One Year Later

We've lived in our home for a year now and it has housed 365 plus memories. The most sharable moments have furnished this humble abode on every floor and in every room (some not so sharable ones too *cough cough wink wink*) My best and worst meals were cooked in this kitchen. The greatest snuggles have been had in all spots possible and the greatest fights. Parties were thrown, enjoyed and cleaned up after many a week ends. I gave birth to Julius right in the living room before the hardwood floors were even finished.

We came, we saw, we knocked down walls and built more usable spaces. It's still a work in progress , an unfinished piece, history in the making and I'm so proud and great full to be a part of making it our home. 

The first aspiration was fitting the couch and the king bed through the front door. Since than the man of the house has been unstoppabley transforming the place inside and out. He built a shed and recruited the eldest babe to help with the finishing touches. He tore down kitchen walls and put in cabinets. I helped sand and mud during the beginning of my matt leave but for everything low to the ground there was two younger babes who enjoyed being daddies little helpers. The home is as unique as each of us because we all played a role in its fruition.

What's the first rule of fight club? Say sorry to your sibling when it's all over. Our back yard and basement have been the kickboxing ring and the karate dojo. It always starts out as a fun idea unfortunately no-one has ever came out unscathed. What's a battle wound without a good story behind it? Except when the story is told by a seven year old with a bite mark I supposed. All is fair in love and war, I tell the babes it's a good way to learn each others boundaries. 

After almost a whole summer of hot dogs or chicken with rice I had to strap on my apron and meal plan some more family friendly meals. Some recipes were very well received and others quite literally trashed. The kids will try almost anything involving cheese or "chicken" especially if bribed with ice cream. That only works some days though, if there's too much cheese a complaint is filed. If there's not enough cheese a comment is dropped and if you take to long to answer "Is this chicken?" a concern is raised. Us adults like things spicy so during the week I make more elaborate meals. There's been days we couldn't finish a dish fast enough, on the contrary there's been meals we couldn't finish. But hey ice cream makes things better for us big kids too. I'm doing much better than I was a year ago.

(I'm also doing much more laundry and dishes and supervising and question answering and bath bubbling and hair styling and get ready on timing aka loving.)

Our friends are as welcomed here as our family. We have the best neighbours on both sides who have rung in a surprise birthday and a New Year with us! Coworkers have gathered after hours around the bbq and gal pals have gathered around Julius. When the music is up and the twinkle lights are hung the house becomes everybody's home for the evening right until the morning after. 

I will never forget pushing a human out of me. To make the day even more memorable we get to say to our guests "Yeap right there in front of the couch!"  It was perhaps the most intimate and intrinsic day of my life. Besides the whole story that's really all I can say! Our first week together the whole main level was being re floored. Newborns can really sleep through anything. (except the nights ...)

Now that the housely rigamarole is becoming just second nature to me I can't wait to start enjoying all the growth we will all share here. The kid's worlds are getting bigger and so are they. We're becoming better parents and worse sleepers. The house is transforming every season as is everything else around it. I welcome the mysteries and the duties of the next 16 years plus!

I can't wait to share it all with yous too.