a solid sunday

After I put Hendrik to bed, I took the garbage and compost curbside, and had to take a walk in the garden, in the dark, to look at the stars: bright bright lights against the dark sky. I will miss this place: Antonella and Luciano, the house, the gardens, the space, the quiet... it is so beautiful. The sun was out again today and Hendrik and I spent a solid two hours in the yard and driveway this morning - in part because we were locked out (woops). Thankfully Nella and Chano (Hendrik can say Luciano now!) had a spare key somewhere in their house. We were invited for pranzo, but since Hendrik was practically falling asleep at 11:30, I fed him and he was in crib by 12:30. And since I didn't exactly want to leave him here alone, I had to pass on lunch next door... boo. But - and how nice is this!? - Antonella put a plate together for me and Elena showed up with this:

zucchini, from-scratch polenta, sausage and sauerkraut... so so so gooood!

Yum.

We're headed to Vicenza tomorrow to visit Gretchen, John and baby Wesley, and might take a side trip into the city. They're moving back to the homeland next month some time, so it might be the last time we see them this side of the water, since March will undoubtedly be very busy for both of us.

Steve is on his way home soon - the team won 3-0 against Ravenna in Ravenna tonight, huh-rray! I have a small list of things to google (Acquarena Bressanone, the gardens at Merano's Trauttmansdorff Castle, Porto Novo and Parma - can we do a prosciutto/cheese tour there?) - potential things to do around here and a few things to do that are not so close to Trento - and then I'm going to try my best to get to bed early again. And that never happens... so I'll get to it.

spring? is that you?

Oh Spring! The last few days here have been beautiful! I went for a walk this morning (solo), in lulus and a long-sleeve T... it was ah-mazing. I am so looking forward to warmer weather, and while I know that the cold may return, this glimpse of spring was on the money. It was even warm enough to stroll around with gelato on Wednesday, and yesterday on our way to kiddie school the gelaterias were downright bustling with business. As an aside - how good is gelato in Italy? Very good. Very very very very good. So good that really, I should be eating it every day... yum.

Steve was away for an entire week, and then back again for just two days before leaving again, BOO. However! Next week he's around all week long, and with three mornings off! That means we can go back to the pool, and finally check out Sopramonte and Salumeria Belli (a butcher shop and team sponsor that makes delicious salami; they're also the go-to place for meat around here, or so we hear). SO! Both Hendrik and I are looking forward to that - having Steve around, going to the pool and more more more.

Hendrik Updates
Our boy Hendrik has learned some new words. A few of my personal favourites are: booger ("mamma, booger"), juice, nigh-nigh (night-night) and ham. Ham was new today, and booger came with the week-long cold he's just getting over and yes, I know - I need to get it on film.

He is still loving broccoli:



And this (week) just in! Hendrik has learned the Italian sign for yummy. The finger in cheek thing means mmmmmm yum! And he's picked it up from Antonella and Luciano... so cute!



And chasing the cat in the yard is still fun fun fun, but being filmed by mom is not.



The whole family went to the park this morning - like I said, the weather was incredible. It was great to spend a morning together before dad had to (reluctantly) take off with his packed bags.

Heather Updates
Ouf. Not much to write here - I'm at the mercy of Hendrik and his updates. I haven't been reading much, though the Jacob de Zoet book is up there sitting on top of the tv. Ooh! We went out for pizza last night - without the babe! It was great. I texted Antonella and Elena to see if either of them were free, and at 8:30 they both showed up at the door.... to keep each other company. We met some guys from Steve's team, and it was great to eat good food and just be out alone. We watched The Help the other night and though the book was definitely better, the movie was good. Not great, but good. What else what else... I feel like I've been kind of low-key for the last week - home and taking it easy with the cold that Hendrik and I shared. The babe had a few super stuffy nights, so nap time in the afternoon became mandatory for both of us, something I was (/am still) juuuuust fine with.

Steve
VOLLEYBALL volleyball volleyball. They won the Italian Cup last Sunday which is kind of a big deal, but then lost the first game of a two-game Champions League Series against Macerata on Wednesday. They were up 2-0 and lost ... pfffffft. So they have to have to win on Thursday night (www.laola1.tv - 8:30 our time) to move on. They have to win the game and then they have to win a golden set - a 15-point game in which the winner takes all... intense! It should be a good one. Hm, are there any other Steve updates? Ooooh yes, but this one has to do with volleyball - again. It looks like the Olympic qualifier will be in Long Beach at the beginning of May, so that is where our Canadian squad will hopefully secure a spot in the upcoming London Olympics. It's their one and only chance, so they've got to come through this time. I hope! We hope. Ummmm... there might be more but for now, this is all I've got on my husband.

And that's all I've got for Saturday night. It's closing in on 10:00 and I'm sure I'll waste some time online before getting in bed... and I'm tired, so hopefully I can waste my time quickly. Or not waste time. Whatever... 'night!

500!!

There are a few things I forgot to mention in my numbered noteworthies post the other day - and some of these things are indeed very noteworthy. First - Nao is coming to visit! I am PUMPED! She was looking into it and then couldn't get time off work, and then I asked her again if she was suuuuure she couldn't get time off... and she could! Flights are booked! She comes in early March and I'm already thinking about what we can cook (and eat) together and little trips we can do. I'm super excited to see her and even more excited for her to meet Hendrik (and vice versa). Yay. Okay, second: there has been some serious fort construction happening around here, and Hendrik (and mom and dad) are loving it. His new favourite spot is the cushion-less nook on the couch where today, I found him reading. Ah-dorable. That being said, it's also where #5 went down (see my last post), sooooo times haven't always been this sweet in couch-land.

We're both still getting over a cold, so the last few days around here have been pretty slow. I made banana bread this morning and we ventured out this afternoon to the big grocery at the south end of town before stopping in at Io Bimbo to look at kiddie pots; I was unimpressed. With just two months left here (boo) there's no way I'm spending 25 plus euros on a toilet, and the cheaper ones looked very uninviting.... so hm, I might keep looking, or maybe we'll just wait until we get home.

And I have to add that this is my five hundredth blog post - yow! I started this blog five years ago - almost to the day - in Greece, and I had no idea at the time that I'd keep things moving for this long. But here we are! And much has happened in five years; we've lived in Russia, Romania, Japan, Canada and Italy, and Steve has spiked and blocked a bazillion balls. We've met good friends and then left good friends, and we've had loved ones pass on while we've been far far away. We got married - and had a baby! And there are so many highlights, soooo many memories... sigh. It almost makes me wish I'd started even earlier, say in my first year overseas in 2002. And who knows what these pages will hold five years from now - will I still be going strong? All I can think of is that country song My next thirty years. I'm no huge country music fan, but, like much of the genre's lyrics, though there may be cheese, they ring true. Here's to the next five, and the next five, and the next five after that... cheers!

numbered noteworthies

Because there is mucho to write about, I'm going to do a highlights of the week post again. Wait, how about numbered noteworthies, because, as you will see, not all of these really qualify as highlights (see number 5)...

1. My sister was here visiting! And I didn't even take any pictures. Okay, I lie; I took this one photo of her significant other trying out Hendrik's bib:

I'm pretty sure it was the first glass of wine too... nice!

Sarah and Jeff have some time off of school and were back in the continental EU to ski ski and ski. They spent a week (I think) in Chamonix before spring break took over, and then stopped in here on their way to Austria and Slovakia, and it was great to have them around for a few days. We didn't do too too much of note - we ate, went for walks, went for gelato ... and hm, that's about it I guess. They arrived on Tuesday night just in time for lasagna, yum. I gave the Antonella lasagna another try and it was delicious, but not as good as hers. As everyone at the table noted, I am not Italian and nor have I been making this lasagna for 20+ years (as I imagine she has)... so I've still got some work (and time) ahead of me to get it just right.

2. Steve brought me these beautiful flowers on Tuesday, and it made my day. Love!

3. At some point this week I made sticky date pudding with toffee sauce, and I'm absolutely positively sure that it's one of the top five best desserts ever. It is that good. As most desserts of this stature are, it's a serious calorie bomb, but when shared with others (read: give half of it away) there's really no reason not to make this on a regular basis. So so so so good.


4. Steve left on Friday morning for almost a week (sad face). They play in the Italian cup this weekend in Rome (finals tomorrow against Macerata) and then play Macerata again on Wednesday in European Cup quarter-finals. That game should be broadcast on www.laola1.tv and I'm guessing they play at 8:30. Bam! We will miss him. I sure did miss him tonight...

5. ... while I was cleaning up after our little stinker. I do advise to move on to number 6 if you have no desire to read about the wonderful world of baby-toddler pees and poops but I just have to write about it because it was funny. SO! Our poor babe has had a bit of a nasty diaper rash for the past day or two, so I decided to let him run free tonight - as I did this morning, when there was a pee here and maybe a pee there, but nothing more. Tonight, however, was a different story. The dirty diapers have been rolling in all day so I figured that the worst thing that could happen is pee but - of course I was wrong. I was googling bad diaper rash when it got a bit quiet on the couch and then oooh yup, there was poop. On the couch on his hands, his feet, his legs, but nothing anywhere near where the stuff comes out. Strange, no? Anyways, if this is too much information - I did warn you. I gave him a bath and let him cruise around sans diaper once again, thinking that he might be done for a bit ... wrong again mumsy! But this time, the little sneaker knew exactly what he was doing! He peed, and then I cleaned it up while he giggled and squealed and ran around, and then when I finished cleaning it up he'd do it again! The pee plus the running and laughing routine.... and by the eighth time (or so), he was peeing on cue just as I finished mopping up the previous little puddle and I couldn't help but laugh. It all ended when a number two accompanied the number one and with poop on the couch and puddles I had to diaper the guy. We shall try again tomorrow morning, and the couch will remain off limits.

6. Steve played on Sunday in Trentino Volley's win over Modena (pictures here) and it was a crazy game. Well, not soo so crazy but the gym was packed and the first set was close close; it finished 34-32 in favour of the home team. Hendrik was all over the place, so I didn't get to watch too much of the game, but caught enough of it to know what was going on. Steve played really well and ? it was a good night. We went for pizza after and it was amazing... so delicious. Steve and I both wolfed down our food before the other guys even ordered so we could get home and get our little one to bed before it got too late. We will definitely be going back to this place up in Povo... what a gem.

7. We finally went to the pool! It's been months and months (say ooooh about five) that we've been meaning to take our boy swimming here, and it finally happened. We met Emelie, Per and Isa for a swim at Madonna Bianca and Isa loved the water; Hendrik wasn't so sure. It was a bit on the chilly side - for a kiddie pool - but he had fun. And I got to swim a few laps which was great - why haven't we been doing this all along? We went for paninis after and that part wasn't so fabulous but... we found a cafeteria type restaurant just below our mediocre panini spot that is a definite repeater. Sarah and I had lunch there the following day and it was incredible... especially for cafeteria food.

I'm sure there's more to write about but I need to go to bed... ouf. I won't get my relief pitcher back until next Thursday so I'd better follow that naggy advice-for-mom-warble, sleep while the baby sleeps! if I want to get some shut-eye. Buananotte!

Highlights...

... of the week (in no particular order):

1. On Thursday Steve had a day off!! Finally. It was the first completely free non-travel day he's had in over a month, so needless to say, he was pretty stoked. We tried planning something for a few days but were undecided; big day trip? small day trip? did he want to rest rest rest or drive drive drive? It wasn't super successful, the whole planning in advance thing. So finally, after a slow morning and lunch at home (leftover butter chicken, yum), we took off for Bolzano, headed for the Funivia del Renon. Steve's parents visited Bolzano and told us that we had to had to had to do this one sightseeing thing there, so that was that... a good half-day, baby-friendly (or toddler-friendly? is Hendrik a toddler?) non-physically challenging excursion. The twelve-minute trip up offered an incredible climb and incredible views, and the little train was waiting for us at the top. The train is the area's public transit system, weaving between small clusters of homes and farmhouse-properties; it was beautiful! Fairytale, storybook beautiful. We found a spot for coffee and marvelled at the mountain views while Hendrik ran around the empty restraurant. Yup, it was one of those spots totally lost on kids - a view? sitting? Boring! I remember all too well. Anyways, it was a great day trip, and I'm sure we'll go back with other visitors. I have a list of agroturismos in the area that I want to look up, just in case Steve happens to magically have a few days off before we have to go home. Yeah, right.

views from the trenino

clockwise from top L: on the train, cable-carring down to Bolzano, the view that came with our cappucinos, and the two boys enjoying an oatmeal cookie :)

2. Hendrik has been telling us, on and off and very inconsistently, when he has to or has already done a number two, for quite a while. His sign for poop (which is something like a more horizontal version of this) is sometimes accompanied by "poop", or something similar. Anyways, he's also been more and more interested in mom and dad's trips to the bathroom where everything is considered a poop; he looks and does the sign and is quite happy with himself. SO! The other day when Steve was in the bathroom Hendrik busted in there squeaking "poop poop" and doing the sign and brought him a diaper...! It was hilarious. This kid is understanding things. Poop. Maybe it's time we get him a little trainer pot. !!!

3. So, you know how when kiddie is out of your sight and things get reeeally quiet, you know something is up... right? Hendrik had been playing by himself while I was on the computer, and then it was quiet and he was no longer with me in the kitchen-living room. Hmmmm. Does he have his hand in the toilet? Is he eating toilet paper? Not that he's ever done either of these things (knock on wood) but I wondered... I was suspicious. Into the hallway I go - he wasn't in the hall or in the bathroom but in the bedroom ON the bed... reading. Knees bent, he was sitting on his heels reading Bear Snores On. And what's more, he was at the page where "Mouse sips wee slurps | Hare burps big burps!" making little burping noises. It may have been the sweetest thing I have ever seen in my entire life. I didn't even know he could get up on the bed by himself! Oh Hendrik. Sweet sweetness!

4. Right now I'm writing this blog in Bottega del Cafe Dersut, and I have to say that this is a highlight in itself - being out alone, with coffee and a panino in this beautiful cafe. I want to order everything - the salads, the paninis.... and it's only 10:45. I suppose I'd better wait until lunchtime. I'm on my way to get a haircut, finally. What is with me, that I only get my haircut every 10 months? Ouf. Thank goodness for hair elastics.

5. Steve was a big part of Trentino Volley's last two wins, against Maaseik (Wednesday - photos here) and San Guistino (last Sunday)... yaaaaay! And they play at home tomorrow and will be here all week! Well, until Friday - and then they're on the road for five or six days, boo. But, such is life with this top top team.

I finished What is the What (recommend) and took two more books out of the library (The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet and a Hillary Mantel book), but these aren't really worthy of the highlight label. And I'm sure there's more to write about.... hmm. Anyways, I'll enjoy some time at the cafe sans computer before I head to the salon, ooh la la. Until next time!

pictures + vids

January 24, 2012

today... and some time soon

So apparently broccoli is now on the table in the bed-time snack category; I was eating my dinner (seared halibut, pepper+lime couscous and broccoli - I just made that sound so fancy) and Hendrik was more interested in my vegetables than he was in yesterday's (still delicious) foccacia. !!! So I shared my broccoli, and then gave him more when he asked for more. More! Broccoli! Again, we'll see how long this lasts for. And our child - who is 14 months old - has 16 teeth! Sixteen!!! At playgroup today I told one of the other moms (her daughter is two months older and obviously has way fewer teeth) that Hendrik cracked three teeth this past week and she looked at me like I was crazy or just got my numbers mixed up in Italian. Say WHAT, she said? And she was so surprised and shocked that I thought to myself, Hmmmm, maybe I should double check at home that he has sixteen. Eight on top and eight on the bottom... right? I'm counting right? And yes, indeed, that's how many teeth he has. I haven't googled whether this is normal or not but who really cares. He lets me brush his teeth and hasn't been super fussy, and what can I do about it anyways? So yeah, he's growing up too fast.

I had an amazing by-myself getaway this morning - I drove up to Merano with the sole intent of shopping at H&M and Zara and was prepared for a letdown. I feel like the following applies to so many different situations: if you're really looking, you won't-don't find, but if you're not on the hunt... you find. So it was not such a huge surprise (or disappointment) when I came away with just one shirt - $10 on the clearance rack at H&M. Two other highlights were: 1. the bakery stop: I bought a jelly doughnut (good, but not incredible), a chocolate covered shortbread + jam sandwich type cookie (amazing) and chocolate milk (also good); and 2. buying fresh halibut. I had the halibut for dinner and it was so so good... Seeing as how we live in the mountains, I never buy fresh fish (how fresh can it be?) but I think I'll give it a try, seeing as how tonight's dinner was, like I said, so so good. And that's all I've got for now... it's time to clean up and get dinner ready for my man. :)

ps. I spent way too much time on Letters of Note: Correspondence Deserving of a Larger Audience last night, and kept these two (1, 2) tabs open - two of my faves (but definitely not two of the funniest). I also want to make this for dinner (one of these days) and this for (my) snack time. YUM.

Feb +

The February Calendar Page

It's February! And there's snow - the first to stick! And I think it's only the second snow of the season here in Trento... though I may be wrong. So, instead of heading up to Merano - wait, instead of escaping up to Merano to go shopping - by myself - (there's an H&M and Zara there, and my clothing situation is desperate... desperate!), we bundled our boy up a la A Christmas Story and went out to play in the snow, for the very first time. He was interested, but not fascinated or anything, and wasn't as into lying in the snow as he was interested in lying in the leaves or on the cold grass, but that might be because he couldn't really get up on his own. Like I said, he was bundled. We built a snowman and Steve threw snowballs at me and ? you know, did the usual snowy things. And we would have come in for hot chocolate and treats, but we'd just finished breakfast and hmm... why didn't we have hot chocs and treats? Not so sure. Anyways, it was a fun morning in the fresh white yard, and hopefully I can make my escape tomorrow morning.

snow-covered Calicantus flowers and my two boys

I have a whole bunch of food pictures to post because for the past week or so I've been meaning to document a day of Hendrik's food - breakfast, lunch and dinner (+ snacks). And of course I forgot here and there, so the following is a glimpse into his life as an eater - over the course of a few days:

BREAKFAST: The usual is oatmeal with yogurt and fruit... or pancakes. And Dad's pancakes... or our food. If we happen to have something different, then of course that's what he wants. Come summer time, I'm not sure what we'll feed him, and even now I feel like I need some new ideas.... anyone?

stealing Dad's last bites of pancakes - and his first taste of maple syrup... yums!

my breakfast of choice these days too :)

LUNCH: Lunch is varied - sometimes it's pasta or leftovers, and oftentimes it's this that and the other (something my mom would say) + fruit. Today we tried to give him leftover chicken fajitas and he had none of it, so it was peas, garbanzo beans (a fave of his), cheese (asiago - he LOVES cheese) and hmm... there was more. Anyways, as long as we hit all the food groups and he eats, everyone is happy!

DINNER: These days he usually eats whatever we eat, but is often a day behind. Steve gets home too late from practice for the three of us to eat together, and I usually cook our dinner while he is eating his.

chicken, potatoes and avocado

tortilla-pizza... a go-to meal for me (for him)!

His go-to snacks are fruit, breadsticks (grisini) and yogurt, and cookies are crackers are maybe the most requested snacks. He'll point to the cupboard and say something that sounds like cookie ("cack"), but is happy enough if I give him a cracker... we'll see how long that lasts for.

Yesterday morning I knocked a block off of my to-do list, and made a side trip into a foreign foods store - Thai! Asia Foods! - and came away with the above things: an african potato (we'll see what that's all about), brown sugar, coconut milk, ginger, a lime, seasoning sauce, basmati rice, peanut butter and green curry paste. I also bought a bag of cracker peanuts - is that what they're called? Peanuts encased in a crunchy cracker type shell... they are gooooood. And since Steve was home last night from his five zillion day road trip (wow, that would be one looooong trip - so fine, it was just five days) I made fajitas, complete with homemade tortillas... they were so so oh so good. When I told him that there was no possible way that I could do this on a regular basis - without him around to help right before dinner - he immediately found a solution: you could make them while he naps. Oh yes mmhm, I could, thank you Steve for such an easy and obvious solution! It made both of us laugh.

And Hendrik has a few new skills: the sitting down you've seen, but the hugging - we have yet to capture that on tape. It is the best feeling having him wrap his arms around me and squeeeeeze... heart-melting. He also hugs his teddy bears and gives them kisses. I love it! Love love love it. And I'm hearing the mama-call from the room... time to go!