Update

Dear Eva,

You are nine and a half months old. You now point at things and make noises clearly with a question mark at the end of them. You go crazy for dogs. You actually touched one today and it made you even more excited about them. I can't say that you pet him because, let's face it, you are years away from caressing anything (you regularly smack your dad and i in the face or pull our noses). The dog you got to pet is called Whiskey, a three year old labrador very used to being around children.

Whiskey's mom and dad are our friends Domenica and Emanuele. We spent the whole afternoon at their house and when it was time to go home you didn't want to leave Domenica's arms. You have never preferred someone other than your dad over me. It was a strange feeling but I am also glad that you are getting more comfortable with the world and people around you.

We went to the park for the first time yesterday. I'm talking about a real park with grass and flowers and bugs and ants on our blanket. You liked it. I brought toys for you to play with but all you wanted to do was walk around on the grass. You started to get tired and frustrated and sat down on the grass and dirt. I got you up before you had time to eat any of it. It was a nice warm day, I hope the first of many. There is something so glorious about the first warm days at the beginning of Spring. They feel like waking up after sleeping for all the winter months preceding and remembering how amazing the world is.

Today was even warmer: 25 C. Your first short sleeve shirt day since September. Of course, Romans overdress for the weather so the two of us, in our short sleeves, got some looks.


Anyway, you are moving ever closer to moving around the world on your own. You say mama, dada (not sure if you connect it with daddy or not), tata, tete, moh, and you laugh at sneezes (your own and those of others) You really are growing up.

Love,
ma-ma