ahh, I seem to be in a similar pickle as you. I went to a pet shot near me, and they had a Moluccan Cockatoo, and she was beautiful. It's very similar to a white umbrella cockatoo, but its feathers are light pink! asgdjhfsjkkdshk she was gorgeous~
And she was so funny and friendly. She would shake her head like a maniac and mimic your laugh, and even play tug-of-war with a piece of knotted tissue. It was so cute (:
But, similar to your case, I lack the experience, and needless to say, the funds. Those big birds are so expensive. Such a huge commitment is unrealistic for my family anyway, as we have 2 dogs and another high-maintenance pet is just out of the question. Our small house wouldn't supply enough room for a cage big enough for the bird, either, even if we could afford one, haha.
Sometime in the future, I'd love to own one though. We recently purchased a parakeet/budgie, which is plenty satisfying my love for birds, he's so cute (:
I hope to work my way up the ladder of birds, so to say. Once I spend a few years with my budgie, maybe I'll get a few more, or maybe a cockatiel. I would seriously have a house full of birds if I could, I love these little feathered guys so much (:
I want to be fully prepared and experienced enough with bird ownership before I think about getting a Cockatoo. Like I said though, I'd absolutely LOVE to own one in due time (: