Vika turns 1!

This was a big weekend in our household. Vika turned one. It was a wonderful gift that Ami and Papa could be here to celebrate with us. We started out earlier in the day opening a couple of the big gifts at home. The celebration continued with a small party at our favourite pizza place. I think it was one of the loudest renditions of "Happy Birthday" I've ever heard. Dominic (the pizza chef) say at full volume all the way from the pizza oven. acroos the restaurant. In fear of Vika ruining her dress with the butterfly cake I made I took it off (and it was way too hot for that dress anyway!). Then she proceeded to eat in such a perfectly dainty and girly girl way she hardly dropped a crumb! It was almost a disappointment to see a one year old have the perfect mess opportunity and not take full advantage of it!
The next day, Vika's actual birthday, was spent seeing Ami and Papa off at the airport and joining friend at Carney Park (the US Navy Recreation Site near Naples). We spent 5 hours in the pool there! We ended a wonderful weekend with a lazy dinner with friends before heading home - sun kissed and very happy. A perfect way to spend a first birthday!

So it's official

Brian's assignment in Italy has been extended. As much as we've found many challenges difficult here in Italy, we're very excited about having the opportunity to experience the "viva dolce" (sweet life) for a while longer. We're still waiting on some details - like how long we're actually going to be here for. It looks like we could be here into next year! We've just returned from a fabulous 4 day weekend at the Cinque Terre with Brian's parents and now I can start planning so many more adventures!

I guess this means I'll expect a few emails from those of you who keep threatening to visit! ;)

I'll post (with pics) again soon to share our Cinque Terre adventure with you all! Keep checking back!

Caserta Palace

During my mom's visit we spent some time exploring the gardens at Caserta Palace. The Palace construction began in 1752. The palace itself has over 1200 rooms and almost 1800 windows. (It was built to rival Versailles.) It was actually used in two of the Star Wars films (The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones as Queen Jamillia's Palace) and in Mission Impossible (the scene where the Lamborghini blows up). The gardens run for three km!!! There is actually an aqueduct the length of them that brings water from the cascading falls in the hills to the palace. It is a beautiful place but it could be absolutely amazing. It really could take a page from Disney's book. That said we all enjoyed our time there and Kyle still finds it quite amusing that the fish ate Vika's entire baggy of Cheerios!

A day in the life of Vika

Sometime between 6:15 and 7 am - play quietly in my crib because I can hear no one else is awake. Then decide to change all that - suddenly scream like the roof is falling in and then watch mommy or daddy come running - just missing their nose on the door - all groggy eyed. Then smile sweetly and think inside how well that worked yet again. Happy to feed in bed with mommy.

7-8:00 play in the family room. Be sure to take at least one toy that Kyle is playing with and if that's not convenient be sure to shriek a few times during his favourite TV show. My magnet dolls are what I like to play with, but mostly I like to practice pulling myself up on the furniture so I can grab the remotes and other things silly adults leave out.

8-8:30 Eat breakfast. It is NECESSARY to scream if it is not mashed bananas with yogurt. And certainly do not try to sneak in vegetables for breakfast (I'm most certainly my daddy's girl!) Cheerios or toast are always good side dishes. Be sure to get Kyle laughing (and let him return the favour) right when mommy's about to lose her mind because Kyle won't eat again.

9:00 playtime!!! Maybe I'll bounce in my exerscauser or if I'm lucky mommy will pull the playpen outside while she hangs laundry. This is especially great because when I scream outside the neighbours can hear. I have to be sure that I don't let mommy see just how much I like it outside. This requires regular fits of fussiness so mommy must walk over and play peek a boo with me.

9:30 naptime. It takes a lot of energy keeping mommy from getting board so I need a little sleep. Although lately I can often go longer and sleep for a shorter period of time!

11:00 recharge with a feeding. Then maybe go a for a walk to the store. I LOVE going to the grocery stores. It is SOOO easy to charm Italians! Mom thinks it has to do with my blonde hair and blue eye but really it's because I'm so cute and I know how to charm! Lots of people in town even greet me with my name and come rushing over to see me!

12:00 Lunch. MORE YOGURT PLEASE! Hmmm, sometimes mommy doesn't seem to get this request. And sometimes she actually puts vegetables in the yogurt! It's not so bad if she gives me an arrowroot after.

1:00 more playtime. This is especially fun if Kyle is around. Sometimes he make me laugh - till my belly hurts and I can't breathe! If he's not around it's not so fun to hang out in the family room anymore. Mommy and Daddy put a baby gate across the fireplace so I can't crawl in it anymore. Did you know that soot works for finger paints on white walls?

1:30 I'm too tired. More sleep.

3:30 I'm hungry! Another feed with mom - but lately she is trying to get me to drink out of a sippy cup. Does she think I'm crazy?

4:00 Wait until Kyle wakes up and then we can go outside or for a walk! I really like this time! But it's a really good time to fuss and bug mom. She's often busy trying to do something like prepare dinner and she forgets about Kyle and I so I have to remind her we're here.

6:00 Dinner Finally! If we're going out for pizza be prepared to share! I love the crust and I will tell the whole restaurant if you don't share with me! Other things I like are: yogurt with banana, banana with yogurt and yogurt. I might try some vegetables if mommy cuts them up and lets me feed myself. This method is much better and I can make a way better mess! And if mommy bends over to clean it up then I can get it in her hair too!

7pm bath time! Fun Fun Fun! And Kyle usually helps me but he's not always good at sharing my bath toys!

8pm one more feed before bed. I'm exhausted! but I won't sleep if I don't have my susu.

Notice I don't have "take meds" on my schedule anymore!

The big day is here!

For more than three weeks Kyle has been drawing "X"s through the days on the calendar. It's all been a part of the big countdown to the arrival of Ami and Papa (grandma and grandpa). Yesterday was one of the very few days Kyle did not ask for the calendar and I chose not to remind him - in hopes that if he did not remember what today would bring the night might bring more sleep. It worked! This morning there was no forgetting the calendar and Kyle was ecstatic to find that today was the day! He was so excited, yet so well behaved this morning. He got dressed on his own and even remembered that we needed to do a quick walk to the stores to get some fresh bread, fresh mozzarella and some flowers for Ami. Of course, he chose pink flowers for Ami. Then it was off to the airport. Kyle in his khaki shorts and button down shirt with his new sunhat, and Vika in her pretty little white dress that once was mine. Of course we were running late but I won't get into that story. We were on our way in our newly acquired rental car (a Fiat Multipla) (Brian's driving the Renault) and Brian calls. He is able to escape from work just long enough to greet everyone at the airport and will meet us there!
As we pull into the "Quick Park" (leave your keys in your car, costs 6 euros and right in front of the arrivals hall - cheaper than the 4 E per hour to park in the regular parking) a man decides to drop his buddy off and pulls right in front of the parking entrance and parks! *argh* A man from the parking comes over and offers to take the car in for me. He tells me to take the kids and go. I wasn't sure as I didn't have a ticket but I went with it. Grab the kids and run! lol We're inside with Brian, waiting and waiting when Brian says, "Did the guy you left the car with have a uniform on?" Hmmm, I think so.....or did I just give the car away? Oh oh. (Could hardly call it stolen.) Oh well, not worth worrying about it at this point.
Finally Ami arrives. No Papa. One bag seems to have not made the connection and Papa has to do the paperwork for lost baggage. Oh boy. Instant flashbacks to the turmoil and trouble we had to get out lost luggage back when we arrived in Feb. It took a full week and we're still fighting for compensation for the time and damage. At this point Brian is off looking for them as it had been so long. I send Linda to go back in the secure zone to tell Papa to be sure to say that we will pick up the luggage and not to have it delivered. Brian wants to be sure of this too - so he just marches right into the secure area. Was this so easy for Brian to do because he had our beautiful baby girl in his arms, or because he had his work badge around his neck, which happens to say Alenia Aeronautica on it, or is this really how lax security is? Anyway, I'm sure Lost and Found Baggage got the message.
Finally Papa emerges! Kyle is thrilled and to everyone's relief Vika seems to remember their faces and is not playing strange! There are lots of smiles for everyone. It is hot and the airport is crowded so we head out...and find our car has not been given away but is parked in the lot. (phew!)

A day in the life of Kyle

7am - I wake up, check all my Playmobil construction toys all over my floor, then go check who is home. If it's Saturday then Daddy doesn't go to work. (I know that!) If it's not Saturday then I'll either play Playmobil or ask someone to turn on Tractor Tom on the TV for me. (Daddy is up when I get up. Sometimes Mommy and Vika are still sleeping.)
8am - Eat breakfast. I'd like to eat honey Cheerios (that's what they have in Italy) but mom says no. I'll try for some Nutella but that's always a no for breakfast. I'll settle for yogurt and granola. On the weekend I can usually score some pancakes. I no, I still don't eat Mommy's scrambled eggs.
8:45 - Yes I do take that long to eat breakfast. If I'm lucky when I'm done I can watch another TV show. Mommy usually says yes if I'll watch one in Italian. Then I get to play. Lately I've made a manhole, with a cover, between the couch and the coffee table. This keeps me very busy as there are always leaks in the sewer pipes down there.
9:30 Vika's napping so I have to play quietly so I usually go outside and play construction in the dirt in the garden. It's fun and if mommy's not paying attention I'll get the hose and make mud pies. She doesn't like it when I bring them to her when she's hanging the clean laundry out to dry. This is also a good time to practice riding my bike. I can go fast now.
11:00 Vika's up and this is when we usually walk to the centre of the village for some groceries. We go to the bread store where everyone likes me and they always say ciao - especially the man who cuts the prosciutto for me. Then mommy lets me pick whatever bread I want (usually still warm) from the bakery in the back. I wish the cashier lady would remember that I bring my own shopping bag. I always have to tell her and she doesn't understand me so she puts our things in a plastic bag. This frustrates me.
12:00 Lunch! This is a great time for me to drive mom crazy. She tries to get Vika started first so I whine that I'm starving. That usually gets me my Nutella rolled up on flat bread pretty quick. Then I wait for mom to sit down and then I ask for my drink that she forgot to give me again. By this time Vika's usually making a mess and I laugh. I'm really good at getting Vika to be loud - laughing and yelling. It's very funny but mommy says I'm not supposed to laugh when Vika does it. I laugh anyway. (Especially when Vika takes off her bib and is wiping it everywhere!)
1:00 I'm just finishing eating. It's really hard to eat quickly (which Mommy is ALWAYS after me to do) when I'm so busy entertaining Vika and asking mom 253.5 questions. It takes a lot to keep that up. When I'm done I get to play. I like to play with Vika. If I dump out the whole container of blocks it makes her laugh! But I don't like it when she knocks over my towers.
1:30 Vika goes for her nap and i get to stay up for a little longer. Sometimes Mommy and I work on my workbooks. Sometimes I draw or play playdough. I really like to just go outside and play.
2:00 Now it's time for me to go for my quiet time. And if I'm really quiet Mommy doesn't know that sometimes I don't sleep - I play with my Playmobil. Sometimes I accidentally fall asleep though.
4:30 Mom usually has to wake me up from quiet time and sometimes I'm grumpy but not too much anymore. Momy is usually busy with Vika and trying to get laundry done or dinner ready. Sometimes she lets me help with dinner. Sometimes I just play construction or kitchen stuff.
(sometime around now Daddy usually comes home and I get all excited and most of the time he will play Playmobil with me and we make accidents with my snowcat and my forklift.)
6:00 Dinner (well this is when mom says we eat but we rarely eat before 7. We're almost Italian this way. If I get to pick what's for dinner I usually say Gnocchi and hot dogs. But if we're going out my favourite place is Dominic's Pizza - it's even better than McDonalds. We get to walk there along the beach and Dominic gives my pizza dough to play with. I always order a Margherita pizza. Sometimes Daddy's not home for dinner because he has to work.
7:00 I'm still eating.
7:30 I'm still eating and Mommy's usually telling me to hurry up or no gelato.
7:45 I got my gelato.
8:15 I'm late for bed again. Sometimes I get to have a bubble bath and you should see all the bubbles I can make with the jets in our tub! I don't like getting out of the tub at all.
8:45 Daddy is once again suckered into tucking me in with a Tommy story. (These are stories that Ami and Daddy tell me - they make them up- about a boy named Tommy and all the adventures he has on his farm. Mommy is not very good at telling them.)
9:00 I have to call Mommy away from what she's doing for one last hug. Good night.

Mother's Day and Mt Vesuvius