The kids love her. Xavi had a wonderful game with her in the park with a little imaginary mouse that was living in the bottom of a young tree. Very cute indeed. Nonna taught Elias how to play snakes and ladders which he then wanted to play about 68 times a day. Somehow the snakes and ladders board has gone "missing" (clears throat).
The kids got 3 thousand presents. I actually held so many back. What with nonna, and the fruit and veg lady and then my ideas, well, it got too much... I refuse to let Christmas be a time for consumerist, commercial me-mine-want!
(High maintenance, control freak alert: if people just did what I asked, i.e. let me take care of the presents and then we'll sort things out later, then everything would be OK. All right, I know.)
Here's Xavi MD examining the teddy bear:
Elias asked for and got a skateboard and regardless of the fact that he is my boy, I think that he's a natural (I really would say that if it were someone else too!). And check out Xavi in the background, observing...:
I am not making a statement of any sort when I say New Year's absolutely does nothing for me. I am so entirely indifferent to it all and I know that bugs people but I can't help it! So we all went to bed before midnight. Elias was sure the firecrackers would sare him but he snored through them.
Elias had begun the holidays with a cough (which inevitable turn into bronchitis) so I went really easy on him. THen Xavi got it, VERY RARE, and it became a snotty, 9-day saga that culminated with a visit to the after-hours doctor on New Year's Day due to his earache. Poor kid, he was trying to put his arnica cream on his ear (at 2 a.m.) and then thinking that using paper to stroke his ear would help awww.
ELIAS XAVI - (the kids just typed their names)
I worked with letters and reading with Elias. He can now read and form (with letters, not writing) cat, hat, pat, mat. I should add that although he is nearly 4 and a half, in Italy kids don't read until they are 6. Weird. He can read his numbers and some letters, but words etc. will be up to me if it's going to happen before he's 6.
Evolution of our snowman - we made it:
Then went to see it the next day and had to sort of re-make it:
And then went to see it several days a some sunshine later and, well...:
Above all I think this holiday could be summarised in one sentence: My boys are the sweetest, funniest and cutest boys in the whole wide world. EVER.
Elias is getting big, he's gorgeous, he's funny, he's headstrong. He doesn't stand up for himself, he is sulky, he whines and shouts. He gets so angry he freaks out. He still sucks his thumb. He loves helping. He is getting more and more independent. He loves being boss. "I'm in charge!" he says ("Commando io!!"). He loves music, he does not show intelllectual prowess yet. He is physically in control, loves climbing, running, he is an original thinker and loves playing air guitar to Twisted Sister (thanks dad). He loves languages. I adore how he makes a statement and then says, "Right mummy?" but pronounces it "Wite mummy?". Not a big smiler but loves tickles.
Xavi is hilarious. He's small for his age but man he is sharp. He speaks non-stop and has these voices that he uses for when he is playing with his figurines. He throws in quotes from books and music, like when he is playing with the knights he will have one say to the other "Every little thing is going to be all right" (Bob Marley) and "Good? Don't call me good. I a scary creature in this wood" (The Gruffalo). He loves Gangnam Style. He speaks Yoda. "A spoon I am going to get". Or the classic: "It is I." He is cheeky, turns off the TV when we are watching it, stand in front of it... He grabs toys and throws them afar. Infuriating for anyone! He smiles so much.
Here are some more snippets:
Me: Elias! It's ten o'clock!
Elias: No! It's play o'clock.
Me: We speak with different voices. There's an inside voice, when we are inside. There's a park voice, when we are in a park. Then there's a...
Elias: Rock 'n' Roll Voice - da daaaannngggg!!!
Elias: I hurt my big toe. The one that went to market.
Xavi (to Elias): I love you very much.
Daddy: Y yo?
Xavi: I don't love you.
Daddy: Te voy a decirlo en espanol. Yo te quiero.
Xavi: I don't want you.
Daddy: waaahh!!
Xavi: Yes. I love you!!
Me: I have two jobs.
Elias: Yes, you clean bums and then you go on the train.
Daddy: Pioneros por el comunismo, seremos como Che. Pioneros por el comunismo...
Elias: Seremos como Batman!
These are some of many that I have been collecting. There are more.
Monday we begin work, school and daycare. Ugh. I have to keep reminding myself that I am lucky to have such long holidays but... ugh.
New Year's Resolution: Sort my week out so I can take at least one day off as maternity in order to study and, frankly, not drive myself to insanity by working/commuting/everything else.
Happy New Year!
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