Family Times

We've just returned from a week's holiday in the Vosges with my Mum and Dad. We rented a gite in Gerardmer, which is only an hour and a half's drive from here but really felt as though it was in another world.

Jack often left his pushchair to walk with us and to collect different souvenirs (sticks, stones, flower) along the way:




With him, we walked across a river of stones:





We walked around lakes...

..mostly in the rain:

We walked around waterfalls:

And we walked up snowy mountains (thanks to Benoit who pushed Jack's chair all the way to the top!):

And we were together, and that was good!

Wait, is this still Winter or already Spring?

As the snow fell today, distant memories of glorious sunshine only a week ago made me feel a bit confused!

That said, the weather inside the house is the same as ever: hilarious!

Here's Jack guarding 'his' baguette of bread!

love n hugs,

Robynx

Happy Easter!

I hope you had a lovely weekend - ours was very peaceful, as we sheltered from the snow outside by tucking up in front of the fire and eating lots of chocolates!

Marching Forward

Jack walking while talking in scribble

March has, so far, been quite a quiet month for us. We've spent a lot of time relaxing in front of the fire and taking Jack for short walks. It's all been very pleasant but it does mean that there's not much to report for the minute! So, I hope you are all well and that this month is bringing you the time that you need to do the things that you want to do!


Jack going for a walk by himself!

Kisses and Arnica

Hello there,

This is really a moment for kisses and arnica.

That is, Jack has learned how to give big wet sloppy kisses but receives as many as he gives away because of the many falls and bumps and bruises he accumulates in a day. One day, he had a red line running across his eye (a bump with the edge of a wall) and a blue mark behind his ear (after an incident with the stairs) and then hundreds of other little bobos!

I have to say, though, that he's getting much more adventurous as we go for 'proper walks,' as he feeds himself at the table (often with disasterous results), and as he gains more and more confidence at the pool (clambering out of the pool only to 'jump' straight back in again).

Here we are at Pierre Percée lake, where Jack had great fun getting his shoes wet and collecting slimy stones.

And so, when I remember this time, I'll remember days of winter sunshine, the gentle kisses of my son, and the sweet smell of arnica rubbed on bruised skin!

Robyn xxx

ps/

Flying into Space

Now Jack's 16 months old, we thought it was about time he learned to fly...into space.

So, here he is in his 'space mobile' at Planet Spoon, a local indoor play area for kids!!

A Busy Month!

The year has taken off running for its been a busy month for all of us!

Jack is gaining more and more confidence - and now when we go for a walk he can come out of the push chair and walk beside us. It's really funny because his perspective of the world is so different from ours. For him, everything that is coloured or formed unusually is of interest: license plates, gates, sign, cats, dogs, ducks are suddenly all of great importance in our lives! And, if Mr Jack now doesn't want to do something, we hear a very solemn little 'Nooo' echoing from his mouth and we see his little head shaking. He's not really 'speaking' yet but he echoes words that we say. Last night, I told him "You're gorgeous" and before I knew it he was muttering "URorgoeus" I couldn't help but smile!

Meanwhile, Benoit has been out and about in the world as he's just spent two weeks in Cameroon. The government have built a dam and are installing electricity lines and so Ben was there working on an environmental impact study, talking to the villagers, and taking GIS points. The photos he's brought back are of another world as he visited small hamlets of houses without electricity. The people showed him how they planted their fruit and vegetables in small clearings in the forest and explained a little about their lives. It seems to have been quite an experience for him!

I've been busy too, because, although both Jack and I were ill with 'gastro' during one week, I have had the time to take him swimming, to go to a spa, visit with friends, and generally hang out with the wee boy. Taking him swimming was a great laugh: he was a bit afraid to begin with but soon warmed up and started laughing and playing around. Great stuff!

And so, as January draws to an end, I'm left wondering just what February will hold in store for us!!!

"Hello?"

"Hello?" That's what Jack says as he holds his little plastic red phone to his ear, to Teddy's ear, or even to my own ear. "Helloooo?"

Yesterday, he was crying and so I walked out into the hall.

"Do you want to go to bed?"

He violently shook his head, "No."

"Do you want to go into the kitchen?"

He giggled and pointed his little chubby finger in the direction of, well, the fridge.

I think our little boy's beginning to figure out just how life works!

Stepping into the New Year!

Jack's decided to walk his way into the New Year.

Okay, so he often falls on his bum - splat - and sometimes onto his face - ouch - but, all the same, it's official: the boy can walk!

Happy New Year!

A bit of Matsuo Basho to end 2007:

Year's end,
all corners
of this floating world, swept.

Then a bit of Jack to bring in 2008:

May the year ahead bring you all the joy and happiness you deserve!

much love,

Robyn

Merry Christmas!

Here's a wee photo of our apartment in Mutzig - by some lovely coincidence the locals put up a decoration in English just outside our door!

We're not there at the moment, but down in Cagnes sur mer where the temperature is more 10*C than minus 10* - for at that temperature the trees freeze....

... and the flowers shiver!

We spent, then, Christmas in Cagnes and just had a grand grand time. Jack loved playing with his cousins, Antoine and Charlotte, and we loved being with everyone.

Here's a photo we took from Grasse, overlooking the sea.

So, where ever you are in the world -- America, China, Egypt, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Honduras -- know I'm wishing you a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!!

Chocolate...

Hmm, and so it appears that Jack hasn't limited himself to only liking Chocolate Cake.. as he was quite quite happy to chomp into this gift from his Nanny. In Alsace, children celebrate 'St Nicolas' on Dec 6th but, be warned, St Nicolas is accompanied by "Père Fouettard", who arrives carrying a bunch of sticks with which naughty children are beaten.

Here's an old picture representing St Nicolas in Lorraine, a neighbouring department ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas ).

The good news for Jack? The arrival of St Nicolas on Dec 6th won't cancel out the arrival of Santa Claus on Dec 25th.

:-)

chocolate cake!

So, I guess it doesn't come as much of a surprise.. but our wee boy loves Chocolate Cake, especially the type which crumbles in his hands. He's lying now in bed, laughing to himself and tapping his 'sucette/dummy' against the rails of his bed. It's only 9.30pm....which means we might have another hour of listening to him talk to himself and Teddy before he falls asleep! He and Teddy, it's a real love story - but he's also in a cuddley mood just now and so the cuddles are shared around.
So, cuddles to you - where ever you are as you read this entry - and let's talk soon!
hugs,
Robynx

Starting to Walk!

It's official, if we hold onto one or both of his hands, Mr Jack now loves strutting his stuff about the apartment.

Before we had to kinda coax him forward, but now he all but begs to be 'walked' about the place :-)

Yeah, the changes just keep on coming!

Meet my new friend, Rody

Jack is slowly making acquaintances with his new friend, Rody. They've only known each other since Jack's birthday but it looks like they will be friends a long time. Jack pats Rody's face and gives him cuddles; Rody allows Jack to sit on his back and, only occasionally, bucks him off. Rody is also watching now as Jack gets closer and closer to walking: Jack enjoys walking as he holds onto our hands and keeps on parading by pushes objects like chairs around our living room. To commicate, he claps his hands with us and makes bubbling noises when we do! It's all completely daft but quite, quite fun!

Happy Birthday

Here are a couple of photos to celebrate Mr. Jack's very first birthday! He had great fun opening his presents and eating his birthday cake... and just generally seems very proud of himself for being just so old!

Rocks

Taking advantage of a day's holiday, Ben, Jack and I took a short drive to Dieffenthal and then a walk around the 'Circuit des Roches.'

This walk took us past 6 grantite rocks which are oddly located in the midst of vineyards, far from their cousins higher up the hillside. History has accorded them rich meaning and names, like Hansel & Gretel and Wolfskirche.

The rocks in the pictures are the 'Roches des Celtes' where, according to legend, women publically gave birth . All I can say? Rather them than me, as there's a chill wind that blows up from the plain!

The perspective is lovely, though, because with the Vosges as backdrop you have a grand view over the valley towards Colmar, Frieburg, and the Black Forest.

Changes

Mr Jack can now climb onto the couch by himself and is occasionally - when I have enough energy and can face the task of tidying up - given the chance to feed himself yoghurt! He also enjoys passing things to us and taking them back (and if he sees us with 'his' teddy he comes trundling over to reclaim 'his property!'). He's still pointing to everything and anything and talking as much scribble as possible!

Forest Walks

I felt like staying inside on Sunday but Benoit persuaded me that it was wrong to waste such a day. I'm glad now he convinced me as we really took a walk through Autumn, rustling our feet through the leaves and collecting chestnuts to roast later on the fire.

keeping warm as the fire grows cold

Unusually, Jack's having a morning sleep - so I have a little time to finish the last blog!

Last Saturday, my neighbour Martine and I went to the local spa in Soultz-Les-Bains and - ooh lala! It was my first time in a spa but it won't be my last! Spending time in the sauna, jet bath, and in the thermal pool felt so good that, even one week later, I feel refreshed: http://www.sulzbad.com/

And, if that wasn't enough, on Sunday, Ben and I visited a little island located on the Rhine river. The weather was a little grey and rainy but, bundled up nice and warm , we still had time to take a walk around the island and to admire the various birds (egrets, ducks, swans) adorning the river: http://alsace.nature.free.fr/reserves.htm

So, yep, all in all it was a weekend well spent even though the autumn winds are beginning to chill the land and turn flaming leaves to ashes.