Round and Round She Goes...

Another charming little video from Paris. Amelia loved being independent and riding all on her own. We asked her to hold on tight and she sure did...

Paris in May- What a wonderful time!

Here are some highlights from our recent vacation in France. We spent a few days in Paris and then headed South for the warm weather and beaches. To make it easier, these are the highlights from Paris. Amelia is such a great traveler and adjusted rather well- not only to the 9 hour time change but also to the French culture that includes a much later dinner and bedtime.

We did our usual tour of parks and playgrounds in Paris. Amelia made lots of friends and continued her worldwide tour of bouncy toys. I am not sure if she has a favorite yet. Making friends was easier this time since Amelia's French is getting so good.

Note the old-fashioned hand-cranked carousel. It was the first time Amelia rode all by herself. She was very careful to hold on tight like the big kids were doing.

We also toured the historical and cultural sites of France. Amelia is hiding under that umbrella to escape the rain of the day. She also discovered churches in the most wonderful way. Every church she would see (including ones that we had overlooked), she wanted to enter. Almost every church was filled with music- singing, organs, quintets, and chants. It was the most amazing discovery and she loved it.

Amelia attending her first mass in French.





And then there was Amelia's favorite part of Paris- The Batobus. It was a riverboat that went up and down the Seine stopping at all the sites. You could get on and off whenever you wanted. She loved it.



I have to say one of the great surprises of our trip was dinner time. Restaurants don't open until 7 pm and most people eat after 8 pm. Amelia was amazing at keeping busy with books and crayons waiting for dinner at the sidewalk cafes. She loved watching all the people and then eating all the food. People were very accommodating even if they didn't have high chairs, they made an effort to make us comfortable. Amelia preferred sitting on her special stool anyhow.

Happy Mother's Day!

We had a wonderful Mother's Day on the French Riviera. Amelia and Luc picked some oranges from the back yard and made some fresh juice to start our day. Then we visited a lovely castle perched on the edge of the ocean. The pathways were tiny, winding cobblestone with a brick centerpiece. Then we had a lovely lunch at the top of the castle. Amelia entertained us with her drawings of her hands.



Then we drove inland to explore the villages in the hills. There are mostly olive trees and corkscrew roads. Then a little village nestled into the steep hills. Really quiet little villages. It would be impossible to drive a tour bus to these villages. It was so relaxing. Amelia made friends with a little kitty.



Of course, we came back for a little swim in the Mediterranean. A wonderful Mother's Day. I hope you enjoy yours too. Sending all our love! xoxoxo