Week 4 & 1/2 in Italy: dog food, ferry ride and Sardinia!

Apologies that I am a few days late in publishing an entry.  I normally try to write on Sundays but this past one we were on our way to catch an overnight ferry to Sardegna/Sardinia.  We are here now and despite two raining, windy days, we are enjoying the beach!
Here are some scenes from our last few days....

Maria and Gio spend a lot of time together on her play mat.
 I can always tell he has been there when I find all of her toys in one corner.
Fortunately Maria does not mind Gio's hoarding tendencies.   

Here he has generously left her with one Duplo block.  
She made due (or is that "made do"??  I really have no idea!)  

Recently Maria discovered Enzo's bowl.  

She was very pleased to find it was stuffed with pasta wheels.  

5 seconds after this shot she dumped the entire bowl.  

Off to pick up Gio at camp. 

At camp pickup Maria loves to watch the beach volley ball.
She is quite a flirt. 

If you look very carefully you can see Gio playing in the sand to the left of the net.  Explaining his new fondness for the shirtless look, "That's how all the big boys dress, Mama!"

The famous Gio butt crack.

When she finds the bowl only filled with kibble she likes to take each piece out one by one and then put them back in.  

Very proud of her work!

Riding a mechanical horse before we drive to Livorno to catch our ferry.

11PM and time to board the ferry at last.  

Someone was so excited he kept us up much of the night.  That was fun. 

7 hours of sleep was not enough for this little girl.  So once back in the car.....

First day, first swim.

Drive back from the beach and conked.  This vacation stuff is exhausting! 

How Gio gets through a rainy afternoon while his sister naps....
Italian cartoons, strawberry popsicle and a thumb!

Rather than focusing on the traditional milestones of walking and talking,
Maria has mastered multi-tasking!   

Can you guess Maria's favorite food?  These were the remains of one breakfast!

Today, after weeks of prodding, I finally convinced Gio to allow me to wash his Big Tom.
He stood vigil at the machine for the entire cycle.
Happy to report the boy and his dog are  reunited (and now only one needs a bath!)