He's at that age...

Jake is 17 months old today. Not that that's a particularly note-worthy age or anything, but the last few weeks, I've decided that he's finally reached the age (or phase, really) that I dreaded when I first told Tim, "I think we should have one more." He is into EVERYTHING and whines so much cause he can't talk and gets frustrated...and all he ever hears is, "Jake, NOOO!!!!"

I know he is a blessing and I love him to pieces...come on, those cheeks (sigh) ...but he's seriously

trying my patience lately and I feel like I can't accomplish anything. The only reason I can blog right now is because he's napping, so I know for a fact he isn't destroying anything...

Yesterday I was putting on my make-up getting ready for the day, so I lost track of him for a few minutes. When I tried to find him, I had no luck. Of course, when you call his name, he's deathly quiet... I finally checked in the office and almost missed him. He has learned how to climb into the big chair and boy, did he think he was HOT STUFF!!! He was just sitting there being perfectly still, trying not to be found...ready to crash my hard-drive, I'm sure...

Some days I wish I could just fast-forward through the hard ages the kids go through, but I guess you've gotta endure the hard to appreciate the good...or at least that's what I tell myself to stay sane...

Syd's lost tooth story

So, about a month ago, the 3 oldest kids had their dental check-ups. Ryan had two cavities, but my sweet princess had 4!!! Needless to say, we had a little refresher course on flossing... Anyways, she had 2 more appointments for the fillings, her last one a week ago Monday. Then like 3 days later, I was helping her floss and noticed her first permanent tooth was up just behind her baby teeth on the bottom. No lost teeth...just a grown-up tooth hiding in back of the baby ones. How is it that the dentist didn't notice that any of the 3 times we were there in the last month?!? Not to dis my dentist, cause he's great, but gee whiz--ANOTHER dental visit for her...

Well, we went in on Wednesday to see what to do and the dentist went ahead and pulled the baby tooth in front of the big tooth and said to wiggle the other one on the bottom so it hopefully comes out before she has another tooth come in. The funniest thing, though, is that she was practically praying that he would pull her tooth so she could finally put her name on the "Who's lost a tooth?" chart in her kindergarten class and get a dollar from the tooth fairy. What kid prays for the dentist to pull her tooth...?

I can't believe how stinkin' cute she is with a hole in her smile. It brings a big smile to my face every time I see it. I just wish her grown-up tooth weren't already coming in, so her jack-o-lantern face would last more than a few days...

Happy Birthday to Me!

Well, another year older...it was so much more exciting to get older as a little kid! Like when you're 5 and a few days, and you try to stretch it out to 5 and a half, or even "almost 6." Those were the days! Up until yesterday I was like, "I'm only 34...and Tim is 37." That made me sound so much younger than him. Those were the days...

It's been a great day, though, filled with many of my favorite things: music, Sonic onion rings, phone calls with family, lots of facebook well-wishes and emails, cupcakes, and Papa Murphy's chicken/garlic/bacon pizza and Olympic ice skating pretty soon! Doesn't get much better than that for me. :)

Tim and I went to dinner at Tucano's last week for Valentine's Day and are going to go see the movie Valentine's Day Saturday night for my birthday date, since tonight the boys both have basketball practice. I'm totally o.k. chillin' at home tonight with the kiddos, my man, some pizza, and some ice skating. I'm pretty easy to please! Especially since I already got my present (a new fridge) earlier this week...

Every birthday I'm reminded of that birthday 15 years ago when the cutest boy I know took me to Porter park after spending all day together and there, in the moonlight, told me he loved me and wanted to marry me. I tear up just thinking about it...cheesy, maybe, but I'm still crazy in love with him and each day I can't wait for his return from work. He is truly my best friend.

I'm also reminded of the woman who was in a whole lotta pain 35 years ago and was probably so happy to no longer be pregnant! And hopefully not too disappointed to be looking at her 4th daughter (sons would come next). Thanks, Mom, for not stopping at your 2 girls and for bringing me into such a great family! Love you!

Curly Girly

I've been wanting to get some new curlers like a friend of mine uses for Sydney's hair, but they're a little spendy...well, last week, Sally Beauty Supply sent me a random 20 % off coupon, and since I have a hard time passing up a good sale, I splurged. Megan and Maggie were here visiting for the weekend, too...so fun!! Anyway, the curlers are so funny...you don't have to wind the hair around them; instead, they come with a huge sort-of crochet-hook thing that you use to pull the hair through the coils that twist on their own. Here is the look the night before church:
And here is the after...love it!!! The best thing was that she loved it, too! She was so excited with how it looked. And I was just so excited that she kept them in all night long. It helps that she can't really get them out on her own, haha!!

Me and my girl...love her more all the time!

All ready for church!

The lost photos...

There's good news and bad news...the good news (well, GREAT, really) is that we got a new computer last week. I have been wanting one since last summer pretty much since our old one goes on the fritz occasionally with little or no warning. I was proud I had put up with it for so long. Anywho, Tim spent a couple days moving files and info from the old one to the new one, and I kind-of assumed he had all the pictures moved over, but turns out he only moved the ones from the last time I backed them up, which was about August of last year.....and of course, I only realized this yesterday--now that he has completely erased everything from our old, pathetic computer. SADNESS... :( He meant to get the rest later, but then forgot.

I do have a CD with all the pictures from our family reunion last month, so that is o.k. Then I also realized that I can get some of the most important ones off of this blog that I've written about, so that's what I spent a while doing last night. I made a new file folder called "Lost photos." Haha! The more I did that, though, the sadder and sadder I got as I truly realized what was missing. Things like last year's Christmas pictures....Jake's first birthday...Halloween...the list goes on. I seriously almost started to cry...lame, I know... I'm just so happy I've been blogging, and I can recover a few of my favorites from here. Now maybe I've proven to my husband just how important blogging is...haha.

So that's my sad story for the week. Tim felt really bad, and I know it was just a silly mistake, but I think I've learned a lesson in backing up things a little more frequently. I'm sure going to try and do better at that.