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A trip back to Italy also means I get to see many of my friends. I am sometimes surprised by how many people I am still in touch with. In fact, I think I am the one who is in touch with more high school friends. Maybe it make sense: when you move to a different country you cling to pieces of your past…In any case, it was fun to see old friends, and to catch up on what happened in the last year.

This year I had the pleasure to meet my friend Tiziana’s 9 months old baby, who reminds me of Keegan, as far as sleep patterns are concerned, and I also the chance to see my friend Simona in her last few days of her third pregnancy…and I got to meet the new baby as well: how special. We met a couple of times with her kids, who are a little older than Keegan, but again young enough they don’t mind playing together. Once again we went to the Museum Park, and hung out on the play yard area.

combo slide

We could not miss the Merry Go Round and the everlasting train ride, of course. I think I mentioned it last year: this is really the longest train ride in the universe as  it does 6 rounds!!! I guess you get your money worth.

We were also fortunate to spend Simona’s last evening as a pregnant women together: we met up in the afternoon and played. Then got some delicious pizza and kicked back. While the kids watched some TV, we relaxed, chatted and downed a couple of beers.

Literally a few hours after we left, she was at the hospital…it must have been my belly kiss that did it. (-: And quickly, Margherita was born. Yes, just like my mom. How interesting that two of my friends chose this name for their daughters. We got to see her after they went back home. She is so small…I forgot how small babies are!

Keegan was very excited about meeting the baby. He is very fascinated by babies, and I have to say he is very gentle with them (surprisingly, since we are still full of bruises from his rough play). He says he would like a baby even though I am sure he would be crushed if he had to share our attention.

We spent also a lot of time with my friend Loredana and Francesca, her little girl. We went playing at the park together, and watched fisherman catching small fish in the Naviglio (yuck), and they loved to roughhouse together.

Keegan also discovered a favorite ice cream, Liuk, a lemon popsicle with a licorice stick. He could not get enough of it.

It makes me really happy to see how Keegan gets along with my dear friends. He has a special connection with the people I like, and this is great.Of course all the gifts he receives from them and all the attention does not hurt.

I just wish we lived closer…but I enjoyed all the time spent together.

I love spending time with my family and friends. I also have to admit I like the help I receive from my parents in taking care and entertaining my little one. Thank you so much!!! They really provided me with some much needed downtime for shopping, relaxing (even reading) and some fun afternoon and evenings out. I met some high school friends for our annual visit, and it was wonderful not to have to worry about getting home so the babysitter can leave.

This year I was also able to see my friend Giada that lives in Germany. For a lucky coincidence, she was in Milano for her nephew’s baptism. So, even if her time was very limited, we had the chance to meet for drinks at a fancy rooftop lounge bar, across from the Duomo. It was great to see her. Amazing: we got to meet two years in a row. We know each other, literally, since she was born, 8 months after me.

So, all and all it was another great trip. Spending a lot of time with family and friends, without hurry, and just enjoying each other’s company, makes the long trip and even longer adjustment so worthwhile. I already miss all of you, and I am so sad I can’t have my family closer to me and don’t get to talk to my friend, face to face, more than once a year (if I am lucky). However, I know that the wonderful memories will keep me company in the months ahead.

Thank everyone for making our trip so enjoyable and of course thank you to my parents for pampering us, spoiling us and making us feel like celebrities. You are the best and we love you lots!

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Our annual trip to Italy has come and gone. This year, just like last, only Keegan and I made it across the pond. Fortunately, every year the trip gets a little less difficult, and the pile of baggage is a little smaller.

Can’t you tell from the arrival photo? Don’t forget last year I had 7 pieces of carry on, while this year I only had 4: my carry on, my purse, Keegan’s backpack (which he carried for some of the trip) and the car seat. Oh, the car seat: remember the 17 lb  I had carry on my back??? Well, once again it was worth the pain and suffering, including fighting with a flight attendant that did not bend his rule of “3 year old or younger”. Keegan slept in it, up to 6 hours at a time, and quietly sat in it, buckled, for hours. What’s not to love? It compensates for sore muscles. We tried British Airways this time, and I have to say it was great for many reasons:

1) you leave at night time and arrive at night time
2) you fly 10/12 hours straight in a large airplane , so plenty time for sleep or relaxing or walking up and down
3) you land at Linate airport, only 20 minutes away from home (vs. Malpensa, 1.5 hr)
4) you ship your bags directly to the destination without having to get them and transfer them at the first port of entry in US

Also, the planes are nicer, with individual monitors and movie library, the flight attendants are actually nice and pleasant and you can request child meals. If I did not have all that weight with me, the layover would have been nice too, since London Heathrow Airport is like a large shopping mall.

As always, these two weeks flew by.  As always it took Keegan 1 week to get adjusted, and his sleeping and going to bed was somewhat troublesome for the whole trip. It was at time so frustrating I went to buy the Italian translation of Go The F…To Sleep, renamed Fai ‘sta C..o di nanna and wonderfully translated. I am waiting for the audio book, narrated by the Italian Samuel L. Jackson. (-: You should have seen the disgusted face the late 50’s cashier gave me when she rung it up. OBVIOUSLY it is not targeted at her, and OBVIOUSLY she does not have a three years old that does not sleep. The only surprising thing was that the book was displayed in the Children Help Section, next to the serious book on raising children.

Other than the usual sleep issues, though, we had a great time. It was wonderful to spend time with family and friends. While we did not do any special trip, spending time together was priceless. Keegan got re-acquainted with his grandparents right away, and they were laughing and playing together from the airport. Nonno and Nonna invented many new games to keep him entertained and he was just loving all the attention.

Reading new Italian books was always fun, but his absolute favorite were the books I used to read when I was young. My dad kept most of my toys and books, and it was fun, even for me, to rediscover them. Disney 3 little pigs combined with the old VHS tape of circa 1950 animation was a hit. He has been singing these songs ever since.

more reading

And talking about my toys, my old Barbie Doll House was brought up again. Granted, Keegan used it for all sort of creatures, not just Barbies (which were pretty abused in the bath already), but still, I thought it would make a nice blackmail photo for when he is older and dating…

We also went for our annual visit to The Natural History Museum, another blast from the past for me: it was one of my favorite places to go. This year, since Keegan has been more and  more interested in Dinosaurs we visited also the fossils area. They had huge recreations of entire dinosaurs skeletons as well many other animals bones and skulls. It was pretty cool.

watch out for the T. Rex

stegosaurus and footprints

my all time favorite, Triceratops

And since the museum is inside a large park, there was the obligatory Merry Go Round…and round…and round…up to 9 rides at a time. These grandparents are really spoiling him. (-:

The same park also has wonderful places to watch Koi fish and turtles, and to climb and play.

Eating great food is also another wonderful part of our trip, and Keegan and I indulged in delicious soups, pastas, and of course breads, pizza, focaccia and gelato. The round little focaccias where one of his favorite, along with his liquid yogurt.

Keegan was also thrilled of spending time with his cousins, aunt and uncle. Fortunately they are still young enough they enjoy playing with a little one, and they showed him off at school. They visited us…

…and we visited them at their house, where Keegan could play soccer with his cousin and his friend. I am not sure how he is not falling down after these kicks, but he does not. Maybe we should enroll him in a soccer school.

not very graceful, but effective

They really got along great, and Keegan was so excited about having them around…He was also very sad when it was time to leave.

Despite random sicknesses, we were able to have nice dinners all together and even got the chance to take our annual group photo in my parents’ living room. It is fun to compare them, year after year.

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