

Date Night

Carousal ride in Seaside

Every trip to Tillamook wouldn’t be complete with a ride in Owen’s favorite “ba bus”. He loves this bus deeply and with his whole heart.

Crabbing with Daddy sure is exciting

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Hello August August 7, 2015

Filed under: Family Time,Parenthood — Amy Scott @ 8:31 pm

Here we are one week into August. July went by in a blink. I’ve had a hard time wrapping my mind around August. It’s here. It’s happening. It’s a 1/4 of the way done. What? How did that happen? Seems to be the theme of my life. Time is flying by. In a good way. We started off the month with family visits. We got to hang out with our Ellensburg family on Saturday and then we got the whole crew together on Sunday. We haven’t had Jeremy’s immediate family all together since Christmas and this was the first time for Bennett to be apart of the cousin crowd. It was fun to see all the kids together. I love watching cousins play. It makes my heart happy in a special way.

On Sunday, I officially entered the third trimester. I’m now up to doctor’s appointments every two weeks. It doesn’t feel like I should be at this point but I am. I remarked earlier this week that my appointments have been dull because I’ve had no issues and for that I am grateful. The thought of doubling my visits sounded doubly dull. Then on Wednesday, I had my blood pressure drop considerably low for me (I usually run high), so I had a bad dizzy spell on Wednesday night and a whopper of a headache on Thursday. At Jeremy’s request, I called my doctor’s office and talked to the nurse. While, she wasn’t too concerned, it will probably be a topic of conversation at our next appointment on Monday. Oh goody. So much for no issues. It’s strange to me that with my last pregnancy I developed gestational hypertension and now for this pregnancy, I seem to be doing the opposite. The human body is a strange and unpredictable thing. I’m hoping this is a minor hiccup and nothing major.

Owen will be 22 months as of tomorrow. That means in just two months, I will have a two year old! The terrible twos seem to be upon us already in some ways. In the last month or so, we’ve started doing time outs. It’s quite the ordeal and deeply upsets Owen, but he seems to get the concept. Owen is obsessed with trucks and trains. Every day he pulls out the same bin of trucks and trains. They seem to endless entertain him. Owen loves to tell you what animals say. Many animals have a deep, scary sounding roar. Also, his barking sound for a dog is intense. In contrast, if you ask Owen what a train says, he’ll say “choo-choo” in the sweetest little boy voice ever. I’m tempted to ask him what a train says over and over again just to hear that cute little voice.

Jeremy survived his busy July like champ. My man is a hard worker and I am so proud of him. We’ve loved having him home more now and we are looking forward to lots of family time in the coming weeks. We have a trip to the beach planned. I am excited to see what Owen thinks of the beach since this is his first year to run and play on it. Jeremy is looking forward to letting him explore and see what he fancies. Is he a water kid or a sand kid? We’ll find out! We have a trip to the aquarium planned as well. I hope to do some fall shopping for Owen and start purchasing his 2T wardrobe. His size 18 month clothes are starting to get a bit short on him. Owen is taller than he is wider, so I have a feeling his pants will forever be falling off of him. The struggles of no waist! I’m excited to move him up to the next size and start dreaming of dressing for fall.

That’s the beginning of August thus far! Can’t wait to share the rest of the month’s adventures with you soon.

Everyone wants to be king/queen of the castle!

All the cousins together!

Owen requested that I stop cleaning up from breakfast and snuggle with him and his stuffed animals. I didn’t mind pausing for moments like this. Excuse my bed head!

Enjoying lunch with my forever friend, Maggie, and pregnancy buddy!

Eating an apple from Daddy’s garden

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Owen’s First Camping Trip August 1, 2015

Filed under: Family Time,Parenthood,Travels — Amy Scott @ 6:05 pm

Loaded and ready to go! We packed the car to the brim, but Owen didn’t seem to mind.

Early Wednesday morning, we set off an adventure. Our destination was Crater Lake National Park. Jeremy and I had been planning a camping trip for this summer and up until a few days before we left, we assumed that we would go to our “usual” spots. Jeremy started to do a little research and got all excited about the possibility of going to Crater Lake. He had never been there and I remember it being a fun stop in my childhood. I was game to change the plan and explore a new campground. On the way down, we realized that was the farthest away from home both Owen and Toby have ever been. They handled the car time like champs and I was grateful.

Exploring our campsite

There are so many details about this trip that I would love to share with you! I don’t want this to be a lengthy blog, so I will do my best to pare down the moments. First off, Owen loved looking at the lake. He kept calling it “ba boat”. There were a few boats in the water, but it didn’t matter if a boat was in sight or not, the lake was called “ba boat”. Owen loved the camping experience. He was a dirt ball the whole time and it was quite humorous. I knew he was going to be a mess, so I didn’t even let it phase me. Setting up the tent was a hot experience and not one that I enjoyed. Owen loved it when I inflated the air mattresses. He loved hanging in the tent. This was our first time using this tent even though we bought it last summer. It had plenty of space for the twin and queen air mattresses we brought and it had plenty of room for another family member in the future. We made a smart move when we got this tent.

Loving the tent and air mattresses

One of the best parts of camping is the food. Owen enjoyed watching Jeremy make Jiffy Pop on the camp stove. He also loved the special treats we packed like Doritos, chocolate pudding cups, veggie straws and mini-donuts. I had a chance to make my favorite campfire pizza pockets and s’mores.

I was a little concerned about how Owen and Toby would do out camping together. Toby can be a cranky dog and I try to keep distance between the two. Toby did great with Owen. Toby hates camping and turned into a pathetic pile of a dog while we were out in the woods. He didn’t seem to have any interest into doing anything but looking sad. While I felt for him, I was glad to see that it made him very docile.

Owen looking at ba boat aka Crater Lake

The real adventure came at bedtime. When we first got into the tent, I noticed that queen air mattress had deflated quite a bit over the afternoon. We added more air to it and then started a game of musical sleeping bags. Ideally, Jeremy and I would have slept on the queen together and Owen would have slept on the twin. This will be a goal for future trips as Owen gets older. The final arrangement ended up being Owen, Toby and I all on the queen air mattress with Jeremy on the twin. Getting Owen to sleep took some time, but around 11:00pm the tent was finally down for the night. Or so I thought… I woke up around 1:00am and realized that I was laying on the ground. Our air mattress was leaking air somewhere. I told Jeremy, who was also awake. Owen was sleeping through it all so I thought I would hold out. However, I couldn’t fall back asleep. Being pregnant and all, I get up and use the restroom a couple times a night. I was really trying not to do that while out camping, but after a couple hours of being awake in the middle of the night, I decided I had to go. This meant it was a family outing since Owen woke up when I tried to get up. Toby and Jeremy went and used the men’s room and Owen and I went into the ladies room… at 3:00am. Good times. We added more air to the mattress and got Owen settled back down. I think I was asleep sometime after 4:00am and woke up on the ground again around 6:00am. That put me at a grand total of 4ish hours of sleep… with my toddler plastered to me all night, sleeping on the ground and 27 weeks pregnant. Not the best sleep I’ve ever had. I was sore and tired the next morning.

Happily munching on camp food

Since the air mattress turned into such a giant pickle, we decided to pack up camp on Thursday morning. I was bummed, but I didn’t want to do another repeat night of sleeping on the ground. Owen slept so much better than I expected out camping. He didn’t mind at all that the air mattress deflated. Probably because he was sleeping more on me than the mattress itself. Hopefully next time will go better and we’ll be able to give him two nights out in nature.

Our plan for the day already included in a drive around the lake to the various lookout spots. After we got packed up, we did our drive and then left the park. It was a HOT day and we were amazed at the temperatures our car thermometer were showing. Since it was a 6 hour drive home, we had to make a couple stops for Owen and Toby to stretch their legs. However, the heat made these stops quick. Also, we couldn’t do anything indoors since we had the dog to think about. There was no way we could leave him in the car. Once we got just outside of Portland, we decided to skip the rush hour traffic and find a park to relax in for a while. We got some dinner, ate outside in the shade and then played in the spray park. Owen enjoyed the time out of the car and splashed away while we waited for traffic to clear. It was a nice way to break up the time in the car. Also, I think the water at the spray park did a good job of getting the layer of dirt off of Owen that he had developed while camping.

Overall, it was a good trip full of fun family memories. Even though we left early, we packed two days with tons of activity. I slept so hard Thursday night once we got home. It felt so good to sleep in my own bed. Friday, we went to breakfast together as a family and then went and returned our faulty air mattress since it was a brand new and recent purchase. Despite being home a day early, we still enjoyed our family time together, so it really felt like Friday was still an extension of our camping adventures. And that my friends is Owen’s first camping trip in a nutshell.

Owen loves popcorn so Jiffy Pop was a fun treat!

Love this boy!

Dirty feet

Just chilling

Getting in some snuggles with Toby

What a unique night we survived!

Hanging in the tent while we pack things up

Loving the view of Crater Lake

A very hot ride home! So glad for AC in the car!

Dinner in the park

What a fun to stretch our legs and break up the long ride home

What a fun way to stretch our legs and break up the long ride home

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Keeping Up with Life July 24, 2015

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Family Time,Parenthood — Amy Scott @ 9:59 am

Even though Jeremy got home last Friday after being gone for the week, our lives have only picked up the pace. I had a MOPS leadership retreat last Friday and Saturday. Jeremy and I were ships passing this last weekend. He and Owen ran errands together last Saturday while I was away. Sunday, Jeremy had to work prepping for another week at a local summer camp. Owen and I had a great visit from an out of town friend on Sunday evening while Jeremy was away.

The rest of our week has been full of running errands with Jeremy and play dates with friends. If Owen and I want to hang out with Jeremy, we’ve had to be on mission with him for work. Owen and I had our first experience with the local spray park. I wasn’t sure what Owen would think of it since he tends to like water on his own terms and the weather was a bit cloudy. I am happy to report that spray park was a big hit and I was glad that Owen played in the water without needing me to hover right over him. I’m not a fan of getting wet. I know, I’m weird. Yesterday, I had a friend come over and we did an Anne of Green Gables movie marathon while Jeremy wrapped up his week with the local summer camp.

The evenings have been interesting around here because after Owen goes to bed, Jeremy and I are working side by side our laptops. Jeremy was always prepping for the next day at summer camp and I’ve been running full steam ahead with MOPS publications. We were able to hammer down enough details at our planning retreat for me to really jump into my roles of Table Leader Coordinator and Publications. I nailed down the food rotation and started to work on getting our registration information into flyer and handout form. The next month will be a big push for us to get ladies aware of MOPS and ready to sign up at the beginning of September. Also, I am responsible for the newsletter. I learned my lesson from last year and I often put the newsletter off until the end of the month. Which worked fine when my life only held one toddler boy to keep up with. Moving into the fall, I will be adapting to life as a mother of two and I didn’t want to put the newsletter off. I have started to work on getting the first few months of the newsletter done in rough draft form. This will allow me to tweak them closer to the printing dates, but not have the baulk of the work on my shoulders this fall. My motto for MOPS this year is why do it later when I can get it done now. The leadership retreat gave me the momentum I needed to get a lot accomplished this week and I am happy with where things are right now. It feels good to be prepared and ahead of the game.

Well, that has been our last week in a nutshell. Here are a few pictures from our adventures.