Saturday in Nice

It all began with banana-bran muffins, filmed by Lisa, sideways. She forgot my instructions about holding the camera horizontally - but we DID get rid of the clicking at least!


Here's our little Léna who is filling out nicely lately . This onesie is too small now!

Then Estelle, Lisa and I bopped over to Eze, a famous perched medieval village just east of Nice. The sun was lovely, a great breeze blowing - perfect morning to stroll around. Here are a ton of photos:

On the side of the route we drove on. Behind Lisa you see the peninsula of Cap Ferrat, some of the most expensive real estate around.....



Here we are in Eze, looking down.


Chess, anyone?





Shots of the cemetery in Eze...



The bridge to Eze....
Inside the chapel lighting a candle for WHA:










We don't have any photos of Lisa's solo excursion out and about this afternoon when she went into the old town for some last minute souvenir shopping whilst the rest of us napped. Too bad, since she went all over the place!

Dinner tonight was savory crepes made by Thomas, and asparagus....
All good things must come to an end......boo hoo.

Friday Fun

This morning I taught a lesson while Lisa looked after Léna.
Then Lisa and I went to a "new mother" discussion group I was asked to participate in at the local clinic. It was SO BORING. Typical format of the "education" system over here. The agenda was literally to spend 1 hour discussing what to discuss at the NEXT meeting 3 weeks from today. I thought my head would blow off. Needless to say, won't be attending that next session.
When we returned, Léna and I had some gazing time....
Then after naps we all went into the old town for a stroll and some gelatto. Here we are at Place Rosetti in front of the fontaine.

Estelle's chocolat "glace" got the better of her.
Back at the ranch, Lisa and I did some home improvement to help my bedroom door close!
And for dinner, we had gone to one of the fresh pasta shops in the Old Town and picked up 10 dozen sheets of raviolis. That sounds like a ton, but it was just the right amount for the 3 of us and a bit left for Estelle too. This is "Nicois" ravioli, which is meat-filled. We ate it plain with just a bit of butter and fresh grated parmesan that we grated ourselves. Scrumptious!
And fruit salad - yum! Also we had a no-salt baguette. This is a by-product of Lisa being the one who went down to get the baguette - she had an adventure!
Too bad her beautiful blue eyes are closed! Here's TaTa giving Léna her bottled of expressed milk last night while PaPa was at hockey.
And here's a video of a lot of squirming..... should also add that we went to the Pediatrician's yesterday and Léna, who was 1 month by the calendar yesterday (28th) but was 4 weeks and 2 days weighed in at 4k350g. This is an 800+g gain in 3 weeks. Excellent! Specially for a baby who is nursed and not on formula! Wouldn't my Aunt Pearl be proud!

First of all, today Lisa cut a piece of butter and it looked like Vermont. We decided it warrented a photo:
Here's breakfast:
On our way to take Léna to the pediatrician, we saw this woman and her 4 dogs, and her stroller, with a dog in it. Sadly, I couldn't get a photo to do it all justice....


Here's a huge boules court nearby....
They are sitting under the shade.....

Here's Estelle wearing her dress and matching dolly dress, today's Gift from the USA from aunt Joanie....

Lisa tasted Socca for the first time tonight (Nicoise specialty made with chick peas). She loved it!

Accompanied by a fresh mozzarella/tomato/basil salad.
And Estelle enjoyed a little ice cream cone!


And here's a little video of Léna that Lisa took - her first video!

Luxurious Wednesday

Here's Thomas giving Léna her nightly bottle (of expessed milk, no formula for this baby!) We were watching the film "The Kite Runner" on TV in English.

Here's Léna dropping off to sleep with her favorite buddy, the pacifier.
This morning while Estelle was at Cathy's, Lisa and I strolled into the Old Town with the buggy. Here's a shop that caught Lisa's eye: a very old Nicois store selling "bonbonnes", which are these large "bottles" for storing your own wine in your "cave". Also the shop sells "bouchons", or corks for people who make their own wine.
Here we are enjoying coffee/tea out on the terrace of a cafe on the famous Cours Saleya in Vieux Nice...
What a delight to finally feel organized enough to go out with the baby and enjoy a morning tea and people watch!
We shopped for our evening salad meal at the market in front of us, buying: pears, cherries, blackberries, goat's cheese, jambon de parme (like dry prusciutto) and whole walnuts. Lisa claims she is being gastronomically adventurous.
What will tomorrow hold?

Two Days of Activities

Monday morning Lisa and I took Léna out to Mougins to see Uncle Craig at his villa.
Here's Craig and his nephew Ben from Vermont, whom I knew as a little tike...

Back home, Estelle enjoyed opening her "Gift of the Day from the USA" - presents from Grammie!
The Gingerbread Man book and CD!
And a book for me too - The Teeny Tiny Woman! YEAH! Thanks Mom!
Taking it all in....
Coloring at her desk with things from Grammie...


Léna decked out in Kenzo from Manou....
Today Estelle enjoyed playdough time (another strike today so no day-care this afternoon)...
This seagull looks like he's on strike for something, doesn't he?

This afternoon Estelle played silently, alone, for 45 minutes with these blocks. Lisa and I were amazed.

When Estelle is having a great time, she wiggles back and forth on her bum. She kept doing that whilst arranging all these blocks without saying a word. A riot.Stayed tuned for what happens tomorrow!