Mumsnet little Italy 5

[francagoestohollywood]

Welcome!

it sounds like it's quite different re breastfeeding attitudes up north compared to Rome. When ds was breastfeeding I found it really noticable that I didn't see anyone else doing it in public. I only did it a few times when ds's screeching made it essential because of this. I felt really self conscious (which I never would have had it been the done thing). I was told by an Italian friend that the only people to do it normally in Rome were the gypsies which I think was her way of saying please don't! On everything else Italy is the most child friendly country ever Lizzer. Oh apart from the changing facilities. But then the bloody toilets for adults are usually so vile that to expect baby changing facilities would be too much. Why oh why do the most beautiful restaurants have 1 crappy toilet for men and women to share which seems to be cleaned weekly!!!!! Or is that just Rome as well?? Anyway I am getting distracted- I end up forgiving changing facilities, breastfeeding experiences etc as it's so lovely taking ds for a walk knowing he is going to have at least 3 people during the course of the walk pinch his cheeks, compliment him and say hello. What a lovely place for a child to grow up

Buongionro, modem in working order for the time being, have wriete quickly as have to unpack, we spent a few days in cambridge which was lovely.
Rosa, sorry about feeling crap, my nausea has pretty much gone, still feel tired and moody, boh! And agree with your cravings. And insisted on a lamb korma last night, really craving a sweet and sour pork dish today, delicious! Also my sleep is disturbed, seem to wake up around 630 every am, really annoying, had it with my first pregnancy, did any of you have it?
Please do get your men to vote, lots of italians here i have spoken to are in the same frame of mind, not wantijng to vote because it is pointless, but surely not seeing mr smarmy face on the telly makes it worth it. Can you bribe your men, offer rewards, withdraw privileges?
Franca, i would find it hard to delegate pick ups to strangers now kids are little, makes it difficult to build a bloody career though...ohhhh bloody kids...Better go, dp has to check his emails..

also, i don't think i have ever seen anyone breastfeeding in the south of Italy..

Ooo thanks for all your replies and friendly welcome I'm quite brave in UK getting my norks out (discreetly) everywhere so i'm glad i won't be frowned upon-yes, i will take a light scarf to cover up and, like you say Rosa, he will be weaning so hopefully going much longer between feeds, but you know what its like when they just need a bit of comfort-a quick bf works a treat...

I do feel very close to Italy now in the sense that we've visited quite frequently in the past 5 yrs. Another close friend of mine lives in very south of the country in Calabria and though we've only visited there once (this time last year-when i realised the real reason i was very late for my period had nothing to do with the flying ) there is such a difference between north and south, its like a different country no? (glad i've missed having to bf down there though hotHELL!)

Rosa-Treviso is such a beautiful town, I'm not sure we'll make it into Venice this year (just too hot, and ds isn't going to get much out of it) We did go to Carnevale there one Feb, we had the most amazing time.. Ikwym about touristy Jesolo -its very Blackpool- but dd (8) loves all the fairground bits and pieces there.

I love, love, love the fact that it is so child friendly everywhere and that lovely way of life that means you can involve the children in evening activities without that UK attitude of 'bedtime at 7' (and secretly I can't wait for everyone to admire ds)

Thanks for the top tips on changing facilities (or lack of them) It is so strange that the toilets are so small, cramped, horrid little places-but i'd swap a uk loo for amazing italian food any day

Well I could go on and on about my love for all things Italian (don't get me started on the Gelato..) but I'd probably bore you all to tears I feel confident now that what i'll be doing is the 'right' thing (and remembering not to order a cappuccino after midday or a sprizz after dinner LOL)

Ok, I'll let you all into a little secret, me and dp are hoping to get married in your wonderful country next year so I'll pop back on here and pick your brains about that one too if that's ok....

Thanks again for all the advice, my 2 friends in Italy (lovely though they are) are both single women who don't have children yet so you don't really notice these things

Lizzer I just happen to know some great wedding planners in Italy !!!
I agree avoid Venice in the heat I do I can't wait to escape to the UK to avoid the humidity and the blasted mozzies !
Hot glad you are sorted ok I am not moody in fact I am more placid as I feel so bad. Today mind you I ate gnocchi and with the ragu I loaded it with chilli dd likes to share my food ( I tend to put new things on my dish and hope she will take them/ try them). She was most miffed when I said better not today !!
Not a hope on Dh ( as for witholding things no chance here I haven't felt much like that either !!). He is insisting that he doesn't agree with any of the policies and seeing as none of them even think about reducing salaries for politicians and thinking about the citizens as a start that when a party makes proposals that he agrees with ( or even partially) he will vote. He is actually quite forceful on this rather unlike him

Guardian says that Veltroni is getting closer to Berlusca, here we hope. You have really put me in the mood for chilly now....

Hot those powder mixes youa dd to ragu are brilliant!!!
I want a spring roll again !!!!

Spring roll???? Will go to the Vietnamese tomorrow......

Noooooooooooo not fair . Last night for the first time in a months I ate some dinner !!!
Franca how was the wedding ??

i'm here!!! dd2 was born the day after i wrote the 3rd. labour was okay, more painful than i remembered and i chickened out and had an epid which was fab. dd2 is another angel, she hasn't cried once vyet and dd1 loives her. i love being a mum this time. hhell don't worry it's great.

went to see the house today... bellissima. will move back friday so you'll have me back!

will text you.

a big to you all.

Congratulazioni! You sound really happy, yupppppieee! Enjoy your dds and your new house, yupppppieee.

Congratulations Pippi Fantastic news
Epidurals great arent they
Can't believe dd2 doesnt cry, what a lovely child! What did she weigh?
Is dd1 really cute with her?

PIPPI congratulations! . We want all the details now! what's her name? what she weighs? how long was the labour, etc etc etc.

Lizzer, congratulations as well on your Italian wedding, we'll be more than happy to be nosey give you tips . I have family in Treviso, and I know how lovely it is there.

The wedding was lovely and on our way there we found a fab trattoria, so basically we have spent the last 24 hrs eating. I'm feeling a bit stuffed now

Have also voted. can you vote from the uk hh? I can't remember whether you are iscritta all'aire or not. Glad to hear the nausea is gone, now we have to wait with rosa for hers to fade away. ciao!

FANTASTIC PIPPI ..Oh I am all emotional how wonderful so glad that you have another angel .. As franca says Pippi get telling us all the details please can't wait to hear it all . so pleased for you.Oh and e mail round a picture when you can .
Hot glad you are feeling better and am hoping to follow suit soon. Off to get the analisi today !!!
Glad you had a good weekend Franca we managed to get caught in the rain twice on Sat dd was fine I got soaked the 2nd time something to do with dh holding the brolly !

Good luck re analisi Rosa, you must be getting towards the end of the nausea (hopefully). How long did yours last in the end hot?
re Franca and lovely wedding food, I love Italian wedding food! So much better than English buffets (although there is always room for a pineapple and cheese cocktail stick in even the more sophisticated feast IMO)
Had someone round this weekend to clean out our garden as me and dp are v non enthusiastic/lazy gardeners. Decided as going to be here for longer we are going to use garden more this year. Previous years we have been held hostage by plagues of mosquitoes. So new rule is, get it cleaned out regularly, falling fruit cleared immediately (bloody mandarini trees which I thought were so lovely at the beginning-now I hate hate hate them, produce a ridiculous amount of inedible fruit and attract mozzies)and want to invest in some mozzie kiiling piece of equipment - like they have in restaurants. Anyone suggest anything/where to buy and come si dice in italiano?

Gio , I didn't know you had a garden. That's quite unusual in Italy . Fil usually has a disinfestante sprayed in June or before the mosquitos lay their eggs. Also has a machine that attracts them and "eats" them. But they live on the first hills of Piemonte which are plagued by zanzare big time. I can ask him the name of the machine. I thought there weren't many zanzare in Rome.

Cab't wait to hear about pippi's very new dd2.

Rosa, good luck with all the tests. ciao!

ooh sounds interesting Franca, could you ask him? Both spray(and best time to do, where to spray, any tips) and machine? Really appreciate it. I forget we have a garden to be honest as we have used it so rarely due to the mozzies. There are a fair few here in Rome, mainly originating from our garden I think . I expect a few living here but it really is awful. Everyone who comes here says oh it can't be that bad, lets sit outside and they they go home looking like they have the plague! It's terrible!.

Yes, I will ask. The spray thing is done by a company I think, as their garden is fairly big. BUT it is toxic and I'm not sure I'd be happy to do it with a little child at home on the day.
I suppose zampironi, citronella candles don't work, have you tried them?. I'll get the name of the machine though
have a look here.
Brangelina might have some eco friendly tips on how to keep zanzare away.

The council here as been doing disinfestazioni for quite a while, is it a done thing in rome?

not to my knowledge, I guess because gardens are rare?!
Citronella does nothing unfortunately, there are too many. So would def be interested in machine name. and any other tips anyone has?

will def ask. I think you can probably find all sorts of devices in garden centers, or places like castorama etc. Alternatively you could plant things that naturally repel insects, but I don't know which they are...

it's started to rain again . feels like a proper english spring...

oh dear

Hi all ok me thinks with analisi a couple of

• but on checking against the previous lot with dd seems similar. Gio re garden I would cut back as much as you can and then if you can take off top layer of soil ( the damp muddy bit) and then shove some more on top new clean stuff . Mozzie lay eggs in damp soil / puddles . The stuff they spray on the gardens is ideal as it kills off the eggs. They used to close the park here for 3 days but the council stopped looking after the welfare of the citizens a while ago now so in the summer we go to the park during the hrs 10.30 - 4 MAX. Think you could get ds a slide and a sand pit ...It will be worth at and yes you are very lucky to have a garden go for it.

rosa, glad the tests look fine.

I feel like crying, a mixture of pmt and the bloody elections.....