A Day in the Gardens

Gorgeous Weather- check. Lazy Sunday afternoon- check. Ready to go out on a family excursion- check! Both Michael and Claire had a four day weekend at the end of April. We really didn't ask why- instead we just enjoyed it. At the beginning of the month, Damien and I tried to decide if we wanted to do something big with that weekend, or just stay near home and enjoy ourselves. We looked at going to Disneyland, but after realizing that we would have to spend $2000+ to spend 12 hours in the car with our three kiddos and thoroughly exhaust ourselves, we decided to put it on the back burner. So, a long weekend at home was in store for us!!

There is this fabulous non-profit theme park less than an hour south of us that we have enjoyed for the past few years. It used to be called Bonfante Gardens, but has since changed it's name to Gilroy Gardens. The theme park is designed to educate guests and to foster a greater appreciation for the environment and horticulture. It has about 40 rides, a water play area, educational exhibits, and is all surrounded by beautifully lush and gorgeous foliage. There are really interesting trees, flowers, and bushes that make you forget that you are at a theme park and instead help you to relax and just enjoy the day (while the kids have a blast!).

The kids had an absolute ball! We went from ride to ride without any arguing and really had a great time. Matthew enjoyed all the rides as this was really his first time at a theme park. The kids rode roller coasters, merry-go-rounds, and ran through the various water play areas. All this with 85 degree weather. It was seriously perfect.

One great thing that was new for us at the park was realizing that Michael and Claire are now old enough to go on rides together without us. Take for example the Garlic Bulb Ride (The town of Gilroy is the garlic capital of the world). Basically this ride is just like the Teacup ride at Disneyland. It spins and spins and spins and neither Damien nor I had any interest in going on it. So, Michael and Claire went along and spun and spun and Damien and I smiled. A new milestone for us as parents. Getting to choose what rides we go on! All in all, the day was wonderful. We topped if off by stopping by Straw Hat Pizza (a blast from the past) on the way back and casually drove home feeling really good. We have season passes there and are looking forward to spending a few more hot spring/summer days enjoying time as a family.

Memories- Like The Corner of My Mind

So- sometimes the most significant moments or memories of a trip don't take place during the big events. Sometimes what makes you laugh 'til you can't breathe or is just plain fascinating is what happens when you are doing nothing at all. For instance, we had a laughing fit watching people drink from these glasses at my Mom's house. It was funny when people knew they were drinking from them- but even funnier when they didn't know it. Damien fell victim to the 'cup trick' and it was hilarious!

Next on the agenda was Matthew's first ever big mess. Yes folks- my sweet little boy dumped an entire box of cereal onto the floor. And the most brilliant part about it was that he didn't alert us to his mess- instead he ate his breakfast off the floor in peace and quiet. That is until Claire freaked out when she saw the disaster! In my house, the cereals are all up high. But in my Mom's pantry (where Kyle and Matthew play a lot) they are on shelves that are within reach of our little distructos. I personally thought it was funny because Matthew (up to this point) really hasn't gotten into a lot of trouble. Maybe he is just saving up until he turns two!

Matthew and Kyle had a lot of fun together. It has been so fun to watch them interact over the past fifteen months. Matthew has always been lagging behind, but he is 3 1/2 months younger. This trip they were more on the same playing field. Matthew was able to hold his own (a little bit) but Kyle still runs the show. It is so fun to see them together- especially when they are up to no good!

This picture cracks me up! It of me and my sister Gina (who we affectionately call The Ween) sandwiching Matthew's cheeks between our own. Poor guy. He was probably minding his own business when we came along! This picture is so surreal when I look at Gina and my coloring as compared to Matthew's. I would have never in a million years have thought that I was going to have a blond baby. While I didn't expect it- I do love it. He is my little guy!

The last picture is of my dear sis, Claire. After Damien and Michael headed back to California, I did a lot of fun things with my Mom, Dad, and sisters. One afternoon, we went to this amazing park not far from my Mom's house. We walked around the trail and then Claire wanted to touch the water. She looked so beautiful perched on the ledge. Such a big girl! Makes me wonder where the time has gone.

P.S. If you don't get the title reference- you need to watch the movie Big again.

Laura- The Soccer Princess!

Laura is an awesome soccer player. She is also a great basketball star! We were lucky enough to be in town when Laura had a Special Olympics soccer tournament. Of course, it did fall on the morning of Michael's birthday- but nevertheless, we wouldn't have missed it! She was so happy to have everyone out there supporting her and we were equally as glad to be able to see her kick some serious butt! She did great! Michael and Claire cheered her on from the sidelines and Laura did some extra fancy moves to impress them!

One thing I loved about the way Laura played in her game was that she would get the soccer ball and dribble it the whole length of the field and then pass to a teammate. She is incredible! She had one great shot on goal, but missed it by a few inches. Needless to say the Sacco Girls were screaming like crazy at her goal scoring opportunity. She hustled, tried her very best, and made us all so proud! You go girl! Because her team did so great, they qualified for State. We will be rooting you on Laura! You can do it!!!!! P.S. You are the best Auntie in the Whole World (don't tell anyone!)

Goose Wears Shoes!

At about 14 months, Matthew started walking. He took his first step in the very beginning of March and by the end of the month- he was on his way! I had figured this was the course that Matthew would take to being fully mobile. He is a pretty conservative little guy. In other words, he is not one of those children that will just walk down a flight of stairs or try and crawl off the bed. He usually checks out his surroundings before he makes a decision and for this- I am truly grateful. Being that he is the third child, I don't watch him as diligently as I did my other two. Any conservative attempts made by him are just fine by me!

By the time we went up to see my family for Michael's birthday weekend, Matthew was happily walking around. At that point, he could take about 7 or 8 steps before he fell on his little bottom. I hadn't bought him shoes yet because I knew that it was best for kids to learn to walk barefoot. But being that Matthew is now totally interested in getting down from my arms and walking no matter the environment, I thought it best if we invested in a good pair of shoes.

My Mom suggested we go to the Stride Rite in the mall to get him some new shoes. Her treat- she insisted. Thanks MOM (and Dad, too)!!!!!! We found this great pair that would be perfect for the California climate. They have bottoms like a tennis shoe, but are open like a sport sandal. They can get wet and they velcro closed so I can adjust them as his foot gets bigger. He measured a 6 wide (which we had to laugh at as we have always thought he had skinny feet. I guess we were wrong!).

As soon as the woman at the store put them on Matthew, he felt super cool. He wanted to walk alone and was actually really coordinated with them on. The funny part- though, is that he tried to run in them. He would start out slow and then start booking . . . and eventually bite the dust. It was really cute and just another little reminder that this sweet chubby guy is getting bigger and bigger. I better hold on for the ride!

Party All The Time

I couldn't be happier to be at the tail-end of party-palooza. We arrived at my parents house on Thursday and settled in and just hung out as a family. I of course ADORE this but the party was in the back of my mind and I knew I had to get organized. We always have a great turn out with my family. Because they are such good sports, we decided to encourage people to wear disguises to the birthday party.

The birthday party featured a picture of Michael wearing a mustache he got at a candy store. He is so unfazed by people staring at him when he wears it. Instead, Michael is able to completely dead pan and just act like nothing is happening. We encouraged people to wear disguises to the party to go along with the 'Spy' theme. The winners of the disguise portion of the party were my Grandma and my Dad's brother- Bob's family. They were awesome! Such enthusiasm and creativity! We loved it!!!!!

The party went really well. We opted to have a barbecue (despite the fact that it did snow on his party day . . . mind you it was April!). The food was delicious and we all had a great time. Downstairs in my Dad's movie room, we had the movie Spy Kids playing and the bigger kids loved it! The rest of us just sat around and enjoyed each other's company. When it came time to open presents, we were all anxious to
see Michael's reaction to Gina's gift. It was by far the biggest present out there and we were all in on the joke. See- Gina bought Michael the DVD Big with Tom Hanks. Gina did the whole 'box after box' gag and Michael had never seen that before. There was all this anticipation for him to get to the smallest box which was seriously under 15 over boxes. We kept telling him it was really 'big' and he kept tearing open box after box. When he finally reached the DVD- he wasn't happy at all. I think he said, 'I thought it was big!' and we all said, 'It is!'. All the build up and Gina might as well have given him some socks!

The funniest part of this story was when I was driving Damien and Michael to the airport the next afternoon (Claire, Matthew, and I stayed a few days longer). I asked him if he liked Gina's present. 'You mean the adult movie?'. He didn't make the connection that the movie he loves (which is Big) was the movie Gina gave him. I explained that the movie she gave him is the one where Josh Baskin makes a wish to a Zoltar machine to be Big. Michael thought about it and then perked up. Then he started screaming!!! 'You mean the one with the giant piano in the toy store?', Michael asked. I told him yes and he went absolutely nuts. With all the build up to Gina's gift, he really didn't look to see what DVD it was! Anyway, Gina was relieved to hear the story later that evening. We had a great trip and it was so nice to see everyone! And after it was all said and done, Michael's birthday season finally came to an end.

20 Energetic Kindergarteners

So, yesterday was the big family/friend party at our house. We kind of had to change things up a bit this year because Michael is at a place where he actually has school aged friends. Having a party in preschool or even before that is purely driven by the parents. But now that Michael has a big group of buddies- he had some definite ideas of how his first-ever class party would go!

We started the party at Round Table Pizza in Willow Glen. Damien and I wanted to have the party somewhere where the boys would actually eat the food (what little boy doesn't like pizza?) and where they could run around and have fun without causing a scene! We were expecting 20 boys and were thrilled that Heather was able to help us corral the boys and make sure that we kept track of each and every kid with a sugar high! They had an absolute ball and actually did really well. Basically- there was no drama! They ate a lot of pizza, opened gifts, played video games, and then had cake.

After all the hoopla at Round Table, we asked the boys to all hold hands so that we could cross the street safely to go to Powell's Sweet Shoppe (which was across the street). This was the only part of the birthday party that made me nervous. But with Damien manning the front of the pack, me in the middle, and Heather at the end- we made it in one piece! It was funny to see the boy's reactions as they crossed the street and realized they were doing it successfully. I was impressed because they recognized the seriousness of following our directions but also giggled as they snaked across Lincoln Avenue.

Powell's Sweet Shoppe did not disappoint. They offer a 'scavenger hunt' of sorts for birthday parties. You go in about a week in advance and pre-buy 7 or so pieces of candy (per child) that they incorporate into a Candy Land board game. The kids then receive their own Candy Land game board and wander through the candy store to find the 7 pieces of candy you chose. They had to look high and low to find the candies that we chose for them and then once they found them all- showed it to a Powell's employee who either sent them to hunt for more or congratulated them on successfully completing the scavenger hunt. It was so great and they boys did so well. After it was over, they all sat on the sidewalk with their candy bags and waited for their parents to come and pick them up.

Michael had a great time and really enjoyed being the center of attention on his special day. Party #2 was over and now it was time to regroup and focus on the next weekend's party at my parents house. All this celebrating is really getting out of hand!

Michael Turns 7!

Seven Years Old. Seriously- how did this happen? We have officially been blessed for the last seven years by having Michael in our lives. We have been through a lot, seen him overcome overwhelming odds, and have watched him mature into a respectful, fun-loving, sensitive little boy!

For some reason, 7 years old seems so old to me! I am sure I will read this post years from now and wish that he was seven again, but for the time being- Michael as a seven year old is just plain crazy! It has been a big year for him. First of all, he started Kindergarten and goes to school every day. No more lazy mornings and afternoons with him (until summer!). He lost two teeth this year, moved into a new house, made all new friends at school, and continues to be a wonderful big brother to Claire and Matthew.

As customary here, Michael started his 'birthday season' in full swing! We started the festivities on his actual birthday with a family/friend party. It was a great crowd of supportive and loving people who helped us celebrate Michael and his big seven years with us. We had an inaugural barbecue in the new backyard and could not have ordered better weather. The temperature hit mid 80s that day and all the cleaning and prep of the house proved useless as we stayed outside the whole time!!!

The kids had a picnic together on the lawn while the adults happily chatted together on the patio. I was happy to have Damien's family here and also thrilled to have such a great turn out from our friends from Santa Clara University. The kids smacked the bat at the piñata, they all shot hoops, they drew with chalk and just had a great time hanging out.

When everyone had left the party, we cleaned up and got ready for his class party the next day. Matthew was a mess from not getting a nap and we were all tired with getting both kids to their soccer games and planning a party all in one day. At this point- I was really happy with my decision to have the party out of the house. 20 Kindergarten aged boys + pizza parlour = good idea!

Claire Loses 2nd Tooth

Just as I was starting to get used to Claire with a big hole in her smile, she goes and loses tooth #2! Claire's whole mouth is practically loose. Just as she loses one tooth, we find that more are loose. The bottom two have been wiggly for a while but weren't quite ready to come out. That was until Claire came to us yesterday saying her tooth hurt so bad she couldn't eat. After further inspection, she had reason to be uncomfortable! The bottom right tooth was hanging on be a thread!

As I mentioned before, Damien is the designated 'tooth puller' in our house. We asked her to muster up the courage to let Dad pull it out. She decided that she could do it and sat on a chair in the dining room. Damien assumed the position and it was tooth pulling time. But before you think that you know the end of the story- you should know that Claire didn't lose her tooth that night! As she was crying a little and was squirming, Damien tried to pull it out and the kleenex slipped. Claire was so mad and thwarted every effort we made to let Daddy try it again. (We didn't blame her, though.)


It wasn't until the next morning before school that she decided it was time. She sat down with Damien and in a matter of seconds, Claire's tiny bottom right tooth was in the palm of his hand. That night, Claire put the envelope containing her tooth under her pillow and by morning- she was the proud owner of four shiny quarters. One more tooth is gone but her piggy bank is richer. Stay tuned for the next episode The Dramatic Loss of Tooth #3! I am sure it is coming soon!

A Friend In Need

I think that sometimes it is easier to go through something difficult than to see someone you know and love traverse through a difficult journey. This past October, we got some amazing news that our great friends Aaron and Eileen were expecting their second baby! We couldn't have been happier for them. Damien and Aaron went to high school together and all four of us graduated from Santa Clara University together. We have known each other since we were both dating and it has been amazing to stay in touch and watch our families grow! That being said, another baby for Aaron and Eileen was a huge source of excitement for us! With all I have been through in my pregnancies, Eileen has been one of the most sincere people who has really supported me. She truly cared about my outcome and her friendship and support were priceless.

When Eileen was pregnant with her first child, she went into preterm labor. She did some bedrest but nothing could stop the eventual birth of their adorably beautiful baby girl. She was born at 34 weeks and 1 day and seemed to be really healthy. However, a small (yet stubborn) complication kept her in the NICU for over 2 months! It was a long and difficult road for them and Damien and I both could relate with our past dramatic pregnancies and births. This shared experience brought us even closer and we have a real connection today with their little girl who is now 2 1/2 and healthy!

Knowing that Aaron and Eileen were facing another pregnancy without knowing it's eventual course was hard. Each day is so precious and each week even better! We have chatted on the phone frequently and cheered the months that passed without incident. That is why it was hard to hear the news that at 26 weeks, Eileen had gone into premature labor. After a brief hospitalization and with no real answer to the cause of her preterm labor, Eileen was 'sentenced' to bedrest for the vast remainder of the pregnancy. I did what I could to support and help her and give her any tips I used to get through Claire and Matthew's pregnancies. It takes a strong woman, a strong relationship with your partner, and a large circle of understanding and supportive family/friends to make it to your goal on bedrest. I know that Eileen and Aaron had all of this and were equipped for long long journey ahead.

With each new hiccup Eileen has experienced, I have had to push away the very real and fresh feelings I had during my difficult pregnancies. I know that I have been through it and made it to the other side- but these experiences will never fully leave my heart. We have laughed together, consoled each other, and cheered the days that have passed in her pregnancy! Eileen is amazing and I am so incredibly proud of her determination and recognition of her very important role and responsibility. With the help of her husband, the hope her daughter gives her, and the amazing support of her family- she is on her way!

We brought them up dinner tonight in an effort to 'lighten their load'. It was great to see her looking so good and strong. We barely talked about the pregnancy- instead we enjoyed each other's company and tried to give them the strength and encouragement they'll need for this final stretch. They don't know if it is going to be a boy or a girl but one thing is for sure. This baby will be blessed to be in their family and will be so proud of his/her Mom and Dad for dedicating themselves to the journey. It is hard to slow life down at times like this- to do the right thing. However, in the end- it will have all been worth it.

Welcome Baby Caitlin!

My dear sister in law, Lani, has been such the trooper with her third pregnancy. Every time I saw her, she seemed to be in control and handling things so well! I don't get to see her all that often because we live about 2 hours away from each other, but when we did see each other, I couldn't believe how fast her pregnancy was flying! Her doctor had told her that she would probably deliver early which threw everyone into a tailspin waiting for her new little girl. There was one false alarm (I didn't want to see Hearst Castle anyway) but lucky for her; Lani's doctor set an induction date in case her labor didn't get the show on the road!

Days past and before I knew it- the day was here! She was set to be induced on April 1st and thanks to Damien taking care of my two older kids, Matthew and I made it up north for the big delivery. We set out at 6:00 a.m. and Lani didn't know we were coming. When we did arrive, she was so surprised and happy to see us and we were equally as happy to be there for the delivery of my new niece and Matthew's new cousin! Lani's labor started out well and as expected- quickly turned intense which led to the birth of Caitlin! I was worried that I wouldn't be able to be there when she delivered because of Matthew, but like the trooper he is, he napped in my arms for most of it. He did wake up just as she started pushing, but sat quietly in my arms for the big debut!

It was AWESOME to be there for the birth of Caitlin. I love everything about birth. It is such a miraculous occasion where you get to witness a tiny little person entering our world and taking their first breath. The only other birth I have seen was Lani's first daughter- Megan (who is now 2 years old). It is truly a gift if someone allows you to be in the delivery room. I am so thankful for the opportunity to have been there and will certainly never forget it. Lani was so strong- so focused and handled the pain so well. I am so proud of her and was so blessed to have been a part of it all.

That afternoon, Damien brought Michael and Claire to the hospital to meet their new cousin. After it was all said and done, Lani sat in bed with her three children and looked so beautiful and so happy. Caitlin is here and so lucky to Lani and Eric as parents! Welcome Caitlin to this Big Big World!