BLOGYSSEY: Finally Five!

Last Sunday was the 5^th birthday of the youngest member of my Italian family, Beatrice. She had been so excited to turn five that the whole week before she started telling everyone that she was already five years old, not four! This frustrated her big brother Giacomo who always want to do things the right way and thus was adamant that she could not be five until her birthday. Which, of course, is very true! However, Sunday the 3^rd of August did finally arrive and when I saw Beatrice and wished her a happy birthday with a cuddle and a kiss on her check she could not stop smiling.

As per request, I had woken up a little earlier than her so that I could make pancakes as a special birthday breakfast. Once we had a plate piled high, we dug right in spreading a generous portion of Nutella over the golden brown pancake. In no time at all there were chocolate covered fingers and faces and a silence that is only ever heard whilst eating good food. Finally breakfast was finished, the chocolaty mess cleaned up and it was time for presents. Because Beatrice will be starting ballet in September, from her parents she received an entire ballerina set, a tutu, skirt, cardigan, tights and shoes all in a beautiful baby pink. She was so proud of her gift that she out it all on straight away before suddenly becoming too shy to show us any of her twirls. However, as soon as she though nobody was looking she did a sneaking one foot pirouette and a very cute pleased with herself expression crept onto her face. It was then my turn. I pulled out a bag with three individually wrapped presents (though I could have wrapped them together, everyone knows unwrapping is the best part!) She first opened a packet of glittering pink stickers that are able to not only be stuck on paper, but almost anything – including clothes! It was quickly decided that these would decorate her ballet clothes. Once the pink wrapping was pulled from the second gift, she looked up confused. “What?” she asked holding out the box. On the front was a picture of a rag doll, though it was clear that this was not a doll. It was a box. I explained that it was all the bits of material and thread and buttons that would make the rag doll, but we would have to do the sewing ourselves! Once she realised she did not stop asking when we could start sewing! The third and last gift also fitted well with the ballet theme, being cute pink clips that stood out in a beautiful contrast in her dark mahogany hair.

Munching on birthday breakfast pancakes

Opening her make-your-own rag doll

Once all the presents were unwrapped it was already 11:30am and so there was only time to get all ready before heading into the car and off to the Tuscan coast for lunch. Though the weather was not at all as summery as one would expect in early August, it was not raining so when we arrived at the cliff side restaurant it was still possible to sit outside and look out over the vast blue ocean. The lunch itself was delicious, and consisted of a fish platter and mussels for starters followed by pasta and tomato sauce for the kids and absolutely delicious fried fish for Massimo, Filomena and me. The meal was nicely accompanied by a delicate white wine and some scrummy, crusty white bread. Beatrice had insisted on wearing her new ballet clothes out for lunch, and once she had had her fill, she walked onto a clear section of floor and began showing off her twirls for all to see, her shyness left behind and forgotten with the scrunched up wrapping paper in which the gifts had arrived. With full bellies and happy smiles photos were taken and then we were back on the road, heading home. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and not doing too much of anything until the grandparents, uncles and aunt arrived to share Beatrice’s Peppa Pig birthday cake. A perfect end to a lovely day.