Daphné in 4 minutes

Enjoy another medley of videos!

Love Linz

Paris

If you read the last post, Hike, you saw that it was Tonio's birthday.  Well, his brother Sebastien's birthday is 9 days later (May 31), and we schemed with his girlfriend to plan a surprise visit!  It worked.  He had no idea we were coming.  It was a really fun week in Paris, Daphné's first time to the capital of her birth country.

In the airplane!

Someone is old enough to get her own seat now.

In the taxi on the way to Tonton Sebastien's home!

We made it. 

A little girl really loves her Tonton (which means uncle, by the way).

Family picture with a Parisian skyline.

Playing at a park in Paris.

Coffee Shop with the starlette.

She has no fun with him whatsoever.

Watering the garden (which led into a water fight).

Happy 32nd birthday Seb!  Maïna introduced me to the pastry financier... I thought she was taking us to a bank at first... Haha!  Still learning everyday, even after 6 1/2 years of being in France.

Daphné playing with a little friend she met along the Seine River.  If you know Paris a bit, you can see that Notre Dame is just in the background.

Playing on the climbing wall with Tonton.

Park with Papa.

I really liked this spinning play toy; so did she.

Hanging on Sebastien's terrace.

Exploring the cemetery Père Lachaise.

Her new favorite spot, papa's shoulders.

Don't bite me Tonton!

Bam!

Oh, these two... how I do love them!

My new favorite family picture!!!

Little barefooty.

Daphné chillin' in the borrowed stroller.

She loved Maïna's shoes.

And Tonton's slippers.

Hey!

At the park again... we did lots of park hopping.

Mexican food!

I was in heaven, what can I say?  Nice does not have any decent Mexican food, at least that I know of, so I was a happy camper with this burrito.  We went back another day, too =).

Now, she's in Maïna's boots.

Seen from Seb's terrace!  God's amazing and beautiful promise!

Daphné sandwhich between the brothers.

Cheese!

And more cheese!

So, talk to me about how French she is right now!  Pain au chocolat and wearing stripes.

More park fun.

Tonio built this cool table for his bro's apartment.  He's so talented with any building project.  I'm always so amazed and so proud of my husband.

Saying good bye just before getting into the taxi to the airport.

Thanks again Seb and Maïna for your hospitality!!!

Love Linz

Hike

For Tonio's 35th birthday (May 22), his brother Sebastien flew down from Paris to take him on a hike!  Here are a few pictures.  They took many more, but here is a small glimpse into the beauty around us, just a couple hours by car.

The beginning of the trail.

God in all His Majesty!

View from the inside of their tent.  Not bad!

Their home for the night.

Another view from where they camped.

Panorama shot of the tent and surroundings.

The Space Invader guy gets around =).

Tonio showing how far off the trail it was.

I'm so thankful my husband has such a great friend as a brother.  They are adventure buddies, for sure... hiking, snorkeling, fishing, boating... such a blessing!

Love Linz

Our Daphodil

When Daphné was only a few weeks old, her Uncle Sebastien (also known as Tonton) gave her the sweetest nickname, Daphodil.  It stuck, and we've called her this ever since.  When I was sick with extreme post-partum depression in the hospital, I remember my father-in-law brought me a poem typed on a piece of yellow paper (in both English and French).

It was the poem, I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud (sometimes known as The Daffodils) by William Wordsworth. 

 {photo from unsplash}

Daphné has truly bloomed into a Daffodil (Daphodil) in every way.

She is bright, cheery, happy and beautiful... just like the flower.

I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud

by William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed—and gazed—but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

-by William Wordsworth (in 1804)

Love Linz