Our most recent guest

The Kalamazoo grandmother’s visit was over in the blink of an eye. She arrived not long after we returned from our Amsterdam trip, but unfortunately missed Lauris’s second birthday and the parties involved. As had happened last year, we celebrated a few times; once on the exact day, just the four of us, then at the IWC mom and baby group May birthday party extravaganza. Finally we had the train party that I went overboard with. To top it all off, Lauris’s friend Beatrice had a party to celebrate her third birthday, so by the time the boys’ grandmother arrived we were all partied out!

Truffade!

On the other hand, she arrived just in time to help celebrate our third wedding anniversary and to enjoy a wonderful weekend with our friends. A day spent by the pool and barbecuing was followed by a visit to Montpeyroux. (Do I spot a trend? Chicago grandmother also got to visit this Plus Beaux Village, although we didn’t hit the petting zoo that time.) She got to know Mikus, as this was her first time meeting her fourth grandson, and was reacquainted with Lauris

The Montpeyroux farm

A little over a week after her arrival we were off to meet grandpa in Germany with a slight detour past Mount Blanc and through Switzerland. Once back home the last week passed unnoticed, and I couldn’t believe when it came time to drive her to the airport! I had all these grand plans of things we would do and projects I wanted to finish, but instead we spent the days enjoying the roses in the park, taking long walks around town and enjoying the things that grandmothers do best (reading books, building towers… that sort of thing!).

Place de la Victoire in Clermont-Ferrand

I was spoiled with opportunities to go to the grocery store… alone. I was also able to spend more time in the kitchen experimenting with some new recipes, and Roberts and I got not one but TWO nights out sans enfants! However the best part was seeing Lauris wake in the mornings to go running off to grandmother’s room to say good morning.

Staubbach Falls in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland

We had to drive Roberts to the airport for a week of business on the other side of the world and one day later we found ourselves saying goodbye again, this time to the grandmother. One of those really hard weeks followed, just me with the kids who both caught colds and couldn’t sleep because of the congestion. Finally dad has returned home and the runny noses have slowed if not abated. The trips to the grocery store with my entourage have resumed; Monday I was complimented on having “two-stories” of children (at least that’s what I understood with my limited French, I can imagine she was commenting on Mikus in the baby carrier while Lauris was in the stroller). And you know what? Those unfinished projects will just have to wait (until Mikus starts college?), because we have to go to the park to check on the progress of installing the new playground equipment. It’s just a shame grandmother couldn’t stay long enough to see the work completed.