The thoughts of a three year old

Me: Sofia, what do you want to do when you grow up?

Sofia: Wear high heels and go to college.

Me: Sofia, what does mommy always say?

Sofia: Sofia come pick up your toys! Now come her and pick up these toys.

(Maybe I am a bit bossy, I need to come up with a better way to say this)

School Lunch

My daughter has never been a big eater, that is no new news. I suppose I am lucky that she didn't get her mommy's sweet tooth, but sometimes I wish she had, at least then she could keep her weight up. The pediatrician told me yet again today that her growth percentage is low. So I am hoping that the school lunch she is getting will help her increase that percentage. Now many of my friends back home may think what? School lunch, you mean that awful slop they put on your tray from the school cafeteria? How could that possibly help! But one of the advantages of being in a small town in Italy is that for a whopping 2.50 Euros a day my daughter is offered (who knows how much she will actually eat) a full four course meal made from scratch, not pre-prepared, frozen and reheated, FRESH MADE DAILY! Yesterday she was served a plate of pasta al ragu' (bolognese), steamed flounder, salad, fresh fruit and a piece of crostata. Now if things had been this way for me back in the day, I probably would have bought lunch everyday! Now here's to hoping she eats it!

A day at the pool

Well today was my daughter's second day of swimming lessons. However this isn't her first session of lessons, but it is her first round of them in Italy. Although I have been living here for nearly 8 years I am always noticing the difference between here and home. ( No I am still not really able to claim Italy as home.) Here is why...

Today I spent yet another sunny afternoon talking to my good friend from Holland (my daughter's best friend's mom ~ funny how that is) while we stood on the railing outside the pool. In this way we were able to peek over the hedge that surrounds it to look in on our daughters' lesson. No, parents are not allowed into the pool area during lessons. I don't know if it is for hygienic reasons (Italians seem to be obsessed with it) or for the lack of facilities, but for an American this is really strange. Coming from a culture where we are encouraged to participate in our children's activities, sports and schooling it seems as if we are completely rejected from them here. To make it more difficult she is my only child and I have been with her nearly every second of her life, and now I feel like I am being pushed out of it by every institution, yes school is the exact same way, just drop them at the front door, first day of school included!

But I always try to look on the bright side of things...she is learning to be independent and social, I get to spend some time with my good friend just chatting and I found out today that her teacher is known to be really good. At least I can peek in on her over the hedge without her knowing, so she can truly feel independent while I am able to secretly be part of what she is doing.

I suppose I consider myself lucky

While cooking dinner tonight, I thought about some of the things that I have here in Italy that I truly appreciate. Although living in a small agricultural town in Italy (as opposed to a fairly big American city) means I don't have immediate access to the theater, museums, libraries or unlimited shopping just to name a few, I do have many things to be happy about.

Knowing that many of the ingredients that I use are home grown really is wonderful, and unfortunately I find myself taking for granted. I am of course lucky to have a mother in law that is one of those rural Italian ladies, maybe not as old as the typical ones Americans imagine, but truly a traditional woman, without whom I wouldn't have many of these things. Today when I went to their house I found her preparing the chickens that she had just....well killed. Of course I receive the benefits of all of her hard labor, meaning fresh chicken, eggs, rabbit, and tomato puree, not to mention canned vegetables that she spends the summer afternoons preparing. This is of course not to leave out all of the hard work my husband and his brother and father put into it too. I am lucky to have a husband with a farm, though I complain a lot about his hours, there are plenty of things to be thankful for. In the summer we have a huge garden full of all of the vegetables you could possibly want, including those that are put away for the winter, I don't think I never have to buy onions, potatoes or garlic, and it is of course naturally organic. We are lucky to have our own olive groves and produce the most wonderful olive oil that my mother so fittingly calls liquid gold. Ah yes, one of the things that I truly love....our home grown food!

A day at the pool

Well today was my daughter's second day of swimming lessons. However this isn't her first session of lessons, but it is her first round of them in Italy. Although I have been living here for nearly 8 years I am always noticing the difference between here and home. ( No I am still not really able to claim Italy as home.) Here is why...

Today I spent yet another sunny afternoon talking to my good friend from Holland (my daughter's best friend's mom ~ funny how that is) while we stood on the railing outside the pool. In this way we were able to peek over the hedge that surrounds it to look in on our daughters' lesson. No, parents are not allowed into the pool area during lessons. I don't know if it is for hygienic reasons (Italians seem to be obsessed with it) or for the lack of facilities, but for an American this is really strange. Coming from a culture where we are encouraged to participate in our children's activities, sports and schooling it seems as if we are completely rejected from them here. To make it more difficult she is my only child and I have been with her nearly every second of her life, and now I feel like I am being pushed out of it by every institution, yes school is the exact same way, just drop them at the front door, first day of school included!

But I always try to look on the bright side of things...she is learning to be independent and social, I get to spend some time with my good friend just chatting and I found out today that her teacher is known to be really good. At least I can peek in on her over the hedge without her knowing, so she can truly feel independent while I am able to secretly be part of what she is doing.