Father's Day

365 days. Each day different from the last and when added all together make one year. As a father, a year can be a very complicated journey. First, you have your life, your career, your purpose. Somewhere in between waking up and going to sleep, you not only need to find time to make yourself feel successful and satiated, but you need to make sure your family and your children are thriving. A big job. An important job. And I appreciate all Damien does to keep our family moving in the right direction.

We measure birthdays in years. Damien is 31 years old. We know how many years we have been married. It will be 8 years for us in August. But we don't measure parenthood this way. Funny how Mother's Day and Father's Day roll around and we don't acknowledge it in years. If we did celebrate in this way, Damien would be celebrating his 7th Father's Day. It would've been a big celebration for my Dad as he's chalked up 31 Father's Days! Maybe it is this way because to be a good parent, you have to be selfless. Instead of making life all about you, you are constantly deflecting the attention and the sleep to make sure your children get what they need- what they deserve.

This Father's day was especially wonderful because not only did I get to celebrate with Damien, but I got to celebrate with my Dad. We made the trip to see my family and we had so much fun. The day started off with Mass. I love being in church on 'significant' days. There is a feeling of true peace that comes over me and I am always more introspective about how great life really is. To glance to my right and see my Dad, the father of 5 girls, who has put in so much time and love into his family to ensure our happiness- was truly moving. Then to be able to turn to my right, all 3 of my kids being quiet in Mass (a miracle in itself), next to their Dad. It was a true gift to be 'sandwiched' by the amazing Dads in my life.

Damien as a Dad. Hmmmm. He truly deserves a day to have all attention on him. When we were dating, I knew that Damien would be a wonderful dad. The kind of Dad that goes the extra mile to make sure his kids were happy. The kind of Dad that is nurturing but also firm in his morals and beliefs. The kind of Dad whose outlook on life would make his children better people. The kind of Dad I wanted to be in my future children's life. And here we are! My three children are growing into the wonderful little people I knew Damien would help them to become.

Damien's first Father's Day back in 2001 was a confusing one. Sitting on a metal chair, next to an incubator, staring at this son. Probably not what any first time father would expect to be doing on his first Father's Day. Damien always talked about how he wanted to pick Michael up and just hug him. He wanted to engage with Michael, but he would have to wait for the following Father's Day to hug him, to squeeze him, and call Michael his own! Michael and Damien have a very special bond. Not only do they look alike, but the live alike. Whether this is because Michael has made a conscious decision to like the things Damien liked as a child or simply because they are two peas in a pod. Either way, the father/son bond these two share is infallible. It is solid and will only grow stronger as the years go on.


When Damien held Claire for the first time, not only was she a big healthy baby- but she was a girl nonetheless. I can remember the shirt he was wearing and how the tears streamed from his cheeks and blotted the front of his shirt. He LOVES Claire. It is tough at first for men to understand little girls. The drama, attitude, and hurt feelings. Boys tend to shirk off so much and little girls tend to feel it in their little hearts. Now much wiser to Claire's ways, Damien can find the humor in Claire's sensitivity. He loves the way she talks, her looks, her attitude and she loves him, too. When I was on bedrest with Matthew, Claire and Damien grew closer and I think it is absolutely wonderful. He is her #1 guy. The one she wants next to her on an airplane. The one she will turn to if she is truly frightened or unsure of something. She has him wrapped around her little finger and Damien won't deny it. It is very powerful to see Damien with a daughter. Being one of 5 girls, all I ever saw was my Dad with one of his girls. And because Claire looks like a Sacco, I see myself reflected in her when she is with Damien. I have always loved my Dad so much and I am so happy that Claire loves her Dad, too.

Damien with a new baby is adorable. He is so patient and sensitive- even when the times get tough! He is happy just staring at Matthew when he sleeps, talking to him when he is awake, and he loves watching him grow and develop. Now that Matthew is old enough to giggle, Damien is constantly messing around with Matthew. Testing his limits, seeing what makes Matthew happy and how to calm him if he is not. Damien loves to listen to Matthew 'talk' and I know that he can't wait for Matthew to get bigger so they can do really fun things together. Matthew didn't know what he was getting himself into when he was born. Lucky for Matthew, he was being born into a family with an amazing and loving Daddy.

To my own Dad- thanks for always being there for me. As I have gotten older and have been able to really see the world around me- I realize just how blessed I was to have you as my Dad. From spending lazy Sundays at a soccer field working on skills (you even brought your own cones) to hanging out on the deck and talking about the world around us. It may sound funny, but I am a better mother and woman for having you as a father. I know this Father's Day when we gave you the Italian flag of Avellino from your father's city, he was smiling down on you. He too would be proud of the amazing job you've done with your five girls.

And to Damien- when I watch you with the kids, I am constantly amazed by your stamina to sing songs, play princesses, build castles, and walk babies around in the middle of the night. I knew when I met you that you were special and would one day be a wonderful father. And as the Father's Days come and go- please know that I am so thankful for all you do to make our children's lives the best they can possibly be. Here's to many more Father's Days full of homemade t-shirts and so much more!

Ali's Getting Married!

I can still remember what it was like to be 20 years old and to know that Damien was 'the one'. It sounds so cliched, but I think that when you find the right person, you just want to get your life started together! Ali is only 22 years old, but when she met Kenny three years ago, she too had the feeling of completion. So as we prepare to witness Ali getting married this August, we also prepare for the slew of showers and parties that will be thrown in her honor!

Today we honored Ali at her first bridal shower and it was a lot of fun. She is marrying Kenny this August and we are so happy for her. A few pre-shower jitters (i.e. how to say thank you after opening gifts you registered for and worrying if you remember all your great aunt's names) but when it was all said and done- she did great! Matthew and Claire accompanied me to the shower and Claire had a ball dressing up for a 'big girl' party. She had been looking forward to this for weeks and was even more excited to learn that Michael wasn't coming. An 'all girls day'- she called it. Never mind that Matthew was the only boy there. Babies don't count! The shower was a lot of fun! We played the ever popular ring game where you wear a ring and if you say the word 'wedding' you lose it to the person who caught you saying it. That was a lot of fun for people that weren't sleep deprived! Lani took my ring within the first two minutes. Love you Lani! Both Damien and my family are so competitive at this game. Okay, fine. Not all of us are competitive with this game- mostly Lani and Gina. I swear, you can't beat them! It was a good Lani vs. Gina show-down when I got married and it was hilarious to see each other's strategy against each other! Funny that I don't remember who won in the end!

It was a lovely afternoon and Ali glowed as she opened her presents and cut the cake. It was really special to see Ali in this role- the center of attention. Ali has personality that is never ending and really never has a problem drawing attention to her! But this was different. She was so gracious to all who came and played the role of 'Bride-to-Be' as naturally as I have seen it played before. She looked beautiful, confident and for all those nay-sayers who say getting married young is a mistake, she proved them wrong and then some. I truly believe that Ali has met her perfect match with Kenny. I am genuinely excited to see her walk down the aisle in August, surrounded by family and friends who love her, in all her glory. Congrats Ali!

Rolie Polie

Today started out like any other day. Didn't get around to brushing my teeth until 10 a.m., hair in a ponytail, meeting the needs of my three kiddos. Like I mentioned in another post, I was bound and determined to give Matthew more tummy time this month. So, as promised- we have been spending a lot of time on the floor. During the past few days, I noticed that Matthew has been pushing his chest up off the floor and I thought that the first roll was close. Today when I put him on the floor, his head was high and bobbing around. I mimicked the roll for him a few times so that his body would get used to the feeling of flipping over. Then I laid him down to see what he would do and alas, my big boy rolled over! Yippee! The great part was that Michael and Claire were there to witness it. With cheers of delight, they ran around the room screaming about Matthew's first roll. These moments, when my children delight in the triumphs of their baby brother, are what make having three children so wonderful and rewarding! While the video below is not the video of his first roll, it was definitely one of his first 10!

My Little Butterflies

Michael's last day of preschool. Wow. Just two short years ago I remember walking hand in hand with Michael-coaxing every one of his steps toward the entrance to his new school. Both Damien and I knew that he was reluctant to start preschool. After three years of therapy, doctors appointments, numerous shots and tests- Michael was leery of new situations. No matter how much we told him that things would be okay, he was scared. We made it through the front door, out to the playground, and waited for the bell to ring. He clutched our hands and stood so close to us. When it came time to leave, he hesitantly joined his new classmates in line and gave us a sad goodbye wave. It tore Damien and my heart out but we knew we had to stay strong for Michael. So, although we smiled and appeared happy as we left Michael, behind our smiles- we were sadly waving goodbye, too.

We had a hard time deciding when to start Michael in preschool. Would we put him in school based on his April birth date or by his August due date? We decided on the latter because starting him a year later would only benefit him in the long run. So, there we were- dropping Michael off at school and entering a new place in our parenting. We were now parents of a school aged child. He had a great year in school. He grew socially and really thrived in the school environment. His teacher, Miss Donna, grew to love Michael so much because of his sweet demeanor and his willingness to trust her. We had informed her of Michael's past and she made it her mission to get him to trust her and feel safe. At conference time, she gushed to us about how much she enjoyed having Michael in her class. She told us that having a student like Michael and being able to make a difference in his young life is why she became a teacher. Because of her, we were able to find our own peace about letting our little boy go to school. We enjoyed seeing Michael gain confidence in school but before we knew it, the school year had gone by and it was summer. Just as we began to get comfortable with having Michael in school, we had to prepare ourselves to send our little Claire the following year.

When September arrived, Claire showed no hesitation at all about going to school. She was raring to go and was thrilled that she was now old enough to join her big brother and get out of the house! At the time, I was pregnant with Matthew so life was flying by very fast. No matter how busy I became, I still relished their school performances, brought snacks to school for their birthdays, accompanied them on field trips, and dropped them off and picked them up almost every day. We had gotten the hang of this and the repetition of drop off and pick up was kneaded into our everyday lives.

March turned to April, and April to May. Between projects and parties- time had passed so quickly. Before I knew it, I began to get paperwork that talked about the end of the school year. What? How could it be? Sure, I had signed Michael up for Kindergarten and had planned ahead for the coming year, but I hadn't taken the time to realize that he would no longer be in preschool. We'd have to say goodbye to Miss Donna and he'd have to adjust to a new teacher. All of these thoughts were so overwhelming to me. I realized then, that while I had prepared mentally for his transition to a new school, the true reality of it hadn't been absorbed. I had grown comfortable with their preschool. I had it all figured out. It was so nice to have both of the kids at the same school. It was great to be able to stand in the coat room and have both of them run to me with open arms. Yet, here we were- the last day of school. Michael's last day of preschool and it hit home.

Damien and I know that Michael finishing preschool isn't the end of the world. But when you cherish your little babies- it hurts a little when they gain more independence (i.e. kindergarten). Everyone wants the best for their kids, and we all hope that one day our children will be happy and independent while living their life to its fullest capacity. However, no parent will deny that it does feel good to know that your child needs you. This is especially true when your children are young and rely on you for most everything. Perhaps this 'desire to be needed' is why sending your kids off to school is so hard. Maybe this is the reason you see so many moms crying on their child's first day of kindergarten. As much as we want our children to gain independence, we also want them to hang onto us.

As I tried to process my feelings of sadness which came when thinking about Michael's change, I came up with this visual. Imagine if you will, that your child is a beautiful butterfly and you- the loving parent, are the cocoon which protects and keeps it safe. Beneath the layers of warmth and safety you provide- is a colorful and vibrant beauty which is growing and thriving. What a shame it would be if the cocoon stayed so tightly wrapped around this treasure that it was never seen by the outside world. Each milestone, each step toward independence are the silky threads of the cocoon that embraces the butterfly. As these opportunities for independence and growth approach, we as parents- must loosen one of these threads. We must let go and trust that while we are giving the butterfly more room to grow, it will not fly away from us. Our job is to give it enough room to flourish and become more beautiful. We cannot choose its design or color. Instead, we need to give the butterfly freedom to grow into it's own potential. We can, however, dream that when it's time to let go of the last remaining thread, we will see the butterfly dance freely, moving it's beautiful and unique wings through this world.

Spiderman Surprise

At the kids end of the year party, there was a face painter. Claire got some roses painted on her cheek, while Michael opted for the 'full face' Spiderman. Personally, I was surprised that he chose it because Michael is not one to get dirty or messy and this was the most extensive design the woman was offering. Click on the video below to see Michael get his first glimpse at his new face. The look on his face was priceless!

4 Months Old

Oh- where does the time go? My little Matthew is already 4 months old. I can't believe it! Lucky for me, I can honestly say that I have enjoyed each and every smile, cry, giggle, drool, and chubby finger. There has been a sort of calm that has come over me with my third child. I haven't had any anxiety with him and have been able to really enjoy Matthew to the fullest. It is a great feeling to be at ease and to enjoy the ride.

Matthew is growing up so fast! At this 4 month check up, he weighed in at a hearty 17 lbs. 2 oz. He moved from the 70th percentile in height in weight to the 90th percentile in each category. I have a feeling that he is going to continue to 'chub-up' just like Claire did. He got four shots (immunizations) and they knocked him out! He handled them well, and then slept a lot. Unfortunately, in the middle of the night he started burning up. It was the first time he has had a fever and I felt so bad. Luckily, the Tylenol brought it right down.

We have a very smiley boy on our hands. Yes, he will cry if he is hungry, hurt, or tired- but for the most part he is very content and happy. He has really started to engage with me by focusing on what I am saying, anticipating things, and smiling when he is happy. He started to drool last month and now is working on getting his two bottom teeth. Matthew likes to chew on his closed fists, which is great because it calms him. He eats about every 3 hours all day and night and has developed the cutest little ritual. While he is breastfeeding, he constantly pets my arm. It kind of looks like he is doing the crawl-stoke as he brings his soft little hand up into the air and then back down to mine. It is so sweet and I cherish our quiet time together where I feel so insanely in love with him and bonded.

Matthew has great head control due to the fact that he loves watching Michael and Claire run all over the place. He has yet to roll over but a lot of that is my fault. He doesn't get much floor time due to the fact that he is carried most of the day or in the car running errands/carpool. I promise to try and focus on giving him more floor/tummy time this month.

His hair is coming in a little more, but still no definite answer about his hair color. However, his eyes are an undeniably sparkling blue. He still has only one dimple in his left cheek and it is adorable! He is talking a lot more, smiling a lot, and this month- he gave us his first giggle! He is really letting his personality shine through and we are all more in love with this little guy!

Memorial Day

A 3 Day Weekend. It doesn't get much better than that! One less day in the work week, I get to spend an extra day with my husband, and everyone feels refreshed! I love it! We had a pretty full weekend planned and we were ready to get to it. It started off on Friday night when Michael insisted (and we happily agreed) to see Seamus in San Jose before he was dropped off at his Dad's house. So, we met Eric and Seamus at In-n-Out so Michael could converse with 'The Captain'. We had a great time with them and satiated Michael's need for Seamus time.

Saturday morning, we headed to a birthday party at Pump It Up for Michael's preschool friend, Joshua. As expected, the kids had an absolute blast! Matthew had gotten his 4 month shots the day before and he was up fevering much of the night. So, needless to say, Mommy and Matthew were really tired. But no rest for the weary! Next up was meeting Brook Staebell and her fiancé Chad, at Mondo Burrito for lunch. It was great to see each other and catch up on each other's lives. I played basketball with Brook at SCU but she lives in Colorado, so we rarely get a chance to see each other.

From lunch, we rushed home to get ready for my friend Kristine's wedding in Los Gatos. She and her husband had already gotten married in Australia, so she had a commitment ceremony here in America. It was a beautiful ceremony and on top of being able to see her with her new hubby, I was able to see a lot of my old college friends. We had the best time at the reception, which was held at a beautiful winery in downtown Los Gatos. In between great conversation and wonderful food, Michael and Claire (mostly Michael with his zany dancing) stole the show on the dance floor. It was so hilarious to watch him in action. I have no idea where he learned those moves! And to think that when he was born, his therapists said he had limited flexibility! He was practically bending over backwards! Damien and I were seriously laughing so hard we were crying. It was great to see my friends Kristine, Jaime, Brook, and Keri. My college memories with them are priceless and it was great to all be together again. It was an unreal feeling to be back together again and to see them talking and dancing with my children was really neat!

On Sunday, we went to Mass and then headed north to Lani's house for Ryan's Birthday BBQ. It was a great day and it was really nice to hang out with the family. The food was outstanding and there were many laughs as we played Guitar Hero 2 (if you haven't tried it, you need to) which is a game that is compatible with PS2 and Xbox 360. Damien was the funniest of all because he really got into it and for a moment, I think he thought he was a bona fide rock star. The night was closed by a few games of Texas Hold 'Em on a custom made poker table that Eric made (very Martha Stewart of him!).

On Memorial Day, we hung out at Mark and Marlene's house and had a lazy day (which was much needed). We took the kids to a local fair and then headed back to the house for a Food Networkish BBQ that Ryan made. Ribs, Italian Chicken, Sausage, Lemon Salsa Salmon, and watermelon filled us up! It was a great weekend and we headed home to reality.

We met a gentleman the next day who was at our house to inspect our home. While talking, we learned that his son was stationed in Iraq as a gunner. He kept staring at Michael and said that it feels like it was yesterday that his son was that small. He told us that there was a picture taken of his son when he was 3 years old and wearing a child-size Marine costume. He told us when he gets pictures of his son now, it is still his same face - except now; there is an emptiness in his eyes. His son is on a one year tour of duty and has seen some really terrible things while being stationed abroad. Up until this point, I hadn't really put a face with the soldiers who are fighting for our country. But to see the pain and anxiety on this father's face was enough for me to feel his loss and his continued hope that his son will return in November. It was the day after Memorial Day, but it was more of a Memorial Day than ever before. Let's remember to keep all of those fighting to protect us and our families in our prayers. I think they really need it.

All About Michael 2007

How do I sum up Michael? He is a very funny, imaginative, sensitive, strong-willed, and bright 6 year old. He loves his family and friends and loves to be the center of attention. At the young age of 6, Michael is already exhibiting characteristics of a stand up comedian and really understands humor. Michael LOVES music and anything to do with it. It is a common occurrence to hear him playing CDs in his room while singing along. He is also quite the dancer and stole the show at my friend Kristine's wedding last weekend. It was hilarious!!

Michael loves to be imaginative. He is often fighting off make-believe Droids from Star Wars and also likes to line up his Star Wars figurines so they can battle. He absolutely idolizes his cousin, Seamus. So much that at times, he just refers to him as 'The Captain'. He enjoys performing magic tricks and has not been able to understand the concept of 'Crying Wolf' as he is constantly making things up. Okay, okay, he has been a lying a little bit- but he thinks it is funny and can't see the seriousness in certain situations. For instance, he thinks it is funny to yell, "You're not my Mom!" in a store. People look over and since I look almost completely opposite from Michael, people may think he is actually telling the truth. Ahh- the innocence of a young child.

Michael loves loves loves his Daddy. He and Damien play together a lot and share the love of Star Wars. I have tried to learn, but I get laughed at a lot- just like when I thought a character's name was Hans Olo. I am terrible, I know. Damien and Michael like to play catch, wrestle, draw, talk about Star Wars- did I mention Michael likes Star Wars? One of Michael's favorite things to do is crawl into bed with Damien on Saturday and Sunday mornings and just relax and talk. He also likes to keep Damien occupied at the dinner table and talks more than he eats. Yes, Michael and Damien are like two peas in a pod. They both look alike and are loving and funny, too.

I know that at times it might be hard to see the love Michael holds for Claire, but let me be the one to tell all . . . Michael loves his little sister. Although he lets her know a lot that he is 6 and she is 4, he needs her in his life to be happy. They love to play and laugh together and have found their own little way to co-exist together. He is very concerned that she is okay and if she isn't, runs to me in a panic! He loves that she is willing to play Star Wars, guns, and on occasion- has talked her into being his guard. She stands at the opening of his room and protects him from enemies. He truly has her wrapped around his little finger.

Becoming a big brother for the second time was easy for Michael. He is such a natural at nurturing Matthew and has exceeded any expectations I had set for him. He loves to be woken up by me putting Matthew in his bed and has gotten pretty good at calming him. He is continually learning how to engage Matthew by singing or getting his favorite toys to show him. He loves to call Matthew, 'buddy' and it is so sweet when he says, "I know. It's hard being a baby. I know, Buddy." It melts my heart!

Michael as a son. He is amazing. Being the oldest of 5 girls, it sure was refreshing to not only have a boy, but it was wonderful to be able to integrate trucks, guns, and super heroes into my life. Michael and I love to play sports together and he laughs hysterically when we engage in a game of tag! He is sensitive to my needs and knows when I am feeling up or down. He will always stop to give me an anecdote or two before he runs off to play. He loves to hear stories of what it was like when I was a little girl and he values my opinion greatly. If we are at a restaurant or at our kitchen table, he will ask me if he will like a new food before he will eat it. He looks to me to be his little guide through life. He knows that I know what is best for him and the trust he places in me fulfills me so deeply. I love Michael for the character that he is. Sometimes sensitive, other time rowdy. He is truly an amazing boy and I am a better Mother for having him in my life as my first child.

Michael, Michael, Michael. You are so funny. You won't wear socks unless they are put on perfectly (like your dad). You hate when you mess up when you are drawing. You prefer things to be done right and get frustrated when they are not. You hate cleaning your room, but love messing it up! You are a chocolate monster and love milk! You'd rather stay at home than run errands, but I can't blame you. You are one of the most sensitive boys I have ever met and are really tuned in to people's needs- especially those who are not as fortunate as yourself. We often say you are an old soul. You feel deeply and for these wonderful characteristics, we love you.

I gave Michael a quiz about his favorite things. He was in a separate room from Claire when I asked him these questions, so his answers did not affect hers (and vice versa). Here are Michael's favorite things!

Favorite Food: Tunafish Casserole
Favorite Drink: Rootbeer
Favorite Color: Brown
Favorite TV Show: Tom and Jerry
Favorite Movie: Star Wars
Favorite Vacation: Disneyland
Favorite Ride @ Disneyland: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Favorite Candy: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Favorite Ice Cream: Chocolate
Favorite Disney Character: Mickey Mouse
Favorite Book: Who Is Coming To Our House
Favorite Song: Star Wars Anthem
Favorite thing about Dad: When he helps me.
Favorite thing about Mom: When she makes me whatever I want.
Favorite thing about Claire: She shares with me.
Favorite thing about Matthew: when he smiles at me.
Favorite thing to say: Donkey (but pronounced like Doh-n-kay from Shrek
Favorite thing about school: I like the job (projects) and recess
Cheeseburger or Nuggets: Chicken Nuggets w/ Sweet and Sour because their easier to finish.
French fries or salad: French Fries
If you could go one place in the world, where would you go: Hawaii

All About Claire 2007

Oh, my Claire. Such a sweet little girl. She's so funny, so emotional, so loving, and so fun to be around. She is now more than 4 1/2 years old and growing up so fast. She loves being girlie- outfitted with heels, matching outfit, jewelry, purse, and her Barbie cell phone. But Claire is not one dimensional. As soon as she takes off her purse, she is wrestling with Michael on the floor or wielding a light saber while playing Star Wars.

Claire is such a help around the house. She is in tune with my needs and is always there to help me if I need it. She loves to help me cook dinner, set and clear the table, unload the dishwasher, sweep the floor, water the flowers, Windex the tables, and bring in the groceries. If Matthew is fussing, I don't need to ask her for help- she already is at his side singing to him or putting in his pacifier. I call her my 'Little Mommy' because she is such a natural at nurturing. She knows how to calm Matthew, knows what we need to pack in the car before we go out, alerts me if there is a problem, and just instinctively thinks like a mother.

She is a great sister! She loves her brothers and has developed a real patience for them. Michael and Claire get along really well, but the two also butt heads. They play well together but it doesn't take long for me to hear an argument brewing. They love to play 'parents' and each assume their respective role. She gets wrangled into playing Star Wars a lot and because of this, has really developed a liking to it. While they do fight sometimes, Claire loves Michael and is very protective of him. She makes sure he is okay and protects him on the playground "Hey- that's my brother!" Of course, Michael would rather she didn't do this, but both Damien and I admire her courage to stand up to other kids, primarily boys, if they are being mean to her brother. Michael and Claire laugh together a lot. They enjoy each other's silly humor and can make each other weak with giggles.

Claire loves Matthew! She thinks he is so cutie (which is a word she has invented to describe everything about Matthew). She loves to make him smile and runs to the hills when it is time to change one of his poopy diapers. Claire has quite the gag reflex! She loves to sing to him and has picked up with ease the ability to 'baby talk'. She always says, "She loves him more than bunnies" which around here, is quite the compliment from Claire. She can calm Matthew and keep him happy while Mommy gets a few things done around the house. She loves his little toes and his fuzzy head. All in all, Claire loves her new baby brother. While she still pines for Emily (which was the name we had picked out if Matthew was a girl), Claire seems more than happy with her little baby Matthew.

Since Matthew is now in our lives, I don't have as much time for the big kids as I used to. While kind of sad for me, it has been great for Damien because he and Claire have grown closer. It's not uncommon for me to find them in her room with Daddy adorned with a tiara and jewels. They have a lot of fun together. They read books, draw in her coloring books, play princess, and just hang out and strengthen their father/daughter bond.

So, all in all, Claire is one very happy 4 1/2 year old. She loves her Disney Princesses and loves drawing. She is happy to spend quiet time in her room, organizing her jewels and her little toys (and she has a lot). She has a great imagination and doesn't mind challenging herself. While she is crazy and wild, she is not a dare devil and hates roller coasters and being on an airplane when it takes off. All of these little sweet and wacky isms combine together to make my Claire. She is a wonderful daughter and I look forward to watching her grow.

I can't believe that she is finishing her first year of preschool already. She is growing up so fast! Because time passes so quickly and I fear I may forget the little things that make Claire so special and unique . . .
I asked Claire a few questions about her favorite things. Below are her answers. Can't wait to ask her again next year to see how she has changed!

Favorite Food: Tunafish Casserole
Favorite Drink: Shirley Temple
Favorite Color: Pink
Favorite TV Show: Strawberry Shortcake
Favorite Movie: Cinderella
Favorite Vacation: Disneyland
Favorite Ride @ Disneyland: Pirates of the Caribbean
Favorite Candy: Salt Water Taffy
Favorite Ice Cream: Vanilla
Favorite Disney Character: Jasmine
Favorite Book: Beauty and the Beast
Favorite Song: Life is a Highway (from Cars the movie)
Favorite thing about Dad: He always gives me hugs when he comes home from work!
Favorite thing about Mom: When she sings 'Baby Mine' to me.
Favorite thing about Michael: He asks me to go into his room and listen to his CD player.
Favorite thing about Matthew: That his face is cutie!
Favorite thing to say: Doh!
Favorite thing about school: To play games with my friends
Cheeseburger or Nuggets: Cheeseburger (with ketchup, pickles, and cheese)
French fries or salad: Salad with croutons and ranch.
If you could go one place in the world, where would you go: Lake Chelan

Reminiscing . . .

The other day I was teasing the kids about having another baby in my tummy. When they turned around, they realized I had just put Matthew under my shirt. When I saw the picture, it reminded me that just 3 1/2 months ago- he was really in there! I know that after you have a baby, you can't remember what life was like before the baby. Well, this still applies to having your third. I know I was happy before I had Matthew, but now that he is here to stay, I realize just how much more blessed I am. 9 months of growing this little guy and a lifetime with him ahead . . .
It will be heaven.

Mysterious Santa Cruz

This past weekend we headed for the hills of Santa Cruz to fulfill one of Damien's must-dos for this summer. The Santa Cruz Mystery Spot is obviously located in Santa Cruz and is touted to be one of the most unexplainable phenomenons of the region. For example, once you are on the Mystery Spot (which is located deep in the Santa Cruz mountains) you immediately feel dizzy and a bit disoriented. If you bring a compass to the spot, it will flip 180 degrees for no reason. Things are level, but you cannot stand up straight, instead- you lean drastically to one side. We had to see it to believe it, so we loaded the kids in the car for the adventure. All three kids fell asleep as we reached our exit off of the highway. I noticed that we were weaving and turning down a crazy winding road and asked Damien what was going on! He told me that he had decided to take the 'scenic route' down the mountain. "Isn't it beautiful? It is so beautiful" he kept saying. He rolled down his window and began taing deep breaths of the aromatic air. I was sitting in the backseat and began to feel a little queasy. "Are we almost there?" I asked. He told me that we had 6 more miles of winding to do! I was jokingly complaining that this was crazy and I said that we better have a full tank of gas so we don't get lost in the woods! He was silent. "Damien, tell me we have gas!" He pushed one of the nifty technological buttons in our car which told us we only had 7 miles of gas left. Are you kidding me? I demanded that he pull over and GPS where the nearest gas station was. Here we were, in the middle of the mountains, with only 7 miles of gas left! It turned out that the gas station was 8 miles away. I wanted to die. Luckily, we arrived on fumes at a gas station. My prayers had been answered. I had to take a picture of our gauge for proof! Damien looks relieved, doesn't he!

The kids loved the Mystery Spot and thought it was so cool. Damien and I both felt sick afterwards. It was if we had ridden on a roller coaster for hours on end. Yuck. Luckily, once we descended the mountain, we felt better. One of the cool highlights for Michael and Claire was that they got to see a banana slug, which are synonymous with the area. Even the mascot of University of Santa Cruz is the Banana Slug. How would you like that? And I thought my high school mascot which is a Kangaroo was a little odd . . .


After the Mystery Spot, we thought we would head to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk because we were too close to it to not let the kids put their toes in the ocean. We didn't bring a change of clothes or even a towel, so I asked the kids not to get too wet. I think they had the most fun pushing the limits to see if they could get wet, but not soaked. Matthew snoozed though all of it which was a loss for him, but allowed us some much needed relaxation time. Once we played a few games on the Boardwalk, ate too much salt water taffy, and had dinner at a quaint little Italian restaurant, we headed home. Mission accomplished. Damien can check off one of his must-dos for the summer, we got to breathe in some ocean air, and we spent some much needed family time together. Bring on the rest of the summer . . .

Over The Fence . . .

So . . . life these days is crazy. I have learned to expect nothing less. I can't keep an eye on the two bigger kids like I used to because I am quite often tending to Matthew. What has been wonderful is that Michael and Claire have been behaving pretty well when I am busy. They generally aren't very mischievous or sneaky- instead playing together more and using their imagination. Sure, this has lead to more bickering between the two of them, but I think it is par for the course.

All of this leads up to what happened yesterday. We had invited Mark, Jocelyn, and Brennan over for a farewell dinner- as it was their last night in America for a few years. I wanted to make it special and started cooking at 9 a.m. to make their favorite dishes. The kids behaved well all day. I had set out different projects for them and we were doing well. As the afternoon wore on, I started getting nervous that I wouldn't get the food made or the house clean in time. Thankfully, Matthew fell asleep and I transferred him to the bassinet. I begged the kids to play outside and basically bribed them to play nicely and get along. In this short period of time, I got a lot done. Things were looking good for me. I gave the kids some popsicles and before I knew it, Matthew started fussing. Naturally, I went in the front room to get him and as I rounded the corner from my living room to my kitchen, I saw Michael perched precariously on a plastic picnic table- doing his very best to feed his popsicle stick through our neighbor's lattice work atop his fence and drop it in his yard. I couldn't believe my eyes. My Michael, the one who stops every five feet on our walks to point to something that someone littered! He saw me as soon as he did it and brought his hands to his face. "What in the heck do you think you are doing?" I asked. No answer. In the meantime, Claire took a few steps back and was giving me a sheepish look. Claire is brilliant in these situations!! She is very good at pulling things off and I know she thought she was going to get away with this one, too. So I asked her, "Claire, where is your popsicle stick?" Her little hand pointed to our neighbor's yard. "I can't believe you guys would do this." And then the silence was deafening. My mommy instincts told me that I needed to make this a 'teaching opportunity' but my heart was saying, "Aw, let it go." But my instincts took over and in a very calm voice, I told them both to go upstairs and put their shoes on.

Without asking why, they both did as I had asked. They came down the stairs and stood motionless together. Michael worked up the courage and asked, "Why do we need shoes on?" I responded, "Because we are going to go over to our neighbor's house to say sorry." Now you must understand that our neighbor is a single, neat freak and I knew he wouldn't think garbage in his backyard would be so funny. So, together, united in nerves, Michael and Claire accompanied me to Robert's house. Knock, knock, knock. Their eyes were so big. "What are you going to make us do, Mom?" I told them they just needed to say they were sorry and pick up the sticks. Knock, knock, knock. No answer. I told them it didn't seem like he was home. "Yes!" I heard Michael say. I turned around and said, "Buddy, you aren't off the hook. We'll come by later when he gets home from work."

Don't we all remember the moments from our childhood when our Mother's held us accountable for something? I will NEVER forget having to go back to the grocery store to tell the clerk that I had stolen a pack of gum. Or the time my cousin Stefanie and I decided while we were at her Mom's work, to load the entire supply closest of pens, paper, and pencils into our backpack. That apology was rough! I remember my sister Gina's clepto phase and if there was any money in sight- it was gone (including 13 dollars in quarters from my cousin Steve). These moments, although embarrassing and uncomfortable to think about, helped us all learn where the line was drawn. What was appropriate or not. What was against the law and what was okay. So, in the spirit of giving my kids a hideous and scary (just kidding) teaching memory, we returned to our house and I began to write our neighbor a letter.

I wrote him a letter which said I was sorry that my kids littered in his backyard and could he please call me when he got home so that they could come over and pick up the sticks. As I left my defeated kids in the house and walked over to drop this letter in his mailbox, I noticed that his garage was open and apparently he just got home from work. Here the memory would start for my kids. "Robert, I am sorry to bother you . . ." and I finished explaining and asking him if I could go and get them to pick up the sticks. He insisted that it was no big deal. In fact, he wanted me to shake it off, but I told him that I thought it was important for them to have a learning opportunity. He said okay and went into his house to put his work stuff away. I went back in my house and told the kids, "Robert's home. Let's go. It'll be okay." At this point, some of my 'Mommy Bravado' had worn off and I felt bad for them. But we needed to do this. So we walked over to his house, through his garage and into his backyard. Robert was in the house, so the kids walked over and picked up the sticks. Before we could leave, Robert walked out and said hello. I turned to the kids and said, "Is there something you want to say to Robert?" They said sorry and he took my cue and said, "That's okay. But don't let it happen again.

AND THE DRAMA WAS NOW OVER! The kids skipped back to the house and snickered in the kitchen that "It wasn't that bad!" "That wasn't embarrassing!", and "that was no big deal" were just a few phrases uttered. After the fact, I asked myself if I had gone too far. Should I have just let it slide and not called them out on what they did? My answer was no. Now that I have 3 kids, I need to make sure that while I give the older two more freedom, that they continue to follow the basic rules that I set. We have gone over the fact that we can't throw balls, toys, or garbage over our neighbor's fences. When Michael looked at me after he was caught, he looked to me to see what I would do. I never raised my voice and I didn't make this 'learning experience' more negative than it needed to be- but I was consistent and made them fix the problem.

So, all is okay in the end. The only semi-humorous thing that came out of this was a picture that Claire drew for me. It is of her crying and me (she called me 'Mommy with Big Black Hair') apparently calling her a garbage can. When she brought it to me, she was able to hold a straight face but started laughing just a few seconds later. I had to take a picture of it because it was too good to pass up!

To sum it all up, I think kids do best when their parents show consistency. We often say, "If you do that again, I will take it away!" Naturally, the child will do it again and look to you to see if you will follow through. Sure, sometimes you let it slide. But in the long run, I think kids are better off when you follow through and make the boundaries clear for them. That way- when they go to do that same thing again an hour later, they will remember that it wasn't the right thing to do in the first place.

Mother's Day

What is your perception of pure happiness and contentment? If you look closely at this picture, I have spit up on my t-shirt from a long night with Mr. Matthew. All 4 of us have 'morning eyes', and our hair is a collective mess. Some people may look at this picture and see these imperfections. I, however, look at this picture and see perfection. What a way to start off my Mother's Day! Snuggled together in bed with my three babies who all managed to look at the camera at the same time! Amazing! It was my first Mother's Day with three kiddos and I felt triple blessed. They make me so happy and it was nice to see that I make them happy, too.

We had planned to head north to Damien's family early Saturday morning, but because Damien rolled into our house at 1:30 a.m. from his business trip to Florida- I knew it was in my best interest to let him sleep in! What was different than most trips up there was that we were all going to stay at a hotel because Damien's parents' house was under construction (what is with both of our families remodeling their houses at the same time?). The thought was a bit daunting at first, but as soon as all of us were settled into our rooms, the fun began. Lani (and her family), Jocelyn (and her family), Marlene (and her family) and our little family had planned to have a wonderful Mother's Day weekend- despite the relocation. In no time, we all had our doors open, all the kids running to and fro, with the parents eating goodies Marlene had bought. The hotel was great and the pool, spectacular! The kids had so much fun, and yes, I braved my swimming suit and went in the pool as well (golf claps, please).

Another part of Mother's Day Weekend was a farewell dinner for Mark, Jocelyn, and Brennan as they were preparing to move to London for a few years. Mark's job had provided them with a job opportunity over there and they jumped at the chance! So, we all wished them a safe and exciting trip. I am happy for them and hope that it is a wonderful experience- but I would be lying if I didn't admit that it is also very sad for me, personally. We will miss them terribly.

On Mother's Day, we all went to mass together (Matthew did not like the sound of the organ) and then joined together for a memorable brunch. Of course, Matthew wanted to eat right when I brought my fork to my mouth. I think he just wanted to remind me that I was a Mother and it was my day! Once he was fed and I started eating (thanks to Heather holding him), I was informed that Matthew peed out of his diaper and all over Heather. I again excused myself from the table to change him. It was, after all, what I had signed up for by being a Mom. So I laughed off the hysteria and made the best of it.

I love being a Mother and to quote my sister Jill, "Every day is Mother's Day!" A big thanks to Damien for being so thoughtful and making sure the kids felt important. Happy Mother's Day to all the 'Mothers' in my life. You are an inspiration to me!

Sacco Construction Zone

I've been to the airport many times. So many times, I cannot even begin to guess. However, this trip to the airport was unlike any other. I have never had so many people stare at me before. They looked at me like I was crazy or out of my mind! Why did they stare? One simple reason: I flew to my parent's house with my 3 kids by myself. Yep, just me and my 3 babies. Damien had to go to Florida for work and I saw no reason to stay at home and stare at the walls when he was gone. So I took the kids and we headed to Nonna and Grandpa's house. Because of our frequent flying, I am pretty much accustomed to the airport craziness. But this time, I had a car seat, 2 booster seats, 4 bags, a stroller, a diaper bag, my purse, a fussy baby, and two crazy kiddos running all over the place! But I kept it together. When people looked over at us, I smiled back. What else was I to do? My kids weren't misbehaving but people really recognized the fact that I was going to fly with them alone! I had a lot of people asking if they could help, but being the hard-headed person that I am, I insisted that I had it all taken care of. So- in between folding down the stroller at the end of the jetway, simultaneously holding 2 paper bags from Burger King, trying to not squeeze Matthew too tight and making sure Michael and Claire stayed close, I had it all under control (insert hysterical laughter here). No, seriously . . . the flight went well. Matthew was awake for the first 20 minutes of the flight and then went to sleep. The other two kids did great other than having Michael's chocolate milk explode onto the wall and Claire getting told to stop kicking the person's seat in front of her. We made it and my Mom was able to go through security and meet us at the gate and a very welcome sight she was!

My parents have been remodeling their house and I had been forewarned that things at the Sacco household were nuts! Nothing, I mean nothing, could have prepared me for what the house looked like! My parents had a nice big house before the remodel. Plenty of space for the kids to run around and stay out of my hair. But the remodel has changed things A LOT and my parent's nice and spacious house now only had 4 intact bedrooms. Kitchen- gone. Family room- gone. Upstairs bathrooms- gone. Front and backyards- gone. Living room- gone. Downstairs- gone. Seriously, the sight was surreal and I knew at this point that we were going go have to make the best of this! The garage, believe it or not, is now the main living area of the house. All of the kitchen appliances are now hooked up in there. It is so weird to see the garage take on these characteristics! Normally it is a dark, unused room and now it holds the kitchen, kitchen table, the couches, the television, workout equipment- even the baby crib is in there. At first it seemed kind of bizarre, but soon it felt normal and to tell you the truth- it wasn't that big of the deal. Michael and Claire thought it was pretty cool and I can't blame them. The only hiccups of the entire 6 day stay was being walked in on when I was breastfeeding Matthew at 7am by a worker, sitting downstairs and seeing a saw come through the ceiling, and having to take Michael to the bathroom in the port-a-potty in the driveway. Other than that, things went great and we made sure to take many trips out of the house during the day to let the kids run around.

One really fun part of the trip was that Gina's 25th birthday happened while we were there. We took her out to lunch for sushi and then capped off the evening with a delicious family dinner at an Italian restaurant, Calabria. The restaurant was surprisingly empty. Normally this restaurant is hoppin', but we were thrilled to have it to ourselves. Yet as soon as we got comfortable- in walks Mike Holmgren, the current coach for the Seattle Seahawks. I think it was Jill who saw him first, but as soon as we saw him and he was seated right next to us, the whispering began. After he was finished with dinner, I went over and said hello and got a picture with Michael and Claire. It was a great day spent celebrating Gina turning a quarter of a century old. Love you Ween!!

All in all- the trip was great. We got to see Jill and Brian's new house, got to play with Kyle and watch him man-handle Matthew, we visited both of my Grandmas, spent a lot of time at Jill's coffee stand, I watched Borat with my parents (hilarious) and just soaked up some good ole fashioned family time. Yes, it was nuts living in a house that is in the middle of major construction. In spite of the madness, we had a great time.