winter flowers, cake + dirt

I've been meaning to ask Luciano and Antonella about this tree at the mouth of their garden - it smells so good and the flowers are so pretty... and in January? If I ever have a garden I would love such a tree - yellow and colourful when other trees are bare and brown.

We celebrated Steve's birthday on Thursday with the most delicious chocolate cake (Perhaps the best cake I've ever had, said Mr Birthday), and the perfect amount of inactivity. It just so happened that Thursday was also a day off for the volleyers and we didn't do too much. Napped, ate, and ooh! went out for dinner. Steve and I were treated (by the parentals) to a lovely dinner at Trento's only Mexican restaurant, and the food was good. I've been let down so many times by shoddy Mexican (like the time in Cannes when I was served drowned-in-cheese-whiz enchiladas - eww) that I was ready for it to be mediocre at best BUT it was yummy - a nice break from delicious but sometimes too-much-the-same Italian food.

I must have some Hendrik updates... He has more teeth - the canines are coming in up top, and two molars are making their way in down below, and I'm thinking that this must be the reason for his middle-of-the-night wake-ups. I don't think I've had an uninterrupted sleep for hmmm... two weeks? I know I know, I shouldn't complain - this kid is a nugget of gold. BUT when the 7:15 wake up call sounds ("mama mama mamma") every morning I can't help asking Hendrik if he's really absolutely sure that he doesn't want to sleep any longer - because I sure do. Afternoon naps are hit and miss too; they happen, but when he wakes up after an hour looking haggard and exhausted, I think the same thoughts... Why is it that kids, even when exhausted, resist sleep? Anyways, it's not so bad, and really, I should just nap when he naps (like right now)... I'll be on my way shortly.

I made Steve a calendar for his birthday, and here, voila, is January...

Other news: He has discovered DIRT and oh it is so fun. He climbs right into a corner of the garden and lies down... in the dirt. The wood pile is also a source of amusement, as is the whole garden really, and that includes the shed with the snow-blower (I think that's what it is), the ladders, the pipes, the fence, the chickens, windows and more. He's definitely becoming more independent - walking off into the yard solo - but then again, there are some days where I swear he asks (/whines) for mama mamma mamma five gazillion times and I wonder exactly when my head is going to explode. Sigh. This stage will end and then I'll look back with nostalgia, right?

Sarah and Jeff went on their way several days ago now, but not before giving a very official presentation of their winter camping in the mountains trip to a curious and attentive audience:

ooh! ahh! a map! excitement!

And like always, I could write more, but I'm tired and nap time is close to being over (or not - fingers crossed), so I'd better run. More soon!