Visiting Mamie and Papy in Paris

After a great time in Switzerland/Eastern France, we headed to Paris. At Mamie and Papy's house, we all, including Noah, got to taste some amazing wines. Here's Noah tasting a Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1976.

I am not sure he fully appreciated it but he sure seemed to like it and asked for some more (here having his second "canard")!

Such good wine is bound to put one in a good mood.

There has long been a famous photograph of Noah's maman hiding in a green frog (laundry bin) at about age 4. 

Lo and behold, the green frog is still hopping. And Noah wanted to climb in it too.

And then he wanted to climb right back out again.  Hippity hop, in and out.

Right nearby was the Parc Monceau. Maman used to play in the park all the time. Noah was excited by the carousel, which he rode around and around.

Another highlight of the trip to Paris was the Musee d'Orsay, famous for its impressionist collection. Noah got super excited: many of the paintings in the gallery were familiar to him from his books, but he had never seen them in person before. He kept pointing at the paintings he recognized and shouting "in book, in book." He chose a few postcards of his favorites to bring home for postcard collection wall.

It was a busy few days. He also got to meet many of maman's old friends from middle school and high school and discovered many parks and playgrounds. What a trip!

Noah's "big sister" Stella

During our stay in Switzerland, we spent half of our time in Ferney and the other half in our old apartment building with our neighbors from olden times Myriam, Marco and Stella. We did not expect Noah to remember anything from that time period. In fact, he identified our old entrance and explained that he lived there as a baby. He also pointed to the place where our shoe rack used to be and explained to us that that's where we put the shoes (he also noted the next day upon seeing the boat to Yvoire that he had had his milk on the boat... he was 1.5 months old when we went to Yvoire!). We were floored.  Here is Noah at the entrance of our old building.

Noah and Stella go way back. When Noah was still a Mr Coconut in his mommy's tummy. Stella would come around and touch the tummy and say "Coconuuuut" with an adorable French accent (she was almost three when Noah was born). Then Mr Coconut became Noah and here was Stella meeting little Noah. 

The pair saw each other A LOT during the year Noah lived in Switzerland - so much so that Stella started calling Noah her "little brother". Here they were the last time they saw each other before we left for Singapore (though as those who followed twitter know, they came to see us out in Singapore a few months later).

The first morning we arrived in Nyon, the kids walked around the market - hand-in-hand.

Although there is quite an age difference between the two (almost three years), they played extremely well together - cooking up a storm in the kitchenette, morphing into wild animals... Stella took her big sister role very seriously and helped Noah and tried to care of him.

It's aperitif time! Mmmmm

Noah, Stella and Myriam at Croix Verte - one of our old haunts - so much fun and love and complicity. 

After dinner, the kids ran around outside...

And smelled the proverbial roses...

The night before we left, Stella realized that this was our last night staying in Nyon and she started crying. Noah went over to comfort her. 

A few shots of Noah and his big sis playing together just before we headed out.

Day in Neuchatel

We met up with our friends from Zurich in Neuchatel which is almost exactly between Geneva and Zurich. Here Noah with Vesna and Gui.

Neuchatel was quite an experience, Noah got to fly...

And ride a pig.

What a blast!

Relaxing in Ferney-Voltaire

Noah had a very busy schedule during his 10 days in Switzerland (9-19 of July) but we were able to take some time to stay in Ferney-Voltaire and visit with Jacquie and play in the garden. Noah loved drawing "yayies" (aka Ys) with chalk on the back porch.

The garden hose was also a big hit.

As were the stairs in the house. Noah kept trying to jump up and down them.

That evening, we went out to Geneva where a gorgeous full moon was shining above lake Geneva. Noah got very excited and pointed to it saying "moon, moon, lune, lune".

Playdate with Romy

Noah and his friend Romy go way back. When Noah was only a few weeks old, Romy's parents came to visit with Romy well hidden in her mommy's tummy.

Next time they saw each other, they were both a bit bigger:

...and bigger again.  It's story time:

Last time they saw each other - just before our departure for Singapore.

We were not sure how much Noah and Romy would remember each other after a year apart. But they definitely seemed to take to each other and had a great time kissing ....

and preparing Kaya toast...

Taking each other's temperature...

Taking pictures of each other...

And of course hugging.