Happy Halloween!

Here's your teaser... of course you don't have to wait long to see the full costume! : ) David was dressed as The Count from Sesame Street... insipred by the video, "Elmo Says Boo!" that we've been watching lately.



I didn't think he would like having the cape on all day, so he didn't wear it to Mother's Day Out. There are 2 boys and the rest girls in his class, so he was surrounded by one really cute boxer (complete with a black eye!) and then a room full of princesses & ballerinas! Most of the costumes only lasted about an hour! We had a mini carnival for the kids where they got to jump in the inflatables and play games to win candy. Dad came by while David was in the chapel with the inflatables and got this picture of David having a ball! (hehe)



David's not thrilled with the cape when he first puts it on, but after a while he started to have fun with it. Our evening started out with having dinner with Dad at the hospital. From there, Dad went with us.

Here, he is looking at the fire truck at "Fire Truck or Treat" at the main station.




This pumpkin was sitting on the back of the ladder truck. One of the Captains carved it & boy was I impressed! One side had the fireman on it and the other side was the ghost. Dad tells me that this Captain does hand-painted signs on the side, so he really is an artist.

"One, one piece of candy!!! Mwah, ha ha ha ha!!!"

If you look closely, you can see a tiny patch of silver in his hand... no, it's not a silver bullet or a stake... it's a fun size Three Muskateers that was completely pulverized inside the wrapper by the time we got home!

Back at home by 7:15, we turned the porch light on & set the pumpkin out while watching Dancing with the Stars. (GO EMMITT!) We had about 3 groups of trick-or-treaters come by before we closed it down at 8:30.

Random

Welcome to Week 30... ugh.

Last night was the quarterly Family Fun Night at church and our first time to attend. Basically, David jumped in the bounce house for an hour! And had a good night's sleep!!! I forgot my camera, but gave my email address to someone who had a digital camera... hopefully I'll get some pictures to post before she looses my email address.

In the mean time, I tried to capture some of David's singing this morning with my digital camera. How can he be so loud sometimes, but when the camera captures it you can't hear anything? Well, I'm going to get a cassette tape at WM today, so we'll see if I can at least capture the audio. But I don't have the cables or whatever to get it on the blog.

Has anyone else noticed that Blogger's spell checker doesn't know the word "blog"?

Second Annual Visit to the Pumpkin Patch

Today we visited the Pumpkin Patch at the Methodist Church.
This was our second year to visit their display/sale.
When we arrived 2 bus loads of kindergarten classes were getting the tour, then each child was allowed to pick a small pumpkin from the $1 stack and together each class got to pick a bigger pumpkin for their rooms.

Just as Dad was saying, "Don't lick the pumpkins, they're dirty!"

David shows off some of the bigger selection.

I think this is my favorite picture! Doesn't he look CUTE?!?!?!

It was pretty bright out there. We went just after lunch.

"puh-kin"

Dad & David (Sorry for making y'all look into the sun!)
The 2 little pumpkins David has were only 50c each, so we got both of them.

This evening, David watched his first holiday special on TV. Then when he went to bed on the Peanuts sheets that I grew up going to bed on, he said, "Noopy!" I don't guess he ever knew who was on those sheets before tonight!

The Inevitable Spill

It was only a matter of time before it was bound to happen. As Mom & Dad heard the pitter patter of tiny O's hitting the linoleum, it only took a split second to register what the sound was. We both hollered, "David!" at the same time... and ruined what was bound to be a cute picture. By the time we got into the kitchen, and this was just like 1 second later, David was starting to cry. Whether he was crying because he knew he shouldn't have dumped the box out or because we scared him, I'm not sure.

Dad's first words were, "Where's the camera?" What a good dad! David cried as he helped Dad pick the Cheerios up and Mom snapped a few pictures... wishing for the one that got away.




Doesn't this look like a content cat?

HP Never Fails... to do what?

Perhaps you'd like to see more pictures of David? Well, OK... read the post first. But this is my platform for the world to read, so I want to let it be known how horrible "HP Total Care" can be.

I will give them credit for this - the replacement camera arrived in only 2 days from my last conversation with HP. Of course, they sent the wrong replacement camera. I have an M517. They sent an M417. Which number sounds like the better camera to you? Uh, huh...

Here's a taste of what I've been dealing with... this is from the transcript of our last support chat session that took place this afternoon:

Martina: I will escalate the issue to our concerned department and they will try updating the replacement soon. Your case will be taken care and you will be receiving a replacement soon. Is there anything else I can assist you with today?
Me: So I will be getting another replacement?
Martina: Yes.you will get a replacement soon.
Me: Should I go ahead and send the M417 back or wait until I get the correct model replacement?
Martina: Please do not send your camera until you receive your M517 camera.
Me: I will not send my camera, but what about this camera that was sent to me in error?
Martina: You need to send it back again with defective one after you receive your M517 camera.
Me: So I'll send them both back at the same time?
Martina: Yes.Exactly.

Then I get this email later today from "Martina's supervisor":

At this point, I request you ship the M417 back in the same box. Please make a note of the expected date on when it might reach HP. It usually takes about one or two working days for the records to be udpated. You may hence contact us in chat again a couple of days after it reaches us. We will then have to setup the service once again. This time we shall take special care and make sure you get the correct camera model.

Did I not ask if I should send it back & was reassured to keep it until the correct one arrived? And those last 2 sentences sounds like the whole don't-call-us-we'll-call-you mess with the credit card number is going to start all over again... and Martina's "you'll get a replacement soon" was a lie. Oh, and at tea bottom of the "supervisor's" email was one of those, "do not reply to this email" lines.

Did you read through my whole rant???
OK.

Who remembers this in 2004?

Or this in 2005?
Remember, that was carpet burn on his forehead!

Happy October Birthdays!

Happy Birthday, Jordann! (today)
Happy Birthday, Aunt Sissy! (Monday)
Happy Birthday, Grandpa! (Tuesday)
Happy Birthday, Aunt Erin! (Wednesday)

I'm trying to catch David on film saying happy birthday... still working on that, though.

HP Total Care... my big toe

What was JD Power thinking by awarding HP Total Care? HP continues to drag their feet on a replacement camera. (Read the first part of my story 2 posts down or here.) Now I'm told that my info has been updated, and they will send me a new camera free of charge as soon as they get my credit card number. And if I don't send the old camera back to them in 15 days, they will charge my credit card for the new camera.

I had to pick 2 specific dates & times for an HP rep to call me to take the credit card information. No one called at either time. But someone did call at a different time... who sounded like perhaps he was in India. Now, is it just me, or shouldn't I be weary of some guy - foreign or not - calling at a different time than specified so that he can get my credit card number?

So I get back on the chat & ask if there is a number I can call to handle it? Yet another rep asks if they can call right now. No, David just fell asleep, I don't want to receive a phone call this late, is there a number I can call? He tells me customers aren't allowed to call in credit card information.

Perhaps pregnancy hormones are involved... perhaps I'm moody from being sick... perhaps HP has the absolute worst customer service after a sale that I've ever seen in my entire life???? My throat hurts, so maybe I'll put off calling until tomorrow. I think I'm going to bed early again tonight.

Saturday's Test Cookies

Well, since Blogger was down last night, I actually went to bed early! David refused to nap yesterday and then fell asleep on the way home from the fire station at 7pm! I figured I might as well go to bed since he'd probably be up at 4am! But, believe it or not, we both slept until 7am! How refreshing! Here are our cute pictures from yesterday...

I did a test batch of cookies before the holidays hit, using a few different ingredients to see if Dad could tell the difference. I don't usually use the electric mixer for cookie dough, but I did yesterday. While licking the beaters is fun, I remembered why I don't use the mixer... it changes teh consistency of teh cookies. They're too light & fluffy!



This happy face shows that HE didn't mind light & fluffy cookies, though! This is during his rendition of, "If You're Happy & You Know It"(clap your hands) after eating a cookie.

We took the sample cookies to the fire station. I wonder if Dad shared them or ate them all?

Earlier in the day, David & Mom colored pictures of Boz. Can you tell which picture is which? (Hint: David helped me with one of Boz's ears on

Customer Service... or Lack Thereof

I have determined in the last week that I will never purchase anything from HP again.

I've had my digital camera for less than a year and contacted customer service about a problem I'm having with it. I wanted to make sure it was taken care of before the baby comes. I explained my problem to a service agent & she had me jump through all kinds of hoops to figure out what I was doing wrong with the camera or how I had messed up the settings on it. When she finally admitted that something was wrong with the camera, I gave all my purchase information, serial number, etc & she said it would be taken care of & they would ship me a replacement camera.

Two weeks passed without a word. I talked to another service agent. He said the replacement process was never started because I hadn't emailed the information to the right place. The previous lady told me she would email it to the right place. And I had given both my email addresses and phone number... no one contacted me to let me know there was a problem. He tells me they did email me, I just never got it.

Now I have to fax a copy of proof of purchase to their warranty department so my file is updated... and, he tells me, get back to him to let him know I've been updated & he can start the replacement process. This is nuts!

So I have to go to Office Depot and pay $3 to send a fax. Then I get an email saying my fax was received and my file has been updated, so I go back to the online chat to tell them I'm updated, send my camera! I give my case number and wait.... after a few minutes another service agent tells me they're having issues with their software, log-off and come back in an hour. I'm guessing he's used to the night shift & doesn't realize that in an hour I should be asleep?!?!!?

I've dealt with other companies before...

• When David was a baby, suddenly his mobile stopped spinning. I called Fisher-Price to see if they had any suggestions to get it going again. Instead of trying to figure out what I was doing wrong, she quickly asked for my home address and overnighted me a new mobile - free of charge, no questions asked. As if my baby's happiness was all that mattered in the world... to her!
  
• I called Melissa & Doug about a toy piano that had been damaged in transit, assuming I'd send it back or just not worry about it because it was on clearance (and I told them that, too) - they never questioned or asked for the damaged one back, but quickly sent a new one.
• Clorox sent me coupons for free stuff when I called to tell them the Ready-Mop didn't work on my textured linoleum.
• When lightening struck our transformer, Dell quickly helped me figure out what was wrong and replaced the power cable to my computer.

Those are all good examples of customer service. The run-around I'm getting from HP is NOT!

So, I don't know who might read this... but buyers beware of HP. Cool commercials or not.

Thursday

Here is David hard at work at his artist desk. Now, I need to get out the Magic Eraser & clean it, but who am I to stifle his creativity while he's doing it? Better his desk than the wall is my thought!!! The rule is: crayons only at your desk. BTW, he had 4 crayons he was working with today and he named all 4 colors: purple, blue, orange, and red.

Also, at our last meeting, his speech therapist said he should be picking up on phrases of songs. Done. He now sings "Itsy Bitsy Spider" with hand motions and 2 songs from his Boz DVD. We LOVE Boz!!! (so I've added an Amazon link to the sidebar)


Taya sent this picture last week. Do you think those are the pods these beautiful peas came out of? They're big enough!


In other news, I called in sick today for Mother's Day Out. Allergies have gotten the best of me. I don't know if it's developed into something else or not. Dad said one of my symptoms indicates I might have an infection. I tried to get a doctor's appointment today, but they were booked, so I scheduled one for tomorrow. Dad was off duty today and was a great help with David. (and so was Boz!)

Always an Adventure

Sorry I have no pictures of David to add today. We're droopy with allergies. So it's about 9:30pm Tuesday night. David's been in bed for an hour & a half and I started to hear rustling on the monitor. I thought maybe he was flopping around or messing with his sheets, so I waited until I heard the banging. I went in through our bedroom for the surprise effect to tell him to lay down. Sure enough, I was surprised! There he was perched up on the changing table, his back to the edge using a coat hanger to beat on the plastic fireman hat that's on the shelf above the table!

After a nice little talk about climbing is a no-no and you could fall and hurt your head, he laid back down in bed. But just now I heard him gasp, then say, "Uh-oh. No-no. OK?" Perhaps I'll go check on him again. Who knew being a mom was going to be so scary??? OK... you moms knew!!!

David is learning to say "Elizabeth" and when you ask him where Baby Elizabeth is, he will pat Mom's tummy.

We are now 28 weeks pregnant. And to tell you the truth, I don't really mean WE. If you've been pregnant, you probably understand that. Anyway, that makes the third trimester, right? According to averages, Elizabeth now weighs about 2 lbs, and is about 14.5" long. She can open her eyes, bat her eyelashes, and is sensitive to bright light. She's starting to put on some baby fat & filling out. Her lungs are developed, but she would still need special care if she was born this early. She is alive & kickin'... Seriously kicking!

What color eyes do you think she'll have? Brown Blue Green Free polls from Pollhost.com

Random Photos

This picture was from before the batteries on my camera died! Notice that David has some big shoes to fill!




Here is my little artist at work this morning. His jammies don't match because of a midnight leak.






This morning David & Dad were playing out in the yard when Dad called me to come outside. This lovely creature was perched on the pole at the back of the yard! When I first came out he had his wings spread wide, but of course wouldn't do it again for a photo. He was making Little One nervous... Click here for more on Little One, the cat seen below.

Linus Syndrome

First off, David is much better. I even let him have his warm milk at bedtime. Now on to Linus Syndrome....

There's a girl in his MDO class that has a blanket that she drags all over the place. A pretty decent sized blanket, too. Well, David finally caught it. When we got home today, he drug all his blankets out into the living room. When I put those up, he got a towel out of the bathroom & started dragging it around! It was cute at first. And the batteries on my camera died before I got a picture. They're recharging now. And I'm tired of bending over to pick up blankets & towels!

I also had a scare when we got home. As I changed David's diaper, I found something blood-red smeared across the top of the diaper. Before I completely freaked out, I saw the green one. Then I realized it was partially dissolved Fruit Loops from making rainbow necklaces at MDO today. (Final day of Noah's ark.)

A Short Update

First of all, pray for David... he's not feeling well. If you want details, email me. The highlight of today: Hearing roosters crowing in the post office!

See highlights of our quick trip last weekend on Grandpa's Blog.

And if you haven't heard, Tort (the cat) finally got his big break on StuffOnMyCat.com! His 15 minutes of fame, plus Dad's fingers can be seen HERE.

Due to a mosquito outbreak, I've started putting David in long PJ's at night. Seems to help some. And he's just so adorable in them! : ) This cute set we got at the big consignment sale last weekend. Can you believe they're 3T!? PJ's are so tight now-a-days... like cute t-shirts.

Anyway, here he is combing his hair. And he got another bite at MDO today on his hand.

And here he is just looking cute.

Keep Alan in your prayers this weekend! Saturday at 2pm is the big FWFD test!

One of those moments...

This is one of those moments we will have to simply remember in our minds. It happened too quick for photos!

Last night I recorded America's Funniest Videos while we were at life group. This evening we watched it. There was a segment of cats jumping, falling, attacking... all sorts of cat comedy. Alan, David & I were all three laughing! I'm talking side-splitting laughter.

David was sitting in his little chair at his table and was really getting into it. He laughed so hard that he ended up pushing off the floor with his feet and in all the hilarity, David flew backwards in his chair! Alan & I couldn't stop laughing as we helped him get up. David almost looked like he wanted to cry, but definitely looked confused. Probably if we could have stopped laughing it might have been upsetting.

I wish you could have seen it. I think I may never forget it.