why you should take your three year old to paris

on our first afternoon in paris i was writing a blog in my head that started something like this-- paris is a life-long love afair. if you're lucky your favorite auntie takes you when you're twelve and the world is not fancy enough (see fancy nancy), and when you've read all your hemingway and stein and go as a romantic twentysomething college student, and you go with your first love because theres a $199 one way ticket, and then you go for your honeymoon, and then of course with your three year old, and you go with your girlfriends, and you go again with the love of your life, and you take your niece when she's twelve. ok, maybe you don't go all those times. but it felt like you could. like there was a little paris for everyone at everytime. because despite the fact that all of the paris souvies are better bought here back in the states--it still fulfills our romantic ideas of what europe should be, or could be like. because there are avenues of bookstores. because there are art museums with wings for children. because there are ferris wheels that let you see remy's paris. because there are wooden carousels and toy boats you can rent by the half hour. because there is a cafe in the tuilleries garden. because laudree on bonparte street really does have the best macroons in the world (i would go back for the blackcurrant). and because you really can take the metro anywhere. and although we've been home weeks and the thought of another transcontinental trip makes my head spin i'd go back tomorrow with any one of those possibilites above. and the pictures of course, are why you should take your little one even if he only remembers the eiffel tower, metro line 9, and chaud chocolat when he is old enough to rembember.