When Woman’s Day visits The Block NZ favourite Dylan “Big Dyls” Cossey and his wife Libby at their Napier home, the house is still very much a building site, with tools and tins of paint strewn across bare floors.
The only room that’s complete is the gorgeously decorated nursery, where their baby daughter Bloem Isla sleeps surrounded by pink-striped walls and showroom-style furnishings. There’s also a walk-in wardrobe and a ceiling covered in a galaxy of twinkling LED lights.
“She loves her stars,” tells builder Dyls, 29. “She was being a real witch last night, so we turned the lights on and she just lay there sucking her thumb.”
He and police detective Libby, 33, moved from his hometown of Mount Maunganui to their new “fixer-upper” when she was seven months pregnant, in order to be closer to Libby’s family. The very next day, Dyls started work on the baby’s room.
“I would’ve been scalped if I didn’t,” he grins. “I finished it two weeks before Libs calved, which was pretty intense. I wouldn’t recommend combining work, house renovations and fatherhood. After The Block, this is the last reno!”
Libby’s waters broke two days after her due date, at 1am. She tells, “It wasn’t like Huka Falls, so I went back to bed. At 6am, I told Dyls and he didn’t believe me.”
Her husband shrugs, “I thought she was having a yarn, but I eventually told my boss I wasn’t coming in that day.”
At 9am, the pair headed for Hawke’s Bay Hospital and just over two hours later, Bloem arrived. Libby recalls, “It was quite fast, with no painkillers. She came out happy as Larry and went straight to the boob. I was hungry too, so I sent Dyls to get me some wedges while I was still on the delivery table.”
Her proud hubby adds, “It was emotional. The hardest thing was seeing Libs in pain. I just wanted to take all of it. She was a champion. I was the one crying when the baby came out.”
Bloem’s unusual name – Dutch for flower, pronounced “bloom” – was inspired by a little girl the couple met at the Mount.
Dyls explains, “She had a broken leg and was wiggling around in her wheelchair. She was so sassy and cute, we had to steal her name.”
For the first few days at home, Bloem just slept and fed. “She didn’t cry,” says Libby. “We heard nightmare stories, but she was a dream.”
Nodding, Dyls continues, “It was ecstasy. It was like I’d found my calling. I always wanted to be a dad. Life’s not just about me now – it’s about my wife and daughter.”
Despite her name, Bloem is no delicate blossom. “She’s quite independent already,” her mum tells. “She doesn’t like to be cuddled or kissed too much – she’d rather let us know when she needs us.”
Dyls adds, “She’s really chill. I can fire up the table saw and she’ll sleep through it. Apparently, if she’s a good baby, she’ll be a bad teenager, but I’ll put bars on the windows and her mum’s a detective, so she’s screwed!”
The Block star is a hands-on dad, regularly changing nappies. Libby smirks, “He’d get a hiding if he didn’t!” And the couple are already talking about adding to their family.
“I hadn’t got out of the delivery room before he asked me if I wanted another one,” says Libby. “We’ll probably have one more.”
Grinning, Dyls adds, “Well, I’ve always wanted three and I’m still pushing for it. We can fit that many in the back of the ute!”
