30 January 2009 - Back in Oz

A good trip back, but exhaustion when we arrived - as demonstrated by picture left! Celeste veryhappy to go nude in thelast days of summer. Australia never looked so good and after a cat nap papa, Celeste and I had a late lunch at the Italian restaurant at north Bondi followed by a dip in the ocean - flat as a swimming pool today and filled with mums and babies x

January 2009 - Celeste's first 'piste'

3 gloriously sunny weeks at Courcheval with the family and aunite Kate. Here's some video of Celeste attempting her first piste in a toboggan outside the chalet, well guided by Thomas, Mathieu and Papa xx

January 2009 - Celeste's first piste

Courcheval and Celeste first time seeing snow. She's all kitted out in her white snowsuit with padding so thick that she's unable to move her arms and legs and resembles a human snowflake! She's sleeping well and goes for walks mid morning most days with Mamy, Granny or me... and sleeps 'en plein air' in the sunshine outside the window of the chalet!

January 2009 - La Montagne!

Three wintery weeks at Courcheval and Celeste first time seeing snow. She's all kitted out in her white snowsuit with padding so thick that she's unable to move her arms and legs and resembles a human snowflake! She's sleeping well and goes for walks mid morning most days with Mamy, Granny or me... and sleeps 'en plein air' in the sunshine outside the window of the chalet!

30 December - Boys Arrival and Berlin

The boys arrived today and were reunited with their little sister! Later than evening vincent and I left for Berlin and NYE with Selina, Noran and Claire... lovely but a bit heart rending to leave them and C for three days - the first time for me since her birth 5 months earlier...

25 December 2008 - Christmas Day!

CC's first christmas xxx Dressed in a little wool smock and tights, Celeste had here first Christmas in Paris, with Antonin, Florence, Oliver, Marine, and of course Mamy, Maurice and Granny - lots of attention! Her first Christmas presents were a sheepskin rug from Bardie and Grandpa, a retro print sundress from Jen and a book about the zoo, a vibrating cow from V's cousin, a stripy toy bird from Oliver, a flashing rubby duck, a snowsuit from Mamy, plate and spoon from Granny and toys (teething ring, 'shake it up' rattles) from Mummy and Papa, as well as lots of kisses! i love the before and after photos here, taken maybe 5 mins apart.

20 December 2008 - Crossing the Border

Little C clocked up here fourth country in as many months as she's been alive! Today we crossed the border into Germany on a whim to check out the town of Freiburg. Which turned out to be a wonderful idea... parked for free inthe centre, wandered into one of the biggest and most colourful marche de Noel we've been to, discovered a beautiful cathedral. Here's a few pictures...

18 December 2008 - Alsace Trip & Chateau du Haut Koenigsbourg

the perfect start to our Christmas wonderland holiday... a fairytale castle, crystal icicles and snow. Chateau du Haut Koenigsbourg (High King's Castle) was original built in 1147 and its past personifies the history of the region, with ownership tranferring back and forth between the Hapsburg empire and favoured royal houses... depending on who was best placed to manitain and occupy the strategically localed castle... it progressively fell into ruin over hundreds of years, until Williem II restored it completely at the end of the 19th century during the years after the French-Prussian wars when Alsace was lost to the French. The restoration was a sophisticated form of PR for the day, and was designed to curry favour and prodcue work for the local people.... The restoration costs millions, even in those days, and a source of some satification for the French when the fully restored castle (along with the Alsace!) was returned to them not long after following WWI

December - Alliance Francaise group

here's a picture of us with my Alliance Francaise group form the first course, ??, ?? and ?? on the pont ??. you can just see kitten on a pile of coats snoozing besides me... the boys joked that people would start giving us money like the gypsy families begging with small infants. didn't get a photo, but a Spanish photo shoot happening beside us with the perfect fashion backdrop, the Ile de Cite.

13 December - Weekend in London

C and i felt very mobile this weekend, travelling to London on the Eurostar in our new pusette, and backpack. Navigated our way thru the London underground all the way to Jen's in Balham... like a homing pigeon! Kitten proved to me quite an accomplished traveller, sleeping with no problem whereever i put the little angel, at Jen's and then at Selina / Noran's in north london on the Saturday night and even at Sunday lunch at ??. Camera stolen! so unfortunately no photos on the beautifully crisp blue skied day.

28 November 2008 - Laure and her Manoir

CC and i spent this weekend with Laure and her Manoir at Compiegne 1 hour north of Paris. Laure had a little cot set up for C complete with Christmas lights... highlights of the weekend were one of the best cup of hot chocolate I've ever had, our first Marche de Noel, and sunday lunch at Pierrefonds as fairytale village that i hope to go back to in Summer to go boating on the lake.