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They say you are supposed to go to Paris 3 times in your life.
Once when you are young.
Once when you are in love.
And once when you have money.
Well I definitely think you have to add one more.
Once with kids...toddlers if possible!
On my 10th, yes TENTH!, trip to Paris this will go down as one of my favorites! We saw Paris from the perspective of children and it was beautiful!
Day One:
We started out, on foot from our hotel, heading to Notre Dame and the Ile de la Cite.
My favorite! |
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| Maybe you are not aware of the "Lock" bridges that are going up all over Europe, possibly all over the world? Well there are a few in Paris! What you are supposed to do is place a pad lock on the bridge promising to love your true love forever. Lock your love away and then throw the key in the river. Kind of cute! |
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With Kaelan's playground radar he quickly spotted a playground right next to Notre Dame.
Who knew?!! |
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| Colette loved it too! |
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| Joyeuse Anniversaire ma pouce! |
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| Our Super Model had to pose in front of all the major sites! |
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Happy Birthday Sister!
Je vous aime! |
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| I lover her |
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| After Notre Dame we crossed the river to The Hotel de Ville where they had an ice skating rink and a carrousel. Both kids loved the Carrousel but were a little too small for skating. |
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| Le Louvre |
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Practicing her Parisian look! Tres Chic!
We stopped for lunch after the Louvre and then headed over to Les Tuilleries gardens. We sat and appreciated the sun that was peaking out and watched the ducks for awhile. When we stood up we heard some kids squealing and laughing so we followed the sound! Guess what we found?... |
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| Another playground! |
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| Kaelan found some French boys to play with and they had such a great time. It is amazing how kids can communicate no matter the language barriers. |
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| The sun decided to completely come out warming us all up and allowing for Colette to play too. This gave Travis and I an opportunity to sit back, relax and soak up some rays. |
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This is how Travis did his relaxing!
Since it we arrived in Paris late last night and it was the kids first time since October to share our room they were a little excited...to not sleep! So none of us slept well and Travis tried to take advantage of the warm sun. He fits right in with all the Parisians, nest-ce pas? |
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| The only way we could convince Kaelan to leave the playground was the promise of cotton candy. Or, as the French say, la barbe de papa...Daddy's beard. |
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| We then strolled up the Champs Elysees. The kids quickly fell asleep so Travis and I took our time, bought a Starbucks ( this is a must if we leave our village since the nearest is one hour from us!), visited Travis next car in the mercedes museum and dropped by Cartier. |
Oui, s'il vous plait!
CRAZY STORY!!!- We reached the end of the Champs Elysees and were going to try to get over to the Arc de Triomphe but after going down into the underground we quickly realized it was going to be too many stairs with two sleeping babies. So we headed to the exit to take the escalator but it had stopped in the 5 minutes since we came down. We went to the other exit and the escalator was still working so we pushed the stroller on. Right after we got on it stopped too! We were kind of stuck and the girls that got on behind us were trying to make it work again but to no avail. So we decided to start the trek to the top and it was a long one. Travis was in front with me in back (yeah, I know...I'm the strong one!) We were about 5 steps from the top when I heard all my coins spilling out onto the escalator. I turned around to find one of the girls that was trying to help at the bottom holding my wallet in her had at the top! In my mind I was thinking, "oh, of course she is trying to help me because my back pack must have been falling open." This thought abruptly ended when she quickly shoved my wallet back in my hands/open backpack and ran past me, the stroller and Travis. Just as she was passing him I said pick pocket! We stood there for a minute too long to do anything about it plus we were teetering a stroller on an unmoving escalator while I tried to gather all my belongings! The girls were gone...long gone by the time we reached the top. I was so stunned and tired by the time we got up there I didn't even know what to say. Travis had me check all my cards, cash and such but everything was there. If it hadn't been for my change purse being open she would have gotten away with it, we were lucky. Even though she didn't get anything I still felt violated and that she somehow won. No one should ever be that close to taking advantage of us and it really made me think (after all this traveling we have a tendency to get too relaxed) we need to be more careful. So we were the next day!
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| Colette posing in front of the Arc De Triomphe |
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Ah...Le Tour Eiffel
We made it to the Eiffel tour and were planning to go up on this beautiful sunny afternoon but decided we were too exhausted, after walking the length of the city, to enjoy it. |
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| Très Adorable |
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We took the metro back to the hotel.
Took a swim before dinner. The pool was a big factor in why we chose this place! Then we headed to dinner and bed. Kids were asleep by 8:15 and we were ALL asleep by 8:45! |
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Day Two:
We started off the day visiting the Gare de Lyon which is the train station right next to our hotel. Kalelan loved that. There were about 6 trains all waiting to be boarded and 4 were TGV's, the high speed trains, so we walked to the end of one and found this MESS of tracks. Kaelan love it...maybe the highlight of his trip! |
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| We decided to start day two exactly where we left off on day one. Back at the Eiffel tower but who knew? There is a playground right across the street! So, of course, we played! |
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| And played... |
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| Yes, another carrousel too! |
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Not so sunny today but it was fun for Kaelan to see the Eiffel Tower missing the top!
What is that he is holding, you ask? Well, every morning at breakfast in the hotel there is a man who makes balloon animals. The first day K had him make a dinosaur and here he is holding his Eiffel Tower! It was a very kid friendly hotel. |
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| Absolument Parfait! |
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| So sweet! |
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| As we were heading down the stairs K went splat on the ground. He didn't move and part of his balloon popped. So as good parents what did we do? Well after a couple quiet snickers we decided we better get a picture to remember the moment! Poor, sweet boy. We love you. |
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Yep, that's Coco!
After we went up in the Eiffel tower (sorry the pics weren't great) we took the metro (not fun at all with a stroller!) over to Monmartre. Another of my favorite places. This is where the church Sacre Coeur is and also the square where all the french painters sit waiting to paint the most beautiful lady they have ever seen. Well, in this case it was baby but she was a hit! She always had a crowd around her watching. She loved to entertain them by smiling and then coyly hiding her chin in her shoulder, pretending to be shy. Then she started really feeling bold and started waving and smiling at everyone, then acting shy. You can hardly help not stopping and talking to a baby that acts like that...she has us all figured out! The painting turned out great and we will have it framed and put in her room. Great end to a great bday trip! |
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Cake smash
Day 3:
We drove home from Paris on Sunday. I baked a cake. Travis built her present. We opened presents. Went for a walk. I frosted the cake. Colette delicately smashed the cake. Kaelan ate cake for dinner. Kids went to bed as did we shortly after! Her first birthday is complete! |
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Getting messy but it took Travis and I shoving her hand in.
She didn't even like the cake! |
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Her birthday present from us. Can't be Dutch without a bike!
By the way, our drive way is green but this picture makes it look florescent! |
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| Oh so fun. |
