Up to the minute

We took these pictures tonight after a great and very full Sunday which included a long walk through the beautiful and picturesque countryside surrounding Florence. There are already daffodills and crocuses blooming in the meadows. Spring can't be far from Florence...

Another reason for celebration--Eva has outgrown most of her preemie clothes! This new newborn-size outfit was a gift from our friend Kristin and gives Eva a very Renaissance-Florentine air.

Mamma

Cutie

Eva at the monastery

An interesting chapter in the Adventures of Eva...Since Christmas, we've been going to mass every Sunday with a religious community called the Monastic Fraternity of Jerusalem. Last week the brothers invited us to stay for lunch with them after mass. To our surprise, we found ourselves eating in silence (except for the choral music playing), admonished by a very severe-looking painting of St. Benedict on the wall--he was brandishing a large stick and underneath him was written SILENTIUM.

However, the silence was broken after the meal and we thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the brothers over coffee and chocolate. Pierre-Emmanuel especially took to Eva.

Getting bigger

Note the Superman hovering above the earth pose :)

Mamma

Eva's first friend

Eva and I both made new friends recently--a lovely mom named Clara and her daughter Elena.

I know it's hard to get a feel for how small Eva is compared to other babies, so this picture may help, though it doesn't do either baby justice. Elena is actually the same age as Eva--about 3 1/2 months--but she was born at term. !!!

Mamma

More with Mamma and Babbo

Staying in

Going out

You can take the girl out of Michigan...

Thanks to my mom for bringing this small reminder of home to Eva...

Notice how full her cheeks are getting. She weighed in today at 3.15 kilo, which is 6 lb 15 oz!!! That means she's gained about 1 oz/day since she's been home--right on track for a healthy newborn. Our little mangione continues to live up to her nickname!