The Little Bean turns 1!

Yes, believe it or not, Luca Benz has turned one. A week has gone by, and I still cannot believe that one year ago I gave birth to the most magnificent little bean. He so truly has turned me into a better human being, and each day teaches me to be more patient, loving, less obsessive, healthy, and all the goodness in between. There is something about that unconditional love for your child that you would literally do anything in the world to help grow that little human being into a healthy, happy, kind, and generous individual. Damn the pressure is ON!

One is an awesome age. Luca now is full on walking. He started one evening when Marco was still at work and I was in the kitchen cooking. He was in the living room playing with his toys. Usually when I am cooking meals he is either banging pots around in the kitchen next to me or playing contently with his toys (or other things he should not get into) listening to my choice of music for that evening. Well on this particular evening about 1 week before his birthday we were listening to the Arctic monkeys and I was making curry chicken legs with coconut milk veggie rice, I suddenly heard squealing coming from the entranceway. I ran to see Luca literally running in circles and laughing at himself. I ran so fast to get the camera that I spilled half the rice on the kitchen floor. At that moment Marco walked in. It could not have been a better timing. Luca was so proud of himself it was hysterical. Marco and I looked at each other, both with tears of pride and started laughing alongside Luca. This went on for a good half hour. He refused to hold your hand, and each time he fell (which was all the time) he would get so frustrated because he still was not able to get from the sitting position to the standing one. And he did NOT want to crawl. We were watching Luca go through a life changing experience. It took him forever to calm him down than. After an unsettled night he woke up as if non of the prior evenings event ever happened. He totally forgot how to walk, and he went onto what he had been doing and scaling the walls to get from point a to b. I didn't really know what to think, but I just assumed he would start again , when he felt ready. And that is exactly what he did. He would walk little distances on his own, than the distanced became larger and larger until he started walking with full on confidence. It took him a bit but now he runs all over the place, well waddles.

Luca sometimes repeats words and totally understands, well about 10 of what you say… He understand words and phrases… his favorite now is ''qui e', which means who is it. Whenever the phone or doorbell rings he's in the back yelling CHI E'!!!

We are getting ready for the summer now, which in a way is totally awesome, but also a bit bitter sweet. We will have to say ciao ciao to Marco for two month. TWO months, dear lawd, thats so looong. From mid July to mid September we will be in Baltimore with my parents, and Marco will be at work over and in the seas. I can't wait to go back to my parents house and have Luca be able to go to the pool, play in the yard, and just bee with friend and family, eating watermelon, corn on the cob, catching lighteningbugs, dinners on the porch, ya get it the whole summer shananagans. 

Marco's season has already started, so he has been working a lot, but no that one of the boats is docked near where we live, we get to go with him to work and stay with friends near  there where they have a beach house. It works out for al of us. Plus Luca is 99% fish so…

On that note, see you soon, and enjoy summer fun!

little bruised up birthday bean

family of dorks

Yes I make Zucchini bread for my sons birthday cake… He'll forgive me someday

Does this even need a caption?

Venice day

cheeky boy at the park

What's in a Name

Many people have asked me why we picked Luca Benz as a name for our Little Bean, and I saw non of your darn business. No I'm just kidding:)

Here's the story, get ready it's really not that interesting:)

We wanted a name that could be pronounced both in the States and in Italy, and something that had some sort of meaning that we liked. Seems pretty simple no? Well it would be if you were married to someone who had the same taste in names that you did. Marco and I were NEVER on the same page when it was name related. I liked a name, he hated it, and vice versa. We made lists, we tried family names... nothing, and when finally there was a name that we liked, there was no way that Marcos mother could pronounce it, or the other way around. 

The name Luca came to us in the end, the more we said it the more we liked it and the more it stuck. It means Bringer Of Light , which I thought was pretty sweet too. Luca is also a name you cannot butcher. Luke would be the English form, and Lucas/Lukas would be German. Marco and I both agreed (so of course we had to stick with it!) that Luca was the best fit. 

The name Benz came to us much later. Luca is 25% Swiss so I wanted a middle name honoring his Swiss heritage but we could not find any name that we liked. I randomly saw the name in a list of Germanic names and I took my chance and passed it by Marco. To my huge surprise Marco liked it so much he wanted it to be the first name. I of course did not. So in the end it became his middle name, which means Courageous Like A Bear. I mean it doesn't get better than that. 

During my whole pregnancy we (well mostly me) were calling the bun in the oven aka Luca Benz, Little Bean. When I discovered that the name Marco and I both agreed on had the initials of LB I knew it had to be. So Little Bean became Luca Benz aka LB. The perfect fit.

So there you have it, that's pretty much the great history of LB's name. Pretty darn fantastic huh?

HA!

In Cavallino, a beach town where we have friends who live there. Lucky us!

his dear car

Captain Luca Benz of Benzina, our new addition to the family

View of a Saturday afternoon from our balcony. Marco in his garden, Nonno with LB in his yard (which is still a work in progress) and a neighbor planting his flower boxes

"I dare you to mess with me when I am playing with my socks"

Rain walks

A day on the boat. 

Concentration to the max

Dear Luca

Dear Luca,
My sweet, crazy, cuddle bean, you are ten and a half months old… actually in less than two weeks you will be one month away from being one years old. One year. I cannot tell you enough how much I love you, how much you make me smile, laugh, and amaze me. Every day, every hour, every minute. You make me and Papa' the happiest proudest parents out there (okay among many). You truly are the light of our lives and the ground under our feet.
We could not have wished for anything more glorious than you. Of course being a Mamma I think that everything you do is remarkable, even the slightest fart, but continue the way you're going, you're on the right path to a great adventure. I can't wait to continue marveling over your boogers and smiles, your hairline (sorry bean, you got it from your Papa') your toes (whose are they though?!), your tummy and your non existing eyebrows (hopefully they will fill out sometimes) you can be the one to tell me when you're at the age where it might be inappropriate. I'll stop picking your nose than, I promise.
 I love the way you play with your cars, swing on your swing (the higher the better), get so excited when Papa' chases you (even when you start a coughing fit from overexcitement, play cu'cu' (peakaboo) with EVERYTHING, little or big (like Mamma's gum wrapper). I love the ticking sound you seem to be obsessed on making, the very cheeky smile you make when you are doing something you're not suppose to be doing, (washing the bidet with your toothbrush, or picking out my hair from the shower drain). I love the way you make a car sound when on your bike, the way you pee on Papa' (than laugh about it) in the morning, and the way you listen so intently with your ears and fingers (yes you MUST touch everything that gets 5 inches from your face, touch or taste, preferable both) when we read to you. There is one thing though that you were not a champion at. Sleeping at night. When you were a newborn until about 7 months you woke up on an average about twice, than something switched and you began waking 3, 5, 7, and even 10 times at night. It was NOT FUN LUCA for any of us. We (I) all kept strong, and I would go into your room less and less often, until now, when I have to go into your room on an average of about ONE TIME! In bed by 9, a boob at midnight, than once more sometimes around 6, than you are ready for the day around 8:30. Thank you Little Bean for working with me.
 Your almost walking now, which makes me excited and sad at the same time. Time really is flying, which reminds me once again to savor every. Single. Minute.
I love you more than the stars in the sky, and the sand on the ground, Papa' and I cannot wait to continue our lives with you as our Little Bean.

Playing in the garden with his stick. I dare you to take it away from him. And those curls, dear lord I die each time I see them

hamming it up in Malamoco

His favorite spot in the house. The bidet.

Another favorite. Riding on bikes.

Like father like son. Visiting friends at the beach.

pooped after play group. Of course with phone charger in hand.

favorite toy. Socks.

Tearing the streets up on his bike.

washers are the best

catching rays on the balcony before breakfast… with an old remote

park walks on paps

My Job and Scented Toilet Paper

So what do I do with  my days? Before Luca was born Marco and I made a mutual decision that my "job" if you want to call it that, would be a full on Mamma and of course wife. I have also had the personality of a "freak". I love doing laundry, cooking, cleaning, baking, basically everything that a good housewife does or is expected to do, to whatever extreme that might be. When I say "freak" I mean an obsessive compulsive human being that actually gets excited about cleaning toilets. I get so much satisfaction when the house is spotless.

There is a HUGE downfall to all this though… first off, when you have a child you have to forget about clean toilets and made beds. You have a baby that comes first. PERIOD. When I had Luca I knew that I wanted to be a mamma and be able to be his "educator" and be with him every step of the way, at least until hes old enough to go to school. I couldn't wait to be able to do things with him and plan activities every day, big or little I wanted to watch him learn and be amazed by his eagerness in the world. I can't wait. Already I am on that path and creating little activities, but making sure he is also able to entertain himself. I love seeing how is little brain works. CONSTANTLY.

So the reason I am writing all this is that I slowly had to find a balance between keeping the house clean and a family fed. And also have fun. I have found that balance. How?

It started obviously when Luca was born. I am so ever thankful and fortunate to have Marco as a husband, who will willingly take on any task (even dishes which he HATES). In the very beginning I had to get used to all this change of roles, and accept that under the beds and tables dust would remain, (men just dont seem to realize that in places that the visible eye does not see, dust actually exist) and glasses would be streaked with olive oil (ok ok I am making Marco to sound like a huge pig, but he really is actually very tidy and clean for a guy:)

 He would go on grocery runs too, bringing back things like scented toilet paper. Really? He said he didn't read it fully. First off, who the hell buys scented toilet paper?! It smells like out house perfume, and sometimes I blow my nose with toilet paper, only to get a surprise of stink in my nose. And is the paper really suppose to make your bum hole smell good? who knows what they put in it to smell like that! Is it just me or is that the dumbest invention (ok one of the dumbest). Just a rant, and sorry to those who have different feelings than me, not judging. And on the brighter note, Marco went grocery shopping right?

  Anyway sheets sometimes would have Luca spit up on it for 2 days! I was really getting good and not freaking out every time there was a Luca bodily fluid on the bed. I just had to/have to keep telling myself Luca comes first and a spotless house does not mean happiness. I still have very high expectations but I'm getting better I swear!

When Luca was around 4 or 5 months old I got a call (through a friend) from the English School of Venice (located biking distance from my house… actually in the backyard where Marco grew up) asking if I wanted to teach english to kids/parents after school hours. I was hesitant because Luca was not weaned yet, and I was so totally unprepared. I said sure, I would give it a go, and I stared immediately. The students were great and the school was fine, I just everytime I left the house I felt this huge guilt. I knew Luca was more than happy to stay for at most 3 hours with his Nonna (and vice versa, lord knows she would move in with us with a drop of a hat) but my heart was so not into what I was doing. I had a chat even with the president of the school and she understood, but basically what it comes down to is that I would love to work there, just not until Luca is in school, and I would go part time. Marco was behind me 100%. So that was my temparary job I had for 2 months, call me crazy but I love every second with my maniac clown of a son, and I would not change it for a second.

first time out on our boat Benzina. Luca is totally serious about it

playgroup is a job

ten month old ham

To Sleep or Not To Sleep, That Should Not Be The Question

Yet another week has gone by, er two weeks, I swear they FLY by. We all have been doing great. Great because Spring has finally arrived here in Venice, and after a winter of complete crap weather of rain, and by rain I mean every day. All winter. So having even a grey foggy cold damp day was a day from paradise,but now? Now its in the 60's sunny and trees and flowers are blooming everywhere! So obviously we are outside all day. I love being outside with the bean, and he loves it too. Duh.
Luca now sleeps in his own room, and thing are going really not that bad on an average he wakes about 3 times… bed at 9 nurse at 12, again at 3 and than another at 6, he sleeps until 7:30 8ish, who knows how long this rhythm will stick, during the day he takes a cat nap from 10 till about 11,   and than another from about 3 to 4… We have been giving him a bottle with camomile tea in it in the evenings after dinner around 8 and he seems to like it, but also enjoys spitting it into his stuffed animal box.
Luca is also ALWAYS on his feet, he is about to take off any minute now. Dear lord. I have to get him a pair of real shoes too. My life worries at the moment.
We have been going out on the boat too (with Luca's Nono Giorgio, aka Marcos older boss) but soon we will be able to go out with Marcos new boat! It has been getting work done on it and at the moment has no motor, but whens its done Ill post pics. Marco is proud.
This week we are putting the bike seat on my bike for Luca so I can get around town, I am so stoked, before Luca I was on the bike everyday. Twice. Now, never, I miss it, and plus getting around town with the stroller is damn slow, AND I can finally go to the market, which is a bit far with the stroller but by bike its great!
Luca and I still go to Mamma baby class every monday, but After the spring we'll close that chapter and I want to sign up for parent child class at the Oriago Steiner School this fall, he'll be old enough that  I wont be the only one having fun:)
More projects I have been working on:

a DIY swing I found on Pinterest. I sewed. Marco drilled. Luca LOVES it only if you push him extremely high (note the pillow I made to go with his curtains and crib bumper, I AM SUCH A NERD)

view from LB's room

bed bumper

always happy with something in his mouth. edible or not

on the Etoile

showing off his plump bum

gotta love spring!

Wishing you all a happy beginning to spring! Catch you soon! A presto

Our Venetian Days

So here we are, back in Venice, and man was it a hard transition.
Wait hold on, let me just rant in a fast forward sort of way and in few words about our trip back to Italy. A complete shit show.
No okay, maybe not that few of words… We basically had to stay inside the airplane at Dulles for 6.5 hours because of a non functioning engine ( I mean, really!?) We were not allowed outside. Luckily the plane was literally empty and all the air hostesses were as chipper as they could be (even though they were going crazy too… we made many friends with them) By the time we departed it was about 5 am, Luca was SO confused to say the least, and slept the whole time we were taxied, but was very unsettled  (do you say that) during the flight… which was 6.5 hours long!!! Do I need to say more? Yes… So obviously we missed our connecting flight, so we had to wait another 3 hours in the Brussels airport (which I have to make a note that Belgium, and its people, and its way of doing things is/are awesome, marco and I want to move there. Maybe.
Anyway we arrive in Venice at 11pm instead of 5pm. Luca, Marco and I were beyond any sort of tiredness. I woke up at 3am shaking and vomiting. Yes I cope with tiredness very drastically, luckily LB didnt wake up, and by the time he did I was feeling fine...
 Luca took about a week to get over jet lag ,okay thats normal, but he would literally want to party at 3 am and Marco and I were NOT having it. I will admit that I would turn on Peppa Pig. I know, I know I'm all against screen time, especially before a year old, but I'm telling you, those nights where SO frickin rough.

On a brighter note, LB and his cutie pie second cousin Emerson

We miss snow. Venice winters SUCK

Play date with Athena

Anyway after he finally stopped waking up to party, Marco and I wanted to do that happy dance because we could actually have an evening to ourselves and watch a movie (like old times) BUUUUT dear lord were we wrong, it just got worse WAY worse. So apparently LB decides to bud another tooth ( I mean seriously could he have better timing) and its not like he doesn't have enough, I still yet have to meet another 8 month old with 8 teeth.  SO The Bean doesn't want to party at 3 am, but want to scream at 11 and 12 and 1 and 2 and 2:30 and 3 and 3:30 and… you get the point, he would wake up for a good week about on an average of 10 times at night. I was dying. I would tell Marco to go sleep in Lucas room because we needed at least one sane person in the morning. That didn't take much convincing, plus he doesn't have boobs. So after his tooth finally broke the gum, we could go through the night with 3 feeds instead of 10 or 11, so we are slowly getting back to normal. The next step is to put is crib in his own room. HA!
In times like these I just have to remind myself that he is a healthy boy and that it will pass. Things could be worse. And during the day he is such a ham, that you forget about the frustrating night.
Oh he also doesn't want to nurse to sleep anymore, at night or during the day, before a nap. During the day he really doesn't even want the boob anymore. I, in a way have to shove it on him because I need him to nurse, or my boobs will explode… I really thought that I was going to be the one to have to wean him off me, but I think it will be the other way around! My goal was around a year old, but my boy seems to be wanting to grow up way faster than I want him!
Lets get to milestones… LB waves,  (or flaps) claps, (but only claps when you sing this weird clapping song in Italian) bops and bounces to any sort of music, even if its elevator music, crawls like a maniac (always in search of a rug or shoe to stuff in his mouth, plays peak-a-boo, (or cu'cu') and picks food up to feed himself (he has become Marco's son… he eats a lot)

I had to… First because my father never cooks and second because well I mean look at him:) Proud to be Swiss and his fondue skills

family cuddles

3 pretty awesome fellas

Shawn and Kayla's wedding

Road trip down south, Panera break, and no we did not give him any

some hotel room in some place on the way to the wedding:)

It's pretty awesome to watch your baby grow and learn right before your eyes, I swear they grow SO FRICKIN FAST!!! I feel like I he will be off to college (or not) the day after tomorrow!
On top of being a full on mamma, I/ we (Marco have been doing some home projects as well like...

curtains I made to cover his changing table and his diaper shelf (Luca is wearing jamies that Marco wore… 33 years ago)

our kitchen floor during the process of re grouting 

AFTER, so fresh and so clean clean

Luca woke up last night with a snotty nose. Could this get any better? Yes, it's raining for a change. Lets have another 2 weeks straight of rain , naw? No, I will NOT complain:) Things really could be worse. Knock on wood. ON THAT NOTE… Happy days to you all and see you next week. I swear.