Tough Times in Provance

This morning Gardner was checking his email and looking at the pictures I have posted on my facebook and he joked "Wow, from these pictures it looks like we are actually having a good time". We both laughed, because of course we are having an amazing time here in France. However, we have definitely had some rough moments too. I thought since I'm always talking about the great experiences, I might tell you a few less than wonderful ones, memories all the same. Please feel free to laugh at us. I hope these stories are ones that will get funnier with time.

So this past weekend in Provance was interesting. On Saturday we had picked out this restaurant in a travel book that sounded great. It had a nice view of Provance, it's way up in the hills, in a cute tiny town, just like you see in the movies. Supposedly casual with excellent food. So we drove out there after visiting a complete Roman amphitheater in Neimes. We were all ready for lunch. So we hiked-up the hill. Each Gardner and I pushed a stroller up this super street cobblestone hill. It took us 45 minutes to reach the restaurant, only to find it closed! We searched the town and can't find anything open. So back into the car we go. Now it's 1:30 and we are all really hungry. We drive on to the next little village. Calling restaurants along the way. They all stop lunch service at 1:30. We are starting to panic because the kids are all wound up with hunger and we are really feeling it to after our little workout. We finally found a little outdoor place willing to take us. The food was actually good. Crisis adverted.

On Sunday after a great morning watching S climb around a huge medieval castle in Les Baux we went to Avignon to see the old Papal Palace and the famous bridge. Now in France they have a nursery rhythm about dancing on this bridge (part of it's claim to fame is that is only spans haft the river). So after a disastrous tour of the Papal Palace, during which S threw a non-stop tantrum complete with screaming on the floor and constantly trying to run away, and a quick snack for S (clearly he needed it). We had just enough time before our train to go out and dance or at least stand on the bridge. This is something Gardner was really looking forward to. So he looks in our Rick Steve guide, which is usually good for these things and we head up, yet another steep hill. Once at the top we realize we are at the bridge overlook and the bridge it's self is actually down way below. Crap. Ok, Rick says to head through the park, then down 3 flights of stairs so we can walk along the river. Ok. I'm starting to get worried about getting to the train station on time. It's hot, Gardner is getting annoyed that we are clearly in the wrong place, we start charging down the hill, and near the bottom, my ankle rolls, and I fall. My ankle really hurts random people come over to see if I'm ok. I start crying. So embarrassing. Then I learn that I have ripped my jeans in the knee. Insult to injury. I only have a few pairs of pants with me on the trip and now one is ruined. Thankfully my ankle is ok. A little sprained and swollen, but a couple days later it is feeling better. We finally find the entrance to the bridge and at this point everyone is mad, tired, hot, and hungry and we are late to leave for the train. Plus diapers still had to be changed, baby still needed to nurse. So we left never getting to dance on the bridge of Avignon. A reason to go back to Provance.

There have been countless tantrums, including one today where S threw himself face down on the floor of the dirty grimy Metro station because he wanted to ride the escalator up by himself and the rule is that you have to hold hands with mommy or daddy. Of course there was a huge mass of people all trying to get on to witness the crazy. Gardner had to get him off the floor kicking and screaming the whole way up, while French business people rolled there eyes in manner that suggests that their child would never behave that way. But that is kids for you. This tantrum was sort of out of the blue, but usually when he really acts out it's because he is over-tired or hungry, or God help us, both. So we generally try to keep him rested (as much as possible) and well-fed.

E decided out of nowhere last week that he no longer eats baby food purees. This after we tracked down a Super Marche out of town and imported an entire suitcase full of baby food back to our apartment. Finger foods for a 10 month old baby at home can be a challenge, but on the go while traveling are a real pain in the butt. So we are managing. It actually took me several days to figure out why the was refusing to eat. Was he sick? Teething? Just not hungry? So the only thing he ate for three days was crackers, breast milk, and apple sauce out of those squeeze packets. We are figuring it out though, tonight he had pasta cut into small pieces, chucks of cheese, and peas. Happy baby.

Things are great, but you still have to parent, even when on vacation on France. I am comforted remembering that I would be dealing with a lot of the same problems at home in California. And during the hard times I try and force myself to remember that we chose this, and that I really would rather change diapers, even the messy, gross ones here in France.