Ren Fest

Last weekend, we went to the Maryland Renaissance Festival. The last time we went was three years ago when I was pregnant with Amedeo.

Food is a big attraction. Here I am eating the required smoked turkey leg. Amedeo has his face full of fried mushrooms.


We thought we were about to see jousting. They were just riling up the crowd for jousting later. Phooey on them!



Amedeo wasn't worried about not seeing any jousting when he could go on a gigantic slide! He loved it and wanted to go again again!


Here he is on his first pony ride. As the pony walked, Amedeo was telling me, "this pony is SLOW. we are going SLOWLY!"


Amedeo fell asleep at 4pm. I tried to wake him at 5:30 with flash photography, loud music and gentle shaking. He was out cold!

Update for October

Nurturing stuffed animals? Check. Amedeo started putting his animals to bed on his old crib mattress. He tucked them in with washcloths and put cars around their heads, and kept an eye on them while they slept.


Every day tasks are awesome when you are 2 1/2! He spent a good half hour grating a carrot. So wonderful!



Keep trying and you'll find the right place to be. Zenzero spent a very long time trying to lay down in this box. Poor cat.


Who can argue with the deliciousness of pepperoni?


It was my mom's birthday on the 1st. Amedeo gave her a box of dark chocolate peanut butter cups. She was kind enough to share!



We went to the eye doctor. He recommended a pair of these glasses.



Pietro loves to have a fire in the fall.


Too bad I forgot to get marshmallows! Amedeo decided he didn't like being outside after dark. He wanted to go in and we told him, ok, in a minute. Then he said that he had to pee. We told him to go pee on a tree instead. Silly child, he thought we would fall for his ruse.


I made my mom a birthday dinner. Happy Birthday, Mom!



Grandma and Grandpa on the porch, tickling each other.


Pietro got a few rounds of golf in too. Nice that we have a driving range in our front yard, huh?


Happy Fall!

Last weekend was sunny!

Last weekend, we went for a little hike in Patapsco State Park. There is a short trail through the woods that takes you to a waterfall. Beautiful!

Amedeo started out well. He used up all of his energy running down the trail. I carried him the rest of the way to the falls. Pietro carried him back to the car.


This is the boy's natural habitat, dirt!


We had a little snack on the rocks. Shaken, not stirred. Har har.




And, here is what is going on across the street from our backyard. Sigh. Nasty ol' Walgreens is building their monstrosity there. I hope they fail. All we hear all day long is the beeping of construction equipment. On Thursday, they started construction at 6 am!!!! Amedeo woke up screaming and crying because he thought there was a thunderstorm. We called the non-emergency police number to report them. Residential construction is not allowed to begin before 7 am.

There is still litigation going on with the community and Walgreens, which means that they shouldn't have started construction yet. It has been frustrating to deal with their corporation, since they seem only to be focused on making $$$, and not with making friends with the community.

Please, if you can, do not patronize Walgreens. We tried to stop them from building in our back yard. Now our only hope is that they do not have enough business to remain open.

Is it September already?!?

Pietro talks to his parents every weekend. They wanted to see some pics on the blog....due to laziness, I haven't been posting anything! So....what have we been doing?

Playing with Legos!

Both Pietro and I are fond of Legos too.



We have been playing with cars....ramps, crashes, accidents....all of those things have been happening around here.

One morning, we decided to wash our dirty cars.


Amedeo is an expert at wheel inspection and cleaning.


Pietro fixed the dishwasher. Isn't he domestic? I shall keep him.



And, we have had many many storytimes.


Last month, we put Amedeo on a queen mattress on the floor, since I was worried that he'd fall out of the crib. There have been some problems getting him to settle down for the night, but over all, I think it's working out fine.

We're potty trained during the day...I feel comfortable taking him out without a diaper. He seems to know when he needs to go. I have been bribing him with M&Ms for poop in the potty.

Not much else to report around here....we're gearing up for fall. I am looking forward to doing some hikes when the weather is cooler.

Checking In

On our vacation, we took a billion photographs, so I have taken only 2 or 3 in the last month. I thought I'd just give a little update to assure folks that we are still around. I have been trying to get to the pool as often as possible. Amedeo has discovered the fabulousness of an inflatable ring. I have discovered that it is very pleasant to sit at the baby pool and people watch.

We have been playing in the back yard and we're still working on the gigantic pile of mulch that still sits in our driveway. I'd say that we can finish that project up this coming weekend.

Amedeo has started to take some interest in his tricycle. I am excited about this because it is another fun thing to do that burns up energy.

We're all looking forward to the 4th festivities this weekend. I am not sure if I'll take Amedeo to the fireworks. He doesn't like loud noises and tends to turn into a demon-child after 9pm. Hmmm...I guess that made my decision for me!

What are YOU doing to celebrate Independence Day????

Last visit

This is *sniff* the last post from our trip to Switzerland. We packed a lot into our days...some of the things that we did during the last few days, we didn't take pictures. We took Nonno out to get him a digital camera. Both Pietro and Zio Enrico wanted to go to their cabin in the mountains. You can only reach the cabin on foot. Since it was the end of our visit, we had packing and errand running and such to do, so Enrico went alone while we finished up our odds and ends. Here is Enrico after he went up to the cabin and back down. He doesn't look too tired.
I think I would have been a wreck!

Next to Zio 'Rico is their cousin, Palma.



Here is another of Nonna's sisters, Zia Regina with me and Amedeo.


Look at that cute little garden! Look at that spectacular view! Amedeo was in heaven since Palma kept a big box of cars from her son. He did not want to leave.



On our trip home, we took a propeller airplane from Lugano to Zurich. Pietro took some pictures from the window.


Amedeo angelically fell asleep on the first plane. He did sleep for 3 hours on the next plane, but then, there are 6 more hours to fill. What to you do with a child on an airplane for 6 hours?
It'll be a while before I'm willing to get on another airplane again.


I want to stop and thank Pietro's parents for all of their kind hospitality. We had a wonderful time and wish that we could come every year!

ZIO 'RICO!!!

Pietro's brother, Enrico, came for a visit while we were there! He lives in a monastery called Hauterive. It is close to Bern, which is in Northern Switzerland. Amedeo calls him Zio 'Rico, but he is also known as Frere Jean Paul. We were so happy to see him, it has been 3.5 years since our last visit. Usually, we go up to the Abbey to visit him, but with our energetic 2 year old, it was best to wait until he is older. Meals at the monastery are taken in silence. I don't need to say any more...just imagine all the rules, and all the subsequent breaking of every single rule.

Zio Enrico only is allowed 4 days of vacation to visit his family a year, so we were super excited that we could plan to be in Locarno at the same time.

Amedeo loved Zio 'Rico...Nonno went to the bottom of the pile after he met Enrico.



Enrico turned out to be a natural at reading bedtime stories. Amedeo was just delighted.



One morning we went to a playground....all of us had a good time.


We stopped again to visit Zia Armida...Amedeo is smitten with her also...she delighted in feeding him all kinds of yummy things.



See that sneaky look? Well, I told Amedeo that he needed to stop eating snacks since he wouldn't eat lunch. There was still a cookie on the table. He told me, "Mama, bug!!! On the ceiling! Go get!!!" So, I got up and took a look at the bug. When I turned around, everyone was giggling. He took the opportunity to snatch the cookie and shove it in his mouth while I was busy with the bug. I can see what the future holds...I need to get smarter.



Zio Enrico gave Amedeo a few lessons on his recorder. Maybe next year they can do a duet.


Next...more ZIO 'RICO!