We made it home! We've been back since Tuesday night, but a double whammy of colds and jet lag have made it near impossible to get anything done. I'm finally attacking the vacation laundry today. 

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As many of you know, we had some serious reservations about traveling so far with G. Toddlers are unpredictable, and the thought of him being trapped on a plane for 7 hours made me, well, nervous. The trip would definitely also mess with our routine: dinner, naptime, bedtime would all be up in the air for two long weeks. We love our routine- it keeps us sane. To give it up seemed to invite trouble. 

Le bebe francais

I realized that Graham is actually at a very good age for traveling.  He likes people. He likes getting attention from people. He is also particularly interested in How Things Work. He likes to look at machines and gadgets; he likes to hear engines run; he likes to see the people who wear uniforms and run thosemachines. Thus, a plane ride is really a whole lot of the things Graham enjoys. The long train ride that followed our arrival in France presented Graham with another set of new experiences. Thus, by the time we arrived in Angers, about 20 hours after we had left Boston, he had not slept more than an hour, but was still holding on to a surprisingly good mood. 

Graham and Lola the night of our arrival. Still truckin' after 24 hours of no sleep. 

Once we got to Jen's grandfather's house we knew we would be fine. We were four adults and something like 9 or so young adults and teenagers (the numbers varied from day to day). Graham loved the attention he got from them. The house is big and mysterious, with lots of corners and cubbies to explore. The garden is really big, and Jen's grandfather grows both blackberries and raspberries to eat right off the plant. There are also various cabins and huts in the yard that the family built when Jen and her cousins were young. They are spider filled, but totally fascinating. 

Jen and G exploring the garden

Essentially, Graham knew he had found heaven. He stayed up really late, fought napping, played cards, learned a little french, and ate a lot of red meat (which he loves, but does not eat regularly at home). Even Paris, where we stayed with Jen's wonderful aunt and his favorite cousin, was fine. We had to adjust our expectations of what we would do in the city, but, on the other hand, got to see some new corners of the landscape: parks, for example. The French know how to build an awesome park. 

I am very, very thankful he loves  boulangeries as much as I do. 

So, readers, I will say this: our family has never really been the adventuring kind. We like to be home for naps, home for bedtime. But this trip taught me that Graham can be flexible- more importantly, we can be flexible, and relaxed, and have a marvelous, marvelous time all together. We are already talking about going again next summer. 

G with his great grandfather

 

I'm writing tonight to provide a little background to the big adventure our family is undertaking, beginning tomorrow. Graham, Jen, and I are flying to France to spend two weeks with Jen's grandfather, her aunts and uncles, her legions of cousins. I've met these very friendly, gracious, and funny people a few times before, but this will be the first time we've flown with Graham across the Atlantic. At first I just felt proud- not every two year old has a passport or French relatives. Now, I feel overwhelmed- from tomorrow night to the next day we will be spending something like 15 hours on planes, then waiting, and then on a train. This is a long time in Graham's world- it's a long time in mine, too. To add to this chaos, I have a pronounced, late developing anxiety about flying. I just have no idea how it will all pan out. The last time we traveled I was better, but he was a baby then, needing me in a very different way than he does now. 

All nerves aside, I can't wait to take pictures of my boy doing all the things Jen remembers so fondly from her own childhood- hopefully, he will quickly develop a taste for triple creme cheese; he already does fine with pastry dough. 

So, for now, au revoir. We'll have a lot to tell you when we return in two weeks.