This week Micah celebrated his 6th birthday. He had been anticipating this event all year. We tried to keep it small, by Italian standards. Micah has a few very close friends from school and soccer, so we invited them to a meal at Il Cantinone, a restaurant owned by Caterina, the mother of Francesco, one of Micah’s friends from soccer. The restaurant has long been one of our favorite spots in Perugia. The food is superb, reasonably priced, and the service is ‘down-home’ and friendly (TripAdvisor agrees).
In Italy, when kids bring presents to a party, they expect them to be opened right away, so the recipient can acknowledge the gift in person. Thank-you cards aren’t used.
Wrapped in orange… Micah’s favorite
Racing is one of the favorite spectator sports in Italy; toy cars are popular gifts.
We don’t know how we are getting this home.
The thank-yous
The kids settled down to pizza, while we enjoyed antipasti and pasta (their umbricelli alle fave, pecorino, e guanciale croccante is amazing).
Yum
Of course, dolce was a cake, from the tiny but brilliant Panetteria Pasticceria Lepri at: 7, Via Maestà delle Volte:
la torta
The kids couldn’t wait…
After dinner, there’s always dancing…
Everyone was exhausted at the end (of course), but after school the next day, Micah rushed out to try his new scooter (with a break for gelato):
Micah has become effectively fluent in Italian; our challenge is to help him keep this skill, as well as to keep in touch with the friends he has made here. But for now he’s just happy to be six, at last.
Shades of Umbria 
Really like the last photo! I suggest “Italian day” when you return home. One day of the week when you only speak Italian to one another. It would be a shame to loose this great skill!
Happy birthday Micah. Looks like it was a fun. Watch out scooting going down the street downhill from your house-might fly right down the escalator!
Happy Belated, Micah! Looking forward to seeing you all upon your return to Greencastle!