2010 be gone. It’s been a sucky year from start to finish, scattered with deaths on both sides of our families.
We went to Noumea with Oma Yoke and Oom Thijs and stayed at hotel Casa Del Sole (superb location, great service, a bit lacking in equipment but definitely worth it), then upon their departure we stayed with Ong Ngoai and Ba Ngoai (not the best location, great baby-sitting service, very fine cuisine).
Eloïse and I travelled first so we could attend a funeral, then Papa followed with Nico. It was the first Christmas that we spent separated as a family (well it was Eloïse’s first Christmas at all) and it felt a bit unsettling. No matter, both kids got showered with presents. I wonder how long till Eloïse learns the meaning of the word ‘cadeau’.
![normal_P1070320[1]](http://lh4.ggpht.com/_bFuq5eEGcEg/TTb7Br8jvnI/AAAAAAAAAx8/GSYXdBt_9M4/s1600-h/normal_P107032012.jpg "normal_P1070320[1]")
Can’t put it any more succinctly than Papa did: the power of a grandma armed with a toddler.
This was with Air Calin.
A tropical fruit welcome: fresh coconut juice and massive grapefruits. And sweet mangoes. Mangoes for dessert everyday, and still no one got sick of them.
At Ile aux Canards. Eloïse quickly learning the Caldoche customs and holding a can of Number One.
Some of the many pictures taken on Anse Vata.
Bottom left, Nico thinking that his Frogs are more photogenic than his Oma and his sister.
Eloïse at the Aquarium with her regiment of baby-sitters.
Nico had a lot of fun and decided that it was necessary to go around the aquarium twice.
Eloïse taking a peek from inside a dry tent, and Nico from Aremiti 4.
3 months of drought, and the day we hit Ile des Pins, it’s raining. All our gear got soaked - because who goes to a tropical island with an umbrella?
A monkey staring at another at the Parc Forestier.
Wandering peacocks were plentiful and tame, and Eloïse loved seeing them up close.
To eat, or not to eat--that is the question:
Whether 'tis tastier to the taste buds to eat
The sand and shells of Anse Vata…
Taaroa and Nico having some old-fashioned fun in the sand.
Nico learnt to bail, in preparation for the launch of Papa’s canoe.
Cecile meeting Eloïse for the first time over lunch.
At the Ouen Toro playground.
The facilities at this playground easily put most of the ones in Auckland to shame.
It was so hot that we stuck Eloïse’s feet and Nico’s head under the tap. Nico quickly got the idea and happily went back for more.
This trip went relatively well - minus Eloïse’s black eye, due to a head-first fall onto tiled floor. Both kids enjoyed all the different stimuli and the overload of attention from the grandparents on both sides. Things were made slightly more difficult due to Eloïse’s mobility and strong will (OK, she’s just plain stubborn), but it was very comforting to see Nico (and probably Eloïse too, later on) be able to practice his language skills with ease - English in general, French with my friends, Vietnamese with Ong Ngoai and Ba Ngoai, and Dutch with Oma and Oom Thijs.
And speaking of Eloïse - she’s crawling! And standing, and starting to cruise! She’s learnt to say and wave bye-bye, blow kisses and say Naliah, Thijs, Papa and Mama. Though I suspect that Papa and Mama are just syllables she’s randomly saying without associating them to anyone in particular… She also reacts strongly to songs she likes and tries to mimic the moves to a few songs - Mrs Bunny, la Danse des Canards, Be be bang bong, The Little Green Frog, Row row row your boat, etc. Still can’t get her to sit still enough to read books though.
Next trip - Taupo.
Today Nicolas is 3y.o. and Eloïse is 11 months, 2 weeks and 5 days old.
