At the beginning of the year we planned out most of our vacations and trips for the year which included going to Paris for my birthday weekend! I was really looking forward to this trip.
(Please skip the next three paragraphs if you are not interested in a historical rundown on my trips to Paris in my life). My first time to Paris was when I was a little girl when my family lived in Germany (as my father was stationed overseas with the U.S. Army).
Jacob and I have visited Paris two times before this trip together - first in December 2001 when we were newlyweds and my parents were again stationed with the Army in Germany. In 2001, my parents' Christmas gift to us was a 2-day, 1-night bus tour that picked us up at 12midnight in Germany, which meant we slept on the tour bus, woke up to an arrival in Paris in the morning - toured Paris for that day, slept 1-night at a hotel, and then toured Paris the next day before our travel back to Germany. It was a great whirlwind tour of Paris because the travel hostess had all of our tickets arranged so we didn't have to wait in lines or worry about paying for things. Highlights of that trip included scaling the Eiffel Tower (in an elevator of course) and visiting the Louvre (Winged Samothrace, Mona Lisa, etc.).
Then in the summer of 2003, my father rented a big van which allowed our entire family to tour France and then Italy together. (Pardon my overuse of Wikipedia links). Our Summer 2003 trip included touring surrounding Paris countryside including:
Chartres, Rheims, Troyes, and several WWI and WWII War Memorial sights. Highlights included seeing where my little brother had completed his Eagle Scout Project in the
Lorraine American Cemetery, staying at a country french farmhouse bed and breakfast, seeing the
Chartres Cathedral, seeing the poppies grow like in the poem
"In Flanders Fields", and visiting some very educational, beautiful, but also some sad and haunting World War Memorials/Monuments.
This trip, we had our 2.5 year old and 8 month old coming with us though, so we knew that this would be a very different kind of trip to Paris.We decided that we wanted to just relax and enjoy being together as a family in Paris. That meant no museums, but instead parks, family walks, bus rides around town, and playing with the children while we enjoyed being in Paris. We debated taking the train, but we figured that we could drive it for less - for a lot less it turned out - which included parking along the street for free most of the time instead of paying for expensive underground parking.
Here are Jacob and Abram in Dijon, France which was just about the half way point to Paris. We were pleasantly surprised to find the drive to Paris quite pleasant and not very far away - 5 hours by car.
Chloé posing at our picnic spot with a view of Dijon Centre. It was May Day (1st of May) which in Europe means that there are union marches and rallies in the streets and in France it is a national holiday. We got to see the Dijon march/rally pass by us on this road.
Jacob got us a very nice hotel for a reduced rate just a few blocks from the
Arc de Triomphe. So of course when we drove in to Paris, we should not have been so nervous when we turned the corner to see this. Jacob knew what was coming. . . his first time driving around the famous traffic circle that we have always joked about in the past saying, "Boy, are we glad that we didn't try driving in Paris!". If you have been to the Arc de Triomphe, you might know what we are talking about!
Here are the children as we are checking in at our "fancy" hotel - the Paris Hilton.
For dinner as we arrived in Paris, we walked to the Hard Rock Café to eat. The opera house was close by so we stopped for a photo of Chloé and me.
Our first morning in Paris, we stopped by the Arc de Triomphe and then headed over to the Eiffel Tower.
Look how tall Abram is! (I have a picture just like this of me when I was a little girl - my dad was so clever.)
The Eiffel Tower was so beautiful and stunning in person.
Jacob and Abram under the Tower.
Best park location - what a view.
From the Eiffel Tower, we hopped on the city bus to go to the Cathedral of Notre Dame. As we got off the bus, we were surprised to discover that we had a completely flat tire on our stroller. Sure enough broken glass had pierced completely through the tire. Luckily there was a childrens' store across the street so we asked about a nearby bikeshop. There was a large sports store not far away, so we were able to get the flat tire repaired and be back on our way for the afternoon. Here we are with repaired flat in front of the Notre Dame.
For a late lunch, we crossed a bridge over the Seine River and stumbled onto the "Latin Quarter" where they had lots of yummy ethnic foods - Greek, Morroccan, Mexican - all for cheap (probably the only inexpensive food in all of Paris). Here I am in front of one of the restaurants. We saw this one and thought of my dad, big fan of Steven Colbert.
In that area, I also found this cute, fun and yummy bakery called "La Boulangerie de Papa" (Papa's Bakery). We ate lunch in that area two different days and both times Abram and Chloé nodded off for their afternoon naps so Jacob and I got to enjoy pain au chocolat (chocolate bread) and crêpes at their shop while the children slept.
We ate crêpes with jam, Nutella (hazelnut chocolate), and even ham and cheese. Yummy!
For the afternoon, we visited Luxembourg Gardens which is one of Paris' big parks with grass space, fountains, park play for children, etc. Chloé loved all that time that she got to just crawl around on her own and explore.
Here she is looking at a tour book of Paris with some other English-speakers that were relaxing at the park.
A picture of Chloé doing her head tilt when she is playing and talking with me.
While at Luxembourg Gardens, Abram got to ride a merry-go-round.
The next morning, we took the bus from the Arc de Triomphe to the back side of
Sacré-Coeur Basilica (Sacred Heart). We hiked around the hill leading up to the famous basilica until we found a way up with a stroller.
This picture is reminiscent of one my mother has with her children when I was a little girl.
Chloé giving her daddy one of her famous kisses. She gives you a kiss when you ask her to most times.
Montmartre - one of my favorite spots in Paris where artists are painting scenes of Paris and portraits of people.
Our view as we pushed Chloé in the stroller in Paris.
Chloé and Mommy in front of the Louvre.
We found Chloé's very own shop window across from the Louvre. Okay, so it is a perfume - something we didn't know of before we named Chloé when she was born.
After walking past the Louvre, we stumbled upon Le Jardin de Tullieres (the Tullieres Gardens). Another park in Paris similar to Luxembourg Gardens. As we entered the park, Abram's new balloon that he had gotten at the perfume shop almost blew away - for a second time. Abram was so sad until Jacob and other park attendants helped save the balloon. Here they are after the big save.
A fun picture of Chloé and her daddy talking together.
A scary, fun metal ball (scary for parents, fun for children) that Jacob helped Abram slide down in the park).
Chloé found her "scream" while we were in Paris. I thought she had forgotten how to do that when she was 5 months old!
Another one of our fun findings was a pony ride for Abram in the park. And here is Abram waving with his palm facing him - for some reason he is doing that now just like he did when he first learned to wave.
Jacob thought that Abram might be too young to ride, but after we noticed parents putting their 1 year olds on the ponies, we decided Abram would be just fine.
The 3 euro pony ride was a great opportunity to teach Abram some gratitude skills. Before Abram's turn, he was able to see one and two year olds crying and screaming as they had to get off their ponies. We talked to Abram about how lucky he was to get to ride a pony and that he should be happy and grateful when he gets off the horse and not upset. It worked as you can see him clapping once the ride was over.
Cheers to a fabulous hotel to make our stay in Paris even nicer and happy birthday to me. I would love to interior decorate our bedroom like this hotel room someday.
As we left, we walked the Champs Élysées one more time and noticed one huge block actually being an HSBC office and retail bank - the bank that Jacob works for. That was fun to discover on such a famous street.
One last park, very close to our hotel. Doesn't he look happy?
Home again for birthday cake and chocolates from Abram and Daddy. Thanks for such a super birthday weekend, honey!
Abram got to go on this ride several times with any daddy or uncle who was willing to have him along.
On Saturday morning, we headed back to the "alpine slide" area and took a ski lift up the mountain to hike around. Some how Jessi ended up jumping on a lift without baby, so Chloé got to ride with Grandma and Grandpa instead.
Here we are at the top of the Eckbauer Mountain.
Grandma Petty and Abram on the descent down the mountain.
Jacob, Abram, and Grandma Petty got to enjoy a horse and buggy ride as they returned back to the base of the mountain.
Saturday evening we ventured to downtown Garmisch where we strolled through a German park and sat to enjoy a traditional German brass band in an outdoor amphitheater park. Abram and Mama even got up to dance for one song.
For all of the time that we were not out and about in Garmisch, we were back at the hotel swimming, getting massages, eating American buffet breakfasts and dinners, sleeping and tickling Grandpa Petty's toes. 
In the rowboat with Grandma and Grandpa.
Paddle boating with babies.
Sister and brother with babies in hiking packs.
We all decided that the weekend was just too short. Thanks for such a great time, Grandpa and Grandma Petty! We look forward to all of these times as a family.
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