Anna's 4 month check up...

Doc said Anna is the perfect baby and she was impressed that a 4 month old could do advanced algebra, speak 3 languages - hey, Russian is hard!, and can sit up for a few seconds at a time. Her mini push ups are untouchable and she rolls over like a champ. I have a feeling we'll skip crawling, walking, and running and go straight for the double superman seat grab. That's our little motor cross champion! She gets that from me of course.

I'm happy to announce that this was my last doctors appointment for immunizations, Brian will be home in June and guess who gets to take her for her 6 month shots! ...and every doctors appointment involving shots for the next 18 years. Shhh don't tell him, I haven't broken the bad news. Best to do those things the day of.

First Giraffes now bunnies...nom nom nom

Cannes

That's Cannes, pronounced Kan, NOT like the little metal cylinders that hold string beans and sweet corn. The first day we were in Cannes we were there for the race. It started in Nice - with the runners running along the sea through beautiful little towns - and finished up in Cannes right in front of the film festival building on the water. Ava and I took the train. We're smart like that. It was Kyle's first marathon, Erika's 11ty billionth and Elena's 5th or 6th. No one seemed to have a good race, but we had a good time on the beach hanging out after the race - until we were back on the train and Elena couldn't find her phone. After calling and calling and calling we were so perplexed! Until later in the evening when Ava said "Mommy, I know why you can't find your phone...cause I buried it in the sand" Taaa-Daaaa! Did I mention it was Ava's birthday? She turned four and got her first four minute time out.

Ava on her birthday. Digging in the sand.


So the next day, we went BACK to Cannes to look for Elena's cell phone - which we never found. We even found a guy walking on the beach with a metal detector and he spoke amazing English and he found everything under the sun, except for that cell phone! We had a chance to walk around and even hit up an antique market. I saw a chair I liked, but at this point, I had enough to carry home. ;)

George Clooney and I


Chuck Norris didn't need wet cement to put his hand print outside of the festival building.


Mickey Mouse did though.


The infamous film festival building


The budding photographer with Elena's camera. Ava has her own DSLR now, not many 4 year olds can say that - she's darn good with it too!


Paul Allen among others is known to have parked his mega-yacht 'Octopus' at Cannes for the festival - prime time yacht gawking ya'll. (and a horrible photo! none of my Cannes photos were great - bummer)


And what's a merry-go-round without a Ferrari?!

Antibes

We went to Antibes in search of craft market that appears there on Saturdays from 2-5ish. It rained for a good bit that Saturday, so there weren't very many vendors out. I managed to find an awesome plate made by a very skilled potter who spoke very little English.

You always need a fortress...and some yachts for gawking




Walking into town:


None of these artists were very exciting:


I wanted this large colorful basket sooo bad! But for 80 Euro I passed. Elena said they were super cheap in Ethiopia, but my plane ticket there negates the cheap basket. I got a small pink one for Anna instead.




Elena and Erika in the market area


Super cute little building just outside the market. I just wish the rolladen wasn't down on the door.


Cute little statue outside the building

Cote d'Azur

Brian, Anna and I will be embarking on quite the adventure this summer. Part of our trip will include what is called "Cote d'Azur" a stretch of coastline in the Provence region of France. Well known for it's lavender, beautiful beaches and yacht gawking. We'll be staying in the city of Cannes (known for it's film festival) and traveling up and down the coast most likely by train. I visited this region last November with some friends, they ran the Nice-Cannes Marathon, and I watched, cheered, and hung out with Ava. Cannes is also where Ava buried Elena's phone in the sand. Today while I was checking out CNN - I saw this article on the area and thought I'd share.

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/05/12/french.riviera.glamour.hotspots/index.html?hpt=C2

The next three blogs will be all about the south of France. Nice, Cannes, Antibes and Biot.

Nice:

Apparently when you catch an octopus you have to beat it on the ground a lot RIGHT AWAY! I guess this makes it tender?!

Beach:


Market:


Guy I bought some art from:




skinny building

arggghhhhh matey Piper & Oliver are visiting

Oliver likes Kyla's bed, but he doesn't fit so well...






drive by licking


Piper & Anna

4 months!

a chunky, happy, cloth diapered Anna

New Blog..cause one is never enough.

Yes, I started a new blog. Yes, it's all photography. I know you're asking yourself "isn't this blog all photography?!" and the answer is yes, for the most part I shut my mouth and post photos of my adorable child and dogs. Every once in awhile I throw in a husband. So I guess you could say this new blog is other peoples kids. I should have named it that "blog of other peoples kids". Too late.

http://nicolesmitphotography.blogspot.com/

Carter Kokoszka is my first blog post.

I met Carter's mom Brenna through a mutual friend here in Katterbach. We both have PCOS, and at the time were both trying to have babies. Carter is 3 months younger than Anna, but as you can see, just as long! And like a good little man, takes a binky!! One of the few photos you'll ever see of Anna crying, not because I won't post them, but she doesn't cry much. This I'm sure will come back to bite me on baby #2.