What's missing from 2015 (February-March-April)

Carnival party (February 2015)

Carnival in Pontedecimo with giant pinata

Tosca turns 4! (27/02/2015)

with her birthday present

Invitation to Tosca's birthday party

Birthday cake (01/03/2015)

Tosca and the other girls of Movia Kids

Easter Bells dropped their eggs in Cesenatico (05/04/2015)

My two Easter Bunnies

While Tosca went to Movida kids once a week, Auro practiced volleyball twice a week. This photo was taken during his first (and only) tournament. His team didn't actually win the tournament, but they felt like winners nevertheless! (19/04/2015)

What's missing from 2014 (January, February, March)

In September we had taken Auro to Belgium to have the Belgian "celebrate your birthday at school" experience, so in February it was Tosca's turn to enjoy that privilege. She left for school in the morning wearing the special birthday t-shirt and a still undecorated birthday crown. (27/02/2014)

At school the crown was properly decorated, so the birthday girl could sit on the birthday throne.

Fake birthday cake with real candles

Tosca and her classmates

birthday princess

Auro playing with his friends at school (it was also the week of carnaval, so that explains the make-up on the faces)

Birthday cake for Tosca

Presents

Carnival organised by the school (28/02/2014)

Carnival in Tienen (01/03/2014)

Carnival in Mortsel (08/03/2014)

Carnival

Last Sunday, we took the kids to see the carnival parade in Pontedecimo, a neigbouring town, less than 10 minutes drive from here. Even if it wasn't quite what I had expected, it was still quite spectacular. Auro didn't want to wear a costume at first, but when I showed him the Japanese happi coat I had been saving for him, he changed his mind immediately! I got the happi coat in Japan many years ago. I can't even remember the exact place nor the occasion, but I have always kept it neatly tucked away in some cupboard, hoping that one day I'd have a child that could wear it. Dream fulfilled ;-)

Auro in his Japanese happi coat

Tractors pulling the carnival floats

The grand finale (for the kids): a huge pentolaccia filled with candy!

Auro waiting for the candy to fall (Unfortunately, we couldn't get to any of the candy that had fallen on the ground because of the many people, but a nice lady saw Auro's disapointed face, opened her purse and gave him a bag of chocolate coins!)

Meltdown

the icicles on the rocks are slowly melting and dripping into the river

It seems that the temperatures finally have decided to stay above zero. And as much as I love gazing at the fireplace and I absolutely adore the kind of warmth it spreads throughout the house, I really really hope spring will arrive soon!!

Since the last time I wrote, both of the children caught some colds again and Auro stayed home from school for nearly 10 days. After 6 days of high fever, I couldn't look at that little pale face anymore and we gave him antibiotics (the 2nd time this winter). He is fine now and started going to school again the day before yesterday. Tosca caught the same feverish cold from her brother and was attacked by high fever that kept her awake many nights. I was about to throw in the towel after 7 days, when on Monday we finally saw the fever dropping. She still wakes up during the night because of a very persistent cough, but the colour has returned to her cheecks and her appetite is slowly coming back too. My goal is to make her eat as much as possible now, so she can put on the weight that she has lost. Not just because she is turning 1 soon and I want her looking healthy and chubby in the pictures, but also because, on the 9th of March, we have to go back for her vaccinations. The last time we went (2 weeks ago and right after 8 days of antibiotics and another 4 or 5 days of tummy bug) we were sent home because Tosca had lost too much weight!

Tosca with her 2 bears. She can NOT fall asleep without the pink one ;-)

Tosca discovered how to stick out her tongue. If you show her yours, she will show you hers!

A top model in the making? I think so!!!

Auro on the beach in Pegli. This photo was taken on the only Sunday in February we were all healthy enough to go out!

Yesterday was Martedi Grasso and Auro returned from school with this mask and a bag full of candies!

Carnival

 Here in Genoa, spring has decided to give us a sneak preview of what's (hopefully) soon to come. Little by little, the cold of winter is loosing the battle against the pleasantly warm and sunny spring. Last Sunday was one of those days on which spring most definitely had the upper hand. On that day, some friends we had met while living in Japan (Italian husband, Japanese wife and beautiful Italian/Japanese daughter!) came to visit us in Genoa. Together we went for a walk along the "Corso Italia", the road that runs along the coast line. Since the carnival period has started it was crowded with children dressed as spiderman, zoro, fairies and princesses. Everywhere there were vendors selling confetti (actually, the Italians call it 'coriandoli', 'confetti' refers to the sugared almonds they hand out on weddings) which children were throwing at each other with great joy! Ora, the 7 year old daughter of our friends and even Auro joined in the excitement and had the best time throwing confetti at each other.