Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Achieving Your Childhood Dreams
I've been inspired recently to write, not only from the wonderful comments I flourish in about my blog, but also by one of the books I just recently finished reading: Randy Pausch's "The Last Lecture" which centers around achieving your dreams, and how to lead your life. I LOVED this book and plan to read it at least once a year, so that its messages will remain instilled in my brain. Anyway, a dream of mine has always been to write a book. I think it started in grade 4 or 5, when I began writing stories for my parents and teachers. I'm not yet sure if I'll start with a children's book or a chick book, and whether or not it ever gets looked at by anyone other than my immediately family (and friends perhaps), it's officially on the bucket list now and I plan to pursue the achievement of this goal!
Mommy's Little Helper
Andrew LOVES to help Mommy. Whether it's vacuuming, mopping, cooking, doing laundry, dishes, whatever, he wants to do his share. (it brought back memories of my youngest nephew, Nicholas, who balled his eyes out on Christmas Day one year because he was not allowed to wash the dishes!) The above shot is his contribution to cleaning the bathrooms, he did this one, while I was in the other bathroom, cleaning it! If you can't tell from the photo, the pink layer covering the floor around Andrew is indeed several rolls of toilet paper! Despite the fact that his cleaning assistance usually involves a significantly greater amount of clean-up work by Mommy, he has already proven himself in his "helper" role. The other day, after "taking care of some business" in the bathroom, I discovered there was no more toilet paper in the bathroom. So I said to Andrew "uh-oh, mommy needs some more toilet paper"...to which he immediately responded by running to the other bathroom and bringing back two more rolls of toilet paper! I was amazed! My friend recently commented that she is so delighted to be seeing me enjoy each and every milestone with Andrew and really embracing the joy of raising him...while other moms spend a lot of time just trying to "get through it". While there certainly are days whereby I am just trying (and struggling) to get through it, I do agree for the most part that I am embracing the joy of it all. I'm so glad I recognize NOW that this time flies by all too fast and I do my best to relish in every second of this incredible time. I know I've said it before, that this stage here is the cutest, the best, etc. and then the next stage creeps up and yep, it's even cuter and better than the last. I don't know yet exactly how the future stages will be, but I can say for certain, that the one he is in now, is absolutely the best. Despite the mischief, the tantrums, and the recent need of teaching discipline, Andrew puts the biggest smile on mine and Robert's faces each and every day, and an even bigger smile in our hearts.
Girls night out
Lots of sushi, lots of wine and lots of laughs. On Friday night, Mette hosted the latest "Girls night out" event at her flat in Juan-Les-Pins. The original plan was to make it a pot-luck dinner but it took little convincing on everyone's part to make it a "take-away" evening and a select few brought some yummy dessert. Pregnant Bec was kind enough to offer me a lift, which meant that I didn't have to worry about a) getting lost finding her place or b) consuming alcohol! Perhaps I've mentioned it before, but I feel so blessed for the friends I have here in France. We have so much in common in that we are almost all expats, we're at the same stage in life, same age, our kids are the same age, we share the same problems, the same joys, etc. It's a support system for me that I can't imagine being without. I was sharing a story about how on my last trip to Carrefour (grocery store), I was praying that I wouldn't run into anybody I knew. It had been my intent that day to drop off Andrew at daycare, run home and have a nice, long, peaceful shower before heading out for my errands. However, two minutes before pulling into the car park at home after I dropped Andrew off, (yes, I am really picking up on this British lingo stuff now!), the daycare called stating that Andrew had a fever so I had to go pick him up. Make a long story short, I thought it would be easiest to pick up the necessities (i.e. diapers that we were running out of) at the grocery store on my way home from picking Andrew up even though I hadn't yet showered and barely got out of my jammies. (and of course I ran into practically EVERYBODY I know!!!) Anyway, after sharing this story, beautiful Sarette ( who is a working mother of 3 year old and 6 month old) pipes up (in her adorable South African accent) and states that she hasn't bathed in three days!!! I thought I was going to pee my pants!!! Anyway, much of the conversation and further laughs, centered around talking about our kids, our husbands, discipline techniques, etc. and life in France in general. We all had a fabulous time and I'm already disappointed that I'll miss out on the "Christmas girls night out" event in December as I'll be in Florida by then.
Hablas espanol?
Ok, so the answer to that question for me is a definite no. Despite my introductory course to Spanish I took in adult education classes shortly after meeting Robert, my Spanish is rather limited, though I must say, I am starting to understand more and more of Robert's phone conversations with his mom and sis. However, it has been a strong desire of mine since even before Andrew was born, that Robert speak Spanish to Andrew. Robert did not feel the same desire but his only argument was that I would not be able to participate in the conversation. My arguments for teaching him what will now be a third language strongly outweigh his...and the earlier you teach a child a second language (or third in Andrew's case), the easier it will be for him to learn it. I've done all sorts of reading and research, and even without doing so, I know in my heart that it may very well benefit Andrew to know more than one language. I cannot even fathom living here without the benefit of the French I learned from a very early age. Robert's spanish has come in handy countless times...and I firmly believe that having the word "bilingual" on both of our resumes has contributed to securing many good job offers. Most of my friends here speak a very minimum of two languages, and the same goes for their kids. FINALLY, Daddy has agreed! (although a little bribing did help...he would get back scratches every night if he kept it up!!!) It's only been a few weeks and already, Andrew understands many Spanish words and can answer or follow simple instruction to a spanish question/command. And I am VERY happy!
Is my child clean?
That was one of the questions on the 50 page application for Andrew's "creche", aka daycare. EVERYTHING in France is complicated, and requires endless amounts of paperwork. (I'm still working on getting a replacement health insurance card after losing it in June...and each time I sent in the requested documentation, I receive another letter in the mail requesting something else). Robert is convinced that the inefficiency of French systems is entirely intentional and designed to create as many jobs as possible! It is a true fact that 25% of the French population work for the government. Anyway, so I'm filling out this daycare form and I come across the question: "Votre enfant est-il propre?" or something to that effect...which translates directly to "Is your child clean". If you look up "propre" in the French-English dictionary, you will find the word "clean". At the time, I thought it was a bit of an odd question, but not the first time I've come across something odd in France, so I checked off the "Oui" (Yes) box...there was room for comments on every line so I added (in French) "except at mealtime" as he is still a rather messy eater and definitely requires a bib. But I'm thinkin in my head, "of course my boy is clean, we have baths and showers all the time". Well, it wasn't until yesterday when I was discussing potty training with some friends in the babygroup and one of my French friends asked me if Andrew was "propre". It clicked. Andrew is indeed NOT propre, aka potty-trained!!! I bet the directrice at the daycare got a good kick out of my answer, or perhaps she did not understand my answer at all. Makes me wonder how many other such mistakes I've made since I moved to France!
Funnily enough, Andrew had a similar communication barrier with the babysitter today. She was telling me how well he had eaten, and advised that when he had finished his plate, he said "encore", which the babysitter interpreted to mean he wanted more. I am quite certain that what he really said was "ah gah" (all gone), in other words, he was done!
Funnily enough, Andrew had a similar communication barrier with the babysitter today. She was telling me how well he had eaten, and advised that when he had finished his plate, he said "encore", which the babysitter interpreted to mean he wanted more. I am quite certain that what he really said was "ah gah" (all gone), in other words, he was done!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Obama-mania!
It is certainly understandable that everyone in the United States was riveted by the recent election. I was amazed, however, to discover much of the same hype and attention to the matter over here. Many of my friends (French, Italian, Spanish or other) even got up in the middle of the night to view the final outcome. Admittedly, I have not always been the most knowledgeable one when it comes to the world and current events (my family is probably laughing right now), but now that the only English tv we get is news, things have changed! I had a lengthy discussion (in French) with one of Andrew's daycare teachers; she wasn't just interested, she was educated. She knew all about the election, and brought up issues such as swing states, John Mc Cain's VP choice and the latest poll numbers in our discussion. And I found one common thread: EVERYBODY over here was rooting for Barack Obama. On Wednesday, November 5th, I definitely saw and felt this nation over here rejoicing with the happy news.
The cutest little pumpkin in the whole wide world...
The 31st of October marked our second Halloween in France and the first one that we truly celebrated. All of the children dressed up for the Friday baby group (and one mommy, me of course - anyone at Life Care reading this is probably laughing at this cow costume and the fact that I STILL have it!!!...it was a BIG hit though!!!), we brought in some Halloween goodies, and that evening, I even got Robert in the spirit by ending the day with a little family pumpkin carving. Andrew was rather afraid of the "guts" inside the pumpkin and wouldn't put his hands anywhere near it, but was delighted with the final product, that we lit up and named Jack, until he smothered to his death about 48 hours later! I still miss the whole trick-or-treating custom, but I've been told that it can be found in certain villages, which I will remember for perhaps next year, when Andrew is a little bit older.
Working mother...
The month of October was a wonderfully quiet and uneventful month. We had all adjusted to being back in France after the summer. Robert's travel schedule had tamed considerably after a frantic travel month in September. We had no expectant visitors. (though we did enjoy our unexpected visitor's visit, when Deborah came to stay for two nights) Our weekends were spent roaming through new and unfamiliar villages in the region (St. Paul-de-Vence, Cagnes-Sur-Mer) stopping in the quaint little restaurants for wonderful lunches, and leisurely walks along the beach and into the local market. Andrew successfully completed his "adaptation" at the "creche" (daycare) and began two mornings per week. (and has since graduated to one full day and one half day and absolutely loves it).
I found myself thinking about work. An ad for a part-time accounting job at a local yachting agency REALLY caught my eye. And then in came an email from Bill with a couple of job assignments for Life Care! I readily accepted the assignments and found myself enjoying the work, even though I was often a little on the tired side, as most of the work was done in the evenings after Andrew went down for the night. I am now looking forward to the next assignment which will begin this week. I fully recognize that I am not a working mother in the true sense of the words but it feels good to have a little work balance in the mix.
I found myself thinking about work. An ad for a part-time accounting job at a local yachting agency REALLY caught my eye. And then in came an email from Bill with a couple of job assignments for Life Care! I readily accepted the assignments and found myself enjoying the work, even though I was often a little on the tired side, as most of the work was done in the evenings after Andrew went down for the night. I am now looking forward to the next assignment which will begin this week. I fully recognize that I am not a working mother in the true sense of the words but it feels good to have a little work balance in the mix.
Babyproofing and no more naps...
Our apartment now needs an instruction manual. Robert and I once thought we'd covered our bases quite well in this place when we'd taken all of the books off the low shelves of the bookcases, covered the outlets with babyproof plugs and kept all of the poisonous household items in a locked cupboard. We hadn't even begun. Now, each and every cupboard and drawer has a childproof latch; every lamp is secured to the wall with a bungy cord; every garbage can is mounted on a wall/shelving unit or towel rack; the kitchen has a baby gate installed at its entrance; the oven is secured shut with a bungy cord attached to a hook that Robert installed into the drawer alongside, the bathroom doors have duck tape covering the lock on the inside...the list is endless! And despite it all, our little adventurer still finds trouble or danger on a daily basis!
It's been almost a year since Andrew reduced himself to one nap per day, usually in the afternoons. Then all of a sudden, near the end of the summer, he stopped napping altogether. I tried everything...music, books upon books, rocking, soothing, pacifiers, milk, food, teddy bears, blankets, laying beside him, on the couch, in the bed, etc., etc. etc. to no avail. So I gave up. I discovered it was much easier for me to just play with him than to spend an hour or so in "wind-down mode" to no avail. The good thing is that nothing is centered around naptime anymore. We are free to do anything, anytime in the day. The bad part is that I desperately miss my "down time".
At times I have felt envious, even a little jealous, of friends whose children virtually never attempt to open a prohibited door or cupboard, let alone sleep for hours on end every afternoon. But upon sharing my feelings with other mom friends, I realize that every mother of a young child has her challenges and that perhaps the grass isn't necessarily greener on the other side. For example, Simona, mother of two-year old Mariachiara, who literally did not babyproof a single thing, and whose daughter has gone to sleep on demand pretty much since birth, is confronted with constant battle for each and every meal or snack. Mariachiara doesn't like to eat! Every meal time is an endless and exhausting game of trying to find what her daughter will eat and how to get her to eat it! Andrew on the flip side, loves to eat! He eats everything, and anything (except avacadoes) and devours everything on his plate at meal time at which point he dumps his dish upside down and declares "all gone" or rather "ahhh gahhh"! Mette's two-year old daughter Maya loves her afternoon naps. Immediately after lunch, she wants her "doudou", that's french for the cuddle toy that many kids development an attachment to, and goes to sleep wherever, perhaps the stroller if they are out, the bed if they are at home, etc. However, night time is a total nightmare. She resists in any way she possibly can. She's thirsty, hungry, has to pee, wants another book, etc. She often ends up crashing at 10 or 11 at night after hours of bedtime battles. She has tried to resolve the problem by either omitting the daytime nap or cutting it shorter; either way, Maya ends up being cranky and miserable all afternoon. Again, Andrew goes down at 7PM every night and very seldom wakes before 7AM. Robert and I have every evening free to ourselves, to eat a nice, quiet dinner alone, watch a tv program or a movie, etc. I have begun to adjust to no afternoon naps by using that time to take Andrew swimming. We live right down the street from the biggest aquatic complex in France, so what better way to spend a couple hours than a nice walk to the pool and some fun splashing in the pool, followed by nice, long side-by-side showers. And we even get to see the famed Olympic champion, winner of the 100m freestyle, Alain Bernard, training in the adjacent pool every time we go. We are considered "regulars" there at the pool now and I seldom even have to present my annual pass. The people who work there call Andrew the "champion nageur". (champion swimmer) He can already swim without water wings for as long as he can hold his breath! The funny thing is, these afternoon swims are really starting to tucker the little guy out, and he just started napping again when we get home from the pool!!!
It's been almost a year since Andrew reduced himself to one nap per day, usually in the afternoons. Then all of a sudden, near the end of the summer, he stopped napping altogether. I tried everything...music, books upon books, rocking, soothing, pacifiers, milk, food, teddy bears, blankets, laying beside him, on the couch, in the bed, etc., etc. etc. to no avail. So I gave up. I discovered it was much easier for me to just play with him than to spend an hour or so in "wind-down mode" to no avail. The good thing is that nothing is centered around naptime anymore. We are free to do anything, anytime in the day. The bad part is that I desperately miss my "down time".
At times I have felt envious, even a little jealous, of friends whose children virtually never attempt to open a prohibited door or cupboard, let alone sleep for hours on end every afternoon. But upon sharing my feelings with other mom friends, I realize that every mother of a young child has her challenges and that perhaps the grass isn't necessarily greener on the other side. For example, Simona, mother of two-year old Mariachiara, who literally did not babyproof a single thing, and whose daughter has gone to sleep on demand pretty much since birth, is confronted with constant battle for each and every meal or snack. Mariachiara doesn't like to eat! Every meal time is an endless and exhausting game of trying to find what her daughter will eat and how to get her to eat it! Andrew on the flip side, loves to eat! He eats everything, and anything (except avacadoes) and devours everything on his plate at meal time at which point he dumps his dish upside down and declares "all gone" or rather "ahhh gahhh"! Mette's two-year old daughter Maya loves her afternoon naps. Immediately after lunch, she wants her "doudou", that's french for the cuddle toy that many kids development an attachment to, and goes to sleep wherever, perhaps the stroller if they are out, the bed if they are at home, etc. However, night time is a total nightmare. She resists in any way she possibly can. She's thirsty, hungry, has to pee, wants another book, etc. She often ends up crashing at 10 or 11 at night after hours of bedtime battles. She has tried to resolve the problem by either omitting the daytime nap or cutting it shorter; either way, Maya ends up being cranky and miserable all afternoon. Again, Andrew goes down at 7PM every night and very seldom wakes before 7AM. Robert and I have every evening free to ourselves, to eat a nice, quiet dinner alone, watch a tv program or a movie, etc. I have begun to adjust to no afternoon naps by using that time to take Andrew swimming. We live right down the street from the biggest aquatic complex in France, so what better way to spend a couple hours than a nice walk to the pool and some fun splashing in the pool, followed by nice, long side-by-side showers. And we even get to see the famed Olympic champion, winner of the 100m freestyle, Alain Bernard, training in the adjacent pool every time we go. We are considered "regulars" there at the pool now and I seldom even have to present my annual pass. The people who work there call Andrew the "champion nageur". (champion swimmer) He can already swim without water wings for as long as he can hold his breath! The funny thing is, these afternoon swims are really starting to tucker the little guy out, and he just started napping again when we get home from the pool!!!
Our third guest in the south of France...
Mom's trip turned out to come at a great time. Although it was a difficult step for her, considering the original plans had included Don in her travels, it was indeed a diversion from the home in Oakville that was feeling a little bit empty, in between all of the visits from her wonderful friends. Mom got a small taste of French life, the crazy driving and roundabouts, the stressful grocery shopping excursions, the absence of a clothes dryer...but also a taste of the gourmet foods and wines, the tourist attractions (including Antibes, Juan-Les-Pins, Monaco, Cannes, Nice), some slot machines (of course!) and a scenic drive to Ventimiglia (coastal village in Italy), where she professed hands-down that she had the biggest meal of her entire life...I still laugh when thinking about the look on her face when the massive plates of food kept arriving on our table! (I had no trouble finishing each of my delicious plates...dessert included!) In between the touristy stuff, we had a good time hanging out with Mr. Bundle of Energy (aka Burbujitas) and watching lots of chick flicks in the evening.
Aunty Susie's getting married!!!
After the recent tragedy of Don's passing, it was wonderful to have something very happy to celebrate. When Susie called to announce her engagement, we were absolutely thrilled. It was Susie and Bill's two-year anniversary of dating, and they had gone off to Montreal for a dragon boat festival. Despite Bill's best-laid plans for a romantic proposal aboard a hot air balloon, high winds and stormy weather resulted in a more casual proposal in front of the hotel they were staying at, for which Susie mistakenly assumed was a joke! Upon realization of Bill's seriousness and upon sight of the ring, she quickly caught on and was overwhelmed with happiness. I can't even begin to describe the immense joy I feel in my heart for her and am already counting down the days til the big day: June 13, 2008. It will be an honour for me to stand by her, as her maid of honour, as she and Bill exchange their wedding vows. They are truly a magical couple that complement each other in every aspect and are just a joy to be around. I'm already starting to worry about how I will be able to maintain my composure throughout my speech at her wedding...better stock up on some serious Kleenex! I just wish I could be around more in advance of the wedding to help with the arrangements, go dress-shopping with her, etc.
Missing Don...
Five days before my scheduled flight back to Toronto for the summer, and just a few days after Colette left, the terrible phone call from Susie came, with the tragic news of Don's passing. It was in a restaurant in Toronto, where mom and Don were awaiting Susie and Bill's arrival, for a dinner together before heading off to the Blue Jay game. A massive heart attack ended his life in an instant. Although for Don, it was indeed a quick and painless death, it was very difficult for all of us who loved him, who never got any warning and no chance to say good-bye. Don was such a special man and wonderful human being. He was very special to me, to Robert and to Andrew and is sorely missed by all of us, not to mention my mom, and the endless list of loving friends and family he had. The number of people at his funeral in Buffalo was indeed a testament to how much he was loved, and by how many. The eulogy that Susie delivered, alongside Lorraine and I, was outstanding. Here it is:
Don’s Eulogy
When my mom first started mentioning this Don Smith fellow, we didn’t really know what to think and were definitely a bit sceptical. Then, when she was talking about marriage so soon after they had met, we really thought she’d gone nuts. However, as soon as we met him, it became so clear how happy they were and what a special person he was. I can assure you, all scepticism quickly vanished.
Don fit so easily into all of our lives and truly wanted to be a part of everything. We felt a connection with him immediately – he was so easy to talk to and to get to know. Almost from the beginning of their relationship, he became the source of fatherly wisdom and grandfatherly love that our lives had been missing. He was very quickly a welcome member of our family and he fit right in. He was the most loving and caring husband we could have ever asked for for our mom. He adopted us and our kids as his own. Don was an invaluable support to all of us. No matter what was going on, he was always there. If we needed help, without a moment’s hesitation, he would drop what he was doing to lend a hand. Whether it was for advice on career changes, relationship counselling, help with moving or just babysitting, Don was always around and was proud to help out. Just recently he spent hours upon hours researching the purchase of new appliances for Lorraine – the pages of notes and quotes and consumer reports were endless. His generosity knew no bounds.
He bonded immediately with all of my mom’s wonderful friends. I think when they saw them together at one of their first gatherings dressed up as Sonny and Cher ....and he wasn’t the one playing Sonny, we all knew he was a great match for our mom. In this past week, the phone messages, the letters and emails pouring in and the presence of all here today is a testament to what a valued friend Don was to so many. I know that many of my mom’s friends felt that they’d known Don for years.
Not only was he amazing in his treatment of my mother and us, but it was so heart warming to see the relationship he had with his kids. The way Don spoke of them, their spouses and the grand kids, it was so evident how much he loved them all. We would always ask how they were all doing and he would be able to tell us exactly what each of them had been up to in an almost up to the minute report. He was definitely a father to be envied. It meant so much to him to keep such close tabs on everyone’s lives, including all of his family and friends. No matter where my mom and Don went, he always kept in contact. Every cruise or trip they went on, Don provided us with a full account of every detail of their day, right down to every morsel of food that was consumed. No question about it, Don savoured every moment of his life!
We learned so many things from Don in the years that he was with us. We’d like to share a few of them.
10 things we learned from Don
Family and friends are the most important things in life.
For some people, it doesn’t matter how long they are in your life... they can impact it forever .
Even the most patient of men have their breaking points. For Don, it was getting stuck behind a slow guy in traffic. There was only way to get from A to B.... the fastest way.
A beer , whether in a pint glass or a bottle, can be consumed in one swallow with minimal effort
Despite major technological advances, cell phones are still not water proof... Don learned that lesson several times
A rather large man plus a minor case of imbalance plus a small fishing boat can equal a shipwreck within seconds.
Hanging mirrors with tape probably isn’t the best idea.
A hug from a man like Don really can make everything better.
Nothing melts your heart like seeing a grandpa making his grandchildren laugh... and he was certainly the best at it.
Love can be found at any age.... and it is definitely worth waiting for.
Don lived every day like it might be his last and he definitely made the most out of each and every day. I used to get exhausted just hearing about all of their plans for travelling whether it was exploring South America or the Baltic Sea or just driving down to Florida with 10 stops along the way to see various family and friends. Somebody was always coming for a visit, maybe just for dinner or sometimes to stay for a week. They were always going out – to golf or for dinner with friends – they had the most active social life of anyone we knew. Mom has recently said that they put a really good dent into their “bucketlists” in the past couple of years..... We should all learn from him and focus more on living for the moment. Life throws curve balls and we never know what lies around the corner and Don has taught us that each day is a precious gift to be filled with as much adventure, happiness , laughter and love as possible.
Don Smith will be missed by so many. He was a remarkable man who always had a sparkle in his eye. He could easily brighten up even the darkest of days. With no effort at all, he put a brilliantly lit smile on my mother’s face and, without a doubt, he has touched all of our lives. We consider him an amazing gift to us who will be remembered and loved forever.
...Don's absence in my mom's house in Oakville was ever so present throughout the duration of the summer. I was very happy to be able to be there with my mom during some of the darkest moments, and Andrew provided a wonderful distraction to the sadness and grief we were all feeling.
Don’s Eulogy
When my mom first started mentioning this Don Smith fellow, we didn’t really know what to think and were definitely a bit sceptical. Then, when she was talking about marriage so soon after they had met, we really thought she’d gone nuts. However, as soon as we met him, it became so clear how happy they were and what a special person he was. I can assure you, all scepticism quickly vanished.
Don fit so easily into all of our lives and truly wanted to be a part of everything. We felt a connection with him immediately – he was so easy to talk to and to get to know. Almost from the beginning of their relationship, he became the source of fatherly wisdom and grandfatherly love that our lives had been missing. He was very quickly a welcome member of our family and he fit right in. He was the most loving and caring husband we could have ever asked for for our mom. He adopted us and our kids as his own. Don was an invaluable support to all of us. No matter what was going on, he was always there. If we needed help, without a moment’s hesitation, he would drop what he was doing to lend a hand. Whether it was for advice on career changes, relationship counselling, help with moving or just babysitting, Don was always around and was proud to help out. Just recently he spent hours upon hours researching the purchase of new appliances for Lorraine – the pages of notes and quotes and consumer reports were endless. His generosity knew no bounds.
He bonded immediately with all of my mom’s wonderful friends. I think when they saw them together at one of their first gatherings dressed up as Sonny and Cher ....and he wasn’t the one playing Sonny, we all knew he was a great match for our mom. In this past week, the phone messages, the letters and emails pouring in and the presence of all here today is a testament to what a valued friend Don was to so many. I know that many of my mom’s friends felt that they’d known Don for years.
Not only was he amazing in his treatment of my mother and us, but it was so heart warming to see the relationship he had with his kids. The way Don spoke of them, their spouses and the grand kids, it was so evident how much he loved them all. We would always ask how they were all doing and he would be able to tell us exactly what each of them had been up to in an almost up to the minute report. He was definitely a father to be envied. It meant so much to him to keep such close tabs on everyone’s lives, including all of his family and friends. No matter where my mom and Don went, he always kept in contact. Every cruise or trip they went on, Don provided us with a full account of every detail of their day, right down to every morsel of food that was consumed. No question about it, Don savoured every moment of his life!
We learned so many things from Don in the years that he was with us. We’d like to share a few of them.
10 things we learned from Don
Family and friends are the most important things in life.
For some people, it doesn’t matter how long they are in your life... they can impact it forever .
Even the most patient of men have their breaking points. For Don, it was getting stuck behind a slow guy in traffic. There was only way to get from A to B.... the fastest way.
A beer , whether in a pint glass or a bottle, can be consumed in one swallow with minimal effort
Despite major technological advances, cell phones are still not water proof... Don learned that lesson several times
A rather large man plus a minor case of imbalance plus a small fishing boat can equal a shipwreck within seconds.
Hanging mirrors with tape probably isn’t the best idea.
A hug from a man like Don really can make everything better.
Nothing melts your heart like seeing a grandpa making his grandchildren laugh... and he was certainly the best at it.
Love can be found at any age.... and it is definitely worth waiting for.
Don lived every day like it might be his last and he definitely made the most out of each and every day. I used to get exhausted just hearing about all of their plans for travelling whether it was exploring South America or the Baltic Sea or just driving down to Florida with 10 stops along the way to see various family and friends. Somebody was always coming for a visit, maybe just for dinner or sometimes to stay for a week. They were always going out – to golf or for dinner with friends – they had the most active social life of anyone we knew. Mom has recently said that they put a really good dent into their “bucketlists” in the past couple of years..... We should all learn from him and focus more on living for the moment. Life throws curve balls and we never know what lies around the corner and Don has taught us that each day is a precious gift to be filled with as much adventure, happiness , laughter and love as possible.
Don Smith will be missed by so many. He was a remarkable man who always had a sparkle in his eye. He could easily brighten up even the darkest of days. With no effort at all, he put a brilliantly lit smile on my mother’s face and, without a doubt, he has touched all of our lives. We consider him an amazing gift to us who will be remembered and loved forever.
...Don's absence in my mom's house in Oakville was ever so present throughout the duration of the summer. I was very happy to be able to be there with my mom during some of the darkest moments, and Andrew provided a wonderful distraction to the sadness and grief we were all feeling.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
We're baaack!!!
Well, it's been almost 4 months to the day since my last post and therefore, there is much to write about so the next several entries will be installments of the last four months...
The Cruise...
We had the most amazing experience travelling through some of the most stunningly beautiful areas I've ever seen. Our trip began with a ferry to Rome where we drove the car onto the ship and slept in a cozy little cabin overnight, and woke up in time to see the ship coming into port, the highlight of which was passing by the Carnival Freedom which would be our home for the following 12 nights. We parked the car in the Rome terminal and seamlessly boarded the cruise ship, where we were quickly delighted and in total awe of the deluxe cabin we were so fortunate to have obtained. Highlights of the cruise included the ports of call in Athens, where we viewed the magnificent Acropolis and a nice, leisurely stroll in the shopping/dining district of Plaka. Istanbul was equally fascinating with visits to the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bizarre (the biggest flea market in the world) and the Palace of the Sultans. I found it quite intriguing simply to view the Turkish culture itself for the day, so very different from that which we are accustomed, with men and women stopping to pray on the streets at what seemed like all hours of the day. Although not so famous but truly breathtaking, were the smaller coastal villages in Turkey and Greece, Marmaris and Katakolon respectively. Katakalon has a population of less than one thousand and yet the village and beach area was beaming in action, with tourists galore, stopping for a dip in the Med or a shop in the souvenir/purse/shoe outlets (Daddy bought me a new Coach bag) or a little rest in the beach front restaurants and cafes. (we sampled some Greek coffee, absolutely delicious) Since Carnival is probably best known for its children's programs, Andrew had many visits at the "camp", where he happily entered and waved good-bye to us, quickly distracted by the many toys and other children around. That gave Robert and I some quality down time alone together, where we either enjoyed simply hanging out in the cabin with room service, on the balcony or with a good book by the pool. Upon disembarkment, we made a spontaneous decision to skip the ferry and drive back to Antibes from Rome (approximately 8 hour drive). It was a beautiful, sunny June day and we jammed along to the tunes of Don McLean's "American Pie", which has now become Andrew's favourite song! It reminded me big time of the days when I taught Michael Wilson that song (he's the little boy that lived two doors down that my sisters and I used to babysit). During the drive, we reflected on our life since Andrew came into our world (as we so often enjoy doing) and for fun, we began to count the number of countries Andrew has already been to: USA, Canada, Bermuda, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Greece, Turkey...I know I'm forgetting some...and the list will continue to grow when we make stops in the Canary Islands, St. Martin and San Juan on our transatlantic journey back home in December. It blows my mind away just thinking of it, but I suppose it shouldn't, considering who I am married to. I remember the first time I met both of Robert's best friends, they commented on how many post cards Robert has sent to their families over the years, from practically every corner of the world. And Robert himself began his travels at an age not far off from Andrew, when his family relocated to the Phillipines in his second year of life.
Colette's visit...
Shortly after we arrived back home from the cruise, we were happy to welcome our 2nd visitor to the Chamberlin residence in the south of France. Colette was a very special guest; aside from the fact that I felt an immediate friendship/sisterly bond with her (as everyone does), and aside from the facts that Andrew instantly adored her and that Robert and I shared some great meals, glasses of wine and chats on the balcony with her, she was so in awe of the region, that I found it awe-inspiring just to observe. A kid in a candy store doesn't even begin to describe it! The way she took it all in, the way she courageously ventured off solo on the trains to Monaco, Eze..., and then the way she came back home to share with us all that she had seen and, done (and walked!), it was truly amazing. There was only one night where my worry gene kicked in and when she wasn't home before dark, I started to contemplate how I was going to call her parents to notify them of their daughter, missing in the south of France. Was she whisked away on some big yacht by some mega-millionaire European dude?...nope, turns out she was just enjoying some mussels and wine in the old town of Antibes on a "quick stop" on the way home from Monaco, and forgot the code to enter our apartment complex!
The Cruise...
We had the most amazing experience travelling through some of the most stunningly beautiful areas I've ever seen. Our trip began with a ferry to Rome where we drove the car onto the ship and slept in a cozy little cabin overnight, and woke up in time to see the ship coming into port, the highlight of which was passing by the Carnival Freedom which would be our home for the following 12 nights. We parked the car in the Rome terminal and seamlessly boarded the cruise ship, where we were quickly delighted and in total awe of the deluxe cabin we were so fortunate to have obtained. Highlights of the cruise included the ports of call in Athens, where we viewed the magnificent Acropolis and a nice, leisurely stroll in the shopping/dining district of Plaka. Istanbul was equally fascinating with visits to the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bizarre (the biggest flea market in the world) and the Palace of the Sultans. I found it quite intriguing simply to view the Turkish culture itself for the day, so very different from that which we are accustomed, with men and women stopping to pray on the streets at what seemed like all hours of the day. Although not so famous but truly breathtaking, were the smaller coastal villages in Turkey and Greece, Marmaris and Katakolon respectively. Katakalon has a population of less than one thousand and yet the village and beach area was beaming in action, with tourists galore, stopping for a dip in the Med or a shop in the souvenir/purse/shoe outlets (Daddy bought me a new Coach bag) or a little rest in the beach front restaurants and cafes. (we sampled some Greek coffee, absolutely delicious) Since Carnival is probably best known for its children's programs, Andrew had many visits at the "camp", where he happily entered and waved good-bye to us, quickly distracted by the many toys and other children around. That gave Robert and I some quality down time alone together, where we either enjoyed simply hanging out in the cabin with room service, on the balcony or with a good book by the pool. Upon disembarkment, we made a spontaneous decision to skip the ferry and drive back to Antibes from Rome (approximately 8 hour drive). It was a beautiful, sunny June day and we jammed along to the tunes of Don McLean's "American Pie", which has now become Andrew's favourite song! It reminded me big time of the days when I taught Michael Wilson that song (he's the little boy that lived two doors down that my sisters and I used to babysit). During the drive, we reflected on our life since Andrew came into our world (as we so often enjoy doing) and for fun, we began to count the number of countries Andrew has already been to: USA, Canada, Bermuda, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Greece, Turkey...I know I'm forgetting some...and the list will continue to grow when we make stops in the Canary Islands, St. Martin and San Juan on our transatlantic journey back home in December. It blows my mind away just thinking of it, but I suppose it shouldn't, considering who I am married to. I remember the first time I met both of Robert's best friends, they commented on how many post cards Robert has sent to their families over the years, from practically every corner of the world. And Robert himself began his travels at an age not far off from Andrew, when his family relocated to the Phillipines in his second year of life.
Colette's visit...
Shortly after we arrived back home from the cruise, we were happy to welcome our 2nd visitor to the Chamberlin residence in the south of France. Colette was a very special guest; aside from the fact that I felt an immediate friendship/sisterly bond with her (as everyone does), and aside from the facts that Andrew instantly adored her and that Robert and I shared some great meals, glasses of wine and chats on the balcony with her, she was so in awe of the region, that I found it awe-inspiring just to observe. A kid in a candy store doesn't even begin to describe it! The way she took it all in, the way she courageously ventured off solo on the trains to Monaco, Eze..., and then the way she came back home to share with us all that she had seen and, done (and walked!), it was truly amazing. There was only one night where my worry gene kicked in and when she wasn't home before dark, I started to contemplate how I was going to call her parents to notify them of their daughter, missing in the south of France. Was she whisked away on some big yacht by some mega-millionaire European dude?...nope, turns out she was just enjoying some mussels and wine in the old town of Antibes on a "quick stop" on the way home from Monaco, and forgot the code to enter our apartment complex!
Friday, June 13, 2008
Teddy Bears, Spanish boys and Putting things in perspective
We are one sleep away from our two weeks of total R&R onboard the Carnival Freedom and I'm SO pumped. Bags are packed and I'd leave right now if we could! We are taking an overnight ferry from here to Civitavechia (the port outside of Rome) and then boarding the ship from there. Andrew is going to LOVE having his idol (aka Daddy) around 24/7. He is also going to LOVE all of the attention he will undoubtedly get from passengers and crew alike. I am going to LOVE exploring a little bit of Greece and Turkey and eating scrumptious food. Daddy is going to LOVE our cabin. We were fortunate enough to have been significantly upgraded from the low level inside cabin that we paid for to a beautiful suite with a private balcony. I love our life!
Over the past few weeks, Andrew has taken to a few new habits. One being climbing on top of everything. I thought I had nipped the climbing on the table thing in the bud, but I walked into the family room the other day after taking a 30 second pee, only to find him smack on top of the table, reaching for the CDs on the top shelf of our entertainment center. He is also very big on turning on the oven, and then opening it up. But he has developed some not so mischievous habits as well including the Teddy Bear routine, the cutest thing in the world. Andrew's room is filled with teddy bears, thanks to the collection that Daddy began for him when he was still in my belly. Every time Daddy travels to a different country, he brings home a new teddy bear. So now, each evening before he goes to sleep, he insists on giving each one of his bears a kiss good night. If I walk towards the crib to put Andrew down, forgetting about the routine, he freaks out and points to the bears, reminding me that we have not yet said good night to them. We start with Music Bear, that was a shower gift from I forget who, and then move on to Andrew Bear (from Aunty Susie and Aunty Lo, a bear with his name on it) and then go to the various bears from countries Robert has travelled, Reindeer Bear (Finland), Hockey Bear (Canada of course), British Bear, Norway Bear, German bear, Spanish bear, etc. He takes each one, gives it a kiss, and places it back in position. I keep telling Robert we must videotape this little routine as it is truly the most adorable thing ever.
Although Robert has not been travelling, his schedule has remained fairly hectic, first because of a large presentation he had to deliver, and recently to wrap things up for work in prep for vacation. He did however find time for Boys Night Out with the Spanish men. When he told me he'd been invited to a little gathering with a handful of Spanish speaking men at work from various different countries, Colombia included, I was happy for him. I feel like my social life is so full with all of the friends I have made, whereas Robert's social life in France revolves almost entirely around me and Burbujitas. The night of the gathering, he came home from work tired, and was a little unenthusiastic about going out but I told him he'd have fun once he got there and though he came home very late that night, he ranted on about what an awesome evening he'd had. I hope it becomes a tradition.
One day last week, I had one of those days where everything went wrong. To start off, I lost some important computer files, our health insurance was terminated, and I got an email from my neighbours stating that my backyard in Florida was flooding because of a hose that was left on and my renters seemed to have vanished. Being six hours ahead, it was too early to call the U.S. about my renters situation so I started the day by attempting to get the health insurance problem resolved, only to leave the health insurance office in tears after speaking with three different people who told me three different things, none of which would resolve the problem. The rest of the day just continued to go downhill and I was at wits end by the time I was ready to go to bed. Before doing so, however, I checked my emails like I always do. In my inbox was an update on Paul, my very dear friend's 5-year old boy with leukemia. Tears streamed down my face and goose bumps covered my body. I read it to myself and then I read it to Robert. Paul was yet again unable to continue with chemo because of his counts and the next step was going to be a bone marrow biopsy. I reflected on my own "bad day" and felt horrible. One of my best friends is coping with her first born's cancer and I'm about to lose sleep over a couple of administrative issues. I put things in perspective then and there. And I will make a better effort at not sweating "the small stuff" in the future. I am however, happy to report that his counts improved and the biopsy was unnecessary.
Over the past few weeks, Andrew has taken to a few new habits. One being climbing on top of everything. I thought I had nipped the climbing on the table thing in the bud, but I walked into the family room the other day after taking a 30 second pee, only to find him smack on top of the table, reaching for the CDs on the top shelf of our entertainment center. He is also very big on turning on the oven, and then opening it up. But he has developed some not so mischievous habits as well including the Teddy Bear routine, the cutest thing in the world. Andrew's room is filled with teddy bears, thanks to the collection that Daddy began for him when he was still in my belly. Every time Daddy travels to a different country, he brings home a new teddy bear. So now, each evening before he goes to sleep, he insists on giving each one of his bears a kiss good night. If I walk towards the crib to put Andrew down, forgetting about the routine, he freaks out and points to the bears, reminding me that we have not yet said good night to them. We start with Music Bear, that was a shower gift from I forget who, and then move on to Andrew Bear (from Aunty Susie and Aunty Lo, a bear with his name on it) and then go to the various bears from countries Robert has travelled, Reindeer Bear (Finland), Hockey Bear (Canada of course), British Bear, Norway Bear, German bear, Spanish bear, etc. He takes each one, gives it a kiss, and places it back in position. I keep telling Robert we must videotape this little routine as it is truly the most adorable thing ever.
Although Robert has not been travelling, his schedule has remained fairly hectic, first because of a large presentation he had to deliver, and recently to wrap things up for work in prep for vacation. He did however find time for Boys Night Out with the Spanish men. When he told me he'd been invited to a little gathering with a handful of Spanish speaking men at work from various different countries, Colombia included, I was happy for him. I feel like my social life is so full with all of the friends I have made, whereas Robert's social life in France revolves almost entirely around me and Burbujitas. The night of the gathering, he came home from work tired, and was a little unenthusiastic about going out but I told him he'd have fun once he got there and though he came home very late that night, he ranted on about what an awesome evening he'd had. I hope it becomes a tradition.
One day last week, I had one of those days where everything went wrong. To start off, I lost some important computer files, our health insurance was terminated, and I got an email from my neighbours stating that my backyard in Florida was flooding because of a hose that was left on and my renters seemed to have vanished. Being six hours ahead, it was too early to call the U.S. about my renters situation so I started the day by attempting to get the health insurance problem resolved, only to leave the health insurance office in tears after speaking with three different people who told me three different things, none of which would resolve the problem. The rest of the day just continued to go downhill and I was at wits end by the time I was ready to go to bed. Before doing so, however, I checked my emails like I always do. In my inbox was an update on Paul, my very dear friend's 5-year old boy with leukemia. Tears streamed down my face and goose bumps covered my body. I read it to myself and then I read it to Robert. Paul was yet again unable to continue with chemo because of his counts and the next step was going to be a bone marrow biopsy. I reflected on my own "bad day" and felt horrible. One of my best friends is coping with her first born's cancer and I'm about to lose sleep over a couple of administrative issues. I put things in perspective then and there. And I will make a better effort at not sweating "the small stuff" in the future. I am however, happy to report that his counts improved and the biopsy was unnecessary.
Monday, May 26, 2008
May at home, upcoming travels and visitors
I can't believe we are approaching the end of May already and will be celebrating Andrew's one and a half birthday in just a few short weeks. Despite some previously discussed family travel plans for May (i.e. Paris, Corsica and camping), poor weather and a desire to spend time at home together resulted in a nice, relaxing and enjoyable month in Antibes. And aside from a one-day trip to Germany, Robert has no confirmed business travel in the foreseeable future. In France, there are 3 holidays in May: the 1st, 8th and 12th. So, with 3 long weekends for Robert, we had some quality down time together, doing not much more than lots of play time in the backyard, walks into old town for lunch and picnics on the beach. We did however take one train trip into Ventimiglia, a small coastal village in Italy, that is now my designated Mother's Day treat. (we did the same thing last year for Mother's Day) I must say that I am very glad the weather this May wasn't the same as last May when we spent a month here to start our relocation or I'm not sure I ever would have wanted to come. Whereas last May was sunny and low 80s almost every day, this month has been 60s and rain, rain, rain. Andrew goes nuts being stuck inside all day now and by the end of the day after reading every book he owns, playing with every toy in his toy chest, etc. I feel like I'm ready to pull my hair out. Today, we woke up to more rain, and I thought I'd try to get a little cleaning done with hopes that it may soon clear up and we could go outside later on. So I made the mistake of pulling out the vacuum...well, he's no longer afraid of the thing, and was quite adamant that he would do it himself. So after 15 minutes of Andrew vaccuuming the same spot on the floor, I took hold of one end and started gliding it along the floor. Big mistake. Biggest hissy fit of his life. So, we put an end to that game, we put on back-pack Teddy Bear (the greatest invention in the world for which Daddy gets credit for purchasing) and we went for a walk in the pouring rain. It was great until Andrew decided that HE wanted to hold the umbrella. After explaining that it was Mommy's umbrella and that it had very pointy edges around which he could poke his eyes out, he plopped himself right down in a puddle and had another hissy fit. This was not good, as he just messed up another outfit and with 5 more straight days of rain in the forecast, I'm not sure when I'll be able to do laundry again and hence, he may have to start borrowing some of Mommy's clean clothes! Ugh!!! Fortunately, he is more often than not in very happy spirits and today's little episodes were a result of a very early wake-up this morning (and he is now peacefully snoozing in his crib catching up on his z's for a hopefully long afternoon nap).
We have lots to look forward to in the upcoming future. Our 12 day cruise on the Carnival Freedom is just 20 days away and Robert and I are so pumped. I was just doing some research on the various shore excursions and am most excited for our days in Istanbul and Athens. Actually, I am MOST excited about not having to cook or clean for 12 days, but the shore excursions are a close second!
Then we fly home on July 16th and will be spending the summer between Oakville, Mississauga, Toronto, Parry Sound and Ft. Lauderdale. Not at all looking forward to the flight itself, but very excited to spend quality time with the fam and friends.
We are also looking forward to the upcoming guests of the Chamberlin Resort, Riviera location. Collette will be here from July 2nd to the 7th; Aunty Susie and Bill will be here on September 10th and Grandma and Grandpa Smith will arrive immediately thereafter. It will be great fun to show them the beauty of the French Riviera, and especially to share time together in our new home.
We have lots to look forward to in the upcoming future. Our 12 day cruise on the Carnival Freedom is just 20 days away and Robert and I are so pumped. I was just doing some research on the various shore excursions and am most excited for our days in Istanbul and Athens. Actually, I am MOST excited about not having to cook or clean for 12 days, but the shore excursions are a close second!
Then we fly home on July 16th and will be spending the summer between Oakville, Mississauga, Toronto, Parry Sound and Ft. Lauderdale. Not at all looking forward to the flight itself, but very excited to spend quality time with the fam and friends.
We are also looking forward to the upcoming guests of the Chamberlin Resort, Riviera location. Collette will be here from July 2nd to the 7th; Aunty Susie and Bill will be here on September 10th and Grandma and Grandpa Smith will arrive immediately thereafter. It will be great fun to show them the beauty of the French Riviera, and especially to share time together in our new home.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Favourite things...and Finances in France
We had an important FIRST on Friday. And let me tell you, it was the cutest thing I've ever seen...Andrew had his FIRST ice cream cone!!! People who know me well are aware that one of my favourite foods in the entire world (along with black beans and rice, popcorn, steak and sushi) is ice cream. We went for a walk Friday afternoon into old town and our stop at the playground was short-lived due to Andrew's current obsession with opening and closing the playground door (in which his fingers could easily be pinched) so we left and walked hand in hand along the cobblestone streets. When we passed the ice cream vendor, mommy couldn't resist, even though it was getting close to supper time. I ordered one scoop of Ferrero Rocher flavour and was on my merry way, ice cream in one hand, baby in the other. Within seconds, he was begging for a taste but when I offered it to him, he shook his head in refusal. Then he begged for a taste again. This game went on for a couple minutes, until finally, he decided to give it a try. His face was priceless as he was not expecting it to be so cold. But then he wanted another lick. Shortly afterwards, he was ready to devour the entire cone. He was in heaven. If I so much as flinched as if I was going to take it away from him, he started to freak. It reminded me of the time I took Nicholas for ice cream at Sloan's in downtown West Palm Beach and the look on his face as he devoured his ice cream cone is forever etched in my mind.
Another two of my favorite things are American Idol and Neil Diamond. So you can't even imagine how ecstatic I was about the prospect of Neil Diamond ON American Idol! Anyway, I've already converted Andrew into an Idol fan (we watch and dance to the weekly episodes several times over - Andrew likes David Cooke the best) and he claps as soon as each song ends. Well, now, he is also a Neil Diamond fan too as he loved groovin' to the beat of the good ole songs such as Forever in Blue Jeans, America, Sweet Caroline, Hello, and September Morn.
Finances in France is something we've gradually learned along the way, a little bit at a time. Robert's paycheck has so many deductions that I'm not sure even a rocket scientist couldn't figure it out. However, interestingly enough, of those million and one line items, not one of them is a deduction for income tax! Income tax in France is something that is calculated at the end of the year, and you send in a check for how much you owe. There is no "estimations" of withholdings that are trued up at year end. Therefore, it is up to you, the individual taxpayer, to make sure you save aside enough money to pay your tax bill. My friend was explaining this to me and was literally thrilled that her tax bill this year was so low (i.e. it was less than 15,000 EUROS!!!) because of the deduction for the baby they got in 2007. Hard to imagine someone being happy to only have to pay 14 thousand and something to Uncle Sam. There is no option to file joint, married, head of household, etc. If you're single, you file single, if you are married, you file married. Period.
Another astonishing difference for a North American accountant like myself is the fact that employees are paid monthly at the end of the month. Wow, to only have to worry about payroll once a month would be such a blessing. But on the flipside, you darn well better make sure you don't blow it all right away, or you will have a whole month without groceries!
Banking is so very different too. Robert and I each have a savings account, but there is a maximum of 6000 euros allowed in a savings account! Unlike payroll, taxes on interest earned are automatically withdrawn from the account! Bank charges are inevitable and quite high, relatively speaking. Nothing is mailed to your residence, you must go to your local branch where you have a personal representative, and pick up items such as new checkbooks, bank cards, etc. (after you have received a notice in the mail that it is ready to be picked up!)
Another two of my favorite things are American Idol and Neil Diamond. So you can't even imagine how ecstatic I was about the prospect of Neil Diamond ON American Idol! Anyway, I've already converted Andrew into an Idol fan (we watch and dance to the weekly episodes several times over - Andrew likes David Cooke the best) and he claps as soon as each song ends. Well, now, he is also a Neil Diamond fan too as he loved groovin' to the beat of the good ole songs such as Forever in Blue Jeans, America, Sweet Caroline, Hello, and September Morn.
Finances in France is something we've gradually learned along the way, a little bit at a time. Robert's paycheck has so many deductions that I'm not sure even a rocket scientist couldn't figure it out. However, interestingly enough, of those million and one line items, not one of them is a deduction for income tax! Income tax in France is something that is calculated at the end of the year, and you send in a check for how much you owe. There is no "estimations" of withholdings that are trued up at year end. Therefore, it is up to you, the individual taxpayer, to make sure you save aside enough money to pay your tax bill. My friend was explaining this to me and was literally thrilled that her tax bill this year was so low (i.e. it was less than 15,000 EUROS!!!) because of the deduction for the baby they got in 2007. Hard to imagine someone being happy to only have to pay 14 thousand and something to Uncle Sam. There is no option to file joint, married, head of household, etc. If you're single, you file single, if you are married, you file married. Period.
Another astonishing difference for a North American accountant like myself is the fact that employees are paid monthly at the end of the month. Wow, to only have to worry about payroll once a month would be such a blessing. But on the flipside, you darn well better make sure you don't blow it all right away, or you will have a whole month without groceries!
Banking is so very different too. Robert and I each have a savings account, but there is a maximum of 6000 euros allowed in a savings account! Unlike payroll, taxes on interest earned are automatically withdrawn from the account! Bank charges are inevitable and quite high, relatively speaking. Nothing is mailed to your residence, you must go to your local branch where you have a personal representative, and pick up items such as new checkbooks, bank cards, etc. (after you have received a notice in the mail that it is ready to be picked up!)
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Daddy's coming home...and go sisters!!!
Tomorrow will mark the end of Robert's lengthy vacations, I mean business trips (although the last two consisted of cruises to various ports in Northern Europe) for a while. I think all three of us are relieved. Despite our daily telephone conversations with Daddy, both pretend and real-life, it is not the same as having him here when we wake up and home in time for supper and wind-down time for Andrew. I feel great that I accomplished a lot of things on my to-do list while he was away (including follow-up on health insurance claims, receipt of my new passport (and I am now officially Karen Lee Chamberlin), major Spring cleaning, preparation of our wills, catch up with some friends and family on the phone, major revamp of Andrew's closet, boxing up the loads and loads of clothing he has once again outgrown, updating the baby book including the letter in previous blog, and catch-up on my favourite American tv shows and recent movies) and feel that we will be able to relax and enjoy the next several weeks and weekends as a family before our next vacation. In addition, I feel much more prepared to begin working part-time for my former employer, which will be in the very near future.
The past few weeks have been amazing on all fronts, with exception to our missing Daddy. Andrew has been continuing to sleep extremely well and I am usually up and about for two hours in the morning before he begins to stir. Gone are the days of the (somewhat) dreaded 5 AM cries; now I find myself excited at his first mumbles in the morning and anxious to pick him up from the crib. There is nothing better than the feel and smell of my happy and snuggly little bear first thing in the morning. He continues to make new sounds on a daily basis and is very fond of pointing at every object with which he is familiar. (the teddy bears on his walls, and especially the cats, dogs, birds and flowers that we encounter on our daily walks) He has started to hold brief telephone conversations with himself, with the cordless phone tucked around his ear that is always upside down and backwards. The conversations however are of the toddlerese language and are not yet decipherable by me. I have been reading some books and internet research on language development and supposedly he should be saying at least 10 words by now. So the worried flag sorta went up, but then it went back down after discussions with my friends whose babies have accomplished the various "milestones" at significantly varying ages. And then I remembered how dumb I used to be as a child, the fact that I almost failed kindergarten and the teachers thought I had a learning and social disorder and then I realized that my little boy still has hope!!!
This past week was a social one for us, and my friendships with several of my new mom-friends are really developing. There is a special bond shared amongst new mothers to begin with I believe, and I feel very fortunate to be literally surrounded by such high quality women/friends. I already feel that I have a TON of people I can depend on, be it an emergency, some wanted advice/useful information regarding both raising a child and/or living in France, an ear to listen to me, a shoulder to cry on, and of course a social gathering, be it the whole family, a mom and baby get together or a mom's night out event. I can no longer leave my apartment door without running into somebody I know. Robert finds this all rather amusing, given our history on moving here.
On Monday, Judie (aka Jaz) came over for lunch and a visit. Jaz is an Australian lady my mother's age who I met while out on a walk with Andrew one day back in May of 2006. After our first exchange of pleasantries (namely about how cute Andrew is), we kept bumping into one another, which was somewhat coincidental as we were both only in t own for 4 weeks and both searching for a place to call "home" in France. After our third run-in, we decided that it was fate and we were meant to be friends. We've kept in touch via email and she just moved here last week from Sydney. We had a great visit together on Monday, and I look forward to many more.
On Tuesday, Andrew went to the babysitter's for his first FULL day in preparation for my working part-time and also so that I could get some things off my to-do list. I know it was a little hard on Andrew and it was a lot hard for mommy, but he's in good hands, and has wonderful little Maya to play with all day (who is one of my working friend's daughter).
Wednesday was the third of our official weekly beach day outings coordinated by my very good South African friend Jane, and the group is getting larger each week. Andrew discovered the water for the first time (previously he just stayed very close to me, entertaining himself with beach toys/sand for several hours). He had a little fall in the water and wasn't too happy about the temperature of the water, which is still on the rather frigid side. So after his little swim, he decided to hang a little closer to mom and/or run around naked with the other kids while his clothes were laid out to dry. (next time I'll remember to bring a change of clothing or two for him!)
Thursday (today) Bec and Pierre came over for a play date and lunch. Bec is from New Zealand and I felt an instant click when I met her. She's funny as hell and fun, and we have a lot in common. She is also the middle of three girls and is also very tight with her sisters. Her son is 3 months younger than Andrew but nearly half Andrew's size so I referred to him as the "baby" because Andrew LOVES babies, and was totally adorable with Pierre, giving lots of kisses along with a little (unintentional) roughness. Bec and I got to talking about #2 and she is ready to start trying now. Jane is due in November. Heidi is due in July. Edith is due in June. Claire is due in July. Sarette just had her baby. ALL THESE PREGNANT friends are really giving me the itch! Hmmm...note to self...talk to Daddy when he gets home. Maybe end of summer would be a good time to start trying, why wait til the end of the year??? I shared with Bec that if my second child was a boy that I would probably want to go for three, otherwise I would probably want to stop at two. However, she shared that for her the reverse would probably hold true, ie. she would stop at two if it was another boy, yet try again for a third girl if the second was a girl. Her reasoning being that a girl needs a sister. I never thought of it like that before, but she's right. Almost every adult woman I know who has a sister is very close to her sister(s); almost every adult woman I know who does NOT have a sister has shared that they always wanted one. I cannot imagine my life without my sisters. I need them. I love them. They rock my world. Perhaps we will have three children after all!
The past few weeks have been amazing on all fronts, with exception to our missing Daddy. Andrew has been continuing to sleep extremely well and I am usually up and about for two hours in the morning before he begins to stir. Gone are the days of the (somewhat) dreaded 5 AM cries; now I find myself excited at his first mumbles in the morning and anxious to pick him up from the crib. There is nothing better than the feel and smell of my happy and snuggly little bear first thing in the morning. He continues to make new sounds on a daily basis and is very fond of pointing at every object with which he is familiar. (the teddy bears on his walls, and especially the cats, dogs, birds and flowers that we encounter on our daily walks) He has started to hold brief telephone conversations with himself, with the cordless phone tucked around his ear that is always upside down and backwards. The conversations however are of the toddlerese language and are not yet decipherable by me. I have been reading some books and internet research on language development and supposedly he should be saying at least 10 words by now. So the worried flag sorta went up, but then it went back down after discussions with my friends whose babies have accomplished the various "milestones" at significantly varying ages. And then I remembered how dumb I used to be as a child, the fact that I almost failed kindergarten and the teachers thought I had a learning and social disorder and then I realized that my little boy still has hope!!!
This past week was a social one for us, and my friendships with several of my new mom-friends are really developing. There is a special bond shared amongst new mothers to begin with I believe, and I feel very fortunate to be literally surrounded by such high quality women/friends. I already feel that I have a TON of people I can depend on, be it an emergency, some wanted advice/useful information regarding both raising a child and/or living in France, an ear to listen to me, a shoulder to cry on, and of course a social gathering, be it the whole family, a mom and baby get together or a mom's night out event. I can no longer leave my apartment door without running into somebody I know. Robert finds this all rather amusing, given our history on moving here.
On Monday, Judie (aka Jaz) came over for lunch and a visit. Jaz is an Australian lady my mother's age who I met while out on a walk with Andrew one day back in May of 2006. After our first exchange of pleasantries (namely about how cute Andrew is), we kept bumping into one another, which was somewhat coincidental as we were both only in t own for 4 weeks and both searching for a place to call "home" in France. After our third run-in, we decided that it was fate and we were meant to be friends. We've kept in touch via email and she just moved here last week from Sydney. We had a great visit together on Monday, and I look forward to many more.
On Tuesday, Andrew went to the babysitter's for his first FULL day in preparation for my working part-time and also so that I could get some things off my to-do list. I know it was a little hard on Andrew and it was a lot hard for mommy, but he's in good hands, and has wonderful little Maya to play with all day (who is one of my working friend's daughter).
Wednesday was the third of our official weekly beach day outings coordinated by my very good South African friend Jane, and the group is getting larger each week. Andrew discovered the water for the first time (previously he just stayed very close to me, entertaining himself with beach toys/sand for several hours). He had a little fall in the water and wasn't too happy about the temperature of the water, which is still on the rather frigid side. So after his little swim, he decided to hang a little closer to mom and/or run around naked with the other kids while his clothes were laid out to dry. (next time I'll remember to bring a change of clothing or two for him!)
Thursday (today) Bec and Pierre came over for a play date and lunch. Bec is from New Zealand and I felt an instant click when I met her. She's funny as hell and fun, and we have a lot in common. She is also the middle of three girls and is also very tight with her sisters. Her son is 3 months younger than Andrew but nearly half Andrew's size so I referred to him as the "baby" because Andrew LOVES babies, and was totally adorable with Pierre, giving lots of kisses along with a little (unintentional) roughness. Bec and I got to talking about #2 and she is ready to start trying now. Jane is due in November. Heidi is due in July. Edith is due in June. Claire is due in July. Sarette just had her baby. ALL THESE PREGNANT friends are really giving me the itch! Hmmm...note to self...talk to Daddy when he gets home. Maybe end of summer would be a good time to start trying, why wait til the end of the year??? I shared with Bec that if my second child was a boy that I would probably want to go for three, otherwise I would probably want to stop at two. However, she shared that for her the reverse would probably hold true, ie. she would stop at two if it was another boy, yet try again for a third girl if the second was a girl. Her reasoning being that a girl needs a sister. I never thought of it like that before, but she's right. Almost every adult woman I know who has a sister is very close to her sister(s); almost every adult woman I know who does NOT have a sister has shared that they always wanted one. I cannot imagine my life without my sisters. I need them. I love them. They rock my world. Perhaps we will have three children after all!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
"A Letter from my Mom"
I finally got around to writing my letter to Andrew for his baby book. Daddy is still working on his and claims it will be at least seven pages long. Mine is short and to the point!
April 16, 2008
Dear Andrew:
The past fifteen months and twenty-six days have been the best days of my life so far. I read in some books that some mothers do not feel an instantaneous bond with their babies. With you, I honestly felt our bond the day I found out I was pregnant and that bond has only strengthened with each day that has passed.
I will never forget the very first moment the doctor placed your tiny naked body on my chest and I held you in my arms, tears of joy streaming down my face. Since that day, you have grown into a happy, sociable, funny, snuggly, curious and loving toddler that is anxious to explore the world. With each new milestone accomplished, I feel such overwhelming pride and love for you.
When you are ill, I want to take away your pain and discomfort. When you are scared, I want to soothe all your fears away. When you are happy, I want to savour every second of your adorable smile and giggles. And most of all I want to slow down the clock so that I can make each moment that we spend together last longer. I already know and I feel that one day, no matter how many diapers changed, nursing sessions, messy meals, books read, baths or kisses, it will never be quite long enough.
I also read in a book that my relationship with your daddy was bound to change after you were born. I certainly loved him before you entered our world, but it is indeed truly amazing to discover how much more I can love him as I watch him play with you, protect you, and love you. I can't wait until you are old enough to recognize this for yourself.
Words cannot describe how passionately I love you and the thought of my life without you is unimaginable. It is such an incredible and powerful feeling that you will hopefully experience one day if you choose to have children of your own.
I know that you will not always agree with me, understand me or like the decisions I will make but know that my highest priority is to love and protect you as best as I can for all the days of my life.
Love,
Mommy
xoxo
April 16, 2008
Dear Andrew:
The past fifteen months and twenty-six days have been the best days of my life so far. I read in some books that some mothers do not feel an instantaneous bond with their babies. With you, I honestly felt our bond the day I found out I was pregnant and that bond has only strengthened with each day that has passed.
I will never forget the very first moment the doctor placed your tiny naked body on my chest and I held you in my arms, tears of joy streaming down my face. Since that day, you have grown into a happy, sociable, funny, snuggly, curious and loving toddler that is anxious to explore the world. With each new milestone accomplished, I feel such overwhelming pride and love for you.
When you are ill, I want to take away your pain and discomfort. When you are scared, I want to soothe all your fears away. When you are happy, I want to savour every second of your adorable smile and giggles. And most of all I want to slow down the clock so that I can make each moment that we spend together last longer. I already know and I feel that one day, no matter how many diapers changed, nursing sessions, messy meals, books read, baths or kisses, it will never be quite long enough.
I also read in a book that my relationship with your daddy was bound to change after you were born. I certainly loved him before you entered our world, but it is indeed truly amazing to discover how much more I can love him as I watch him play with you, protect you, and love you. I can't wait until you are old enough to recognize this for yourself.
Words cannot describe how passionately I love you and the thought of my life without you is unimaginable. It is such an incredible and powerful feeling that you will hopefully experience one day if you choose to have children of your own.
I know that you will not always agree with me, understand me or like the decisions I will make but know that my highest priority is to love and protect you as best as I can for all the days of my life.
Love,
Mommy
xoxo
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
When Andrew grows up, what will he be?
A dancer? He loves to boogy and clap along to any and all music, and already has rhythm (must be from Daddy's genes)
A garbage collector? We leave the apartment hand in hand now, and he quickly ventures off to pick up any bit of rubbish alongside the sidewalk. We place said rubbish in the next garbage can we pass.
A professional swimmer? His love for water started at 3 months of age when he took his first dunk under water in River Walk. Since then, we swim on a regular basis, at least 3 or 4 times per week.
An artist? He is keen to get the lid off off any pen he sees and scribble on anything in sight, including the furniture and mommy's clothes. His new washable crayons are already a big hit.
A carpenter? He is very fond of daddy's toolbox and loves to play with his toy "hammer". Also loves to build castles in the sandbox.
A dishwasher? He always pushes the stool in the kitchen alongside the sink and reaches in to help mommy wash the dishes.
A florist? He loves to pick flowers in the backyard (aka dandelions) and presents them with pride to mommy.
A musician? He loves to make music, be it with real instruments, his (strong) lungs, or the pots and pans.
A scientist? He is very curious and very keen on discovering how all things work. Also likes to dissect small creatures, living or dead.
A veteranarian? He loves animals (including said dissected creatures) and is especially fond of cats and dogs.
A professional soccer player? Perhaps not. (yet) Would rather place the ball in the recycling bins than kick or throw it.
A telephone operator? His absolutely favorite "toy" is the phone. He spends hours placing it on the charger and picking it back up again. Fortunately mommy figured out how to lock the keypad, this way there will be no more calls to Abuelita at 3:00AM her time.
A model? He loves to pose for the camera and then run quickly to see the digital image on the camera screen. Very possible with his good looks (would love to say from his momma's side but who's kidding who, he looks exactly like his daddy!)
I guess we'll just have to wait and see!!!
A garbage collector? We leave the apartment hand in hand now, and he quickly ventures off to pick up any bit of rubbish alongside the sidewalk. We place said rubbish in the next garbage can we pass.
A professional swimmer? His love for water started at 3 months of age when he took his first dunk under water in River Walk. Since then, we swim on a regular basis, at least 3 or 4 times per week.
An artist? He is keen to get the lid off off any pen he sees and scribble on anything in sight, including the furniture and mommy's clothes. His new washable crayons are already a big hit.
A carpenter? He is very fond of daddy's toolbox and loves to play with his toy "hammer". Also loves to build castles in the sandbox.
A dishwasher? He always pushes the stool in the kitchen alongside the sink and reaches in to help mommy wash the dishes.
A florist? He loves to pick flowers in the backyard (aka dandelions) and presents them with pride to mommy.
A musician? He loves to make music, be it with real instruments, his (strong) lungs, or the pots and pans.
A scientist? He is very curious and very keen on discovering how all things work. Also likes to dissect small creatures, living or dead.
A veteranarian? He loves animals (including said dissected creatures) and is especially fond of cats and dogs.
A professional soccer player? Perhaps not. (yet) Would rather place the ball in the recycling bins than kick or throw it.
A telephone operator? His absolutely favorite "toy" is the phone. He spends hours placing it on the charger and picking it back up again. Fortunately mommy figured out how to lock the keypad, this way there will be no more calls to Abuelita at 3:00AM her time.
A model? He loves to pose for the camera and then run quickly to see the digital image on the camera screen. Very possible with his good looks (would love to say from his momma's side but who's kidding who, he looks exactly like his daddy!)
I guess we'll just have to wait and see!!!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Telephones and kisses and friends with language barriers
We are already at the end of March and I can't believe Burbujitas has surpassed his 15 month birthday. People continue to ask me how we are enjoying our life in France and quite frankly, despite all the daily frustrations, we are absolutely loving it. Yes, the area is unique and offers a vastly different and exciting culture, but I'm not sure if it's the area itself that has brought us such happiness or rather our particular stage in life (Robert reminds me frequently that THESE ARE the good old days, mainly when I remind him that in "the old days", I used to get tons of back massages and hair time)! Yes, it's nice that Robert has 8 weeks vacation and yes, it's nice that we can hop on a train to Cinqa Terra on our planned trip to Rome whereby we'll hop on a cruise to visit Turkey and Greece for 12 days (leaving June 15th), it's nice that we can drive just a few hours and enjoy a fabulous week of skiing and it's quite cool that we can drive less than an hour and have lunch in Italy for my birthday (which we just recently did). All those things are absolutely wonderful indeed, but we are also completely happy to spend time at home, playing soccer with Andrew in the backyard, reading stories in the family room, playing "soocy" (pacifier) games with him in the crib, and doing the daily chores at home with a little helper alongside, be it vacuuming (he likes to dust and mop while I vacuum), he LOVES to make coffee with Daddy in the morning, he adores getting his hands in the sink to wash dishes, and laundry is now a fun game of putting everything but the kitchen sink in the washing machine (this morning I found a pineapple in the washing machine!) and of course pulling out the clean clothes and spreading them all over the kitchen floor is very amusing as well. I think we are both glad that we started a family a little bit later in life, as we are settled in every other aspect of our life and can just thoroughly enjoy our time with Andrew. I adore being able to spend my days with him, and hanging out with other mom friends at baby groups and parks, etc.
Each day, Andrew is discovering new things, and while we thought we had babyproofed this apartment quite well, I'm learning that we haven't even put a dent in it. Drawers that were once too heavy for him to open, he now climbs into to access things on top of the dresser. Although the shelves on our entertainment center have been completely emptied, he climbs on top of the coffee table to access the buttons on the DVD player and internet box. If there is a cupboard or drawer without a latch, he opens it and disposes of its contents, usually placing them all in the garbage can (which is why every single trash can in our apartment is now mounted on the walls). At first I thought this is just what all toddlers do. But I've recently noticed that Andrew is the only child at the baby group that leaves the toys aside, and constantly goes through the cupboards (full of breakables), the shelves full of pamplets (and "reorganizes" them all over the floor) and of course takes things to the garbage can there too (my friend was looking high and low for her son's sneakers at the AVF on Friday, only to discover they were mysteriously placed in the trash can...hmmm...who would have done that?) Last night, we were at a birthday party for my friend's two year-old daughter (more on that later) and their place was not baby proofed and they informed that they never had to worry about baby proofing as their daughter was never really into things. Andrew, in the two hours that we were there, turned the oven on at least 25 times, pulled leaves off their plants, cranked up the volume on the stereo, made a few phone calls on their cordless phone, emptied several bowls of snacks on the floor, rummaged through their cupboards and drawers, and threw a candle over the balcony! His biggest obsession however is the telephone. He LOVES talking on the phone (especially if it's Daddy on the other line) and particularly loves taking it on and off the charger, and the associated beeping noise that goes along with it! I dread having to make phone calls during the day now, especially when I have to speak and listen in French because I can't hear myself think with all the carrying on that goes along with me having the phone and not sharing it with him! Initially, I tried to set firm boundaries that the telephone is mommy's toy and handed over his own phones (he has three) when I was making calls. But I've backed down a little and given in from time to time so that he can amuse himself for a while with the beeping noises and the fun lady that comes on frequently to say "le numero n'est pas en service actuellement"! After all, it's not dangerous, he's generally not rough with the phone, and what is the harm of a few euros spent on some long distance calls?!!!
Along with the curiosity though, have come the kisses. He LOVES to kiss and get kisses. When he wakes up in the morning, we exchange tons of kisses and it continues all throughout the day. If he taps his finger on something, he walks over to me with his finger in the air seeking a kiss "to make it better". If he falls down, he seeks a kiss once he stands back up. If Robert or I say "ouch" for any reason at all, Andrew comes to the rescue with lots of kisses. Whenever he does something he knows he's not supposed to do (i.e. hitting mommy in the face which he does occasionally when he doesn't get his own way, or pushing buttons on the tv, he willingly apologizes immediately thereafter by giving me a kiss. And he's already learned how to french kiss, lots of drool, big huge open mouth and every now and then, the tongue gets in there too!!! Of course he also likes to hug too, and snuggles before naptime and bedtime are an absolutely must. Absolutely priceless and I must capture these moments on video and camera so that I can savour these memories in the years to come.
At the park the other day, we made friends with a very nice Italian girl and her two-year old Italian daughter. The funny thing about my new friend though is that she doesn't speak English or French! Coincidentally, Robert had just recently informed me that a new colleague (who happens to be from Colombia originally) had just relocated here from Naples, Italy, along with his wife, Simona, and young daughter, and she was struggling a little with the adjustment here. In addition, the lady who assisted us with our relocation had just sent me an email about a new mom and toddler here, stating that she was a little lonely and was asking if I would introduce myself and invite her along to the pool as she was interested in taking her daughter swimming. So when I observed a mom at the park speaking Italian to her daughter, I approached her and and asked her if her name was Simona and yep, that was her! Antibes is not that small a place so it really was quite a coincidence. Anyway, she was absolutely thrilled to meet me and Andrew, and despite the language barriers (we used a combination of English, French, Spanish, Italian and sign language to communicate), our friendship began and it was her daughter's birthday party that we attended yesterday. Not knowing what to give a little Italian girl for a gift, I thought from my experience with Kara who is the biggest Dora fan in the world, a little Dora doll for the bathtub would be a good idea, and was it ever! I guess every girl, no matter what country, is a Dora fan and she didn't put the doll down from the moment she opened up the package. Unfortunately, Robert wasn't able to attend as he is now in Australia on yet another business trip, but we had a really good time and it was helpful to have Mauricio, her husband, to help translate. The Happy Birthday song in Italian is of course the same tune as English, so although we couldn't sing the words, I could hum along and Andrew was happily assisting with the entertainment by dancing and clapping along!
Each day, Andrew is discovering new things, and while we thought we had babyproofed this apartment quite well, I'm learning that we haven't even put a dent in it. Drawers that were once too heavy for him to open, he now climbs into to access things on top of the dresser. Although the shelves on our entertainment center have been completely emptied, he climbs on top of the coffee table to access the buttons on the DVD player and internet box. If there is a cupboard or drawer without a latch, he opens it and disposes of its contents, usually placing them all in the garbage can (which is why every single trash can in our apartment is now mounted on the walls). At first I thought this is just what all toddlers do. But I've recently noticed that Andrew is the only child at the baby group that leaves the toys aside, and constantly goes through the cupboards (full of breakables), the shelves full of pamplets (and "reorganizes" them all over the floor) and of course takes things to the garbage can there too (my friend was looking high and low for her son's sneakers at the AVF on Friday, only to discover they were mysteriously placed in the trash can...hmmm...who would have done that?) Last night, we were at a birthday party for my friend's two year-old daughter (more on that later) and their place was not baby proofed and they informed that they never had to worry about baby proofing as their daughter was never really into things. Andrew, in the two hours that we were there, turned the oven on at least 25 times, pulled leaves off their plants, cranked up the volume on the stereo, made a few phone calls on their cordless phone, emptied several bowls of snacks on the floor, rummaged through their cupboards and drawers, and threw a candle over the balcony! His biggest obsession however is the telephone. He LOVES talking on the phone (especially if it's Daddy on the other line) and particularly loves taking it on and off the charger, and the associated beeping noise that goes along with it! I dread having to make phone calls during the day now, especially when I have to speak and listen in French because I can't hear myself think with all the carrying on that goes along with me having the phone and not sharing it with him! Initially, I tried to set firm boundaries that the telephone is mommy's toy and handed over his own phones (he has three) when I was making calls. But I've backed down a little and given in from time to time so that he can amuse himself for a while with the beeping noises and the fun lady that comes on frequently to say "le numero n'est pas en service actuellement"! After all, it's not dangerous, he's generally not rough with the phone, and what is the harm of a few euros spent on some long distance calls?!!!
Along with the curiosity though, have come the kisses. He LOVES to kiss and get kisses. When he wakes up in the morning, we exchange tons of kisses and it continues all throughout the day. If he taps his finger on something, he walks over to me with his finger in the air seeking a kiss "to make it better". If he falls down, he seeks a kiss once he stands back up. If Robert or I say "ouch" for any reason at all, Andrew comes to the rescue with lots of kisses. Whenever he does something he knows he's not supposed to do (i.e. hitting mommy in the face which he does occasionally when he doesn't get his own way, or pushing buttons on the tv, he willingly apologizes immediately thereafter by giving me a kiss. And he's already learned how to french kiss, lots of drool, big huge open mouth and every now and then, the tongue gets in there too!!! Of course he also likes to hug too, and snuggles before naptime and bedtime are an absolutely must. Absolutely priceless and I must capture these moments on video and camera so that I can savour these memories in the years to come.
At the park the other day, we made friends with a very nice Italian girl and her two-year old Italian daughter. The funny thing about my new friend though is that she doesn't speak English or French! Coincidentally, Robert had just recently informed me that a new colleague (who happens to be from Colombia originally) had just relocated here from Naples, Italy, along with his wife, Simona, and young daughter, and she was struggling a little with the adjustment here. In addition, the lady who assisted us with our relocation had just sent me an email about a new mom and toddler here, stating that she was a little lonely and was asking if I would introduce myself and invite her along to the pool as she was interested in taking her daughter swimming. So when I observed a mom at the park speaking Italian to her daughter, I approached her and and asked her if her name was Simona and yep, that was her! Antibes is not that small a place so it really was quite a coincidence. Anyway, she was absolutely thrilled to meet me and Andrew, and despite the language barriers (we used a combination of English, French, Spanish, Italian and sign language to communicate), our friendship began and it was her daughter's birthday party that we attended yesterday. Not knowing what to give a little Italian girl for a gift, I thought from my experience with Kara who is the biggest Dora fan in the world, a little Dora doll for the bathtub would be a good idea, and was it ever! I guess every girl, no matter what country, is a Dora fan and she didn't put the doll down from the moment she opened up the package. Unfortunately, Robert wasn't able to attend as he is now in Australia on yet another business trip, but we had a really good time and it was helpful to have Mauricio, her husband, to help translate. The Happy Birthday song in Italian is of course the same tune as English, so although we couldn't sing the words, I could hum along and Andrew was happily assisting with the entertainment by dancing and clapping along!
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Super semaine de ski
Considering the fact that our very first vacation in France was indeed a very French vacation, I thought it appropriate to entitle this blog entry in French. I have been meaning to write about our wonderful week for days now but the days somehow escape me. Robert left this morning for Florida (and although I am having significant regrets now about not joining him on his business trip - I had made the decision shortly after our return from Toronto, which also happened to be shortly after our jetlag from hell!) In any event, I am going to try to make good use of the time by a)catching up on my blog b)catching up on my mail/passport app., etc. and c)catch up on all my favorite tv shows that I have just recently figured out how to download onto a CD and watch in the DVD player. (must say, I'm most excited about the latter activity!)
Our ski trip began on Saturday morning; while Andrew and I attended his 8:30am swim class, Daddy loaded the car, made the picnic lunch, and closed the apartment up for the week. We packed ourselves into the car and with the help of mapquest (or whatever the French equivalent is), we were on our way. The first 3 hours were smooth sailing...then we hit traffic...i.e. everybody else in French and their six children packed into vehicles smaller than Honda Civics heading to the mountains on Spring Break for a week of skiing. We didn't realize at the time we booked our trip that it was Spring Break, but in the end it worked out well as Andrew had lots of children to play with in the daycare. We made it through the traffic and a couple hours (and a few wrong turns) later, we pulled into the village of Orcieres. The scenery was breathtaking. Our room (though modest and typical of a non-fancy ski lodge) had the most amazing view of the mountains. The resort itself was perfect; and included everything but the kitchen sink. We did not spend one dime while we were there, and thanks to the subsidy provided by the Employee Club at Amadeus, we did not have to spend much on the trip itself.
The first day, we woke up early (with Andrew's assistance) and headed down for breakfast. Very French indeed. The French do not eat such things as bacon, eggs, sausage or toast for breakfast. Instead the buffet was full of delicious pastries (mostly chocolate flavored/filled), wonderful cheeses, ham, baguettes, croissants, yogourt, fruit, cereal (chocolate flavored of course) and the most delicious coffee we have ever drank. (the coffee part is unusual as I have found little desire for the French stuff I've had in many cafes so far, and I must say, I am very glad it was a serve yourself coffee station as the cups that are generally provided for coffee hold little more than a sip) After breakfast, we registered Andrew for the daycare but they recommended that we only do a half day for the first time. So we had some cozy downtime in our room, got our stuff prepared for the slopes, had a family lunch and off we went to the dreaded day care facility to drop off my little baby. I think I was actually shaking and am glad that Andrew did not notice. Since parents were not permitted inside, I had to hand him over to one of the ladies (who did not speak English) and fortunately, he eagerly went. It was not until the door had closed behind us upon exiting that we heard him shrieking his lungs off. That was hard. Though we did say that we wouldn't be gone for too long and to be sure and call our mobile phone if Andrew did not settle down. Robert and I jumped on the two minute shuttle to the mountain and were on the chairlift desperately wondering how our little guy was holding out, and checking our mobile phone every five minutes for any messages or missed calls. We got in a few good runs and decided to head back to the resort to rescue our boy. We saw him before he saw us and we were happy to see he was busy reorganizing the toy shelf by pulling every single toy off the shelf and onto the floor. The next couple of times, I put Daddy on drop-off duty and though it got progressively easier throughout the week, he still freaked out when he saw the big scary purple door that lead to the day care. Almost every time we picked him up, he was busy playing or having a snack (chocolate flavored of course!)
Robert and I thoroughly enjoyed the skiing. Blue sky and sunny every single day. The ski conditions were perfect, the snow was incredible and the scenery surrounding us was to die for. We enjoyed some quality together time, the first of which we've had in a long time. We requested a picnic lunch the night before each ski day which we brought along and ate at the chalet section of the mountain that was owned by the resort we were staying at. My biggest laugh of the entire trip was when Robert lost his lunch. To begin, Robert is someone who likes to take many stops down the mountain...he needs to adjust his goggles, fix his ski boot, put on or take off clothes, blow his nose, etc. I couldn't complain as I am much slower descending the moutain than him. So, here we are in the line up to the lift and Robert needs to find a place to store his lunch. (you bring it up the mountain with you and store it in the chalet until you are ready to eat) So, he's fiddling and fussing, trying to find a place to put his lunch, so that he could hold his poles with his hands. He decided to shove it down the front of his jacket, nestled in his chest underneath the top of the ski pants. Well the lunch was causing some significant discomfort as by the time we got to the front of the lift line, he declared that his lunch was sitting on his balls. So...of course we need to fiddle and fuss some more, and let people behind us in line go ahead) and I'm already laughing. He gets his lunch in a more comfortable position and up the mountain we go. We were on a chair that held six people and there happened to be a dad and two younger children on with us. Well, as we are doing the typical scurrying to get off the chair and out of the way so as not to bump into anybody else getting off, one of the children PLOWS into Robert. Robert goes flying, the skis falls off, and of course the lunch (god knows where it was stashed) goes FLYING, the plastic baggy breaks and the contents go everywhere...and I am absolutely going to pee my pants laughing! Robert found no humour in the situation at first, was rather annoyed, and said "the hell with my lunch", abruptly put his skis back on, and took off down the mountain leaving sandwiches, cookies, salad, water bottles, etc. dispersed throughout the snow. Through my tears of laughter, I picked up as much as I could, stuffed my pockets and ski pants and followed him down the mountain. I had several laugh attacks that week reflecting on this incident, and Robert joined in on most of them as he found it much funnier after the fact!!!
Our week was filled with many yummy meals and glasses of red wine, quiet, cozy and early evenings (in bed by 9 every night), swimming in the glass-enclosed indoor swimming pool, lots and lots of playtime with Burbujitas and some much needed sleep for all three of us. We are so looking forward to doing it again, and especially cannot wait until Andrew can join us on the slopes, which will be less than two years away.
Our ski trip began on Saturday morning; while Andrew and I attended his 8:30am swim class, Daddy loaded the car, made the picnic lunch, and closed the apartment up for the week. We packed ourselves into the car and with the help of mapquest (or whatever the French equivalent is), we were on our way. The first 3 hours were smooth sailing...then we hit traffic...i.e. everybody else in French and their six children packed into vehicles smaller than Honda Civics heading to the mountains on Spring Break for a week of skiing. We didn't realize at the time we booked our trip that it was Spring Break, but in the end it worked out well as Andrew had lots of children to play with in the daycare. We made it through the traffic and a couple hours (and a few wrong turns) later, we pulled into the village of Orcieres. The scenery was breathtaking. Our room (though modest and typical of a non-fancy ski lodge) had the most amazing view of the mountains. The resort itself was perfect; and included everything but the kitchen sink. We did not spend one dime while we were there, and thanks to the subsidy provided by the Employee Club at Amadeus, we did not have to spend much on the trip itself.
The first day, we woke up early (with Andrew's assistance) and headed down for breakfast. Very French indeed. The French do not eat such things as bacon, eggs, sausage or toast for breakfast. Instead the buffet was full of delicious pastries (mostly chocolate flavored/filled), wonderful cheeses, ham, baguettes, croissants, yogourt, fruit, cereal (chocolate flavored of course) and the most delicious coffee we have ever drank. (the coffee part is unusual as I have found little desire for the French stuff I've had in many cafes so far, and I must say, I am very glad it was a serve yourself coffee station as the cups that are generally provided for coffee hold little more than a sip) After breakfast, we registered Andrew for the daycare but they recommended that we only do a half day for the first time. So we had some cozy downtime in our room, got our stuff prepared for the slopes, had a family lunch and off we went to the dreaded day care facility to drop off my little baby. I think I was actually shaking and am glad that Andrew did not notice. Since parents were not permitted inside, I had to hand him over to one of the ladies (who did not speak English) and fortunately, he eagerly went. It was not until the door had closed behind us upon exiting that we heard him shrieking his lungs off. That was hard. Though we did say that we wouldn't be gone for too long and to be sure and call our mobile phone if Andrew did not settle down. Robert and I jumped on the two minute shuttle to the mountain and were on the chairlift desperately wondering how our little guy was holding out, and checking our mobile phone every five minutes for any messages or missed calls. We got in a few good runs and decided to head back to the resort to rescue our boy. We saw him before he saw us and we were happy to see he was busy reorganizing the toy shelf by pulling every single toy off the shelf and onto the floor. The next couple of times, I put Daddy on drop-off duty and though it got progressively easier throughout the week, he still freaked out when he saw the big scary purple door that lead to the day care. Almost every time we picked him up, he was busy playing or having a snack (chocolate flavored of course!)
Robert and I thoroughly enjoyed the skiing. Blue sky and sunny every single day. The ski conditions were perfect, the snow was incredible and the scenery surrounding us was to die for. We enjoyed some quality together time, the first of which we've had in a long time. We requested a picnic lunch the night before each ski day which we brought along and ate at the chalet section of the mountain that was owned by the resort we were staying at. My biggest laugh of the entire trip was when Robert lost his lunch. To begin, Robert is someone who likes to take many stops down the mountain...he needs to adjust his goggles, fix his ski boot, put on or take off clothes, blow his nose, etc. I couldn't complain as I am much slower descending the moutain than him. So, here we are in the line up to the lift and Robert needs to find a place to store his lunch. (you bring it up the mountain with you and store it in the chalet until you are ready to eat) So, he's fiddling and fussing, trying to find a place to put his lunch, so that he could hold his poles with his hands. He decided to shove it down the front of his jacket, nestled in his chest underneath the top of the ski pants. Well the lunch was causing some significant discomfort as by the time we got to the front of the lift line, he declared that his lunch was sitting on his balls. So...of course we need to fiddle and fuss some more, and let people behind us in line go ahead) and I'm already laughing. He gets his lunch in a more comfortable position and up the mountain we go. We were on a chair that held six people and there happened to be a dad and two younger children on with us. Well, as we are doing the typical scurrying to get off the chair and out of the way so as not to bump into anybody else getting off, one of the children PLOWS into Robert. Robert goes flying, the skis falls off, and of course the lunch (god knows where it was stashed) goes FLYING, the plastic baggy breaks and the contents go everywhere...and I am absolutely going to pee my pants laughing! Robert found no humour in the situation at first, was rather annoyed, and said "the hell with my lunch", abruptly put his skis back on, and took off down the mountain leaving sandwiches, cookies, salad, water bottles, etc. dispersed throughout the snow. Through my tears of laughter, I picked up as much as I could, stuffed my pockets and ski pants and followed him down the mountain. I had several laugh attacks that week reflecting on this incident, and Robert joined in on most of them as he found it much funnier after the fact!!!
Our week was filled with many yummy meals and glasses of red wine, quiet, cozy and early evenings (in bed by 9 every night), swimming in the glass-enclosed indoor swimming pool, lots and lots of playtime with Burbujitas and some much needed sleep for all three of us. We are so looking forward to doing it again, and especially cannot wait until Andrew can join us on the slopes, which will be less than two years away.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Getting ready for our first family ski trip!
We are 6 days away from heading up to the Alps for a week of skiing, skating, swimming, hiking, eating, and relaxing! Being the experienced travellers that we now are, we know that it is much less stressful to pack well in advance of departure day as the last minute stuff always takes longer than expected. Robert has printed off the driving directions and I have packed the suitcases for me and Andrew. I'm ready to go now...too bad daddy has this thing called a job holding him back for another week!
We've had some time lately to really enjoy the area, enjoy our apartment and spend quality bonding time with Andrew and it's been awesome. Although the temper tantrums have kicked in, it is by far offset by his adorable little personality really shining through. He starts clapping and dancing every time music is played, he loves to give kisses (with a wide open mouth), and he loves to participate in every little thing we do. (granted laundry takes a lot longer now that he likes to pull everything out of the washing machine as soon as I put it in!) Now that we have been "settled" here for a few weeks, we have begun some new rituals. In the morning, Robert goes in to get Andrew out of the crib, and once Andrew has gathered his collection of pacifiers (3 in total) in the crib (one in the mouth and one in each hand), they head off to the kitchen to make coffee. As soon as Robert puts Andrew down, he immediately darts to the back bedroom to go find mommy. He climbs up on the bed with a little help from mommy, has a nice snuggle, a short nursing session and then he's ready to play. In the evenings when Robert comes home, we go out to the hallway to greet him and have a little play with the resident cat, that Andrew is currently obsessed with, but can't decide if he wants to pet him or run away from. On days that we don't have any planned baby groups, we go for a mid-day swim and then home for a 2 to 3 hour nap. He is consistenly going down by 7pm now and doesn't stir until at least 6am. Before bedtime we take our vitamins, brush our teeth, turn on the lullabye music, read some books, have a short nursing session and go to sleep. I'm hoping our ski trip will not interrupt this heavenly schedule too much.
We've had some time lately to really enjoy the area, enjoy our apartment and spend quality bonding time with Andrew and it's been awesome. Although the temper tantrums have kicked in, it is by far offset by his adorable little personality really shining through. He starts clapping and dancing every time music is played, he loves to give kisses (with a wide open mouth), and he loves to participate in every little thing we do. (granted laundry takes a lot longer now that he likes to pull everything out of the washing machine as soon as I put it in!) Now that we have been "settled" here for a few weeks, we have begun some new rituals. In the morning, Robert goes in to get Andrew out of the crib, and once Andrew has gathered his collection of pacifiers (3 in total) in the crib (one in the mouth and one in each hand), they head off to the kitchen to make coffee. As soon as Robert puts Andrew down, he immediately darts to the back bedroom to go find mommy. He climbs up on the bed with a little help from mommy, has a nice snuggle, a short nursing session and then he's ready to play. In the evenings when Robert comes home, we go out to the hallway to greet him and have a little play with the resident cat, that Andrew is currently obsessed with, but can't decide if he wants to pet him or run away from. On days that we don't have any planned baby groups, we go for a mid-day swim and then home for a 2 to 3 hour nap. He is consistenly going down by 7pm now and doesn't stir until at least 6am. Before bedtime we take our vitamins, brush our teeth, turn on the lullabye music, read some books, have a short nursing session and go to sleep. I'm hoping our ski trip will not interrupt this heavenly schedule too much.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
A Wonderful Day...
It's funny how one great day can totally lift you up and give you strength to cope with life's challenges. In all honesty, I know that I don't have much to complain about, and have always been good about counting my blessings, but in the past several days I have experienced some homesickness, some food poisoning (puked my brains out after eating a ham sandwich on a baguette that I purchased from my previously favorite bakery!), the commencement of temper tantrums by the little Budda, an annoying doctor's appointment (it wasn't really that bad, but I get easily offended by a doctor who totally cuts me off, and tells my husband to hurry up when undressing our boy yet receives ten thousand phone calls throughout our 30 minute appointment), two weeks of non-stop rain (and in a brief period of sunshine, I hung the wet clothes on the line only to have them soaked and worse, splashed with mud within hours thereafter), and overall frustration in dealing with French bureacracy and inefficiency.
And now everything seems all good again. We started the day off with a wake up at 7:30 am, which happened to be yet another continuous 12 and a half hour sleep. Andrew willingly wolfed down a complete breakfast of cereal and pears (he is back to being a happy little eater again and seems to like everything again except avacodoes and anything pureed, particularly baby food. We then washed and hung a load of laundry (which was dry when we came back home...yay!) The sun was shining, the temperature was crisp, but clear, the beautiful snow covered mountains in the background were glistening and we headed off for a walk into old town to play at the park. Andrew is now more interested in running around the playground and trying to climb up the slide than in eating every little thing on the ground. While at the park, I heard my name and bumped into a friend (and her two little girls) I met in May while I attended the "mom's night out" event with the Riviera Tumbletots. We had a nice chat (turns out her husband works at the same company as Robert) and she also gave me a great reference for a babysitter, who coincidentally happens to be Andrew's swimming "instructor's" daughter (maybe we will have date nights once again after all!) From the park, we headed to the pool for a swim and we made our first French friend. (i.e. does not speak English) I happened to meet her quite easily as Andrew was fixated on stealing all of her little boy's pool toys (her boy is the same age as Andrew) It was really the first time that I actually socialized 100% in French and I felt really good. We exchanged phone numbers and have made tentative plans to meet again next Wednesday. (In France, most working moms choose to work 4 days a week (with Wednesdays off) which happens to be a law here, i.e. that after you have a baby, you have the option to go back full-time or 4 days per week for a period of three years after your baby is born and your company has to hold the same job, position, etc.) From there, we headed back home for lunch and a nap and as we entered our building, we met two more of our neighbours. The woman upstairs (70 ish) introduced herself, asked me all about how things are going here and offered her assistance with anything I may need from an egg to a carer for Andrew. Then we met our seasonal neighbours down the hall who are from England. They, too, were super friendly and Andrew was quite fond of their dogs. After lunch, Andrew napped for 2 and a half hours, while I watched the Young and Restless (embarassed to admit that I am following that show again, but hey, it's great French practice!) and caught up on some bills, emails, etc. After dinner, and a phone call to Daddy who is in Germany right now, we read some books and Andrew was asleep by 6:55 PM. So...feeling very inspired and relaxed, I sat down and completed the remainder of our health insurance claims that have been weighing on my shoulders for the longest time. Life is good!
And now everything seems all good again. We started the day off with a wake up at 7:30 am, which happened to be yet another continuous 12 and a half hour sleep. Andrew willingly wolfed down a complete breakfast of cereal and pears (he is back to being a happy little eater again and seems to like everything again except avacodoes and anything pureed, particularly baby food. We then washed and hung a load of laundry (which was dry when we came back home...yay!) The sun was shining, the temperature was crisp, but clear, the beautiful snow covered mountains in the background were glistening and we headed off for a walk into old town to play at the park. Andrew is now more interested in running around the playground and trying to climb up the slide than in eating every little thing on the ground. While at the park, I heard my name and bumped into a friend (and her two little girls) I met in May while I attended the "mom's night out" event with the Riviera Tumbletots. We had a nice chat (turns out her husband works at the same company as Robert) and she also gave me a great reference for a babysitter, who coincidentally happens to be Andrew's swimming "instructor's" daughter (maybe we will have date nights once again after all!) From the park, we headed to the pool for a swim and we made our first French friend. (i.e. does not speak English) I happened to meet her quite easily as Andrew was fixated on stealing all of her little boy's pool toys (her boy is the same age as Andrew) It was really the first time that I actually socialized 100% in French and I felt really good. We exchanged phone numbers and have made tentative plans to meet again next Wednesday. (In France, most working moms choose to work 4 days a week (with Wednesdays off) which happens to be a law here, i.e. that after you have a baby, you have the option to go back full-time or 4 days per week for a period of three years after your baby is born and your company has to hold the same job, position, etc.) From there, we headed back home for lunch and a nap and as we entered our building, we met two more of our neighbours. The woman upstairs (70 ish) introduced herself, asked me all about how things are going here and offered her assistance with anything I may need from an egg to a carer for Andrew. Then we met our seasonal neighbours down the hall who are from England. They, too, were super friendly and Andrew was quite fond of their dogs. After lunch, Andrew napped for 2 and a half hours, while I watched the Young and Restless (embarassed to admit that I am following that show again, but hey, it's great French practice!) and caught up on some bills, emails, etc. After dinner, and a phone call to Daddy who is in Germany right now, we read some books and Andrew was asleep by 6:55 PM. So...feeling very inspired and relaxed, I sat down and completed the remainder of our health insurance claims that have been weighing on my shoulders for the longest time. Life is good!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Back in France...after "Home for the Holidays"
It's been quite some time since my last update but we've had a busy and wonderful holiday season. On December 2nd, we boarded our flight from Nice to Barcelona, and on December 3rd, we boarded our 2nd family transatlantic cruise. Robert, once again, scored big time, in planning out every last detail of our trip. The only thing he couldn't have anticipated was Andrew, and himself, coming down with yet another gastro illness at the outset of our journey. For Andrew, it happened the night before we left. We were devastated to experience his first real vomitting (nothing like the little nursing burps when he was an infant, rather solid chunks of totally undigested food coming up endlessly from his poor little belly all night long). Robert got online immediately and purchased cancellation insurance. We took Burbujitas (or little Budda as aunty Susie and Kara like to call him) to the hospital the following day as it was a Sunday and we wanted to get a prescription for hydration medication to take with us on our trip. After spending what seemed like an eternity at the hospital, we got the prescription and our next challenge was to find a pharmacy here in France actually open on a Sunday, purchase the meds, pack up the car and get to the airport in time to catch our flight. Stress, with a capital S. I was worried sick that Andrew was going to be sick on the plane but fortunately, he slept in my arms the entire flight and all the way to the hotel in Barcelona. The hotel was beautiful and comfortable and Robert negotiated with the lady upon checking-in to include the buffet breakfast for free...which was absolutely delicious...and mine was served to me in bed from my wonderful husband. Andrew ate some baby cereal, only to subsequently puke it all up. We were Worried, capital W. We made it to the ship seamlessly, but as soon as we entered the cabin, Robert began barfing his brains out. I'm thinking this is going to be the greatest vacation of my life...not! As it turned out, the first day was the worst and each day got progressively better. However, Budda decided to boycott eating for the remainder of our journey and basically nursed exclusively for 9 days straight with exception to oatmeal muffins and banana bread (the only two foods he ate on board until our very last day when he decided everything on the buffet was delicious). I was previously so excited about not having to prepare a single meal for 9 days straight...I even contacted the Ship Coordinator well in advance of embarkation who assured me that all of Andrew's favorite foods (i.e. diced, well-cooked carrots, peas, whole wheat pasta, yogourt, broccoli, pears, bananas, apple sauce, Cheerios, etc.) would be waiting at our table, upon arrival of whatever restaurant we so choose to eat each meal. Andrew turned his head at every piece of food offered to him, and even worse, through it on the floor, rubbed it in his hair, basically everywhere but the mouth. The wait staff were amazingly gracious, and the little Prince Charming remained his adorable, flirtatious self, even despite his tummy issues, flirting with every single person that would glance his way. He was once again, a HUGE hit on the ship and by the time we disembarked, I would say that at least 2/3 of the passengers and crew knew his name. So things are going much better by Day 5, when Robert decides to let loose and join in the "Activities Crew vs. Passengers" basketball game and severely sprains his ankle. A visit to the ship's doctor and an x-ray later, we were glad to learn nothing was broken, but his ankle was the size of a baseball and he couldn't put any pressure on it without excruciating pain. Despite our family ailments (for once Momma remained healthy all the while), we truly had an absolutely wonderful and relaxing vacation. The ship (Norweigan Gem) which was only 2 months old, was unbelievable. The food, the restaurants, the staff...outstanding. We've discovered that a Transatlantic cruise is our favorite way of taking a relaxing vacation. Upon arrival into Boston, we were well rejuvenated and excited to be flying to Ft. Lauderdale to visit with the rest of the Chamberlins, friends and also Grandma and Grandpa Smith in Naples. Robert had to take a "quick business trip" back to Nice but was back in Florida just in time to celebrate Andrew's FIRST birthday. Abuelita and Tia went all out with the decorations, all in Winnie the Pooh theme, and we had a wonderful celebration, complete with two birthday cakes (one was Pooh of course and the other was provided free from Publix for Andrew to make a complete mess with, which he was a little on the reluctant, cautious side. While in Florida, we did lots of shopping...Christmas shopping, car seat shopping, things to buy in the US that we can't get in France shopping, etc. I discovered how much I MISS shopping. Not so much the meandering through the shopping malls shopping, but rather the kind where I can go to one of a dozen different stores in a 5 mile radius to purchase something I need, find a parking space for which the car will fit in that is less than a 30 second walk away from the entrance of the store, use a debit card to pay for it, and have it bagged for me while I'm holding a baby in one arm, and where I didn't even have to purchase the bag. That kind of shopping.
On to Christmas Eve. We had a wonderful celebration on Christmas Eve, Colombian-style, with a wonderful meal prepared by Abuelita, Christmas carols provided by me (of course), and lots of presents exchanged, especially for the little Prince. My favorite present was that which I am typing on right now...my new laptop from Robert. Christmas Day, we were very sad to say good-bye to Daddy, who had to go back to France, and to Abuelita and Tia, but were equally excited to be heading to Toronto to share our second Christmas celebration with Mommy's side of the family. I discovered that the best day in the year to fly is Christmas Day. The plane was EMPTY, the meal was amazing and the movie was great. Andrew had his own seat and slept or entertained himself the entire way. Auntie Susie and Auntie Lo were awaiting our arrival at the airport, and we made it back home in time to exhange yet even more presents and eat a yummy traditional Christmas dinner, complete with turkey and all the fixings and of course Christmas crackers, for which we cannot celebrate without. Although it would have been perfect had Daddy been able to join us, we had an amazing time in the great white North. On Boxing Day, we were happy to finally attend the "annual" Tuckers Marketplace event in celebration of Auntie Susie's, Nicholas', Don's, and of course now, Budda's birthday. We visited with Auntie Tara in Niagara Falls for a couple of days, and spent the rest of the time at home or at Auntie Lo's and had lots of visits including Pam and Beckett and Jen. Auntie Susie spent lots of time with us too and Budda got quite comfortable in her presence...so much so, that he didn't even notice when I went out. On January 5th, Andrew got his first haircut. It was much more difficult for Mommy than it was for baby. I took him to a special Kid's salon, where he sat in a Jeep and pushed buttons, watched cartoons and was so well entertained by the hairdresser herself that I'm not sure he even knew someone was even cutting his hair! We got a special certificate, a "before" and "after" photo, a collection of his freshly chopped hair, and a special balloon.
On New Year's Eve, the Toronto area was dumped with a considerable amount of snow so New Year's Day was another first for Andrew: first time playing in the snow. Kara and I bundled him up well, and took him out to play...at first he was very unsure of the stuff, then he touched it, tasted it and rolled around and decided it was kinda fun. Mommy had fun capturing the moments on camera (as I always do!)
On January 3rd, after returning from our visit at Auntie Lo's, we had a nice, quiet day at G & G's house, and that's when Andrew took his first, REAL steps! It was a bittersweet moment, as I was so excited but was home alone and had nobody to share the news with, (especially Robert), and couldn't even call him as mom and Don cancelled their land line for the winter.
On January 6th, it was time to say good-bye and although we had a wonderful visit, we were very much looking forward to reuniting with Daddy. The flight home was smooth as silk; Andrew was a saint, and I was very comfortable, even despite the fact the plane was completely full and Andrew was on my lap the whole time. I was able to eat a great meal (Air France has the best airplane food!) and watch two movies. The layover in Paris was a bit on the challenging side however. Typical of France, they don't take out the baby strollers at the gate, so I was forced to carry a very sleepy and heavy baby 20 thousand miles across the airport and down a thousand stairs, together with my carry-on luggage and back-pack. My arms felt like they were going to fall off by the time I actually boarded the plane to Nice, but I must say that I was given priority service, didn't have to stand in a single line all the way through security, customs, etc.
Robert was anxiously awaiting our arrival at the airport and I decided to wait until Robert sees Andrew's steps for himself before saying anything. It only took a matter of hours before he came walking over to the couch where Daddy was sitting and the expression on Daddy's face was priceless. It was so pleasant to come back to our "home" in France. Robert had cleaned the apartment inside and out, and fully stocked the fridge and cabinets with groceries. He even set up my new laptop and downloaded the remaining episodes of Survivor that we had not yet seen. All we had to do was settle in and relax...which proved to be the most trying part of our entire journey. All I can say is that I wish I could take a 9 day cruise every time I cross the Atlantic as jetlag with a baby is pure Hell, capital H. After 5 days of not sleeping, I was so exhausted I fainted and took a crash landing on the marble floor and gave myself a pretty goose egg in the middle of my forehead. Robert took over Andrew duty on the weekend, I moved into the den, and FINALLY got some sleep. Miraculously, on Day 6, we moved Andrew back into his own room and he actually slept through the whole night, yes the whole night, one more time, the whole night!!! I'm afraid to say it anymore in case it changes, but it's now been 3 straight nights of uninterrupted sleeps and Mommy feels like a new person again.
On to Christmas Eve. We had a wonderful celebration on Christmas Eve, Colombian-style, with a wonderful meal prepared by Abuelita, Christmas carols provided by me (of course), and lots of presents exchanged, especially for the little Prince. My favorite present was that which I am typing on right now...my new laptop from Robert. Christmas Day, we were very sad to say good-bye to Daddy, who had to go back to France, and to Abuelita and Tia, but were equally excited to be heading to Toronto to share our second Christmas celebration with Mommy's side of the family. I discovered that the best day in the year to fly is Christmas Day. The plane was EMPTY, the meal was amazing and the movie was great. Andrew had his own seat and slept or entertained himself the entire way. Auntie Susie and Auntie Lo were awaiting our arrival at the airport, and we made it back home in time to exhange yet even more presents and eat a yummy traditional Christmas dinner, complete with turkey and all the fixings and of course Christmas crackers, for which we cannot celebrate without. Although it would have been perfect had Daddy been able to join us, we had an amazing time in the great white North. On Boxing Day, we were happy to finally attend the "annual" Tuckers Marketplace event in celebration of Auntie Susie's, Nicholas', Don's, and of course now, Budda's birthday. We visited with Auntie Tara in Niagara Falls for a couple of days, and spent the rest of the time at home or at Auntie Lo's and had lots of visits including Pam and Beckett and Jen. Auntie Susie spent lots of time with us too and Budda got quite comfortable in her presence...so much so, that he didn't even notice when I went out. On January 5th, Andrew got his first haircut. It was much more difficult for Mommy than it was for baby. I took him to a special Kid's salon, where he sat in a Jeep and pushed buttons, watched cartoons and was so well entertained by the hairdresser herself that I'm not sure he even knew someone was even cutting his hair! We got a special certificate, a "before" and "after" photo, a collection of his freshly chopped hair, and a special balloon.
On New Year's Eve, the Toronto area was dumped with a considerable amount of snow so New Year's Day was another first for Andrew: first time playing in the snow. Kara and I bundled him up well, and took him out to play...at first he was very unsure of the stuff, then he touched it, tasted it and rolled around and decided it was kinda fun. Mommy had fun capturing the moments on camera (as I always do!)
On January 3rd, after returning from our visit at Auntie Lo's, we had a nice, quiet day at G & G's house, and that's when Andrew took his first, REAL steps! It was a bittersweet moment, as I was so excited but was home alone and had nobody to share the news with, (especially Robert), and couldn't even call him as mom and Don cancelled their land line for the winter.
On January 6th, it was time to say good-bye and although we had a wonderful visit, we were very much looking forward to reuniting with Daddy. The flight home was smooth as silk; Andrew was a saint, and I was very comfortable, even despite the fact the plane was completely full and Andrew was on my lap the whole time. I was able to eat a great meal (Air France has the best airplane food!) and watch two movies. The layover in Paris was a bit on the challenging side however. Typical of France, they don't take out the baby strollers at the gate, so I was forced to carry a very sleepy and heavy baby 20 thousand miles across the airport and down a thousand stairs, together with my carry-on luggage and back-pack. My arms felt like they were going to fall off by the time I actually boarded the plane to Nice, but I must say that I was given priority service, didn't have to stand in a single line all the way through security, customs, etc.
Robert was anxiously awaiting our arrival at the airport and I decided to wait until Robert sees Andrew's steps for himself before saying anything. It only took a matter of hours before he came walking over to the couch where Daddy was sitting and the expression on Daddy's face was priceless. It was so pleasant to come back to our "home" in France. Robert had cleaned the apartment inside and out, and fully stocked the fridge and cabinets with groceries. He even set up my new laptop and downloaded the remaining episodes of Survivor that we had not yet seen. All we had to do was settle in and relax...which proved to be the most trying part of our entire journey. All I can say is that I wish I could take a 9 day cruise every time I cross the Atlantic as jetlag with a baby is pure Hell, capital H. After 5 days of not sleeping, I was so exhausted I fainted and took a crash landing on the marble floor and gave myself a pretty goose egg in the middle of my forehead. Robert took over Andrew duty on the weekend, I moved into the den, and FINALLY got some sleep. Miraculously, on Day 6, we moved Andrew back into his own room and he actually slept through the whole night, yes the whole night, one more time, the whole night!!! I'm afraid to say it anymore in case it changes, but it's now been 3 straight nights of uninterrupted sleeps and Mommy feels like a new person again.
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