Well time has flown by, we have had our first week in Italy and it feels like we have managed to pack so much into it without trying.

Luca has improved hugely since his visit to the hospital, he is back to his cheeky smiley self and even seems to be getting back onto a decent programme with sleeping. It was pretty touch and go there if I would keep my sanity while he was waking every 2 hours, and I had already had getting close to a week with such broken sleep. (It felt just like having a newborn but louder and more demanding).  As Luca has improved we savoured our first swim in the Mediterranean, which was absolute bliss, Luca entertained the locals with his pebble sucking and spitting routine. We then recovered from our strenuous activity with an aperitif on the promenade afterwards.

This was after we swam in from our boat you can see behind us

We have been on a couple of trips to the nearest town Savona and enjoyed a walk about the old town, played in the playground on the promenade and visited a couple of home ware stores with Gabby and Matteo. This is a dangerous activity as I spend the whole time wondering how much baggage allowance Justin has, and how much I can sneak into his bike boxes without him noticing. (Not much I suspect).

No chance of sneaking this car into the luggage.

One thing I can’t get enough of is the fruit and vegetables here, now I am a big advocate for growing your own but the gardens aren’t quite ready to produce their goods yet. The quality of the fruit even from the tiny store in the village is incredible, I would say I have eaten some of the best peaches and strawberries ever. The ultimate has been the cherries from the garden these are ready for eating, and they are amazing. There is nothing better than sun ripened fruit picked straight from the tree.

A rear breed of New Zealand/Italian cherry picker at work.

Luca has been doing a great job at refining his climbing skills, I was doing the dishes this morning and turned around to see him pushing the step ladder across the floor, up to the cupboard and then proceeding to climb up both steps and attempt to make a coffee. Now even for Italy with their liberal approach to child rearing, I do believe that 11 months is a little young to be starting the day with an espresso. After taking him down from the bench he then pushed it to the window and made a bid for freedom. But why wouldn’t you with a view like that calling you.

We are moving into our apartment this week so Gabby and Matteo can have their home returned to some sense of normality. Off on a mission this morning to get some bits and pieces for the house and a few toys for the little boy wonder. Currently his favourite toys that we have here are a bike pump, his pushchair to climb in and out of continually for about an hour and the stairs. I’m sure we can do a little better than that, although Justin will be happy if he is trained in pumping tyres.