Photo Perspective

Both K and S are getting their upper right teeth just now. K has a terrible time getting her baby teeth out in order to let the permanent teeth have their proper place, so this is the second snaggle tooth we've had to look at for weeks on end. In the past we've had to bribe her BIGTIME in order to let us help her get those baby teeth out - as in all the ice pops she wants for an entire day or staying up an hour later than bedtime to watch the second hour of Extreme Makeovers: Home Edition. So far the dentist has taken out two, and mom and dad have each pulled one with pliers. Anyone have any great tips for getting these snaggle teeth out of unwilling mouths without traumatizing a poor girl emotionally? {Hint: look for "# Comments" at the end of this post and click - you will find yourself at another page where you can leave a comment or suggestion.}

It seems we always get a disabling storm or two in February in this part of Pennsylvania. Last week we had some windy gusts that flipped and rolled our trampoline (notice the mesh supports are a bit bent out of shape). This week, though, was a whopper of a winter storm. First snow, then sleet, freezing rain, and back to snow again. It was much too heavy to even attempt shoveling my van out, so we've been home-bound for a few days. My hubby just rammed his way through the snowplow's wake at the end of our drive in his truck to get to the store and to work. The kids have been enjoying the snow - as it is the first snow of this winter that was good enough to play in. V seems to enjoy "snowboarding", but K prefers to go down the hills penguin-style.

We've been raising our nephew as one of ours for a long time now, but today he became legally ours! This is the second adoption hearing for our family, but it sure is much easier to understand in English than in Ukrainian :-) The judge was thankful that Meister had family to "fill the gap" for him, and we are honored to be chosen by God for that role.
Meister's version of what happened today: "We went to that big building, and the judge said I could have a new mommy and daddy."

This little firecracker is not even 9 months old yet, yet today she was climbing up the kitchen step stool to reach something up on the counter. I've also caught her letting go and standing on her own for several seconds. What are we in for?