Getting ready for baby...

Alexis rented a car and we headed to Ikea to get so more items for the house and baby room.


Alexis is demonstrating the "Sally Gensberg" technique for measuring.

After 4.5 hours.......

We had to hurry to get the car back so Alexis dropped me off at the apartment first. Because there was no parking and they live on a one way street (which is common for a city established way before cars were even envisioned) we "hunkered" and rushed to empty the car. There were 5 cars waiting by the time Alexis pulled away.

I then transferred the pile of stuff from the main hallway through a second hallway to the hallway where the elevator is located. I then transferred it all into the elevator and somehow squeezed in and rode it up.


This is a picture of the elevator with the stuff in it. A real estate listing for this elevator would include the words "quaint" and "charming" . There is sign in there that states "no more than 3 persons" (actually it says it in French, but you get the point), and every time I read it I think "seriously, where would a 4th person fit? Are we holding him/her?" So I was proud of myself for getting everything, plus me, inside.

Anyway, I then transferred everything into their hallway really quickly because I was aware of the fact that someone was waiting for the elevator on the next floor. But before I could completely empty it the person took the stairs to our floor and saw me. Apparently, after describing what the lady looked like to Alexis, it was one of the building co-op administrators who is pretty uptight about putting too much in an elevator (especially boxes). Oops and oh well. The finally transfer was from the hallway to the babies room. All I can say is better me moving it all around than Alexis..... in her "condition".....

Rest day

I never have had a "rest day" on a vacation before. Today was that day. Stayed inside. Rested.

I am kind of fighting something so I took vitamins, took naps, drank tea.

Tomorrow- Ikea Paris!

1/1/11

We (the girls) took a nice walk in Luxembourg gardens in the early afternoon while Nico and Greg played chess there. There usually is a rotating exhibit on one of the fences so we went and looked at that. Everyone else took the bus home but I stayed in the park longer and then walked home enjoying the New Year air. I like observing life in urban parks- the families with their kids in the play ground area, the joggers, the women practicing fencing (I kind of think that in the U.S. people with large swords would bring more attention), men practicing martial arts.



After a nice lunch of leftovers we said goodbye to Greg and Rita. Alexis, Nico, and I went to go see a new American movie that had french subtitles. We had fun.

New Year's Eve

Breakfast of champions
Tickets to the special Monet exhibit
Rita and I after our wonderful time in the exhibit.
Thanks to the two pregnant women, we were able to skip the 3 hour line to get in!


Ringing in the New Year with traditional desserts and drinks!

Not sure what day this is... Thursday the 30th maybe?

I walked to the Rodin up the Blvd De Invalides. The gold dome building is Hotel des Invalides. This is one of the few areas in Paris where you are allowed to play on (or even step on) the grass so I see myself bringing the baby here in the future.
I took the self-guided tour of the Rodin museum that is in my guide book. The museum is housed in an old mansion that Rodin lived in for a time. As usual, I enjoyed what was outside the museum more (although I did like what was being displayed). There is a nice fenced in park around the museum that has more of his larger pieces displayed.

Found this in a statue. I liked the juxtaposition of something living with something inanimate.

Lunch with Greg, Rita, and Alexis. I guess they can't get good Pho in Portugal.

We met Nico after work at this cafe that was recommended by Rick Steves. It is on Rue de Sevres, in the heart of the shopping area.

Dinner in their neighborhood.

modern art and melted cheese

I went to the Pompidou to get my fill of modern art. I enjoyed the 1.5 hours I was there. Turned out to be a good dose- not too few Miro paintings and not too many urinals as modern art.

Alexis and Nico's friends Greg and Rita flew in from Portugal today to help celebrate the New Year. I met up with everyone at a very nice Fondu place for dinner. Read: lots of melted cheese.

We walked by the Pompidou on our way back to the metro so here is a picture of Alexis and I in front of it.

Tomorrow- museums?

baby bottles and gag gifts

Alexis and I continued shopping for the baby today. I enjoyed comparing what they have in France compared to the U.S. especially for feeding materials (can take the pediatric OT out of the U.S. but......)
The baby (and his parents) are close to being set....
Later, Alexis rested at home and I headed out to the Marias neighborhood. I finished one of Rick Steve's self-guided tours I started in March. I did a bit of shopping in the area that Rick reported as being the gay district. Apparently this is the neighborhood to find cheese graters in the shape of Eiffel towers, soap dispensers shaped like poodles, utensils that double as legos, mugs with mustaches on them. Yesterday I walked around the neighborhood known for shopping and had NO interest in going into the high end clothing stores, but today I wanted to go into every store. I am such a sucker for these kind of stores and I think I found the mecca. I bought some jewelery and a fun set of mugs.
We ended the night at a Crepe place about 8 minutes from their place. They were out of the hazelnut chocolate option so they made me a caramel and chocolate crepe for dessert. There was none left on the plate.....