For Celia's last day, the creche threw a proper good bye party for her. All the kids and most of their parents were there, Elise and I were late in our own special as always way for creche parties,(darn the Bus 62! just when you need it most!), but the party was a fabulous success. I could not have been happier for (a) finding this wonderful place full of fabulous women that loved and cared for my daughter for 6 months and (b) being able to participate in a proper french good-bye party. Fête français? Not complete with out the champaign. See the guest of honor's mommy below accepting her first glass of many....
Doggy/Princess Celia hanging out with Virginia
A very happy mommy accepting the celebratory champaign...I was one of the lucky ones that sipped from a real glass...notice the big yellow plastic glasses of champaign.
Celia rocking out with her friends and mommy Jemima at the creche
Now, don't get me wrong. Had I not lived in Paris for the last what, 20 months, I too would be appaled at parents and staff drinking champaign, at their child's daycare while the children are off in the back jumping off dangerous contraptions and doing their best to hurt themselves. By American standards, yes, something is wrong with this situation...
Back in the day in Los Angeles, what feels like a life time ago, Celia and Elise's daycare lady threw a Christmas party for all the parents. It was great. An evening for all of us to come together and get to know the parents of the kids that our own kids are spending all their time with. (Not too mention an awesome Sri Lankan caterer that blew our minds.). The evening was fabulous but the best part was when Nat's dad joked about the fact that we were eating and drinking in Achchee's precious daycare room. The same place where our kids sang songs and stacked blocks, we were partying the night away! But the very idea suddenly made us all nervous and awkward. We were afraid to do something wrong, or spill, or make a mess. Then we'd get in trouble and end up on the dreaded TIME OUT bench. Sure our kids were afraid of Achchee, but we were terrified of her!
So it's funny how the tables have turned. Back in LA, it seemed unnatural and silly to be drinking alcohol at the daycare. But here in France it is almost uncomfortably natural to drink with my child at her daycare. Of course, no one is getting drunk or obnoxious and I think that is one of the first things that comes to mind when considering the differences in our cultures. French people eat and drink in moderation. (Just think about it: all the best pastries and heavily creamed/buttered food of the world and NO, except us ex-pats and tourists, are fat! They are all born with this special skill that tells them to stop after a taste and move on. It's a gift)
Thus, we toasted the end of an era and enjoyed each other's company one last time. And it's just the thing to do: sip some delicious champaign, enjoy life, and be with your people. It was a fabulous au revoi, a great french experience to add to the books, and another beautiful lesson of the french life: take it all in, take it easy, and don't forget the champaign!
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