For Book's Love

Not too many words today... Mondays evening we are terribly tired, we wish only to go sleeping. The kids were kind of nervous, Runa especially, she took a bad grade in a math competition and she was very emotional. It didn't help Radu and Mara to be calm...

We encourage them to love books as we do, since we know each other and especially in the last few years we had always something to do with the print industry, as is calling us both :).

Radu and Mara here, on a Sunday morning, each of them "reading" his favourite book. Mara is actually reading, and she is not even 5 YO. Yesterday she was sitting in a front of an announcement trying to find out the words' meaning. We love when they do that, it makes us feel that we didn't try for nothing.

Runa and Possibly Mara

We had a hectic weekend with the kids and I remembered how quiet was the house around the Christmas 5 years ago, when Runa drew Mara's name on my big rounded belly...

I am already tired of this early Christmas marketing, with all the commercial Santa's images all over the place, maybe I'm old fashioned but I liked more the times when we started to prepare for winter holidays in December and not in the beginning of November. Now are glitters all over the place and it seems to me that people are less interested in the meaning of Chrismas and being kind with each other but in showing off... is kind of sad.

We took the kids upstairs this afternoon and we prepared boxes with toys to donate and I'd like to prepare some gift boxes like on Meg Duerksen's blog, too.

Today's Pictures

We had a small photo shooting today with David, trying to capture his cute little face at the age of two months.

He's holding his head very strong, but he was not in the mood for smiling too much today.

He already loves soccer balls!

Radu imitated David's pose, he held him in his arms and told us that David is his friend. Forever.

Our godsons: Bogdan, Violeta and little David, is so much love in here, isn't it?

My name is David and I play for F.C. Barcelona! Follow me on my way!

This Moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. {from www.soulemama.com}

Laggo Maggiore

Ten years ago I used to read a lot of motivational literature, and one of the thinks I enjoyed a lot at that time was to make lists. Lists of what I wish, what I want and when. I recently found one of my old lists and most of the points were accomplished.

I wrote there, between some other wishes, that I want to travel a lot and to spend the weekends abroad, when I wish so. I can say now that I don't do it anytime, but I do it quite often.

One of those short trips, a little bit longer than a weekend, was last year in Italy, at Laggo Maggiore. We checked in at Strezza and we visited the surroundings, including the three beautiful islands on the lake: Isola Bella, Isola Madre and Isola Pescadori.

And because one of my web friends, Lola, from Portugal, designed some beautiful wooden beads with peacocks, I remembered that beautiful (and short) trip.

The white peacocks were on Isola Bella, with its Italianate Garden and Palazzo Boromeo. Isn't it majestic?

On Isola Pescadori we found more rustic views, flowers, boats and even a bicycle. The street were narrow and covered with stones, I presume the bicycle was useless from the beginning.

Isola Bella

Isolla Bella's rose garden is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen.

We ate at the red restaurant in the right on Isola Pescadori, fish wonderfully cooked and (of course) italian ice cream.

On an island are boats, isn't it? The views were breathtaking, the mountaintops far away were covered in snow in May.

On Orta Lake (close to Laggo Magiore) San Julio Island has some very picturesque buildings...

Santa Catarina, a monastery built on the stone, you can reach only by boat...

Santa Ana, a very old monastery and an antique Roman bridge...

On my actual list is a stop on Scala di Milano opera show next year. Who's in?

Happy Birthday, Tamara!

Since we have kids, we have a very rich "social life", plenty of children parties all the time. Yesterday was Tamara's aniversary, she is 4 years old, a cute little lady. She loves Hello Kitty, Snow White and her the i-pod.

She celebrated in Kiddy Land, a big play house for kids, in the same place as her brother Andu.

Radu, Runa and their friend Daria were gliding together very happy.

Catalin whispering something sweet to his wife, Otilia.

Radu whispering something sweet to a pretty little lady. Good pupil, isn't it?

Otilia and Daria, two beautiful girls.

Mara, holding the baloons in her favorite colors. She loves so much the pink dress I brought from US... is wearing it almost every day!

I tried to make some collages on my computer, but then I rememberd photovisi.com and used it. Much better and easier!

My kids enjoying the party...

The boys' team!

David

The Godfathers are the child's spiritual parents says the tradition, so we took this duty very seriously. David is our first boy we baptized, before him we went to the church to baptize only girls. The Godfathers need to bring for their Godchild new clothes, a big embellished candle, and a white fabric to catch the child in it when the priest takes him out of the holy water.

David was very quiet during the religious service, he cried a little bit when the priest took him out of the water.

Runa was sitting next to us the whole time, listening carefully to the priests.

Violeta and Bogdan, the parents, were terribly excited by the event, they sat just behind me, ready to take over if I would make some "mistakes" :). God, they really watched us very close. David was much more relaxed, his only concern was to poop in his pants. Twice. He'll be a very lucky boy, isn't it?

There were three priests reading the Bible and from some other religious books, here I read the Creed.

We were very happy to be Godparents of such a sweet child as David and such nice parents as Bogdan and Violeta. My only regret was that we didn't have a chorus in the church... but we had plenty of music later, at the huge party from Majestic Hotel, on Victoriei Boulevard.

A Different Baby Shower

The second day after the baby is Christened is a tradition here for the Godmother to give baby a bath. She wishes to the baby all the best things in life and washes him in front of the whole family. For my kids is such a pleasure to be in the center of the events!

You have to clean the baby in a tub full with pretty things, to wish him a beautiful life: flower petals - to be pretty, sugar - to have a pleasant character, rice - for wealth, gold - to not lead to leak of anything, and so on...

Violeta, the mother, prepared the mixture, and my girls poured it into the water, getting ready for David's bath, while I was holding him in my arms. That was before, I didn't know whom I'm dealing with :).

Mara helped me to wash David, sitting next to the small tub, in bed, and washing him all over the body.

Yeah, I'm kind of skilled in washing little babies, can you believe I'm doing that quite often?

Despite my well prepared hands, David cried during the bath, because he doesn't like to lay on the back.

Violeta was so anxious about David crying, so she couldn't wait to take him faster in a huge towel and comforting him a little bit.

But it wasn't over, the Godmother has to give him a good massage with the oil from the church. During the Christening, this oil stays with the baby things, being said that the child will be protected by evil if you use it after. We call it MIR.

Radu and Runa helped me with the massage, distracting David and trying to entertain him. Well, it didn't work, as you can see :).

Runa was so focused on David wellbeing, so she forgot to put the tongue back in her mouth!

Radu was very curious, he was sitting next to us trying to put his little hands on everything we touched. When he finally reached the oil, he poured some of it on the floor, in the attempt to use it on his own hands.

Now is ready and finally quiet, Runa is very proud of being a little Godmother, too.

So, I let her entrusting David to Violeta, saying the usual mantra for this situation: "You gave me a pagan, I give you a Christian!"

Tough day

Today was Tamara's birthday (I'm her godmother) and David's baptising (I'm his godmother too)! Here Tamara was trying to catch the red baloon...

This is me at Tamara's party :)

Radu driving a brand new car...

Runa in the attempt to imitate her sister's style of posing...

Our godsons Bogdan and Violeta and their little son we baptised today, David Alexandru.

The fate fairies, a nice surprise from the parents...

The fate fairies and David's family...

DAVID

My son, Radu

Mara

Two happy parents, Bogdan and Violeta

Pretty Runa

Is almost 4 A.M. and we just arrived home from the last party. I will be back tomorrow with some really nice pictures.

God, that was a loooong day!