Changes

On the 19th of October we finally came back to Genoa (Remo had joined us some days before in Belgium, so he could also visit his newborn niece) The plan is to stay in Genoa (or at least in Italy) until Christmas which we will celebrate in Belgium this year.

Since we have come back, I have again started to help Auro learn new things (it's very hard to teach a child anything when you are always in a different place among different people!). Because Auro turned two recently I decided it was time to put him on the potty. We are still at the very beginning of what I'm fearing to become a very long learning process and we have booked no remarkable successes yet, but I will let you know (and possibly throw a big party) as soon as Auro has mastered the basics of this new 'skill'. 

I also thought it was time for him to join the other 2-year olds I have observed over the passed months and to push him to learn to eat by himself (with a spoon from a plate). At first (read: during the first 5 or 6 meals) he refused to even hold the spoon  and was very upset that I was robbing him of his privilege of being fed, but then, all of a sudden, he started to spoon his food by himself and before we realized it he had eaten 3 full plates of pasta! 

The only transition he didn't find hard to make was the change from a sippy cup to a normal cup during his meals. After a little practice he was able to drink from it without spilling too much!

Auro also has a new hobby: puzzles! Usually while I'm preparing the dinner, he sits at the kitchen table with me and draws (mainly trains, or so he proudly claims). Recently I have started to give him small puzzles (4 pieces) and he loves making them. Here's a little sample of how that goes and some useful vocabulary ;-)

n-au-o = Auro (He says that because he wants me to give him the mobile phone I am filming him with. As for the 'n' at the beginning, I have no idea, but he tends to put it in front of a lot words staring with a vowel.)

kanni = kan niet (Dutch) = it can't = I doesn't fit or I can't do it

ecco facco  = ecco fatto (Italian) = there, I have done it!

a posso = a posto (Italian) = I will put it away or where it belongs