apr, 30th - market day...

day 1168 / 267:

thanks for all the comments on the last post....Claya seems to be much better today and take a look, i'm even managing to get a consecutive post out......things are looking up.

.............

as my sister and i strode the labyrinth streets of Rome last week, looking for a specific fabric shop, we stumbled across one of the many food markets. the whole piazza was alive with fresh produce, vocal sellers, vocal shoppers and even a band.

we gave Claya's feet a quick, refreshing wash under the square's communal tap (which she found a bit startling) and then bought a large bag of peas still in their pods and artichokes.....we didn't shop with a clear idea of what we were going to make but because the produce looked so fresh and enticing.....and hey, isn't that what Italian food is all about....shopping as much with your eyes as any other sense.

p.s. Limi stayed at home with my mum to spend some time with her nonno (we know that it should be nonna.....but even without any Italian direction, at an early age she decided to call my mum, Nonno and my dad, Tapa...her very own words for both of them.)

dec, 1st - hello deer....

day 1021 / 120:

my sister just arrived back from a trip to South Africa with a collection of these gorgeous reindeer decorations for the Christmas tree....she had them made by the local wire artists whose talent i also showed here.

starting to get very excited about a family Christmas......

nov, 6th - conversations with a two year old....

day 997 / 96:

Limi: 'Claya is so cute, she's like......a lollipop.'

and Claya adores her sister too, Limi can make her giggle uncontrollably.

aug, 24th - big sister in training....

day 927 / 26:

while we are busy soaking up some British sun down at the coast......i just wanted to slip this post in as there have been a number of questions about how Limi is coping with her new sibling.......

our answer is that it is more a case of over-love at this stage. Limi has been in training for this moment for months and months.....even though we never actively encouraged it and tried to steer her away from dolls,  she is obsessed with 'babies' and has been since she was about fourteen months old. i think the main issue is that she wonders why she can't take more of an active role in looking after Thunderhoovsie, wanting to change nappies, bath her, pick her up, feed her (which is an interesting one), violently rock her in the bouncy chair and Claya's least favourite, force her eyes open to play.  after all.....she is an expert when it comes to her own babies: Noah and Panda (Noah is the one being carried in the kitten-drape-pose over her arm, above)......they get dressed and undressed, bathed, changed and put to sleep over and over again during the day.

it's tough on us to keep discouraging her when she's just trying to help and be involved. but as Claya adjusts to the tough love by her sister and we adjust to spending individual time with each of them and time together....it's getting easier to balance. hey, by no means have we figured it all out yet....but we're having fun trying.


p.s. Limi's obsession with babies is at least balanced by her love of Spiderman and doing face-planting dives off the back of the couch.