Be forewarned. This is a highly unyogic post.
Doesn’t Clara look happy at the Trevi Fountain?
I cannot begin to tell you about my morning. Being Veteran’s Day, my husband has the day off. We decided to go and buy me a cell phone so I have a phone number for my calling cards .
Oh sweet lord.
It all started out innocent enough. We decided to walk through Villa Borghese heading downtown and take a bus to return home. A few cappuccinos and croissants later and we arrived downtown.
As soon as we arrived in the Centro, I was instantly on guard. Walking is a defensive sport here with motorinos and cars paying exactly zero attention to pedestrians. When walking with a toddler, it is just plain tiring, because you are always having to watch out for cars that may not see your child, or, even people walking who may not see a child and knock her/him over. Also, you might have a sidewalk and then, poof, it vanishes, and you are walking in the street.
So, once we arrived at the cell phone store, I thought it would be pretty fast.
WHAT was I thinking??
We waited for about 30 minutes and then we decided to go get lunch. When we got back to the store, they STILL hadn’t called our number!! But, as luck would have it, we were NEXT! Really good fortune right there, I tell you. So, Erick is negotiating with the cell phone guy and Clara decides to spread herself out on the stairs and roll around. Did I mention how dirty the stairs were? I think I heard an audible intake of breath from every adult in that place who saw her lick the floor. Yes, I said lick. the. floor. Her hands, sweater, and mouth were BLACK when I dragged her off the floor.
Then, she pooped. No, she is NOT potty trained and NO, there was no bathroom in which to change her diaper. So, after an internal pep talk in which I told myself I was never going to see these people again, I plopped down and changed her diaper on that filthy floor in the waiting area of the cell phone store. Oh, the looks I got. It was beyond brilliant. Truly.
Thank god at that point Erick was done and I had a phone. Whew. Mission accomplished. We made our way to the Trevi Fountain and enjoyed the view for about 2 minutes while being accosted by gypsies trying to hawk their junk. The fountain is beautiful, by the way….
We found the bus stop, which was a little island between two very busy lanes of traffic. Clara *really* wanted to jump on and off the curb into traffic, so we physically restrained her and she started screaming. Ahhh, the bus arrived. Clara loves the bus. We all enjoyed the peace and quiet of the bus ride, but the bus was really full by the time we got to our stop. Erick picked Clara up to get her off the bus (hear the screaming??) and then I couldn’t get off the bus with the stroller because Italians do not move.
I ended up ramming the stroller into a very dapper gentleman who refused to budge. He said something rude and I elbowed him on the way off the bus. Now THAT was satisfying.
So, it’s a bit frustrating. Italians do truly love children, but it is abundantly clear to me why Italians have such a low birth rate. You don’t see children in restaurants or out hardly at all. So, in order to have children you have to isolate yourself, it seems to me. It is so very sad. The answer to Clara when we are out is almost always, “No.” It breaks my heart. I want to go places with her, but the reality of Rome doesn’t support it. I hate to say it, but I can’t wait for her to be in school because it is so hard to be out with her and at least in school, I know she will have fun and play and get the yeses I can’t give her when we are out. It’s terrible, but true.
So, onward and upward. I will see Rome when Clara is in school. And weekends will find us outside of the city where hopefully, I can find ample opportunities to say YES to my sweet girl.
Be forewarned. This is a highly unyogic post.
Doesn’t Clara look happy at the Trevi Fountain?
I cannot begin to tell you about my morning. Being Veteran’s Day, my husband has the day off. We decided to go and buy me a cell phone so I have a phone number for my calling cards .
Oh sweet lord.
It all started out innocent enough. We decided to walk through Villa Borghese heading downtown and take a bus to return home. A few cappuccinos and croissants later and we arrived downtown.
As soon as we arrived in the Centro, I was instantly on guard. Walking is a defensive sport here with motorinos and cars paying exactly zero attention to pedestrians. When walking with a toddler, it is just plain tiring, because you are always having to watch out for cars that may not see your child, or, even people walking who may not see a child and knock her/him over. Also, you might have a sidewalk and then, poof, it vanishes, and you are walking in the street.
So, once we arrived at the cell phone store, I thought it would be pretty fast.
WHAT was I thinking??
We waited for about 30 minutes and then we decided to go get lunch. When we got back to the store, they STILL hadn’t called our number!! But, as luck would have it, we were NEXT! Really good fortune right there, I tell you. So, Erick is negotiating with the cell phone guy and Clara decides to spread herself out on the stairs and roll around. Did I mention how dirty the stairs were? I think I heard an audible intake of breath from every adult in that place who saw her lick the floor. Yes, I said lick. the. floor. Her hands, sweater, and mouth were BLACK when I dragged her off the floor.
Then, she pooped. No, she is NOT potty trained and NO, there was no bathroom in which to change her diaper. So, after an internal pep talk in which I told myself I was never going to see these people again, I plopped down and changed her diaper on that filthy floor in the waiting area of the cell phone store. Oh, the looks I got. It was beyond brilliant. Truly.
Thank god at that point Erick was done and I had a phone. Whew. Mission accomplished. We made our way to the Trevi Fountain and enjoyed the view for about 2 minutes while being accosted by gypsies trying to hawk their junk. The fountain is beautiful, by the way….
We found the bus stop, which was a little island between two very busy lanes of traffic. Clara *really* wanted to jump on and off the curb into traffic, so we physically restrained her and she started screaming. Ahhh, the bus arrived. Clara loves the bus. We all enjoyed the peace and quiet of the bus ride, but the bus was really full by the time we got to our stop. Erick picked Clara up to get her off the bus (hear the screaming??) and then I couldn’t get off the bus with the stroller because Italians do not move.
I ended up ramming the stroller into a very dapper gentleman who refused to budge. He said something rude and I elbowed him on the way off the bus. Now THAT was satisfying.
So, it’s a bit frustrating. Italians do truly love children, but it is abundantly clear to me why Italians have such a low birth rate. You don’t see children in restaurants or out hardly at all. So, in order to have children you have to isolate yourself, it seems to me. It is so very sad. The answer to Clara when we are out is almost always, “No.” It breaks my heart. I want to go places with her, but the reality of Rome doesn’t support it. I hate to say it, but I can’t wait for her to be in school because it is so hard to be out with her and at least in school, I know she will have fun and play and get the yeses I can’t give her when we are out. It’s terrible, but true.
So, onward and upward. I will see Rome when Clara is in school. And weekends will find us outside of the city where hopefully, I can find ample opportunities to say YES to my sweet girl.