The challenge with two kids

It was already hard to get Oskar to look at the camera and smile. Now with Thomas we have doubled the challenge and added the complexity that we need both to smile at the same time.

Today I only managed to get one of them each time. 

Breakfast at the airport

As per what is becoming a tradition, Joy and Yann met us at the airport in Paris in between our two flights. We had a breakfast at Paul where we enjoyed our fare share of viennoiseries.

It was the first time they saw Thomas.

After the terrible flight, it was fantastic to have family welcoming us. 

The flight Air France really screwed up

We booked our flight back to Paris with Air France like we did the previous years. This time we had two adults, one child (yes Oskar gets his own seat now) and one infant. We were assured three seats together and a bassinet. A week before I called to confirm and everything was as planned.

Except it was not.

Check-in took forever. A whole hour as something was wrong in the system. Apparently Oskar was entered as infant on the flight to Stuttgart despite he had a child ticket as showed on the e-ticket. We could not really understand what the issue was not why it was so hard to solve it. Nevertheless we had to wait one hour until they figured it out. As we waited, I did ask three times confirmation on the bassinet and the lady said yes we have it.

Except we did not.

As I got onboard first with Thomas and Oskar I realized that row 40 was not the front row where they have bassinets. It was right in the middle. I immediately reached out to the crew who told me there had been a change of plane and that there was another family in the same situation. Like I cared to know that not only they screwed up with us but also with others.

Long story short between talking to different member of the crew as well as the ground staff, we found out that we never had the bassinet due to the change of aircraft and that someone should have told us so at the check in. That's probably why it took so long to check us in. While it would not have changed the end point, I would have preferred to know at the check in about it so we would have options in what to do. Once in the plane it's too late. 

And too late it was. They managed to get one person in row 36 to move to row 40 so Thomas would have a bassinet. But only one seat as the other people refused to move. This meant traveling separated which we did not like but were told to either take it or disembark because we were holding the plane. 

So yes, not only Air France did not deliver what they had committed for, but on top they gave us an ultimatum. 

Our bags were parked in every empty space they found in the compartments above and we were asked to seat so the plane could leave.

I was with Thomas. Wolfram with Oskar separated by 4 rows of people and unable to communicate or help each other when needed. 

The flight was stressful on all of us. Oskar could not understand why he could only get either me or wolfram at a time. We had to open four different compartments to get the things we needed from our bags. Neither Wolfram nor I slept more than a few hours so we were both exhausted. We both felt like the crew did not care at all about us nor the kids which is very unlike all our previous flights. Even Thomas slept in pieces. 

What a bad way to start our vacation. 

11pm

We are at the airport with lot's of luggage.

Everybody is very excited :))))

6pm

13 hours to the flight.

First suitcases are closed. Oskar is excited!

It's beginning to look like Christmas

Suitcases are open for airing.

Packing will start soon...

Smile

Thomas was all smiles this morning.

And that's how we forget that he woke up twice last night and that we are exhausted. 

All it takes is one smile :)

Bees attack

This morning while having breakfast, Oskar pointed out a fly by the lights over the table. A little bit later after we changed him, the lonely fly had become a dozen of them. They were actually bees. 

I had Aggie keep Oskar in his room while I tried to get them out. Failing to do so, I moved to killing them.

One by one, I killed easily two dozens of those. They were everywhere in the living room and kitchen. Someone must have disturbed their best to explain such an invasion. 

Luckily no one got stung but gave us some emotions on this Monday morning. 

Sunday visitor

Late in the afternoon Oskar grabbed me and took me to the window. Apparently there was something he wanted to show me. Most likely a fly or a butterfly I thought.

I was wrong. Oskar had spotted a praying mantis! Right there in our living room. A small one but still one. 

It entertained Oskar and Wolfram for a while as we caught it in a glass. Wolfram took some pictures of our visitor.

Later on the boys brought it downstairs to the garden. 

Sunday afternoon with two kids - Nap time

Lamia 1 - Wolfram 0