Owen in his new (from cousin Nick!) MSU outfit! I put the hood up when I first got him dressed…and he wore it like that ALL day—even through playing, lunch, and dinner!
Go Green!
September photos!
My Brazilian Blowout
The Brazilian blowout treatment takes approximately 90 minutes and leaves your hair silky and frizz-free for 10–12 weeks. Because it doesn’t use any harsh chemicals, only a nutrient-rich polymer system that forms a protective, smoothing layer on each strand, it won’t damage your hair; in fact, the treatment improves the condition of follicles.
9/24
So, it took about 2 hours and 15 minutes. The first thing they do is wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo/conditioner. Then they put the treatment on your hair, much like getting color in that it’s sectioned off and then the each small section-by-section is brushed/covered with the stuff. Then it’s blown dry straight and gone over inch-by-inch with a flat iron. Then–and this is the bizarre part–it’s RINSED and then blown out again. I obviously believe that’s how it’s done but it just seemed SO counterintuitive to spend all that time blowing it dry and straightening it, only to get it wet and have to start over. I mean, it was GORGEOUS when she was done.
That said, it did take her a lot less time to dry/straighten it the second time (30 minutes) and it looked just almost exactly like it did after the probably 70 minutes she took the first time to blow it dry and use the iron.
So, we’ll see how it looks when I wash and style it…if it takes less time and/or if it looks as good. She said that she has it on her hair, and she washes it every day, and it lasts about 10-12 weeks. I told her I wash my hair maybe once a week (in the winter, when I straighten it most of the time) so she said it should definitely last longer. I am really looking forward to seeing if it works as well as it claims to…
Here are the pics I have so far. I will post more once I wash it and let it air dry.
BEFORE: FRONT (with only a smidge of non-frizz stuff in it)
BEFORE: BACK
AFTER (professionally styled):
9/29
Okay, here are the post-shower, air-dried results:
If you notice, it doesn’t really look at much different. It’s certainly not any straighter—but a Brazilian Blowout is NOT a straightener. That said, my hair is much, much softer than it was before. It no longer feels like straw, but rather a lot smoother. And it hasn’t seemed to “puff out” quite like it used to as it dried. Usually by this time in the day I would be going insane with it and it would be in a ponytail or behind my ears or something…but it isn’t.
Tomorrow I will either straighten it from its current condition (i.e. not washing again) or I will get it wet then blow it dry straight then iron it…I haven’t decided yet. 🙂
So, the jury is still out on whether this was worth $125 (plus tip) to me. I think tomorrow will be the REAL test, since the blowing dry/getting it straight is the biggest PITA.
9/30
OH. MY. GAWD.
I am in heaven. This was money VERY WELL spent.
Normally it takes me a minimum of 30-45 minutes and that includes straight-ironing time, and even then it still generally looks like crap when I’m done.
But today, after a mere EIGHT minutes of just general drying (pulling with a flat brush), it looked like this:
After a total of 25 minutes (8 minutes drying then ~17 minutes drying with a round brush—NO ironing!), I had this:
And here is the back–completely amazing to me, since I can NEVER even get it even remotely this straight.
I am a happy, happy girl. :up:
Our climber!
I left him wandering alone while I was picking up the living room. I thought I heard him moving stuff on the table, which he often does (he climbs up on the chair to get his crayons or something) so I headed that way to recharge my camera—and caught this! STINKER!
Learning letters!
Owen has been learning and recognizing more and more letters, so I just tested him and these were the letters he knew. The ones on the right were clear and definitive; the ones on the left sounded close enough. Go, Owen!
Spinning and spinning and spinning and falling!
Every once in awhile, Owen gets to spinning. And spinning. And then, eventually, stumbling around and falling. It’s completely adorable. It took me a minute to start recording, so this actually starts with him falling, but then you will get to see more spinning. You can hear us all DYING with laughter in the background.
Cousins!
We finally made it back to Lisa and Timmy’s for a visit… It took quite awhile before Owen would actually play with the kids, but he had fun the whole day! I forgot my real camera, so I just have these few from my phone.
This is Owen and Aubrey. She is six months older, but he outweighs her by about 5-7# and has probably 3″ on her.
Jogging Suit
Don’t you just love it?! (Also a good post-haircut picture!)
Random Owen Video
The Case of the Foreign Laptop
Ready for another electronics rant?
Got the new Dell laptop delivered last night. Got it up and running. All was well. Until I realized that the hard drive space was wonky—it should have had 500GB but only appeared to have 300 or so. I posted in one of my tech forums about missing space, and come to find out, nope—it IS only a 300GB drive.
AND…
Apparently, it was purchased outside of the United States. Because when I tried to connect to Dell chat with my Dell service tag, it TOLD me I couldn’t chat because I didn’t purchase the laptop in the country.
Wait.
What? :??:
Yeah, I know. :##
So I called Costco Concierge Tech Support and I am sure the guy thought I was a moron because I couldn’t find the serial number. He even had me take out the battery–nothing. I told him most of the writing was Chinese characters. I even checked the shipping box—it came from a Dell Outlet in Tennessee. The guy was flummoxed.
Well, 40 minutes later, after conferring with his manger and a three-way conference call with Costco.com, they are sending me a replacement laptop and a pre-paid sticker to return this one. They have NO idea what happened, but are confident it won’t happen again.
I. Can’t. Wait. 🙄
I mean, I only wasted about 3-4 hours already getting this one back up to speed with uninstalls, downloads, installs, backup recoveries, personalizations, etc. And now I get to DO IT ALL AGAIN in another week and a half. Oh yes, that’s right—they can’t expedite the order AT ALL since it still goes through Tennessee. They assured me my order will go in front of the new orders, though. Big whoop.
I do give credit to the Concierge support and Costco.com people, though—they were very nice and patient and they weren’t the problem at all. My rant is about the whole thing in general… First a Dell that came down with some strange condition (which we honestly haven’t yet checked out), then bought and returned a shitty HP, then ordered and waited 1.5 weeks for this Dell…and it turns out to be wonky, and now I have to wait just as long for the replacement.
I can use this one for the 3-5 days until the return label gets here, and I may stretch it out even longer so I have a working laptop…
But, really? Could I have any worse luck with electronics?
The disease called “Perfection”
http://www.danoah.com/201…perfection.html
This is an article EVERYONE should read. Immediately.
As a warning, the following post was written in complete desperation. I have recently learned some very sobering truths from people that I love dearly. These truths have set in motion a quest within me to do whatever I can to make a change. Today is not geared at funny. Today is geared at something greater. Read it to the very end. I promise you will be affected in a way you have always needed to be. I spent more than twelve hours writing this post because its message is that important to me.
I wonder. Am I the only one aware that there is an infectious mental disease laying siege on us right now? There is a serious pandemic of “Perfection” spreading, and it needs to stop. Hear me out because this is something for which I am passionately and constantly hurting. It’s a sickness that I’ve been trying to put into words for years without much success. It’s a sickness that I have personally struggled with. It’s a sickness that at times has left me hiding in dark corners and hating myself.
And chances are it’s hit you too.
To keep reading and/or see the full post on the author’s blog, click the link above.
Haircut!
It seems like we JUST got his hair cut, so I looked back on my calendar…and it was just over a month ago. Before that, we were making it THREE MONTHS between cuts. Hoo boy. I just can’t stand to have him look like a ragamuffin. 🙂
He did about the same this time…not loving it, and standing while she cut it. The dum dum sucker helped again, but unfortunately it could not help at all during the razor bit at the end. I am still amazed at how my fairly well-behaved toddler can turn into a crying snotty mess in a matter of seconds once that razor comes near him.
At one point where he was starting to get really upset, Grandpa Mike even handed over HIS sucker…but it didn’t help.
Cutie Pie
Dancing in the kitchen!
Dinner
So we were having hot dogs for dinner. Linda asked if Owen would eat any, and I said probably not, though we will certainly try. So imagine my surprise…when he scarfed down the few pieces I cut for him…then proceeded to eat AN ENTIRE HOT DOG! 88|
Of course, who’s to say whether he’ll eat another one anytime soon…
Last Night’s Math
Open windows
+ neighbor’s noisy car at midnight
+ cat hairball at 3am
+ car alarm at 5am
+ ANOTHER car alarm at 6:30am
=================================
A tiiiiired Jen who didn’t get much sleep
A few old videos
I’m not always great at uploading videos when I take them, so here are a few from earlier this month.
You just never know when a simple action (like kicking the ball back through the gate) will become a fun game.
Playing outside while watching himself being recorded.
Playing with two of his favorite toys—the screen door and a ball—until the dog next door barks and he has to look at it. Lather, rinse, repeat.
My Cuddle Buddy
Stairway success!
Owen’s comprehension level has been growing lately—for the past month or so, if you ask if he wants to go outside, he runs to the gate (or the sliding door if the gate is open) and once outside, if you ask if he wants to go inside, he goes straight to the door. He also knows when he gets shoes on, we’re most likely going into the garage—and sometimes he’ll even wait outside the car door.
More recently (like within the past week or so), at naptime or bedtime, when you say it’s time for nap/bed, he will go to the gate/stairs, go up the stairs, then go to his room and wait for you to put him in the crib! What a good little boy!
So this morning, Tom brought him into our room for some cuddle TV time and when it was time to go downstairs, I told Owen, and he went directly to the stairs…then proceeded to go down all by himself! What a big boy!
Sorry about the bad video quality—I wasn’t prepared so didn’t have the lights on, then turned them on, then turned on the phone’s flash…but you’ll get the idea. 🙂
He loves his chair!
Thank you, Grandma Marsha! I’m finally big enough for my chair and I love it! I carry it around and sit in it all the time!
He finally loves his chair!
A new kitchen game!
Owen and the Spoon
Just look at the new eating style he came up with!
And then he caught on pretty quick once I showed him the right way to do it…
Just Owen
Watching himself being recorded…funny as always!
A DOG’S TEN COMMANDMENTS
A friend sent this to me, and it makes me cry every time I read it. Yes, I’m a completely sentimental sap when it comes to animals…
- My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.
- Give me time to understand what you want of me.
- Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.
- Don’t be angry with me for long and don’t lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment—but I have only you.
- Talk to me. Even if I don’t understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.
- Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.
- Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to bite you.
- Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I’m not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.
- Please take care of me when I grow old. You too, will grow old.
- On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can’t bear to watch. Don’t make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.
Take a moment today to be thankful for your pets. Enjoy and take good care of them. Life would be a much duller, less joyful experience without our critters.
Now please pass this on to other pet owners. We do not have to wait for Heaven to be surrounded by hope, love, and joyfulness. It is here on earth and has four legs…
Playing outside!
Happy boy!
Shoulder Ride
Burpie Cover Up
A new thing Owen has been doing lately…rolling around and covering his face with the burpie. He thinks if he can’t see you, he’s hiding. 🙂
Tooth #14
Guess what we noticed this morning? (The other one isn’t anywhere close to being fully in yet, but I colored it red anyway.)
Post-lunch treat!
Normally Owen only gets a sucker after shots or during a haircut, but they had a bowl of them at the restaurant today, so we gave him one. We missed recording the BIG smiles when he saw it and realized what it was.
And then, him watching himself with the sucker…