Friday, December 26, 2014

FIVE...


On November 18th, David Scott turned five. FIVE!  How is it that five years has passed since we brought our first little baby home from the hospital. My boy is learning and growing so much right before our very eyes.  I can't believe he'll be in Kindergarten next year. Before we know it, he'll be graduating high school then college and will be too big to crawl up into my lap. Cue the violin music. 

David Scott, 
You have such a big, sweet personality. You are always watching out for your little brother which you will continue to do for the rest of your life...that's just part of the responsibility of being a big brother. And you LOVE being the big brother. You and Drew play pretty well together most of the time. And you're always trying to teach him how to do this or that and what different things are. I love watching the relationship develop with the two of you. 

My curious boy, you question everything. Daddy and I are learning things too, because, "I don't know; that's just how it is," isn't always an acceptable response for one of your questions. You like learning about everything, and your vivid imagination is a great complement to that. You are convinced that you are Batman and have even told me before that God put you here to save the world. That has yet to be proven, but I believe that you believe that. 

For your birthday this year, we had a repeat party theme from last year -- Superheroes!  Your choice. Doing a repeat theme made life easier on Daddy and me for planning your party since everything was basically the same as before. And just like last year, you and your guests had a blast. 

As parents, all we want is for our children to be happy. You are such a glowing light in our lives and in those around you as well. Keep up the good work, sweet boy!

Love, 
Mama

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Big School...


It's official, David Scott is in real school as of mid-August. And although it's pre-k due to his November birthday, it still counts. We'd been working him up to meeting new friends, having new teachers, and experiencing new adventures and learning new things. He's spent a little time in his new class with his teacher, so I'd already had a preview of how well things would go.  And the day was successful!  

David Scott was so excited, he was singing...
Even little brother was excited.

He sat right down and started coloring, which made this Mama so happy. There were no tears by anyone...although my eyes welled up a little as I was leaving him at school...the tears never actually escaped my eyes, so that counts!

Since then, I've "volunteered" to be the class room mom and have had a number of interactions with DS and his class. One day, I even got to have lunch with my big boy which his teacher posted a pic of on their class Instagram page:


We had our first parent-teacher conference a few weeks back and it went pretty good. His teacher said he's adjusted well to their class and seems to like all the activities/enrichment classes they have -- Spanish, music, PE, religion, and art. And he's made so many new friends which we hear about all the time. Overall, we could not be happier with the whole experience so far and are so proud of our sweet boy with how well he's doing in Big School. 





Sunday, September 28, 2014

Kitchen Reno

Well. It's finally done. Finally, finally. Kitchen Reno 2014 is in the books. The last of the issues needing to be addressed were taken care of last week. The final check has been cashed and the last box has been unpacked. To say we are happy with the end result is the understatement of the year. Also, any desires I've ever had to renovate a house are officially taken care of with everything we've done with this one. I know I don't want to live through another renovation although I might consider doing another one as long as both the resources and time are unlimited -- ha!  Of course there were a few surprises we encountered -- a leak that had to be addressed, brick tiles that were both way over-budget and on back-order so we had to punt, the wrong countertops getting installed.  We finished pretty much on budget but went a little over the 6-week estimate -- it was more like 8 weeks. And now for the before and after pics: 
Before:  Main kitchen
Before:  Main kitchen and side entry (soon-to-be walk-in pantry)
Before:  Island and Wall of Cabinets
Out with the old
No more wall of cabinets!!!

In progress:  Walk-in pantry (formerly a side entry)
In-progress:  Butler's pantry
After:  Island and cabinets/appliances
After:  New butler's pantry and island
After:  New walk-in pantry

Kitchen Reno 2014...I'm glad we're done with you. 

Friday, August 1, 2014

Summer 2014...

It seems that summer just started and now we're just a day away from school starting. Real school!  Big School! David Scott is so excited and his excitement about it is contagious. So rather than being sad about my baby boy going to school, I am excited at the new adventures he's going to have, the new friends he's going to make, and the new things he's going to learn. But before we get caught up in school, let's take a look at the Summer of 2014. 

We stayed home. A lot. Despite being without a kitchen for most of the summer, we haven't done as much traveling as we usually do. Typically, we make several trips to North LA for Scotty to play in various golf tournaments. But since his most-frequent golf partner now lives 1,000+ miles away, playing golf together is kind of difficult. Except when he comes to visit!  Lee came for a week-long visit towards the end of June. There were several rounds of golf played and even an uncle-and-nephew golf outing. DS had so much fun and is still talking about how Uncle Lee let him drive the golf cart. Although the timing wasn't planned this way, Scotty and I got to go back to Las Vegas for his work conference towards the end of Lee's week "home."  So MiMi and Mamaw came down to spend time with Lee and keep the boys while we went out of town. Side note:  Las Vegas was fun (again) but there are very few places I'd like to go to multiple times a year...and I don't know that LV is one of those. However, the beach is for sure!!!

We met up for a quick visit with our Law Vacay group in July. Due to Scotty having a trial and the ongoing kitchen reno, we decided not to go to the beach with our friends this year. But then Scotty got a midnight call from one of the guys suggesting we come over for the day Saturday which turned into an impromptu 3-day mini-vacation. And just last week, we returned from our annual trip to Orange Beach. MiMi and Mamaw met us there and everybody had a wonderful time. No sunburns. Gorgeous weather. Couldn't ask for more than that!











The kitchen renovation is almost complete and will probably have its own post once it is totally finished. Will it ever be finished?!?  We are totally over eating out for every meal. Over it. I can't wait to get back in there and start cooking again. And with school starting, we need to get back in a good routine in the evening as well as in the morning. 

Sunday, June 1, 2014

May 2014...

The month of May has come and gone. We're still approaching Kitchen Reno (end of June) and have gotten most things on order but are still searching for the right paint color. I went to Phoenix for a work conference and the boys all stayed at home with Scotty. Everyone enjoyed Mama being gone...especially this girl. I don't think anyone enjoyed my coming back as much as the husband did, though!  We're also gearing up for a few trips -- Las Vegas (again) for Scotty's work, the beach at some point, and I'm sure we'll find something else to go do this summer...especially during the kitchen re-do since we won't have full access to it for a while. Good thing it's summertime and we can grill or eat sandwiches as alternatives to eating out for every meal. 

We're also getting ready for DS' preschool graduation ceremony mid-month. It's for all the kids at daycare who are starting big school in the fall. How did we get to this point?!?  

For two weeks in April/May, DS took swimming lessons again. The kid is a fish in the water. We're so proud of the progress he made!  It's certainly come in handy given all the swimming we've done  at home and at Gran and Papa's for Memorial Day. 


Drew is just growing and growing, it seems. He has a mouthful of teeth and is saying and trying to say so many new words...it's just crazy!  And I think, although I'm slightly impartial, that he just gets cuter every day...partially b/c his little personality is starting to really show itself.  His teachers tell me that he is so sweet with his friends and is the best baby, but towards us, he's going through a hitting and biting phase (please just be a phase!). And as long as he gets his way and/or is eating, he IS a sweetheart. I guess this is also known as the Terrible Twos. 

Other things to happen in May include a field trip with DS' class to see Disney on Ice and Mother's Day!  My sweet hubby always spoils me when it's any time for giving gifts. This year I told him I wanted a few sessions with a personal trainer or a gift card for some exercise classes TBD. But because he wanted me to have something to open, he got me some new workout clothes which I loved!  We also had a couple of trips to North La. both of which involved fishing off Mamaw's dock. 

The most exciting thing to happen in May was the birth of my second nephew -- Ridge Wentworth McGehee -- a mouthful of a name for such a tiny baby boy!  He was born on the 9th and was about 6 lbs and 21 inches long.  

Baby Ridge is doing so well and so is Boo. Anders is adjusting well to having his new "brover" around too. Hopefully that love for his brother will continue throughout their lives. My prayer for that set of brothers is the same as it is for my two boys -- to always be friends and love one another. 


I love my boys and am frequently reminded of what a privilege it is that they are mine. To be a mother is the greatest responsibility of my life. But to be THEIR mother is the greatest honor of my life. It's not always easy, and Lord knows we frequently have conversations about how frustrating parenting can be. But I wouldn't change any part of my life right now. 

Sunday, April 27, 2014

10 Things...

1.  We are close to getting started on the kitchen renovation...finally. Meeting in the next week or two for final conversation(s).   Yay!  No more teal floor, countertops, and backsplash. And bye-bye stark white everything else!  We won't be sad to see you go. 

2.  We got a swing set a few weeks ago and the kids love it. Love. It. Drew can climb up the ladder all by himself. And although we do try to be right there when he's climbing, he has been super fast and climbed up before we could get to him a few times. David Scott calls the actual playhouse his office. 

3.  Drew can eat as much as his big brother at mealtimes. DS still drinks like a camel throughout the day. 

4.  These boys...they ARE my heart. Between DS spontaneously saying he loves me and Drew's sweet kisses...my heart could burst every time sweet things happen. Or when they're laughing. Or when they're being sweet and playing with each other. Or when they're wrestling. Or when they're sleeping. Being their mother is the reason I was put on this Earth. My (occasionally) sweet boys...what would I do without them?!?

5.  We got a black Tahoe back in August. Scotty is driving it for now, but I will eventually end up with it once we're ready to trade in the 4-Runner for something else (probably a car). DS calls it "Daddy's Batmobile."  

6.  Drew is saying so many words:  hey, bye, go, out, up, down, Mama, Daddy, David Scott (Da Cott), eat, yes, no, nose,  mouth, head, ball, bubbles, Lola (still living with Gran and Papa!), balloon. The other night, he told me, "Mama!  Get. Down."  He was ready to get out of his high chair. 


7.  David Scott starts "big school" in the Fall. I can't believe it. But I can. He's excited and is looking forward to making new friends. He can't wait to be a St. Luke's Shark!

8.  Drew is still going to sleep around 7-7:30 each night. DS is usually an hour or so later. This has given the hubs and I lots of time to...watch tv!  Getting to watch tv on a regular basis again has been glorious!  We've watched almost all of "The Wire" (skipped almost all of the last season b/c we became disinterested in it).  After that we watched the up-to-this-point released seasons of "House of Cards" -- awesome!  And presently, we are on the final season of "Breaking Bad" -- really good!  I have no clue what we'll watch next.

9.  Scotty surprised me with a new phone a couple weeks ago. I'm so excited to have the data capacity to take more pictures!  Maybe I'll now be inspired to write more blog posts more often. :)

10.  I can't really think of a tenth item...we are just not that interesting.  I guess this is the first weekend in almost a month that we've been home in BR the whole time -- trips to North LA, an adults-only weekend in NO, and Easter in Winnsboro. And now Scotty is gone for work which has had him traveling a ton the first part of this year. But I'm going on a business trip for a couple of days in mid-May. I hope being a single parent for a few days is survivable for him, lol. DS already told me he would be very good for Daddy. Of course he will be. And so will Drew...  :)
 
Bonus:  Scotty just had a birthday...34!  Here's a sweet pic of two young kids approx 17 years ago...

...And today!
Boy do I love this guy!

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Catching Up...

Since I haven't made a timely post in a while, this will serve as a catch-up post for what's been going on this first part of 2014. In one word:  Sick. And not in a good way like "2014 has been awesome!" kind of way. But in a "we have caught every cold virus possible and been on numerous antibiotics while missing work and school" kind of way. Although Scotty and I did go to Las Vegas with the Duhes in mid-January, so I can't complain too much since we did have a great time. Our families kept the boys which helped out a lot so we were able to not worry about them while in Sin City. But other than that, due to the various ear infections, coughs, colds, fever, sore throats, etc., I think I was in the pediatrician's office every week for a month with one kid or another. Scotty ended up at Urgent Care just once with what we were sure was the flu but apparently was just an awful upper resp infection.  and for this Mama Bear, I've just soldiered through my sickness and am hopefully over the cold/sore throat combo I've had for over a month. 

What else?  We had Drew's birthday party in January. "Snow Days" were called for at the end of that month, which was...interesting since there wasn't much snow...enough to make a snowball, though!

In February, we had Valentine's Day and more sickness so not much fun stuff happened that month. 

And now we are in March.  The boys and I (and Katelyn, one of our baby-sitters) went to Memphis for my cousin Meredith's wedding. Katelyn had a job interview so she rode along and helped me with the kids on the 6-hour drive (Scotty had to work so he stayed home). The boys slept for a lot of the drive up there and back which was nice. And while we were up there, they were pretty well-behaved, which was even better. We got to visit with B&A and got to go to the Children's Museum where we met up with Gran and Papa and Anders. I think everybody enjoyed that visit. We also ate at our regular eating spots (Nagasaki and Coletta's...yum!). And of course, got to visit with our "Memphis" family as well. All-in-all, it was a great trip!  I wouldn't attempt it by myself with the two kiddos, but it was a nice, but quick getaway. 





And then of course, on my dad's birthday, we took the boys for ice cream. His favorite snack. I like this little tradition we have of celebrating Bud Bud's birthday. And I'd say the boys do too...


From a "fun" perspective, 2014 is off to a good start. Lets hope we've turned the corner on the sickness part. We ate our black-eyed peas on New Year's Day, but maybe we need to incorporate them into meals on a weekly basis!

Friday, January 31, 2014

Drew Turns One...

Baby Drew turned a year old on January 9th. We celebrated with a small family gathering (and a few close fiends) at the house the following weekend. It is I fathomable to me how quickly this past year has flown by. At some point, I know that we will have to start calling him "Drew" and not "Baby Drew," but he's still a baby!  Even if he is walking (some) and eating only adult food!  And in the next month or two, he will be moving to the toddler class at daycare...just blows my mind. 

Sweet Baby Boy. My Love. Drewsky. Drew-Bear. Drew-Baby. So many names for my Littlest LoveBug.  Here are your stats at a year old:
• 23 pounds
• 30 inches tall
• wearing size 3 diapers
• wearing 12/18-month sized clothes
• wearing 3.5 size shoes
• eating only adult food
• taking a few steps here and there and getting more comfortable
• 8 teeth -- 4 each on top and bottom
• still an excellent sleeper -- not a great napper, but I'll take that trade-off
• saying several words -- Mama, Dada, this, bye, hey. Watching you say David Scott's name is cute -- it's completely indistinguishable -- but you certainly know who you're talking to/about. 

You are loud, and raucous, and all boy. You love to eat, and I think you would absolutely snack all day if we'd let you. You love me. The most. DS would be a close second, though. And you like to be held. A lot. By me. Only me. But I'm ok with it. While you and DS will always be "my babies," you won't always be babies in the literal sense of the word. So I try not to rush things and just let you do things on your own pace which we've learned is very much your style -- when you're ready, that's when you'll do whatever it is we've been trying to help you do (ie walking -- you've been cruising on furniture and such for 2 months!). But it's coming!  Much like so many other milestones in life. You are such a smart and determined little boy.  These two things -- along with your cute dimple and beautiful eyes -- will take you far in life. We love you so much and are so thankful that you are ours. Happy Birthday, Baby Drew!

Love, 
Mama