I’m pretty sure we are living, breathing ugly Americans here. We had so much luggage we could barely cram it into a large van, and when one of our rooms wasn’t ready, we unloaded everything, including the stroller with the baby in it, into a 10×5′ space – and I may be overstating it.

Excuse me, you’re sitting on my…oops, sorry! Could I just sneak behind you…dad, could you hand me…?!

It was a bad comedy routine. Still, the hotel is lovely, and mom and dad’s view is right on the water. Gorgeous! So we eventually struck out in search of food and coffee. Florence was full of sunshine, and while the cafe owner yelled,

Americans ordering lunch!

when we went up to the counter, we got to people watch and sip our coffees in one of the most picturesque cities I’ve ever seen.

I’m judgy: I decided within an hour or so whether or not a city has potential, by which I mean,

Could I live here, or is this a digest and move on experience?

Florence oozes potential. I’m already planning on coming back. But for now, we’re diving in. Slowly.

Coffee and strolling melted into Tess melting down at 5 – a giant, masterful destruction of parents that made us weep for the poor slobs walking outside our window, and shudder at the thought of our hotel neighbors. We got her calmed down just in time for dinner, and figured she’d be asleep by the time we got there. Well, after many wrong turns, she was out – and we were I’m one of the most delightful spots ever! Fun and interesting food, charming waiters who helped me carry the stroller without blinking, neighboring tables who would surreptitiously coo at the baby (although we definitely had the only stroller on the streets by then!) and fabulous company. Let’s just say the wine at dinner made my ringing ears sing, and the rusty nails we had in the hotel lobby after made Dave snore. 🙂

So there we are, enjoying Florence and adult conversation. Suddenly, Dave looks worried and says he needs to take Tess up. We forgot the ear infection medicine gives her diarrhea for 10 days along with a cure. Super. I followed him at midnight, and marveled at our ability to stay up so late our first night – all of us! Suddenly, my ears were assailed by the siren wail of angry Tess. Dave didn’t sleep on the flight over, so at this point he just disintegrated into his pillow. Tess wailed nonstop until 2am.

Tess figured out how to clap in Italy! Does that mean she likes it here?