Monday, November 23, 2015

These Days of Ours

I hate when I let so much time slip by between each post. I don't even know where to begin and where to end...I have only myself to blame. I win the reward of the girl who gets distracted the most. I swear one minute I'm sewing a hole in a sock, then before I know it I'm suddenly saving a stuffed animal from being flushed down the toilet. By my son. Not me. Im ADD, not insane.
So in my defense, I have tried and even started to post multiple times.  So anyway enough of the  nonsense, I'll begin somewhere.
 Oh These days. Luca and always work well with rhythm. Marco has been away a lot lately, with work and courses for his job, so finding our rhythm is fundamental when its just me and Luca. It keeps us sane and happy.
It is incredible how much Luc is growing. I literally see it every day. I can see the transition of toddler to boyhood.  As sad as that might sound. I love it. He is such a spunky, sensitive, quick as a whip, soul. I have so much fun with him. Marco and I see so much personality spilling out. You can have real conversations with him. He listens, understand, and gives you feedback, whether you want it or not. He still is obsessed with his legos, stuffed animals, cars and his play kitchen. And he has 5 favorite books, which he never gets bored of. He can read it to us. (try reading Jamberry every night…)
Luca is definitely at the age where he makes any dull moment shine. Oh and the tantrums?! So what he does is he throws himself most dramatically on the ground, with huge tears rolling down his cheeks, and sobs, until you have to explain why you said no to wanting his hide and seek place be in the oven.
But thankfully he does really good with explanations. "Sweet boy, ovens are for food to get really hot in, so we can eat it. Do you want to get really hot and be eaten?"
"no."
Aaaaaand the moments passed, tears are wiped away and kisses are given. Moving on. How about taking all the toilet paper and throwing it off the balcony?
He is ver present and loves to ask what he's doing. or anyone near him. "cosa fa Luca?" Cosa fai Mamma"? Whats Luca doing? whats mamma doing? He hates any sort of violence, and gets very upset at the playground if he sees a  kid push another kid. he wants to get involved and explain to them that its not okay. Luckily he has never been smacked. And luckily he has never raised a hand foot or teeth. phew. so far so good. biters are not fun.
And potty training?
what is potty training?
Lets leave it at that.
We are so excited to be going back to Baltimore on less than a month, for a whole month. Luca totally gets it this time. airplane, Gam, Pops, Zia, Zio, toy crocodile, trainset, etc, ect. But this time we get to have Papa' with is! double yay!
One of my new years resolutions is to write once a week. Ya know, annoying weekly updates about the nonsense of our silly sweet days. Seriously, how frickin hard can that be?!


Like father like son

his swing and his animals

merry go rounds are not so scary anymore, and actually merry.

but cars are better

2 going on 16

the dreaded 6pm. anyone with a toddler knows what I'm talking about

sometimes I really cant take the cuteness

they know it

potty training… that goes nowhere.

who doesn't like friends and Burano! and a day without wiping a poopy bum!

a pumpkins on the loose. In Italy you go trick or treating, not from house to house, but from store to store...

last year in my 20's? my face says it all.

oh toddler life is rough

this goofball and his legos

evening walks in the park

Luca crashing Camillas fall recital. Hes the banana head in gold.

hes gotten so good at the thing. Especially considering how he started… terrified. go figure. our courageous little bear.

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Back to Venice and Being a Lioness

So here we are again, yet another fabulously sweet summer turns into a just as sweet fall homecoming. The plane ride was as great as a plane ride can be. Oh and Luca? It was as if I didn't have him. He played, ate, looked at books, and watched a bit of ipad whatnot. After the first three hours he fell asleep and woke up when we landed. Luca, actually I was the youngest on the plane by a long shot. It was full of elderly couples going to Venice for romantic cruise rides, gelato and pizza. The flight attendants were not much younger. And Grumpy. Dear lord I think it should be mandatory to retire after a certain age… No need to grump on us. No one needs it. Anyway, sorry U.S Airways, just saying...
When we landed in Venice, After a very uneventful 8 hour plane ride, both Luca and I had the jitters from the anticipation of seeing marco. When L Saw Marco, he ran to him and put his head on his shoulders with his skinny little arms wrapped tightly around his neck, well halfway around his neck. His face was priceless though. He was in awe, and could not believe that he could actually touch him. His face was SO serious, and he kept on saying yes Papa', yes Papa'.  Oh I know what you mean little boy, I know…
It is good to be back though, even though spending time back at home with my family and seeing friends is magical, to me "home" is where Marco, and Luca are.
Marco has still been very busy with work and is away days at a time, but Luc and I have it down. We know how its done, and have so much fun picking lint off the carpet and running to the trash can… over and over again. Or requesting to touch the butter with his pointer finger and run away hysterically yelling icky pooooooo!!! oh yes we know how to have fun. Oh and naps are so over rated
on another note. The other day Marco Luca and I went to the park, and Marco had to take a call so he was a bit further away… Anyway this is what went down. I have never, felt so much anger, and the sad thing is it was because of  a three year old.
Luca LOVES to play with older kids, he does whatever they do, and cannot stop smiling and pretends to be all big and mature (even though he still loves pooping in his diaper, yea… real big boy). Anyway at this time of day there were only 2 boys (probably because it was windy and no person in their right mind (in Italy) would take their kid out in windy weather… watch out for those snot bugs!) with their pregnant Mamma's sitting on benches… Anyway Luca of course goes running towards them saying Luca gioca, Luca gioca. Basically asking if he could play with them. So boy 1 looks at him, looks at me, and shoves him to he ground. Ok so my first instinct is the punch the kid in the nose, but i dont. I dont even say anything because Luca wasn't hurt and to tell you the truth was unaware that the kid was trying to be mean… So it gets better. Luca continues to jog along singing or tryin to do what they do on the jungle gym Kid number 2 keeps telling him that he's stupido and to go away. Ok words wont hurt him right? I still keep quiet, and just tell Luca that it wasn't nice to tell people that they are stupid. At this point I try to get Luca into another game at a different part of the park. The boys follow and kid number  1 keeps shoving, and kicking Luca to the ground. Each time I wanted so badly to intervene, but I knew if Luca wasn't hurt, then its not my concern… At this point boy number 1 looks me straight in the eyes and threw gravel at Lucas head. Ok I looked at that little shit and I said,( taking a deep breath ) that that was not nice at all, and that he can throw gravel just not at anyone, and that he probably wouldnt like it if anyone threw stones at his head. He stuck his tongue at me.
Luca still not hurt, goes onto another game of climbing a latter. Boy number run runs to Luca and yanks him down. Luca gets hurt. Where the hell is Marco when I need him?
Who am I to yell at this nightmare of a boy? The best part of it was that Mamma of piece of shit witnessed the whole thing. Not once did she get of here pregnant bum to say anything. Ok let me just make it clear. I am not an overprotective mother, I am not a hawk Mamma either. But seriously? The whole protecting your kid instinct, just got to a whole new level with me. The sad thing is, was that Lucas wasnt even trying to get in their way, and kept on singing and being giggly, until he wasn't ... this kid, was genuinely having fun bullying Luca. And I had to witness it. And thank god Marco got a call from work, because after telling him about shit child, Marco wanted to go back and shred his mother apart. I convinced him that we should go to a cafe instead.
My question is, do I need to grow a back bone, or do I just walk away in situations like this. I mean if I wasn't watching Luca he could have gotten more hurt than he did. What kind of mothers just let their kids beat up on another (even younger ) kid.  And the other mother? I swear, either being pregnant was really messing with her brain or she had some real issues she needed to clean up… I mean does she really want another demon child. She cannot be that oblivious.
Sorry, just a mom rant:) and man I really needed a spritz after that.

my heart

So not successful. Luca does not fall for bribery.

monkey see monkey do
I cannot even begin to tell you how much i melt every time I see that smile. I am basically a puddle all day long. A happy big puddle.

how real Italian housewives make mashed potatoes. Taught by my very own mother in law

These two best friends forever. Camilla's mother and I took a postpartum class together. So basically Camy and Luc go way back:)

oh the rare days he decides to grace me with a thing called taking a nap.

my main men

in his place.

discovering new places in our city where kids can come together and do what they do best.  Mamma and Luc LOVE Ludoteca's.

out about on the boat with friends is heavenly

See, my son is able to get dirty! I have hope! yay for Papa's shaving cream

yet another priceless pic

a way too close up, but a picture of me dirty hair and all, ya know the one having fun behind all the pictures taken. 

"hiding" and pooping. "Mamma, don't look at me! I pooping!" Dear lord, how about the toilet?

in his element. I swear he is a mini Marco

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Sunny Days of Summer

So much has happened since my last post (obviously… If I posted regularly, we wouldn't have this problem… buuuut) so ill just dive into it!
After we got back from our camping trip with Nonna at the beach, we basically unpacked, did laundry, kissed Marco quickly, and packed again.
We did get a surprise ride by Marco to our family vacation in Luino where we rented out a villa. Unfortunately, Marco drove us there, took a swim,  had a quick beer with the fam (no he did not get drunk) and drove back to Lignano to part for Croatia the next day…
Other than not having Marco on the trip, it was SUCH a great vacation. Having my cousin, her two girls, my aunt, and the rest of my family in the stunning surrounding and atmosphere was so perfect.
Luca did not seem to mind the difference language and would totally listen and agree with whatever his older cousin would say… in swiss german. He now has a total of 3 swiss words. Exactly, cheeky boy, and water wings.
After Luino, we went by train to Switzerland to stay with my aunt for a week for my cousins wedding.
Being in Switzerland is always like coming home. I love the country, its culture, and everything in between, and you live like kings and queens there.
Anyway with that to the side, being with my family was perfect, it was just s nice to soak up every minute with them. watching the little ones play together was so sweet, even though I would see Luc poking Linda out of the corner of my eye, what it all came down to though was those two really were awesome together…
My Cousin, Benno got married on his wifes family ranch, it was such a beautiful country setting. It was so THEM. Simple, yet stunning.
Luca met my cousins (who lives in the french part of Switzerland) kids for the first at the wedding, and he totally leached onto them, and they totally were rockstars and took him under their wings for basically the whole reception. It was a win win situation for all. Half the time I didn't even know where he was, but I knew the worst thing that could happen was maybe falling into horse shit. He would get over it. Maybe…
After Switzerland My sister, Luca and I flew back to Venice where we had just enough time to stuff more crap into my already existing suitcase and take a cruise out on the Benzina (our boat or boatette) with Marco, The Bean and Sophie.
Than it was Baltimore, well Philly, than Baltimore. I don't really have much to tell about the flight and train ride to Baltimore, because fortunately it was a smooth and uneventful ride the whole way… with a toddler, so no good stories, buuuuut who gives a poo, I am NOT complaining. As of now, I come prepared for anything, but I always have a positive attitude when traveling with a toddler. You have to, or you set yourself up for a disaster, and if bumps come in the way, you take them with a smile. HA! no, but seriously im not joking.
So on that note I am soaking family in and cherishing every moment. We cant wait to see Marco in early August though.
Cheers to summer!
Linda and and Luca, two peas in a pod

L, right before we left Italy, at our indoor playground right around the corner from our house. perfetto for rainty days!

our view of Lago Maggiore

No caption really needed

Zia and L running to the pool

big boy… finally got over the fear of water wings

cousins and markets

these pictures or in absolutely no order… with that said… my beautiful cousin and his stunning bride

and there he goes… again

taking advantage of hot swiss days… cause it never happens 

the horse ranch where my cousin and his wife live

cooling of the feet


when your tired...

painting nails and wearing Venetian masks

Pops and little Pops

this is what nights would look like. Never mind me rocking my granny nightgown

double tasking

bbq's at the ranch

Luca and his glare...

night time stories. two feet apart, two different languags

Zia and Zurich

Some of the Hinderberger Family

how we roll, or flaot

stateside, but with Switzerland in our hearts… Celebrating the swiss national day

L and Pops building a mini chalet. duh.

if it weren't for this incredible woman non of these people would be here today

dawwwwwwww...

being patient before the wedding ceremony 

luca and his beloved cousins, who cares that they only speak french, it was love at first sight for the Little bean. And I had two babysitters the whole reception. It was amazing.

At Pops and Gams house. with his trains. everyday

Godmamma love

deep conversations with Zia

outside concerts are the best

yet another outdoor concert

so much fun in the woods in PA

playing on a tree trunk. this one really didn't need a caption

man, can this kid throw rocks in water… over and over and over again