Mumsnet Little Italy 4

[Rosa]

Ciao - Everybody Welcome.

"I used to get really worried in the second trimestre, and started to relax at around 34 weeks" exactly the same here.

Hhell during first trimester I hated being pg too, now it's okay although I do not love it. I much more prefer being my normal self. I cannot even say I like it because of 'boobs' like other might do as they are just the right size normally, now I look/feel like a cow!

Am I the only idiot that manages to get the wrong exits on roundabouts on motorway and ends up adding 20 miles to their journey?????

hhell the grand designhouse wasn;t bad yesterday was it?

re strep b, wouldn't private gyne do it? should I be scared to know how much it costs?

Pippi thanks for the offer re the Chicco, really appreciated but am still holding out for a maclaren as def want a recliner. Have been recommended a place outside Rome so going on the hunt this weekend (thanks for offer re pricing up as well Franca).
Pippi my speciality is missing exits off motorways and adding 20 mins to my journey by having to travel to next exit.
Buon San Valentino tutte by the way

oh no gio I didn't mean to give you my cr*y dirty flimsey chicco, I meant I could buy you one here and take it down with me. let me know.

i loved my first pregnancy from what i remember, not the first few weeks though. this is endless, feel very depressed and the weather doesn't help. che palle.
i liked the grand design house, i really liked the woman actually, liked her kitchen and the room with all those books, swoon.

hhell yes dh and i commented as well how nice she was and yes THAT room, with all the books and the view...ahhhh that'd be my dream study.

Pippi - strep B is done externally, in a centro diagnostico or a hospital, the gynae doesn't do it. At least not here, anyway. I could do pap test at the consultorio but not the strep B. Same thing with my colleague who had a private gynae. Don't know how much it costs privately, I had to pay something like 13 or 18 euros for the ticket with the ssn, maybe it's not much more privately. Apparently it costs £28 in the UK to get it done privately, so maybe we're talking about 30/35 euros here.

Lol at missing exits. One of the reasons I don't drive anymore is that I could never read road signs in time and always missed the turn offs and ended up on motorways for hours. Here in Italy it's worse as the cartelli are often about 3cm before the exit, none of the 300m warning like you get in the UK. I would probably never get off the tangenziale.

Hhell, coraggio, try to be positive (easy for me to say, I know). It'll all be over soon, tieni duro.

Oh quite cheap in the uk as well, good. don't know why I thought it was going to be millions. good. see what I can do when in pg if not I'll do it privately when come back. thanks for info bran.

booked my ticket, yuppie. wedn I am off. poor dh stuck with the dust and the cold.

It's gorgeous weather here, seems like spring is already on the way. I'm sure it will be lovely in pg. I do love Umbria .

Hello everybody I moved to Milan about 6 months ago with dh and now 18 month old twins. I saw a post from Mandybagpuss asking if anyone had toddlers for playdates and she also has twins! I thought great coincidence but I am trying here in case she posts here as someone advised her to post here. I think maybe I am desperate as I would LOVE to meet another mum here with twins (my Italian is also quite bad at the moment) and for my twins to get a chance to meet other kids. Sorry to butt in but when I read her post I thought hurrah and dont want to miss a chance to link up.

Hi Abena , I remember seeing your post when you were going to move over here . Hope its all going ok . I have not seen Mandybagpuss on here to be honest but Franca lives in Milan she has just moved back there. She is having problems with her internet connection at the moment but I am sure she will be back soon .
I am sure she could help you with anything going on in that area for little ones . I must say I am a bit stuck with my dd almost 2 on things to do compared to teh Uk . But there seems mor eon offer when they get bigger!

yes I love it here but as you say there arent many things to do such as mother and baby groups and anyway my Itallian is very beginner though that would be a way to learn faster! I feel sorry for my two always with me doing the same thing but I suppose at least they have each other to play with. Thanks for replying!

Hi Abena, welcome! I empathise with what you said re feeling sorry for dc's being with you all the time doing the same thing. I often think that with ds, it must be very dull being with me all the time . Reinforces that when I see how excited he gets whenever anyone else comes round!
Well we have had an eventful few days. DS has the trots so we have got through about a zillion nappies. Then today he fell over, chipped his front tooth and now looks like a boxer! The amount of blood from his mouth was unreal , like something out of a horror movie! And dp's reaction, "ma lui cade troppo con te" !!!!!!!!!!!!
Gorgeous weather in Rome too today, pg will be lovely!

Gio I hoep you replied ..Well he spends more time with me so it is probable !!! Dh never said but he implied that when dd fell off teh sofa and broke her collar bone it was my fault !!
Abena I am sure Franca will be able to help so don't be a stranger on here and we can whinge about Uk vs Italy ( am quite good about that !)
Cold cold here this morning as in stay at home with hot chocolate and a good film cold. Sun seems to have come out this pm but am not yet convinced if we will go out later !!

if he wasn't for my dh dd will be in a golden padded cage at all times.

Got a maclaren, am v excited!!!!!!!!!!!
Io Bimbo finally got them in stock. ?185 (bit high for second buggy but was the only one I was told would be ok til 18-20 kilos and since DS is already nearly 13 at 16 months.... he's inherited his Dad's height-he's not fat honest!-well maybe a bit cuddly ). Anyway I have transferred the buggy snuggle and closed the peg perego up, felt quite emotional, it only seems like yesterday I was putting it together before ds was born, so many lovely memories....(I am way too nostalgic).
DS been in foul mood all day as he is following una dieta for 48 hours to clear his bottom issues up. So no latte, just camomile, fette biscottate, riso in bianco with oil, no parmesan all of which he has coped with but has kicked off re his dinner- a disgusting boiled potato, carrot and boiled chicken liquidised horror that the pedatrician told me to give him. He had 2 spoons before smacking the spoon away and ended up in tears. This is the child who eats everything so must be vile. Hasnt had any problems bottom wise all pm so am really tempted to give him milk-is that really bad of me? I shouldn't should I (selfishly imagining ds waking up during the night due to hunger and wanting to prevent it)
Pippi I would have said that to dp yesterday had I not slammed down the phone on him 2 secs before! He had him this afternoon for 2 hours when I went to get the buggy and an hour and half in had a frantic phone demanding to know where I was and saying ds had gone mad, crying etc and demanding food so DP had given him 2 bananas! (the only fruit he is allowed on the diet) and he had already had one this morning-poor kid will probably be constipated now! God knows how dp would cope if he had him all the time!

Hi Abena, I remember you (I think). Aren't you the one with the hubby who teaches at SJH? How's it going? Have you settled in OK?

Gio, Glad you found the buggy. Completely understand about the pangs of nostalgia. DD hardly ever uses her buggy nowadays and prefers to walk, and I'm very at the prospect of putting it away for good.

Yuk at that concoction the paed advised. IME most paediatricians have no idea about food and nutrition but always have these secret recipes up their sleeves that their mothers probably subjected them to. When DD had a squitty bot we also had lots of rice (also in the form of risotto, just use veg stock or I suppose chicken stock will be OK too), carrots, banana and raw apple(perché stringe, unlike cooked apple, which makes you go). Also good were mashed/boiled/baked potatoes, pasta in bianco con un filo d'olio and porridge made with water. Very boring I know but better than the potato and boiled chicken puree. If he hasn't been squitty for a day then just start introducing proper food gradually but maybe go easy on the dairy for a day or 2 more.

Lol at your DH coping with your DS. Mine used to have to pick DD up from nursery as he got home before I did. If I dared to stay in the office for 5 mins more than I was supposed to I'd get an irate phone call telling me to come home straight away as it was crazy. And to think that DD is really quite docile, lord knows what he'd have done if she was a tearaway. Luckily now that she's older he doesn't mind at all, although he still gets the shivers if I mention having to travel for work.

Hi Brangelina, yes its me with the hubby at SJH. Yes we've been in Milan for about 6 months now and can just about speak Italian in the shops and also to people on the stret asking about my twins! Thats it although I have lessons once a week at my dh's school. I have really noticed how people love children here because we cant go out without every other person coming up and speaking to us (me and the twins) but when we went back to England for Christmas holidays NO ONE ever said a word to me about my twins. What IS that? I really like Italy.

When dd gets tummy problems it takes me ages to get her back to liking rice again. As she likes risotto I tend to do what Brangelina does and make it soggy with chicken stock if I have time and I am a good mum then I make my own !!!! But I hate the smell of boiled meat !
185 for the buggy ! BUt If it will last. DD likes her Peg better than the Inglesina I think as it is more roomy but to e honest I cant lug it over the bridges any more as it is too heavy with her as well. I was looking round at other buggies to try and see a lightweight roomy one if you know what I mean.
Abena yes Italy is a child friendly place and don't be surprised if strangers ask you about their diet , toys if they talk , walk, run etc ! Well done with learning the language in 6 mths are you in the centre of Milan? Have you made any other mum friends yet ?

These are nutters but now I want to do the same..

Ciao a tutte...
guess what? we are now CONNECTED!!! aleeeeeeeee!

Gio, I hope your ds is feeling better (lol at the concoction, it is actually what I make when the dc are unwell, it's called: il riso dei malati here).

Abena, we moved back to Milan right before Xmas, though no twins here, mine are 5.5 and 3.5 and are at nursery until 4 o'clock. I'm actually quite surprised at the number of things to do with small children here in Milan, but obviously you need to speak Italian, however I did find out that there is an english speaking toddlers' group: www.momstotsmilan.com/here.
Also there is a benvenuto club in Milan for expats that organizes different activities, including ... nights out [shock.
there is also an English bookshop nr via ariosto, I haven't been yet, but I was wondering whether it could be a meet9ing point for english speaker... where about roughly do you live?

ciao rosa! what's it like in Venice? it's freezing here!

HHell, I want to know everything about loc loc loc in devon. why ddidn't they sell my house???

Ciao Brangelina,
yes I wanted to go to the 'momstots' and actually went to have a look at how to get there one Sunday (with dh) but I dont drive and have a double buggy which would be difficult on the metro alone as our metro Cimiano has lots of steps and the one at San Ambroglio where the group is has ALOT of steps going out. It just seemed quite difficult for me to do it alone although I know people might help but I would feel bad as the steps are VERY HIGH!
Anyway I am going to try and get my two into an asilo nido and please tell me that I am right about the start date for signing up being MARCH in Milan. I am wondering how we are going to get all that sorted out with rubbish Italian. Beaurocracy in a foreign language. Oh dear.
Sorry I have another question, anyone in Milan. On Friday I have a job interview and noone to look after the twins. Does anyone know of a 'nanny' agency or babysitter where you can just call someone to come over for a few hours? We cant afford nannies but this is an emergency and of course we dont have family to turn to. I have a friend in England who works for an agency where she goes and babysits for people on a night out etc. Do they have that here?
SORRY so many queries but its fantastic to have a specific place on Mumsnet for Italy and someone who actually lives in Milan! Thanks.
By the way we live near Cimiano metro and not far from Parco Lambro. Where are you Brangelina?

SORRY FOR 'Brangelina' read FRANCA!!! I dont have a brain left.

Brangelina have you lost the plot?? Or go on confess you are a secret Zecchino d'oro fan .
Franca hurrah you are connected thats great stuff so its all go now ! Still now news on your house I take it then ??
Abena I feel for you and steps as I have to do quite a few here but normally in blocks of 6 or 6 - up and down . It will be a bug**r with adouble buggy . I can do some front wards and others I have to spin and pull it up and down. The Jane twin buggy is better for steps ( according to my friend but she has 1 small one and one 2 yr old)
In veneto its January that you have to register for Asilo Nido ( for the September term)But Franca / Brang will be able to let you know more.
Bed time for dd gotta go .....

I am a zecchino d'oro fan !!!

Rosa, no the house in Exeter hasn't sold yet . It is very nice, I really hope that someone will fall in love with it, sooner or later... (sooner maybe ).

Abena, yes, the month for signing up is MARCH. You will probably have to ring a "numero verde" to book an appointment where you will sign up (silly Italian bureaucracy emoticon). I have just done it to sign up dd to scuola materna (it's january for scuola materna). Do you need any help?
We don't live close at all (our nearest tube station is either Missori or Porta Genova), but I'm pretty free given that my dc are at nursery.
Yes, navigating the steps with a double buggy is a nightmare, however there's always someone who'll help . well that was 20 yrs ago...

I don't know much about babysitting services, as we have just moved back, will try and google. Have you tried on the Benvenuto club website, if I remember well there is a list of useful numbers, it might include babysitting...

For the nido Abena, you will also need a certificazione ISee (which you'll need to get more points to get the place), which you'll get at certain addresses, everything is explained in the comune di Milano website, but again it's in Italian, but I can translate it for you.

Franca thanks so much for your help. It is possible to do some things in crap Italian 9ie doctors appointments, shopping etc) but this asilo nido thing is a bit beyond me. I would appreciate any help. I just want to know what the procedure is excatly and I have looked on the comune di Milano website but I am not getting the exact picture.
The other complication is that we want to move to Cernusco sul naviglio most probably or somewhere not so central Milan (in August) but do you need to have an exact address to sign up? Sorry to be so dumb. A translation would be very helpful if you have the time. Thanks so much!!
By the way what is a certificazione ISee?
I looked on Metro map and you are not so far away BUT with a double buggy, again!!!??
Thanks