When the sun is shining and my daughter is energetic, I usually take her to the cafe. It is the only way I can get any work done. She is happy outdoors and being around people. When we walk into town, she sticks her little hand out to try and grab the flowers. At the cafe, she sits back in her stroller and watches all the people around us. She is so curious about the world.
I frequent the same cafe and find comfort in being surrounded by people that I have grown to know. We have a routine. I load up the stroller with my Kindle, notebook and several pens. For my eight month old daughter, I pack her bottle, baby food, and several toys. It is difficult selecting the right toys for her because her favorites make noise. I do not want her causing a racket at the cafe or playing music that will annoy the average adult who already knows how to count or say the alphabet.
This month, my daughter has mastered a new trick – waving her hand. She realized that with every flick of her wrist, the amount of attention, hugs and kisses intensify. So what does she do? She waves at every man that catches her eye!
As I try to get work done, I can’t help but to focus all my attention on her. I sense that all eyes are on us, especially when I hear someone giggling or laughing in close proximity. If I look to where the giggling comes from, I will usually see a man who is waving back at my daughter or the women around that person oohing and aahing at how adorable she is being. On Monday, there was a toothless man making funny faces at her, getting a kick at making her smile. I think she made his day.
I received some adorable dresses from my family in the US. My husband at first told me that they were too much for around here. I did a test and took her in one that looks like a onesie with a big pink tutu, and has a matching pink bow for her hair. It drove everyone crazy – young and old, men and women. No one can resist a baby girl in a tutu. He joined us at the cafe that day because I needed him to drop something off to me. After that day, he now agrees that dressing her up like a princess or ballerina is okay in France. Not only does it warm our hearts, but those around us.
We can only get away with dressing her like this for so long, so it is fun to do it while we can. I will no longer do it on days when I am hoping to get work done at the cafe. For days when she is in a tutu, I will bring a book that I do not expect to read.
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