Christmas in Paris

Our 40 Euro Christmas tree.  Very much missed the opportunity to cut our own tree as we were able to do in the states.  Not the same as buying from a florist and carrying the tree home along the city streets.
Stockings hung by the fire with care.  Yes, Samuel's stocking will be full.  The other stockings are for the cats.  No, they are not spoiled.

Interesting that we do not see Christmas lights decorating the windows of other apartments. The village of Neuilly has placed very nice trees along the side streets.  Some businesses have decorations(Most notably the McDonald's across the street).

Samuel had his follow-up flu shot yesterday.  He cried for about 10 seconds then was asleep before we got on the bus for the ride home.  Samuel is doing reasonably well with solid foods. He is not enthusiastically opening his mouth but he does eventually open.   It does take about 30 minutes to complete his solid food feeds.

It snowed heavily on Tuesday(9/12).  No accumulation near our apartment due to the heat of the buildings and the streets.  Julia has told me that it never snows in Paris and it has snowed twice since our arrival in July. :)

Julia will be in Cincinnati next week(monday-thursday) on business.  She returns Friday morning and we take the train to London for Christmas.  Thanks to our friend Denise in Cincinnati who has graciously volunteered to be a package depot that we can have our US christmas presents shipped so that Julia can bring them back on the plane.

For anyone interested in visiting after the new year.  There appears to be a very interesting Warhol/Miro exhibit at the Musee du'Luxembourg through February 22nd.

-Dave

Samuel bath time

Samuel taking his last bath with the sling in his tub.  He is a big boy now and we no longer will be using the sling.
Mummy and Samuel on their way to the bath.
Samuel pulling mummy's hair.  I love my son!

Thanksgiving in Paris

Dave, Samuel, Grandma & Grandpa in the hall of mirrors at Versailles
Grandma and Grandpa on the river seine cruise with Notre Dame in the background.
Julia, Dave and Samuel(in his new snowsuit) on the Champs d'elysees.

Thanksgiving in Paris was quite interesting.  Our turkey was 7.3k(approximately 18 lbs.)  Quite a large turkey.  We were worried that it would not fit in our oven.  With a little encouragement it just did.

Samuel's grandparents visited for 8 days.  The weather again did not cooperate.  No snow but a lot of rain and cold temperatures.

We were able to visit Versailles.  The experience was tainted by the presence of exhibits by the "artist" Jeff Koon.  Call me old fashioned but I did not go to Versailles to see modern "art".  To call what this individual does art is an insult to the drawings I did as a 4 year old.  One example.  There was a piece that was a red plastic toy lobster suspended from the ceiling on a red chain.  Laughable.  Rant off.

This was my first Thanksgiving that I can remember not watching American football.  Suspect I will have to get used to the experience.

Brought all of our Christmas items up from the cave tonight.  We plan on going to the Neuilly Christmas market on Saturday to purchase french tree lights and whatever else they have that we like.  Christmas trees are already out on the streets.   Most of them appear to be wrapped.  We will have to be patient and find one that is not wrapped so we can inspect to ensure that it is indeed a good tree.

Not a lot new to report.  We are all winding down from an eventful 11 days of having family visiting. Samuel was difficult to get to sleep the last few nights.  Overstimulated during the day meant not wanting to sleep at night.  The last 2 nights he has gone to sleep much easier.

-Dave

The cousins meet.....

This is Samuel's cousin Eila feeding him his bottle

Julia, James, Eila and Samuel taken while they were skyping Grandma Moya.

The cousins.  Color coordinated wardrobes?

Julia's brother James, his wife Astrid and their 6 year old daughter Eila visited over the weekend.  Unfortunately the weather did not cooperate.  Snow actually was falling on Saturday, No accumulation but snow did fall from the sky.

The weather did break long enough for Eila and Samuel to go to the Bois de Bologne and feed day old baguette to the ducks.  James and Julia called it a social science experiment.

Good day and bad day......(again)....

First, the good news.  Samuel and I went to the market this morning and we went to our usual produce vendor and we were greeted not only with a smile and a "Ca va", we were also greeted with a handshake.  It is my understanding that a handshake is equivalent to Tu'ing someone(For those of you that do not speak French(this includes me).  The French have a formal and an informal you, vous (formal) and tu (informal).

When you are Tu'ed you have been accepted by the person doing the tu'ing

Now for the bad part of the day.  Samuel and I went out in the afternoon to do some Christmas shopping in the St. Michel area, very tacky touristy stuff.  To get there we had to change metros.  Well, we departed our train at Chatelet station and proceeded to leave the station.  Only after I was standing on the sidewalk did I remember that we needed to change trains not leave the station.  We had to return to the station and use another ticket to get to the train we needed.  

A good part of the day was that we were successful in purchasing quite a few Christmas presents for family.

Now, the really disturbing part of the day.  On our return we were planning on changing trains again and going to an English store in the 16th to look for items that we need to prepare Thanksgiving dinner.  We needed to change at the Charles de gaulle etoile.  We departed the train, and, proceeded to depart the station.  Good news is that Samuel had his first close look at the Arc d'triomphe.  However, we were not supposed to exit the station.  At this point it was getting near Samuel's food time and we decided to return to the apartment.

Neither Julia or I have been sleeping well.  I hope that a lack of sleep is all that was behind my "sleepwalking" through the metro stations today.

James, Astrid and Eila are arriving on Friday for a quick weekend visit.  On Tuesday my parents arrive for American Thanksgiving.

For those of you in America,  I am currently watching Highlander on Orange TV.  It is just as good in French.  I have yet to see an episode set in Paris broadcast.

This had to happen eventually....

I believe my nomination for father of the year took a major hit today.

Before anyone panics, Samuel is fine.  As for me, I am not sure.

There is not easy way to admit it other than just write it.  Samuel fell off the couch today.  It is about a 12 inch drop onto a hardwood floor.  He is fine.  The floor is fine.

He was taking a nap on the couch while I worked on the computer and the next thing I knew I heard a loud thud.  Samuel had silently woken up and rolled off the couch.

Okay, start the cyber yelling. I deserve it.  I am seriously disappointed in myself. I know these things will happen but it is disturbing when someone puts all his trust in you and you let them down.

-Dave, AKA bad dad

Samuel's room

These are pictures of Samuel's decorated room.  It is a safari theme.  I know the pictures do not show a great amount of details.  If you want to see the details you should come for a visit.