Family Fuller

Thanks to all the grandparents who got Holden such nice birthday presents. He has been enjoying them. I posted some pictures on flickr of Holden opening both Grandma and Grandpa Fuller and Rodenkirch’s presents. Here are a couple recent ones:

Grandpa and Grandma Fuller got him a jack-in-the-box and both he and Colin loved it. So much so that they even made there own version - here is the video Jack in the Box.

Holden has been feeling much better since his illness last week. It has been nice here and we have been out to the parks and markets recently. Colin was on vacation from preschool all last week because it was Seattle’s mid-winter break. He goes back tomorrow thankfully While he was home Holden was sick so we didn’t get to do much and I think Colin is excited to go back and see his friends.

Here are a few tidbits of late:

• He climbed all the way on top of Colin’s toy chest, around 3 feet off the ground.
• Two days ago I was getting the bath ready and he managed to get in himself, with his diaper and shirt still on.
• This morning we went to the park and he climbed all the way up to this big, twisty, tunnel slide and just jumped in head first. I literally had to dive in to catch him. We were both going down head first and I managed to catch him just as he almost flew off the end. He is going to give me a heart attack.

Colin: Herber Hoover was a happy guy.
Me: Well, I don’t think he was all that happy. He was president during the great depression.
Colin: No mommy, not that Herbert Hoover, a different Herbert Hoover. He was happy because he just found a treasure.
Me: Oh really
Colin: Yes, but George Washington was sad because it was his treasure.
Me: What was in the treasure?
Colin: Trains.

Our little guy turned one today! Can’t believe he is already a year. We had a party last Sunday for him - just a little get together since we don’t have family out here. It ended up being just one other family - the Breedorfs - because the Dotens were under the weather. Here are a couple pics and a video of his cake:

First bites:

The cake:

A little drunk on the cake:

Post Cake Hair:

Opening presents from Grandma and Grandpa Rodenkirch:

Video of Holden Eating Cake

It was a good thing we had the party Sunday because Monday morning Holden woke up with a fever and a rash that started on his behind and face. Not to mention he has been on 4 different antibiotics for his non-stop ear infections. I know the controversy about antibiotics for ear infections, but after having them for over a month straight we had to try them. Nothing has worked and now we are going to see a specialist and he may end up with tubes. In the meantime I am also going to see a naturopathic doctor.

It was a rough week. Holden couldn’t sleep, he had a temp up to 105. Chuck and I took turns sleeping on the couch with him. We had to go to the doctor twice and get blood drawn. He is on new medicine for the rash, which spread to his arms and legs. The fever finally broke on Wed but he still has the rash, which doesn’t seem to bother him at all. I have to say that through it all he was his normal, happy self. Even at midnight, with a fever of 105 while we were frantically trying to get a hold of the doctor, he smiled at me.

Of course the day after his fever was gone he climbed up on Colin’s chair, which flipped over right infront of a table and he wacked his mouth on the table. Even though his lip was bleeding he only cried for about 5 seconds. He is a tough one - and constantly freaking me out with his climbing. He figured out the step stool in the kitchen and now can get up to the counter. He knows how to move things to get higher, which is his only goal at this point. Oh and pointing. He points at everything - oddly enough, mostly at the lights and smoke detectors on the ceiling.

Anyway, it has been a rough couple of months health wise for Holden. Colin has had the occasional cold (and a bloody nose in the middle of the night last night - of course the first night Holden started sleeping normally again) but all in all has been OK. I just cannot wait for spring. It is actually almost 60 out today and Colin wanted to have a picnic so we had a little lunch picnic on the porch:

I finally finished my built in bookshelves (minus the cabinet doors) in the living room. They turned out better than expected and since we got everything set up our living room has been a joy Here is a quick before and after:

Another view:

After looking at the pictures, seems like they don’t do it justice. The whole feel of the living room is different - I guess that could also be because it is clean now too.

When I began this project I had no idea where to start. I searched online to find some examples of built in cabinets and it was really hard to find anything. Therefore I am going to summarize what I did so if anyone else is searching for examples hopefully they will find mine.

I started designing the cabinet just on paper. We knew we wanted to be able to fit our TV inside. We also needed a place for the electronic equipment below the TV. We only have one bookshelf in our whole house so we definitely needed bookshelves too. I measured all the parts, figured out the largest of our books and the average size and made the design around those measurements. The cabinet ended up being 30″ high and 20″ wide. Each bookshelf is 11″ wide (due to what boards you can buy). The bookshelves vary between 11″ high and 13″ high.

I first framed the bottom cabinet using 2×4s. I put the 2×4s together with deck screws (they don’t strip) and then attached the 2×4s to the wall where I could find studs. The bottom, sides, shelves and top of the cabinet are all made of MDF. I used MDF because it comes in large sizes, is smooth and inexpensive. The only downside is that it isn’t very strong and tends to chip out. I just left the 2×4s exposed on the inside of the cabinet because I knew I was going to paint them anyway.

The shelves on top of the cabinet are all made of MDF boards. The lumber yard ended up giving me pre-primed wood even though I didn’t ask for it - but it was nice to have. I used a router to route out part of the counter top to hold the vertical boards and then routed out a place for each shelf. I decided to make the shelves permanent (instead of adjustable) because it looked nicer and matched the rest of the house better. I glued all the shelves together and screwed the vertical boards into the wall. I had to do a lot of shimming due to bowed walls.

Then I put trim up on everything. The crown molding was a TOTAL pain. I had to buy a new piece because we couldn’t get the old trim off. The new piece was just slightly off so it was hard to figure out the angles. Plus on the one side I had to shape it to fit the existing molding that was already up on the wall. I was glad when I got that done, but then the ceiling (not to mention every wall) was not square. I used an entire can of spackle to finish things off.

Chuck and I both painted it - Chuck probably did the majority of the painting. On Valentines day while Chuck was working, I managed to get the whole living room cleaned, mount the TV on the wall myself (that was HEAVY) and get the new carpet in. It was a long day.

I still have to finish the doors. We got some antique glass from a second use center, but making it work might be tough so I haven’t started the doors yet.

Overall it came out better than I thought - I am sure in part because I bought a new miter saw and a new router. You have to have the right tools for the job as they say. See Dad and Ed - remember a long time ago when I asked for tools for Christmas? I meant serious tools Now it is on to the patio in the backyard.

Here are some more pictures of the whole thing in progress - along with the boys “helping”

Me outside with the router:

Colin helping put the base cabinet together:

This will be short because I have to run upstairs to finish painting the built in cabinet I have been working on for the past few weeks.

Holden took his first steps about a week ago. We were waiting to pick Colin up at school and someone remarked “He is getting big, is he walking yet?” I said almost but not yet. I put him down right after that and he took 3 steps on his own to get to the crayon table. It was exciting. Of course he hasn’t done much since then.

We have been doing lots in Seattle recently. Went to the zoo, the aquarium and today the Children’s museum. That place is wonderful and we will definitely be going back soon. There is a little slide there and Holden, who is a super climber, got up and had no problem sliding down, even did it on his stomach, face forward. Meanwhile Colin won’t even sit and do it, he prefers to go feet first on his stomach. It is very interesting to have two kids - they are so different. Colin was talking quite a bit by the time he was one, but slow on the physical side. Holden is the opposite - a total climber and although he talks a lot, it is pretty hard to make out most of the words just yet.

Some other upcoming things: Holden is almost one - birthday party is Sunday. Chuck is heading down to Phoenix for work and to visit with the AZ Fullers. Spring is just around the corner and then we can start work on fixing the patio out back…ugh, that should be some serious physical labor.

Anyway, just wanted to get a brief post up since it has been awhile. I will take some pictures and do a summary of my cabinet once it is finished.

Alright - back soon….Go Obama!