Happy Birthday, Lucky Daddy !

Toute la famille réunie pour un gros brunch au Pistou Déjeûner pour fêter l'anniversaire de l'heureux papa!

English scones for a birthday breakfast

Following a special request from the birthday boy, Rachel made some delicious scones for breakfast, which Lily proceeded to devour with great delight as a true English girl, with upraised little finger and all... When asked by her father: "Es-tu une petite fille anglaise, toi?", she answered "Je ne suis pas une petite fille anglaise, je suis une petite fille en fraise!" — a reply that made everybody laugh except Alice, who knew the fruits inside the scones were not strawberries but cranberries, and they were too sour to her taste.

What powers the Universe ?

Mother love ! (of course)
[photo from this summer]

Is someone spraying baby Alice ?

Why is baby Alice running away ? The answer is here.
(photo from this summer)

Tour-o-manie

Bravo Alice, encore une tour ! La plus jeune architecte de la famille applaudit son plus récent ouvrage, étrangement sérieuse (a-t-elle des doutes quant à la solidité de cette tour à 5 étages?)

Double trouble

Alice pushes ever onwards into the depths of our kitchen recesses, while Lily refuses to come in from the backyard upon returning from daycare... and guess what time of day it is ? you mothers guessed right: it's supper preparation time ! ;-)

Costume design by Fofo

Flor loves nothing more than the opportunity to dress up her little sisters. Here she had all of 8 seconds at her disposal. Whoosh... shazam !

Like mommy like child

Amy isn't falling asleep yet, but her mommy (the lady wearing the stripy tights and the pink coat) sings her beautiful songs and tells her nice stories and is always very patient... and that's why Amy has become such a good sleeper...! :-)

Merci pour la famille

Petite famille de bonne humeur ce matin, qui mange son gruau avec appétit. Dans le très court laps de temps qu'il reste entre deux de ses bouchées, Lily me sort une perle de son cru sans lever les yeux de son bol: "Papa, merci pour la famille!"... Rachel et moi sourions, légèrement estomaqués par les curieuses observations qui émanent parfois de cette "grande petite personne". Je lui réponds que ça m'a fait plaisir de faire cette famille :-)

A visit to the pumpkin farm

Enzo, Lou, Lily and Noah pose for Rachel on their day-trip to the pumpkin farm in Île Perreault, under the watchful eye of Anne-Marie, their ultra-competent and beloved "educatrice" from Les Ateliers.
P.S. I think Noah likes Lily ;-)

Premier dessin figuratif

Lily a toujours aimé dessiner. Elle demande régulièrement qu'on lui fournisse du papier et des crayons, ou des pinceaux pour peindre. Cette fois-ci, c'est la première fois que je la vois produire une oeuvre figurative. Une surprise qui a dû germer à la garderie avant d'éclore sur notre table de cuisine...
P.S. "It's mommy."

La tête dans les pommes (2)

Up on the ladder, Lily contributed to the apple-picking effort. We had five bags to fill, and the whole operation was completed in very little time, because the branches were bursting with ripe fruit and the apples were very large.

La tête dans les pommes (1)

Notre visite annuelle au verger de St-Bruno a été bénie d'une température exquise, comme la chair de cette pomme Courtland géante qu'Alice tient entre ses petits doigts. Nous en avons rapporté cinq gros sacs pleins que Rachel a promptement transformé en délicieuse compote.

Pre-teen friendship

Gabriela's second birthday party with a second piñata about to be destroyed by her good friends, the fearless Lily and herself.

Lily in the Sky with Diamonds

Favorite dress, favorite necklace, favorite sunglasses... no lipstick (yet!)

Le bonheur d'une cascade au fond des bois

Let me dive into the bubbles, daddy!

Les meilleurs jouets du monde

beding, bedang... et toujours à portée de la main!

Oubliez la Coupe du Monde...

... le bonheur, C'EST ÇA !

A surprise for Gabriela

Daddy installed a new "hammack-chair" in Gabriela's room and mommy and I are trying it out for our evening suckle. I hope Gabriela likes it when she comes back from New York tomorrow because it's daddy's third attempt to find a comfortable one. At least I think it's comfortable — as does (and is) my mommy! :-)

102°F in the garden

Lilyboo was feeling under the weather today. She started feeling feverish in the morning and got hotter as the day went on. Flowers, books and food were served around an improvised bed that daddy set up for her in the yard, to make things more fun than lying in her bedroom while life (i.e. baby Alice) was going on around her...