New friends

We have some new friends. Katia works for Alison (but works from home and lives about 1 hour away)  and the last time I met her, we were both in early pregnancy with our first kids (when Rory and I were last in Italy). Alessandro and Silas were born within a week or two of each other. Katia's daughter is a little younger than Gwilym and her name is Maria.

Alessandro and Maria with Silas and Gwilym

We have managed two play dates in two weeks and they are a great match for the boys. Each time we see them, the boys pick up new words in italian and more confidently use the ones they know. Katia speaks english and her kids also pick up english expressions and try them out when they are with us. It is an excellent exchange.
Last week Alessandro learned to ride a bike without his trainer wheels and this week - he was away laughing. We made a trip to the far corner of the local park to show them the little farm (horse stables with other animals). There are new lambs and calves to admire and grumpy caretakers to ignore (it is a public farm for children to come and see the animals and a working stables).

'Agnelli"

The weather is spectacular at the moment - warm in the day, never windy and with a pleasant chill to the air (especially for exercising). The trees are almost naked and they stand encircled by their dying leaves.

I am enjoying listening to the process of language acquisition by the boys. Silas, particularly is constantly coming up to me and saying - this is called " X" in Italian and he uses an italian sounding word he has made up. The boys will often babble away together in 'italianesque' - their own version of another language with lots of italian vowels peppered through it. Even if they only know a couple of words, they will boldly use them as often as possible and their pronunciation is pretty good - their ears and mouths are still supple and elastic!

The boys have missed having friends here. One of the heartaches of being here has been taking the boys to empty playgrounds day after day. Usually the boys are happy but it feels like there is something missing because it is always more exciting watching and listening and playing with other kids.  And most places we go during the day are devoid of kids. The buses, the supermarket, the library, the cafe are all kid-free and the boys are either welcomed as a novelty (more commonly) or barely tolerated for their for their imposition.  A the end of the a day of 'solitary outings' I have been know to cry. The kids are all in school or care and if there is a child there, they are being looked after by a nanny or more commonly a Grandfather (Nonno)! It amazes me the number of Grandfathers I see pushing wee babies around the park or coaxing along a toddler. I guess Nonna is at home with the cooking and the washing and Mama and Papa are at work. Having children is an expensive occupation in Italy and very few venture as far as three.  Government assistance is minimal for families.

But we have new friends, and as my wise sister says - all you ever need in the world is one or two great friends.

Our other friend in Milan: Ernesto (right) with Gwilym and Silas