Wild child

We had a great weekend at the beach with three days of glorious weather. Here is Dylan with his cousin Luana and friend Sara (remember her from the beach last year when Dylan was her "favourite" boy?) eating popsicles. After spending a weekend with Dylan and a variety of different kids, I've come to the conclusion that mine is the wildest one on the block. There were a few kids about Dylan's age in our group, and I observed that they all a) sat in high chairs/on their parents' laps at meal times b) wore their sun hats and sunglasses with no protest c) did not try to run away at every turn d) did not try to jump fearlessly into the pools and e) rarely threw temper tantrums when they didn't get their way. Either these other kids were all on their best behavior all weekend, or my kid is an extreme specimen. All of the other parents kept commenting on how "spirited" and "bright" Dylan was, which sounds complimentary but in parentspeak means "Thank God my kid is not that out-of-control and demanding!" Because I only have experience as Dylan's mother and not as the mother of some mellow kid who sits quietly at the table with his pacifier playing with plastic bottle caps for the entire three-hour lunch (as one angelic 18-month-old in our party did), for me running after Dylan and not actually sitting down to eat is the norm. Dylan has never taken a pacifier, and has never been easily "pacified" in any situation. What can I say? We love him like this!

P.S. Gratuitous Italian star stalking of the weekend: Andrea Boccelli goes to our same beach club (free beaches in Italy are few and far between and you have to pay for facilities). Big whoop!

P.P.S. I ran a 7K on Sunday and "won" for my nationality, though then again, I was the only American who participated! I did not take home the big prosciutto ham prize. Bad timing in terms of offering ham as a prize, but the event was partially sponsored by a big Parma ham company.