Tronk's Second Birthday - Il Secondo Tronkleanno

A posting on Tronk's second birthday has been in my mind for days. Instead, I have been singing "buon compleanno", I have been drinking Aperol Spritz, eating the remaining aperitive snacks and found ways to finish the left over cakes, including "grande tutu'", the huge Lightning McQueen shaped cake brought over by tata Pina, without giving it to Tronk for dinner.

Tronk: "Mangiamo torta cena?" (Are we eating cake for dinner tonight?)
Me: "No, torta no. Pappa per cena, non torta!" (People eat a cooked meal for dinner, not cake!)

So, how was Tronk's second birthday? John said it was a rousing success, mainly because of my idea of creating a playground in our back yard with food, drinks, toys, "tanti tutu'" (and a lot of work on our part!)

John spent five hours grocery shopping (no wonder, purchasing "ham" alone, the kind that you buy in Italy at every grocery store, here takes a special trip to Russo's!). I had to order special cake toppers online to avoid having to pay the bakery store an extra 100 bucks for having a simple car appear on the frosting of the cake, instead of the default light blue flowers. I had to sort out other things that you might think you don't need for a two year old child's birthday but the day before the party you think you do!! (e.g. would you not bother getting citronella bracelets to keep the bugs away from your little guests on your child's special day?). Then there was the preparation of the snacks and a bit of cooking but this is little compared to what John had to do to create Tronk's "PlayLand" (as one of our friends called it). John had to clean everything in the yard with a pressure sprayer, then anchor the play-set onto the ground, build a wooden ladder, replace the nails and other work that only John could explain in details. All I know is that work in the yard did not end until the day of Tronk's birthday (see "to do list" below).

To Do List For Saturday:

• Set gazebo in the yard with table for snacks
• Hang personalized banner
• Finish play-set work, replace the nails on play-set and the wooden pole that is falling down
• Cut chain of swing that is too long
• Pump air into balloons and attach balloons on gate, on play-set and on gazebo
• Put super glue in joints of fire truck
• Remove stone from Igloo tent
• Blow air in large pool and put 6 bags of balls in it
• Remove water from the small pool
• Clean table and chairs and place them in shaded area. Put children's chairs next to them.
• Put cars themed table cloth, plates, glasses, forks, tissues and gifts bags on dinner table
• Get Ice Bag and put it in the cooler outside
• Bring aperitivo drinks, glasses, and snacks on table under the gazebo
• Add balloons to the string that holds the play-set as a safety measure
• Add toys (balls, yoga ball, mini cars they can get into, tricycle, basket ball kit, sand table, cars mat in tent, a couple of big trucks, small cars, drawing table with two white sheets - just in case there are two many artists - and a couple of drawings for older kids to color with crayons)
• Get extension cable from the basement and attach stereo with children music next to the tent
• Prepare a nice collection of Italian and English kids' songs on CD.
• Bring stereo and CDs bag in the yard
• Bring musical instruments for kids to play with.

This was the last-minute list of things to do and it doesn't include food.

Husband: "No shit, we won't do it again!"
Me: "Don't worry, if we do this again we'll make things easier on us. I promise!" (to be reviewed next year)

So, John and I are still trying to recover from the work we have done, while Tronk is still trying to recover from his late night partying. Since the day of his birthday,  he has not gone to bed before 9-10 pm, almost every day.  Last night, he was playing in bed for almost half an hour after I put him to bed! What can I do? He tells me that he is two now! You can watch the video here.

He is two indeed. He is growing up lightning fast. Only a year ago he was attached to my breasts, he could not walk and he could only say "mamma" and "dada" (see posting I wrote last year). Now, one year later, not only he can claim the stairs of daddy's play-set, he can also follow me and do other things I ask him to do (but not in the potty), he can run away from me - he did it many times! -, he can eat by himself, go on the big boy swing and, when he has a need for it, he can even challenge your opinions.

Yesterday, at the playground:
"Pizia? No, pizia no. Non e' pizia mamma. Anza! Anza! E' anza!"
Translation:
"Police? No, this is not the police car. This is the ambulance, mom! It's the ambulance, I know!"
The car in front of us was an ambulance car, not a police car.

Today, while we were having lunch:
[sound of someone mowing the lawn in the background]
"C'e' uomo? Taglia erba uomo? Taglia erba?? [TRONK'S LOST LOOK FOLLOWED BY SILENCE] Non mangia uomo?"
Translation: 
Is there a man mowing the lawn? Is he really? Is that man NOT having lunch?
Is he not hungry at this time?"
Good question, aha.