Special Visitors!

My younger brother & his beautiful family visited us at the beginning of July from Alaska. It was so great to see them and meet their newest addition, who turned one year old just two weeks before they visited. Gabby had SO much fun playing with Ellie. And, Rocco spent lots of time trying to get the girl’s attention. Ellie has a very similar personality to Gabby, and their 1 year old, Maia, is an absolute doll and so easy going and mellow. The kids acted as if they had known each other forever which made it so fun watching them together. We did a lot of playing outside with the kids, catching up and roasted marshmallows at night. Gabby and Ellie tried to do a slumber party in Gabby’s room… which didn’t work out so well. (Of course, none of the parents were surprised by this).

They were only able to spend about 24 hours with us because they had lots of other people to visit and a lot more traveling to do while in the lower 48. The last time we saw them was August 2009, just a few weeks after Matteo died, and at that time I was still in a fog and not at all social. So, it was great to see them, catch up a bit and watching the cousins play together was priceless.

4th of July

This year on the fourth of July – we decided to be social. We were invited to spend the afternoon and evening with our friends who also transplanted here from the Bay Area last summer. Their home is on Lake Washington, so the plan was to watch several different fireworks displays from their roof after dinner.

Since Matteo died sometime during the evening of July 4^th two years ago – I never look forward to this holiday anymore. It seems all too easy to replay every moment and wish we would have done everything different that day and night. But, I guess the thoughts of spending time with friends who were such a great support system to us after Matteo died seemed like a comfortable distraction for me/us.

The kids had so much fun playing together… the girls dressed up in a million different outfits, wrote notes to each other, colored, etc. The boys played with legos, planes, cars and built a very long train with all of Giovanni’s lego cars and airplanes. Dinner was great, and Dan & I always enjoy our conversations with friends. The sunset was beautiful, the fireworks were fantastic - we must have watched 3-4 different shows from the roof of their house. And, the kids really enjoyed getting cuddled up in their sleeping bags to watch fireworks with their friends.

I’m glad the kids were able to enjoy and celebrate the Fourth of July holiday this year. Gabby & Rocco even got to do sparklers for the first time – which they REALLY enjoyed. I often wonder if they’ll have mixed emotions about the holiday as they get older since it’s the anniversary of Matteo’s death.

As the sun was starting to set, creating a beautiful orange sky… Gabby noticed the moon (see photo) and told me she thought Matteo was sitting on it, waiting for the fireworks with us.

Yes, Gabby… he was… sitting right on that moon… waiting for the fireworks with us. Sigh...

Just wish I could have been hugging him tight too.

Matteo's Dream Fund, Bay Area Benefit - JOIN US!!

Two years ago I swore that I would do something to pay tribute to Matteo's life and help other children who are sick.

Today, I am proud to announce that we have planned our very first benefit event. And, I am equally proud to unveil the most perfect, beautiful logo designed for Matteo's Dream Fund. Matteo's profile is used in the design, and it includes a balloon and the moon... both of which have significant meaning to our family and Matteo.

Here are our event details - please join us!!
WHAT: Matteo's Dream Fund - Bay Area Benefit, dinner & silent auction
DATE: Saturday, August 6, 2011
TIME: 6:30-9:30pm
WHERE: Pedro's Restaurant & Cantina in Los Gatos, CA
WHY: ALL proceeds from this event will be donated to Lucile Packard Children's Hospital in Palo Alto, CA, where Matteo was born 3.5 years ago, and where he had ear tubes put in 27 months ago.
TICKET DETAILS: Tickets are $42.50 and include a 3 course dinner, unlimited non-alcoholic beverages, 1 raffle ticket, access to an exclusive selection of silent auction items, and a $15 donation to Packard Children's Hospital. Cash bar. Tickets can be purchased at the door - but please RSVP!
Two options to RSVP:
1. Send email indicating # of people to: jodimartino2002@yahoo.com
2. RSVP quickly & easily by visiting the Matteo's Dream Fund Benefit event page on Facebook

The donations we have received for the silent auction are amazing!! It is so wonderful and heart-warming when people unite together to do something GOOD! I am so very grateful to each and every person who has assisted us in soliciting for donations, and for each person and business who has so generously donated something, whether it was a personal donation, their time, services, or products for this cause. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and soul. THANK YOU!

SILENT AUCTION ITEM LIST (and it's still growing!):

1. Courtside Club of Los Gatos, family membership initiation fee ($2,300 value)

2. FOX Racing Shox mountain bike suspension fork ($650 value/retail price)

3. San Francisco 49ers Experience, includes two home game tickets, two pre-game sideline passes to watch warm-ups, pregame activities and maybe meet players, and a parking pass ($500 value)

4. San Francisco 49ers Autographed Football ($75 value)

5. Hula Hooping Party (& Instruction!) at Uforia Studios in Palo Alto, led by licensed Hoopgirl instructor, Julie Greicius, includes 3 hours & space for 10 people ($50/pp or $500 total value)

6. San Jose Sharks, includes four home game tickets and free parking pass for 2010-11 season ($332 value)

7. 4 tickets to Adele on August 14 at the Greek Theatre in San Francisco ($250 per ticket value)

8. 4 tickets to the San Francisco Giants vs. Diamondbacks on September 14 ($value per ticket tbd)

9. Palo Alto Oshman Family JCC, choice of pool or sports party package ($450 value)

10. Flight around the Bay Area in a Cessna 172 ($250 value)

11. Cameron Hughes Wine, 12 bottles of 2009 Cabernet ($152 value)

12. Cassie Green Photography, photography session ($150 value)

13. The Mountain Winery, includes 1 Mountain Winery Reserve Chardonnay, 1 Mountain Winery Reserve Cabernet, and 4 wine tasting coupons ($83 value)

14. Villa Montalvo Winery presents Christopher Cross with Jenn Grinets - two tickets ($120 value)

15. Adobe software ($ value tbd)

16. Stella & Dot Jewelry , donated by Danielle Rowe ($ 142)

17. Bay Area Discovery Museum – 2 family visit passes, each admitting 5 people ($110)

18. Great America, two tickets for one day admission ($ 109.98 value)

19. Handmade Quilt by Sondra Horn ($300 value)

20. The Tech Museum, four tickets ($75.96 value)

21. San Francisco 49ers Autographed Football ($75 value)

22. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom – 2 tickets ($74 value)

23. Dance Attack! Studios, includes 4 dance lessons ($68 value)

24. Classic Car Wash, includes four $17.99 coupons ($71.96 value)

25. April Martin Designs - Jewelry ($ value tbd)

26. Winchester Mystery House, two tickets ($60 value)

27. Ace Photography - framed print of McWay Falls in Big Sur ($100 value)

28. Airborne Gymnastics – one month free membership ($92 value)

29. Children’s Discovery Museum, family four-pack of tickets ($40)

30. Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad, Inc., includes 2 cards good for 10 rides on the train or carousel ($40 value)

31. Aquarium of the Bay, two tickets ($34 value)

32. Asian Art Museum, two tickets ($34 value)

33. Cucina Bambino gift certificate – one parent/child class gift certificate ($40 value, including 10% discount off any additional classes)

34. Lesson Pros, 20 gift certificates for various instruments online lessons ($ value per gc)

35. $30 Wooden Horse Toy Store gift certificate

36. $35 Gymboree gift card

37. $30 Wooden Horse Toy Store gift certificate

38. $25 Hobbes gift certificate

39. 2 tickets to Happy Hollow Park & Zoo ($24 value)

40. Sharks Ice at San Jose – 2 skate rentals and 2 admission passes ($24 value)

41. StudioKicks gift certificate ($ value tbd)

42. $20 Main Street Burger gift certificate

43. $25 Petroglyph gift certificate

MATTEO'S DREAM FUND APPAREL:
I am hoping to have Matteo's Dream Fund t-shirts, ladies tank tops, fleece jackets, hats and visors available for sale soon. All proceeds from apparel sales will be put towards the legal fees associated with us becoming an official 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. This is a goal of ours we hope to reach by this time next year at the very latest.

More about Matteo's Dream Fund:
Matteo’s Dream Fund was founded in 2010, in memory of Matteo Tate Martino, who died in his sleep at 18 months of age. Matteo’s death was an unexpected, heart-breaking and overwhelming loss to his parents, big sister, twin brother, and unborn sister. In managing their grief, Matteo’s parents, Dan and Jodi, decided to establish a fund that would benefit sick and terminally ill children at children’s hospitals throughout the United States. While Matteo’s life was cut tragically short, the hope is that his story will forever impact the lives of others by encouraging people to remember just how precious the gift of life is and to reach out to those with less fortunate health.

Matteo’s Dream Fund will donate items, services and grant money to children’s hospitals and organizations that will provide recreational therapy, educational tools, and emotional support, assistance and services to sick children at children’s hospitals across the United States, as identified by the Board of Directors. Some examples include, but are not limited to:
• Purchase of new and unused books, toys, games, and art supplies for recreational therapy
• Purchase of new and unused educational materials and computers
• Purchase of materials and supplies for outdoor gardens, benches and/or play areas
• Working with local photographers to donate their time and services to capture photos of hospitalized children with their families and/or friends, and gifting them with photo CD’s and/or printed photos.
• Working with organizations that assist children’s hospitals in the development and construction of recreational therapy rooms (play rooms) within children’s hospitals where kids can play with toys, work on art projects and use computers.

Two years without Matteo...

Two years without Matteo...













It still hits me like a ton of bricks every day. So many memories and the very fact that Matteo is dead still knocks the wind right out of me. I often find myself trying to catch my breath.

It doesn't get easier. Or it hasn't for me yet, anyway.

There is always a very unsettled feeling that is a big part of every day. Something (well, someone) is missing... and there is nothing I can do to fix it. Nothing.

I feel like I'm in a constant mode of trying to find a sense of security or understanding as to what happened to our sweet baby boy the night of July 4, 2009. But, the more time that passes... I feel I never will. Rather, life will continue on for everyone else normally, and this will just be a constant part of my/our lives.

I laid our sweet Giuliana down for bed tonight in the same crib and on the same mattress that I laid Tato down on exactly two years ago. She is the exact same age, older only by a few short hours, that he was the night he died. So many thoughts and emotions raced through my head. July 5, 2009 was a nightmare I am still wishing I would wake up from.

The feelings and memories from that morning are still so incredibly strong - it seems like yesterday. Yet, I feel like the first two months after Matt died are a complete fog.

We spent our afternoon and evening with dear friends today, watching the Seattle and Kirkland fireworks from the roof. They also moved here last year from the Bay Area. I think it was probably a good distraction for all of us. The view was beautiful... a perfect little moon sat perfectly in a clear blue sky with the Olympic Mountain range back-lit by a beautiful pink and orange sunset. Gabby asked if Matteo was sitting on the moon. I said yes. Then she told me he was the small little star in the sky above us. I agreed and told her it was a beautiful star.

We sure do miss you sweet Matteo. And, we love you more than words could ever explain. Your loss will always leave a gaping hole in our hearts, family and lives.

Nigh-night, sweet Tato-buns. I love you.

The 3 photos with this blog post include:
1. Last photo of me & Matteo on July 3, 2009
2. Last photo of Matt & daddy on July 4, 2009
3. Last photo of Tato, Rocco & Gabby together (after they spilled cereal all over the floor and they tried cleaning it up together) on July 4, 2009

Please, no hugging or snuggling!

Giuliana does not like it when Dan and I hug or snuggle in front of her. If we're standing, and Dan comes over to hug me... Giuliana will yell "Heeeeeeey!" and she'll come running over and get right between our legs and start pushing Dan away from me.

If we're sitting on the sofa, Giuliana will come running over (possibly screaming at the same time) and will climb up on top of me and sandwich her bum right between Dan and I and then push Dan away.

It is the funniest thing to watch her get so possessive of me... or just not wanting Dan to touch me or hug me. Dan and I will sometimes hug each other just to see Giuliana's reaction.

The child is like a walking birth control pill!

Big Boy Undies.... All Day, Every Day!!

As of 6/26/11, our big boy is pull-up free! That's right... our little man is sporting big boy undies all day, every day, and we're so proud of him!

Every time Rocco has to go pee or poo, we'll get a very loud announcement, "I HAVE TO GO PEEEEEE!!" or "I HAVE TO GO POOOOOOOOP!!" And the loud announcement is followed by running footsteps in the direction of the bathroom. Often times while he is sitting on the potty, there is singing, or humming of the Batman theme song.

A few times I've noticed the little guy has put his undies on backwards. I've noticed this a couple of times and I giggle and ask Rocco why his undies are on backwards, and he points out the fact that the big picture needs to be in front. You see... with little boy under ware, the big picture (of L.ightening McQueen or B.uzz L.ightyear) is on the bum side. So, when Rocco puts his undies on backwards, it looks like he is wearing thong boy undies. Too funny!

The other funny and very noticeable difference about Rocco since he's been wearing undies is he's very much more aware of his man parts. It's almost as if when there is no diaper involved, little boys can feel their pee pees wiggle and jiggle much better... so they therefore need to grab them, subconsciously, quite often. I notice a lot of holding and grabbing going on... which of course prompts me to say "Do you have to go pee pee?" And, then Rocco looks at me and laughs saying "Noooo!"

He started jumping up & down one day last week and laughing... and he said "I CAN FEEL MY PEE PEE!!"

It's like the child is FREE... and so proud of his pee pee. Gosh. It sure starts young with men & their man parts.

Rocco has also taken advantage on this freedom on several occasions recently. I think he's pulled his pants down and peed outside in the yard somewhere near trees at least 4 times this week. I don't know how this started... not sure if Gabby dared him or what... but probably not a great habit to get started on. Yikes!

Regardless... so PROUD of our little potty trained guy!!