HAPPY BIRTHDAY ESTELLE

The festivities began early: yesterday was our annual visit of Genevieve, her daughter Charlotte, and HER daughter Eleyethana, our "Ley", now living in Rennes but formerly of Nice. They brought a playdough set and pump for Estelle. This was a big hit.
Here we are having cake with them and a friend and boyfriend.
Going to the park with Ley.

Last night we laid out all her presents and cards that awaited her for this morning:

But, when morning came. who has time to open presents when you live on the French Riviera? What else is there to do when you turn 2 but go to a fabulous beach in chic Villefranche-sur-Mer. We went with our little friend Ines and her mom Kristel. Ines is 5 months older but no taller!



It's true, she's two today. Two candles avoided any disputes about who blows out what.



at 11:30 we went home for lunch, and were treated to Daddy taking a half day and coming home at 1:00. After naptime we went to visit nanny Cathy to celebrate (again) with Carlo and Mila.

Homemade by yours truly in a jetlag blur yesterday, frosting at 10 pm.

Even the candles have soccer balls on them in Europe!

Finally back at home in the late afternoon, opening presents with Daddy.

More gifts!

Here's a little video of some birthday fun today at Cathy's:

And lastly, Ines's mom just emailed me this photo from a beach adventure we had about 3 weeks ago. Look at my hat and it's crazy MC Escher effect! Wild!

All in all, a great birthday. I think she sort of understood that something was different since people kept singing to her in person and over the phone all day.
Thanks everyone!

VERMONT - or - How I didn't change a diaper for 16 days - Part ONE

Thanks to Thomas parents, Guy and Andree, I was able to fly to Vermont (via Montreal) for 2 weeks and have a little holiday with my family.
There were many things there are no photos of, like driving into deer camp to see all
my brothers cutting wood on top of a mountain; thinking I had been stung in the butt by a bee in my sister's car whilst on the way back from Montreal, only to find out it was just a push pin that had been lingering in the crevices of her passenger seat, etc. That was just in the first 24 hours I was there.
Let's start the show with this photo:
Beet greens. One of my favorites.

Other incidents unchronicled by photos are when a certain nameless animal was found malingering in our pond and had to be "removed from the wildlife population" (to quote a term from a certain wildlife biologist I know) by someone who shall remain nameless. This is illegal, technically, thus I have to be coy about what I am talking about in case the Feds come after us. I have strict instructions to include no photos or names. Also found a snakeskin behind my 6-year-old nephew's bureau in his room. Welcome to Vermont.
Photos:
Cabot, Vermont: My niece Lillian with Mom. This was 2 days before she left for China with the Governor's Institute. In this photo she's at her job as a waitress at cafe in Cabot. And yes, they serve cheese.

4th of July - the usual, starting with the tractor pull at the Fairgrounds.


Wayne and Cole and I get decked out in patriotic finery, and John Deere t-shirts.

Jumping in the bouncy house.

The 4th of July parade. Watching with Joan, Mom, Aunt Cecile and Uncle Ernest.



Coach Wes walking with the Wayne and his T-ball team...

The next day, a little picnic in a cemetery, true to form to Wes and I as children getting dragged around cemeteries throughout the entire 2nd half of the 1970's.

My Quebecois grandparents.

Heather wearing Estelle's old mud boots.

On Sunday the 6th, brother Ed had a delayed arrival for a BBQ with my mom's sisters thus I was forced to get behind the grill for country ribs. I managed.

Just a few desserts.

Mom and 2 of her 4 living sisters, Celine and Yolie. Missing are Rita (Colorado) and Estelle (Massachusetts).

That evening I went with my brother Cedric to our cabin on Shadow Lake.

Monday I took Mom back to NH, and then headed to Burlington to see my twin sisters and college roommate Becky, who has turned everyone on their heads by becoming a motorcyle driver.

This is a twist Creemee from Broad Acres in Mallets Bay, former roller skating oracle.

Tuesday the 8th, brunch with 2 of my 3 father's sisters Eleanor and Rebecca. Missing is Elaine, who I had already seen in West Glover. Also in the photos are my twin sisters and my cousin Debbie.

That's about enough photos for one day, don't you think?
Part Two to follow.....

Patience

Thanks to all those who inquired with concern thinking I had died or something.

Just returned this morning from 2 weeks in good ole Vee Tee.

If I ever unpack and wake up enough, I'll chronicle it for you all.....

Estelle eats Green Beans

Some readers know there is an on-going fight to get Estelle to eat vegetables that are not cooked and pureed. The girl will eat just about anything, as long as it is cooked and pureed. Brussel sprouts to eggplant to beets, she'll eat it. But mushy, and cooked. This, at almost 2 years old, is starting to get a little, well, old.
Yesterday when I went to get Estelle at Cathy's, there she was, enjoying a bowl of cooked potatoes and string beans. I was in absolute shock.
But when the other kids are doing it too, it becomes much more interesting!
Here they are: Mila, Carlos and Marie.


A little video with Cathy and her son Julien too.

The Birthday Circuit

Sunday we drove 2 hours into the Var, the next "department" over going westerly from our department, the "Alpes-Maritimes". Very much in France is referred to by "Departments". It's sort of like states in the USA. I stress the "sort of".
Anyways, off we went, hot as hell, on the road at 9 a.m. to avoid the worst of the heat in our car with no A/C (soon to be changed).
Who remembers little Alessandro, son of Isabelle (French/German) and Luca (Italian). They used to live here in Nice and have lived in the Var for less than a year - now they are moving again to Evian (yes, like the water). So a little reunion to say goodbye and to celebrate Alessandro's 2nd birthday. Isabelle is pregnant again and due mid-September.
This event was also a goodbye for Sylvianne and Philippe, Pauline's parents, who are moving to Lyon. Sylvianne also announced that she too is expecting again. A day of lots of celebrations!
Estelle is sad to see all her little friends going away. But who cares when there is chocolate cake and a pool and Elliot is still around thank goodness.
Here are Estelle and Pauline, dancing "the Capucine". You can tell who thinks she is in charge of the situation.

Then the girls decided to try to get into a toy box together.


The dwindling group:
Pauline, Elliot, Alessandro, Estelle. We were missing Maxence in Paris and the Nicoises Lucie and Thomas who couldn't make it.


Blowing out the candles. Who cares about the candles, look at those desserts!

Pool fun! The other little boy, Philippo, is Alessandro's cousin from Italy. Their fathers are identical twins.


Arriving back into Nice at 7 p.m. we decided to stop at the first spot on the beach we came to and jump in. Estelle had slept the entire way in the car so we knew it wouldn't be an early night - so why not? Meanwhile, it was the IronMan triathalon competition going on in Nice. Here were all these sad characters still plodding along at 8 p.m. after biking and swimming. On such a hot hot day. Alarming.

Cooling off in Nice.

Estelliot goes to the Beach

Here are a few shots of yesterday morning at the beach. We were also joined by my friend Helen. She got a does of the reality of having a toddler on the beach. i.e. there is no down time. I was thrilled to have a willing pair of hands to help.



It looks more dangerous than it really was. According to Elliot.

Back at the ranch, Estelle tried her best to look like her Madeline doll. She really wants a scar on her belly.

And a little video we call "Shake it like a Polaroid". This was also an attempt at self-filming.