Emmett's buddy Jacques

One of the best things about our stay in Paris has been the people we've met and the friends with whom we hope to stay in touch.

We had the opportunity to get together with one family several times these past few months. I met Christine through MESSAGE when she hosted a playgroup one morning at her apartment in the St. Germain neighborhood near the Luxembourg Gardens. It turns out that she graduated from Boalt School of Law a few years ago and her mother lives in north Berkeley, not far from our home in Oakland. Christine's son Jacques, who is half-Chinese and half-French, is just 5 days older than Emmett! His older sister Alice is 4 years old.

This family was particularly kind to us as they generously loaned us toys for Emmett, passed on jars of baby food that Jacques would no longer eat, and invited us over several times for dessert and play dates. We invited Christine and Jacques over for one last play date recently (until our next visit!) and the kids were hilarious.

Christine gave Emmett his first graham cracker which he devoured. They horsed around, tumbled over each other, played a friendly game of keep-away with a colorful plastic ring, and discovered how much fun it can be to pound on our French doors. We were endlessly entertained by their antics.