We drove down to Cap d'Antibes today, to the little beach at La Garoupe. It's the beach where F Scott Fitzgerald set 'Tender is the Night'. A little beach that looks northwards towards Nice, Monaco and the snow-capped Alps behind. To say it is beautiful is kind of an understatement.
Anyway, it was just me and the kids - we'd left their mom and dad (my brother and his wife) back at the apartment, giving them a bit of time for a tender moment. No doubt they just slept in front of the TV, which has been showing High School Musical around the clock. May God help us all and save us from Zac Ephron's winning smile.
We built sandcastles and we paddled in the sea. I held my niece's hand and we waded out to her waist deep in water - just above my knee. She's 3 now, soon to be 4 and she's just adorable. Her brother (5, soon to be 6) is pretty gorgeous too. We paddled and we wrote our names in the sand. We collected stones and shells and seaweed pods.
We got a bit of well-deserved sunshine and lay laughing and baking in the last rays of the afternoon. We moved into the shade and with one next to me and one lay on my chest, we snoozed.
As it dawned on me that we needed to get back, I was suddenly hit by how much I love this pair and how much I miss them. I realise how this will never be my life and it makes me a little sad, not that I'd change it.
Sometimes they drive me crazy with their arguing and general three and five year old stuff, but more often than not they just stop me in my tracks and make my chest swell.
With a singing heart and red shoulders, I bundle them in the car and we head home. 'I love you Uncle' says my niece. 'Me too' says nephew. And they both promptly fall asleep.
Ye gods, how great these days are.
6 commentaires:
Make the most of them, Travelling. And who knows, you just might have a family of your very own kids one way or another, never say never, life is full of possibilities these days!
This way at least you get the fun bits but still can enjoy your own lifestyle the way you want.
Lucky boy.
Don't you just love the South of France??
Ooh, just one more thing. As you're so close, and if you have time, take a drive to the village of Tourettes sur Loup. It's sort of just perched there, in the rock. It's quiet especially at this time of year, but charming, has a great place for lunch called La Barbacan, run by a bloke, his wife and her sister, directly in the town square. Very 'allo 'allo.
The salad Nicoise is to die for and costs hardly anything. With frites of course and a carafe of the local wine. If you go, tell me, and I will be SO jealous.
Swearing Mother says it!
You can enjoy the good bits and still have your own life.
I've heard that having kids isn't all roses and balloons.... :0)
Oh bless! what great ages they are. Just think loads of dads never get that closeness with their kids or spend a day just messing about or even articulate how much they love them as well as you have done. At least you'll always have favoured uncle status but like Swearing Mother says never say never
Beautiful post.
There isn't a reason in the world you can't have all of that.
If I can do it???............
Having kids is a roller coaster.But I love'd it.Still do. precious moments enjoy them and take them where you can. I bet your brother and his wife were so happy for a break too
And yeh you never know you may yet be a dad.
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