This house is now a home

Just 3 weeks after our move, I am glad to say that our house is already starting to feel like a home.  It was a bit rocky at first, but we’re all feeling very settled now.  I tried hard to explain the move to Rya before it happened, but it’s pretty difficult to be logical with a two year-old.  When we were still doing trips back and forth between houses, I said to Rya “this is our old house and tomorrow we’re going to our new house”.  Her insightful response was “mama, this no house, this home”.  Up until that point, I guess I had always referred to our home as just that – and so Rya literally and figuratively thought that it couldn’t be anything other than her home.  For the first few days after the move, every time we pulled up in the driveway and announced “we’re home”, Rya would declare from the backseat: “no, not this one”.  Sometimes she would complain “it’s too big” (not because it is, but because that’s the only description she could think of to differentiate the houses…just like she calls any food she doesn’t like ‘too spicy’ and says ‘brrr, too cold’ when she doesn’t want to go outside...even in 25 degree weather!). 

Once we managed to convince Rya that this home was the best place for us, Ivan and I had to test our own decision as well.  One of the main reasons we decided to move was because our research suggested that it would be several years before our previous community, Copperfield, would ever get a school.  And then…on our closing date…we heard the announcement on the radio that the provincial budget allocated funds for several new schools in Calgary including one right down the street from our ‘old house’.  Ivan spent the evening slapping his forehead and I spent the evening trying to convince him that it was still the right decision, even though I was wondering if I was telling the truth.  But after letting the information soak in for a few days, we quickly remembered the many other reasons we had wanted to move.  Our new location really suits us well.  So far we’ve gone for short evening walks to the pool, for dinner, for ice cream…and of course to Calgary’s newest Target store.  We’ve also managed to find a family doctor, a Montessori school for Rya, and a dayhome for baby – all close to home.  And probably the nicest bonus, is a close walk to the community lake, which is actually a lot nicer than I had even imagined.  I’ve always found water to be calming, and it’s nice to know that the girls can always have that option nearby.  The house itself is really cozy and practical.  The finished basement is a nice place to leave messy for the babies, and even has a mini-sized playroom that Ivan has essentially transformed into a classroom.  I definitely miss the shiny-ness that can only come with a brand new house.  But when I join Ivan’s vivid daydreams of what our fixer upper will look like after a few renovations, I fall in love with it even more.

All in all, we’re really happy with our ‘new old’ home, and are moving through the stages of grief for the new old house we left ; )

On the move...

As some of you may already know – today was moving day for us!  Ivan & I made a somewhat impulsive, yet well researched decision to move this year…and it ended up happening faster than expected.  In December we started thinking about finishing the basement to add a guestspace since Rya decided the double bed we had intended for guests is actually hers.  By December we realized it would probably cost more to finish the basement than a new downpayment so we told ourselves we would ‘just look’ this year and maybe move next year.  By February I convinced Ivan that interest rates are too good to pass up so when we found a house we loved in March, we went for it.  We quickly organized and staged our house and must’ve done a good job since it sold on the first day on the market (which Ivan was very relieved about since he had to coordinate a carpet cleaning appointment with 3 showings and 2 babies!).  Our adrenalyn helped us to pack up within our 30 day move and today it finally became real.  Ivan & I loaded & unloaded a truck with all the boxes we could squeeze in and are getting some friends to help with the heavy stuff tomorrow…plus of course babysitters to help the process go smoother. 

I definitely have some mixed feelings about our move since our house has been so special to us.  I literally had my babies in this house (which I did not advertise on MLS), and Ivan and I transformed from a couple into parents here.  This house was brand new so we’ve enjoyed the luxury of low maintenance and more space than we need.  Don’t get me wrong – I love my walk-in closet and soaker tub…but we re-evaluated our wishlist and realized that those have fallen lower on our priority list.  Our new area also means we don’t yet have a school and although we could wait a couple more years, it isn’t looking promising.  Our current neighborhood is quiet, but that’s also because it’s not exactly near anything.  The neighborhood we’re moving to is called ‘Sundance’, which reminds us a bit more of ‘home’ in Toronto.  Our house is a 15 minute walk to everything from the train station to shopping to a YMCA.  It’s one of Calgary’s lake communities so we can take the kids for a dip and even canoeing or paddleboating in the summer!  And it has all 3 levels of schools so our girls won’t have to wake up early for long bus rides.  Since it’s a more established community, the house we bought is older and a bit smaller – but we’re actually happy about that since it seems to have more practical space than we have now.  The basement is finished with a guestroom and even has a tiny little playroom that will be a perfect hideout for the kiddies.  It’s a split-level style of house, which I’ve always really wanted for the cozy factor.  Ivan’s going to miss his garden, but the new yard has a large deck we love and the the house has a wood burning fireplace, which he’s always wanted.  All in all, the few things we’ll miss are small compared to the many things we love about our new home and neighborhood. 

So off I go to bed for the last time in Copperfield…and fingers crossed that Rya adjusts to her new home as quickly as we do. 

Mrs. Dubbies

Since I apparently forgot to share any new updates on baby in my last post, I will catch up with a blog entirely about her.  First off, we are still finding it nearly impossible to call her by her name, so poor little Kassiah is usually referred to as Chubbz, Chubbies, Chubba-Doosky, or Chubby Dubbies.  My mom keeps reminding me that we’d better stop before she understands and gets offended, so the best we can do is call her ‘Mrs. Dubbies’ as a code word : )

Mrs. Dubbies is 9 months old today!  Whereas I didn’t really feel the ‘time flies’ syndrome so much with Rya, it is totally true with Mrs. Dubbies.  I guess since it’s harder to stop and enjoy the little moments when you have two, Mrs. Dubbies seems to be growing up overnight.  She still sleeps in my bed (which I have to admit, I’m far more addicted to than she is) and it never fails that in my sleepy daze I wonder why Mariah is still breastfeeding since Mrs. Dubbies is so big that she can’t possibly be my ‘baby’.  Lucky for us her cuddliness persists throughout the day as well.  Some babies push you away when you lean in for a hug or kiss…but not Mrs. Dubbies.  She leans right back in and usually ends up with her face hiding in the crevice of your neck.  As the name suggests, Mrs. Dubbies continues to have rolls upon rolls of places to kiss and she usually shrieks and then giggles when you do.  Her other noises include ‘ba-ba-ba’s (which she does extras of when she sees a phone), ‘aaaah’ (which daddy taught her to do when he pours warm water on her back at bath time), and care of her older sister’s annoying habit: ‘eh-eh-eh’, when she wants something out of reach.  Sometimes Mrs. Dubbies combines her ba-ba’s with the action of banging her face against the couch cushions when she pulls herself up to a stand.  And she learned ‘the hard way’ that it’s not a good idea to try this on the bathtub or the dining table!

Mrs. Dubbies’ has a love-hate relationship with her big sister.  She has mostly learned to avoid her since Rya loves to push, kick & bite for no other reason than jealousy and because she can.  But when the two of them are sitting down quietly together, it’s usually because Rya’s feeding Mrs. Dubbies some fries or nuggets, which Mrs. Dubbies is smarter enough to enjoy in silence.  Mrs. Dubbies is slowly starting to experiment with crawling and independence.  She seems more content at night after Rya’s bedtime since she knows she can roam around without any threats nearby.  But their (and Ivan’s) favourite time of day is laying them both down in bed together when they first wake up in the morning.  Sometimes Rya plays with Mrs. Dubbies hair and they chat away together for several minutes until one gets tired of the girl time.  It’s such a nice image of the future – can’t wait to watch our girls turn into bff’s!

Fun in the Sun

Nearly 5 years after our destination wedding, Ivan and I decided it was finally about time for another hot getaway.  The four of us just returned from a week in Florida together, visiting ‘Oma & Papa’ (Ivan’s dad & stepmom).  We’ve never been away during the winter before, so it almost felt like we were cheating nature to escape the snow and trade it in for palm trees. 

Since Mariah recently turned two, it was her first time needing her own seat on the plane.  We thought this might make life easier since she usually enjoys feeling like a big girl.  But one thing she likes more than independence is being a rebel – so she was not very happy with the flight attendants who insisted that she sit down with her seatbelt on.  Ivan and I wised up on the flight back – we left at bedtime, and had plenty of lollipops, coloring books, and a handy little blanket that just happened to cover the area where Mariah’s seatbelt may or may not have been buckled. 

But all the heartache of flying was well worth the excitement of the trip.  Oma & Papa have a winter home right on a canal, so each morning we awoke to a sunny sky overlooking the calm water.  Rya fell right into place since she has thoroughly been missing fresh air and outdoor activities.  She would run outside in her pajamas each day to talk to the dogs and sort rocks.  Some days we fished off the dock or hopped onto the pontoon boat for a quick ride down the canal.  We had a good balance of small sightseeing and shopping trips, and made pit stops at some great restaurants.  But best of all was the beach, which had lots in store for everyone.  Ivan and his dad smiled from ear to ear as they flew the kites they had spent the first couple of days making together.  Oma and her little bff snuggled and enjoyed long walks on the beach together.  Rya spent hours playing in the sand as I laid down next to her enjoying the sun.  And every now and then we all gave in to the temptation of the crashing waves, for a quick dip.  It was nice to see the girls spending quality time with their grandparents, and of course, it was an added bonus to have babysitters on hand so that Ivan and I could squeeze in some rest too : )

Papa G & Kassiah

Oma and her pal

Life These Days

Lots to catch up on…where shall I start?  Well I went ‘back to work’ in mid-December, and switched off with Ivan who is now at home on parental leave.  The change was welcomed by us both since Ivan is really glad to have more quality time with the girls, and I am a much happier person when my life involves routine, structure, and adult-contact.  For the most part, the girls are adjusting really well too.  Rya has quickly made the pendulum swing back from being mommy’s bff to being a daddy’s girl.  And Chubbies--I mean Tubbies--I mean Kassiah doesn’t seem too concerned that I’m gone during the day.  She has however, declared a bit of a hunger strike since she completely refuses any type of liquid in a bottle.  But luckily she started solids soon after I returned to work, so she just holds out without a fuss until I return and then quenches her thirst throughout the evening and night.  Luckily, I haven’t experienced any embarrassing ‘leaks’ as yet at work.  But I swear, as soon as baby even crosses my mind, my boobs start to tingle and I have to tell them to stop!  (TMI, but at least my co-workers who read this will understand if they see me having a conversation with my chest).

Incase you guessed it, this also means that Kassiah’s not quite sleep trained.  We’ve put a bit of an inconsistent effort into crib training her, and she had gotten down to about 1 waking per night.  But since I don’t mind the extra cuddle time with her, and since I find it easier than getting out of bed in a daze – I’ve granted her another 2 month extension on her co-sleeping privileges before re-assessing : )

Kassiah is now 7 months old.  She had a slow start to crawling last month and is still working on her technique, but she’s definitely mobile.  She recently started ‘bababa-ing’, sometimes even on command if one of us say it.  Her hair is getting pretty long, so Ivan usually gives her a fountain pony tail in the front or 2 little pig tails on either side, so that she can see what’s in front of her.  Kassiah’s started to try and pull herself up lately, but doesn’t know quite what to do once she’s there so she usually just looks fearful and then collapses.  Like many others, I’ve learned that it’s a bit of a curse to have a smart first child since it makes you look at the second one like ‘what’s wrong with this kid?’.  By now, Mariah was crawling at full speed and even doing the stairs.  But then again, she didn’t have much weight to carry around whereas Kassiah…umm…does.

Mariah is stringing words together into small cute phrases and sentences.  When she wants me to pass Kassiah to Ivan, she says ‘Carry-you baby, daddy’.  When she’s trying to stop one of us from heading out the door, she screams ‘Wait!  Mommy/Daddy…don’t do it!’ (which is why I usually sneak out before she wakes up in the morning).  One day, when I asked her to eat dinner, she told me ‘You wish’ with a sneaky look in her face.  I don’t think she had any idea what it meant, but she knew it was bad and that’s all that mattered.  We later realized she got it from a scene in her latest favourite movie, Iceage (or should I say ‘movies’ since she watches parts 1-4 regularly).  Rya is still a feisty little creature who occasionally talks i.e. yells back at us.  If she’s done something rude and we tell her so, she often growls back ‘no wude’ and if I then say excuse me, she growls ‘no coo-me!’.  I was starting to tell Ivan it was getting out of hand when she yelled ‘let go’ in response to him trying to playfight with her.  But, as usual, he reminded me that it’s such a rare & important skill for young girls to stand up for themselves and set boundaries.  So we’ll continue to keep her in line when we can, but not worry too much when her personality matches her wild hair. 

When I tell other women that my husband is at home with the kids, they usually look at me with confusion and horror as they process what would happen if their husband stayed at home.  But I just smile and tell them ‘my husband’s a kindergarten teacher’ (the way someone would say in a movie – ‘don’t worry, he's a cop’) and then a look of understanding washes over them.  Ivan has transformed our basement into a mini-classroom with sensory bins, a playhouse, a toy kitchen…and even gets Mariah to do painting and crafts that make me uneasy just thinking about the mess.  He truly loves being a teacher and a dad, and it’s so amazing to see him enjoy doing both.  The babies may not get out of their pajamas some days…but they’re fed, they’re happy, and they’ve spent the day engaging in a world of fun that only their daddy could create.