Snow boarding... indoors.

Rocco was watching the Olympics with us the other night. He was SO interested in the snow boarding and downhill skiing. So interested in fact that he walked up close to the TV, moved his body with the athletes as they did their boarding or skiing... and kept saying "Cool!"

The next day, he was demanding to get out into the garage... we finally let him out there and he grabbed his helmet. He came inside, put his helmet on, grabbed his make-shift skateboard (which is really a knee rest I use when bathing the kids). He told us it was his snow board and then he brought a mat over to the sofa to create a ramp and started calling that his *mountain*.

We thought this was pretty funny... clearly he was getting a little Olympic fever!

He's such a funny little guy... and such an athlete. Here's some video footage of Rocco boarding the half pipe.

McHUH?

On one of Gammy's recent visits... she was playing playdough with Gabby and Rocco. Gabby was busy making my mom a playdough burger with her new little burger factory.

Gammy asked Gabby if she was making her a McDonalds burger. Gabby then asked "What is McDonalds?" My mom was stunned and couldn't believe that Gabby didn't know what McDonalds was.

My mom said "Jodi, doesn't Gabby know what McDonalds is?" She couldn't believe it. I told her that I had never taken Gabby to McDonalds - which is true. However, in looking back, I did buy her a happy meal at the Denver airport this past year... but even then, she never *saw* McDonalds because she had been waiting with Dan by the gate.

I didn't think this was strange until I heard how surprised my mom was. I guess it is kind of odd... for an American kid to have never visited McDonalds in her 4 years of life.

Isn't She Lovely...

Isn't she lovely? We are all completely in love with her.

Life has been very busy around here. Busy, but wonderful. Giuliana is SUCH a great baby. So easy! Much easier than a baby with colic (erhm... Gabriella!) and much easier than newborn twins. Sometimes she seems too easy. She's definitely a little gift.

Of course, it is still challenging having a newborn. She got sick 5 days after being born (cold & ear infection). Her days/nights were mixed up for the first 3 weeks but we seem to have straightened that out for the most part. However, last night she wanted to be awake and hang out for 3 hours in the middle of the night. She gets a fussy tummy in the afternoon sometimes. And, evenings seem to be the time where she will show any fussyness, if at all.

Giuliana has had a lot of recent firsts, including the below in no particular order:
1. cold/stuffy nose
2. ear infection
3. walk
4. bath
5. eye infection
6. visit to the mall
7. visit to the doctor's office

Nicknames so far for the little lady include "Giuls" (as in "Jewels") and "Little G".

Rocco continues to be such a sweet big brother. He loves her so much and talks and acts very gentle around her. He loves to hold her and asks by saying "I hold Giuliana?" And, Gabby is still wearing her mommy hat. She has stopped picking outfits for her every day as she realizes that we don't "dress her up" several times throughout the day. But, she has assisted with a diaper change and bottle feeding and is very proud to help whenever possible.

She has Matteo's lips and chin. It's hard not to think about Matteo constantly... especially with this new little life in our hands. He sure would have adored her. And, it breaks our heart that they will have never known each other in this *life*.

Rocco Singing...

This is Rocco's latest cuteness...

Ever since seeing the Tom & Jerry episode where Jerry's little Mexican mouse buddy is singing with his guitar, Rocco has been grabbing one of his bats and singing to us at least once a day. It sounds like the mouse is singing "Ahhhhh hambone". So, Rocco's interpretation is "Hammer... hammer.... ohhhhh hammer."

It's crazy cute. And, this is not the best of the best... it's just what I have been lucky enough to record so far!