New York to Paris: January 2009

We've mastered skiing now how about ice skating..

There was an open air ice rink at the local chateau, and some friends pointed out it was the last weekend it was open, and we should all take the kids. So carried along with the spirit of things we headed down Sunday afternoon. Bella was keen to get on the ice so Malcolm suggested I go on with her. Having seen Malcolm skate (?) around Central Park once, this was clearly the safest option. Having said that as I laced her and my boots up, I did start to wonder if I was crazy, taking a 3 year old on ice, when the last time I remember ice skating, was a drunken night out at University, and prior to that as an 8 year old at Altrincham ice rink. Anyway not wanting to dampen Bella's enthousiasm I went with the flow. My fears became more real as our first step on the snow I nearly took a guy and his beer down with us. I did a first couple of laps on my own just to convince myself I could actually skate. Then I took Bella. This essentially involved me holding her by the seat of her pants to keep her upright whilst simultaneously pushing her. It quickly became apparent that my back was not going to stand for that. So we tried pushing the traffic cone around. That wasn't too succesful. Bella wanted to push either a penguin or polar bear around. However these articles were few and far between and in huge demand. After a few backbreaking laps, I plucked up the courage to convince a young girl in my best French that our need for a penguin was greater than hers. (Infact Malcolm caught said girl in earlier photo moment). After a small disagreement she realised the error of her point of view and the penguin was all ours. Hurrah. So quickly skating off before her parents arrived, we had a couple more slightly less back breaking laps then I retired for a cup of vin chaud. Thank goodness it was the last weekend.

Party weekend

We stayed home last weekend as there were 2 parties to go to, one for Emily from school who was 4 and had a party at Gymboree, and one for Polly who was 2 and had a party at home. Sebby held his own, joining in the festivities and sweeping up any left over cake. Bella demonstrated her advanced dance moves, the adults were quite impressed, although noted it was more Little Miss Sunshine than Angelina Ballerina. One has to wonder where they get it from (is it really the parents?)

Catch-up...

Bella's class gets their medals

Ooops, not so many words recently. Life is busy. Since we got the mountain apartment we've been up there every weekend, so minimal time for chit chat here. Life is indeed tough.

So we had a great Christmas and New Year break. The first week Jane, Bruce, Izzy and Maddy came over from the UK which was fun. We spent most of it in the big yellow house, but also spent a couple of nights in the mountain apartement as they had to see the postcard Switzerland too. The second week we stayed in the mountains and did plenty of skiing. Bella went in to ski school every morning and got her first medal (the I showed up for 6 days, because my mummy and daddy fed me sweets all morning, medal). Since going up subsequent weekends she now has her second medal (I can snow plough down the mountain alone, although when I see mummy and speed up I have trouble stopping, medal). Actually it's quite impressive, and Bella has been a great sport, happily going off skiing. Oliver and Alex from her pre-school have been going to the same ski school, so she's in good company.

We took the Phil&Ted stroller up, and bought a huge cozy sleeping bag for it for Sebby so he's much happier now as he can find the snow a bit challenging, not to mention cold. He got sick over new year, but a course of antibiotics sorted him out.

The apartment is coming on really well, still a few things like curtains, but as the view is fabulous and we have no neighbours, it's not a big deal until the summer when the sun gets up too early. It's quite a transformation, and so convenient for the slopes, it's fantastic. We also installed a large TV screen on the wall and watched the whole of Dexter Season 1 over new year. (is that really sad?)