PutYourFlareOn

30 Days :: 30

Today has been a rather long and surreal day. I had resolved myself to think one thing and at the end of the day it changed after finding out some news that will change our lives drastically. In a good way, of course. 

We celebrated. Just Julien and I. Max slept. We ate a homemade dinner and watched tv. Put raspberries in our champagne and looked at each other feeling the same thing. Relief.

This is the end of my 30 day photography project and it's quiet coincidental that on the last day of this project we got the news we've been waiting for.

I bet you're wondering what the heck is going on?

I'm feeling a bit tipsy after having one too many glasses of champagne to write the entire story here, right now. So on that note, I leave you but with a promise of a good story tomorrow.

30 Days :: 29

:: Still a little red...

30 Days :: 28

Maximilien loves to busy himself right before bed. I foresee a child who will do anything to avoid bedtime. Even clean. He has a new obsession with the vacuum cleaner. Reminds me of my littlest brother, William who loved to help my mom vacuum.  Instead of making messes before bed, maybe he will clean up after himself before he goes to bed. Oh, a mother can dream, right?

30 Days :: 27

Tablecloths pulled up. Sippy cups. Sitting on the floor. Toddlers crawling all over you to get at your drink because your drink is much better than theirs. This is my life now and I would not change it for anything.

30 Days :: 26

:: My boys being boys...

30 Days :: 25

:: One last mess before bed...

30 Days :: 24

Sleep is scarce tonight...

30 Days :: 23

After a long day of errands and a stroll in the Luxembourg Gardens, Max was fast asleep when we got home, I wheeled the stroller in our entry and he continued to snooze for another 20 minutes.

30 Days :: 21

We had errands that took us on the bus today. The buses in France have designated areas for strollers.  There is a little strapontin that folds out so that the handler of the stroller can have a seat too. I love sitting next to Maximilien and watching his face as he looks out the window.  His eyes aglow with wonderment. He also interacts with people on the bus now. Sometimes he reaches out and hold someone's hand who is standing close by or he will flirt with his little coquin smile. Today, he was in a very tranquil mood.   

30 Days :: 20

30 Days :: 19

Today was a beautiful day in Paris and we spent the majority of the day outside.  It's been a long time since we've done that!  We walked down to one of our favorites areas, Rue Mouffetard. I was caught by the sun as we walked towards the market and just pointed my camera and shot. I was always taught not to shoot into the sun.  I think I am in love with sun flares now.  For my first sun flare ever I am pretty happy with how it came out. I can't decide if I like the black and white version better than the color version. 

30 Days :: 18

:: Urban strolling. It is an inevitable part of the everyday life of a Parisian city mama and baby.

30 Days :: 17

30 Days :: 15

:: Keeping one another company.

:: I love that he's got his arm around me.
 

30 Days :: 13

30 Days :: 12

This string of chickens hangs from the doorway to our kitchen. The door is long gone but the hinges still remain. I use them to hang shirts to dry and recently to hang this strand of chickens I found while on vacation. 

Every time I walk into the kitchen I jingle the chicks, as I call them.  When I first put them up Maximilien could not reach them at all. He would sit on the floor and stare at them with curiosity. As he got better at pulling himself up I would often find him standing on his tippy, tippy toes trying to reach the chickens and every once in a while jingling the bell with one finger.

Today, he can reach them easily, flat footed while palming the bell at the end.  Our mornings always start out in the kitchen.  I walk ahead and ring the chickens and call Max's name. I hear the pitter patter of him crawling down the hallway floor and then see his little head pop around the corner of the doorway to see if I am looking for him. He pulls himself up to standing and reaches up and jingles the chickens. Now, our day can begin...

30 Days :: 11

30 Days :: 10

Today was an exceptionally hard day because Maximilien is transitioning from two naps to one.  I know it seems small but nap time has always been a very integral part of our everyday life.  Along with the physical fatigue of trying to keep up  with an over tired baby, my heart was aching because I've been missing my mom a lot lately.  I really, really needed to call her and just simply tell her how hard today was and to hear her reassuring words. 

When I miss her the most, I curl up with the wedding afghan she knit for Julien and I and sit quietly and think about her.  I get lost in my thoughts remembering everyday conversations that we had. I focus in on her voice and intonation and it brings me comfort.  I study the stitch patterns of the afghan and  I can see her knitting. Her hands moving over the yarn and the click of her needles.  I grasp the wool of the afghan and I can feel her presence though not the physical presence I so desperately yearn for, I can feel her spiritual presence and this brings me peace.

30 Days :: 9

:: On the hunt.

:: Closing in on the prey...

:: Victory!

30 Days :: 8

A busy day of baking and being a hermit.

30 Days :: 7

I need a tripod and a remote. Stat.

When I'm in the kitchen cooking, Maximilien wants to be around me. He's curious about the stove and the dishwasher  and the refrigerator.  He is mesmerized when I chop vegetables.  Ever so often he comes and tugs on my leg and he hugs me.  My constant companion.  I must admit that I love having the company while I cook.

30 Days :: 6

Typical dinner. After the baby is in bed fast asleep, Julien and I enjoy dinner together while catching up on one of our television series.  Tonight, we had cabbage and pork stirfry and watched Smallville.

30 Days :: 5

We visited the Sainte Chapelle located within the Palais Justice. I am thrilled to introduce my son to the rich history that our city has to offer.  Lucky for us we were with my good friend, Karine, who is a history buff and she gave us an interesting lesson about the architecture of this 13th century chapel.

Maximilien enthusiasm for the chapel really made me stop and look up and take it all in.  The colors. The impressive architecture. The history. The importance of this place. Oh, to be able to read his thoughts....   

30 Days :: 4

30 Days :: 3

This is the view from my desk. Everyday, I take a moment or few and watch my son play in the hallway which has become like a huge play pen for him.  Ever so often as I am working at my desk, he comes to me to say that he's hungry or wants to nurse or wants me to play with him.  I spend a lot of my day sitting on that hallway floor. When we moved into this apartment a few years ago I detested this hallway. I thought what a waste of space. But now it's perfect. A perfect place for Maximilien to play and practice walking and soon he will love running up and down this hallway. Good thing our downstairs neighbor is deaf.

30 Days :: 2

I am glad the days of eating breakfast alone are gone.

My morning companion, will you always be there to breakfast with me? 

30 Days :: 1

Every morning, Maximilien and I get up and go to the kitchen, have breakfast and play on the floor.  He has two shelves under the coffee machine where he keeps his treasures he loves to play with. Tupperware. Cups. Blocks. A wooden train. All things that entertain him endlessly. But his most prized treasure are my glasses.  He takes them off and crawls around the kitchen with them in his mouth and when he's done he puts them with his treasures in  the kitchen for me to find later.