Merlet Girls in Paris

Just spent a few days in Paris with the girls. I tried to pack light and therefore left the stroller behind - I was quite apprehensive about roaming through Paris without a stroller but surprisingly Manolee was quite the trooper, walking everywhere and in general faring well without napping at all.

We took a boat ride through the Seine geared for kids called La Croisiere Enchantee (the Enchanted Cruise) with entertainment provided by two elves who recited the history of the city and the buildings on the riverbanks through song and dance. The girls loved it!

We also took in a magic show, again geared for kids, at a cafe in the Marais called Le Double Fond (the Double Bottom?) - again, the kids loved it, though it was really not to be called entertainment for the accompanying adults. Most of the kids got to participate in at least one trick - except for Manolee, who was the youngest kid there. She kinda felt left out because she asked me why the magician did not ask her to come help out. It was cute but I kinda felt for her because she feels that she needs to do everything that her big sister does... Hana was participating quite actively in the show -kept on interrupting the magician, like "oh that's so easy" or "oh that is not funny" - I was mortified but the other kids loved that. We met up with some friends from London that were visiting Paris - it was great for the girls to see their old friends again.

Then there was the Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame, lots of cafes for hot chocolates, the Korean grocery store... but I must end this entry with an anecdote that shows how eerily cunning the little Manolee is:

On our last morning in Paris, I blew up at Manolee because I wanted to run out alone to the train station to exchange our tickets to a later time and Manolee didn't want to stay with Mitzi. So I had a few harsh words with her and she cried and cried until I agreed to take her with me.

Once back home in Rennes, this is the conversation between Manolee and PeeWee that I overheard:

Manolee: You know, papa, maman was really mean to me this morning, she yelled at me a lot. Can you yell at her please?

Papa: She yelled at you?

M: Yes, a lot and a lot, so please can you yell at her?

P:  If she yelled at you, maybe there was a reason

M: She yelled at me a lot and a lot and so I want you to yell at her

P: I can't yell at maman

M: Oh please papa, she yelled at me a lot and a lot, you have to yell at her

Rae: (showing herself from behind the door): What are you saying, Manolee?

M: (with no hesitation, without missing a beat, breaking out the sweetest smile): I love you, Maman!

Talkie-Walkies

When Hana asked me the other day where her talkie-walkies were, I thought to myself, gee, we gotta step up her English maintenance. Boy, was I in for it - flipping through a catalog later  I learned that here in France, walkie-talkies are actually called talkie-walkies. Yes! Why, you ask? Why, I've asked. Nobody seems to know. It's like the French REALLY did not want to take the English word for it but could not get around to inventing a French word for it, so they just reversed the order - to show the anglophones just who gets the last word when it comes to languages!

Sometimes the French not only just reverse the word order, they also use English words but in quite different meanings. The other day I read an article in a magazine about "relooking". Hmmmm - doing double takes? Meticulously checking oneself out in the mirror? No, "relooking" apparently means makeovers, as in before-afters. Why "relooking"? Why indeed? Why not "new looking" while you are at it? 

Another French-cized word that always makes me laugh is "footing". When you hear a French person say "je vais faire du footing" (which, admittedly, is not often), he is not trying to tell you that he is trying to maybe get a foot in the door somewhere, or to maintain his balance or to try to find himself even. No, it means that he is going for a jog. Now why turn a perfectly good word like jogging into footing? Yes, the French pronounce the "j" differently but why bother creating a new word that would confuse everyone that is not French?

Response from PeeWee: Because we are French and because we can. So there.

Manolee hits 3!

Yesterday was Manolee's birthday party. We had invited 9 kids and all but one came. Surprisingly only three moms stayed - I had expected everyone to stay actually - I mean the kids are only 3 and some are barely toilet-trained!

Anyway the kids had a great time. I had bought a carton castle in the US - for the kids to play in and color in. I took our babysitter a full hour to put it together - not sure if I could have done better - but the kids absolutely loved it.

The girls made foam valentine frames and the boys just made a mess. One boy in particular made a fine mess in the bathroom - details withheld out of courtesy.

Everyone loved the cupcakes (I made the 7-minute frosting - it was delish!), the canneles, my MIL's tiramisu, edamames and other assorted goodies.

And the French kids were introduced to the joy of "Pin the tail on the Donkey!" - apparently, this old-time kids' party favorite never made it to France...? Such depravity, I tell you.

All in all, a great fun day. Manolee was spolied with all kinds of gifts - before her birthday, on her birthday, and even today presents just keep on arriving, prompting mild jealousy from her now-very-mature big sister. Thanks everyone for your generous gifts, and for making her feel so special on her 3rd birthday!!