VE Day

May is a beloved month in France; there's a holiday every week! Last week it was May Day, or Labour Day, and later in the month we have ascension and pentecost... and days off work to go with them! This seems so strange given how secular the country is, but hey, I'm not complaining. It's lovely having Luuk home, and not just cause I can nap when Louis is awake.

I often have trouble sleeping and it is partly because eczema plagues my skin, and in my sleepiness I struggle to be self-controlled and sensible, taking the steps I know will generally help/stop the itchiness. I have found a remedy that helps me to nod off - montmorency cherry, also known as tart cherry, capsules. Problem is, if I wake at 3am (inevitable when I baby is using your bladder as a neck pillow) I sometimes struggle to go back to sleep. This morning was one of those mornings. At around four I got something to eat. At around five I got in the shower, then applied a fresh lot of moisturizer and put on a fresh p.j. top... and still didn't go to sleep.

So when Louis woke at ten to six I volunteered for the first shift. Luuk usually does this, angel that he is, and lets me sleep in a tad. Luuk is a morning person, and is often awake from just after six with or without the help of our charming toddler. After being awake for a couple of hours in the middle of the night, I often get my best sleep from five onward. So it's a wonderful routine most mornings: Luuk feeds the rascal breakfast and keeps him entertained until I emerge, or if I'm tardy, they come and get me...

This morning Louis and I ate, watched TV, and read until just after seven when Luuk emerged. Much as I was enjoying my book, I know an opportunity when I see one, and I headed back to bed; woke just after nine. Louis was down for his morning nap and we were due at coffee/play group at 9.30...

We were late, but it was great to catch up with everyone after several weeks apart (due to all our travels, and last week due to our cold/cough thing).

Louis enjoying his little friend's kitchen, and sunglasses. Yes, that's a pink phone.

Earlier he'd matched the flower-glasses with a shiny blue beaded necklace - looked like a miniature, less-sparkly Elton John. Later in the morning the shiny blue necklace was replaced by strings of sparkly orange and green beads. No need to force gender stereotypes on him - society will do that just fine with or without my ruining his fun.

Came home and put my feet up while the boys walked up to the bakery for some supplies. Then lunch and Louis' naptime. Luuk and I read, then did a french lesson (that's right: we rock) and rewarded ourselves: ate delicious treats from bakery and watched the season finale of 'Castle' (oh my gosh! I'm a hopeless fan.)

We lazed and lolled, in true jour férié style, then when Louis woke took an impromptu 'must get out of the house' walk to a nearby park we've not been to before.

Flowers on a war memorial - that's right, VE day! And a fountain/chateau combo - must be in France.

Louis played with the stones on the path beside the playground, then played with his ball briefly before choosing someone else's Hello Kitty ball instead. The kids shared pretty well: I was impressed. There were loads of people at the park for six in the evening - kids running around, adults on park benches more/less actively supervising, talking... 

Luuk had spotted another un-visited park nearby when browsing google maps earlier today, so we utilized the handy-dandy map function on my phone and walked home via another park - no chateau or fountain at this one, but there are a few cool sculptures, and it is also an arboretum, with plaques beside all the trees. I was running out of steam so we kind of went right past everything, though not very quickly... it's hard to say if it was my pace or Louis' that were slower. He walked most of the way holding one of my fingers in his left hand and one of Luuk's in his right. 

Little trooper did the last leg with only Luuk for support, stopping to explore the cobblestones, plants and fence posts along the way.

Off home for dinner (oh the drama, I'll spare you) and some rest for the legs.

Back to work tomorrow:


For Luuk: network superhero stuff. 
For Me: writing my novel to keep from mopping the floors. 
For Louis: mastering this walking thing.

Staying put

Home for three days together - a marvel. Louis and I have successfully achieved very little. Mainly laundry and a slight improvement in health. There have been some epically long naps.

The first day we stayed home proper. We did not venture beyond the front door at all. Luuk got groceries, in his lunch hour, just so I didn't need to take Louis and his cough to the supermarket. Meanwhile, Louis and I watched television, read our way through all of his books, and raided the kitchen. Feed a cold, right? Louis had some making-up to do do after his appetite-less weekend. I was feeling tired and lazy. Did a blog post and a couple of loads of laundry but couldn't even be bothered cooking dinner. Luuk got stuck in phenomenal traffic but picked up pizzas - so we had take-aways, but late, and didn't do a french lesson.

Playing with new toys. Who says there's a right way to do it?

(Also in this photo: laundry)

The second day we ventured outside. Antony has a market, three days a week, and I like to buy our fresh fruit and veggies there. I also had enough motivational oomph to make Louis some veggie soup (stocking the freezer with baby food seems wise when a new baby and sleepless nights are impending) and do some laundry.

Unfortunately, I pulled the dirty laundry straight from our luggage and somehow a used (lightly, thank God) nappy got into the washing! Fluff from the inside was through all the clothes. So I had to shake it all out and then clean up that disgusting mess. Was already worn out but after that just wanted to curl up on the couch. Of course, Louis woke up around then. But he was angelic. He's still not well and the low energy levels seem to make him content to play by himself, or at least with me, while requiring very little movement/energy from me.

This kept him entertained for ages - hooking the hook into his t-shirt neck and then getting it out again...

We had deliveries - always exciting - and are now much more prepared for the arrival of baby number two, whenever she should decide to come. The new car seat capsule arrived in the morning and while I was out shopping I got some newborn size nappies! Still have no pink clothes, but plenty of newborn size stuff from Louis' infancy.

My favourite bakery is closed on Thursdays, something I'm afraid I moan about far too much considering how many other bakeries I could walk to easily... except that there's nothing easy about walking when you're seven and a half months pregnant. Anyway, yesterday afternoon I was such a pregnancy cliche: I was craving snickers bars and cheese. I had cheese, but no snickers. Louis was napping, so there was no popping down to the shops (though this far through pregnancy you just can't pop anywhere.)

Voila. Snickers replacement therapy. Louis' plain biscuits spread with nutella or peanut butter and sprinkles. Peanut butter and sprinkles ones were great. Nutella was a bit too sweet.

The weather improved in the later afternoon, which improved my mood, but not my energy levels. In my pregnancy with Louis,  I was super achey at this point, all around my hips - probably to do with being stretched out from the inside... I haven't been as bad this time around but it is starting.

Louis was good enough to entertain himself while I relaxed. He's been well-entertained by this free hand-out from the Singapore Airlines crew... still keeps him busy three months after he was given it! It is now torn into several smaller pieces and we've only kept a couple of the big bits.

Today there was no shopping list to force me out of doors, but I did have bakery dreams for myself and sandpit dreams for Louis. It dawned beautifully but Louis took AGES to go to sleep at his morning nap time, and when he finally did I couldn't bear to wake him. When he did wake the weather had packed in. I bundled him up and we headed out, hoping to catch a good half-hour in the playground before the rain arrived. But the rain arrived while we were in the elevator.

Nasty.

So we dashed to the bakery and back, had lunch, and then played at home. Louis had a go at walking again. Inspired, I took him on a walk down to the basement, to dump the rubbish. He's lacks confidence to walk without holding onto us/furniture. Holding onto one paltry finger he walks confidently and barely relies on my hand at all. Now to convince him he doesn't need to hold on...

It's the weekend - yay! Very little planned - Luuk wants to find himself a bike which will mean a trip into Paris, for him at least. This place needs sweeping badly. I don't think I'll manage both the RER and the broom in one day. Hang on to the edge of your seats, folks, and I'll let you know which way the cookie crumbles.

Flirting, Fabric and Fair weather

Louis is such a pro-flirter. Language barrier is nothing to him. Charms grown women without hesitation, but he's getting quite skilled with the toddler-ladies. Yesterday he chatted up the toddler in the push chair in front of us at the supermarket check out. Then we went to the play ground where there were more ladies to love...

He played with this cutie in the little play-house bit of the playground for ages. So sweet. At one point she stroked his hair. And I saw him touching her hand later on.

Got flirted with myself today. Was rather strange as I am visibly pregnant and also had Louis in the stroller... There I was, trying out my french on the poor guy at the lebanese take-away place (where I stopped for an early lunch because I really needed to pee and wasn't going to be able to walk all the way home). Took me a while to figure out what was going on, because he was speaking french and I'm very limited in that department. Votre numero telephone?

Click. I pointed to my wedding ring and said something along the lines of 'Je suis married.'

Weirder still, he'd been talking to another woman with a stroller outside the shop when I first arrived. Perhaps it's a french thing...

Had a strange morning on more than one front actually. Went to coffee group... only it's not on till this avo, so I was walking back home, feeling a bit silly for not checking the time before I woke Louis from his morning nap. I see this curtain shop and figure I have time to kill, plus we need curtains, so it can't hurt to look. The lady was super-helpful and gave me a quote for all the different fabrics I liked and she's a seamstress - one stop shop! It felt very serendipitous. We've been meaning to buy curtains but are so sick of shopping for home-furnishings that we put it off.

This was my favourite fabric:

We would have this for the living room windows, I think, and then get a darker, solid blue fabric for the bedrooms. It will be great to have curtains, and to not close shutters every night. Very lazy, but there you go.

Took quite a few photos on my walk this morning. The sun was shining and the streets looked quaint...

On the way to coffee group (that wasn't actually on).

On the way back.

It still looks wintery, but if you look closely you can see the blossoms peaking from their buds.

Yay for spring! Much as I love scarves, I am enjoying not having to wear one every time I leave the house.

Now I'm going to go have a nap before coffee group. Had a horrible night last night - skin was all itchy and I got quite upset, not being able to sleep. Eventually got up, at 4.30am, and had a shower, reapplied some moisturizer, and then eventually went back to sleep... but need a nap today! And a good night sleep tonight too, if that's possible. Gah! Between pregnancy and excema... so v. v. frustrating.

Sweet Moments

When doing the 40 hour famine it always struck me just how much our lives are structured around our meals. Well, at the moment I feel like naps are the bookends, breaking up my day and defining its quality...

In between naps, there are to-do lists and shopping-lists and in amongst all that there are moments. I am trying to pay attention and be aware of these moments, these small, insubstantial, ordinary moments. 

Sometimes I manage to capture them on camera...

The new tv remote makes just as great a phone as the old one.

(He seems so close to walking, but still stays near the furniture and isn't that interested in walking holding our hands.)

Yesterday afternoon, while sweeping the floors (80% of the dirt was sand!) I discovered I had some company. He/she was the exact same shade of red as my roses.

Louis loves having his face blown on. We play a game where I do it and we both lean in and away at the same time. It's very cute. Tres mignon. Just a few minutes ago he was standing in front of the oven. It is a flash new thing and blows out cool air from just above the door. It's completely cool on the outside, so I don't worry too much about Louis crawling around in the kitchen when its on. Anyway, Louis is standing there, having his face blown on by the oven! Little blonde wisps of his hair are flying straight up and catching the low evening sun. Gorgeous.

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Went to coffee group on the bus this morning. We took Louis' snuggly toy, the one he always sleeps with, a knitted chimney sweep toy that Luuk got when he was a kid. Usually I don't take this anywhere, barely out of the cot, because I'm terrified we'll lose it. Today, I pulled Louis out of bed prematurely in order to go to coffee group, and so I let him bring his dear Chimney Sweep along. I tucked him into the straps of the push chair to make sure we didn't lose him. As soon was we got to coffee group, I put him in the push chair basket - we weren't going to leave him behind. On the walk back to the bus stop I told my friend that I had to be careful not to lose the toy or we'd be in big trouble. And then when I got off the bus... he was gone! Panic!

I checked on the bus, but no toy. I called Luuk and we decided to go back after he finished work. It was after midday, I was tired and hungry (only had a couple of biscuits since breakfast, which was the last two bits of a stale loaf of bread), and Louis was only worse, with his short morning sleep and all. So Louis and I went home, and miraculously, Louis managed to have his afternoon sleep, sans Chimney Sweep (in the company of cookie monster, elmo, and a giraffe named Seinfeld).

Luuk got home half an hour ago and we immediately went on our Chimney Sweep Hunt. And found him! Some dear dear stranger had picked him up off the foot path and perched him on a fence post. Angel! I was so excited. Almost danced in the street... okay, I did. Just a little. Skipped back to the car.

Not taking Chimney Sweep out again. Learned our lesson. But what a moment!

The lasagne is almost done, so will sign off with one more great moment...

Today I saw a smart car with its wheels stolen. It made me laugh. Almost took a photo. Feel a little guilty for how much joy this gave me. But there you go. Hi-larious. I suppose two people with nothing better to do, and no conscience, could simply lift the car up and off you go with four tiny wheels. Tehe.

Come on, get a rhythm

Starting to get into a bit of a rhythm and routine. Which I love. I just lap it up. It goes something like this...

Luuk gets up with Louis, gives him breakfast...

7am-ish. I join them, put Louis in the shower with Luuk (every other day or so), then when they're done we have breakfast.

Luuk heads off to work.

Louis has milk and plays while I have coffee and write my journal (usually interrupted)

Louis goes to bed.

I finish writing journal/drinking coffee, then jump in the shower (minus any actual jumping. The coffee is no magic potion.)

Dressed, I open blinds and let the light in, tidy up a bit, and then do my work for the day.

Housework/writing/drawing/whatever...

If Louis wakes early, I try to keep him entertained with food/toys/tv so I can keep working.

If he wakes around 11 then we go out... first stop the boulinger/pattiser for some bread, next stop the park. 

Louis plays in the playground (honestly: just the sandpit. Even the slide can't compete with getting dirty and damp) while I read and nibble on the bread.

Home for lunch. Louis cries as we leave playground but I placate him with jam sandwiches when we get home. I have yummy fresh bread with ham/salami and cheese. So very simple; so very good.

Then we either head out to do errands – shopping for groceries, usually, to be honest – or we stay home, play together... till 1.30ish. (Later if we've gone out again.)

Bed time! For both of us. Though I read a bit, or watch some tv while Louis nods off. Nothing worse than trying to sleep while I baby is doing the same in the next room. Especially when that baby occasionally starts blowing raspberries/crying/talking/whimpering... just to mess with you.

Big long nap...

If we stayed home after lunch, then we go to do errands after the nap. It is the best time of day to shop because everything is open – the poissonerie, all the traiteurs, charcuteries, boucheries, patisseries, choclateries (danger will robinson)... ah, the temptation.

Home for a little playtime/frenchFriends time then Louis has his dinner, I make our dinner and Luuk get's home.

Louis helping with the housework (watching the washing machine - reason I now love front-loaders!)

lasagne for dinner! (Was fantastic with riccotta and emmental in the white sauce, awesomely good beef mince from the boucherie on the main street, and 'epinard' - spinach - from the fruit/veg shop on the corner.

We eat dinner, Louis eats dessert then has his bottle while we do the dishes.

Louis goes to bed and we do a french lesson.

French lesson reward: dessert and an episode of Castle.

Then, if we're very good and only watched one episode of Castle, we read in bed.

Morning is totally different if we go to a coffee group, as they tend to start at 9.30am. Louis has a short little morning sleep and then I get him up and drag him off in search of wherever coffee group is hosted. Usually get home in time for lunch and napping. But the afternoon goes similarly after that. Louis tends to nap for ages because of active morning... fine by me!

Day also gets thrown off if we're expecting a delivery, like today... it's still not here. Gr. But when it arrives we will have a printer and voila! I'll be able to send off query letters and manuscripts and other important things. (Well, once we get paper and ink...)

And so it goes. I've been tired a lot – pregnancy related I'm sure, but I can think of a few other contributing factors: culture shock, language challenges, I'm walking more than I used to, and I'm not sleeping consistently well. So I'm trying to to push myself too hard. It's great getting outdoors every day and exploring this fascinating and beautiful area... as well as trying all sorts of culinary delights as a result.

Today is Art-Thursday, and I have sketched the Traiteur nearest to our apartment, where I've stopped in a couple of times – once for dinner-supplies, once for lunch (in hope of being close enough to the council buildings to access their free wifi).

The two older guys who work there are very friendly and their food - wow! I'm looking forward to being able to try the dolmades when I'm no longer pregnant. In the meantime, the fragrant potato dish, the tomatoey Bulgar wheat, the tender and tantalising chicken wings... oh yes please.

Fortunately, I am now equipped to use internet at home, though with limited data... via my shiny new cell phone. It's such a relief to be re-connected to the world. And my blog will undoubtedly get more regularly updated. I imagine it will be one of those things I try to do while Louis is awake and either playing happily by himself, or trying to coerce me into joining him (by bringing me a selection of his toys – how can you resist, mum? - or whimpering until I put him on my lap and give him attention).

Miraculously, he is currently playing happily by himself, fishing in the railing of the sliding door with his sticky little fingers. Possibly trying to get out onto the porch. That might be the closest to outdoors he gets today, if the printer doesn't show up soon.

PS. It's the first day of spring. I think, if we do get out, I may have to buy us flowers to celebrate (and I can put them in the vase Luuk got me for valentines day... now that we've eaten all the lollies.)

Un deuxième tentative...

Okay, so we didn't make it into the city yesterday. Went to buy Louis a hat and gloves (it's been insanely cold!) and then went to bus stop. The plan was to catch the bus to the train station, then take the train into town. Except the buses take a lunch break from 10 till 2. Lazy sods. That's 4 hours of déjeuner. 


So we returned to our increasingly familiar CC (Centre Commercial... mall) and picked up the other bits and bobs we needed - mainly dish-washing accouterments. Went back to apartment where Louis and I napped. Luuk did dishes and made bacon and eggs for lunch. What a man.


At lunch, after 3, we gave up on the dream of seeing the Eiffel tower that day. Decided we'd try a drive (breath normal... try to breath normal) down to the mall for the slightly larger items we needed. Also had dinner there. Didn't get a high chair as there was a pathetic selection and we want a booster seat really, at the moment. However, we did make one very satisfactory purchase...

That's right! My very own purple toaster. Joy of joys.

Got a bunch of other useful things as well: a laundry basket, a GPS (or else we're not driving anywhere, Luuk threatened), and a bunch of food-stuffs. Tiny kitchen in temporary apartment and no freezer, so we can only stock up for a couple of days but we are now in possession of ingredients for 2 or 3 whole dinners: a risotto, a pasta, and possibly another risotto.

The familiar, and the not so familiar.

So today, we'll make a second attempt on Paris - un deuxième tentative. The plan: to drive to Luuk's company office, raid our boxes of shipping for a bunch of items we need/want, and then to drive on to the train station, where we'll park the car for the day. We'll take the metro rail to the city, with Louis in his new pushchair, all of us wrapped up in jackets and scarves and hats, and we'll see what we see.


Aside: Have weaned Louis. He has been quite happy with his bottle, twice a day, for the last two days, and I've barely noticed the discomfort - just goes to show how little milk he was getting from me. And I definitely need any extra energy I can get. The other baby (the one brewing) is growing and moving about a lot (especially after a glass of jus d'orange). I am starting to look more pregnant, but mainly I just feel more pregnant.

Motivation Vacation

So lethargic right now. Kitchen is a bomb site with the mess from monday night's chinese food fest and every meal since has added a little to the shambles. I'm vowing to clean it up before/during cooking dinner tonight.

It's wednesday, my reading day, and I've read... facebook.

So very lazy. Perhaps a sleep is in order.  Louis has been down for less than an hour so I can get a sleep before he wakes up if I go for it now.

But then I'd have to move from my seat here by the window, with a slight breeze wafting in from the door. The kowhai tree outside is looking spectacular, the sky is blue, and the weeds in the garden are green and growing! Ah, spring.

Just so unmotivated. Giant coffee and home-baked chocolate afghan didn't perk me up at all, delicious though they were.

A nap might be wise. I'll relocate myself to bed at least, then I can nap without having to move again.

Tomorrow I'll do better.

failure to nap

So much for the nap. I left my spot in the sun, but before I reached my bed, I heard darling Louis crying. He was all blocked up and miserable, and wanting milk... And then is was lunch time and I had a visitor coming. Louis had gone back to bed but then woke just as the visitor left...

He went down for another nap before 4 (he has lots of short naps when he's got a cold) and I went to bed but couldn't get to sleep, needed a drink of water (all blocked-up and sore of throat myself)... and then Mum arrived, returning some mending she'd done for me. She was kind enough to leave me to my sleep-attempt.

I finally nodded off and then Louis woke at 5! I must have got 5 minutes or less in the end. For all that!

Frustrating. Very.