Funny things Rocco says...

Rocco is full of funny sound effects and comments. He is constantly making us laugh.

One of the common Rocco discussions in our house lately is "What do bad guys do?" And, "What do Batman and Robyn and Superman do?" I think we get these questions fielded to us at least once a day.

Gabby also knows exactly how to push Rocco's buttons. All she has to say is that something of his is pink, or that he likes pink, etc. This has created a complete pink-complex... and Rocco now must always only use blue spoons, blue bowls and blue plates. Try giving him pink, orange, green or purple... and you'll be lucky if you're only reprimanded with a scolding of "I DON'T like PINK! I'm NOT a girl... I'm a BOY!"

A few weeks ago, Gabby just commented to Rocco that his lips were pink. Rocco, of course, didn't want to hear his lips were pink and said "My lips are NOT pink". Gabby: "Yes, they are.... even my lips are pink. Everyone has pink lips. Your lips are pink too." Rocco: "GABBY... MY LIPS ARE NOT PINK!!!!" This went on for at least a good ten minutes. I couldn't get either of them to stop... they had to keep getting in the last word. Jeeeeesh!! I'm not ready for them to be teenagers yet!

Rocco really loves playing with his Nerf guns and swords. He's constantly wanting to have sword fights with whoever is in the room. He happily brings you a sword... and you'd best be ready to sword fight or a major 3 year old temper-tantrum ensues. After Rocco's third day of school, Dan went to pick him up. As they were walking out of the school, Rocco said "Daddy... can I get a REAL gun and a REAL sword?" Dan of course laughed (I'm sure he was probably proud in that manly sort of way too), and told Rocco that maybe when he grows up he could get a REAL gun and a REAL sword. But, they'd have to do some training together first. Let's hope we never approach this day and that this is just a phase! :)

Matteo's Dream Fund Benefit - SUCCESS!!

We held our very first fund raising event for Matteo's Dream Fund on Saturday, August 6th in the Bay Area. The event consisted of a dinner and silent auction. Our goals were to have 75 people attend and raise $3,000.00 for Packard Children's Hospital. Packard Children's is where Matteo was born and also had tubes put in his ears. It consistently ranks as one of our nations top children's hospitals, is a home away from home for many sick and terminally ill children, and it has also been my employer since March 2005.

We are thrilled to announce the event was an absolute SUCCESS!! Our attendance hit 78, and together we raised a total of $4,495.00 for Packard Children's. After reviewing the many options for how to direct our funds to be used, we finally decided to have our donation result in something concrete... something the kids will visually see and be able make use of. Thanks to all the wonderful friends and family who attended our benefit, the in-hospital school will receive 2 Mac laptops, 1 projector, 1 triple beam scale, 2 digital scales and 3 microscopes. In addition, the Forever Young Zone & Dialysis Center will receive $550 for new toys, art supplies and books.

While I would do anything to turn back the clock and change everything that happened on July 4th 2009, I know i can't. I would much rather spend my time holding and playing with my sweet Matteo... but that isn't even an option. I guess in a way it sort of helps the hurt to know that Matteo's name and memory live on, and that because of him, so many people came together to do something really good to benefit a lot of kids who are sick and terminally ill. And, coming from a parent who lost a child... I know that donations like this also probably put big smiles on the parents of those children as well.

We have so many people to thank for the success of this event. Kathleen Hart was my partner in crime from the very start to the very end, providing constant assistance and advice. Marisa Desai and Todd Kleinheinz helped procure a number of fantastic silent auction items, and also made their own donations. Also assisting with procuring silent auction items were Julie & Ed Grabscheid, and Jody Rich. We were also so incredibly lucky to benefit from the many businesses and individuals who so generously donated everything from game tickets, to hula hoop lessons, wine, gift certificates, jewelry and art.

We are SO THANKFUL to everyone who joined us for this event... especially in what is undoubtedly a very difficult time in our nation's economic history. So - THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!

In addition to the above mentioned successes, we walked away with one HUGE WIN. I am thrilled to announce that Matteo's Dream Fund is in the process of becoming an official 501(c)(3) non-profit! HUGE THANKS to Julie Peterson for starting the discussion and Kate Austin for taking on and managing this pro-bono work with the help of some of her colleagues at Oppenheimer & Associates. Once again, we are acutely aware of how lucky we are to have built friendships with such wonderful people, and also how lucky we are to still have them in our lives supporting us and being so generous of their time.

In the next month or two, I will have more information about how everyone who donated items to our silent auction and/or attended our event can obtain the information needed to write-off your contributions to Matteo's Dream Fund. Please stay tuned!

Also, as a constant fund raiser for Matteo's Dream Fund, we are selling apparel! Our current inventory includes ladies t-shirts (very soft cotton, fitted... LOVE & wear mine all the time!), uni-sex t-shirts (Dan is modeling these), and fleece jackets (super-soft & thick!).

For each item sold, $10 will go directly to Matteo's Dream Fund. If you are interested in purchasing anything - please drop me a note so I can assist you: jodimartino2002@yahoo.com. Prices are as follows:
White Unisex T-shirt (Hanes Beefy T)
M, L & XL = $16.00
XXL = $17.00

Black Unisex T-shirt (Hanes Beefy T)
M, L, XL = $19
XXL = $20

Ladies Black T-shirt in M, L, XL = $25

Ladies White T-shirt in M, L, XL = $23

Unisex Black Fleece Jacket = $35

Gabby started KINDERGARTEN!

Gabby started all-day kindergarten recently - and she is in HEAVEN!

This child was beyond ready to start kindergarten... literally counting down the weeks and days since June. Every time she would talk about kindergarten... it would be followed with a very girly, high-pitched scream. So fun to see her so excited! She also picked out her new backpack, and jumped with joy the day it arrived.

There were many little steps leading up to the big day... we got our list of supplies that we needed to bring in, along with our date & time for her kindergarten assessment. At the assessment, they basically tested her reading skills, asked her to do some simple rhyming, asked her to identify her name, shapes and numbers and I think they also did a little writing. I think Gabby did really well and was able to read all the pages in the book the teacher went through with her with just a little help from the teacher on a few words.

Then, we had her orientation on the Thursday after Labor Day. (By that point... Gabby was ITCHING to be in school every day and was SO JEALOUS that Rocco had already started school.) Gabby really enjoyed the orientation... it allowed her to meet some new friends and hear more about rules, the routines and what her school day was going to be like. There are 18 boys in her class and 5 girls (including Gabby). I'd say the girls are a bit outnumbered!

Her first day of school was the next day - Friday. We drove her to school and picked her up on the first day... and let's just say she was NOT a fan of us picking her up. She really wanted to ride the bus that day. I was met with tears, instead of a hug... from a VERY, very tired and new little kindergartener. She had SUCH a great time at school though and was sad that she had to wait all weekend to go again. When Monday arrived, I walked her to the bus stop for her very first bus ride... and to say she was excited to ride the bus is an extreme understatement. As Gabby said "Mom, I've waited my WHOLE LIFE to ride the bus!!"

Gabby's all day kindergarten goes from 9:15-3:25. Her teacher, Ms. T, told us to expect our little ones to be very tired when they arrive home for the first two months. But, after that, they should be adjusted to the new schedule and stimulation. Gabby, by the way, LOVES her teacher. And, I really like her too! She has so much energy, has the kids doing neat learning projects and I love the constant communications from her via backpack mail and email.

In addition to adjusting to a new school schedule, Gabby also is involved in swimming, gymnastics and dance. Dance class started last Monday. She's in a tap & ballet class that she really enjoyed last year with the same instructor. Swimming class is on Sundays. And, she's in an invite-only developmental gymnastics class. The class is twice weekly, from 5-7pm, and they work those girls hard. Seriously. I watch them, and wish I was out there doing all the strength training, stretching and fun gymnastics moves with them. I hesitated a bit with the advanced gym class for several reasons... I was worried about Gabby adjusting to all day kindergarten, and thought a twice weekly, 2 hour class would be too much for her... and maybe for us too (with having to taxi her there & back), especially with having two other little ones at home. But, the Level I coaches started telling me that Gabby was getting bored in class and needed more of a challenge. They said strength-wise and skill-wise, she was more than capable of handling the invite class. So, I caved... and enrolled her in that class. Honestly though.... she is MUCH happier in this new, more difficult class and it so far hasn't been too difficult to juggle with everything else. It definitely messes up dinner on Tuesday nights, as Rocco's gym class starts when Gabby's does... it just ends an hour and 15 mins before Gabby's. But, I now send the kids off to they gym with PB&J sandwiches, milk and that seems to work fine. Then when they get home, they usually eat a second dinner.

Gabby is LOVING all of her activities. I would say it is a toss-up between dance & gymnastics for her favorite activity. Swimming is not really an option in our house... we feel strongly about the kids having to learn to swim for safety reasons. But, the other activities are up to the kids. As long as they are having fun, it isn't making them too tired or impacting school/homework (which is the top priority!), then we'll support them in whatever.

Gabby seems to have grown-up so much lately... in a kindergarten sort of way. And, I also had to go through her closet again recently - she's growing so fast! Very tall & lean (making it really hard to find pants that are long enough but not falling off of her). And, she happily does her homework each night and looks forward to our half hour of reading. She is also really starting to get confident with her own reading and will often attempt to read books to her brother and sister now. Super cute to see! We are SO proud of her... love her to bits!

Rocco Started Preschool!

Rocco started preschool the day after Labor Day and he was SO excited!

Last winter, he was not looking forward to school one bit. We'd try talking to him about it and he would get mad and tell us he didn't want to go to school. We would tell him all the fun things he would do at school... and he would ignore us.

But, oddly enough, by the end of summer, he was full of anticipation for his first day of school. He would tell us all about what he was going to do at school and how he'd make his OWN friends (friends, that Gabby wouldn't have), etc. It's amazing how several months in the life of a 3 year old can make such a difference on their perspective and interest in something. It is also interesting how time changes their need for social interaction and their own friendships.

I imagine Rocco also developed a need/want for his own friends because he is much more aware of how Gabby has created friendships. And, he truly enjoys the friendships that him and Gabby have built with our neighborhood kids. The kids in the neighborhood are constantly playing together and going from house to house. It's really cute and sort of reminds me of my childhood neighborhood.

In addition to starting preschool, Rocco is now also enrolled in gymnastics and a swimming class that does not include a parent or his sister (both are once a week). He truly LOVES both classes!

I tried on several occasions to have him try gymnastics back in the spring, but he wouldn't even participate for 5 minutes. Now he really enjoys going to gymnastics and really looks forward to class. He even likes to show off and do somersaults at home and flips on the trampoline. He seems to do really well at the beginning of each class... he listens and follows instruction, doing exactly as the coach instructs. Then, I seem him start to get chatty with the coach, and other kids. And, by the end, I see him diving and jumping and rolling onto the mats like he's fighing some sort of superhero battle while he's waiting in line for his turn to do something. He's such a little clown! Last week, he was waiting in line, diving and doing somersaults. I saw his coach say something to him (her back was to me, so I don't know what she said) and then Rocco got up and I heard him say "I have another brother and his name is Matteo!", and then he dove back into another somersault. Ii was so strange... gave me chills and warmed my heart at the same time. Love that Matteo still lives within him.

Rocco and Gabby were in a private swim class together through the spring. Then, when July hit, I decided to enroll them in a different program, where they would each be in classes relevant to their level of swimming. This was Rocco's first class without a parent or his sister and I was expecting it to either be a complete disaster or something to build on. Well, in his first swim class he was frozen still and had his head down for the first 10 mins. But all of a sudden... it was like a switch went off, and he started having fun. He started talking and responding positively to the instructor, and when we went home, he was so proud to tell his sister and daddy all about his instructor and 2 new swim class friends.... even though they didn't really say a peep to each other. Last week... he talked the teacher's ear off and the teacher looked at Dan almost as if she was needing Dan to get him to stop talking. Silly Rocco... he's such a crack-up!

We're so proud of Rocco! Preschool, gymnastics and swimming classes... all by himself!