today was special day

i never thought i would be a mini van momma but i am now - david's parents graciously gave us their old 98 mini van about 2 months ago when they got a new car. i have to admit that it is so much more comfortable getting noah in and out with the mini van.

i have always joked with david and his parents that the gift of the mini van is really a conspiracy - the van has over 120,000 miles on it. so if anything happened to it, i would have to get another minivan to replace it.

well it seems that the mini van didn't like the dallas weather - it was used to the dry climate of NM and the DAY they brought us the mini van it started squeaky - horribly. to the point of being embarrassing to drive. david got it fixed (tensioner for the belt problem) and i thought we were good. but today as i was leaving the w/h to go get noah, the van started to squeak. LOUD.

and it got LOUDER. i was about a mile from noah and suddenly it sounded like there were RATS that were screaming for dear life in the A/C vents. so in a panic i turned off the A/C . well that didn't help. then i wondered if we really had RATS in the A/C (i had heard stories of that - my friend had to sell his car b/c a mouse died in the dashboard and he couldn't get the smell out).

well the mini van decided to tell me it wasn't that b/c i came to a stop sign and the power steering gave out. now for those of you who have not had this happen before, it is like trying to turn to open a jar of pickles that won't give so once you pick a lane stay in it.

great, so i am now about 1/4 mile from home, and of course i come to the school zone and i pray that the car doesn't just die there. luckily the "rats" have stopped screaming at this time and i decide i need to switch cars before heading off to get noah. so anyhow, i wrestle the mini van into the driveway but unfortunately it blocks the other car. as SOON as i turn into the driveway, the "overheat" light comes on and the temp gauge is at the HIGHEST point in the scale.

i jump out of the mini van and look around at it and underneath the van, all this liquid is spewing out. that is never good.

anyhow, it looks like a belt got shredded and we had to tow it to get it fixed.

but even with all the excitement, the reason today was and is a special day is because it is noah's 10 month with us! here is a LO i did of noah when he first met grandma and grandpa LAU.

he was so tiny then. and he is so big now! and so full of personality! we will see how he does with me on our trip out west alone. it could be a long 4 hours of yelling and squawking on the plane - and that is not just from baby noah!

and thanks for everyone sharing your LOs with me from my challenge below. i love to see them all. you all are doing awesome stuff! i check out each and every link and it really makes me smile!