My little monk #TotallyLosingIt #HairFail

The science museum #NotEvenNerdy

The Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie (Science Museum) is the biggest science museum in Europe, located in Parc de la Villette in northern Paris. About 5 million people visit the museum each year, which hosts a planetarium, submarine, IMAX theatre and special areas for children. You may remember that we managed a visit over the summer, when Fingerling was still cooped up inside. But we were too late to get into the kiddie bit and had to make do with the other very interesting expos.

This time we left at 8am to make sure we were in time for our 10am ticketed slot at the Cité des Enfants, which is the 2-7 year old section of the museum. And it was fantastic, even for the parents of 2-7 year olds. Even those that had to stop every so often to nurse as well.

Normally we are not free in the mornings for these sorts of activities as Small Fry is at the garderie, but an in-service day meant I had 2 children for the morning and was activity-hunting. We managed to get 8 mums and 11.5 under-3s together and had a whale of a time exploring the different areas. 

This was the construction area:

 One of the mazes:

 Small Fry rolls with his...well, you know:

 With his bestie/twin in the water section:

Almost worth skipping a morning at the garderie for....

Fingerling #ABabyFish

She's 4 months old
63 cm
A cracking 6.6 kg
And well able to sleep through the night according to the pediatrician.
Could someone tell her that?

Commuters Unite #ChivalryIsNotDead

Where has another week gone? The time flies by, but blogging about another coffee I've had with other mamas or playdates we've had with their children would be highly repetitive. Although there's always a story when it comes to taking public transport in Paris. Like today, when we arrived at the train station and realised that our train was leaving in ONE minute. A wise and experience Parisienne (Shirley) once gave me the very sound advice to never run for a train. This is because you inevitably look very foolish when either the doors close in front of your nose or you get stuck in them. And in any case there's usually another one in just a few minutes. 

So I sauntered up to the platform as a commuter started running when he heard the doors closing sound start up. To be fair, at Gare St Lazare that noise can last for around 30 seconds, so as I walked towards the train I was passed by another 5 or so runners. I rolled my eyes at the conductor as he was waiting for the doors to close, and he smiled back, shaking his head at these desperate voyagers.

Well by this time we were in front of the train doors...and by we I mean I and my double buggy, two chidren and two bags hanging off the sides. In all their kindness, the runners began to jam themselves between the two doors as they started to close so that I could get on. It hadn't originally been my intention (I swear) but it now seemed rude not to. So ignoring the conductor's glare I launched the buggy up the step. It got stuck, the doors closed, the commuters all heaved them back (8 got involved I counted!), and one more pulled the buggy up from the nose end. 

Once on, we all gave a little cheer at having beaten the dastardly transport rules and I gave a little 'merci tout le monde' speech. And it was about then that I realised in my haste I'd forgotten to stamp my ticket.

A case in pink #Fingerling

A case in pink is the first episode of the first series of Sherlock, which we got hold of just a couple of weeks ago, became addicted, and whizzed through the rest of the episodes and seasons (thankfully, I would have found it excruciating to wait a year to see the resolution of that second series cliff hanger).

Anyway, here's our little case in pink:

Not to be outdone...

Sam Sheep Can't Sleep #PhonicReaders

Sam Sheep Can't Sleep is Small Fry's current favourite bedtime story. It's an Usborne Phonics Readers books. The blurb says that Phonics-based reading involves learning to recognise the distinct sounds (phonemes) that go together to make up words. There are just over 40 phonemes in the English language. Some phonemes correspond to a single letter, like the s-a-m sounds in the name 'Sam'. Others correspond to combinations of letters such as the s-h-e-e-p sounds in the word 'sheep'. 

Synthetic phonics is the process of reading by sounding the individual phonemes in a word and then running them together to make the whole word. Children who learn to read using synthetic phonics start by learning the individual phonemes and then soon learn to sound and run them together in order to read whole words. This gives them then confidence to read unfamiliar words and tackle new texts, an important step towards independent reading.

Words can be divided into two basic groups: regular phonic words, such as cat, which can be read by sounding and blending, and words which are wholly or partly irregular. Most words in English are regular, but some very common words, such as the and was are irregular and have to be learned.

Small Fry has been naturally attempting to sound the words, and can now say Sam Sheet Can't Sleep. That's not a typo. That's just how he says it. So today over dinner (hence the dirty bib) I was enunciating the word s-h-e-e-P and emphasised the 'p' by blowing out through my mouth. Thankfully I caught the rest on camera:

Ring Sling #SeeTheWorld

Thanks Anita!

Early riser #NotAMorningPerson

It took me 3 days, queuing at 7am outside the newsagents' (they were out of stock by 7h15 even on the 3rd day) and the help of a 5 million print run (usual number is 60 000) to get my hands on a copy of this special edition of Charlie Hebdo.

I haven't actually had a chance to read it yet, thanks to these two little people that make me laugh harder/cry louder than any cartoon ever could.

Small Fry #FutureRockStar?

Life #Unity

An estimated 1 million people marched in Paris today in a show of unity against terrorism.

So this photo is to celebrate life, in all its fullness.

Actually, I don't know how easy it would have been for us to attend with 2 small children, but in the end we were already scheduled to attend our good friends' daughter's baptism.

Of course life in all its fullness today includes Small Fry trapping his thumb in the door.

It's Over #ParisEstCharlie

Thank you to all those who contacted us to check that we were ok. We really appreciate your care and concern.
Although events took place on the other side of Paris, it was still shocking and distressing. The city was on high-alert and big policemen carrying big guns have been all over the place over the last couple of days.
We pray for peace in our time.

The pen is mightier than the sword #JeSuisCharlie

I don't see that many newspapers in print anymore, but judging by this selection, cartoonists are some of the world's quickest, most creative and thoughtful minds, confounding the tragedy of losing so many of them in yesterday's events.

40 #Ruby

Congratulations Moz and Poz, on your 40th wedding anniversary.

A marriage anniversary is the celebration of love, trust, partnership, tolerance and tenacity. 

The order varies for any given year.

To Sleep #PerchanceToDream

3 bedrooms, 4 beds. That's how much effort it took to get Small Fry to sleep his usual 19h30-7am night.

It all started on the first day when we wanted to put Small Fry down for his nap and found the travel cot erected in his bedroom. But now Small Fry is 2 and for his Christmas he got a big boy travel bed with an inflatable mattress and built in cover, which is only a couple of inches off the floor. So out went the travel cot and the brand new big boy bed got pumped up and put into position.

Small Fry is normally an excellent sleeper and I didn't think much of it...until he didn't call out with his usual 'maman' 1 hour and 45 minutes after going to bed (operates like clockwork this one). So in I went and found Small Fry cold and weeping silently.

Poor soul. I thought it was something to do with feeling abandoned, so we used a night-light that night, but still no sound at 7am in the morning. In I went again and found him crying quietly again - although apparently he had called out around 4am and others sleeping next door had heard him (must have been in the few hours when I didn't have Fingerling nursing in the bed with me). So of course that night I used the walkie-talkie so that I would hear him when he woke up. I switched it on at 6am when Fingerling wanted up for her breakfast, and heard him whispering 'maman'. So he then joined us in the bed too.

Maybe he woke up much earlier and we only heard him when I switched on the monitor? So the next night I switched it on at 5am instead (I have these options because...well...Fingerling...). And within minutes a whispered maman. Does this machine make a noise when it gets switched on or something? I asked El Puma. Small Fry joined us in the bed again.

The next night the room was freezing cold and at 4h30 El Puma this time responded to Small Fry's cries with strict instructions to get him back to sleep...but re-entered the room within minutes carrying a sodden Small Fry where his nappy had leaked. The next night we'd turned the heating up too high and he was now drenched for other reasons.

Then we switched rooms. He was now closer and we could hear him through the wall, but in the early hours he joined us again anyway. We gave up on the bed. Next we tried a full-size mattress on the floor with a blanket. Small Fry slept on top of the blanket and facing the wrong way. Small Fry slept face down on the floor. Small Fry slept with mummy, daddy and baby Fingerling. 

We slid yet further down the slippery slope and brought the mattress into mama and papa's room. We boxed it in using suitcases, cushions, chairs and boxes. Small Fry slept horizontally, on his back, on top of the covers, with his head wedged between a suitcase and a chair, until his head eventually rested on the cold floor. I moved him every hour...until he joined us in the bed. 

And then we set up the travel cot.

And then he slept.

For the last night.

And then we came home. And then he slept some more.

So the trip to IKEA to buy a new big boy bed for him was a t.o.t.a.l. waste of time.

The details that make up life #AsSeenByOthers

Thank you for all the extra hands (and gifts) that made Christmas great :)