Here's your sign!

When I was pregnant I became a Tums connoisseur. I mean it, everyone and my mother was sending me Tums, I couldn't find them here (more on that later) and the heartburn from month 5 and on was relentless. I was popping Tums like they were candy, and let's face it, they taste like candy.

Now, you all may not know this, but if you go in to your local big-chain-squeeze-out-the-independent-pact-with-Satan pharmacy (read Walgreens here), you'll notice that Tums aren't what they used to be, they come in all sorts of flavors. Assorted mints, fruits, berries and citrus (which seems really stupid). Every time I got a new batch of Tums in the mail, they were a new flavor combo I'd never seen before.

My mom sent me some in a bottle that informed me that the Tums within were Tropical Fruit flavored. So what are we talking? Papaya, Mango and Star Fruit? No, we are actually talking pineapple, some sort of berry and banana. Yes, banana! As if the chalky-ness wasn't bad enough, lets make it also taste like banana! Trust me, I ate every Tums in that bottle that wasn't yellow first and then when my new shippment of Tums didn't arrive in time I was forced to eat the banana flavored ones.

I found myself imagining the board room at GlaxoSmithKline on the day of the fateful 'banana decision'. A room full of football-hero looking guys and one nerd. The football-hero guys never let the nerd participate, they heckle his input and more than one of them has been responsible for the tape between his lenses at one point or other.

On that day stupid jock guy #1 says 'Come on men, we need a new angle, those Pepcid nerds are killing us.'

Jock #2 feeling the pressure to come up with that one brilliant winning idea over reaches and just blurts out 'How about tropical fruit flavors.'

'Brilliant!' enthuses Jock #1 'So what flavors will this new product include?'

Jock #2 visibly pales because he doesn't have any damn clue what 'tropical fruits' are (or even where the tropics are for that matter.) and then he quietly mumbles 'um..Strawberry,...'

The nerd interrupts in his please-don't-hit-me-but-you-know-I'm-right voice with 'Well actually strawberry is not...' but he gets kicked under the table per usual and his statement trails away.

Jock #3 says 'Pineapple'

'Good job men, what else?'

The nerd pipes up in a squeaky please-don't-kick-me-again-it-really-hurts voice 'Banana.'

The room is suddenly pin-drop silent all eyes turn to Jock #1 to see what he'll say, as the guy closest to the nerd prepares to kick him again.

'You know what, that's a good one, I don't think anyone has ever done banana before.'

The nerd glows with pleasure.

Now, all I can think of is that someone should have taken the nerd out long before that fateful day. All the years of abuse, all those years of his brilliant ideas being panned and he wastes his big shot with 'banana'. A lost chance for all nerdom that.

Anyway, I couldn't find the Tums equivalent in France. Well, to be perfectly honest, I didn't really look that hard. And the reason for my reluctance can be summed up in two little words 'Potato Chips'.

Yes, potato chips. Among the few American products that they do carry here are Lays brand potato chips. They come in your basic flavors like regular, vinegar and bar-b-que but they also come in other flavors. In my opinion, bizarre flavors, things like ketchup, cheese and onion, Jambon Serrano (that would be Serrano Ham) and ... wait for it... roasted chicken with thyme flavor. Oh no, you read correctly, it's true, roasted chicken with thyme. I bought some once to see what they tasted like and they tasted like roasted chicken with thyme. Near the bottom of the bag I was Violet Beauregarde-ing it and hoping for some dessert.

So in view of the potato chip flavor choices, I stopped looking for the Tums equivelent in the pharmacies. I mean really, I thought banana flavored antacids are bad enough and as much as I love Foie Gras, I don't think I can stomach a Foie Gras flavored antacid.

'If someone wants a sheep, then that means that he exists.' Antoine de Saint-Exupery, "The Little Prince"

The boy is getting really good at reaching for things. Not, however, to be confused with grabbing things, that skill is currently at only about 10% accuracy, though it's getting better quite quickly.

He loves this toy, and keeps trying to get his mouth around it. This is, mercifully, quite impossible as the top part spins and when he gets his mouth on it, it moves. Needless to say it's quite frustrating for him and I have to take the toy away after about 10 minutes because he really starts to wail.

To feed or not to feed is the question these days. Aidric's pediatrician says not til he's 6 months old. The French are watching with horror the obesity crisis in the US and so are holding back on starting babies on solids too soon, babies, they say, can get all of their nutrients with just breast milk/formula. Combine that with the increase in food allergies and you get some very cautious French pediatricians.

However, Sean is a stick and always has been and I was a cambodian boat child well into my 20's (Except for when I was pregnant) so I'm not too worried about the obesity thing. There are so many other factors to consider though, the varying opinions are mind boggling. And then if you decide to go ahead and introduce solids there are a plethora of opinions on what to start feeding first. Can I just say that I do not remember it being this confusing the first time around, or is J just lucky to be alive because I played it fast and loose while rasing her?

Aidric is doing plenty of traveling with us. We did a long weekend in Madrid a few weeks back and last weekend we visited Montpellier. We are suddenly very aware of how very little time we have left and Aidric's birth really threw a monkey wrench into our travel schedule. So we are getting in as many weekends away as possible while at the same time starting to make lists of things to sell, things to ship ahead, things to pack to take with and a whole collection of lists about the move itself.

Aidric is a stoic traveler, he takes it all in stride and seems to understand his parents manic love of seeing new places. Maybe he'll catch the bug too.
A view of Biaritz. Doesn't it look just like La Jolla! There were tons of American surfers there on this day.



The men in blue on the road to Madrid



There were 10 of these number sculptures, 0-9, and yes I made the boys take a picture in front of every one of them. I won't post them all though.



The Parque del Retiro is in downtown Madrid. The park is huge and has something for everyone. We took Aidric to the playground for his first trip down a slide.



Aidric kicking back in the hotel in Montpellier. It was darn near 90 outside and poor Aidric dind't know what to make of it. He was a cranky kid so we got back to the room and the air conditioning.

Leave the Gun. Take the Cannoli

Dear Big Sister J,

How you doin'? Thanks for the new sweats. I luv dem, and they fit me real good, know what I mean?

Ma says I look like a wise guy on the Sopranos...Does that mean she thinks I'm smart? I think I look real sharp.

Couldn't find my gold medallion, I think someone lifted it. Don't worry I'll find the guy and take care of him.

Love,

Big Aidric