I told Pitcht that it was time to go pick up his brother and he brought over a tractor and put it under the stroller! When I say, "a tavola" he usually goes to his high chair. He is such a darling, such a little sweetheart. He now sleeps through the night....finally, at age 14.5 months...so we are all starting to catch some more winks!

Pitcht likes to feed me and when he hands me something he says, "there!" I guess his first word was da-da and then he said "ma-ma" the day before Mother's Day for the very first time! What a gift. But because Frunty calls me by my first name, Pitcht is no longer calling me "ma-ma". He pushes around his little push-toy which is still our number one favourite toy ever and this morning, Frunty was pushing it around too.

Daddy took Frunty on his business trip to Paris yesterday and they enjoyed the Eiffel tower and a pasta lunch. One of the other highlights was taking the Thalys there and back. Frunty called from on top of the Eiffel tower and was so excited to tell me what he could see! I stayed home with Pitcht and took the day to tidy up and re-group after a weekend of partying...actually, a few weeks of parties what with the birthdays, the going away lunches/dinners and the soccer game fetes as well.

Hope you're all having fun and nonni, please phone or email!

June has been an incredibly busy month. We started off by going to a cousin's wedding near Torino at the beginning of the month. We flew into Bergamot for 74 cents and had a few wonderful days around Lago di Como staying in Bellagio. Gotta go, that's it for now!

Pit loves poking belly buttons, making funny faces, pinching his own nose, throwing his head back and now sticking out his tongue. He claps his hands and still slaps things to make sounds. He sleeps on Daddy's shoulder during the night. He still sucks his bottom lip especially when getting upset. He still pulls his brother's hair when play fighting and especially loves pillow fights on the bed. Pit has 7 visible teeth and a few more just poking through. This is his eleventh month update. He kisses and hugs and is a joy. Finally, Pit, for whatever reasons, cannot handle the car. We are thinking he feels car sick because when Daddy goes around a corner or speeds up or down or makes any kind of change, the screaming gets worse. Maybe when he is forward facing, he will feel better, at least we hope so.

We have had a very busy and fun couple of weeks with two sets of visitors from Canada. L and B were here for a few nights and then J and family arrived with our precious God daughter, H. They came one day earlier which meant that we could all go out for dinner near the Grande Place! The following day, on the way to the train station, we stopped at a couple of chocolate shops as well and then Daddy drove L and B the rest of the way to Gare du Midi so that they could continue their European adventure.

J and I were fortunate to enjoy an evening out as well as a lunch date and tons of great chats. We took the kids to a play date at A's as his Mom set it up prior to her trip to Africa. We also took them to a birthday party at our Scottish friends' home. Sightseeing downtown, visit to Brugges and just hanging around our home with the kids playing in the garden were all highlights. Our last night's dinner was hilarious and will "go down in history"!

This past weekend we went to Quickos upon request where we bumped into Frunty's school mate and his family and so we all ate lunch together and it was fun. On Sunday we took the kids to Chez Leon for lunch downtown followed by old tram museum ride to Tervueren and finally, after three years, visited the African museum. It was interesting. The best part is always watching the kids in these situations and seeing what they get a kick out of. Frunty put his ticket on an air vent and watched it fly up into the air "like a helicopter" over and over. Pit thought this was funny too. Frunty put a tiny sea horse into a flashlight back home and when Pit opened it, the sea horse flew out. That got a lot of chuckles! They played that over and over again.

Pit has a new name which is "Geluk" pronounced "Hu-look" but said very quickly by Frunty. We don't know where F keeps getting these nick names but they are really cute.

Updates: Frunty has now used the big toilette three times and we are thrilled that the diaper stage is finished! I read him nursery rhymes and that does the trick. No diaper at night still means some clothing changes throughout the night. Last night he didn't complain of being cold so that probably means he is dry!

As for Geluk, he is doing really funny faces more and more and throwing his head back when he wants to be dramatic. He sometimes puts his teeth together during the funny face. He has now stood up twice without holding onto anything. Once with Grampa, the first time, and once two days ago. He likes walking behind the "Locopouss" and still just hangs around mostly in the Jolly Jumper but at least doesn't scream anymore while in it. Car trips are still mostly avoided due to a very unhappy baby. We have the dvd player ready for really tricky parts.

This weekend is a four day holiday due to a "bridge" and we want to go somewhere but not with the car. But then with luggage and dog on train and all the rest of our kit and kaboodle, the car may be easier. We shall see. On the 31st we leave for the wedding in Italia of our cousin, E! We got plane tickets for 74 cents. They were originally 14 cents but we weren't sure at that time if we would go. If you don't believe these crazy prices, check out www.ryanair.com Can't wait til they fly to Canada!

Yesterday I ran the second annual Brussels Breast Cancer 10K run in Tervueren, dedicating the race to my friend in remission, C, the mom of Frunty's friend at school who also lives on our street. Despite her "angoisses", as she puts it, C is seemingly strong and inspiringly positive.

I ran the race last year while 8 months pregnant and was really happy when a woman came up to me and recognized me as the pregnant runner. I pointed to sleeping, baby "Pitcht" and Daddy took a picture of us in front of the massage tent where I had just finished a pre-race treatment. (heaven, except I felt kind of sleepy for a bit!) I definitely felt lighter this year and didn't have to nip into the forest even once during the race! I also shaved 20 min. off of my time, completely in about one hour and 3 minutes! This is thanks to hooking up with Tracey, from the States, who kept me going at a "good klip" as she referred to it. The conversation was interesting and the time went by quickly and without her, I am sure I would have been way at the back again, "smurfing along" as Daddy puts it. But I knew that we wanted to get to Uncle M's bbq as soon as possible, as they were waiting for me, and so I really pushed myself. Bottom line, I can run that fast, for 10K, just didn't know it.

I only decided to run the race the day of...I thought I'd wake up in the morning and see how I felt. I ran a short run the day before and felt fine. This is after a one month hiatus due to terrible sinusitis, traveling and both feet with cuts from the ocean rocks. Although I still had some cracks, they didn't bother me too much during the run. Now I am hobbling a bit this morning as the cracks re-opened but it was well worth it to participate in a really nice, low-key event, full of great spirit. I am surprised that my muscles don't hurt, they are just a bit tight especially going down the stairs!

Pitcht slept through the race (Bellyfete means, by the way, in French "funny foot"!) and Frunty collected snails, one of which was taken to Uncle M's, released into the wild (a log pile) but found again, by Frunty, just before leaving and now lives on our back porch temporarily, in a beautiful little home. The bbq was silly and the boys were great, as usual...we really can bring them anywhere and the day is now starting so I have to run! That one month break, by the way, from running was the longest since 2003 only beating the three weeks after the birth of Pitcht. I feel renewed energy though and interest in the sport and so it was worth a break for that reason alone.

Pet is now "Pit", according to Frunty and he also says, "Pitch", which doesn't sound as good when you might hear something else instead. So we encourage the "Pit". I actually prefer "Pet" but what can you do?!

We are finally enjoying some summer weather. It seems that Brussels skipped spring this year. Frunty goes to the school in the mornings as usual and is preparing for his school's "spectacle" this Saturday. According to friends, he does get up on stage during rehearsal and dance. Whether he gets up on stage on Saturday, dressed as an eel, will be an entirely different story! I can tell you this...NO PRESSURE. We will gently encourage him but if he doesn't want to grab his partner, the snake's, arm in a strange and slippery reptile jig, fine with us! It's all too much!!!! The whole school thing was supposed to be for fun and to learn French, not to be terrorized!

Pit loves to hug his brother in the morning and coos with joy, watches everything with hawk eyes and is such a sweet, little bunny. Daddy holds the shape ball while Pit puts each shape into its appropriate slot which he started doing a couple of days ago. Four teeth are almost all in on the top and three on the bottom. He is just exhausted from many interrupted sleeps.

Daddy has taken over the night shift and I couldn't be more grateful. There is the midnight cuddle followed by the early morning drink of baby soya milk, just a little. Pit loves all kinds of foods, mostly what we eat, and I continue to cook everything without salt or other spices. Keeping it simple is best for them and Daddy and I can jazz up our plates at the table.

After we pick up Frunty from school (Daddy still drops him off) we either go directly to the park to play/have picnic lunch or come home for lunch and then afterwards, we enjoy a play date here or at someone's home, go to the park, or relax with crafts or even just play. The boys play really well together and although they have started arguing a bit!, Frunty is great at remembering to get his brother another toy to placate him.

Since Gramma and Grampa just left on Monday and friends are due here next week, I need to catch up on laundry and prepare some meals for the freezer so that when they get here, we can relax and enjoy their company. It is hard to stay on top of everything and I choose a messy house and time with my children at the park or dancing or goofing around. I also got a stack of magazines to try to go through and deliver to various doctors' offices as well as travel brochures to research future trips. Pit is asleep right now and I have some errands. This seems more like a group letter today but I am jsut trying to give a quick update. Hope whoever is reading this is doing great too!