february 20: butterfly, or are they fairy, wings and the tears of your first carnevale

in the last week or so you have become more affectionate than ever saying 'amore mommy' and running to me to give hugs. there is nothing else on the earth like your hugs. i no longer have to show you how to wrap your arms around me or daddy, now you know. you throw your arms around my neck, my waste, my legs and nuzzle your head between my legs. the leg hug is one of those things that i have always wondered about, 'would you do it too, just like other kids i've seen?' it turns out that you do it better than anyone else.

yesterday i dressed you up for the first time for carnevale. instead of being you're everyday princess, i chose 'forest fairy' for you. considering how well halloween hadn't gone, i knew getting your fairy costume on would be an uphill battle. the costume has basically a shirt and skirt. easy enough, right? i tried to get the top on first but you balked at first touch, so i showed you that i could put it on my head as well. this didn't convince you in the slightest, so i chose the rough and tumble technique. i grabbed you and as you wiggled and yelped i slipped it over your head and somehow got your arms in.  you were not happy. i quickly got the skirt on but in the mean time, you noticed the wings. the wings, small i must say, made from purple netting and a little wire (specifically with the purpose of safety in mind) scared the hell out of you and i almost lost my resolve to get this costume on you. i told you what a pretty dress you had on and how nice it looked all the while feeling i was just torturing you for no good reason. i suggested we get some milk (you love milk and it almost always brightens you up) you agreed but like a little koala you nuzzled in to my neck and insisted on not moving from that position. it was hard to drink the milk in that position but you wanted to stay as far away from the wings as possible (attached to your back). everytime you got a look at them out of the corner of your eye, you winced and began to whimper all over again. i think after some milk and a session in front of the mirror in which i told you several hundred times how pretty you were with your butterfly wings, you pulled youself together enough to go to nonno's house.

when we got there, your aunt, uncle, cousin, nonno and daddy were waiting for you.  they showered you with compliments and the wings stayed on for much longer than i could have ever imagined.

happy carnival sweetheart.