I just got back from taking Cole to his nine month check-up. He's good to go. He's now 19.9 lbs. (50%), and 29 inches long (75%). He's my runt, little guy! He had a great time pushing the dr's. chair around and practicing walking while we waited, b/c, of course, the computers crashed twice while we were in our little room! I was told that he's doing all the stuff he's supposed to be doing, and beyond. Yaaaa!!!! The only issue was that he's still not sleeping through the night, so she gave me a solution to that, too, which is to water his formula down more and more and wean him off the nighttime calories he's used to getting. Oh, let's pray that works!

Oh, and I was thirsty, so I stopped by the Dunkin' Donuts on the way to the dr's. office. I was going to get some iced coffee, but they always put too much sugar in it. When I got to the drive-thru, I saw that they have new iced tea, with peach flavoring. Well, I like peach flavored tea usually, so I gave it a try. EEEEWWWWWWWWWW!!!! It made me sick! It was like a really, really bad mixed drink. I tried to drink it, b/c I had just paid $2 for it, and I couldn't take it back. I watered it down, thinking maybe the peach flavor would lighten up. Not even. It killed me, and finally I poured it down the drain. What a disappointment! I do not recommend the peach flavored tea from Dunkin' Donuts. I do not, however, know if their tea alone is yummy, b/c I couldn't get past the awful peach flavoring to taste it!

Oh, I have big news, too! I got my Harry Potter book yesterday! I'm already on chapter 6. I'm kinda torn. Like, do I read it as fast as I can so I can find out what happens at the end? Or, do I take my time and savor it like a good wine? I mean, this is the LAST one, and once it's over, it's over. I hate that it's over. I never wanted to be a Harry Potter fan. I only read the first one b/c I got it for my classroom, and my students, half of which couldn't read anyway, wanted to read it so bad that I had to find out what the allure was. I was in love on the first page! I just can't believe it's over. I want to go watch the movie tonight. Any babysitters out there?

Alright, talk to you later. Have a great day!

I am entering a blog contest run by Tee at Spilt Milk. Spilt Milk is a blog about many things, including, a meddling mother-in-law, her Latino husband, motherhood, raising boys, reviews of cool products, books, funny life observations, and her struggle with religion and self esteem. The prize is a 3-pack of popular kid's computer games, and all I had to do to enter was to cut and paste this code onto my blog. I hope I win!

TJ and Taryn need new computer games. I'm tired of playing the old ones with them!

Well, as an update, right after I finished my last post, I called and got an appointment for the end of the month w/what hopes to be my new family doctor! Yippee!

I may not have told you this yet, but Trey's nephew (and I suppose mine, by virtue of marriage) has officially moved in with us. We're all still adjusting, and I find it funny that the kids, who could have cared less about it before, want nothing more in life than to play with the train set and table. Why, you ask? Well, b/c it's the only thing of theirs that I couldn't find a place for when I moved all of their playroom stuff out of the FROG, and so it's still up there for now. I put a knob w/a key lock on it, though, so they can't sneak up there anymore when I'm not looking! He's also working w/Trey, and from what I hear, is doing a bang-up job. Go Brandon!

So, now for the really, REALLY exciting (and completely frightening!) news. Cole took his first step today! It was so cute. He got all the way to the edge of the couch arm, and got his balance for a minute. Then, he threw his arms up over his head, and just threw caution to the wind and hauled ass as fast as he could! He made it two steps before he fell down. I cheered for him, and he was so proud. He got the biggest smile on his face, and we both clapped for him. Later, we were dancing in the living room (all of the kids and I), and he stood up for about thirty seconds, even dancing a bit during. I'm so excited that he's doing so well, but at the same time, I'm terrified and freaked out! It's only a matter of time now before I have three completely mobile children! Oh Lord, please help me!

Oh, but how on earth could you help but to love, love, LOVE these people! I am THE LUCKIEST WOMAN ON EARTH!

This morning, on my paper route, I wasn't paying attention, and I ran into one of the drainage things that I have to be careful to avoid everyday. Guess what? My tire didn't pop! Know why? That's right, b/c I now have road hazard!

I'm in a quandry lately. I'm torn b/t thinking I have either ADHD, depression, or am bipolar. When I look up the symptoms of each, they all fit. What I'm sure of is that I need to figure out what my problem is, b/c I'm having a hard time just getting by anymore. It's not cool. I want to excel, but as of now I'm just barely making it through each day, much less getting much done. I know people can have their good and bad days, but most of mine are bad lately. Then, on my good days, I wear myself out so much trying to get as much as I can done that the next day I'm even more worthless! I know I can attribute some of it to lack of sleep and the kids and all, but I think it's more. I've been taking anti-depressants, but I don't think they're working. Not only am irritable most days, but I've been having not nice thoughts about death of late. Like, why on earth would I want to die? I have everything going for me, and while life isn't perfect, it's much, much better now than is has been in the recent past. Plus, I just can't get my act together. I want desperately to homeschool my children, which I know I am capable of. I could do a wonderful job and my children would be well-taught. However, even when I put my whole mind to it, I just can't focus enough to make out a plan and do it. I don't want to be forced to send them to school just b/c I can't think!

Oh, I don't know. If I could focus enough, I'd get off my ass and call a damn doctor and figure it out. Maybe I'll do that now. It's not that I haven't tried. Everytime I've tried to call and set up an appointment, the office has been closed! Yeah, wouldn't ya know it!

Cole-Cole's getting his first tooth! Finally! For some unknown reason, while I was waiting for help at the store the other day, I stuck my finger in his mouth. There it was, tiny and sharp, in all its glory. It's even grown since then, and now I can kinda sorta see it if I hold him down and shove his tongue back down into his throat while I pry his mouth open! How exciting!

Back to the waiting for help at the store the other day story. You know, the one where I happened to have stuck my finger in Cole's mouth and found a tooth? Yeah, well we were not there to find a tooth, unfortunately. We ran to Wal-Mart to pick up some ingredients to make zucchini bread (which was a raving success, might I add!), and I figured while I was there I'd go ahead and get my tire patched. It'd had a slow leak for about a week then, and I was getting tired of refilling it everyday. Naturally, the tire was not done by the time we'd finished shopping. Go figure. However, after having waited for half an hour, they came in and asked me which car was mine. When I told the guy, he said, "Have they talked to you about your tire yet?" Uhhh, no, but I already knew what he was going to say. Yes, there was a nail, and it was too close to the side. A new tire was in order.

Now, to anyone else, this would be no big deal, really. So get the new tire, done deal. However, for me, it's becoming an all too familiar sound. Thankfully I only needed one this time, as compared to the last two times when I had to get two at a time. I seem to be cursed when it comes to tires. Yes, I am to blame for many of the replacements I've had to get, as I also seemed to be cursed when it comes to, ummm, hitting road drains. Those can only account for three of my misgivings, though, which again, doesn't sound that bad.

Here's where it begins to hurt. I figured up how many tires we've bought since June of last year for both of our cars. Grand total: fifteen. Yes, you read correctly. We've bought fifteen tires in a little over a year! Right before we moved here in June of last year, I had all four of the tires on the van replaced. Then, when I was delivering pizza, I had to replace two of them on the car b/c they got, ummm, mysterious sudden holes in them. When I got the job at 911, I went to have one patched, and ended up with a whole new set of tires for the car! We're up to what, now, 10? Then just a couple months ago, I went for some reason to get the front two tires checked on the van, and, yep, got two new ones. A couple of weeks ago, the front driver's side tire was running low (okay, basically flat), and it caused me to lose control in a turn and, hit a drain in the road (yes, I'm embarrased beyond belief!) at five in the morning. However, that experience taught me that I can change my own tire, as I called the house about 15 times, and got no answer! Smart thinking finally? Yes, that day the guy introduced me to "ROAD HAZARD"! Ummm, why has no one mentioned this to me before? So, thinking I was good to go, at least for the two tires on the driver's side, I was a bit dismayed when they told me I needed a new tire the other day. Dismayed to the tune of "AGGHHHHHHHHH!" loud enough to make the people in the hardware section look over in fear!

So, in case I ever wonder again where all my money goes, and why my savings is completely empty, I now know. There are fat, happy tire people all over town who are eating, and sleeping just a little better knowing that I'm driving on safe, new tires. I mean, sure, our electricity's just a moment away from being cut off, but dammit, I'm driving in style with my new tires!

I think it's time for the kids to get a break from me for a while again. Any takers?