Marco-And-Bene

Introducing Elena, Sophie's little sister

Sophie's first year

Playing chess at Zighy Bay...

With mummy and daddy in the desert

Introducing... Sophie Fornier-Hennebo

I was born on the 16th of December 2011 at 20.45 in Dubai Medcare Hospital. I think I can be considered as a relatively tall and slim girl: 50cm by 2.97 KG, that's a nice BMI.

My parents were expecting me towards the end of the year and I think that my father even thought I would have come well into the new year, but I was feeling lonely in the dark and wanted to celebrate Christmas and New Year with my unprepared parents, so I opened up the door without telling anyone and forced my workalcoholic mum into maternity leave well ahead of her perfect project plan...

Last week was quite a week! I sent mum to the hospital 3-4 times teasing her but it was finally on my cousin's Charlotte 17th birthday that I saw (a lot of) the light... (I later was told that a lot of mummy's friends were born on the same day).
My mum was worried and asked the doctors why I was so quiet and cried so little compared to other babies... I'm glad I heard this discussion, I could re-use it when my teeth are coming out.

I'm thrilled to meet my grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins as well as my parent's friends! I was told they have lots of children just a little older than me so we'll have a lot of fun.

Some are asking if I need anything to settle in this weird world or if I can give them some inspiration... Well as I am the daughter of a geek I have put an inspiration list on Amazon that can be found either under my father or my mum's name and fashion wise I am a fan of Petit Bateau, Zara Home Baby or Baby Gap... but am growing at the speed of light.

I hope to see you all very soon!

Marco and Bénédicte have a baby...

Unbelievable! Marco and Bénédicte reproduce themselves...

Earlier this year, Bénédicte simply wanted to know if "this was working"... The problem is that once you've tried, well there is not always a way back...

So in May, we needed both our university degrees to understand what that Clearblue pen was telling: "A blue cross means you're pregnant, even if it is very light blue"... Mine was dark night blue... "Marco? Bénédicte called from the bathroom, what do you understand here?"

So here we are now, with a watermelon hidden under Bénédicte's clothes, after a "relaxing" holiday in the summer that made us traveling from Dubai to LA, to Death Valley, to Vegas, to the Grand Canyon, to Bryce Canyon, to Lake Powell, to Monument Valley and then back to Lake Powell, Vegas and LA to continue to Palm Springs, to San Diego, to Santa Barbara to LA and finally back to Dubai... This baby inside must be some kind on Wonder Woman having survived to bumpy roads, hectic work schedules, and a bouncing speed boat.

As we move into the last weeks of the pregnancy and that Bénédicte's belly is like the universe: in continuous expansion, here is a best of the nicknames that the baby and her mother had over the last 8 to 9 months: "il verme", "project Junior", "la pastèque sous le T-shirt" , "la montgolfière barioléee", "la baleine échouée sur la plage", etc, etc

Marco and Bénédicte get married...

La grande blague du siecle...and yes we're still married...

Bénédicte et Marco se marient le samedi 12 septembre 2009 en Toscane
Marco e Bénédicte si sposano sabato 12 settembre 2009 in Toscana
Bénédicte and Marco get married on Saturday September 12th 2009 in Tuscany

Activités prénuptiales - Attività pre-matrimonio - Pre-wedding activities

Option 1: vendredi 11 septembre 2009 à la Casa Cornacchi dès 10.00 - cours de cuisine toscane suivi d'une dégustation de vin
Opzione 1: venerdi' 11 settembre 2009 a Casa Cornacchi dalle ore 10.00 - lezione di cucina toscana seguito da una degustazione vini
Option 1: Friday September 11th 2009 at Casa Cornacchi starting 10.00 am - Tuscan cuisine cooking class followed by wine tasting

Option 2: vendredi 11 septembre 2009 départ de la Casa Cornacchi à 10.00 - visite de l'Outlet shop de Prada suivi d'une thalassotherapie a Rapolano Terme
Opzione 2: venerdi' 11 settembre 2009 partenza da Casa Cornacchi alle ore 10.00 - visita dell'Outlet shop di Prada seguito da una spa/talassoterapia a Rapolano Terme
Option 2: Friday September 11th 2009 departure from Casa Cornacchi at 10.00 am - visit of the Prada Outlet Shop followed by spa pampering in Rapolano Terme

Mariage - Matrimonio - Wedding

Cérémonie - Ceremonia - Celebration

Samedi 12 septembre 2009 à 11.30 à la Villa Chigi Saracino à Castelnuovo Berardenga (Sienne, Toscane)
Sabato 12 settembre 2009 alle ore 11.30 a Villa Chigi Saracini di Castelnuovo Berardenga (Siena, Toscana)
Saturday September 12th 2009 at 11.30 am at Villa Chigi Saracini di Castelnuovo Berardenga (Siena, Tuscany)

Réception - Ricevimento - Reception

Samedi 12 septembre 2009 dès 13.00 à la Casa Cornacchi (Montebenichi/Bucine (Arezzo, Toscane)
Sabato 12 settembre 2009 dalle ore 13.00 a Casa Cornacchi, Montebenichi/Bucine (Arezzo, Toscana)
Saturday September 2009 at 1 pm at Casa Cornacchi, Montebenichi/Bucine (Arezzo, Tuscany)

A shuttle service from Colonna del Grillo to Casa Cornacchi and back (or back to your hotel) will be available after the ceremony

Honeymoon

Argentina!!!!!!!!
13 September 2009 flight to Buenos Aires.... Need some tango lessons
Roma - Buenos Aires - Iguazu - Salta - Cafayate - Humuhaca - El Calafate - Buenos Aires - Roma - Dubai

Gift?

oh yes, we like gifts