The second playdate..

The day started with two excited kids running into the living room, asking "is today the day that Luca and Isabella are coming over?". We had been anticipating this day all week! Since there was no school, "the other Isabella's" mom (Heidi) and I decided to share the day at our house, as we live near three parks. Izzy decided that we needed to make the group (Heidi has three kids, two boys 8 and 5 and one girl, 3) banana bread, and she wanted to learn how. So we learned how to make banana bread, and we successfully made a little loaf! It was quite yummy.....

Then, shortly after the successful banana bread, the three kids and mom descended on our house! Poor Max scared the middle boy, Luca, and had to be sequestered in mommy's office. Max was so excited to see the kids that he ran around with them, and of course (doggie sense) he could tell that Luca was scared. So, to soothe Luca, Max ran over to give him a hug....scaring him more. So, poor Max ended up in the office.

After running around, dumping all of the toys out, finding the most annoying toy (thank you grandma for the loud, shooting alien weapon!), we had lunch. Imagine two moms trying to get 5 kids to eat something healthy....foccocia, procuitto, salami, cucumbers, strawberries, melon and juice...and what did the kids want to eat? Peanut butter on white bread....

Off to the park after lunch, we successfully made it across the Appia Antica without any kids falling prey to the speeding cars. We showed our new friends both playgrounds, played, and played, and then all but the oldest cried the whole way home. Izzy had an unfortunate run-in with an ant hill that ended in tears, but we dried the tears and killed the ants (sorry!). Upon arrival at our home, we shared our lovely Hello Kitty popsicles and Vampire popsicles with our friends.

For me, it was great. Heidi, aka the kids mom, is Peruvian married to a Swiss man who works for one of the large hotel chains. THey move every 3-4 years, so she is well versed in the expatriate mom life. It was great to get advise and share thoughts with someone who has done this before and will continue to move! They moved to Rome from Dubai in Jan, so have been here about as long as we have. From this fun playdate we now have ballet lessons for Izzy and swimming for both kids, and weekly playdates in the summer! Lovely....