TTT: Season 2, Episode 40

1. As previously mentioned, we broke down and bought a new minivan back in June, just a few weeks before Grant was born. Our previous rides were a 2004 Camry and a 2004 Altima. Despite the Camry's better condition, we opted to keep Mark's Altima because we knew we'd get a better trade for the Camry and also because the Altima's windows already have a dark tint. Since Mark is parked outside in the constant Houston heat and drives quite a bit for his job, he thought it would be better to just keep driving his same car. Considering it's now 2011, we knew it would only be a matter of time before we started having car issues, but we hoped it would be later rather than sooner. Unfortunately, "later" came "sooner" and the Altima took a turn for the worse this past week. Let's just say that overall I'm not a big fan of the car repair industry. I'm convince that they know that most of us have no idea what we're doing when it comes to car repairs, so they get the privilege of pulling the wool over our ignorant eyes. We took the car up to the Firestone shop that's near our house and thirty minutes later they had a print out (that cost us $100) with over $1,900 in recommended repairs. And of course when we tried to pin them down as to what really needed to be done, they were extremely vague and non-direct. I suppose they are hoping for some fools to just say Oh well, I guess I don't really have a choice...just do it all. Luckily, I've got an awesome dad who knows a little bit about just about everything. He convinced us to let him do a few of the items on the Firestone list, and sure enough, the car was up and running fine within a few days. Still, the whole thing has left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. For example, they planned on charging us $29 each for four spark plugs plus the labor to install them. Mark went to Walmart and bought all four spark plugs for $20 total. They wanted to charge us $130 for a new battery and installation. Our old one still had a warranty on it so we got an $80 replacement battery for $40 and had Pa install it. And really, an ape could change out a car battery. Did they really need to charge us $50 to loosen a few bolts and then tighten them on a new battery? Ugh. I mean, I know they have to make their money somewhere, but come on! Anyway, there's still a few lingering repairs that will need to be done, but at least for now the car is running well and we're only out about $300 instead of $1,900 or whatever. Thank God for Pa's free labor!!!

2. There's many little things about having a new baby that are easy to forget as the months/years go by. And they only pop back up into your memory when they start happening again with the next baby. Case in point would be the massive amount of shedding I've been doing over the past few weeks. I'm sure you've heard everyone rave about how when you're pregnant, your hair and nails thicken up, your skin glows, etc. Well all of a sudden, after the baby is born, all of that seems to just give up and call it quits. Usually around three to four months post partum. It happened to me with both Kolbe and Reagan but with each of them I had short hair, so it didn't seem that noticeable. This time around I have long hair. And it's everywhere! Like after witnessing the massive hairball that forms after shampooing in the shower, I can't help but glance in the mirror to make sure there's not a bald spot somewhere. And my nails keep peeling like crazy. Apparently no amount of prenatal vitamins, water drinking, etc can stop it. Really, it's just a minor annoyance, but with long hair it just seems to be more major. 'Cause man, don't you hate that feeling when you have a hair on your arm or something and it feels like a spider is on you!?! (hopefully that's not just me. I'm not crazy, am I?!?)

Dear Self,

If given the opportunity again in the future, never take full, radiant pregnant-mama locks or strong, shiny pregnant-mama nails for granted ever again. It's your only shot to have these things, 'cause you know good and well that normally your hair is thin, stringy, and bland and your nails are short, brittle, and transparent.

Signed, Self

3. Kolbe is just two years away from being "kindergarten age" and Reagan is three years away. Considering Reagan is still two-years-old and Kolbe is almost four and closer to starting school, I tend to spend more time working with Kolbe on educational type things. Not that I totally neglect Reagan or anything, it's just that he rarely seems interested and tends to be in his own little world when we're working on school stuff. But after this week, I'm starting to think that it's probably less about his interest in learning, and more about his learning style. Kolbe is easy, because he's so much like me. I simply have to put it the way I'd want it explained to me and he seems to get it. But Reagan totally blew me away a few days ago. Kolbe was pointing letters out to me on the computer keyboard and feeling very proud of himself for knowing where they all were. Just for fun I pointed to the "R" and asked Reagan what letter it was. He immediately responded with "R." I briefly cheered for him and then assumed he got the right answer simply because his name starts with that letter and we write his name quite a bit. Especially since I haven't formally started teaching letters to him. So I tried a few more letters and nearly fell off my chair when he responded correctly to letter after letter. Now by no means did he get all of them right, (I'd give him about 75%) but he certainly knew far more than I ever suspected. And he's somehow managed to pick it all up simply by listening and observing the repetition of Kolbe and me working on the alphabet. There's a lot more going on behind those big brown eyes than we'd ever know! Guess I need to pick my jaw up off the floor, accept the fact that sometimes it's going to be my children teaching me, and get moving with this smart little guy too!

Roomies for life...or at least until Kolb leaves for college...

Crazy teeth! Some times it's the simple things...our little family had a blast the other night goofing off with crazy teeth and fake mustaches. Remarkably, this guy's mouth is big enough for the adult size crazy teeth to fit perfectly.

Mama and Grant workin' the mustache!

Crazy teeth #2

A few days ago I was having the boys try on a few winter items to see what we needed for the upcoming cold season. (it is coming still, right???) Rudy was thrilled to find out that he gets to wear the Air Force jacket this year! And he's pretty much willing to wear it all the time. Even when it's ninety degrees outside. He definitely looks the part!

As of this week we've definitely got a thumb-sucker on our hands! I knew it was coming...heck, he was trying to suck his thumb in every single sonogram I had! And he's been working at it for the past few months, but this week he finally figured it out. And now there's no stopping it! I know I'll probably take this back when I can't get him to stop at the age of twelve, but right now it's just so cute!