French Adventures

I don't know where to start, but I do know that I don't have much time before Zoé wakes up from her nap.

I guess a lot of you didn't know we had gone to France, but it was a last minute decision due to medical reasons back home. We sort of jumped the gun and left on November 28th. We spent almost 6 weeks in Brittany and it felt good being home, savoring quality time "en famille".

David came with us for the first week and I must admit it was great having his help to cope with jet lag, 9 hours difference means 9 days, right? Zoé actually slept through the night on David's last day. Before that we had been playing at 2 am, 5 am, listening to kiddie music while Zoé, full of beans, played and bounced around on the couch.

We didn't do much in France, but it felt really good to stay put, sip tea by the fire, take walks in the country side and spend time with Nanny and Pappy.

Zoé also saw her cousins Mei and Saé. She had a couple play dates with Anna, she met Bébé Louise for the first time and played with Emma. She saw Shahé and Sevan for another fun afternoon. All her French friends were really happy to see her.

We also took this opportunity to see a wonderful osteopath, who sees Zoé every time we go home.

Our first visit was amazing as he realigned Zoé's body, and right after that she started talking in full sentences. He released her language skills.

Here are a few of her first sentences:

"Taty ecoute radio" (Pappy listens to the radio)

"Changer la couche" (Change diaper)

'Nanny fait dinette" (Nanny plays kitchen)

"Maman cuisine" "maman chante": (Mommy cooks, Mommy sings)

"Dame Mexicaine" (Mexican Woman, while pointing at a famous Diego Rivera painting hanging over the mantel piece.

"Prendre bain chaud"(Take hot bath)

"Changer les Piles" (Change toy batteries)

"Washing hands" A real obsession, thanks to Elmo!!!!

Today at CCS, she walked in and said "Hi Kirk" to her physical therapist!! Everyone was amazed.

At the end of the 45-minute session with the osteopath, we asked him how much we owed him, and he said that when he sees children with special needs, he likes to see them free of charge, from time to time, he told us to consider it as Zoé's Christmas gift! I simply couldn't believe it. Very different from our health insurance policies here...

We saw him one more time before the trip back home, and he saw huge improvement again, in Zoé's head shape, standing and speech. He doubts the fact that she needs glasses, but we are seeing the ophthalmologist tomorrow...

Zoé has been walking (always with support) everywhere, full of self-assurance, proud of herself. It is amazing to watch, as she prances into the kitchen pushing her baby stroller, cruising on her mini motorcycle, pushing her fire truck. I was hoping to have Zoé walk independently when we got back, but I know that I shouldn't push her. She will do it in due time, when she feels ready and once we correct her right foot. Speaking of which, we are wasting no time, we are starting casting again next Monday, on MLK Day.

Saying goodbye was heart wrenching and the trip back was a nightmare. It took us 9 hours to get from Brest to Paris, due to ice and freezing temperatures. (It usually takes 1h 20 minutes!!!) We were stuck 4 hours on the plane before getting off, and Zoé was so well behaved that the pilot sat her in the cockpit, in his seat where she pushed a plethora of buttons...she was the mascot of our flight. We then got off the plane, we had to get our luggage, and re-check in but since we had missed our connection in Paris, we got to check our luggage to Charles De Gaulle instead of SFO. We spent a night at Hotel Ibis, courtesy of Air France, and got on the next 11h30 minute-long flight to California with a 3 hour delay due to 1) a computer glitch and 2) a no-show passenger whose three suitcases had already been put on the plane!!!

Zoé is now catching up with her lack of sleep, and slept "through the night". Miracle, she woke up at 6 am.

On our flight back we met Liza, a wonderful young lady from Brittany. I don't think I could have managed without her helping me with the luggage issue, carrying Zoé and strolling a carry-on at the same time. She was so helpful that I have invited her to come and spend a w-e with us in Piedmont. I had no batteries left in my camera and she was kind enough to take some pictures of us for the blog.

While in France, Zoé turned 2, she discovered another word "chariot" (Shopping cart) and took a real liking to these carts.

Wishing you the best for 2010. May it bring Peace on Earth and shower you with Health and Happiness.