I was so overwhelmed by the issue that I almost gave up on the idea of Chris and I renting a house and felt we may have to stick to renting an apartment for the first two years of our children's lives just because of this one teeny, tiny issue.
Well, what if we had more than one child? What if we have three or four children, as we do have four frozen embryos. I really didn't want to have to be cramped living in an apartment if we didn't have to. I wanted to have a house...a yard, perhaps a playground near by...
Yesterday, we went to look at a townhouse for rent. These townhouses are very different than most town homes as they look like low level apartment buildings from the outside. You have to walk into the building, to reach each individual town homes' door. This REALLY appeals to me.
One of my concerns from moving from an apartment to a house was our cat. I was afraid he might try and scoot outside once he saw the front door opened to the outside world. Mycah is not a runner, but he does get curious sometimes when the front of our apartment door is open. I know I wouldn't be able to chase after the cat with a baby and I can't stand the idea of Mycah being unsafe in the world outside, lost without us...
Another great feature about this style of townhouse as opposed to a traditional townhouse is the front entrance way isn't an issue. Most homes have 2 to 4 steps (on average) to walk up before reaching the front door. That's not something I can do with a stroller or a cart full of groceries or even on a wintry icy day. There was only one small step to reach the front hallway door of the townhouse and there was no steps inside at each person's front door as its designed like an apartment front door with just a simple threshold to step over.
But... the stairs issue was still bothering me.... how was I going to solve carrying the wee one up and down the stairs when Chris wasn't home during the day?
For most people, this isn't much of an issue. They have enough balance to hold the baby in one arm and use the banister with the other hand. However, I don't have that luxury. Thankfully one of the one requirements about the structure of the stairs was met. I can not walk up stairs that have that grand curve the fancy stairs. Y'know the kind I mean.... The ones that look like this?
Now, this staircase frightens me! It's open and I can see over the side, giving me a sense that I could lose my balance easily. The curve of the staircase means I have to think about where I'm placing my foot on each step as I balance more awkwardly to accommodate the curve of the stairs and finally the stairs are wide enough that I probably can't touch the wall as I'm holding onto the banister, so I would only have one hand on the banister for balancing as opposed to two.
I work best with straight stairs, preferably carpeted where there's a landing after 4 to 6 stairs so I don't get overwhelmed when I look down at the stairs. Sometimes, seeing the length of the stairs completely overtakes my panic and I stop dead in my tracks, rigid and afraid to move because I could fall a long way to the bottom.
I know it's completely irrational. I have only fallen down the stairs twice in my life. I tend to fall up the stairs more often than down, as I trip on the next step, not placing my foot high enough to avoid catching the lip of the step in front of me.
It's silly to be this detailed about the requirements of the stairs in our home...but it's something I don't have a choice about. I am disabled and I do require certain details about a home to be considered and typically these are things most people wouldn't even think about.
So, getting back to the stairs in this townhouse we looked at. The stairs met all of my requirements but one. They weren't carpeted. (I could slip more easily on non-carpeted stairs) That's not a big deal...with non-carpeted stairs I just wear slippers. Heck, I usually wear slippers all the time anyhow as our apartment is non-carpeted and I don't want to slip just walking around here, too.
The stairs had a landing going up to the bedrooms and also down to the unfinished basement. I could touch the wall quite easily while hanging onto the banister and I felt safe and comfortable while walking on them. I was thrilled. But still... the question kept looming over me. How was I going to carry the baby up and down these stairs when Chris wasn't here?
This morning I think I've come up with an answer. Baby sling/carrier. I know! Such a simple solution, right? Why didn't I think of it before?
This is completely possible...
Now...I guess you're all wondering what's going to happen to our job and all that, since we're supers and must live on site to work here? Yeah... well...that's details for another day. One thing at a time. The baby carrier dilemma is solved.
............Now to just get pregnant and give birth n' all that....chuckles...(By the way, I should be starting my cycle this week and then calling the doc's office to set up an ultrasound appointment to check out my uterus one last time before The Embryo Transfer Day is scheduled. Whoo-hoo!)
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