"We will all at some time in our lives, fall. Life is so very fragile, we are all vulnerable, and we will all at some point in our lives, fall, we will all fall.We must carry this in our hearts, that what we have is special, that it can be taken from us, and that when it is taken from us, we will be tested. We will be tested to our very souls. We will all be tested.It is these times, it is this pain, that allows us to look inside ourselves."

The New Arrival

Born 20 November 2008 - Andrew Clinton Magherini

Rainy Daze

Rainy days and Mondays always get me down- so it is pouring down raining in Florence this evening. I, of course, was hoping for one last weekend at the beach- but alas this is not to be...however, it is good as my very dirty car is being washed at the moment. So, what's up with you - nothing, what's up with you??? Have been watching lots of movies lately and reading books (that's what happens when your toddler stays at grandparents for the week!!) I just watched Keeping up with the Steins about this 13 year old boy who's parents are planning his Bar Mitzvah- I had NO IDEA that it was such a HUNORMOUS event. I mean I gave it the Catholic equivalent of a first communion but apparently it is a much bigger deal in terms of the "festivities" afterwards. Anyway this movie was quite good and had a nice cast- Jeremy Piven (who I love- PCU), Jamie Gertz (who I haven't seen since Less than Zero) and Darryl Hannah...nice mix. I liked it and even got a bit teary- but I think that is due to the pregnancy hormones and Madison starting "big boy school" next Monday. And of course this morning- one of my newer faves- BLADES OF GLORY with Will Ferrell and Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite)- super funny ice skating flick...check it out...I really want to see the new Ben Stiller film- my sister is already praising it. So this weekend will probably be pretty relaxed- I have relatives in from Atlanta tomorrow for dinner and not much else going on...will let you all know on Monday

Rainy days and Mondays always get me down- so it is pouring down raining in Florence this evening. I, of course, was hoping for one last weekend at the beach- but alas this is not to be...however, it is good as my very dirty car is being washed at the moment. So, what's up with you - nothing, what's up with you??? Have been watching lots of movies lately and reading books (that's what happens when your toddler stays at grandparents for the week!!) I just watched Keeping up with the Steins about this 13 year old boy who's parents are planning his Bar Mitzvah- I had NO IDEA that it was such a HUNORMOUS event. I mean I gave it the Catholic equivalent of a first communion but apparently it is a much bigger deal in terms of the "festivities" afterwards. Anyway this movie was quite good and had a nice cast- Jeremy Piven (who I love- PCU), Jamie Gertz (who I haven't seen since Less than Zero) and Darryl Hannah...nice mix. I liked it and even got a bit teary- but I think that is due to the pregnancy hormones and Madison starting "big boy school" next Monday. And of course this morning- one of my newer faves- BLADES OF GLORY with Will Ferrell and Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite)- super funny ice skating flick...check it out...I really want to see the new Ben Stiller film- my sister is already praising it. So this weekend will probably be pretty relaxed- I have relatives in from Atlanta tomorrow for dinner and not much else going on...will let you all know on Monday

Help me find a name for my baby NEMO

Here is the latest list (not in preferential order)

Mackenzie
Leland
Liam *
Riley
Miles
Nicolas
Allistair

Please vote your favorite name please....

Friday August 30, 2008

So what can I say-- August flew by and now summer is almost over (despite the weather conditions). I am hoping that I will have the energy to take Madison to the beach tomorrow, but I am not sure as my energy level is fading these days. Although if it is that or be annoyed keeping him indoors and out of his bedroom (that looks like Beirut in the 80's) then I might have to buck up. I found a hotel for about 100 euro for the night, but together with beach fees, dinner and lunch out, gas etc I am sure I would spend at least 250 euro (almost 400 bucks you Americans) for 2 days on the beach and I am not sure if that is in the budget these days. I will see tomorrow how I feel. On the baby side I am not 27 weeks..11 weeks to blast off...and feeling relatively fine. Meaning, I am irritable and bulky but on the medical side I am doing well except for my (thank goodness) low blood pressure- tonight I am planning on taking Madison to see Kung Fu Panda and am super excited about it-although it will be in Italian and not English - oh well hopefully it is dubbed well....Rock out...

TGIF ...

Ok- so I am at work and have lots of time to kill...it is 6.30 in the p.m. and I am ready to be outta here. So I had a doctors appointment this morning and baby #2 is coming along nicely...we are now at 22 weeks and tooting right along fine. That's good to here...makes me happy. Baby (shall I say "big boy" ) is at the grandparents tonight as mommy has scheduled a massage for tomorrow morning and babbo (daddy in eye-talian) has lots on the agenda tomorrow- I shall be joining them and the redneck pool tomorrow around lunchtime...I am not completely worthless!. I would really like to have some "adult time" (not what you are thinking) tonight- meaning go to the movies or something but my guess is we I will probably just collapse in the bed and read a book. I actually have to hop over to the ole Paperback Exchange (my previous employer) to pick up some beach reading for our vacation---YEAH!! we are leaving next Saturday for a week on the beach....I am planning on doing lots of nothing- relaxing at the beach, swimming in the ocean/pool-whichever strikes my fancy, eating lots of fish, and basically taking it easy- I am pretty good at taking it easy- it is a learned behaviour that however seems inherent in most Italians- they are experts in taking it easy. You think southerners are slow....you have no idea. You have not seen slow until you ask an Italian to do something-take my word for it. Enough about that....whatelse is going on with me these days?????? Hmmm....have been eating lots of ham and cheese sandwiches, I need to go to the store and buy mustard and ketchup though because we are out..I have taught Alessandro to love mustard and pickles- he never ate either one before he met me...think how much he was missing out on...come to think of it before that glorious fall of '96 when we met he had never eaten Chinese food! Much less Sushi or Indian...pointless to mention Cajun - which he of course loves. His most favorite breakfast item are my mamma's drop biscuits and grits...he still can't like French Toast (but I love him anyway) but pretty much devours pancakes...Madison is very into eating cookies and "splashing it" in milk in the morning. This is pretty interesting- my son as he is bilingual has a pretty unusual way of talking...I have to admit my coloquial speech and jargon from Baton Rouge probably doesn't help...but he pretty much puts and -ing and it after every verb...example
Wook mamma, Madison is walking it--(translation-Look Mamma, Madison is walking)
Wook mamma, Madison is singing it (Look Mamma, Madison is singing)
Wook mamma, Madison is dancing it...etc etc

And of course I don't correct him at all because I think it is cute...the strange things he says in Italian would not be particularly interesting for the majority of people who read this site as they probably wouldn't understand, but basically he used to (because he doesn't so much anymore) put the emphasis on the wrong sa-llyble...
Examples....
Ma-cchina
Gee-lato
Here again he was not corrected because his babbo thought it was cute.....recently though mostly he asks me if "baby is kicking it?"