Le tourisme avec les tantes - Sightseeing with the Aunties!

We had a great weekend with Maura and Ilona, despite the weather turning very cold!  The girls arrived on Friday and Max was absolutely delighted to see his aunties - and far too excited to sleep.  We relaxed with wine and nibbles on Friday night and wrapped up well to spend all of Saturday sightseeing before ending the night with a great meal in Montmartre.  I was wary of the French tendency to lightly cook food so I wisely asked for my salmon 'bien cuit' (well cooked).  I thought I'd impressed my visitors but the waiter just laughed and thanked me for complimenting him on his having a good bum!  'Cuit', I have now learned, should be pronounced kwee and not kyoo.  You can tell that the French classes have clearly paid off!

Max is wrapped up and ready to go - the dummy shields most of his face from the cold!

Ilona, Paul, Max and Maura head out to take on Paris

Paul poses by Pei's Pyramids at the Louvre

Maura models on the Seine

Ilona and Maura take time out to rest in the Tuileries

Maura and Ilona at the Arc de Triomphe

Paul and Mag at the Arc de Triomphe (with a cheeky wee vin chaud!)

Look at the size of that candy floss! 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!  The Christmas markets along the Champs Elysees 

View down the Champs Elysees towards the big wheel at the Place de la Concorde.  Yes, I was standing like a nutter in the middle of the road. 

The photos of the Champs Elysees don't really do it justice - the Christmas lights are magical.  There's a Christmas market that goes on for around half a mile and all of the stalls are covered with wee white lights, as are the trees lining the Avenue.  It's not at all tacky, honestly!  The French seem to have the ability to go completely over the top with festive decor while still making the place look classy.  Some Oxford Avenue residents should take note!

My pal Annemarie arrived on Sunday as she had a work meeting on Monday.  The weather took a turn for the worse - very, very cold and wet - so we stayed inside with pizza.  Max definitely enjoyed all the attention and it was great for him to see other faces about the place.  He's really looking forward to Granny B and Papa John's visit this weekend!  Bring your winter woollies, folks!

La nourriture, la nourriture glorieus - Food, Glorious Food!

Max is delighted with another big scoff!

Get the paparazzi outta here!  Let the boss enjoy his meal!

Max is clearly getting himself ready for a cold winter and building up the fat reserves.  We've got him a new highchair which he loves (a £10 ikea bargain that i'd recommend to anyone!) and he gets very excited as soon as he's in it.  He has recently learned to scrunch his nose up in typical French style at my poorly-prepared feasts and even snorts at food he definitely doesn't want!  We're meeting friends tomorrow for lunch and I'm nervously anticipating his first 'eating in public' experience.  I've obviously got the necessary change of clothes packed for Max but I'm thinking of packing one for me too!

Max and I have been busy over the last couple of weeks with a few 'playdates' and a renegade singing group!  I hadn't realised that I'd been given a row at the last singing group for applauding Max at the end of another big number.  The uptight French teacher had apparently specifically asked all parents to refrain from this as it could make other children feel that they hadn't performed well.  My French is getting slightly better but I didn't catch that!  I met another couple of English-speaking mums at a "La Leche League" meeting, one of whom is a professional folk singer and we've formed our own, FREE, 'singing with your baby' group.  It's comprised of a really lovely group of people and it's far more relaxed than the French group, so it's definitely more enjoyable.  

We also had another babygroup meeting held at a house about 30 minutes' walk from here.  It started at 10am but I didn't make it till 11, having got lost en route, blustering, sweaty and apologetic with a hungry baby, only to be met by a relaxed, 40-something glamorous mother of a contented baby, effortlessly playing hostess to around a dozen mothers and serving coffees and cakes - and she was confined to a wheelchair!  It really put all my excuses for being late to shame.  These groups have been amazing for me (and for Max, I like to think!).  There's a real sense that everyone wants to help each other out and share experiences as much as possible due to the awareness that the members don't tend to have family or other close friends here.  Just yesterday an English woman overheard me chatting to Max in the shop and came over to chat to me with her baby and gave me her mobile number.  She was probably worried that I was going insane.

Paul and I have been enjoying a fair amount of scoffs too!  I'm loving being able to enjoy all of the cheeses that I wasn't allowed when pregnant and nothing beats a chunk of fresh baguette with a big lump of President butter!  Paul's cousin, Neil, had us over for a great meal at his place last week with his French flatmates and Canadian and Columbian pals.  Neil took Paul out to a French football game last night where they saw Thierry Henry in action!  Paul's also found himself a 5-aside football team that have a kick-about on a Sunday morning so, along with his jogs along the canal, he's getting fit!

The canal St Martin at the end of the street

Max however is a bit too laid back for any such exercise malarkey and isn't yet able to sit up.  My pal Rachel gave us a loan of her blow-up ring in the hope that this would build up his stomach muscles, but he quickly learned how to kick back and use it as a head-rest - see below.  He's growing so fast but his back is so much longer than his wee legs - I blame his papa John!

Why would I sit up?  This is far more comfortable!

I had a brilliant weekend as the uni girls came over to visit!  We spent the weekend chatting, sightseeing, chatting, eating and chatting.  It was so good to see them and to have the time for a proper catch up.  I left Max with Paul for most of Sunday which was a bit scary for both of them but good for bonding!

Sandra, Dawn and Maria - the Ladies of the Moulin Rouge!

Paul celebrates the end of another hard day's work!