Smoke Signals

Thursday night I was working on a project with my laptop and attempting to concentrate on my work. I just so happened to look up from my paper for a moment and realized smoke was coming up from behind my laptop screen. That was sign #1 that something was not right. Then sign #2 was the overwhelming smell of burnt electronics. And finally sign #3 (like I needed another one) was smoke billowing out of the power source. I quickly unplugged the poor thing and succumbed to the fact that my laptop had used its last life. The thing didn't owe me anything. I've had it since I was studying for the CPA exam...in 2000.

So, I waited the customary 24 hours to mourn my loss and promptly went out to buy a new one on Saturday morning. I am still getting used to the new laptop...like I don't have to jiggle the plug every five minutes in order to get power, the top row of keys work all the time making it possible to type entire sentences without using the on-screen keyboard and the screen doesn't dim for no apparent reason. Like I said, it didn't owe me anything anymore but handing out over a thousand clams on a 7 pound piece of metal and wires was a little tough to swallow.

Nonetheless, everyone at the Bricker household is thrilled to get the chance to try out all of its bells and whistles. Ironically, the first person to get time at the keyboard was Josh. And he was playing Max & Ruby games at nickjr.com. Pretty much sums up the order of things at our house anymore.




Lauren's four month check up was on Friday. Miss Thing is 17 pounds, 7 ounces and 26.5 inches tall. That puts her in the 97th percentile for both height and weight!! Basically, she's perfectly proportioned and the doctor said she looks great! She got another three shots and Josh even got one (his flu shot). We kind of blind sided him with it but he did great. As soon as she got him with the needle that look of disbelief and terror came over him. I just had to laugh. He didn't really have a chance to cry because by the time he was done we were all laughing at Lauren's reaction.

But as soon as he got on Dustin's lap he said, "Uh, Dad. That hurt."

Speaking of Lauren, she officially has a favorite toy.



She just loves that thing!

She also had another first this weekend. We tried giving her a little rice cereal. It was hysterical! She looked like an old man without his dentures!


I kept trying to feed her...until she got upset. I guess she got tired of us all laughing at her. Geez!

Not much else is new, though. I got some cute pics of Josh making Lauren laugh this morning after breakfast. Those two just have the most amazing bond. He watches over her and is so gentle with her and she's fascinated by his every move.