Letters to Sylvie: 16 Months

Dear Sylvie,

Well, it finally happened. You walked. We've known you were able to do it for a while, but you've just barely decided that MAYBE you could try it. Don't get me wrong, you still do a lot of crawling. Mostly crawling actually. But, given the right circumstances, you'll flail wildly from one object to another. Usually the only way I can get you to walk is to hold onto both of your hands, though recently you've allowed me to hold onto just one. One thing is for sure... you're not a daredevil. You've definitely got the cautious gene your dad and I possess in large quantities.

You are, however, getting very good at negotiating the stairs. You climb up and down them with relative ease and speed. I'm not sure you've grasped the dangers of the stairs yet though so your daddy and I still follow closely behind you should you get distracted by some random object and forget to hang on.

As if watching you walk wasn't cute enough, you've also become quite the dancer. Sometimes you'll bounce up and down when the music is just right, but usually you do the head bob move that your dad taught you. It looks a lot like you're shaking your head "no" but we both know it's your signature move. I love to watch Spongebob Squarepants with you just so I can see you dance at the beginning.

Although you haven't starting saying actual words yet (besides Dada), your recognition and understanding is very good. You'll close the fridge door or go get one of your toys when I ask you to. You are also very good at obeying when I ask you to put things away. You like to help me put your toys away or put all the kitchen utensils back in the drawer. You are also very good at pointing out body parts. You can do ears, nose, toes, eyes (you always point to Mommy's eyes), belly button, tummy, tongue, mouth, and teeth. I love asking to see your teeth because you give me your cutest little scrunchie nosed smile!

Cutest teeth ever!

I think you also generally get the concept of "yes" and "no." You vigorously shake your head "no" when you don't want something and/or wave your hand across your body indicating when you don't want something. Your "yes" or nod is the most adorable thing ever. You don't actually nod, you just put your chin down and look up with a shy smile. Your dad and I call it your Farley Face, because you look just like Chris Farley.

Farley Face!

This year you were old enough to participate a bit more in Halloween. We dressed you in an adorable lamb costume that your Aunt Annie made. Grandpa Fred, your cousins Belen & Marshall, and Annie & Eric came over for pizza and to go Trick-or-Treating. You didn't really get what was going on but had a good time walking around the neighborhood being held by your grandpa. You even got to eat your first pieces of candy! M&Ms and Reeses Pieces. You loved both, of course!

Ready to go Trick-or-Treating

Hay ride to pick out a pumpkin!

You have lots of things that you like to do for fun. Right now you're loving books. After going through a bit of a dry spell, you suddenly love having Mommy or Daddy read to you again. But now you like to climb up on our laps and sit in the big chair. Your favorite books right now are "Nighty Night Little Green Monster" (your Aunt Corinne sent you this for Halloween), "Find the Bird" (from your Aunt Amanda & Uncle Scott), and your Caillou Baby Album (from Grandma & Grandpa Hanson). You also can't get enough of closing doors. Every time you go into a room you have to close the door. If mom is getting stuff out of the fridge or cupboard, you try to shut the door. When you climb to the top of the stairs you close the baby gate. I think you just like things to be in the right spot!

I came into your room while I was making dinner to see you and Daddy reading a book. So cute!

A couple weeks ago I took you in for your first professional haircut. I think the place looked too much like the doctor's office and you cried and cried almost the whole time. Not even crackers, candy, or Mom's phone did the trick. They ALWAYS do the trick, so I knew you were NOT happy. Hopefully next time you'll remember it's a good place and you don't get shots there! Ha ha! Good news is, even though you cried, you held really still so your hair turned out nice.

The new haircut!

I'm sure I forgot something like I usually do, but that about sums you up these days. I love interacting with you and seeing your reactions to new things. Hearing you laugh and copy actions. Seeing all the cute little things that make up your personality. My favorite part of the day is pulling up to the house after work to see you and your daddy waiting for me outside, you with a big smile and wave. It makes me so deliriously happy.

I love you Buggie Boo Sylvie Sue!

Love, Mama

Vechtables

Last Sunday night Seth and I were cuddling on the couch after putting Sylvie to bed. Seth suggested we watch a movie and let me pick what I wanted. We scrolled through our Amazon Prime list of movies and I saw one called "Vegucated," a documentary about 3 people who try out being vegan for 6 weeks. I thought it would be interesting and possibly funny. So I queued it up.

Two hours later, depressed and feeling a little "somehow," Seth and I went to bed without saying much. It was a weird ending to an otherwise delightful weekend. 

The next day after I got home from work, we talked about the movie. We'd both had a chance to think about it during the day and pin point what our resulting feelings were. We were both in shock about what we'd seen. I always heard people talk about the meat/dairy/egg industry and about how cruel it was and I'd always just assumed they were mad about animals getting killed. I never really looked into the process. I'd never understood why people had a problem with dairy products or eggs. But now I do. I've actually been reading "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair recently, a book about the horrible work conditions and unsanitary, inhumane treatment of animals in the meatpacking industry of Chicago in the early 20th century. While the work conditions have greatly improved since then, from what I can tell, the treatment of the animals is exactly the same. Like Seth said, it was kind of a punch in the gut. 

On Monday I sat at my desk at lunchtime and wondered what I should eat. I checked the local fast food joints for vegan options and came up with a packet of hot sauce and a bowl of dry lettuce. That definitely wasn't going to fly. I realized then that living a strict vegan lifestyle was not going to be realistic for me. It's not an easy thing to do. Animal products are literally everywhere. It would take up all my time to try and avoid them all. And that doesn't even cover the gigantic topic of social eating. I wasn't about to impose on these restrictions on everyone around me. 

So, I decided that I'll be a soft vegan. Or a part-time vegan. Or an omnivore that greatly reduces my dairy and meat consumption. After that first day at lunch I realized how much meat I actually eat. Nobody needs that much. It's insane really. Especially when there are so many tasty alternatives. I'm slowly transitioning myself to vegan options where possible. So far I've tried soy, almond, and rice milk (all of which are super tasty, esp. vanilla almond milk), faux cheese & sour cream. I'm hoping to try plant-based meat alternatives as well. I've loaded up my pantry with vegan staples like cashews, nutritional yeast, coconut oil, liquid aminos, and seeds. I don't even know how to use them yet. I'm going to try and make food I like-- normal food... just tweaked. I think I can do it and I think it won't be too bad once I get used to doing it. Food is one thing I really enjoy in life and I'm not willing to eat things that taste just "OK." 

At this point I'm just going to do my best. I'm not going to trash homemade goodies from friends or refuse the pot roast at a family dinner. I think that's along the lines of following the letter of the law and ignoring the spirit of it. It's about trying, not perfection. It's about including others, not cementing myself on top of a soapbox. Heck I'll probably check out some local farmers and see if I can get some truly "happy" meat and eggs for the occasional Sunday dinner or weekend omelet. 

I'm actually kind of excited about this new twist in my lifestyle. I'll try my best to give you periodic updates in how it's going. If you want up close and personal info on what I'm eating, check out my Gravy Training blog. I'm hoping to be able to post a lot of new vegan friendly, delicious, NORMAL recipes there in the future, so check it out!

DIY Car Repair: Replacing the Window Regulator on a 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix Coupe

Seth and I were driving Blackie home from a wedding last weekend when I rolled up the passenger side window and heard an ominous "crunch" noise as it got to the top. I rolled the window down a couple inches and then tried to get it to go back up. No dice.

This was not a foreign problem for us as Blackie, our 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP has the worst power windows in the world. Since I first bought her in 2008, we've replaced the driver side regulator twice and the passenger side once. The first time we took her in to our local mechanic who fixed both windows for $400. Ouch.

A couple years ago when the driver side window broke again, we took on the project ourselves. It was do-able, though a pain in the butt trying to glean together the necessary steps from cars on the Internet who looked similar, but not exactly like Blackie. At the time I believe it took me a good 3-4 hours of monkeying around before it was installed correctly. I hoped the second DIY would go a little smoother and I'm happy to say it did, though not without a couple hitches. So, I figured I'd pass on my knowledge in hopes that this might help someone else out in the future. Or at least help me remember what the heck I did the next time (and there will be a next time) Blackie's window regulator goes out.

First things first. I ordered the complete passenger side regulator assembly from Amazon. You can buy them without the motor, but I figured I might as well replace everything while I was at it. The model I ordered was the Dorman 741-809 for about $70. Seems like the model without the motor was around $40-50.

For this repair you'll need a Torx driver, a 10mm socket, and a flat head screwdriver. Needle nose pliers are optional. You'll probably want some painters tape as well.

If you can, start with the window rolled up all the way, or down just a couple inches. We'll be moving the window lower a little later but it'll be easier to adjust it to where it needs to be if you start it out higher. Remove the cover from the door handle by sliding it back towards the door opening. You'll need to pull out on the door handle and lift up on the skinny end of the cover to remove it.

Place a flat head screwdriver on the lower end of the window power switch and gently pry up. Slide the assembly back towards the door opening and lift out. Use a flat head screwdriver to release the tab on the switches and gently pull to disconnect.

Now use the flat head screwdriver to gently pry off the round plastic screw covers underneath the door grip. Use the Torx driver to remove the two screws. Don't worry if they fall inside the door as you'll be taking the panel off next.

Now for the scary part. Working around the edges, pull on the door panel to release it. This is actually really easy to do and nothing will break, it's just a little unnerving if you've never done it before. Once it comes off, work the door lamp through the opening and set the door panel to the side.

The door cavity will probably we covered by a sheet of plastic held on by tar. You don't need to remove the plastic completely, just peel it back starting from the side nearest the door opening until the door lever is uncovered. Let it rest inside the car on the floor.

There is a large block of foam inside the door cavity. Grab it from the top and pull towards you then up to lift it out. Now we are ready to start removing the old regulator.

Disconnect the motor by pressing on the grey tab with a flat head screwdriver and gently pulling down on the connector.

There are 4 screws holding the main part of the regulator to the door, 3 holding the motor assembly, and 2 connecting it to the actual window (these won't be visible if you window is up all the way). First remove the 4 main screws and 3 motor screws.

Next, reconnect the power window on the switch assembly. Roll down the window so that the 2 screws connected to the window assembly are easily accessible. The window will be almost half-way down.

My window is rolled up all the way in this pic, but use this same method to secure the window in the half-down state.

Using the painters tape (or masking tape), secure the window in place so it won't move. Now remove the 2 screws holding the window on. Gently work the old regulator assembly out of the door cavity.

Now to install the new regulator. Basically you're going to work in reverse. Place the new assembly into the door cavity. Install the 2 screws on the window assembly first and snug them down. Next loosely install one screw at the top and one screw in the bottom of the main regulator frame. Loosely install the remaining 2 screws.

Connect the pump switch and loosely install the 3 motor assembly screws. Now tighten all 7 screws: the 4 main screws and 3 motor screws. Test the window at this point and make sure it goes all the way down and all the way up. When I installed mine, the weather stripping on the outside of the window got caught behind the window and I had to shove it back into place with a screwdriver before the window would roll up all the way. Once you've tested the window, you can finish reassembling the door.

Make sure you put the foam block back in the door cavity then replace the plastic sheeting. Both times I've replaced the regulator, the kit has come with some new plastic clips for the panel. I'd recommend replacing any that look bad before putting the panel back on. Disconnect the window power switch and lift the door panel into place. Work the door light through the panel and then press the door clips around the edges to secure in place.

Carefully put the 2 Torx screws in to secure the door panel. Don't drop them inside or you'll have to take the panel off again. Press the plastic covers into place. Reconnect the power switch assembly and slide the door handle cover back on.

That's it! It's really not that scary of a project to tackle yourself. I know nothing about cars and only attempt the most basic of repairs. This was very doable and will save you well over $100 and a ton of hassle by doing it yourself. This time around the project took me 2 hours to do by myself and that included hunting down all the tools and working out the kinks in the process. If I had to go replace another regulator right this minute, I could probably do it in under an hour. So give it a shot!

I Don't Even Know Who I Am Anymore

I don't know what's happening to me lately, but this is the second craft I've made in like 3 months! I know it's shocking. Even more so that they actually turn out! HA! I blame Pinterest for all this stuff. It's like going window shopping. You always buy something when you just go out to "look." You can't help but craft something when you're constantly browsing the Pinterest.

So I've been seeing all these cute pictures of fall-themed porches and lamenting the fact that we have the world's tiniest porch. I can't put anything on it because the storm door will just push it off when it's opened. So basically I can decorate my door, around the door, and a very teensy amount on the stairs. But, this is a blessing in disguise because then it means I don't have to make/buy as much crap to decorate with!

The main project I wanted to tackle was some sort of wreath or door hanging. I liked the idea of having an "H" on it, but most of the ideas I saw looked too much like somebody tacked a letter on a wreath and called it good. I wanted something more homogenous. So, Sylvie and I went to the craft store and gathered supplies.

It turned out the cheapest, fastest option for the "wreath" part was a little arch shaped arrangement of leaves and such. I'm sure I could have made my own, but toddlers generally don't enjoy spending hours in a store waiting for you to hem and haw over which sprig of leaves and pumpkins would be cute together. For the "H" I found a large precut wood letter in a style I liked and then bought some burlap ribbon to cover it with. I finished it all off with an orange raffia bow. The hardest part of the assembly was not burning my hands on the hot glue. Best part of shopping for supplies? They were all at least 40% off! I think I spent about $45 on everything, including the 2 strands of leaves for the sides of the door. Compare that to the already-made (unpersonalized) wreaths that were over $100.

My other mini project was a pumpkin planter. I just hollowed out the pumpkin and dropped in a cheap potted mum plant. I didn't even actually plant the mum because what's the point if you can't see the pot anyway? Amirite? Maybe I'll get crazy and do a couple other sizes/colors of flowers later on. Ok I probably won't but it's a good idea.

So there you go. Fall decorating on the cheap for a small porch. Just don't expect me to change it when Christmas rolls around...

The Handyman

It's amazing all the things you'll learn to do when motivated by money. Being a homeowner gives you lots and lots of opportunity to advance your handyman skills. I've installed everything from faucets to chandeliers, repaired all from toilets to pianos, and improved my decorating and organizational skills.

Last week I put a load of clothes in the dryer before going to bed. Sylvie woke me up around 2am and after I got back in bed I suddenly realized I could still hear the dryer running. Visions of charred clothing danced through my head as I sprinted downstairs to see what sorts of evil spirits had invaded my dryer.

When I opened the door I was shocked to find clothes that were completely dry, but cool... just tumbling away with no heat. I looked at the timer to see it had only advanced a sliver from where I had set it originally. Huh. That's odd.

The next day I did what anyone would have done in my situation: Googled the hell out of my problem. From what I could tell a cycling switch and possibly a heat fuse had broken. I then watched a video on how to fix the problem which looked incredibly easy, so I ordered up the parts.

A couple days later when they arrived, I got myself setup to make the repair. When I unplugged the dryer I was surprised to find one of the prongs looked burnt/melted, but, I figured since the dryer was still running, it must be OK. So, I installed the new switch and fuse and fired her up. No dice. There was still no heat. Hmm..

I did some more Googling and wasn't 100% satisfied that ordering other parts would fix the issue. I finally decided I needed to stop guessing and actually test all the components in the dryer to see which one was broken. So, I broke out Seth's trusty multimeter and proceeded to test all the dryer parts. Imagine my shock when they all tested good. What the heck was going on?

I think I finally must have decided to check on the burnt power cord and I'm glad I did. Apparently those crazy power cords will keep running the dryer, but the prong that goes to the heat just won't work. Most likely the connection in the outlet was bad or loose and it arced and damaged the plug.

Well, at this point I decided this was a job for the professionals. We called in a real electrician to replace the outlet and check the wiring to make sure it was OK. I replaced the fried power cord on the dryer and that was that. It scares me to think what could have happened. The laundry room is right beneath Sylvie's room and something like that could have easily started a fire. Needless to say I'm never going to run the dryer at night again.

Letters to Sylvie: 14 Months

Dear Sylvie,

All of a sudden you seem so much older. I look at you sitting in your high chair and I see a little toddler, not my tiny baby. Everyday you seem to learn something new and it's so fun to see you progress.

You are all about pointing. From the moment you wake up before you are even fully conscious, you will start pointing at everything and jabbering away "Aya! aya! aya!" We frequently walk around the house and I'll name stuff as you point at it. You like to point to Daddy in the family pictures and have me name all the spices up on the wall in the kitchen. You've also begun to point out objects when I name them. I'll say, "Where's a spoon?" and you'll point to the spoon I'm holding as I feed you. You also frequently get light, puppy, kitty, Daddy, toes, and tree. You're still working on Mommy and nose. You haven't really said anything other than Daddy, but you're convinced you're talking when you say "da" and "aya" and any other random babbling.

I finally gave in and put away your Jumperoo. You've decided you're a big girl and don't like to play with the baby toy. You have to be moving around! Luckily you've found a few new toys that are more suitable. You love to go into a room and close the door so Mommy or Daddy can't get you. As soon as we open the door you're off and crawling away laughing. You are also obsessed with playing in the kitchen drawers. There is a perpetual layer of spatulas, measuring cups, and other utensils strewn about the floor. You open and close the drawers, take things out, put them in, chew on things, etc.

You've been pulling yourself up to stand for a while now but didn't seem too interested in walking. You wouldn't stand up when I held your hands or walk with your puppy walker that Grandma Denise gave you for your birthday. A couple weeks ago your Aunt Corinne sent you another walker toy which we opened at Grandma & Grandpa's house. Within 2 minutes you were walking all around the house like a pro. Since then you're all about walking. You walk with Mommy, you walk with your puppy, and cruise around all the furniture. I think you just don't like to tackle new physical feats until you're sure you can do it. This morning I let go of you momentarily while you were standing and for a couple seconds you stood there by yourself. Pretty soon you'll be walking on your own!

You have taken much more interest in eating recently which makes me really happy. Your little chunka cheeks are getting bigger by the day and it makes me so proud to see my baby so healthy and chubby. Your daddy makes you pancakes or waffles every morning when you wake up and you readily scarf them down. You love anything in the bread family. We keep a stash of Ritz crackers in the car and I'll hand you one periodically when you're getting fussy. I love to feel your little hand take the cracker and hear the tiny crunch noise when you take a bite. I don't think there's anything cuter than you eating a cracker. Other foods you currently like include tuna casserole, penne pasta with tomato sauce, macaroni and cheese, peas, fries, Cheerios, and raspberries. Yogurt seems to be on its way out and you're not a big fan of meat yet.

You are growing into quite the affectionate girl. You'll boop my nose with your nose or give me a kiss when I ask you too. You are also usually quite gentle to Gracie and pat her or boop her nose. You've also taken to grabbing books and coming over to the rocking chair and wanting to be put in mommy or daddy's lap to read. Your favorite books at the moment are "Blue Hat, Green Hat" or "Oops" as I call it, and "Goodnight Moon."

I recently caved and gave you your first haircut. Granted I only got to snip at your hair a couple times before you were through, but I think I toned down the schmullet look a little.

I know I say this a lot, but I sure do love you Sylvie. Being a mom is so much more amazing than I ever dreamed. You mean the world to me and I'm so lucky to have you.

I love you Buggaboogie.

Love, Mama

Does This Make Me Part of the Illuminati?

 

Probably since Sylvie was born I've wanted to build her one of those small bookshelves made out of a pallet. You know... those ones you always see on the Pinterest. Well this morning I was telling Seth all about it and he's like "We have a pallet behind the shed you know." WHA?! Turns out my dad gave us a pallet to use as firewood and Seth hadn't gotten around to chopping it up yet. SCORE!

So, I spent the next hour and a half sawing, sanding, and painting. I am now the proud new owner of a pallet bookshelf! Or Sylvie is. It's the perfect size to fit into her small room and I can hang her nice books out of reach so she can't tear them apart. Let's just hope I sanded it well enough that she doesn't get a hand full of splinters.

 

 

 

Just a short note on the actual execution of this project. It was really pretty easy, although all pallets are not created equal. The pallet I had to work with only had one section that was usable as a bookshelf because most of the boards were broken or splitting or were reinforced by extra pieces of wood that would have been too time consuming to remove. The section I ended up using wasn't perfect but I figured it's supposed to look rustic, so it was alright. I used a reciprocating saw to cut my pallet apart but a jigsaw would be preferable as it makes a little more accurate cuts. But, again, I figured it was going to look rustic so I did it the lazy way and eyeballed all the cuts and didn't sweat it when they were a bit crooked. The tutorial I used said you could reuse the nails removed, but me and nails don't get along so I just used some wood screws to put the bottom piece (removed from another section of the pallet with a pry bar) on. Luckily, we also had an orbital sander and some sanding disks left over from refinishing our wood floor so that made the sanding part way easier. Sanding by hand sucks. Also, since I used a different section of the pallet (and I probably did it wrong), there was a bit of a gap at the bottom of my bookshelf. Hopefully all the books don't fall out. But, I figure I can always doctor it up with a ribbon or something if I have to, right?

 

At any rate, I call this a win. I pinned something on Pinterest and actually made it and it worked. So there.