Scattered Family Together

The last 7 years or so have been crazy as far as family being all over the place. For starters, as most of you know, Jon's family is ALL in Scotland, which means we are able to see them so rarely...it's sad. But even the Scott side is all over the place. We've been in Boston, Philly, Kenya and now Ohio. My brother Mark and his family were near us in Boston until we moved away, and they've just recently moved to Texas. My other brother Dave and his family moved to California just after we got married, and then came to Ohio with us for awhile, then headed back to California and are now heading off to France to the mission field for two years. So, we are one scattered family. We had the amazing privilege of all of us being together over the Thanksgiving holiday...and with Dave and Betsy and JJ being in France for 2 years, and with Jon having NO vacation time for this first year, who knows when we'll all be together again. I LOVE my family so much, and tried to squeeze every minute out of my time with them as possible...including a couple of airport mishaps! Anyway, here are a few pictures of our time together...

My brother Dave with Hannah - playing with her new doll house blocks:


My brother Mark and Cyndi with the pile of kids:


We celebrated JJ's (4) and Caleb's (5) birthdays together:


Johnny, JJ, Hannah and Caleb watching a video together:


Lily and her older cousin (by 10 days) Aaron sharing some time on the bouncer:


Grandpa reading to Hannah and cousin Christian:


Jon and his little girls:


Me with my sister-in-law Cyndi:


And my other sister-in-law Betsy:


We had an awesome time celebrating both Thanksgiving and Christmas together. Hopefully it's not TOO long before we're all together again!

The Busy Life...

It's hard to believe that Lily is nearly two months old now, and I haven't posted a single thing about her - no pictures or updates or anything! (Poor fourth child...I'll blame it on being BUSY!)

Lily Jane is an AMAZING baby! We have been blessed to have four very easy babies - no colic, good sleepers, easy going. Lily is no exception to this. She pretty much sits around happy all day. She sleeps a lot, eats every three hours and is just a great baby! Now that she's eight weeks old, she's doing a lot of smiling and starting to coo and jabber some. It's amazing how even after four kids, that just doesn't get old!

So, life is pretty busy, it seems. Jon is back to work now - as a sales rep. for an office supply company - so it's back to me being alone with the kiddos all day. His unemployment was perfect for me. When I was sick, he could be with the kids. When I was huge and exhausted, he could be with the kids or cook dinner. When Lily was on oxygen, he was around to tote her and her tanks around, change her tubes and tape - it was all such a blessing! But now it's me...from about 7:30am until 8:00pm (well, Jon gets home around 5:30), plus the night time feedings. It's a pretty tiring "job", but - as cliche as it is - I wouldn't change it for anything! I actually enjoy the challenge of getting them all fed, dressed, out the door and into the car...just to get out of the car, load the girls into the stroller and bring the boys into school. (Then I do it all again to pick them up a few hours later.) It has it's stressful and frustrating moments FOR SURE, but for the most part I really enjoy it. (It's also fun to see the look on people's faces when I'm out with four kids under five in public! People think I'm nuts - and I probably am!)

Here are a few pics of Lily and her older siblings over the last couple months...

Lily in the hospital when she was still on her oxygen


Hannah loves her little sister! She still just calls her "Baby".


Johnny is always concerned when Lily cries - he takes SUCH great care of her!


Caleb loves being the biggest - he looks out for Lily and the others.


Daddy's little lady Lily.


My Baby doll.


One big happy family!


Such a sweetie-pie!


Yup, I think we'll keep her! ;)

Lily Update

A little background: The second day of Lily's life we noticed that she would turn VERY bright pink and sometimes almost purple when she got worked up. This was due to a lack of oxygen circulating her body. Her oxygen was only about 80% of what it should be. A local specialist was called in to observe her and today has given us a diagnosis.

Looks like Lily will be in the record books. Lily's condition is called 'transient isolated right-sided myocardial hypertrophy'.

There are only two kids who have been recorded as having this in the past. We have the medical article if anyone is interested...

Basically, Lily's right ventricle was working harder than it should have been, pumping blood from Lily's heart to Angela's uterus - this was due to some kind of constriction in the opposite artery. Because of this overwork, the right ventricle has a mass of muscle material that is not supposed to be there. In the two recorded occurrences of this condition, with the correct treatment, the muscle mass had returned to normal by 8 weeks allowing the correct flow of oxygen around the body.

So...Lily will remain in the hospital here for another couple of days while she is slowly weaned from oxygen. It is highly probable that we will have to take oxygen home with us to continue Lily's recovery. But it's good news overall. A good diagnosis and a fairly simple treatment plan. All being well, we should see Lily returning to normal over the next days and weeks.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers - we love you all very much.

KT

Oh, where to begin about my dear friend Katie...

Way back when, in elementary school, Katie and I were friends - sort of. I have this memory of going to her house for one of her pool parties when we were kids...I don't really remember who else was there, but I have a clear memory of being shoved off of her diving board by whoever was behind me in line and falling off and scraping my back really bad. I think it was a diving board lined with a bunch of tiny stones, and I'm pretty sure a bunch of them embedded themselves into my back. Now, for whatever reason, I don't have much of a memory of being friends with Katie after that until High School...I think I've blocked her out of my mind to protect my sanity! I may need counseling to recall those in between times...

But in high school - at some point - Katie and I became friends again, and this time we were best friends! Most of my rebellious moments of my younger days happened with my best friend Katie - the drinking and smoking, the 'shrooms (dad, did you know about me doing that??), the boys, the parties. Now, maybe this makes her sound like a bad friend, but it was quite the opposite. I knew I was safe with Katie. She looked out for me - I looked out for her.

I wish I could find pictures of this story - I know I have them somewhere...It was our junior or senior year, I forget, when KISS 108 (the radio station) was having their annual concert and Katie and I were sure we were going to be there! We were supposed to make a sign and hang it up outside our house and then Randy, the DJ, would come to our house, check out our sweet sign and give us tickets to the concert. Well, we took this VERY seriously. We used a sheet and worked for hours and hours using paints (which stained my kitchen floor) and bumper stickers to decorate this sign. We really did it up! We hung that masterpiece from my second story windows, and it filled up almost the entire front of the house. We sat on the hood Katie's car, playing only KISS 108 music of course, and waited and waited and waited for so many hours for Randy to show up...and, well, he never did. So much for the concert - but we had a great time making that poster! I would have given us tickets if I was Randy the DJ! His loss!

I went to college in the same town I went to high school in, so I saw plenty of Katie my freshman year. The summer after that I really screwed things up with Katie. I got into a car accident that summer which gave me a different outlook on life - I realized that I was just screwing up my life and not taking it seriously. I was calling myself a Christian, but had no concept of what that meant. I was quite the hypocrite. So, when I 'turned my life around' that summer, I totally left Katie in the dust. I became this panicky Christian...I stopped drinking altogether (which was fine, as I was underage anyway), broke up with my boyfriend at the time and stopped talking to any of my high school friends because I thought they would think I was a big dork for really being a Christian now. I turned my back on my best friend.

For a long time things were really weird between the two of us. I didn't know what to talk about when we did talk or what to do when we did actually get together. I felt like she tested me a lot, and I deserved it! Things went on really weird like that for a number of years. I forgot how to be her friend, and I hated that! I thought about that and about her a lot!

One of my very favorite things about Katie is that she never gave up on me. She came to my volleyball games in college, she was there when I got married, she was there right after I gave birth to Caleb, and she came to see me in Philly after I had Johnny. (see pictures below) She was a faithful friend even when I was a big, hypocritical screw-up.



I want to say right here and right now to Katie, because I never said it very well...I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the way that I treated you, and for forgetting how to be your friend. I'm sorry if you ever felt like I judged you, or looked down on you - I never did. I have ALWAYS loved you and appreciated you and the friend that you have been to me. Thank you for not giving up on me.

Katie just got married last month in Boston and Jon and I were so excited to be able to make the drive to be there with her and for her. It was amazing for me to watch my beautiful friend walk down the aisle, with a huge smile on her face, towards the man that she loves. It is awesome to see her so happy. Below are a few pictures of she and I on her wedding day - in a photo booth, which was an awesome idea!!



Well, Katie, I love you and I'm incredibly happy for you. I'm also happy to still be your friend all these years later, even after all I put you through. NOW, let's see some pictures of your sweet shirts! ;)

My Final Pregnancy

It's a mix of emotions knowing that this is the last time that I will EVER be pregnant! Some of you may be thinking, "Yeah, whatever. I've heard that from them before. She'll have more!" Well, not so, my friends, not so. This time I'm getting my tubes tied, and it is permanent!! That's a very strange feeling. It's a move I am completely certain that I am ready to make, however it is a strange idea to have my child bearing abilities completely taken away from me. After all, I'm only 28! On the other hand, both of these last two babies and have been surprises. While we could not be more excited, we certainly weren't planning on 4 kids. So, I must admit that I am incredibly happy to be nearing the end of this pregnancy stage of life. In the last 5 years I have been pregnant for 3 full years, and my body has been completely destroyed - specifically my belly region, of course. My body has been so many different sizes, that I'm still hanging onto outdated and grungy clothes from college just because I haven't given myself the reason or opportunity to shop for new clothes - I just keep going and getting pregnant again! But not this time, people! When Lily is born (in just 11 days!) I will begin my process of reclaiming my body and losing weight, knowing FOR SURE that I won't get pregnant again, and then maybe one day I will be able to bring myself to spend a few bucks on some new clothes.

As well as my weight having its ups and downs, this pregnancy has also had its emotional ups and downs. I had a sneaky suspicion that I was pregnant, but after a negative at home test I assumed I was wrong. When no period came some days later, I bought another test, and this time got different results. This news came at the height of Jon's unemployment, when he was struggling with that the most. He REALLY had a hard time with the news of another baby - or another mouth to feed, as he saw it at first. But, even by the end of that first day of knowing, Jon's heart had changed and a small glimpse of excitement began to show. I struggled the worst through the first trimester with sickness - getting sick well over 30 times. I was pretty miserable, but at that point I was PRAISING GOD that Jon was unemployed and could be with the kids when all I could do was lay in bed. The 2nd trimester was fantastic. We found out we were having a girl, decided on a name and could completely picture our Lily as another member of our beautiful (yeah, I'm allowed to say that!) family! We would look around the table and picture our two little boys and two little girls. And still, we can't imagine a more perfect family for us! We only continue to get more and more excited as the day draws closer to meeting her!

Will I miss being pregnant? Um, let me think...NO! I will NOT miss the morning sickness, and I will NOT miss the comments from untactful people. I will NOT miss how GINORMOUSLY I carry my babies...it's just the way I carry, and it's awful! I will NOT miss my nasty, peeling hands, or my horribly red splotchy face! The one and only thing I will miss is feeling a baby move inside my belly. It is the single most amazing thing I have ever experienced - knowing that there is a human life growing and developing and wiggling and playing inside my body...MIRACULOUS! And that feeling has never ever gotten old - even in my 4th pregnancy!

I LOVE my children with the deepest of loves that is so unexplainable. I could nearly squish the life out of them with all the hugs and kisses and squeezes that I have for them. I am excited to have one more baby to feel this way about! It's amazing that a parent doesn't have to divide their love among all the children, but rather there is just MORE love that appears for the next child. It blows my mind, really! Being a parent is the greatest 'job' in the world, and I thank God for my four wonderful children, and for my amazing husband, the Daddy of my kids.

Here are some pregnant and baby pictures...don't be scared by my huge belly, and yes, I only ever had one baby at a time!

8 1/2 Months Pregnant with Caleb:







Newborn Caleb:





8 Months Pregnant with Johnny:







Newborn Johnny:





8 Months Pregnant with Hannah:





Newborn Hannah:







8 Months and 1 Week Pregnant with Lily:






I know we all carry differently, but you have to admit, I carry pretty large!! And these pictures aren't even from 9 months pregnant! This is one of the main reasons that I am just done being pregnant. I am SO uncomfortable for the entire last trimester! And I have big kids...Caleb was 5 days late and weighed 9 lbs. 6 ozs. Johnny was 6 days late and weighed in at 9 lbs. 13 ozs. Hannah was a c-section and was born 5 days early at 8 lbs. 12 ozs. Lily will be a c-section 6 days early, and I am pretty curious to know what she will weigh - they tell me she's a decent size and has a big head! :)

So, that's that - my final pregnancy. Even ending this post seems strange...my last pregnancy post. I guess I'll just end it...

I FINALLY Let Them Paint!!

My confession: My oldest child is 4 1/2 years old, and...I have never let him or Johnny paint! Can you believe that? It's not that I don't WANT them to - no, no, no! I love when they come home from church or school or Grandma's house with beautiful pieces of painted artwork that they created themselves. They're amazing artists! But, the thought of getting out the paint has just always caused me stress. (Kinda like kids and spaghetti sauce - STRESS!!) So, today, for whatever reason, I got out the finger paints that have been sitting in their spot for over a year, and let them have a go on a spare piece of wall board. They had SO much fun! And, whattaya know? I wasn't stressed at all! It was great! Here are some pictures from their fun painting morning...




Maybe we can even do this again sometime! ;)

The Johnny Show (for you, Bets!)

For at least a year now, Johnny has performed what we like to call "The Johnny Show". Typically this is a two minute long episode of making faces and posing in strange positions to get people to laugh. Well, last week while at his Grandma and Grandpa's house, he was the first one awake from a nap and decided to give me (his mommy), and Grandma a special and super long edition of the Johnny show. Captured in this video is just over two minutes of what went on for about 20 minutes. And, I promise, he was not on any drugs or anything else. He was just doing his thing...performing "The Johnny Show". Hope you are as entertained as we were!

Johnny has always been the one with the incredible sense of humor - even from a young age. He has a way of making people laugh, and it just seems to come so naturally to him. He's such a hoot! Below are a couple photos of his Johnny show faces, but they sure don't compare to that video...



Being two years old (and as stubborn as a mule - that's the expression, right?), Johnny sure does give us a hard time. To be honest, not a day goes by that I don't consider throwing him out the window. Okay, that might be a little extreme, but we do have our moments every day. But then, when the Johnny show begins, it's like all else is forgotten. He brightens up our days with his beautiful smile and amazing sense of humor. He really is a great kid who absolutely LOVES life - and who makes our lives so much more colorful. I love my Johnny Stephen :)

Caleb: Creative and Climbing

Yesterday was the first of what will be many school art shows that we attended for Caleb. We were incredibly proud of him!! It took him a very long time to decide he wanted to create actual shapes and objects when he drew or colored. He was a scribbler for so long. I almost began to wonder if he was ever going to be physically capable of drawing a person or coloring in the lines. Now, I know abstract art is beautiful, and I very much appreciate that. But, I was wondering if he had the patience in him to sit down and draw a real object. Eventually he did, and we were so proud of him! (We were proud of him before that, but...you know what I mean!) So, yesterday when we got to attend his art show - which he was SUPER proud of - we got to see a few examples of his amazing creativity, his abstract work, and his ability to draw objects and pictures. Here are a few pictures from the event...

All the kids in his class worked together to make this class quilt
These are his teachers, Miss Kreiger and Mrs. Watson - he loves them!
We've never seen him draw a scene like this - we LOVED it!
Scrap Box Art
"Beautiful Bug"

Aside from being artistically creative, he has also become quite talented in the art of climbing and jumping. Johnny's new bed is a car bed, complete with a sun roof. Both boys love climbing to the top and finding the most fun way back down. Caleb's favorite way of getting down is by jumping from the top of Johnny's car half way across the room onto his own bed, nearly cracking his head on the ceiling along the way. He literally looks like a flying squirrel when he does this. I need to get some pictures! :) Also, we have a tree outside in our front yard, and over the past year he has gotten braver and braver as he watches the bigger kids head up to the top. Yesterday was the highest he's ever climbed, and he was pretty thrilled about it. He made it up to the same height as his buddy Jameer, who is a super climber. Here are a couple pictures of them way up high...(and Johnny down a but lower)
I came home from running some errands today without the kids, and when I got inside, Jon said he had something to tell me, and proceeded to say that he was glad I hadn't been home because I would have freaked out. So, I'm wondering what happened, of course. Jon said Teddy, one of the kids from next door ran over and said, "Caleb's on the roof!" When Jon asked him if he meant on top of their little play house, Teddy said no, and pointed to the back yard. Apparently Jon got to the back and found Caleb perched - with Jameer - on top of the garage roof, throwing leaves and sticks down into the yard. He said Jameer taught him how to climb onto the wagon, scale the 6 foot fence and proceed up to the roof of the garage. Well, Jon was right, I was glad I wasn't home to see that. I'm proud of him for having the guts to do such a thing, but...oh boy!! I guess that's what having an adventurous kid is all about. Hopefully it will be a LONG TIME before I have to blog about one of the kids' first broken bones. Oh, and I don't have any pictures of him on the roof, sorry!

Picture Update

Has it seriously been over a month? Well, it's time for some sort of update. I'll just post some pictures from the past month or so, and give a small glimpse of what's been happening. Enjoy! :)

Easter was so much fun!

We spent the weekend with my parents, AND my cousin Beth and her hubby Drew. We were so glad they made the trip to visit. They're our Kenya buddies!

I had to take a 6 month picture at the end of last month. Can you tell I just rolled out of bed? And yes, it is 7:26 AM - ugh!

Silly kids...



Our dear friends, Meghan and Jeremy and their kids Brayden, Brooklyn and Brenna stopped in for a few hours on their road trip back to Boston. It was SO nice to be with them. We're pretty sure the kids had fun together.

Johnny has been getting ready for his new baby sister Lily to come along. He's so sweet!
Caleb has been wanting to pick out his clothes a lot more - especially for school. We let him. At least he's color coordinated!!
Dave, Betsy and JJ were here for a weekend visit from California. We LOVED having them back, and the boys once again enjoyed bathing together.

We're not ashamed...we LOVE kisses! :) Hannah and Mommy
Caleb kissing Hannah
Johnny kissing his girlfriend Lily
And I just had to throw this one in...I love her eyes!

Well, that's gonna do it for now. Hopefully soon I will post something of more substance. But, pictures are always nice, right? :)