Xavi: Why am I lying next to you?
Me: Because you've having mi.
Xavi: Like a cow? I'm a cow. Mooooo mooooo.
----------------------------
Xavi started listing the things that fly while we were reading the Snowman. "Birds fly, butterflies fly. Witches fly. And their brooms. The long thing. Dragonflies fly. Sometimes snowmen and little boys fly." and then we talked about it a little and then, "Bees fly, mosquitos have wings, they fly. And my Gormito with wings, he flies too."
----------------------------
Nonna is a signora. She don't have a stick. Sometimes signoras have sticks and sometimes no.
----------------------------
Elias? Well he's just a bundle of sweet covered in an angry coating at the moment. But boy when he does say something, it's good. The other day he insisted I look for his little black car that "you put in the pocket of your black jacket when we went to Milan". That was two or so months ago. So I looked in all the pockets of my black jackets to no avail. But he insisted and insisted. Finally I dug in the pockets again and lo, there was a hole in one pocket and guess what was in the lining? The little black car. I then sat Elias down and said look, you're good, you're right and you need to make sure that you insist if you think you're right. Choose your words and your tone and your approach and don't let up until you convince them. OK I used simpler words but that was the message.
Love my boys.
Monday 28 January 2013
Sunday 20 January 2013
Screen time and the Key to Ultimate Power
Apart from all the research that says that screen time will and does contribute to childhood obesity, attention issues and all round idiocy, I know that there is good and bad screen time.
Here's the bad:
turning on the TV for no reason other than habit
watching crap with no educational and little to no decent entertainment value
watching crap that will have a detrimental effect on a child (eg violence)
Here's the good:
watching stuff in English and Spanish
watching and participating with your child while watching by explaining, commenting etc.
watching and learning values and languages
watching decent, educational and decent entertaining stuff
In this house we watch WAY too much TV, DVDs and computers. More than one on at a time, type of thing. It drives me NUTS.
Daddy is Cuban. In Cuba the TV is background noise all day, every day from when you wake up to after you have gone to sleep. In my family, my mother point blank refused to have the TV anywhere else than in the basement and we had one TV. This was weird for North America.
So. First and foremost, thank you mum. Secondly, my turn to fight the battle.
But I feel as though I am fighting a battle that is too big for me. I don't know if Daddy doesn't believe me, is lazy or just doesn't think. But y'know, sometimes I leave the room and some screen gets flicked on in an instant.
WTHC?????
That said, I do hold The Key to Ultimate Power which I am very reluctant to use.... sooooooo, here's my plan:
1. Start slow. Majorly reduce TV in the mornings, instead, breakfast at the table (not on the sofa) with music or nothing. THe music must be classical and can involve a computer of a YouTube video. This week we watched Glenn Gould play Bach with me commenting on it (pointing out the rhythym and Gould's piano stool etc) - I'm OK with that kind of screen time.
2. Turn the damn screens off in the evenings after a certain point.
3. Bribe / convince / corrupt Daddy and Elias to engage in no TV after school. If this doesn't work, try covering the TV with a blanket. If that doesn't work...
4. ...take the cable away. If that leads to computer time...
5. ...well, I could get mean. The Key to Ulitmate Power. The computer is mine, the password is mine... Awful? Yes. But maybe just once? Would probably lead to more problems than not but hell, either that or my child's brain may turn to mush...
Here's the bad:
turning on the TV for no reason other than habit
watching crap with no educational and little to no decent entertainment value
watching crap that will have a detrimental effect on a child (eg violence)
Here's the good:
watching stuff in English and Spanish
watching and participating with your child while watching by explaining, commenting etc.
watching and learning values and languages
watching decent, educational and decent entertaining stuff
In this house we watch WAY too much TV, DVDs and computers. More than one on at a time, type of thing. It drives me NUTS.
Daddy is Cuban. In Cuba the TV is background noise all day, every day from when you wake up to after you have gone to sleep. In my family, my mother point blank refused to have the TV anywhere else than in the basement and we had one TV. This was weird for North America.
So. First and foremost, thank you mum. Secondly, my turn to fight the battle.
But I feel as though I am fighting a battle that is too big for me. I don't know if Daddy doesn't believe me, is lazy or just doesn't think. But y'know, sometimes I leave the room and some screen gets flicked on in an instant.
WTHC?????
That said, I do hold The Key to Ultimate Power which I am very reluctant to use.... sooooooo, here's my plan:
1. Start slow. Majorly reduce TV in the mornings, instead, breakfast at the table (not on the sofa) with music or nothing. THe music must be classical and can involve a computer of a YouTube video. This week we watched Glenn Gould play Bach with me commenting on it (pointing out the rhythym and Gould's piano stool etc) - I'm OK with that kind of screen time.
2. Turn the damn screens off in the evenings after a certain point.
3. Bribe / convince / corrupt Daddy and Elias to engage in no TV after school. If this doesn't work, try covering the TV with a blanket. If that doesn't work...
4. ...take the cable away. If that leads to computer time...
5. ...well, I could get mean. The Key to Ulitmate Power. The computer is mine, the password is mine... Awful? Yes. But maybe just once? Would probably lead to more problems than not but hell, either that or my child's brain may turn to mush...
The weekend - another bittersweet 2 days but dang I love my boys
Well Elias finally went back to school after a week off the first week back. He was fine. He diesn't like colouring too much though and says it takes "too long".
He is so tired in the late afternoons and evenings and I do wonder if one of my boys will inherit my Hashimoto's thyroid disease. It is likely. My aunt Berit had it (Dad's sister), then Dad was diagnosed although much later in life.
But really Elias could probably be in bed, lights out by 8 but how can I do that if I get in at 6? Eat, wash, bathroom, change all in an hour and a half (giving us 30 minutes to settle down and read our story)? NO WAY. So... one night this week was total mayhem and ended in screaming tears (his, not mine) lasting a good 20 minutes. I was OK actually. I went from frustrated to angry to calm in those 20 minutes. My heart aches when I think of how tired and messed up he was. When he started hitting me though, I did react. I hit him.
:( :( :( :(
Not hard of course, but he slapped me hard on the head so he got a little one back Shocked him. He tried punching me in the chest and got a poke back too. So that was the end of the hitting. I do not condone slapping or spanking at all but he was actually hurting me and he was so basic and instinctual that there was no WAY reasoning would have helped AT ALL. So I went basic, explaining what I was doing and why and it helped. Then I resorted to the "OK boys who scream and shout and hit don't get to play with their toys" and he piped down. For a while at least. I am glad I said, "It is OK to be angry, it is OK to feel this but it is not OK to scream and hit mummy" and I said it a lot. I gave him options on what he could do when he felt this way. So at least I got that in. Argh to be a perfect mother...
Xavi had a fine week although he is often not too happy about going to daycare.
I hate working full time, can I just say that at this point?
OK, back to Xavi. He was fine, he is always very happy to see me but he doesn't cry when I drop him off so I hope he is content there during the day. He doesn't seem damaged (!) and he is so vocal so I hope he would be able to tell me if anything negative happened to him there.
I'm worried about him in school next year. Which teacher? The same as Elias? She is great but 1) the boys will play in Italian and 2) they might fight as brothers. Benedetta is considered a bitch by the children (nice rep, lady). Elena was a total bitch to René. Another teacher is off limits because of a boy in it. Then that leaves one unknown teacher... Well, I guess I just have to go with what happens but all I can say is... MESS WITH MY BOY AND I WILL RAISE HELL so I hope to heck for everyone's sake it all works out OK. Xavi is so sweet even though he is tougher in a way than Elias, I think Xavi's emotions are more raw. So whenever I think about anyone messing with his unadulterated joy, I get very, very protective. Elias is so much more reserved in his feelings, I just have the impression that he holds back a little so if anyone messes with him, even though he is hurt, there is a little bit he's left to one side that remains unhurt if you see what I mean. Of course anyone hurts EITHER of them in any way at all, big or small and I will become a lethal, evil, never-forget-me-ever banshee type being that will probably have to check to make sure I control myself.
Just sayin'.
As for the weekend, it was rainy but nice. I love my weekends. I love my little boys. Jesus they are so cute and sweet. OK they can be little so-and-sos to sometimes but nothing major. So on Saturday we began with a morning with mummy in a foul mood because
OK after I cooled off, me and the boys went to the park ("Parco Posta") in between rainfalls and hung out, played "bar", picked up sticks, looked at another bike thrown in the river (que fula) and then went home. Lunch, nap. Woke up and then had mega snack in preparation for the swimming lesson. Then the ARGHGHGHH started. So get the double stroller and two bags, squeezed two kids in (they're too big for it), covered the lot in a raincover and went to the pool.
(Digression: It is times like Saturday evening that I resent my lifestyle. I work effin' hard and live in a one-bedroom flat, have to walk in the dark and rain to the pool with kids crammed into a used, too-small stroller with tape on the holes in the raincover because we cannot afford a car, and then do the lot again when the swimming lesson is over. I blame a lot of people for this, I harbour anger, I acknowledge my role in it all too but yes, I confess, really do think it would be easier if I had and/or had had a bit more help along the way. Feel sorry for myself? Sometimes. Not proud of it, know it's not right but yes, sometimes I confess I do. OK, rant over.)
Elias did great in the swimming lesson even though he hadn't been for ages. Xavi was a good boy too and was fine to trot about and eat crackers for the hour it takes.
We got home past 8 and had a picnic dinner on the living room floor made up of carrot sticks, apple, orange and a few raisins. Their diet had been pretty awful most of the day which is why we ate rabbit food for dinner.
Sunday was rainy again. Wander around, brief visit to the park again where we (I) wrote in the snow and practised reading CAT, BAT etc, matched some upper case with lower case letters and drew a picture of a cat. Xavi participated too - he can identify quite a few letters.
We went to the supermarket to pick up ingredients for baking, then home to eat a decent lunch (broccoli, soy cutlets and potato - brava, mamma). They watched a DVD with Daddy (more screen time but at least it was in English) while I baked chocolate zucchini cake. Le snack (orange and aformentioned cake) then walk to the carousel (merry go round) where we rode on the tractor, pirate ship and "wee-do, wee do" (car with siren). Then Xavi got tired and needed carrying and put his little head on my shoulder and Elias decided he really needed to go to the bathroom (of course he had said he didn't need to before leaving, bless and grrr) but he was very good at "holding it in" (!) so we wiggled and scurried home. Dinner (rice which Daddy made and no one ate, yay!), lolling about and then bed, bath routine and out-like-a-light-asleep by 8.30. No nap today so very tired little creatures but no bedtime screaming so bonus there.
I also did 3 loads of laundry and other stuff. Of. Course.
So now it is Sunday evening and I am tired and a little sad, as I am each and every Sunday when I know the week looms. Re-reading this post I have changed the title to what it is. Bittersweet because I love my weekends and my boys and I am grateful and I know I am lucky but you can read that there are frustrations in my life which are, well, frustrating. Oh well, count my blessings and all that. No pics today but I will try to put some on here soon.
Nighty night.
He is so tired in the late afternoons and evenings and I do wonder if one of my boys will inherit my Hashimoto's thyroid disease. It is likely. My aunt Berit had it (Dad's sister), then Dad was diagnosed although much later in life.
But really Elias could probably be in bed, lights out by 8 but how can I do that if I get in at 6? Eat, wash, bathroom, change all in an hour and a half (giving us 30 minutes to settle down and read our story)? NO WAY. So... one night this week was total mayhem and ended in screaming tears (his, not mine) lasting a good 20 minutes. I was OK actually. I went from frustrated to angry to calm in those 20 minutes. My heart aches when I think of how tired and messed up he was. When he started hitting me though, I did react. I hit him.
:( :( :( :(
Not hard of course, but he slapped me hard on the head so he got a little one back Shocked him. He tried punching me in the chest and got a poke back too. So that was the end of the hitting. I do not condone slapping or spanking at all but he was actually hurting me and he was so basic and instinctual that there was no WAY reasoning would have helped AT ALL. So I went basic, explaining what I was doing and why and it helped. Then I resorted to the "OK boys who scream and shout and hit don't get to play with their toys" and he piped down. For a while at least. I am glad I said, "It is OK to be angry, it is OK to feel this but it is not OK to scream and hit mummy" and I said it a lot. I gave him options on what he could do when he felt this way. So at least I got that in. Argh to be a perfect mother...
Xavi had a fine week although he is often not too happy about going to daycare.
I hate working full time, can I just say that at this point?
OK, back to Xavi. He was fine, he is always very happy to see me but he doesn't cry when I drop him off so I hope he is content there during the day. He doesn't seem damaged (!) and he is so vocal so I hope he would be able to tell me if anything negative happened to him there.
I'm worried about him in school next year. Which teacher? The same as Elias? She is great but 1) the boys will play in Italian and 2) they might fight as brothers. Benedetta is considered a bitch by the children (nice rep, lady). Elena was a total bitch to René. Another teacher is off limits because of a boy in it. Then that leaves one unknown teacher... Well, I guess I just have to go with what happens but all I can say is... MESS WITH MY BOY AND I WILL RAISE HELL so I hope to heck for everyone's sake it all works out OK. Xavi is so sweet even though he is tougher in a way than Elias, I think Xavi's emotions are more raw. So whenever I think about anyone messing with his unadulterated joy, I get very, very protective. Elias is so much more reserved in his feelings, I just have the impression that he holds back a little so if anyone messes with him, even though he is hurt, there is a little bit he's left to one side that remains unhurt if you see what I mean. Of course anyone hurts EITHER of them in any way at all, big or small and I will become a lethal, evil, never-forget-me-ever banshee type being that will probably have to check to make sure I control myself.
Just sayin'.
As for the weekend, it was rainy but nice. I love my weekends. I love my little boys. Jesus they are so cute and sweet. OK they can be little so-and-sos to sometimes but nothing major. So on Saturday we began with a morning with mummy in a foul mood because
I. AM. SICK. TO. CR*P. OF. THE. TV. AND. DVD. AND. COMPUTER.
I am seriously thinking of sabotage.
What does it take to convince *some* people to turn the screens OFF. What? WHAT???
(Digression: It is times like Saturday evening that I resent my lifestyle. I work effin' hard and live in a one-bedroom flat, have to walk in the dark and rain to the pool with kids crammed into a used, too-small stroller with tape on the holes in the raincover because we cannot afford a car, and then do the lot again when the swimming lesson is over. I blame a lot of people for this, I harbour anger, I acknowledge my role in it all too but yes, I confess, really do think it would be easier if I had and/or had had a bit more help along the way. Feel sorry for myself? Sometimes. Not proud of it, know it's not right but yes, sometimes I confess I do. OK, rant over.)
Elias did great in the swimming lesson even though he hadn't been for ages. Xavi was a good boy too and was fine to trot about and eat crackers for the hour it takes.
We got home past 8 and had a picnic dinner on the living room floor made up of carrot sticks, apple, orange and a few raisins. Their diet had been pretty awful most of the day which is why we ate rabbit food for dinner.
Sunday was rainy again. Wander around, brief visit to the park again where we (I) wrote in the snow and practised reading CAT, BAT etc, matched some upper case with lower case letters and drew a picture of a cat. Xavi participated too - he can identify quite a few letters.
We went to the supermarket to pick up ingredients for baking, then home to eat a decent lunch (broccoli, soy cutlets and potato - brava, mamma). They watched a DVD with Daddy (more screen time but at least it was in English) while I baked chocolate zucchini cake. Le snack (orange and aformentioned cake) then walk to the carousel (merry go round) where we rode on the tractor, pirate ship and "wee-do, wee do" (car with siren). Then Xavi got tired and needed carrying and put his little head on my shoulder and Elias decided he really needed to go to the bathroom (of course he had said he didn't need to before leaving, bless and grrr) but he was very good at "holding it in" (!) so we wiggled and scurried home. Dinner (rice which Daddy made and no one ate, yay!), lolling about and then bed, bath routine and out-like-a-light-asleep by 8.30. No nap today so very tired little creatures but no bedtime screaming so bonus there.
I also did 3 loads of laundry and other stuff. Of. Course.
So now it is Sunday evening and I am tired and a little sad, as I am each and every Sunday when I know the week looms. Re-reading this post I have changed the title to what it is. Bittersweet because I love my weekends and my boys and I am grateful and I know I am lucky but you can read that there are frustrations in my life which are, well, frustrating. Oh well, count my blessings and all that. No pics today but I will try to put some on here soon.
Nighty night.
Sunday 13 January 2013
Totally Cute Things Part I
My kids are so cute.
Here are some snippets from this weekend.
Xavi continually singing, "Heeyyyyy sexy lady" (Gangnam Style).
Elias completely out of the blue saying, "And if the polar bear eats a wolf and then sees me?" to which I responded, "Well maybe then he won't be hungry and won't eat you. Although polar bears are pretty mean and hungry so he'll probably still eat you."
Bath time. Elias protesting. So I prepare the bath and then come into the living romo and say, "OK. We can either do this with smiles or with yelling and tears!" to which Xavi responded, "Smiles. Always smiles".
A fuzzy cobweb on the wall which scared Elias who proceeded to explain what he thought it was when he had first seen it. Xavi's face becoming more and more horrified. Then Xavi starts crying, "noooo I don't want that" but real tears. So we had to call daddy to come in and get it with a broom which he did with Xavi in his arms while Elias and I held the torch.
Me saying to Elias that he is going back to school tomorrow. He said at first he will be a "little bit shy". Then I said I will say hi to Daniela and Xavi pipes up and says, "You will say 'ciao'. Daniela speaks Italian."
Elias is currently very afraid of shadows in the bedroom and is sleeping with me and Xavi. I'm fine with that. It will pass. I explained that they are shadows and used examples from when we make shadows with our hands but also said that he's right, shadows can seem scary so come on in to bed with us. He also said he wants to sleep with Xavi (not only me).
Elias who sometimes instinctively reaches out to help Xavi when we are walking. Today it was to go down a curb. Often is it to guide him somewhere.
We saw the parade and then talked about it. Xavi mentioned we had seen men and people pretending to be sick (they were acting out parts from histiry and these ones were victims of the plague). Elias said we had seen people pretending to be married. He is currently quite intruigued and also easily embarrassed by anything to do with love, kissing and being married. Although he does not hesitate to mention that he will not kiss Anna as she has a mucky nose all the time. Fair enough.
Elias says "su-keh-mar-kit" for supermarket. Unfortunately he no longer says "eye peem" for ice cream and "quick-wy" for quickly, both of which made me giggle.
When Elias says something and then checks it by asking me, "Wite Mummy?"
We were talking about Def Leppard's drummer who lost his arm. Then Xavi goes off to get a digger who has a driver in it who has lost his arm and shows me.
Xavi says "totally" ("toally") a lot. Uses it as synonymous with very, as in, "This car is totally green".
When we are out they are just so cute that sometimes I just stop and kneel down and talk to them for a while.
Xavi and Elias dancing to Twisted Sister's "We're not Going to Take It". Xavi is tiny and very bouncy and really puts his heart into it, singing "any moooooorrrreeeee". Elias is more introverted and just plays very intense air guitar.
Xavi singing Incy Wincy Spider using 1) a piece of foam pipe insulation as the water pipe and 2) a carboard hoop as the sun. Trust me it is elaborate and very effective.
Oh the list goes on and on and ON.
But God I might just burst from love of extreme sweetness. I LOVE my boys!
Here are some snippets from this weekend.
Xavi continually singing, "Heeyyyyy sexy lady" (Gangnam Style).
Elias completely out of the blue saying, "And if the polar bear eats a wolf and then sees me?" to which I responded, "Well maybe then he won't be hungry and won't eat you. Although polar bears are pretty mean and hungry so he'll probably still eat you."
Bath time. Elias protesting. So I prepare the bath and then come into the living romo and say, "OK. We can either do this with smiles or with yelling and tears!" to which Xavi responded, "Smiles. Always smiles".
A fuzzy cobweb on the wall which scared Elias who proceeded to explain what he thought it was when he had first seen it. Xavi's face becoming more and more horrified. Then Xavi starts crying, "noooo I don't want that" but real tears. So we had to call daddy to come in and get it with a broom which he did with Xavi in his arms while Elias and I held the torch.
Me saying to Elias that he is going back to school tomorrow. He said at first he will be a "little bit shy". Then I said I will say hi to Daniela and Xavi pipes up and says, "You will say 'ciao'. Daniela speaks Italian."
Elias is currently very afraid of shadows in the bedroom and is sleeping with me and Xavi. I'm fine with that. It will pass. I explained that they are shadows and used examples from when we make shadows with our hands but also said that he's right, shadows can seem scary so come on in to bed with us. He also said he wants to sleep with Xavi (not only me).
Elias who sometimes instinctively reaches out to help Xavi when we are walking. Today it was to go down a curb. Often is it to guide him somewhere.
We saw the parade and then talked about it. Xavi mentioned we had seen men and people pretending to be sick (they were acting out parts from histiry and these ones were victims of the plague). Elias said we had seen people pretending to be married. He is currently quite intruigued and also easily embarrassed by anything to do with love, kissing and being married. Although he does not hesitate to mention that he will not kiss Anna as she has a mucky nose all the time. Fair enough.
Elias says "su-keh-mar-kit" for supermarket. Unfortunately he no longer says "eye peem" for ice cream and "quick-wy" for quickly, both of which made me giggle.
When Elias says something and then checks it by asking me, "Wite Mummy?"
We were talking about Def Leppard's drummer who lost his arm. Then Xavi goes off to get a digger who has a driver in it who has lost his arm and shows me.
Xavi says "totally" ("toally") a lot. Uses it as synonymous with very, as in, "This car is totally green".
When we are out they are just so cute that sometimes I just stop and kneel down and talk to them for a while.
Xavi and Elias dancing to Twisted Sister's "We're not Going to Take It". Xavi is tiny and very bouncy and really puts his heart into it, singing "any moooooorrrreeeee". Elias is more introverted and just plays very intense air guitar.
Xavi singing Incy Wincy Spider using 1) a piece of foam pipe insulation as the water pipe and 2) a carboard hoop as the sun. Trust me it is elaborate and very effective.
Oh the list goes on and on and ON.
But God I might just burst from love of extreme sweetness. I LOVE my boys!
Saint Anthony
A nice little weekend spent at the local St Antonio (but the "o" disappeared so it was St Antoni) festival.
This involved dressing the kids extremely warmly and trudging along to where they set up stands of life in the past (from 1400 onwards, more or less) next to a tiny church. There were animals including sheep, lambs, goats, 4 young heifers, one grumpy horse, one nippy Shetland, two donkeys, 3 ducks, 3 cold rabbits, 3? geese, a few goats in with the sheep and lonely one in a corral and a few variants of the chicken. We gave the horses carrots (after asking permission), looked at the sheep (Xavi was very wary of all the animals), drank hot apple cider and I had a mulled wine, ate a home-made sausage sandwich (Elias), played a game involveing hitting a bag with a big stick and getting a dragon toy as a prize (and Elias was really proud when I said, "You got that for the family! Now we can have a dragon to play with in the castle." - the concept of him getting it for all of us was really important), wandered around the market, looked in the tiny church, ate some bread made with chestnut four and now there's meant to be a parade so I'm going to sign off!!
Update: here's a newspaper article about it in a regional newspaper (Watch out, NYT).
http://www.laprovinciadivarese.it/stories/Cronaca/261570_saronno_festa_di_santantonio_corteo_storico_con_500_figuranti/
and some photos of the fest:
Mulled wine - yes please!
And the parade. The parade was great, it had all sorts of characters from the ages including families,
wandering salesmen (vegetables, tinkers, basket weavers and so on), a herd of real sheep (the best!):
people dead or dying from the plague (of course the kids were most curious about them - perhaps a teeny bit worried but then when I pointed out their eyes were open they found it just intriguing), horses,
soldiers and so on. Great job I have to say. Elias remembers the people "pretending t be married" (insert blush here) and Xavi remembers the people "pretending to be sick":
This involved dressing the kids extremely warmly and trudging along to where they set up stands of life in the past (from 1400 onwards, more or less) next to a tiny church. There were animals including sheep, lambs, goats, 4 young heifers, one grumpy horse, one nippy Shetland, two donkeys, 3 ducks, 3 cold rabbits, 3? geese, a few goats in with the sheep and lonely one in a corral and a few variants of the chicken. We gave the horses carrots (after asking permission), looked at the sheep (Xavi was very wary of all the animals), drank hot apple cider and I had a mulled wine, ate a home-made sausage sandwich (Elias), played a game involveing hitting a bag with a big stick and getting a dragon toy as a prize (and Elias was really proud when I said, "You got that for the family! Now we can have a dragon to play with in the castle." - the concept of him getting it for all of us was really important), wandered around the market, looked in the tiny church, ate some bread made with chestnut four and now there's meant to be a parade so I'm going to sign off!!
Update: here's a newspaper article about it in a regional newspaper (Watch out, NYT).
http://www.laprovinciadivarese.it/stories/Cronaca/261570_saronno_festa_di_santantonio_corteo_storico_con_500_figuranti/
and some photos of the fest:
Mulled wine - yes please!
And the parade. The parade was great, it had all sorts of characters from the ages including families,
wandering salesmen (vegetables, tinkers, basket weavers and so on), a herd of real sheep (the best!):
people dead or dying from the plague (of course the kids were most curious about them - perhaps a teeny bit worried but then when I pointed out their eyes were open they found it just intriguing), horses,
soldiers and so on. Great job I have to say. Elias remembers the people "pretending t be married" (insert blush here) and Xavi remembers the people "pretending to be sick":
Friday 4 January 2013
Christmas break round up
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!
Thursday 27 December 2012
Year's gone by
As in a year has gone by.
Not going to feel guilty, just going to catch up.
January: cold, work. Elias stoppd crying when I dropped him off at school thank God, that was so stressful for me and him, bless his little self. Xavi was normal and content.
At Signora Luisa's we always get mandarines:
February: Cold, work, Elias being stoic and Xavi being fine. Xavi's 2nd birthday, Elias very sick with ikky vomiting bug. Carnevale includes throwing lots of confetti in the piazza and Elias dressing up as a wolf for school.
March: Warmer, work. Typical walks around town trying to keep busy on the weekends.
April: Easter break... phew. Love spending time with the kids. WISH I could work part-time. René leaves his job... and hey, rotten hours, rotten pay and rotten treatment (+ his character, let's be fair) means that it may work out better in the long run. So be it.
May: René increasingly grumpy so we decide he needs a time-out. At the end of the month he goes to Cuba for 2 months.
Elias' end of year school party in the school's courtyard:
Oh, and I get the car wrecked - yay! Huge relief!!!
June: I work part-time to be able to deal with the kids. 10 till 2ish. B.L.I.S.S. I pick up Elias at 3.30 which is wonderful. Mum comes to visit for a week. It is nice but super hot and of course me being at work means she is alone until 3. She is not too happy at the time about this but then forgets her unhappiness when all is said and done. Sigh... Elias grand, Xavi grand.
Peace and love and hanging out at home:
and at the park:
Xavi randomly took off his shorts and went to stand at the swing, waiting for someone to push him:
Elias is in the bushes at the right, chasing Xavi:
Ice creaaaaaammmmmm!!!!
Hugs from Signora Luisa:
July: Elias and Xavi at Cristina's for daycare / summer school. Mum pays for Elias, thank you. Elias falls and has to get a stitch in his head but is the BRAVEST boy EVER, especially seeing they do not use anaesthetic... The doctor is Senegalese and named René. Thus the family myth of Doctor René is born. Our very own René returns at the end of the month and the kids adjust well after 2 months' absence. I get accepted on a MA at the University of Birmingham after a lot of research. I'm very excited!
August: Summer holidays begin. Swimming pool and battling the intense heat.
But we do it. We go to the park at 6 pm some days! Water pistols feature heavily in keeping cool. And we had a AMAZINGLY FUN day in Mamma Jo's garden:
As well as doing some random dressing up as Zorro and serious laughing in the park on the swing:
Next year we must go the the UK because the heat is silly.
We also went to the acquarium in Milan:
and to the big park:
and to our favourite Chinese restaurant where Elias has "dragon cake":
September: Elias' birthday, Great Big 4!!! I make a dubious looking car cake but bless him, Elias likes it all the same:
When school starts I make 28 gift baggies for the class and Elias takes cake and drinks. Total Mum moment:
Work starts again, so does school. Sigh... Elias OK to go back. Xavi OK to go back. Elias starts swimming lessons - yay!!!
And weirdly, I decide to get the boys Christened. On a Friday afternoon, Ian is the sole godfather. He is practising so at least they ought to get the religious bit from someone. Don't want to be totally hypocritical. Mum is thirlled.
October: New timetable. Daddy has to take Elias to school 3 days a week and pick him up the other days. Xavi fine. Elias swimming is going well. Wish they had more sports for 4 year olds...
November: Work, school... Huge clothes donation from the Villis family is keeping Elias clothed and warm. We are living WAY below the Canadian poverty line - unbelievable. Elias no longer wants to go to the park after school so most days is at home with Daddy. I'm a little worried but as most working mothers, am happy he is OK. Still...
Some parents are unkind to René at Elias' school one day but it gets sorted... for now, not without some drama. Life is getting trying and a move is becoming more likely. Xavi is doing OK and sleeping better, thank heaven!
December: Here we are! The boys and I go to church one Sunday (see above re: hypocrisy - I am not a church goer or a believer in the traditional sense but I do want the kids to know what a church is seeing as I have decided to Christen them). Christmas has come and gone. Elias knows the Christmas story and I have taken the kids to see the nativity scenes and told them the story. Elias performs in his first Christmas pageant - he is a dog. It is sweet. Mum comes for a week - she is still here as I write this. So far, so good although it can be tiring for me. Too many presents and I have actually held some back - is that weird of me?? My studies are progressing but I am drastically behind so must get onto that pronto. Assignment due January 31... We went ice skating and will go again!
Christmas display at daycare:
and at pre-school:
It snows and we make a real snowman!!!
Not going to feel guilty, just going to catch up.
January: cold, work. Elias stoppd crying when I dropped him off at school thank God, that was so stressful for me and him, bless his little self. Xavi was normal and content.
At Signora Luisa's we always get mandarines:
February: Cold, work, Elias being stoic and Xavi being fine. Xavi's 2nd birthday, Elias very sick with ikky vomiting bug. Carnevale includes throwing lots of confetti in the piazza and Elias dressing up as a wolf for school.
I made a moon cake for home and a fire engine cake for daycare
(poor Elias was so sick later that day):
March: Warmer, work. Typical walks around town trying to keep busy on the weekends.
May: René increasingly grumpy so we decide he needs a time-out. At the end of the month he goes to Cuba for 2 months.
Elias' end of year school party in the school's courtyard:
Oh, and I get the car wrecked - yay! Huge relief!!!
June: I work part-time to be able to deal with the kids. 10 till 2ish. B.L.I.S.S. I pick up Elias at 3.30 which is wonderful. Mum comes to visit for a week. It is nice but super hot and of course me being at work means she is alone until 3. She is not too happy at the time about this but then forgets her unhappiness when all is said and done. Sigh... Elias grand, Xavi grand.
Peace and love and hanging out at home:
July: Elias and Xavi at Cristina's for daycare / summer school. Mum pays for Elias, thank you. Elias falls and has to get a stitch in his head but is the BRAVEST boy EVER, especially seeing they do not use anaesthetic... The doctor is Senegalese and named René. Thus the family myth of Doctor René is born. Our very own René returns at the end of the month and the kids adjust well after 2 months' absence. I get accepted on a MA at the University of Birmingham after a lot of research. I'm very excited!
August: Summer holidays begin. Swimming pool and battling the intense heat.
But we do it. We go to the park at 6 pm some days! Water pistols feature heavily in keeping cool. And we had a AMAZINGLY FUN day in Mamma Jo's garden:
As well as doing some random dressing up as Zorro and serious laughing in the park on the swing:
Or just took off our shirts
We also went to the acquarium in Milan:
September: Elias' birthday, Great Big 4!!! I make a dubious looking car cake but bless him, Elias likes it all the same:
When school starts I make 28 gift baggies for the class and Elias takes cake and drinks. Total Mum moment:
Work starts again, so does school. Sigh... Elias OK to go back. Xavi OK to go back. Elias starts swimming lessons - yay!!!
And weirdly, I decide to get the boys Christened. On a Friday afternoon, Ian is the sole godfather. He is practising so at least they ought to get the religious bit from someone. Don't want to be totally hypocritical. Mum is thirlled.
October: New timetable. Daddy has to take Elias to school 3 days a week and pick him up the other days. Xavi fine. Elias swimming is going well. Wish they had more sports for 4 year olds...
November: Work, school... Huge clothes donation from the Villis family is keeping Elias clothed and warm. We are living WAY below the Canadian poverty line - unbelievable. Elias no longer wants to go to the park after school so most days is at home with Daddy. I'm a little worried but as most working mothers, am happy he is OK. Still...
Some parents are unkind to René at Elias' school one day but it gets sorted... for now, not without some drama. Life is getting trying and a move is becoming more likely. Xavi is doing OK and sleeping better, thank heaven!
December: Here we are! The boys and I go to church one Sunday (see above re: hypocrisy - I am not a church goer or a believer in the traditional sense but I do want the kids to know what a church is seeing as I have decided to Christen them). Christmas has come and gone. Elias knows the Christmas story and I have taken the kids to see the nativity scenes and told them the story. Elias performs in his first Christmas pageant - he is a dog. It is sweet. Mum comes for a week - she is still here as I write this. So far, so good although it can be tiring for me. Too many presents and I have actually held some back - is that weird of me?? My studies are progressing but I am drastically behind so must get onto that pronto. Assignment due January 31... We went ice skating and will go again!
Christmas display at daycare:
and at pre-school:
It snows and we make a real snowman!!!
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