A cavallo con oncle Jean-Marc

… and that probably he still prefers the hobbyhorse…

Quimo

After several trials, this time it was for real: Leo had his first horse-riding.

Reactions?

Well, let’s say he was very excited to wear a helmet. And that he loved the horse’s name: Quimo…

C’est la bicyclette de Paulette...

“Qu’est-ce que c’est?”
“C’est une bicyclette”.
“A qui est cette bicyclette?”
“C’est la bicyclette de Paulette”.

This is how I learnt French…

We already told about Leo’s passion for the bicycles last summer.

In La Bourboule he could not believe he could use one without hiding from the owners...

Fratellini & cousinettes

It’s wonderful to observe how the relationship between Leo (and now Tommy) and his (their) cousinettes grows and evolves over the years. There is attachment, curiosity, exchange. Every time they meet, it’s a discovery.

This time it was fun: they were spending hours playing together, though from time to time one of the two cousinettes was approaching us telling us that they did not understand what he said…

Faccie da Tommy

Tommy got us accustomed to his solemn and thoughtful expressions.

But if he smiles…

Yabadabadoo (Foto per le mamme)

Yabadabadoo (2)

C’è un bambino in ognuno di noi (il y a un enfant dans chaqun; there is a child inside everyone of us…)

Cousinettes & Parin

Cadeaux

… and because he receives twice his birthday presents!

Deux!!

Leo loves birthdays. Perhaps because he always celebrates his twice…

La Bourboule 2013

“Il y a un endroit en France qui ressemble aux montagnes d’Ethiopie : c’est l’Auvergne”, disait Pacha Iweins…

As last year, we spent the third and last leg of our vacation in La Bourboule, Auvergne, where Les Iweins have their family home. Green, hilly, good cheeses and sausages… the perfect place to recharge your battery before going back to work.

A short account of our week in Auvergne in the next few posts…

Il terrore di ogni viaggiatore

Siamo il terrore dei viaggiatori. La famiglia che, quando ci si vide arrivare da lontano, ogni viaggiatore spera di non avere vicino in aereo: due bimbi piccoli, quintali di bagagli a mano tra golfini, pannolini, biscottini, fazzolettini, giochini…

Eppure devo dire che ce la caviamo egregiamente: Leo col suo ciuccio, il suo Mao, e il suo libro; Tommy con collanine e giochini che solo una mamma può inventare.

Insomma, se ci vedete arrivare da lontano, non temete (troppo)…

Cabin baggage

Destinazione La Bourboule.

Once we were warriors

Once we were warriors, and now loving fathers…

Zigo Zago era un tempo piccino

Zigo Zago era un tempo piccino,
ma un bel giorno incontrò Beniamino,

che era lungo, sottile e slanciato,

e prendeva il sole disteso sul prato.

Zigo Zago chiese “Che hai fatto
per diventar così alto e ben fatto?”

Gli rispose gentile l'amico:

“Poche cose, se vuoi te le dico:

Bevi latte alla sera e al mattino,
mangia mele lavate a puntino,

sorridi sempre, non litigare, 

e fai ginnastica senza strafare”.

Zigo Zago fu assai diligente,
e in breve tempo crebbe talmente

che superò in altezza un pochino

persino l'amico Beniamino!

E quello di papà!

Sperando che Richard Scarry renda il tuo apprendimento allegro e giocoso come lo rese a me... Papà

(Wishsing Richard Scarry would make your learning gay and jolly as it made it to me... Dad)

Quello di Emma…

Arancione, come la maglietta di papà…

Il regalo della mamma...

Due!!

2 August 2013

Terza cengia (per esperti)

Dopo una settimana con 13 chili di bambino nello zaino e sentieri piatti e pianggianti con partenza alle 10 e molte pause, mi sono concesso una giornata di vera montagna con Luca, il compagno di Ingrid.

La nostra scelta?

Terza Cengia: per esperti…

Yabadabadoo

The beauty of parenthood is that you can jab out the child inside you, and not be ashamed. And that you have a mate with whom to do all the things that otherwise you would be ashamed of doing…

Yabadabadooooo!!!

Tommy’s first swim

As Leo one year ago, Tommy received his swimming pool’s baptism.

Reactions?

Well, as per his character, Tommy observed a lot and exteriorized very little. But I am sure that deep inside he enjoyed…

Another milestone achieved!

Ps: remember what the doctors said about Tommy at his birth? A fulfilling prophecy…

Leo, what would you like to be when you grow up?

 Formula 1 pilot.

Costruttori di dighe (Dam’s builders)

Deviatori di fiumi, plasmatori della natura, costruttori di dighe…

(River diverters, nature shapers, dam builders…)

Upside down

Pirates of the Mountains

Some of Leo’s recurrent sentences over the summer:

-       Voglio scendere (I want to get down)

-       Dov’è Emma?

-       Taglio l’erba (I cut the grass)

The little elf of the mountains

Have you ever wondered who is the one putting the stones in little piles along the mountain trails? …

Tre Cime di Lavaredo

Majestic. Imposing. Massive. The highlight of our week in the Dolomites was the excursion to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo (the Three Peaks of Lavaredo), the pearl of the Sexten Dolomites, in South Tyrol.

(Personal note: it was during a vacation here almost thirty years ago that I discovered Tolkien).

Below a few pictures for the mums…