Home Again

Monday was homecoming. After three weeks of vacation, Suzette came back to work. On Monday evening, Nathalie, Paul and Seal returned from their vacation in Switzerland. The household is intact again. [Sigh…]

Of course, there are changes. Seal is in that remarkable stage of “becoming” that brings daily development. I still have a slight edge in vocabulary but only because I can remember three-syllable French words and his expertise declines with two syllables. But he will attempt any and every word he hears. Yesterday, at my prompting, he yelled from the balcony: “Regardez-moi, Papa!” [Look at me, Papa!]

His newest character development is facial expression. At 22 months, he is developing a repertoire of expressions that have several effects: they are completely unpredictable and out of context to whatever is going on, so adults are surprised and delighted; when we laugh, he laughs and laughs and laughs; and then, he pulls another face.

The other big change occurs daily in his motor development. Admittedly, in Seal’s universe, “motor” could be a reference to all things “voiture,” which is French for automobile. He is all-boy in the vehicle department. He has many…cars, trucks, fire engines, trains, motorcycles and scooters…in all sizes from match box to “little boy sitting on” size. In this case, however, “motor” refers to his physical skills. He now swings a tennis racket like Pete Sampras, kicks a football like David Beckham, learned in 15 seconds how to open AND close the sliders when he wants to be on the other side, is only seconds from figuring out how to climb over the “child-proof” protective screen on the second floor terraces.

Suzette used her vacation to….get married!!! And it was her dear friend and coworker Aita (whose name I have been misspelling as Ieta), who told me…casual delivery while washing dishes. At first, I thought….hmmm….”I think Aita said something about getting married…did Suzette get married?…No…not possible.” A quick glance at Suzette, who was smiling like the Cheshire Cat, and I realized that it was true. She not only got married but she married the father of her four-year old daughter, which is almost storybook in this culture of blended families.

So, we’re all home…it’s nice to be together again.