Sunday May 31 – Valentina’s 18th bday

So Sunday is my day to watch Elia all day because the restaurant is open for lunch. It is Alfonzo’s brother’s daughters 18th bday. The 18th is a big one here…I don’t think they can drive till 18. So just Elia and I are going…with his American aunt, her new baby, their 3 year old and their nanny. Oh yeah, did I mention there was another nanny my age in the family. We were actually at Santa Chiara (where I did study abroad) together. We didn’t hang out or even know each other’s names. She is nice and its good to have someone else to talk to when you are in a house full of Italians!

So I was beginning to worry a bit when Elia didn’t sleep well and was a crying a lot that morning for his parents. Great.

Alice had already warned me it would be a difficult day and I was to try to stay with Elia even though the family would constantly be taking him from me. She wanted me to make sure they weren’t letting him do whatever he wanted…eat anything…etc. Turned out that for the first half of the time he was clinging to me because he was sleepy and just wanted to be held. I tried to go put his jacket upstairs and he was quickly climbing the stairs behind me in tears. BTW it is amazing how quickly children can burst into tears! So eating took hours. Atleast 3. Everything is always served as courses. Your plate goes away…a new one comes…and the next round of eating commences. I was not eating much because I was feeding Elia and trying to cut everything they gave him into smaller bites before he shoved them in his mouth. He got a few past me…but no worries…he gave them back as half chewed chunks. Delicious.

For the most part he clung to me when anyone came to take him…a first! Im use to taking him from holding on to his parents for dear life. His cousin took him for the rest of the eating…it was her bday and she was good with him. We cleared out as soon as gifts were opened and cake was served. There were at least 30 (mostly all family) there so it was still a bit overwhelming. I got off a bit easy for the night since he went down for a nap a lot later. Alice told me to let him sleep till he woke up…didn’t think it would be long but I passed out on the couch as well and he slept till almost dinner time. (8pm) Neither of us ate much from having gorged at the party. Really went pretty well. The family was all great…none spoke English so we didn’t try to make much conversation besides for them telling me to eat more.