Welcome Home, Rocco & Matteo! Saturday - January 12, 2008

Welcome home, Rocco & Matteo!!!

Rocco on the left, Matteo on the right:

Matteo on the left, Rocco on the right:

A pround big sister and our new little family of five...

A VERY PROUD big sister! Friday - January 11, 2008

Gabriella spent the past day and night with her Gammy and Papa. She missed her mommy & daddy a lot. And they missed her a lot too! But, she knew mommy was at the doctor "getting better" and that mommy was "ok". When Gabby arrived at the hospital with Gammy and Papa, the front desk gave her two big stickers. Upon getting the stickers in her hand, Gabby told Gammy, Papa and the people working the front desk that she said "I'm going to give the stickers to my mommy... because she's ok... she's at the doctor... and she's alright... and she misses me... and the stickers will make her feel better." Then, as she walked to find my hospital room (approx 10 min's) with Gammy and Papa, she proceeded to tell everyone and anyone who would listen the same thing and "

Tears... sniff, sniff.

Hearing this story of course brought tears to my eyes. I missed her so much while staying in the hospital and adding two new babies to our lives. It was SO difficult to hear how traumatized Gabby was about me not being home and how worried she was about me being "ok". I know she wouldn't fully understand why her daddy or I weren't coming home for a few nights... but it was harder on her than we could have predicted.

Right when Gabby walked in the room she came over to me VERY concerned and said "Mommy, you ok... you better... I brought you stickers, mommy. I saw a look of concern in her eyes and facial expression that I have never seen before. She looked slightly stressed and like she had been crying a lot or full of worry. It hurt my heart to see her serious compassion and concern. Stickers will make you feel better!" I cried, of course (but trying not to ler her see my tears). And, then, I got SO many hugs, kisses and "you ok" pats from this tiny little monkey... it filled my heart with love.

Dan was with the boys getting the circumcisions when Gabby, Gammy and Papa arrived at the hospital. But, when daddy arrived with the babies, Gabby was SO EXCITED! There was jumping up & down... lots of screams of excitement... and we had to somewhat manage the amount of love that was being squeezed through to the boys in hugs, love pats and kisses. Gabby was a VERY PROUD big sister and couldn't contain her excitement and love. I was so proud of her... proud to see how much love she had for her new little brothers and proud to see how she immediately had love for them.

Wonderful memories... lots of fun.

Two funny side notes:
1. When Gabby saw her new little baby brother's belly buttons with the umbilical chord clamped - she immediately asked what that was. And she is now constantly asking "Where's the baby's belican chord, mommy?"


2. Gabby saw mommy pumping. And later when mommy had visitors in the room... Gabby really wanted to help mommy pump. And, she attempted to pump herself as well. Monkey see, monkey do!

Memories of the big day... Thursday - January 10, 2008

January 10th was wonderful and amazing... and somewhat bittersweet.

I truly wasn't ready for the babies to arrive yet. I wasn't ready mentally, emotionally or physically. And, I knew it would be best if they stayed in my belly longer. The average gestational length for twins is 36 weeks... and THAT was my goal! And, here I was falling short by two days... how could this be happening?!

Befor going into my weekly OB appointment that morning, I was told I needed to pack up my hospital bag 'just in case' they would need to induce me. So, frustrated that I might not be going home... I hastily threw some things in a small suitcase. I didn't include any baby clothes because I really wasn't ready for them to arrive yet. And, I figured... maybe if I didn't pack their clothes, I wouldn't have them today. Hmmm...

So, Dan and I went to my OB appointment with uncertainty as to whether we'd be able to go home. My doctor said I needed to be admitted to the hospital. She said we needed to start the labor because both babies heads were so low. Rocco was at 0 station, I was dilated 5cm and 90% effaced. And let me tell ya... I can truly verify the "0 station" with Rocco's head. Matter-of-fact, he had been that way for the past 4 days. Sometimes I even felt like his head was going to bust out of me when I would take too long of a step or while going up the stairs. It hurt. His head was hurting my "down there" regions. Seriously. Painful.

I tried to negotiate with the doctor. Afterall, I had a hair appointment scheduled (cut & color). It had been canceled two weeks prior due to a crazy winter storm power outage. I was supposed to get/feel pretty before the babies came! Also... I had SO MUCH to still do at home before the babies arrived. We were just starting to wash all the baby clothes. Painters were finishing work in our newly remodeled home. Cabinets were still being installed. Electrical work was still being done throughout the house. Plumbing was still being worked on. There were still boxes everywhere needing to be unpacked. It was a nightmare for any slightly Type A personality who was expecting TWINS any day. CRAZYNESS!

The doctor said she couldn't let me go home knowing how far along I was. She worried that my water would break and that I would go into a very fast labor (due to my stats). She didn't want me to have to deliver at another hospital that might not be prepared to handle us. She wanted to have her team ready in the OR, and do it today so that we could avoid any emergencies with the health of the babies or myself.

Ugh. Annoying. Ok fine. I guess I'm staying. That was my attitude. Defeat. Then, she left the room and I broke into tears... sobbing in Dan's arms. All I could think was that I wasn't ready yet. They need to wait until 36 weeks at least... they need to be healthy. They need more time.

We went over to the hospital, checked in, and I was trying not to be mopey. I was a tad bit excited... but still feeling a bit defeated.

They broke my water at 11:30am and then Dan and I spent the day camped out in L&D. I surfed the web for most of the day and fought through the contractions. The doctors and nurses thought natural labor was a very real possibility since the contractions weren't causing me any extreme discomfort. It was kind of crazy because I had been feeling such strong contractions for most of my pregnancy... that the labor contractions weren't really hitting me too hard. I guess I had just gotten very used to them.

Finally, I broke down and got an epidural around 7pm. I was getting tired. And, I knew it would make me more relaxed and maybe move things along faster. I was probably fighting off some of the progression of the labor becuase I'd get so tense with each contraction. The anesthesiologist was great... but he talked for so long that it was making me want to take a nap. Him and Dan were laughing and joking... and I felt like I was having an outer body experience... "Hello!? Remember me... I'm the prego lady... I'm tired... could you all zip it and let me get some rest? Because I'm surely not going to sleep for the next year... would seriously love a little catnap right about now!" But I just stared at them and acted like the nice (but crazy) pregnant lady.

8pm hit and I was ready to push the babies out. Dan and I joked with the doctors that I had to push the babies out by 9pm so we could watch Grey's Anatomy... a favorite TV show.

Since it was twin delivery, I had to deliver in the OR, just in case they would need to put me under at any point and do an emergency C-section. When they moved me into the OR's I was kind of surprised by the number of people gathered. It was a full OR! And, everyone was there to wait for the arrival of baby A and baby B. There were 4 OB doctors, 4 RN's, 2 anesthesiologists, 4 ped's doctors for each baby, and I'm not sure who else was there... but it was a full house to see the show!

I pushed for a total of 15 minutes. And I pushed both babies out within 7 minutes of eachother. The doctors were VERY impressed. And, Dan was especially proud of me and impressed (kind of funny, I think!). I was literally the talk of L&D that night. Apparently, it's pretty rare for twins to not be delivered via c-section. And, I guess it is even more unusual for them to be delivered so close in time when it's a vaginal delivery (sorry if you're sensitive... but that's what it was).

When baby A (Rocco) came out... I immediately felt relief... but then I heard him cry almost a second after he came out... and I started sobbing. In that moment, his cry was the sweetest sound I had ever heard. Suddenly, all I wanted was to see and hold him in my arms and tell him how much I loved him and how very sad and selfish I felt for not wanting him to come just yet. I was ready now. I knew it. I was ready and I wanted to hold and kiss and love him to bits. Seven minutes later... my beautiful baby B (Matteo) came out. I cried again. And, I saw him... and was convinced he was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen... especially fresh out of the womb. He was perfect. THEY were perfect. They were healthy. I loved them. I loved them SO MUCH. Already. I wanted to just hold them. In MY arms. I wanted everyone to just let us hold them and stop messing with them. And then, I couldn't help but also wonder... with a heavy heart... what this would have been like had I still been carrying baby C. But, I was grateful beyond belief for the two babies we had been blessed with... these two healthy, beautiful baby boys. And, I knew I had a little angel watching over us... and I would feel his presence every day of my life.

Daddy was VERY, VERY proud of his new little arrivals. He was SO proud and HAPPY. He kept kissing me, telling me how proud he was of me and our babies and how much he loved all of us. The nurses gave both babies to Dan to hold and he was so proud and grinning ear to ear and couldn't stop looking at them. He kept chanting "Men, men, men, men! Men, men, men, men!" What a goofball! Funny...

Then, I was able to hold each baby, individually for a minute or two, but not much longer. I was shaking uncontrollably and teeth chattering. My teeth were chattering so much I could barely talk or smile. I felt SO cold and could not get warm. My blood pressure was low... but it always is and always has been. I was so cold... I couldn't possibly get enough blankets. They rolled me out to the recovery room... and I asked Dan to go with the babies to the nursery while they were cleaned up and observed to make sure their vitals stayed good. I started to watch Grey's and fell asleep 3 minutes into it. At about 10:30pm, Dan and I were reunited back in the maternity ward... but where were my babies?! All I wanted was to just hold them. For the next hour... Dan was going back and forth between me and the babies. I was so anxious to have them with me and just watch and hold them.

FINALLY... close to midnight.... Dan and a nurse rolled my babies into my room. OHHHHH!! They were SO CUTE... SO BEAUTIFUL! SO PERFECT!! Now... now... I could go to sleep. But, no... then I sent an email to everyone I knew to tell them of the wonderful news. THEN, I went to sleep... at about 1:45am on Friday morning.

The only other time I've seen Dan so giddy and happy was when Gabby was born. Doesn't this photo of Dan say it all?!

Below is also my last belly shot (& Gabby's), taken just 4 days before the little men arrived.

Our little men have arrived! Thursday - January 10, 2008

Wonderful news - the boys arrived on Thursday, 1/10! After 35 weeks and 5 days, 40lbs of weight gain and lots of discomfort and preparation, we couldn't be happier. Big sister, Gabriella, will first be able to meet her new little brothers tomorrow... but we're sure she'll think they're pretty neat too.

We've also FINALLY decided on names.

Names and birth stats are:
Rocco Alexander Martino: Arrived at 8:26pm, 5lbs, 13oz and 19.5 inches
Matteo Tate Martino: Arrived at 8:33pm, 5lbs, 9oz and 18.5 inches

Mom and babies are healthy and doing well. Jodi's labor and delivery was actually much easier than it was with Gabby. The plan is for everyone to go home on Saturday.

I'm sure we'll be very busy in the coming weeks getting adjusted to having two newborns AND a 2 year old, but we'll try and return emails and calls as time permits. Oh, and we also still have some loose ends to tie up with finishing work at the house... lovely.

Feel free to swing by casa Martino 2.0 if you're healthy and have not been around anyone who's sick. It's unfortunately RSV and flu season and the babies will be very prone to viruses since they are premature and low birth weights.

Quick update! Thursday - January 3, 2008

Just a quick update.

Good News:
1. We moved into the house on Monday... FINALLY!!
2. My mom and dad arrived on Tuesday. HOORAY!! Gabby is having SO much fun with her gammy & papa and truly thinks she has 2 new best friends. She'll often refer to them as 'guys'... "Hi guys! Wanna come play over here guys?"
3. Ovens, stove top and dishwasher were all finally set-up to start working Wednesday. Truly love 'em.
4. Most of the boxes are put away.
5. My mom started washing baby clothes today and helped me for hours last night with unpacking boxes and organizing things.
6. My dad is going to help Dan with man-jobs, i.e. doorknobs, doors and other stuff like that.

Thank the lord for parents...

Bad News:
1. I'm dilated to 3cm and 80% effaced.
2. I've slept probably 5-7 hours every night since Sunday because I feel like I have to get up and do anything and everything possible to beat my race against time with the twins arriving soon. I'm exhausted.
3. We still have lots of boxes to put away.
4. Still need 2 baby cribs put together.
5. Still need cabinets finished in the house.
6. Still need Comcast to install cable and high-speed internet at house.
7. My list of to-do's at the house is still several pages.

What to do? Deep breath...

If you've called recently to check in on me - thank you!! Please know I'm not avoiding you, I've just been OVERLY busy (there truly isn't a perfect adjective to describe how crazy the past 4 days have been). Anyway, I'm hoping to return your calls soon!

My advice for all: Do NOT plan a HUGE construction project on your home any time you are hoping or expecting to add to your family.

34+ weeks and other good news! Saturday – December 29, 2007

I’m now 34 weeks along. Hooray! Every day the babies continue to cook means less time in the NICU. Even though I’ve never been more uncomfortable in my life, I’m REALLY hoping they’ll hold out until at least 36 weeks. That’s my goal. And in addition to that being best for their health, it will also allow us to get settled in the house before all the chaos starts.

We’ll FINALLY be moving back home on Monday, 12/31! There is still a bit of finish work that will need to be completed inside the house after we move in. But, we’ll be IN and that’s huge! Also, the outside still needs a final coat of stucco, paint, and then new landscaping. But – the job is 90% done!

So, let’s go back to the “uncomfortable” topic. Everyone who sees and knows me asks how I’m doing. I probably always reply with “huge!”, and spare them all the details. If you’re REALLY interested in knowing how I feel… a twin pregnancy at 34 weeks is kind of summed up like this:
1. Your belly measures as large as a single baby prego belly at 44 weeks. Not cool. It’s just plain painful for everything below the boobs, most of which I haven’t seen in months.

2. Walking: I don’t walk. I waddle. Both of my grandmothers could easily beat me walking to the corner and back.

3. Chairs: Why can’t ALL chairs recline?! Chairs that don’t recline are like a slow torture at this point. I’d almost rather stand to avoid the circulation cutting off to the feet I can no longer see.

4. Belly itch: Not only is my belly HUGE… it itches SO MUCH its painful. I have patches of red up and down my sides from itching and irritation.

5. HOT! I wish I could say I’m SEXY hot right now… but no. Sadly, I have just become a human furnace.

6. Dinner: I fear dinner because it’s just the prelude to reflux or extreme heartburn. And, if I dare eat too much, too late at night, I feel like throwing up all night. My stomach has officially taken up residency in a new location—my throat.

7. Sleep: Not getting much. Hip pain, getting up to “use the potty chair” (as we tell Gabby) every hour, and serious heartburn are just nature’s sick way of preparing me for sleepless nights. Lovely.

8. Driving in a car: Painful. Not fun. Contraction-mania. And, I seriously DREAD speed bumps… they are painful to go over. If I still had to battle rush-hour traffic I know I would have already had to test one of Gabriella’s diapers because at this point squatting isn’t even an option. I would literally tip over and not be able to get back up by myself. Lord knows that wouldn’t be a pretty site for anyone driving by on the freeway @ 5mph during rush hour… matter-of-fact, it would probably cause an accident.

A wonderful Christmas holiday week! Wednesday – December 26, 2007

For obvious reasons, the Martino’s spent the Christmas holiday in California. We listened to holiday music, ate grandma Leona’s yummy fudge (how cool that she sent it from MN!), and enjoyed several celebrations with wonderful family and friends here. So – it was still fabulous and memorable!

We enjoyed a big holiday dinner and gift opening at Gabby’s godparents’ home (Trish & Todd) on the 21st, before they headed off to the east coast for the week. Gabby just loves her godparents, her cousins Courtney and Tori and her great grandparents Leo and Kenny. It was a really fun night and Gabby is obsessed with the “Rescue Pack” (think “Diego”) that Courtney gave her.

On Christmas Eve, Dan, Gabby & I took Dan’s mom to church, out for dinner and then Dan, Gabby & I opened gifts and enjoyed our little trio of a family. At church, Gabby loved listening to the holiday music and would continue humming after a song would be finished and then laugh with excitement. She also entertained the people around us quite well. At the beginning of the service, after the priest said “Let us pray”, Gabby yelled out “That’s so silly!” and started laughing. She had everyone around us giggling and Dan and I were in tears. Whenever the church would be quiet, Gabby would yell out “I want to see Baby Jesus!” After about 40 minutes though, it was time to explore stuff outside the church.

Gabby had fun opening her first 4 gifts and then she decided to delegate, saying “Daddy, can you open this for me?” And, since Dan’s been such a great husband and daddy (especially while I’ve been on restrictions with the pregnancy), I decided to break down and give him Playstation 3, along with 3 games and extra controllers for when we have friends over. Could it be that this pregnancy has made me insane? I have twins coming, a 2 year old, and I just gave my husband Playstation 3? I must be crazy! But, Dan already seems to be exercising great constraint as he’s been SO BUSY with work and managing the contractors finishing up work at our house.

Christmas Day was spent with our good friends, Kathleen, Michael and their girls. Kathleen made a delicious dinner and her home was decorated so nice – it definitely felt like Christmas Day. And, Dan & I always enjoy spending time with them. The girls played SO nice together too. Gabby and Livi had a blast and Maddy tried to keep up with the two older girls. It was a really nice afternoon/evening.

We’re now looking forward to celebrating a mini re-Christmas with my parents when they arrive in 2008 at casa Martino 2.0. They’re coming out to help us with the arrival of the twins and also with getting settled back in the house. We’re looking very forward to their visit!

10+lbs of baby @ 32 weeks & 6 days! Thursday - December 20, 2007

I’m now almost 33 weeks and its official – I’m carrying 10+lbs of baby! I spent yesterday at the hospital for my weekly non-stress test, an ultrasound and a regular OB appointment. I haven’t posted photos from the last 3 ultrasounds because it’s hard to really “see” features as the babies get larger. Current baby stats are:
Baby A: 5lbs 1oz (59%)
Baby B: 5lbs (58%)

I’m told that since space is getting tight in the belly, the babies’ growth rate will begin slowing down a bit. They’re still above average for a single baby (comparative % above is for singleton pregnancy), so I’m not going to worry yet. But, this might explain my recent loss of appetite. Or maybe it’s that I seem to have picked up a sore throat which makes it painful to even swallow or talk. Not sure… but I do find that I have to remind myself to eat lately. Food just doesn’t seem to interest me.

The babies’ heart rates also looked great. But, since I had 3 contractions over the 30 minute non-stress test monitoring session, the nurses felt it was necessary to share the news with my MD. It didn’t seem like a big deal to me, as I feel the contractions all the time. But apparently it’s a big deal to them when you actually FEEL the contractions as the machine picks them up. The nurse told me she didn’t think I’d have to go down to labor & delivery… all I could think was “Ummm… yeah, let’s HOPE not. Not today, this week, or the following week, please. I still need to get back in my house and get organized.” Regardless, everything seemed fine. My cervix is still fully closed (most important!), but again shorter (between 1-1.5). And, the belly now measures what a singleton pregnancy belly measures at 42 weeks. Just thinking about that makes me stomach itch and my bones hurt. Argh!

Two amazing girlfriends threw us a family baby shower on Sunday. It was so nice and so much fun to share an afternoon with great friends before these babies rock our world. And, it was great to take a day off from dealing with more house errands & drama.

My maternity leave officially started on Monday, 12/17. But, I don’t feel like I’ve been on leave yet. I’ve been running so many errands for the house—that’s almost a full time job in itself. Our move-in date is now officially next Saturday, 12/29. We’re SO excited and it’s nice to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Oh, and two quick stories…
1. Last week I was at Bath & Body Works. An employee came up to me, looked straight at my belly and said “You know, I can show you where our stretch cream products are.” I could only laugh half-heartedly and say “Yeah, I’m not looking for that.” How do you explain to a skinny little teenage girl that she’d be best off not asking REALLY LARGE pregnant women if they’d like stretch cream? Clearly, she has not been around many hormonal and LARGE pregnant women.
2. I was in Target two weeks ago. A guy (mid-30’s, good looking) stops and points at my belly and says “Hey, you better make sure you don’t bump into anything sharp” and begins chuckling… and I look at him a bit shocked, give him an evil chuckle back and walk away in awe.

Need I even make a comment on the above? Anyone who knows me well probably knows what else was going through my mind.

FLASHBACK - Santa visit 2006

Here's a flashback to Gabriella's visit with Santa in 2006.

We haven't yet attempted the Santa visit this year, but Dan REALLY wants it to be a yearly thing... no matter how much kicking and screaming takes place.

I think he forgot that we now have a 2 year old who knows how to RUN.

Stay tuned...

LOVE this time of year! Saturday - December 8, 2007

Dan took another belly photo as we hit 31 weeks. Gabby decided we should also document the growth of her belly. Cute, huh?

I absolutely LOVE this time of year! I love seeing holiday lights on homes and trees lining city streets, holiday parties & music, and getting holiday greetings in the mail from friends and family. And, I was SO excited to go all out with Christmas lights and decorations at home this year knowing full well that Gabby would truly get a kick out of it. BUT… SCREECH! Our contractors are behind schedule and our move back home date has officially been pushed to 12/22. Plan B is now in full force… so we’ve got this fabulous little fiber optic “Christmas’ tree which seems to be doing the trick.

Talk about stressful. I just hope the babies don’t come early. I mean… it would suck for me, of course… but it would REALLY suck for the contractors. I’ve already made phone calls and appearances to very firmly, but nicely, remind everyone of work left to be completed, the schedule, etc…oh and REMIND them again that I’m VERY pregnant with TWINS. I figure… if it’s painful for my husband to hear me nag… it’s gotta’ be REALLY annoying for a man who didn’t vow to love me for better or worse.

My plan was to begin my maternity leave on Monday. But, since our move date pushed out, I decided to convince my doctor to approve of me working through next week. No “new issues” have risen, although she was a bit worried about my recent onset of swelling. I literally had softball size ankles when I got home from work Wednesday night. It felt like my feet were on FIRE. My weight and blood pressure were fine though, so we didn’t worry about preeclampsia. My restrictions remain the same. My discomfort has skyrocketed. And, my belly now measures the same as that of a woman who is 38 weeks along with a singleton pregnancy.

But hey – here’s a quick HOORAY for hitting 31 weeks! Another week down, another week the babies have had to continue growing.

Heartbreaking news... Saturday - December 8, 2007

A woman in Tucson, AZ, died of heart failure while delivering her triplets yesterday. My heart goes out to her husband and her three baby boys. It’s definitely a risk with a higher order pregnancy, and the doctors openly discuss this with you. But, you never imagine hearing about these instances… much less having to live the experience. Truly heartbreaking.

Full story on CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2007/12/07/rathbun.az.father.triplets.help.kvoa

30 Weeks! Saturday - December 1, 2007

I’ve hit 30 weeks—hooray! As you can clearly see… I’m getting huge and probably look as umcomfortable as I feel.

Today, we took Gabby to see the holiday parade in Los Gatos. It was really chilly out – but it was worth it to get out of the house and get some holiday hype for our little monkey. For the first 10-15 minutes, Gabby was very content and in awe watching all the floats and licking cream cheese off a bagel. The next 10-15 minutes were spent being a wiggle worm alongside us, but on the edge of the street. Then, the next 15 minutes were basically filled with daddy chasing Gabby up and down the crowded sidewalks of LG and mommy wondering where they might be. Good times…

Happy Thanksgiving! And—Happy 29 Weeks! Thursday - November 22, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving! For those of you who don’t know—this is Dan’s FAVORITE holiday for all the obvious reasons. We have SO MUCH to be thankful for this year. Most importantly, we are thankful for our healthy little Gabriella and two babies that are still growing strong and healthy inside mommy’s belly.
As of Friday, we’ll have reached 29 weeks—HOORAY!

The babies passed a very important milestone last week, as 28 weeks is an important viability check point in the pregnancy. A majority of babies born at 28 weeks will spend weeks instead of months in the NICU, and will also reach adulthood without major complications. Since my last “baby” update, I’ve had 2 more OB appointments and yesterday I had another growth ultrasound. The current stats are:
Baby A: 3lb 10oz (77%)
Baby B: 3lb 3 oz (63%)

The percentage is where they stand comparatively in growth with the average singleton pregnancy. We couldn’t be happier with the babies’ growth! It’s crazy to think I have almost 7lbs of baby in me right now. And crazier to think they need to stay growing inside me for hopefully another 7 weeks. Yikes! If you think about it – 7lbs is the approx BIRTH WEIGHT of most singleton babies. Not to mention the fact I have two placentas, two amniotic sacs, and two babies kicking around constantly making my belly look like a pinball machine at times. I’ve gained 36lbs so far (6lbs more than I had gained w/Gabby @ 40 weeks, 3 days!), and ideally, the doctors want me to gain another 10-15, and the babies to gain another 2lbs each by 36 weeks. Bring on the Thanksgiving dinner!

We’ll be spending the Thanksgiving holiday with cousins Trish & Todd, their girls, Aunt Leo and Uncle Kenny, cousins Barbara & Kirk and their son Clint, and many friends of Trish & Todd’s. Holidays with this group are always fun… wonderful people, fun conversation, and the most delicious food!

BiRtHdAy PaRtY FuN!! Saturday - November 17, 2007

Gabby had SUCH a great time at her birthday party! So many of her little friends were able join us and the park worked out great! Unfortunately, if you weren't in the sand, dirt and puddles... or chasing your child around on the different play structures... you probably didn't see much of the birthday girl! Gabby was SO dirty half way through the party. And, I'm shocked that we actually got a few photos (thanks to a neighbor). After packing up and leaving party central - Gabby fell asleep after 5 minutes in the car and slept for 3 hours... now that's amazing! It was a beautiful, warm day spent with so many wonderful friends - even Dan & I had a great time and were exhausted.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GABRIELLA!

Wow… I can’t believe our baby is 2 years old! Where does time go?

Birthday week has been and will continue to be busy! The other day we had Gabby’s 2 year old photos taken. She did ok for the first 7 minutes and then the little model needed “water” and “toys”… yes, she was DONE with being photographed and made it very clear. I guess it was successful in that we got a few shots that showed her true colors.

Birthday week also meant having to attend her 2 year pediatrician appointment. From the moment we pull into Dr. O’s parking lot, Gabby will begin saying “But I don’t want to see Dr. O, mommy! I don’t want to see Dr. O!” Poor little thing… luckily, the 2 year appointment didn’t involve any shots, but DID involve Gabby getting a “Happy Birthday” sticker. It’s the little things that REALLY make a difference in our lives, isn’t it?! Gabby is healthy and continues to excel with speech, as she seems to have an above average vocabulary and has been talking in 6+ word sentences for months. Seriously… I have no idea where she gets her talking skills from. Ok, alright… so she DOES have Dan & I as parents. We may be partly to blame…it isn’t often silent in the Martino home. Dr. O was impressed with Gabby’s growth since her 18 month appointment, and her stats are now:
Height: 33.5 inches (40th percentile)

Weight: 23lbs (8th percentile)

Since we aren’t back in our house yet, on Saturday we’ll be celebrating Gabby’s birthday at a local park with some of her very best friends in the Bay Area. The park’s pretty cool in that it has lots of play structures, a big green lawn, a lake, and a huge carousel and train that parents & kids can ride throughout the park. And, we’ll of course have Gabby’s favorite foods – pizza and cake! YUM!

Gabby continues to light up our lives and provide us with constant amusement. Her smiles make us smile and her laugh makes us laugh with her. Our hearts melt every time we hear “I love you, mommy!” or “I love you, daddy!” And while we aren’t living at “home” right now… the constant pitter patter of very busy running feet throughout the house make any space feel very warm and cozy, fast. Happy Birthday, Gabriella!!!

Birthday & Halloween FUN… or something! Sunday - November 4, 2007

We celebrated Dan’s 36th birthday on Tuesday. And Gabby surprised daddy on the big day by saying “Happy Birthday Daddy!” a few times without even being prompted. I was shocked she remembered after only practicing a few times the day before! No big party or fancy dinner – but it was a memorable night. Gabby had helped me make the birthday cake… even putting the candles on the cake by herself (each candle was surrounded by fingerprints in the frosting). Just after we had taken several bites of cake – we had a 5.6 earthquake. The house we’re living in shook like CRAZY! I was able to grab Gabby after a second or two. But, the house was shaking so much it was difficult to move (and being off balance w/the belly didn’t help!). Kitchen cabinets and drawers were opened and stuff had fallen over or off shelves – but no injuries. The only “damage” was Gabby’s piece of chocolate cake that was smashed ALL OVER my sweatshirt and hair. Yes, like a true Martino… even though the child was scared she grabbed the cake with her hand to take with us – wherever we would end up. She wouldn’t have considered leaving CAKE in the middle of an earthquake. And, she did mange to finish eating what wasn’t smashed on mommy. Gotta love that kid…












The HALLOWEEN holiday was really fun this year. Our neighbors hosted a pumpkin carving and pizza party on Monday night. Then, I was a bit worried Gabby would be scared of her costume, as when I first showed it to her a month ago she didn’t want anything to do with it. Luckily though – she was so excited to go trick-or-treating with daddy and the neighbor kids that she didn’t flinch. And DAN dressed up too! “Curious George” and “The Man in the Yellow Hat” were a TOTAL HIT in the neighborhood. Dan did the trick-or-treating thing with Gabby and the neighbors, and I hung back at the house handing out candy. One of the neighbors hosted a post-trick-or-treat dinner, so Dan & Gabby were also able to join in that fun. I ended up having to lie down to try and calm a contracting belly. The night was a true success... as Gabby came back home sleeping on daddy’s shoulder. But, I’m still trying to figure out who had more fun - Dan or Gabby!? Gabby of course has put her costume on each and every day since Halloween… and she’s also made daddy put his yellow hat and shirt on. Dan, being the wonderful playmate he is, totally complies with the orders. Moments like these just make me smile, laugh and fully appreciate our crazy little family.

A couple funny Gabby comments to note:
1. Gabby refuses to drink straight white milk (like her mommy) – so she drinks chocolate milk. We’ll give her a sippy cup filled with mostly whole milk and enough chocolate milk to add the taste of chocolate. Dan has been trying to wean out the chocolate, but, Gabby is noticing. When Gabby realizes chocolate milk was not added (or not enough added to her liking), she’ll hand the sippy cup back to us and say “Put cow in it, daddy/mommy!” or “This needs cow in it!” The chocolate milk container has a cow on it – so that’s her “chocolate” identifier.

2. Whenever she wants to do something by herself she’ll say “My do it myself!”

3. “Or something” and “How about X though” seem to be added to a lot of requests lately. “How about we got to the park or something?” or “How about a hot dog or something?” And if we say let’s brush your teeth (HATES getting teeth brushed), she’ll say “How about we go outside though” Or “How about we go to the park though”.

Dan and I can’t help but find humor in #3. If adults were to use this lingo in our daily lives or professions it could make for some GREAT humor. “I’m going to start this project or something” or “I’ll put together a meeting agenda or something.” Or, your boss tells you to deal with an issue you SO DON’T want to deal with… and you say “How about a pay raise though?” or “How about naptime though?”. Could be quite funny…

Another week to check off in the pregnancy – 26 weeks! Hooray!