The rant...

Okay, so Friday when we arrived in Tuscany everyone pressured me to let Sophia go a few days early, which I later regretted. I think she would have had a great time running around Piazza del Campo and then dancing at the wedding...Everyone said the wedding would be long and not a place for kids, but it wasnt true - the wedding was short and sweet and the dinner was intimate and fun. She would have been tired, but would have had a blast. But I caved because everyone made me feel like I was being selfish and I just wanted to show her off to my friends. Of course I wanted everyone to see her, my friends haven't seen her for such a long time - but that wasn't really why I wanted Sophia to come. And then to add salt to my wounds we made a big mistake....we went to go and see her and the Nonni (grandparents) at the beach. What a nightmare that was! Sophia's grandparents are like Las Vegas - What happens with the Nonni stays with the Nonni, and I don't want to know otherwise!!! Why the hell did we think it was a good idea to go there? we could have gone to another beach....far far far away (i think another galaxy would have been enough distance). Unfortunately we had to witness what really happens when she is with them! I was really good, I didn't say anything when Nonna said that she put sunscreen on Sophia everyday (and I knew it wasnt true, because Sophia was starting to burn a little and I could feel she wasnt greasy and didnt have the occasional white streaks that the sunscreen leaves behind). I didnt say anything when I saw that just after 3 days Sophia had already noticeably put on a few pounds (I dont think she needs to be skinny but I dont want her to be exaggeratedly overfed either). Nor did I mention the fact that her teeth were all covered in plaque and had food particles in them. I did ask about them brushing her teeth and we were told a long story about how she cried and hemmed and hawed every time they tried - and then I noticed that the toothbrush was still in the package. Did I make a fuss about the fact that she never had a hat on when she went in the hot hot sun? Did I even grimace when they actually told me that she wasnt eating any veggies, gave her food off of their plates when she had the same things on her own or mention the fact that deep fried onions and potatoes doesnt count as a serving of fruits and veggies? But I did draw the line at being constantly told that Sophia never cries when she is with them (and to be made out like Max and I are bad parents- not because they never say no). I'm tired of the Nonna saying to Sophia that we are mean and bad people because we let her cry and don't give into everything she wants. I'm fed up with cuddling Sophia for 2 seconds and having her ripped out of my arms because - well only God knows why. And I didnt even explode when we were trying to wait out a temper tantrum and the Nonna kept interrupting - we kept blowing her off - especially for the fact that she kept announcing to everyone around that it wasnt a tantrum, she was just tired (it was still an F'n tantrum - tired or not). I did finally erupt when the Nonna, tired of getting blown off, went to go buy an ice cream and hand it to the kicking and screaming Sophia - making dealing with the public tantrum even more complicated! And I blew up again when Sophia yanked the camera off the table and threw it on the ground because she couldnt have something else she wanted - and the Nonna yelled at us for scolding her! AAAAAAAARGGGGGGGGGG!!!! Friggin Italian NONNI!!!! Well we learned our lesson. I mean its not like stuff like this never happens. We should have known better than to come, next time we are drop kicking Sophia to their house and they can mail her back to us.