Edo and Elena

Friday and Saturday nights brought a welcome change to dinners with my host family. When Mollie and I arrived home on Friday we heard the happy sounds of little children and ventured out into the back garden to discover who they were. It was Elena (8) and Eduardo (6), they aren't related to Marco and Paula but fondly refer to them as Zio and Zia (aunt and uncle) and are close enough to them to have earned a place in a framed picture on Marco and Paula's wall. They were shy at first and wouldn't make eye contact but they quickly warmed up to our attention and were soon reading to us and trying to talk to us in our broken Italian and they with their childish Italian, it should make it easier you think but no, their unclear voices, rapidity of speech and inability to explain things in another way made it more difficult but it didn't matter. Smiles, laughter and games was all it took to become fast friends and a lot of speech wasn't necessary. Dinner was more lively and quite a bit messier, Marco and Paula were so happy to have them there, they love children so much it is really sweet. We said goodnight and hoped to see them again, I really miss having little kids around and I didn't want to say goodbye for too long. Never fear they were there when we arrived the next night and there was no awkwardness at all. They instantly sought us out and were continually putting on a show, their nonna also came for dinner that night and we had a jolly good time. I'm afraid I was not helpful during the dinner because Edo would keep doing silly things and the adults would ask him to stop but I would laugh every time and make funny faces at him which obviously encouraged the behavior but he was so cute how could I not?! We played with them a little after dinner and they were so sad to go and we were sad to say goodbye. Elena told us her school is almost out for the summer and then she can come over more often! I would love that because their parents got home from Paris on Sunday so Marco and Paula don't get to babysit them as much.