blondefish.blogspot.com: December 2013

Final Sunset of 2013 #HappyNewYear!

A Norn Iron Experience #ForeverFriends

When you've known someone half your life, meeting up adds another chapter to a long and fabulous book. Anita reminded me quite how long and fabulous it has been when she brought out her photos from our St Andrews Uni days. Ah, the glory days. 17 years later, and this time with husbands and kids, we were able to spend a precious couple of days together in Northern Ireland (thank you Mrs G for the accommodation!).

Small Fry was still on French time and we were first up in the mornings. Nothing for it but to amuse ourselves with beautiful Caitlin's hair bands. Gor-jus.

We spent our only full day in Belfast at the new Titanic Experience exhibition. And it really is an full audio, visual and sensory experience, although perhaps lacking some obvious historical facts: like what happened that fateful night, and that over 1,500 people died, which we thought left the emblazoned Titanic t-shirts in the gift shop in bad taste.

Still, the building is architecturally amazing and points to one of the strengths of the exhibition: presenting what life was like in Belfast in the early 20th century, particularly the importance of the docks and life in the shipbuilding industry.

From the upper levels of the building, the outside ground marks out the original slipway on which Titanic was built, including the supporting beams to hold the ship in place.

The memorial

Capt'ns on the Bridge

Boxing #FamilyPhotoTime

And Boxing Day wouldn't be Boxing Day without our wider Clan Christmas Celebration, hosted once again by the Lovely Lambs in Perth...and the obligatory family photos.

Another year, another missing Kelling Kid. Except a communication fail meant half were smiling and half were sad...

Another annual occurrence: looking in different directions for the family photo

Kelling Clan 2013

Merry Christmas! #Homemade

A Christmas Cottage #Moness

Every second year we all* meet up somewhere in Scotland to celebrate Christmas together. This year we are in Moness, on the outskirts of Aberfeldy, right in the heart of Scotland.

Snow is forecast, and snow is falling.

Everyone made it, despite delays.

And this is the view from the front window (snowy hills opposite obscured by snow clouds)

The duck pond is about as far as we have ventured, giving the icy conditions.

And so, nothing for it but to hit the pool, sauna, steam room and hot tub. The ball pool that is for Small Fry and his babysitter (and everything else for mama and papa).

What's a baby to do when mama and papa are in the spa?

And Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a gingerbread house:

*If you live abroad and already came home in the summer for *somebody's* wedding party, or have just had a baby, you're exempted.

Holding the Baby #Corey

He's a wee dinky dolly (5lb 11oz), but ever, ever so cute.

While the cat's away... #Slash

Loo Containment #HeadingHome

How awwweesssome is this? The family toilet in Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. We all know that family toilets are a way for adults to go to the loo while pretending to change the baby. Those smart toilet-planners KNOW this and have adapted the toilet to make sure an adult can go in peace while the kid is strapped in like a little pilot. No more having to go one-handed while trying to contain a wriggling infant.

Otherwise known as the 'child-safe-take-a-break-room'. No wonder there's always a queue outside.

Home is where the heart is #TeamG-K

To extend our year of firsts: today marks the first year that we have been installed in Paris as a little family. Yup, a year ago today we* arrived with our 1-month old son and set up home in Paris as the G-Ks.

We spent today, as I think we have spent the majority of the past year, with me still struggling with a mixture of lung/cold/flu infections, Small Fry battling a snuffly nose, and El Puma as strong as an ox (and off out to a band rehearsal).

Since we arrived, we have probably spent about as much time here as not here, and Small Fry can scratch 8 countries into his bedpost (for the curious: UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Norway, Sweden, USA, Peru) and there's no way I'm going to try and count the number of different beds he's slept in. We're proud of our little boy and his flexibility, curiousity and gentleness. Yeah, well, the terrible 2s are up ahead so let's see how many of those adjectives last...

And today's big achievement was getting all my travel vaccinations updated. Looks like it will be more of the same next year!

*El Puma actually arrived a day earlier.

Roll Up! Roll Up! #AllTheFunOfTheFayre

I have made most of my new-mum friends (they are new mums, as well as becoming my new friends) at the English playgroup that meets every Friday morning (and where Santa makes babies howl). One of my closer friends is Geneviève (her of Sarkozy running in the park fame) and her little boy turned one today. They threw a rather lavish circus-themed, decoration-filled, punch-fuelled birthday bash. Thanks to my ongoing bronchitis, I stayed clear of the punch but did chomp happily on the gorgeous cake.

The babies came as lions, tigers, monkeys and clowns, while the adults came as clowns, clowns and yet more clowns. So El Puma and I swam against the flow by going as a magician (him) and The Bearded Lady* (me).

The hosts were dressed as a popcorn lady and a circus gorilla, and yep, the gorilla suit had the same effect on Small Fry as the previous day's Santa costume. So he spent most of the party attached to either his mama or papa, bursting into tears whenever the gorilla came into view.

I was the only one to home-make a baby costume. Here is Small Fry as a ferocious lion. I'm telling you, we left golden feathers e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e. (but he had a super cute tail).

Asher with his mum and dad blowing out his birthday candle:

The clowns:

Once we saw the Christmas light show that Paris has put on, we decided to walk some of the way home. Here is the Madeleine calling Batman:

And here is the department store Printemps:

Looking down the Boulevard with Printemps and Galeries Lafayette:

*Credit where it's due: thanks Super Sonia!

Santa Claus is Coming to Town #ButDidn'tStayForLong

At the English playgroup today, Santa also made an appearance, but this one wasn't quite as successful. He ho-ho-ho'd at Small Fry, who got such a fright that he crawled screaming towards me.

Santa arriving

It took a lot of effort to get Small Fry to sit anywhere near Santa. Here he is clinging to me like a wee monkey, while the very kind Santa wished him a Merry Christmas.

Apparently even that was too much. In the picture below he is bawling on my shoulder and pinned against me. Well, we picked up a decent present at least.

Out of sight, out of mind. As soon as Santa had left, things got back to normal, with Small Fry practising his walking:

Night Out #CommaFail

The case for the oxford comma #TheSecretIsOut

The Selfie and the Switch #MandelaMemorial

I have been having a lot of fun reading the debate surrounding that selfie:

It just keeps getting better:

Less of the chat with the blonde me thinks

Play Time #SantaWin

Santa arrived at the German playgroup yesterday afternoon. A big, tall and very black Santa.

But you know, this is multi-racial Paris, and Small Fry didn't seem at all fazed, especially when he started handing out presents.

We achieved a Secret Santa Overall Win, which is basically when the crappy present you get back is less crappy than the crappy present you put in.

Other mums will have to tell me if this is the same all over, but there is a bit of a lack of playgroup etiquette in all of the playgroups we go to. Mostly it's the 18-month to 2-year age group (i.e. the walkers) who go around snatching toys out of crawlers/sitters/lyers' hands. Their mums don't seem to tell them off (why not?) and I don't know what I am allowed to do (grab it back? tell them off?). Actually, the babies don't seem to really care so maybe I shouldn't either. They tend to just shrug it off, look for a new toy, or as Small Fry does, charge after it and snatch it back at the next opportunity. A little bullying walker in the making?

Lying Low #RecoveryFail

Having kindly shared all his germs with me, Small Fry has now left me for dust. He's got his appetite and his playfulness back. I'm still lying around with a box of tissues within reach.

Ah well, plenty of time to decorate the Christmas tree at least.

Birthday #101213

Happy Birthday to two new little babies that arrived today.

Welcome Baby Boy Kelling (5th male cousin in 2.5 years, making up for all those Kelling girls)

And welcome Myriam as the newest member of our homegroup.

So, real Auntie and Auntie by default :)

Long Walk to Freedom #Madiba

It is difficult to imagine the journey walked by a man, born in the final year of the First World War, who lived almost an entire century of life, of which 27 years were spent incarcerated, and within months of his release was meeting foreign heads of state and leaders of countries, and within years was one of them. I have no doubt that those years in prison cost Nelson Mandela numerous personal relationships, most importantly with his wife and children. But I also know those years resulted in the dismantling of an unjust political system, and the emergence of a moral authority whose message focused on forgiveness and reconciliation. Prison gave Mandela time to think, he said. If only we all took the time to think a little more.

24 hours later #HealthAssurance

24 hours later and neither I nor Small Fry were much better, which is really when the French healthcare system comes into its own. We are now armed with pills, lotions and potions that should soon see us right.

What helped enormously though was the return of daddy at lunchtime to give mama a break (and much needed sleep). A little bit of TLC goes a long way...

... as do home comforts. Comfort food really does comfort.

Small Fry was soon feeling better:

Symobiotic Relationship #SharingGerms

Turns out that all those German chocolates and sweets weren't the only things we brought back from Germany: Small Fry and I both have bronchitis and I have a case of mastitis too.

Looks like those chocolates and sweets were bought just in time...