Screws of Doom

Sorry no new pictures recently, I am not quite sure where the cord to our camera is. Everything is crazy around here. We are pretty much living in our basement right now, with no kitchen to cook in. There are boxes everywhere, today we will finally be able to set up our king size bed. The full size mattress is just a little cozy for the three of us. Joy has been here since Monday and has played a key role in us actually being able to get anything done. She is currently taking a nap with Layden, it is his third for today. I think the hot weather, moving, and new home have him all worn out.
Today we finished laying down the backer board for the kitchen floor, it should have been a one day job but it wasn't. What's wrong with us? Nothing, at all (in turns of backerboard installation). It is the screws fault, and the unknowledgable employees of the hardware store. Problem number #1, they told Oli that you only need a thin layer of mortar under the backer board and suggested a 25lb bag, which covers ~50 sq ft, the floor is 180 sq ft. Not true, we used 2 50 lb bags and had just barely enough. Problem #2, they either didn't know or didn't mention that when laying the board over an existing floor you need to add an acrylic additive. Said additive is not available in Colfax, necessitating a drive to Pullman. Problem #3, screws. The screws reccomended by the hardware store for this purpose are not appropriate for this purpose. Yesterday we were trying to use screws to hold down they board because they are supposed to be easier and do a better job. Not easier, only our heavy duty drill was capable of getting the screws in, Oli went through a box of drill bits, the stamping of the phillips head on the screws was not consistant, I had half of the floors worth of board laid down and Oli was not even halfway done screwing in the nails, in fact he didn't finish til 10 o'clock pm. The screws seemed to do a better job at raising the board off of the floor than holding it down and the heads will not go in flush with the board. At one point Oli was so frustrated that he had the urge to throw the drill at the screw, he decided it would be just as satisfying and more effective to hit it with his large hammer. It went in. The job went quicker and much more smoothly after that. Today we just went ahead and got roofing nails. Once I had finished laying the boards down Oli only had the last board to nail down. We were done before Oli had to get ready for work at 12:00. Tomorrow I will lay down the tile. This means that today I have to go get more mortar because we used it all up putting the backerboard down, which means that I have to drive to Moscow because it costs half as much there. Hopefully Saturday I can grout and the beginning of next week we can start using the kitchen and start finishing the wood floor.
The laundry situation is also special in this house. The dryer used to be next to the washer under the breaker box, with the washer on a nicely level spot. Now with the new box for them to be next to each other the washer can't be on the level spot. So the dryer will have to move to a different wall and the 220 will have to be rewired. Luckily the weather in Colfax is about as hot as the inside of a dryer so we will put off the rewiring and string up a close line. Furthermore the outlet for the washer is only 1 prong and the washer has a 2 prong cord. So that will also need to rewired and our quick fix is an extension cord. This will all have to get set up tonight because the basement is starting to smell of eau de diaper and it is the only cool place in the house.
Layden seems to have just gone through a growth spurt, I swear he is noticeably larger than he was at his 6 month check. He also looks older, less like a baby. He is still adorable and is getting very good at pulling himself up. Joy predicts he will be walking in a month. I don't think I am ready for that. He hates falling, even if it doesn't hurt he starts to cry. Maybe he is some sort of baby perfectionist and can't stand the failure that a fall signifies. He does not appreciate this hot weather and he appreciates even less that there are few places that are safe for him to crawl about and investigate.
Our neighbors still seem nice. When we were gone for so long on vacation they even got concerned that either something had happened to the baby or we didn't like them and weren't moving next door. The boys are very shy and I can only get them to talk to me if I ask a direct question like, "Where is your mom?". Yesterday morning they were throwing dirt at Joy's truck so Sarah came out and said
"Stop throwing dirt at the neighbors truck."
"Why?"
Well I think Dieter is here and if not I still have work I should be doing.

Vacation Part II

After the picnic we left Olalla and headed down to Vancouver to visit Oli's Aunt Jane (dad's sister). Generally I would say that pack-rat and super organized are mutually exclusive but she is the exception. Jane keeps all her newspapers and goes through them to cut out all the articles that people she knows might be interested in. She also keeps anything else that could be useful to herself or others in the future. Though she doesn't keep things like bolts and screws, she really does keep only stuff that really is pretty useful. She is what all packrats aspire to be and aren't.
So we picked up some smaller items, yard tools, sprinkler, light fixture, Oli's birthday present and a few other things I don't remember. Later Oli will probably take the truck over to pick up a bookcase, coffee table, matching card table and a few other larger items. She has some of the most beautiful furniture. A lot of it was made by Oli's grandfather, who was a very good woodcarver. She also has his woodcarving tools and Oli will get them someday, he is hoping that at least a smidgen of that talent is genetic. She got Layden a stuffed duck, which he likes, but he liked the plastic bag it was wrapped in even better.
Oli, Jane, Bob and I went to a Italian restaurant for lunch. Layden decided it was a good time to test out his vocal cords and did a good bit of yelling. Maybe he will be a politician, he seems to enjoy the sound of his own voice.
Then we finished the drive over to Husum to see Oli's parents. We had a nice visit with them. Oli and I built a little rock path across the creek to replace one he had built that was washed away in the flood. Oli caught quite a few crawdads and I caught one after I screwed up enough courage. Layden thought it was quite interesting and really wanted to touch it. Layden also really liked Tess but Tess quickly learned that the only way to avoid a mauling was to get up and move whenever he got close. They both got a lot of exercise.
Oli, Frank and I shot some clay pigeons but I did not do as well as the first time, beginners luck I guess. Layden now has a beautiful lambskin that Joy tanned for him to take naps on. It is wonderfully soft and he seems to like it. She also had a new Possum puppet made that he seemed to enjoy. She is making a whole line of roadkill puppets. There will most likely be some pictures of Layden in the book on fur tanning she is collaborating on. I told her to put a picture of Layden on the cover, definitely boost the sales.

Vacation Part I

We got back from a long vacation day before yesterday. First we drove over to my parents' house. On the way we stopped at IKEA in Renton. That place is overwhelming, it ate 3 or 4 Costcos, it is listed as a tourist attraction on the highway signs. First you go through showrooms that are set up almost entirely with items available at IKEA. They have kitchens with IKEA appliances, IKEA cupboards, IKEA counters, IKEA utensils, IKEA dishes, IKEA... Same for bedrooms, living rooms, bathrooms, offices. Each item has a little tag to tell you where in the store that item can be found and they provide pencils and paper (with a map on the back) so you can keep track and don't get too terribly lost. Then there is a restaurant inside the store, so after you have made it through the show rooms you can stop and refuel and discuss which purchases you want to make. Then you go on and pick up the smaller stuff and look through the textiles, rugs and storage stuff, then comes the warehouses. Two large warehouses. That is where you pick up the larger items. Then you check out and there is a snack bar much like the one at Costco. I can see why it is a tourist attraction, it wouldn't be hard to spend a good part of the day there. All we got was some lucky bamboo for some friends who hadn't been able to find it around Pullman, a mortar and pestle, and a work table for in the kitchen.
Then we went on to my parents'. When we got there my parents were still in Nebraska at a family reunion for my dad's family. We don't actually have any family in Nebraska but at Fort Robinson they can rent a three story brick building that used to be a bachelor officers' quarters. Becky was home from Alaska, the main reason we took vacation then. So Becky got to see Layden again, the first time since she saw him right after he was born. She probably won't see him again til Christmas. She picked up a couple of kittens for my parents the day we arrived, they were almost as cute as Layden, almost. I can't wait to get my kittens but we figure it would be best not to have bare wood floors, they stain too easy. We had a big picnic/BBQ after my parents got home so every one could get together while Becky was there. We made icecream and angel food cake and had donuts for lunch. I am surprised I still fit in my pants. There was other food too but that is the important stuff. That and these buckets of frozen drinks made with vodka.
I learned this trip that when margaritas come in multiple sizes, get the small. Overwhelmed by the choice I reflexively said medium. I didn't finish it. Uncle Dave got a large, he did. So as you might have assumed the Olsons also were there to visit and there was much fighting over who got to hold Layden. There were accusations of hogging and poor sharing skills.
Layden loved the bear footstool that mom recently recovered with a sheepskin. He would just bury his face in it then look up and smile. He also loved the dog and the kittens. He wanted to pet the puppy soooo bad but she wasn't as thrilled with the idea. With a little work we got it so she didn't snarl and threaten to rip off his face and instead just walk away. Much better for me, it is uncomfortable to have a dog that wants to mall your child insist upon sleeping with you because the Alpha mom isn't home and you happen to be Beta. One of the kitties didn't seem to mind his petting much, and didn't even run away every time he got near. Impressive, considering that the first time the met he took its little skull in his hand and squeezed. "Gentle" will be an important lesson to learn.

Updates

Sorry I have been so bad about this. The new house is keeping us very busy, then I get home and just want to sleep.
Baby Update:
Layden is crawling quite well. There is room for improvement but it certainly gets him where he wants to go (aka where we don't want him to go). He is also starting to pull himself up to standing and climbing. His current favorite activity is open and closing cabinet doors. Open... shut... open... shut... He also likes playing with the stereo. Hopefully at the new house it will either get placed out of his reach or in a cabinet whose doors can be shut when it is turned on with out over heating it. He still enjoys his jumper but unfortunately he doesn't seem to be content in it while we are working any more. This makes it impossible for me to get any work done on my own, there has to be someone to babysit. Our friend Lisa has been generously watching hime while we work for nothing but a warm fuzzy feeling and food. Sadly, for us, she is on vacation now. Layden seems to enjoy hanging out with her and he really likes petting the neighbors' cat when it visits. Actually he doesn't enjoy petting it, he enjoys ripping out its hair. Lately he has been doing this thing where he tilts his head to the side. I thought it might be an ear infection so just in case we got up early and went in to the Dr.'s this morning. Not an ear infection. It would appear that our parenting style is actually managing to give our child a nervous tic.
House Update:
Sadly there is less to report than we would like but that seems to be the nature of home repairs (I don't like to call it remodeling because that is much scarier). We have all the materials we need to tile the kitchen counter top and floor. That will most likely be a two-three day job and will hopefully be done before we leave on vacation (Jakob/Becky this is a hint at what you will be doing while you visit). The wood floor is about half-way sanded and when that is finished we can start putting the oil on. That will be about a three day process (method we will be using).
Oli has gotten past one electrical obstacle but has found another, our bedroom light won't turn on, it used to, now it doesn't. I need to start packing now, so little time left, so much to do.
Today we went to some garage sales. We weren't as successful as we could have been because we do not have the dedication. We were not out at 7:00 scoping all the sales as they set up, ready to pounce on the best deals as soon as they opened. Instead we are the kind of garage salers that work night shift and get off at 7:30 am/have a 6 month old that keeps them up until 11:00 pm. But we did manage to find a nice set of recycling bins at one (3 stacking bins with lids for $4). Then at another Oli found some light switches he will probably use for the basement, a switch/outlet cover that will replace the one I stepped on and broke, a tie down, cabinet magnet doo-hickeys (they had something that actually had "hickey" as part of the name), and best of all a solid wood, mahogany veneer entry door with nice hardware and a storm door for $20. It is 35 13/16" and the current door is 35 10/16" so it is a bit bigger but hopefully that either won't be a problem or at the least not too much trouble to fix. It is a good solid door in good condition and if we decide it won't work or we would rather have one with windows, well atleast we didn't spend too much on it and the hardware is salvagable.

crawling

Today I got the house all tidied up so we could work on the floors un-impeded. The stripper and oil for the floor arrived today so I can get started on that.
Layden had his six month check up today. He is 16 lbs 15 oz and 28 inches tall, 90% for height and 30% for weight. Long and lanky just like his daddy. The white spots on his upper gum are just nubbins, not teeth. However his bottom teeth will be here soon, I can feel one already. So the teeth plus five shots have left him a bit more irritable. He crawled for real today not belly flop/butterfly method he had perfected. I think he feels a bit unsteady but senses the potential cuz he keeps trying.

Better

Yesterday Layden and I went up to Colfax to work on the house. But because it was just him and me I didn't get as much done as I would have liked. I got a partial first coat done on the kitchen cabinets and tested the stripper on a section of the floor. It worked very well except where there was a large pile of tarry stuff (mastic?) where I think there used to be vinyl flooring. At any rate it will be ever so much easier than stripping the cabinets. In most places the varnish is very thin and in some it has already been sanded off.

Personally I think it is getting better but we are definitely not there yet.
Layden keeps moving faster and faster. When he sees what he wants he goes for it. Luckily yesterday he was fairly content sitting in his highchair watching me paint. The jumper, unfortunately, seems to have fallen from favor. The he was happy for a bit with me holding him while I painted but then he wanted to grab everything and nothing was very good for him to be grabbing. Then he ate lunch with me while the stripper goo on the test patch did its thing. He gnawed on one baby carrot while ate and even got to sample my sausage and pretzel. We got him a sippy cup but he doesn't seem to get that he can drink out of it like he does from mommies cup. Even though drinking out of a real cup he gets this suprised and somewhat offended look when the rim hits his forehead.
This morning Oli got up for work at 6:00 and Layden thought that would be a good time to get up too. I did not agree so I stayed in bed trying to get back to sleep. First he tried to rip my face off, then tried to crawl off the bed, then he cuddled for a bit on one side then the other, then he threw a fit. I don't really know what the fit was about. I think he may have realized that he was still quite tired all of a sudden and was not pleased. I finally settled down enough to nurse for about ten seconds before he fell asleep at around 8:00. At this point I of course could not fall back asleep. Well I guess that means I can maybe get our apartment into some semblance of control before the dirty dishes mutate and take over the kitchen.
We are invited to the lab 4th of July BBQ down on the Snake river. They are having it on a beach that is only accessable by boat. It looks like we will probably go, atleast for a bit, but first we would need to come up with an infant life jacket for the boat ride over.

Mmm Chicken

Yesterday we had the bbq all fixed up in Colfax so we had some chicken, veggies and potatoes. Layden still likes potatoes but you should have seen him go after the drum stick, definitely a carnivore. He also drank water out of mommy's glass, and was very excited about it too. He really likes that water. We got him a sippy cup so he could drink without getting two thirds of it down his front.
I got the kitchen cabinets all primed but the color we tried for the cabinets was too light and not sagey enough so I will have to try again today. Once the cabinets are done that just leaves: Kitchen floor, countertop, and living room floor. Once those things are done we will be able to move in.
Layden was very well behaved yesterday and spent most of the time we were at the house happily sitting in his high chair. I would turn and talk to him and he would smile real big. He also liked looking at the fan and when Oli turned off to work on the circuit he kept checking to see if it was back on.