Food is more than nourishment

Do you remember this picture? you will have to go back to one of the first posts in September 2009....

Yes ! is my brother Daniel having a blast with his first meals :-)

Mom said that I would start soon eating solids and that got me a bit worried so asked my brother Daniel about it and he said it would be a lot of fun.

Well... looking at his picture it definitively looks like !

So off I went to try the first puree a couple of weeks ago. Mom made a delicious pear puree and, though it tasted a bit funny in the beginning.... I just loved it !

Since then I am eating already three times a day and I have tasted all of this: pears, apple, grapes, melon, zucchini and pumpkin.

I have tried asking mom but she said that the jamon serrano would have to wait a bit longer :-)

Now, I am sure looking at both pictures many of you are wondering how could Daniel be so messy and me so civilized, right? well.... just have a look at this video and judge by yourself. You will see that I am also having my share of fun :-)

Going to the Zoo

Do you need yet another reason to love Prague?

Then just go to the Zoo !

Last Sunday we all went to the Zoo and we had a great day.

I have been to several zoos already and have to say that this is the one I liked the most. Why? It is a really big zoo and there are so many animals to see... Everything is very green and when you walk around you really feel as if you were walking through the jungle instead of a zoo... the animals are so close !

We saw big turtles, elephants, penguins, lions, tigers, hippos and.. of course.. my beloved gorillas !!! We really had a fantastic day and, when I thought it could not get any better... then the ice cream arrived :-)

But don't you guys think all of this is for free... this was a cool present because I have been such a good boy. I will soon tell you more about my rewards chart but, in case you want to know.... I now barely wear any diaper and don't wake up in the middle of the night anymore so... no surprise that I am getting such a nice treat !

As you can see in the picture Manuel also had a lot of fun :-)

Best Volksfest in the world !

So, after a well deserved nap I was all ready to hit the Volksfest !

For those who have never been there.... it is like a kind of Oktoberfest but much better because you still have the music, lovely traditional food and the beer !... but it is a really local festival and not touristic at all.

The large tend is a really funny place. Loaaaaaads of tables and benches where people sit together to have a beer, some food and a nice talk.

Music is also a must so there are plenty of great bands with guys in leather trousers who sing the local hits.

I was also really impressed with the waiters and how they can manage to carry so many beer Maßes. I tried myself to lift one of them and it was really hard !!!

We went for a walk by the attractions and mom & dad convinced me to climb on the Far West train.

However, have to confess that it was a bit too much for me. Yes, I may be a corazon latino but not fully ready for so much noise and party !



Hanne, Micha, Otmar & Andrea joined us on Saturday afternoon with their kids Julia, Leo & Antonia. We managed to get a nice table at the garden and ordered some food. And if Bayerisch food is good.... wait till you see Bayerisch girls !

I was sitting right next to Antonia and she is so cute and pretty that I was rather distracted from the eating. In any case, her papa was just sitting next to us so I finally decided to focus on my currywurst... just in case :-)

Manuel, when you are a big guy you will come with me to the Volksfest !

Ice cream and a nap

Sounds like a good plan, don't you think?

I was such a good boy during the trip that as soon as we got home I had my compensation.... Ice cream !!!

Oma and Opa where waiting for us with some nice brotzeit in the garden. It was really hot so (what an excuse!) so I asked Oma for an ice cream and, as I am such a good boy, she couldn't say no. I think papa was also a good boy because he got an ice cream too !

So after such action and excitement it is not surprising that I was ready for a nap, don't you think? the opas have one of those cool swing sofas so it did not take long till I was snoring like a little angel.

A perfect time to dream of all the nice things the weekend would bring !!

Weekend in Germany

You would expect us to be tired and cranky after such a long trip from Nice but.... NO ! We are real troopers so last weekend off we went to Germany.

Reasons? many !

Oma,... Opa,... a beautiful garden,... wurst,... and.... Neumarkt's world famous Volkfest !!!

More to follow on the beer festival where we really had loads of fun but, as starters, we wanted to share with you a couple of pictures of the trip.

Needless to say... we both had loooong trips but also managed to enjoy the landscape and even sing a couple of songs with mom and dad.

True that car drives can be a bit tiring sometimes but we really enjoy those family trips... specially if they are heading towards Germany to see Oma & Opa :-)

Big shoes to fill

Have to confess that I always have very mixed feelings every time I see dad go to work in the mornings.

In one hand I am a bit sad because I will miss him during the day but... I am also very jealous because I really like his outfits !!!

Yesterday dad left very early to go to Slovakia for a business trip but I was even faster than him and... when he went to look for his shoes..... TACHAAAAAN !!!!

Will I get to wear those cool suits too when I am older and I can go to work? maybe I can even convince dad to take me to the office with him one day if I dress up like him? I probably have to work a bit harder on the laces for that to happen but certainly I will keep working on it !!!!

Skyping

I am a real ciberbaby and one of the things I like most is to Skype.

It is a really nice thing because I can talk with all the family even if we are very far away.

Yesterday I was talking for a long time with the abuelos and they took this picture of mom and me.

Do you like it?

New toy

Already walking? not quite ! but I am working on it :-)

Do you like my new toy? it is a really cool thing because I can stretch my legs while I play with all that stuff !!!

Best of all is that I think Daniel also likes it a lot so we play together and he shows me what are the buttons that make more noise.... mom and dad are loving it :-)

Back to work

And now that vacation is over.... back to work !

Today is my first day at the kindergarten and I can't tell you how excited I am. I am looking forward to see again all my friends and to play with them.

I am afraid that my English is a bit rusty after two months away but in the meanwhile I can teach my pals a couple of words in Spanish and German :-)

Of course I miss the abuelos, tio Kaki, tia Fifi, Opas and Marcel but it is also nice to be back !

Au revoir Vence

And, as the song says,.... all good things come to an end so today is our last day in Vence.

We have been very happy these two weeks. We have enjoyed a beautiful house, an amazing pool, lovely weather and, most important, the company of most of our family.

Certainly something to remember till we return next year !!! In the meanwhile, we leave you here with some pictures of the best moments.

Au revoir Vence, we will be back soon.

Kiss & fly

Many of you could think that this is the name of the quick drop parking at Nice airport but.... nothing farther away from reality.

It is the name of my new game and, in a nutshell, it means that I kiss papi and then he flies into the pool.

Well.... sometimes he doesn't really want to fly into the pool but let's just say that he doesn't have another option :-)

Run Marcel Run

What do you think about our new game?

Marcel may be bigger but.... I am quicker !!! well, at least, I am quicker when I partner with the abuelo....

He must have been the master when he was young ! No wonder he was the best in all the ferias and got so many presents for my abuela :-)

Kaki & Fifi ya estan aqui !!!!!

Life in France is really good but, now that Kaki & Fifi are here... it just got even better !

They arrived last Friday quite late so when we got up in the morning we had a wonderful surprise (even if they did not bring the motorbike :-)

They are going to stay here till next Thursday so we have plenty of time to enjoy with them.... go to the pool, visit villages, play with the cars, lay down in the hammock...

Will four days be enough? noooooooo

But on Thursday they are going on vacation to Thailand so I somehow think that convincing them to stay longer will be a bit tough :-)

In the meanwhile we will just enjoy the time with them and hope that they will come again to Prague to visit us soon.

Market day

Vence + Tuesdays & Fridays = Market !!!!

So last week we could not miss the chance and off we went to the market. But, hey, don't you think that this is the typical touristic market trap... this is the real thing !!!

Olives, fresh fruit, wine and, of course, plenty of fromaaaaagggeeeeee (to be pronounced the French way).

And while I really like fruit and veggies, I have to say that the best part of the trip was the stop at the fromage place. The guy was really nice and he let us taste nearly all of the cheeses he had in the store !

Not sure if you have ever been in a French cheese shop but that is really A LOT. So, by the time we left the place it was not only our bags that were full... also our bellies :-)

So, do you want to join us next Tuesday?

Scoop !

Guys... Manuel here reporting another scoop from the south of France... and a juicy one !!!

We all know that warm weather present the right conditions for running around light of cloth, right? actually, there is nothing I enjoy more than being outside in my nappies but, this time we were lucky to spot this !!!

Who is the proud owner of such a cute little bottom? Scroll down !


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Yes ! is my brother Daniel !!!

He is not only in good shape... he is also a big boy now and has started sporting the coolest underwear :-)

So, after seeing this, I have come to the conclusion that diapers are nice but I look forward to being also a big boy so that I can also wear one of those. Well done Daniel :-)

Being a baby (in France): such a hard life !

As you can see Daniel and my cousin Marcel are having a very active summer here in Vence but, don't you guys think that I am less busy just because I am a baby !

Every day starts early here in the South of France, probably too early for the liking of my parents but... how can you stay in bed when you have such a wonderful light outside????

There is just so much to do !

It gets hot very quickly so, while the big guys go to the pool I enjoy my time in a little bath tube right next to them.

Can't wait to grow up so that I can go and join the big guys in the pool but it is not a bad thing to be here either as I can lie down in the water and freshen up under the umbrella.

Camarero.... a milkshake please !!!

Hours pass by quickly when you are so relaxed and I very much enjoy to sit down in a chair during the afternoon as the sun gets less strong.

It is really nice to stay in the terrace and see how the light starts getting orange while I play with my little toys.

As you can see it is really a tough life so by that time I am ready for a bottle and my PJs.

Maybe mom and dad will consider moving to France at one point?

Fun & Fitness Inn

Do you think that here in Vence everything is about lying by the pool? well, kind of but... we are also a healthy gang so every day we do a sport session with the abuelo.

Have to say that cousin Marcel is really a pro but I think that if I continue training hard (and stop eating so much totolate) maybe I can get there too !!!!

Now I just have to convince papa to join us.... such a couch potato... maybe he is using the chance to get the hammock? don't tell abuelo or the sport session will be over :-)

BBQ

Right next to the hammock (yes, the one abuelo likes so much :-) there is a great grill so yesterday night we had BBQ for dinner... yummmmyyyy !!!

Bacon, Steaks au poivre, sausages and loads of salad. Can you think of anything better? well... actually... I will make you all jealous when I tell you about the dessert.... queso con membrillo :-)


So Opa lived up to his reputation and handled the apron as a master.

It is not the first time that opa makes a BBQ for us but believe me when we say that yesterday he made an excellent job.

Bravo Opa !!!

Scoop !

If you want to get a real view on our stay in Vence, don't miss the "Scoop!" series. Everything you always wanted to know and it is not blogged about....

For example, did I say something about hidden cozy corners? there are plenty of them in the house and if you want a proof of that.... here it goes !

Do you want to know who is the owner of such a toned leg?
Who is the avid reader behind the paper? In short, who is the lazy bugger napping non stop?

Scroll-down to know the identity of the hammock-lover ...

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Yes ! It is abuelo Titin !!!!

I will not lie to you, there are plenty of races to get to the hammock but Titin is generally the fastest and is always ready to dive in for a nap al fresco.

Good for you abuelo :-)