My first haircut!

There has been some controversy in the household. About me. Well, actually about my hair. Mama said we should cut it a bit, Dada said no. (Yes, it did take me three long years to get this much hair.) At the time, I was not entirely clear on what a haircut was, but when I heard Dada say I shouldn't have it, I immediately wanted it. So Mama and I won. Although in retrospect, I think I did like my crazy professor hair. Suited my personality--- I have an ingenious idea, so I dump my toybox on the floor and start looking for something furiously. But wait, I have an even better idea so I run to my legos and dump them all on the floor as well. But I am not done yet, so many thoughts, so many ideas- I don't know, maybe taking out all my puzzles will help.... Luckily, Mama did a good job and just cut a little bit. Hair still curly, me still crazy... better run... so much to do.

Ricsaj (ruckus?)

I have always heard parents of children remarking (hmm...complaining :-)) about the noise level in their home but I have not really understood it until recently. Between Miki constantly talking and slowly raising his voice if he does not get an immediate response and now Lili chiming in, it has gotten very noisy around here. In fact, the kids were on the balcony when I arrived home and it was just eerily quiet for about 30 seconds before they noticed that I got home. But there is noise and there is noise-- the below are a sampling of the stuff we love to hear (and believe me some of it we hear ALL the time). Some well timed babble from Lili back in June or July, Miki's own composition ( for those not yet proficient in hungarian it goes 'a little _____ ( whatever the song is about) no, no, no, no, yes, yes, yes...' well, you get the idea. The whole thing started when he wanted a little pear after dinner and this is how he asked for it for some reason), and last but not least a little Beatles medley (we are not a Wiggles or a Barney household- although maybe I speak too soon). The last 2 recordings are courtesy of our babysitter Noja. Excuse the last video- I have it flipped at home (with QuickTime, but it reflips when it loads- any suggestions are welcome- even after a year I am a novice blogger).

Feed me!!!

Some people say I am chubby, some call me chunky, but I don't care... I am HUNGRY. For example, on a recent Saturday we went to the beach. My Mama brought me baby food (this is getting to be really boring), I still breastfeed (also boring unless it is 3 am in which case it is great fun). I got some bread and pasta for lunch (this is not too bad). Then my friend Peter (he is a big guy- 2 years-old!) snuck me some freshly fried salty potato chips (now we are talking). But I was still hungry so I had a snack of crackers and watermelon (I wish I had a third and a fourth hand to hold more stuff). But still, I felt unsatisfied. Then everyone went to swim and I stayed back with Dada. He was hoping I would take a nap, but like I said I was STILL hungry. So as soon as he dozed off (I knew he would), I headed for the sand. I just had a few minutes before the ladies under the next umbrella got concerned and came and woke him up, but it was enough to try some yummy sand. Crunchy and salty, I am a fan!
Lili

Piediluco

In an effort to escape the Rome heat ( which I may have mentioned in the past...) we decided to go on an outing to Umbria. We went to visit Cascata delle Marmore, near Terni, which is the tallest man-made waterfall created by the Romans. This was fun, but much much better was Piediluco, which is the lake and town near by which we just sort of stumbled upon in an effort to find a nice place for lunch (always a must if you know anything about Mikael). We stopped in the small town and had a lovely lunch on the water. Then we walked along the boardwalk, took a boatride where Miki got to be the captain. Then we made the obligatory stop at the playground where Lili really loved the swings ( it's funny because Miki really did not like the swings until much later, but she really loves them and just giggles with excitement). Then we made a second obligatory stop at a 'gelateria'. For me, it does take some courage to be totally spontaneous with two children and the italian schedule (ie the water fall shuts down all afternoon, many restaurants and stores close all of August, and there is always some random local holiday we don't know about) But I have to admit, some of our best outings and meals here have been those that were totally unplanned and random- like this entire day.

I AM THREE!!!

A few weeks ago my parents threw me an awesome birthday party! I had been waiting for it all week- I took my naps, made an effort to eat my dinner and put away my toys and finally, after what seemed like a 100 years of not being three, it was time. I had lots of fun- I got to play with all my friends, met some new friends, got the frutti di bosco cake ( editorial comment- almost) I had been asking for, had great construction decorations (and hats!) and got lots of gifts. In fact I am STILL getting gifts- every few days I just ask Mama for a surprise and usually there is one- I got some great board games (I am very good at these already), then I got a doctor's bag (this is great - I have been injecting everyone whether they need it or not), then some Little Einsteins videos (which I just love to watch over and over and over and over), and then last night a police car. I wonder how long this will last... I could get used to this very easily. All in all, life could not get any better. Also, being THREE means I have decided that I get to pick THREE fruits for myself at the fruitstand (as opposed to one before) in addition to the freebie I always score, it also means that I say '3 more minutes' before I am willing to stop playing or taking a bath. If my parents say one or two, I gently remind them 'No Mama, Dada because I am THREE'. They will learn. Eventually. OK, here are some pictures- my parents are still working on the video but I have been told it is coming. So to everybody who came to the party and also to all those who could not be here I say koszonom, thank you and grazie.
Miki

Water, water everywhere!

Well, with the Rome heat showing no signs of letting up, and air conditioning being somewhat limited, our only escape is water. We try to go to the pool, we have the baby pool set up on the balcony and we take lots of baths. Lili's new favorite place being the laundry basket ( probably could have saved ourselves and our friends a lot of money had we known this), she of course sits in it in the bathtub. It is actually helpful, separating her a bit from an energetic three year-old ( see video), plus she still tends to flop backwards on occasion and this saves her from hitting a very hard bathtub.


















Anyway, it is definitely August here- no traffic, no daycare, no doctors, and no relief from the beautiful but scorching Roman sun.