I am ready for some nice fall weather. Connell thinks I'm not going to get much sympathy here, especially from the Irish followers.
We have rented a car for the weekend to get in a bit more beach time but then enough is enough, 20 degrees please.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
I Don't Mean To Complain But ...
Enough with the relentless sunshine.
I am ready for some nice fall weather. Connell thinks I'm not going to get much sympathy here, especially from the Irish followers.
We have rented a car for the weekend to get in a bit more beach time but then enough is enough, 20 degrees please.
I am ready for some nice fall weather. Connell thinks I'm not going to get much sympathy here, especially from the Irish followers.
We have rented a car for the weekend to get in a bit more beach time but then enough is enough, 20 degrees please.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Pardon Me?
Monday is Ailbhe's home for lunch day. When I went to pick her up, the man teacher (she is still calling him that) helped her get her bike out, and then jumped on and biked out the door. Ailbhe thought it was hilarious. At dinner I asked her if she had told Daddy what the man teacher had done today. She gave a little giggle and then said "Daddy, today the man teacher locked two kids in the closet". Pardon me! Not what I was referring to!
After we interrogated her, it was clear that the man teacher and kids were just playing.
After we interrogated her, it was clear that the man teacher and kids were just playing.
Beach Day
There are many benefits to living in the south of France, beach days at the end of September for one!
Finian's Progress
In the last two weeks Finian has seen both his orthopedic surgeon and pediatrician. The orthopedic surgeon was happy with his feet, he thinks that his muscles are still weak but that he is making progress. The pediatrician was also happy with his progress but is now concerned about his weight gain, or more accurately, lack thereof. Since his last appointment in June, Finian hasn't gained any weight. Not a big surprise, since he hasn't really eaten much since he was sick in August.
In the past week, his eating has improved. He's still not a fan of breakfast but will generally eat something at both lunch and dinner. He loves toasted cheese sandwiches, pizza, and quiche. He scorns anything on a spoon. I just keep offering him food regularly throughout the day and try not to get stressed about it.
He is getting closer to crawling and can manage to pull himself across the floor if there is something really tempting in his sight, like marbles. He is babbling loudly now.
Even though the doctors say that his muscles are weak, Finian actually has a good throw. On Wednesday, Finian, Ailbhe, and I were on our way home on the tram. Finian was playing happily with his rattle but I guess he was finished with that game because he suddenly flung it across the tram. He shoots, he scores - straight into a man's bag (unnoticed by the man). It took a bit of explaining but eventually I got the rattle back.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Be Careful What You Listen To!
This morning, I was listening to this Glee song on Youtube.
It's a catchy song and I was singing it awhile later, "I'm kinda busy, I'm kinda busy". Fiacra shouts out "SHUT UP". My shocked silence this time. "But Mum it's part of the song". Yeah - I think we're done with this song.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Decathlon
Fiacra, Ailbhe and I went to a decathlon and a heptathlon that were in town this weekend. It was right by our local pool, so we were able to ride our bikes. It ran over Saturday and Sunday, and was a lot of fun.
The most exciting thing to watch was the pole vault. Here is someone's second try at 4.40 meters.
By 5.00 meters, most of them were out of it. At 5.10 meters, there were only two guys left. One guy made it on his third try, but the other guy didn't get through. When they moved on to 5.20 meters, the guy missed on his first try. Then a new guy came out. He had declined to jump each of the earlier heights, and was only joining in now. He made it on his first try. This was a complete shocker for me! He might just as well have parachuted in.
He kept going. Here is his last successful jump, which was 5.40 meters.
The most exciting thing to watch was the pole vault. Here is someone's second try at 4.40 meters.
He kept going. Here is his last successful jump, which was 5.40 meters.
It was pretty cool.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
La Rentrée - Week Two
The kids had another good week at school. Fiacra likes his teacher, she is strict but not as strict as his teacher from last year. We joke with him that he will never again have a teacher that strict. Even if all the kids in his class are complaining about a teacher, he will be able to say "you think that's bad!!! Let me tell you about my CP teacher." He loves it.
Fiacra is getting homework now, generally reading some paragraphs of a poem and spelling. We have to push him a bit to do it. He's just not interested and let's face it, spelling??? It's just not that interesting. He has said, "why do I need to learn to spell? When I invent the way to detect the Higgs boson, I'll be a millionaire". I explain that he will have to write up his methods in order to publish it, (and so become a millionaire and buy me a holiday home in the south of France). His answer "Ailbhe will be in charge of all the writing. AILBHE - have you done your reading practise today?"
Ailbhe, on the other hand, is such a keener. She loves to practise her reading and she insists I give her writing practise everyday.
Fiacra started Multisports on Wednesday afternoon. It runs from 1:30 to 5pm. A bus picks them up outside his school at 1:15 and drops them off again at 5:15. A snack is provided. The cost for the year? 140 Euros, pretty good! He was a bit hesitant to go at first but of course loved it. Some of his friends from school are also doing it. This week they did sprinting and ultimate frisbee. He is already looking forward to next week.
Fiacra also started weekly swimming with his class on Friday afternoon. What a great way to end the school week.
Finian and I had a good week. He had a doctor's appointment on Thursday morning. We were a bit early so we wandered a bit before going to the doctor's office. We came across a thrift store which I was interested in because we will have lots of stuff for donation when we leave, and we haven't found a charity drop-off yet. There were lots of old ladies sorting clothes and they were cuckooing at Finian ("Cuckoo" is the standard French way to greet a baby). They asked where we were from, I said I was Irish and then that Finian was Canadian. The cuckooing increased tenfold. Is a Canadian baby that much more interesting than an Irish baby? Apparently yes!
Fiacra is getting homework now, generally reading some paragraphs of a poem and spelling. We have to push him a bit to do it. He's just not interested and let's face it, spelling??? It's just not that interesting. He has said, "why do I need to learn to spell? When I invent the way to detect the Higgs boson, I'll be a millionaire". I explain that he will have to write up his methods in order to publish it, (and so become a millionaire and buy me a holiday home in the south of France). His answer "Ailbhe will be in charge of all the writing. AILBHE - have you done your reading practise today?"
Ailbhe, on the other hand, is such a keener. She loves to practise her reading and she insists I give her writing practise everyday.
Fiacra started Multisports on Wednesday afternoon. It runs from 1:30 to 5pm. A bus picks them up outside his school at 1:15 and drops them off again at 5:15. A snack is provided. The cost for the year? 140 Euros, pretty good! He was a bit hesitant to go at first but of course loved it. Some of his friends from school are also doing it. This week they did sprinting and ultimate frisbee. He is already looking forward to next week.
Fiacra also started weekly swimming with his class on Friday afternoon. What a great way to end the school week.
Finian and I had a good week. He had a doctor's appointment on Thursday morning. We were a bit early so we wandered a bit before going to the doctor's office. We came across a thrift store which I was interested in because we will have lots of stuff for donation when we leave, and we haven't found a charity drop-off yet. There were lots of old ladies sorting clothes and they were cuckooing at Finian ("Cuckoo" is the standard French way to greet a baby). They asked where we were from, I said I was Irish and then that Finian was Canadian. The cuckooing increased tenfold. Is a Canadian baby that much more interesting than an Irish baby? Apparently yes!
Monday, September 12, 2011
Gate Climbing
On Saturday, the main park in town had displays from all of the activities and clubs in which you could register your kids (or yourself) for the year. The kids saw a mobile climbing wall and wanted to try it. After a long wait, the kids were strapped into harnesses, had put on helmets and were starting to climb. Moments later, we were done and on our way.
The next day, the kids decided to try it at home. Safety gear included:
- a belt and rope to use as a harness,
- an air mattress in case of falls,
- helmets in case of rock slides,
- a chest plate in case of barbarian attacks (common enough at our house).
The next day, the kids decided to try it at home. Safety gear included:
- a belt and rope to use as a harness,
- an air mattress in case of falls,
- helmets in case of rock slides,
- a chest plate in case of barbarian attacks (common enough at our house).
Putting on the gear
She's on her way
Every climber needs a partner to work the ropes
Friday, September 9, 2011
La Rentrée - Week One
Fiacra and Ailbhe have finished their first week back to school, Fiacra in CE1 (cours élémentaire 1) and Ailbhe in la grande section. They both had a great week. We haven't fully adjusted sleep-wise to the school schedule yet. Fiacra and Ailbhe didn't fall asleep before 9 any night this week, which then meant that we had to wake Fiacra each morning. This morning when I woke him at 8 (school starts at 9), he said "thanks for waking me Mum, but I'm actually still tired so I'm going to sleep more". I don't think so buddy!
Last year, Ailbhe's teacher was also the principal of the school and Ailbhe always referred to her as "My teacher, the principal". This year Ailbhe's teacher is a guy and she calls him "the man teacher". Ailbhe's class will start to write in script handwriting this year. Ailbhe is very keen and has been practising.
There are definite curriculum differences between France and Canada for Fiacra's age, script handwriting for one. Another that I have particularly noticed is the lack of creative writing in France. I don't think I've seen a single sentence that Fiacra constructed himself. They do read a lot of poetry here which is great but even in JK in Canada, Fiacra's class was drawing pictures and attempting to write a sentence underneath to describe it. I think Fiacra, who has never been a fan of reading or writing by himself, will get a shock when he returns to school in Canada.
It's a bit inconvenient having Fiacra and Ailbhe at different schools. We did have the option of moving Ailbhe to the Ecole Maternelle beside Fiacra's school this year, but she loves her school so in the end we decided not to change her. Finian and I always walk Fiacra to school, while Connell and Ailbhe bike. I really like the time alone with Fiacra. Connell feels the same.
The kids were off school on Wednesday. We went to Finian's doctor in the morning to get medical certificates for Fiacra and Ailbhe, which they need for their Wednesday sports programs, as well as for swimming with their schools. This was their first time to see a doctor in France. In the afternoon, the kids and I biked to the pool in the rain, with surprisingly little complaining.
Today, Connell and I (and Finian) had our first Friday lunch since the beginning of the summer; it was delicious as usual. It was really hot this afternoon, so after lunch, Finian and I went to the water mirror to cool down.
Last year, Ailbhe's teacher was also the principal of the school and Ailbhe always referred to her as "My teacher, the principal". This year Ailbhe's teacher is a guy and she calls him "the man teacher". Ailbhe's class will start to write in script handwriting this year. Ailbhe is very keen and has been practising.
There are definite curriculum differences between France and Canada for Fiacra's age, script handwriting for one. Another that I have particularly noticed is the lack of creative writing in France. I don't think I've seen a single sentence that Fiacra constructed himself. They do read a lot of poetry here which is great but even in JK in Canada, Fiacra's class was drawing pictures and attempting to write a sentence underneath to describe it. I think Fiacra, who has never been a fan of reading or writing by himself, will get a shock when he returns to school in Canada.
It's a bit inconvenient having Fiacra and Ailbhe at different schools. We did have the option of moving Ailbhe to the Ecole Maternelle beside Fiacra's school this year, but she loves her school so in the end we decided not to change her. Finian and I always walk Fiacra to school, while Connell and Ailbhe bike. I really like the time alone with Fiacra. Connell feels the same.
The kids were off school on Wednesday. We went to Finian's doctor in the morning to get medical certificates for Fiacra and Ailbhe, which they need for their Wednesday sports programs, as well as for swimming with their schools. This was their first time to see a doctor in France. In the afternoon, the kids and I biked to the pool in the rain, with surprisingly little complaining.
Today, Connell and I (and Finian) had our first Friday lunch since the beginning of the summer; it was delicious as usual. It was really hot this afternoon, so after lunch, Finian and I went to the water mirror to cool down.
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