(3 months)

I can't believe it... he's THREE MONTHS OLD! And has long past lost that "newborn" face. I can't tell you how many times people have commented on ow big and how "old" he's looking. Ashton, my moose.... though Scott has given him a more noble nickname.... Ashtonian.

This also hallmarked Ashton's first little snowfall.........

I took this photo on the way out to the van to the van with all the kids to pick up snacks for Reese's preschool.....

Then the real 3 month adventure began.

I get to the van, get everyone strapped in and packed in turn the van on...................... CRAP. The same tire that was showing low yesterday evening and I had filled back up is low again............ I get out, sure enough, it's flat. Son of a Biscuit Eater.

At this point I'm looking at the clock, it's 4PM on a Sunday, I'm about 2 miles from SAMS Club.... I nurse the van over there taking back roads as the tire had a wee bit of air.... I unpack everyone, get them in carts, hustle inside because it's still snowing now almost a blizzard to find that there is a 2 - 3 hour wait for any car!!!!

PANIC SETS IN.

What am I going to do!? This is my ONLY vehicle as Scott's in GERMANY, and the only person I could think of was Tom and LInda, but then again panic sunk in as I thought there was a home Brown's game and Tom would have had the van in CLEVELAND!

I called their house, on the very last ring Linda picked up, I've got tears in my eyes because now Ashton is screamin his head off, Reese is even trying to calm him down.... Riley is just sitting there, guess she knew the tension in the air.....

Linda said that Tom was on his way. I was so upset with the tire people at SAMS. There were 5 cars ahead of me, but obviously those people WERE NOT THERE, they had rides to get them home... but here I am, with my only vehicle with a FLAT, 3 kids and by some slim chance someone was able to pick me up. I think that SAMS should have some sort of judgment call when it comes to what I would have considered that an Emergency situation..... TRIAGE PEOPLE. TRIAGE.

Luckily Linda calmed me down, told me to just get the snacks there, thank you SAMS for being able to get a tire changed, fruit snacks and a gallon of apple juice...and after check out 2 slices of pizza, a drink and a 3 berry sundae split between the girls.

My head was pounding so hard by the time I was checking out when Tom got there I thought I was going to have an aneurysm right there.

Tom helped me load the kids in the car, I even got to try out the infant seat using just a seat belt, in the 3rd row no doubt for Ashton. Linda hasn't kept Ashton for long periods needing to go anywhere, so no need for a base to be installed. but worked like a charm and he liked the new view. I couldn't thank Tom enough, and he wouldn't even let me buy him a 3 berry sundea.... if he wouldn't have been able to help out, I'd have had to put in some calls to Canton or my neighbor, worst case senerio, Yellow Cab. Oy.

By the time I got home and the kids finished their pizza it was just about 5:30. I called the guy back at 5:45 to see about the van and he said it was done, though he wanted this other guy coming in tomorrow to look at the sensor, valve and core to make sure that it was ok and of course, it was better to leave it over night to see if the tire pressure held.... fine, made sense.

I gave everyone baths, read stories, did prayers and in bed for the night.