One tiny American problem

Caelen was born in the US and he's never been off American soil. He has an American birth certificate, a Social Security Card, health insurance, and he's sporting a Bernie Sanders button on his Ergo carrier like a local. Like many American babies, he's the first generation born here to two Green Card holders. Caelen is also allowed to become a dual Canadian citizen so as soon as we had his birth certificate and Social Security number we applied for a Canadian citizenship and passport. There are no consular services here so Joel had to take the application into the Canadian Embassy office in San Francisco to have his application witnessed and checked for accuracy and then sent to Canada. Low and behold, those applications were returned citing a lack of photo ID. Photo ID is something hospitals make for each baby born in an institution but for a baby born at home or a birth centre, there is no ID card given. This wasn't a problem for this application when we did it for Austen in Singapore. We don't really want to have Caelen traveling on a US passport as it separates our family but it seemed like the only way to get his Canadian passport would be to get the American one first. We had to apply in person so the clerk at the passport office could see and photograph Caelen. A few weeks later THAT application was returned with a letter stating there isn't sufficient evidence that he was born in the United States. They rejected both his birth certificate and Social Security card stating that he needed additional evidence due to the fact that he was a non institutional birth. [headdesk] They sent a list of additional pieces of evidence needed to support his citizenship claim. On the list were two items that are actually illegal for me to obtain or mail to them. Armed with a stack of visa bills, receipts, letters from Joel's employer and my midwife, we've sent off a parcel to the Department of State. Now we wait.

To be continued...

A Mini Live-Away Adventure X4

We've been suffering from the travel bug since the one year mark in our new home. Yes, I know. At one year I was holding a newborn baby with a nearly three year old gnawing on my ankle but that didn't stop the yearning to try to take them somewhere. We took a trip to LA and Carmel when Caelen was three weeks old and it went pretty well so we began to envision our next travel opportunity. Joel usually spends a good chunk of time each year in Montreal as he works with a team of guys based there and given the weak Canadian dollar we realized we could swing spending an extended period of time away in Canada especially if we could rent out our home here. And so it was arranged. This Summer we're taking off for a mini live-away adventure in Montreal. Expats in our home country but in a city where neither of us has ever lived. We have 8 weeks to organize a renter for the house, a cat-sitter (if renter cat-sits that would be great) hire a French tutor and figure out our side trips to visit friends and family. Oh yes... and that kitchen reno really must end. I'll be blogging this crazy Summer. 

Fun fact: In 2002 a much younger Stacey & Joel traveled to Montreal on their first trip together. 

The Kitchen Progress

So remember that post way back in the fall when I posted a picture of a kitchen reno in progress? Well here's a little before and after of that project.

The kitchen side one, when we moved into the house

The Kitchen side one, all finished!

Stuff we did:

• New Brazilian cherry hardwood floor to match the rest of the house went in just before we moved into the house.
• Joel installed the new Kenmore Elite convection double ovens to replace the 1963 Chambers double ovens. 
• The hardwood drawer fronts and cupboard doors were sanded down, primed and painted with a paint sprayer (about 5-6 coats)
• The whole frame around the cupboards had to be rebuilt to hold the new butcher block
• The butcher block was custom made here in Marin and installed (it weighs a ton!)
• Oiled bronze pulls were ordered from Lee Valley - gotta support our favourite Canadian hardware!
• Benjamin Moore chalkboard paint in that deep warm grey was used on flat areas around the back of the kitchen island and up the side of the oven cupboard area.