Druridge bay

Today after an abortive trip to seaton delaval hall, we changed plan and went to Druridge Bay. We got there on the coastal route and stopped at Newbiggin by the Sea for some fish and chips. Then we stopped again further up for a coffee where I was laughing so much at daddy that the shop lady said my laugh was infectious. I went on the beach with daddy and watched some horses gallop up and down the beach. We found some nice shells so I had a chew on those. At Druridge bay we explored the sand dunes and looked out to sea and I made lots of happy noises. On the way home, daddy played hide and seek with my monkey puppet and I continued to giggle.
I was ready for a crawl by the time I got home and set my targets high - I managed to climb right to the top of the stairs for the first time chasing some keys!
Unsurprisingly I went to bed with very little resistance today!
Night night everyone!

Heritage Week

I'm going to make it a week in pictures because I am really busy creating chaos, crawling and trying to break things so don't have time to blog! It has been Heritage Open Week this week (free museums) so mummy made sure we got our cultural money's worth!

Chloe visited and while her and mummy gossiped away, they occasionally got round to taking me places. The best bit was definitely Segedunum where there is a Roman fort in Wallsend as well as a recreated bath house. Mummy called it 'cool!', Chloe kindly humoured her, and I fell asleep in my pram. It was a good lunch though in the cafe (cheese sandwiches)! We also went for a walk along from Whitley Bay to Tynemouth. All that sea air made us need a nap at the end!

Weeeeeee!

On Saturday, we went for a bike ride to Earsdon. Thank you to Uncle Jamie and Auntie Sue for the bike seat. I loved it and spent the whole time watching the wheels go round on daddy's bike (and trying to put my fingers down the back of mummy's trousers). I also got a trip to the park out of this. By the time I got back I was very tired yet again!

Phew! All that peddling tired me out!

The best was yet to come when on Sunday we went to the George Stephenson railway museum and got to go on a steam train for free!! It was so much fun and I even made friends with the Engine driver!

Estate in Italia!

Hello bloggers!

Sorry it has taken me so long to get round to this. Too busy having fun. anyway I better update you first on my two lovely weekends in Italy with my Nonno and Nonna.

We flew to Geneva this time, adding to my long list of international cities (London, Paris, Milan - almost!). There we met with Dominique and her husband, and her two children Anouk and Oscar. We had great fun on Geneva lake beach where I spent a while eating pebbles until a concerned French man told mum. Mum and dad ate a really good fish thing at the bar on the beach and then we said a sad goodbye to our hostess Dominique and headed through the mountains via train to Domodossola.

When we arrived in Rovesca at last, who should be there but my little cousin Sara and uncle Fabio! This time I really loved Sara and wanted to do everything she did. That included eating sandwiches!

That looks good..

Sara was a great friend through the holiday and sat and played with me a lot, even though I sometimes climbed all over the place and she had to keep putting me back on the rug.

Peekaboo!

They got the message!

I also liked to watch her while we ate dinner. It seems the grown ups like eating a lot since I spent a big part of the holiday in my high chair.  Here I am eating Nonna Assunta and Zia Rita's hand picked blueberries. They were really good, both fresh and in jammy form!

Nonna Assunta managed to cpnvince me to eat from a spoon with a little gentle persuasion. I especially enjoyed my morning biscotti (Plasmon) with milk and since we've been back in England mummy had to scour the shops to find these for breakfast, as well as my little pasta stars (stelline!) yum yum!!

After eating so many blueberries, it only seemed right that we go and explore for the real thing. Here I am with daddy and Nonno on a blueberry hunt at the dam! We did quite a bit of walking but not as much as Nonna Assunta and Zia Rita who went to an undisclosed location to find the best blueberries. They came back with some very juicy ones which we all demolished for dinner that night! I mainly ate mine on the walk around unfortunately!

Zia Ines and Sylvana in their garden

 Now that I was eating so much food, mummy and daddy decided to leave me in the capable hand of the Nonni while they went on a mountain climb with their friend GianPaolo. I had a great day with all the family and friends of Rovesca, eating yogurt and sleeping in the swing chair (Dondola) at Zia Ines' house, until 6pm when I decided mummy should really be back by now so I cried until 7pm when they finally decided to turn up!

While I was here I got to see lots of the traditions of Rovesca, like the costumes, the candlelit procession of San Lorenzo, the San Lorenzo Mass (I fell asleep!) and some beautiful fireworks. Even though it was late and I was tired, I watched the fireworks quietly while daddy covered up my ears.

Traditional dancing?

Mummy's idea!

Making hay while the sun shines

Rovesca still does lots of things the traditonal way. We saw a lady gathering the hay on they day we were leaving, and Zia Rita even rescued a little calf who had fallen down the hill into the pipework!






Before we knew it, it was Ferragosto and my second cousins, Stefania, Giuliana and Mara came to visit with her boyfriend Rui. We had some great food cooked by Nonno Vittorio and Nonna Assunta and I talked a lot through the dinner! Ba ba ba ba ba!

Mara and Rui visit

Of course holidays wouldn't be the same without walking. And we did lots and lots of that - to compensate for the eating. Here we are on yet another walk in the mountains:

We didn't just walk though. There were plenty of chances to be at one with nature. I had lots of crawls in the field, as well as a dip in the lake Antrona (don't tell Nonna!)

Buon Compleanno Nonna!

While we were out in Italy, it was also Nonna Assunta's very special 70th birthday! Sara made Nonna Assunta a special card and Zia Luisella came to visit too and brought a special cake! Here is Nonna with her grandchildren:













Sadly we had to say goodbye and I waved goodbye to my nonni at the station by banging on the window which did break mummy's heart! See you very soon though when I hopefully come out to Alba for the truffle festival!