Rocco is FIVE!

Rocco is FIVE!! Here's his 5 year update...

Rocco's 5 Year Growth Stats:
Height: 44.5 inches (90th %ile)
Weight: 44.2 pounds (75th %ile)
BMI: 15.69 (50-75%ile)

FAVORITE TOYS: T.ransformers & T.ransformer R.escue B.ots are his current obsession. (I even know all the rescue bot names!). Super Heroes are still very important - B.atman and Spiderman being his favorites. He loves building and playing with L.EGO City sets. I wasn't sure he'd be ready for the L.ego stuff, but he impressed me very much with his focus and patience in wanting to build the structures correctly. He would build all of Gabby's things if she'd let him! Another favorite toy of Rocco's are those little green army guys, tanks, fighter planes, etc. He sets them all up on Gabby's castles or outside in the dirt and plays war, and battles ensue. He loves it! N.erf guns and swords are also still part of his regular toy playing rotation.

FAVORITE FOODS: Vanilla yogurt, breakfast sausage, tomato soup, strawberries, pizza, french fries, pasta, string cheese, waffles, pancakes, carrots with ranch, bagels with cream cheese, peanut butter sandwiches (don't you dare put jelly on it!), and bananas. Chocolate milk also remains a staple (I use half white, half chocolate milk). Rocco can eat a LOT of food. Some days, I literally wonder where he puts it all. Even his teachers at school are shocked by how much food we pack for his lunch, and he eats it all! Also, he eats so much yogurt and cheese that I'll be shocked if this child ever breaks a bone. When he was little, I could get him to eat anything and everything. But, in the past year, he's developed a fear of eating green foods...so we're working on that!

ACTIVITIES: Rocco is in the boys gymnastics program and he loves it. It's so fun to watch all the conditioning exercises they do, and then see the tricks they are being taught on various apparatus. The strength of those little people is truly impressive. He's also in soccer... but not sure he's really a soccer kind of guy. In the spring, he'll be able to start little league and both him and Dan are very excited about that.

SCHOOL: Rocco is in pre-kindergarten 3 days a week. And, in January he started doing 3 FULL days per week. Previously, he was just doing 3 half-days/week. I think he enjoys more time with his *guy* friends, and he was excited about changing to full days. During the second week of full days, he seemed less excited about it. I believe he was more interested in staying home to play with his new toys (from birthday presents) vs. going to school. Regardless, Rocco is so much more interested this year in learning. He is getting so much better with identifying the letters of the alphabet and the sounds they make. He wouldn't get 100% on a test of either, but we're getting there! He can sing the alphabet. He can count to 50. He LOVES learning and doing math. When Gabby does her math homework, she often takes the time to explain it to Rocco and then tests him. Rocco can add single numbers quite well and seems to think math is pretty fun. I'm really enjoying seeing his interest in learning start to spark. He also continues to show more interest in learning to read.

FRIENDS: Rocco has developed a circle of friends, which is fun to see. He's got his school buddies, his gymnastics buddies and his neighborhood friends. He also plays so much and so well with his sisters, Gabby & Giuliana. Yes, they definitely have their moments of battle. But, for the most part, he is so generous and protective and forgiving with Giuliana, who likes to tag along and play whatever Rocco is playing. Gabby and Rocco can play nicely together for hours when doing anything L.EGO related. And, Marco is starting to get right in Rocco's face lately... so Rocco will often give Marco toys that he's playing with or distract him with other toys, while giggling and appreciating Marco's interest in whatever it is Rocco is doing. Rocco is VERY excited for his little brother to grow up and play with him.

SLEEP: Rocco is our BEST sleeper. He goes to bed between 8 -8:30 every night and wakes up most mornings between 7-7:30am. He is usually the first kid to wake up, and he likes to start his day by watching some cartoons on TV, snuggled up to his blanket and stuffed P.iglet.

FAVORITE TV SHOWS: T.ransformers, T.ransformer R.escue Bots, B.atman, S.uperhero Squad Show, P.hineus & Ferb, Little E.insteins, and W.ord World.

FAVORITE MOVIES: The I.ncredibles, T.oy Story movies, etc.

FAVORITE COLOR: Orange & Red

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS THIS PAST YEAR:
1. Doing the monkey bars all by himself (crossing 10 monkey bars, easily!)
2. Learning to swing by himself
3. Riding his bike without training wheels
4. Singing the ABC's
5. Counting to 50
6. Learning how to draw a person (with a body & a face)
7. Learning to draw the letters of the alphabet and numbers
8. Rocco became a r.ollercoaster enthusiast (BIGTIME! He LOVES them and has no fear!)

BIRTHDAY PARTY: He asked to have a Samurai birthday cake, so that's what he got! We celebrated his birthday, along with his sister's birthday, by going out to dinner, singing the Happy B.irthday song, eating cake and ice cream and opening presents. And wow, did Rocco ever excel at opening presents in the past year. I think he whipped through 15 presents in less than 5 minutes. Unbelievable!! His party with friends will probably take place at a jumpy house (per his request) at some point in February, or whenever the flu stops spreading like wildfire. Whenever we have it, it will be a joint birthday party for Rocco and Giuliana.

MATTEO: Not a day passes in our house where Matteo's name is not mentioned once, or multiple times. His pictures are everywhere and the kids ask questions, or we talk about memories, etc. He is and always will be their brother and they all are aware of that. Rocco is very aware of the fact that he had a twin brother and that Matteo is now in Heaven. Sometimes, when Rocco is playing by himself, he'll tell us he wishes his brother didn't die because then they could be playing together, and they'd be best buddies. He also connects seeing the moon to Matteo, and he'll tell him goodnight, that he misses him and loves him. Their birthday is always especially hard for me. It should be such a happy day, but sometimes I get overwhelmed with sadness... Matteo should be here celebrating his 5th Birthday too. It just flat out kills me that he isn't.

FAVORITE VACATION SPOT: If you ask Rocco this, he'll tell you the beach. EVEN if prompted with "Is Disneyland your favorite vacation spot?" He'll respond with "No, I love the BEACH! I want to LIVE at the BEACH!" So, there you have it... I guess that means his answer is Hawaii or California because those are the only two places he's been to a beach.

Rocco is such an animated, happy-go-lucky kid, often sporting a huge grin, and can be heard humming the transformers theme song or making sound effects of things crashing or exploding. He has a million faces and often entertains me & my camera by modeling everything from his smile to shocked, to sad, to scared, to crazy face. It's hilarious! He's emotional too - if someone hurts his feelings, you'll hear about it! If he could play hard twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, he would. He is such a great, protective, big brother to Giuliana and Marco. He adores his big sister and LOVES when she plays with him. He's definitely got the boy gene, in that the words "butt, fart, poop, poopy, booty, bugar, goober, etc." might be the funniest words on the planet to him, and if he hears those words, he will laugh out loud, immediately. He thinks that him and the president of the U.nited States have common names... if you ask him the president's name, he'll say it's "BaROCCObama". He loves tools, and knows exactly where all of Dan's tools are and how they should be used. He loves having a bunk bed and sometimes sleeps on the bottom bunk, sometimes on the top. He loves wrestling and playing sports with his daddy, and he loves snuggling and reading books with his mommy.

Playing outside is one of his favorite things to do and he can often be found digging in the dirt, swinging on the monkey bars and swings, playing army guys in the dirt, riding his bike, riding his scooter, finding sticks and doing various things with those sticks. In the summer, he LOVES playing with the water hose, and anything water-related.

Rocco's blanket remains his item of comfort. He sleeps with his blanket every night, and he calls it his "Tickley" (because he tickles his face with the fringed edges). The blanket gets chewed on, snuggled, brought on vacations, etc. It is pilled and beginning to look tough. His blanket was a Christmas gift from my mom when he was 11 months old. Rocco loves this blanket. He will not sleep without it. It is like his 3rd arm at times. So cute!

We love you SO MUCH, Mr. Rocco!! Every day you make us laugh, you challenge our *answering* skills, thought process, parenting skills, and patience. You remind us how to have fun and play like a kid again, and to appreciate the simple things in life. We love your snuggles, cuddles, and quiet time with you. We think you are perfect beyond words and we could not love you more, or be more proud of the little man you are becoming. xoxo

Grandma Oni

My grandma Leona was the sweetest, hardest-working, thoughtful, big-hearted and most kind person I have ever known. She had such a hard work ethic, she was lively and fun and entertaining, and she had the most amazing laugh. 

The last time I saw her was in September 2010. She was still living in her home at the time, and while she had slowed down considerably, she was still doing quite well. 

If I could go back in time, I would have held her real tight in a bear hug for a half hour, while telling her how special she was to me, how many wonderful memories I will keep tucked away in my heart and mind of her, how much I admired her, and what a great role model she was for me growing up. 

She passed away in the very early morning hours of January 10th. The same day my sweet twin boys were born five year prior, and Giuliana was born three years prior. 

I can only imagine her reception into the Heavens. And, I imagine my sweet little Matteo being so grateful to see his great grandmother again, helping to celebrate his birthday.

She had been living in an assisted living home for just over a year. Her health had taken some turns for the worse during the year. Then, she caught a virus in December… and she just couldn’t recover.

 She went into the hospital shortly after Christmas, and never went back to her home. My mom spent every minute she could possibly spend with her… making sure she was well taken care of, and comfortable, and that they were doing everything possible to help her pull through the virus and subsequent health issues. 

I knew in my heart that grandma Oni was pretty sick, and there was a chance she would not make it through this. But, it didn’t stop me from having high hopes and praying for a miracle and healing and strength.

I recall the night she died, praying to my little Matteo and G.od before i went to sleep. I prayed that they help her remain comfortable and that they welcome her with open arms and take very good care of her when she arrived in Heaven. I fell asleep after silently crying myself to sleep so as not to wake anyone.  

I woke up just after midnight on January 10th, and I remember looking towards the end of my bed and immediately thought of grandma Oni. I swear I could feel her presence in the room, and I felt like she was there with me. I had been so sad as I drifted off to sleep that night… and now, I felt a sweeping rush of peacefulness. I felt as if she was ok, and had a feeling that she had passed. 

Sure enough, she passed away at 1:37am (CT) on January 10th, which was 11:37pm PT on the 9th. I got goosebumps when my mom shared this with me.

I truly believe her soul visited me that night shortly after she died. 

Rocco needs his sleeping bag?

Rocco (from upstairs): "Moooooooooom!!"
Me (downstairs): "What?"
Rocco (still upstairs, getting annoyed): MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Me: "Whaaaaaaat?"
Rocco: "Can you get my sleeping bag down?"
Me (looking at Dan): "I'm feeding Marco right now. Do you need it right now? It's day time!"
Rocco: "Yes! I need it right now. Can you get it down for me?"
Me (getting annoyed): "Well... you're going to have to wait. I'm feeding Marco."
Rocco: "Well, when can you get it down. I need it, mom!"
Me: "Rocco, why do you need your sleeping bag so bad, right NOW?"
Rocco: "Because I want to sled down the stairs head first in it."
Me: "Dan... did you hear that? What is wrong with that boy? You need to go talk to him. This is insane."
Dan: (laughing hysterically.... and more laughing... and yes, more laughing) "I think he must have seen that on TV last night when the kids caught the end of "A.merica's F.unniest H.ome V.ideos".
Me: "Oh my gosh. What's next?!?! Seriously?!"

This child keeps us on our toes. Seriously.

Changes to the kids rooms

Adding another little boy to the family.

PLUS

Gabby getting older and having more big-girl preferences.

PLUS

No more au pair, freeing up another bedroom.

  EQUALS

Lots of recent changes to the kids bedrooms!

To prepare Rocco's room for another little guy to join him at some point in the next few years, we purchased a bunk bed and a new dresser. His old dresser was the dresser/changing table that we purchased to match the twins cribs back in December 2007. It was sturdy and great material, but we needed a dresser that had more drawers and was more vertical, vs horizontal to allow more room for playing. Also, we never use the changing table. The bunk bed we chose has a full mattress on the bottom and twin on top. The thought process behind that was to allow another larger bed option for when we have visitors, and also a place for Dan or I to sleep in the room w/the boys so we can keep watch if one of them would be sick. It's already come in quite handy! Dan slept in there with Rocco when he had croup/asthma attacks in November. And again when he had the flu. And, a few times Dan's camped out in there when Rocco has come into our room telling us he had a bad dream. Love having the option to sleep in there if necessary!

In Gabby's room, the princess bedding made a departure when her new Hawaiian bedding from PBK arrived at Christmas 2011. The princess wall decals all came down too, being replaced by H.ello Kitty. Yes, the princess obsession is mostly a thing of the past. When Marco arrived, we added a small toddler bed to the room for Giuliana to sleep in. She did so well in that bed, Santa brought her a big-girl bed very similar to Gabby's. Gabby had a pink cushion headboard - her favorite color. Well, Santa gave Giuliana a purple cusion headboard - same bed style. Isn't it crazy how Santa knows exactly what type of bed to get to match Gabby's? Giuliana's new purple bed also sports the same Hawaiin bedding that Gabby's bed has and the girls both love it. The toddler bed is now out and Gabby could not be happier about that. She did not like having a toddler bed in "her" room, and she is excited to now be able to offer her friends their own twin bed to sleep in when she has sleepovers. Also added to Gabby's room (due to the space saved from changes in the next paragraph) was a cool white desk and pink chair which she is thrilled about. It is now her favorite spot to do her fashion design artwork, etc. 

Then, since we no longer have an au pair, we decided to give Giuliana her "own" bedroom, which she was very excited about. We moved all her clothes into the closet, moved the small dresser (with Giuliana's clothes) from Gabby's room into Giuliana's new room, as well as a princess toy shelf. And, Giuliana's room has a queen size bed with some shabby-chic'ish bedding from PBK. The room is a light lavendar. Giuliana could not be happier about this..."puwple is my favrite color!" Giuliana LOVES having her own room. She loves playing on her big bed... she'll often sit on it, brushing her ponies hair, or Barbies hair. And, now, Gabby and Giuilana are sleeping in this bed together every single night. It's SO SUPER CUTE to see them snuggling and sleeping in bed together. Sisters!

So - lots of changes to the kids rooms!

Marco's crib is in our room and I don't plan on moving that anytime soon. :)

C.hristmas 2012 was a bust!

Well, this was a C.hristmas for the memory books! 

I don't recall the 12 Days of C.hristmas song lyrics including "3 kids a puking", "2 parents getting their butts kicked" and "an 8 month old still awaaaaaake at 10pm"! 

Unfortunately, those were our lyrics this C.hristmas. 

That’s right. Our house got hit with a nasty stomach virus. It hit Rocco first. He was down and out hard for almost 2 days. It hit Gabby the next day, and she suffered through a tough 4 days. Giuliana started vomiting on the 3rd day. And, Dan was sick by day 4. 

Thankfully, Marco and I took a pass on it. Which also meant, I was a very busy momma! I must have L.ysol’d the entire house twice in one weekend. It’s no easy task taking care of 3 sick babies, while trying to keep the breastfeeding infant healthy and fed and happy. 

And, let’s face it, the stomach bug is just not meant for kids! Rocco has the best aim in the world when puking. He’ll even wakeup in the middle of the night and run to the toilet instead of just using the bowl by the bed. Gabby on the other hand… ugh! She somehow will be standing over the toilet and the puke goes everywhere. And, if she’s by a bowl, but not the toilet… she’ll run through the house to tell us she has to puke and then get there JUST in time to puke ALL over the bathroom. Let’s hope she grows out of this. Pronto! Giuliana on the other hand, I don’t know how she does it. But, my sweet little, delicate 2 year old never misses a bowl or the toilet.

Not only were our heads spinning with all the sickies, but I felt compelled to just sit with my babies and snuggle them on the sofa to help ease their misery and make them feel loved. Their tummies hurt, they didn’t want to eat anything, they needed extra love, and I just wanted it to take away all their pain and make them better.

Luckily, we were able to work in a number of the regular C.hristmas traditions before we got sick, and after. We got a beautiful C.hristmas tree. The E.lf on the Shelf arrived the day after Than.ksgiving. We spent a fun afternoon making gingerbread and butter cut-out cookies, and we visited Santa.  

Thankfully, by December 26th, the kids seemed to finally be feeling better, but just didn’t have their appetites back yet. So, we missed C.hristmas Eve mass, and we didn’t have our usual lasagna for Ch.ristmas Eve dinner. I think we had chicken noodle soup and soda crackers. We ventured out of the house finally on the 28th, and even then, Giuliana ended up getting sick while we were sitting down in Nor.dstrom’s. So, she subsequently got a very expensive replacement purple outfit that she adored and ended up wearing a lot. 

Good bye for now, au pairs!

We just said good bye to our 6th au pair. She came to our home in September and was scheduled to be with us for a year, but it wasn't working out.

I was not particularly happy with the childcare skills of #6. She seemed to have a very difficult time engaging and truly “playing” with the kids. Arts and crafts, playing make believe, doing fun stuff outside, etc., just seemed very unnatural. There was almost an awkwardness. She did a fine job with household tasks--like the kids laundry, making kids school lunches, etc. But, I prefer someone who can actually play and bond with the kids. There were also a few incidents that made me skeptical of her experience. The last straw was when I found her using her smart phone much too often... f.acebooking, texting, etc. I called her out on it and we decided together that it wasn't a good fit.

The timing was also right for us to say goodbye, as my contract work ended at the end of July. And, for the first time since Matteo died, I'm not in "panic" mode at night when I'm home alone with the kids. For the longest time, I always feared the worst at night – like another emergency was going to happen. This fear could almost consume me at times (and yes, I know it sounds crazy). But, the memories and experience of Matteo dying at night… ugh. It’s not something I will ever get past. I still have a great fear of sick kids. Fevers, being the worst of my fears. Especially fevers with itty bitty people. Anyway, since Dan travels a lot for business… having an au pair has always provided me with an extra sense of security. “If there is an emergency, I can rush to the ER with so and so, and the au pair will be there to take care of the other kids.” (Yes, I know…crrrrrrrrraaaaaaaazzzzzzzzzzyyyyyy!)

This last experience was somewhat disappointing, as we were fresh off of two of the greatest au pairs ever. Our 4th and 5th au pairs became an extension of our families. We'll keep in touch with them forever, and hopefully see eachother again some day. I could always trust them with the kids. They knew how to get them involved in activities and really PLAY with them. They would spend hours reading and looking at books with the kids, going on walks, finding things in the forest, playing many various make-believe scenarios. And, it was so clear they truly loved the kids.

Our 3rd au pair was also amazing. And, I give her so much credit as she joined our family a mere month and a half after Matteo had died. Looking back... ugh. I almost feel sorry for her, as it was SUCH a dark time in our lives. She probably listened to more crying and saw more sadness than she'll ever hear/see again in her life. She must have thought I was the nuttiest, nut on the planet. She was a great person. She was amazing... never complained, always had a smile and positive attitude, and just came into our home and seemed to know exactly what we needed. Took great care of Gabby and Rocco, developed daily routines with Rocco while Gabby was at school, helped Gabby develop an interest in arts and crafts, etc. While we don't keep in touch with her as much as our 4th and 5th au pairs, I'll always have a great deal of respect for her and appreciate all she did for our family during that year after Matteo died.

Au pairs are a great childcare option if you're looking for flexible, affordable childcare. And, it's an absolute bargain if you have two or more children. I also liked the fact that I got to know the girls well, instead of just hiring some random person who you don't "really" know. The kids love having a sort of older sibling figure in the house and the cultural experience/exchange is fun for everyone.

I am reviewing applications for a replacement au pair... but I'm in no rush to find another. It was nice to have the extra help even when not "working". I got a lot of things checked off my personal to-do lists, and was able to spend so much 1:1 time with Marco that I wouldn't have been able to had we not had an au pair. But, since I am not currently working, or searching for more work... it was somewhat a luxury, and only partly a necessity, as it allowed me to taxi kids around w/o having to bring Marco who HATES driving in the car.

For now, I'm going to enjoy being mommy to the kids w/o a house guest. I am enjoying it right now. Yes, it's a definite juggling act sometimes. Yes, Marco unfortunately has to ride in the car more than he would like to. And, yes, I have to rely on the TV to babysit sometimes so I can nurse Marco in quiet and not worry about a 2 year old getting into mischeif. And, yes, I will lose my sanity in some moments of complete chaos that only 4 kids under the age of 7 can bring. But, it's ok. We're living life and I love being the playmate, the book reader, the best friend, the tooth brusher, helping to pick outfits in the morning and preparing all their little healthy meals.

I'll eventurally look for another job, and at that time we will absolutely need another au pair. But, right now, I'm just focused on being the best momma I can be to my little people. They're so awesome. I love them so much. And, I know everyone says "they grow up so fast"... but wow, do they ever. It's mind-blowing how fast time flies. 

Marco Crawling

Marco has been mobile on all 4's for a while now... but today, he officially started crawling forward on all 4's. And, oddly enough, I was lucky enough to capture the momentous occasion on my iPhon.e.

Now, he can get to whatever he sees and wants. Time to start re-baby proofing!

Back to Pre-Pregnancy/Goal Weight!

Well... it took just over 7 months, but I am back to my pre-pregnancy/goal weight.

"WooooooHooooooo!!!"

I would be the world's biggest liar if I said it was easy. After 4 pregnancies resulting in 5 children, holding down a full-time/part-time job through July, being full-time mommy, managing and keeping a house clean, and playing taxi service to the schedules of 3 active little people... it's definitely a challenge to find windows of time during the day for myself to brush my teeth, much less fit in a half hour or hour long workout.

But, this was something I had to do. Being in good shape physically is something I actually enjoy and take a lot of pride in. And, more importantly, I know how much it impacts my mood, my happiness, my patience, my energy level (honestly - makes me less tired even with 4 hours of sleep at night!), my overall physical and mental health, and my ability to be the best mom and wife I can be.

So, how did I lose the 40lbs of baby weight to get back to my pre-pregnancy/goal weight?

I exercised more.

Yup. It's that simple. I exercised more. Didn't change my eating habits at all... perhaps even began eating a bit more in recent weeks.

I worked my butt off (literally!)! I had been running 6-15 miles per week since the beginning of June. But, I hit a plateau with my weight loss and still needed to lose about 8 pounds. And, I hadn't yet been reunited with my love of running. So, in early September, I started running 20+ miles per week, faithfully. Every single week. By the third week, I was back to LOVING my runs, and experiencing those wonderful "runners high" moments. I found time slots here or there, ran in the rain, ran when I was tired... you name it. I made it my mission to hit 20 miles or more every week. I started out doing five 4 mile runs per week. Two weeks in, I started doing 6 miles every Sunday. My Sunday Six, as I like to call it. Every Sunday. No excuses. And, for the past 10 weeks, I've been running 24+ miles. By

Anyone who knows me, knows I love to run. Running and photography are my two personal hobbies aside from my family. Nothing beats a great run! I do my best thinking when I run. It's like my own personal therapy and brainstorming session. I'm able to connect with Matteo's spirit and just think about and remember him when I run. There is something spiritual about it... I'm sure other runners could relate. I love getting out and breathing the fresh air and always feel so recharged and ready to tackle any problem when I get home.

I feel great about myself again! I fit into my "skinny" clothes! I am more productive, happier, better wife, better mommy, and am once again crazy-addicted to my exercise habits.

Why am I blogging about this?

Because I feel like SO MANY people just need a little inspiration to push them in the direction to lose a few pounds to feel GREAT! I think most people can lose the weight they need to lose by making some simple, but often difficult, decisions.

Yes,  I know not everyone can run--don't run if you have physical limitations. I too have aches and pains from running (but that's an entirely different blog post!). If anything, I hope I've inspired anyone who wants to lose weight to set a health goal today, and stick to it! Whether it's going for a 30 minute walk 5 days a week, changing your portion sizes, choosing to eat more healthy foods that you prepare at home vs. eating out, eating more vegetables, lifting weights while watching TV, drink less alcohol... whatever... just do it!!

Also, I have to note that Dan has also lost about 20lbs in the past 3 months. While he also likes to run for exercise, the biggest factor in his weight loss was just changing his portion sizes, snacking less, and making healthier food choices (eating more greens/vegetables) while on business trips. He looks SO GREAT and I'm SO PROUD of him! He is now the skinniest he's ever been since I've known him, and now he's even lowered his goal weight. He looks younger than ever, he feels great, and is definitely a happier and more productive person. I could not be more proud of him.

Ok... now, if you've been contemplating losing weight... I hope these 2 success stories have inspired you!! Go for it and set your goals. And, don't kick yourself if you have a bad day or don't get your exercise in one day. Just tell yourself to re-focus on your goals the next day. You can do it too!!

Not to be difficult or anything...

"Not to be difficult or anything, but I would like to be referred to as "Gabby/Gabriella". Some days, please call me Gabby. Some days, I would prefer to be called Gabriella. I'll let you know which day I'd like to be called what."

Oy! Because teachers don't already have a challenging job... just add the child who signs her homework this way into the mix! HA!

Santa's joke on us... the train!

Last year, Santa left this nifty little "Holiday Express" train under our Christmas tree on Christmas morning. It's pretty cool, actually.

The train came with a remote control, a sturdy set of tracks and 6 cars. Little elves sit on all the cars and do different activities on most of the cars. The tracks aren't super long, maybe __ feet, but they have been able to withstand the hands of 3 little people who like to arrange, rearrange, and drive the train through its course.

Last January, we put the train away with all of the holiday decorations. We told the kids we'd pull it out again when we decorated for Christmas this year, so we did.

At first - it was pure excitement. Then, the excitement led to TOO much excitement and 3 little people all wanting to control/drive the train or manage where signs were put, or the order the cars were in, and so on.

I kid you not... this darn train must have been THE source of 582 arguments the day Dan set it up. And, 205 arguments the next day. As time passed... so did interest in the train of course. I think by the time Christmas arrived, that poor train was long forgotten and had not been touched in 2 weeks.

While I love the wonder and joy it brings to the house/kids when we first pull it out of storage, along with all the other Christmas decorations.... Dan would argue that the time spent taking it out of storage, managing the arguments on the first few days, and then disassembling and packing it back up for storage make it a torturous Santa gift!

Nana's Nastics on Mondays

Giuliana LOVES gymnastics. She's often heard saying "I got my nastics on Mondays!", as she goes about her day. She just finished her last mommy/parent & me class. In January, she'll start her first class without a parent involved in the class with her and she seems to be very excited about that.

I tried to tell her that her "nastics" might not be on Monday anymore. Rather, it might be on Tuesday or Thursday instead. She gave me a big "Noooooooooo! My nastics on Mondays momma!"

Holy Christmas Tree!

We picked out our Christmas tree on Sunday, December 2nd.

We got lucky, as it was a rain-free day, sandwiched between rainy and cold days. It seems that November and December are very rainy in this part of the country. For the record, I'm not a fan of November and December in the Pacific Northwest. :)

Gabby and Rocco were very excited to pick out the Christmas tree. Giuliana was indifferent. As was Marco.

The tree we chose, first spotted/chosen by Gabby, is enormous. And, I know I tend to exaggerate... but there is no exaggeration going on with the description of this tree. We must have been high on life when we decided to chop this tree down and bring it home because it is truly unreal.

Or, I guess one would also think to re-think the "chosen tree" when their husband tries to chop it down, and literally disappears under the tree, with only his legs sticking out. Or, when the tree takes forever to chop down? I think our eyes have been warped by living here... most trees you see in these parts of the country are SO BIG. Way bigger than trees in Minnesota. Similar to trees you'd see in the Redwood Forest in CA. This Christmas Tree just seemed kinda regular at the time and not obscenely large. :)

It is almost 8' wide, at the widest part (the base of all the branches). And, it measures 13' tall. It took three grown men to load it onto the truck. And then it took Dan another 3 hours to get it off the truck, go buy a bigger tree stand, and recruit a neighbor who then helped move it inside the house.

We couldn't stop laughing at how crazy big this tree is. And what the HECK were we thinking?! We're clearly nuts!

I can assure you we will never get another Christmas tree this big (it's just insane!), but it has definitely given us some good laughs. Oh, and all for the bargain price of $40! In California, I'm pretty sure buying a tree this size in Silicon Valley would have run us close to $300, if not more. I remember back in the day buying a 7' tree, and that costing us $160. Unbelievable!

The kids were itching to decorate the tree... and this year, we decided to just let them do their business on the tree. I did not hang one ornament. Dan hung under 10. And, our au pair probably hung about 10-15 ornaments. I actually think it's kind of cute and personal though, having the tree mostly decorated by little people. Sure, ornaments are clustered together, and hanging off the tree touching the ground in some spots. And, 90% of the ornaments sit well below 4'. But, I think it looks great - it's all about the lights!

Giuliana, our night owl

I love when children nap.

Unfortunately, I think Giuliana is outgrowing her naps. [deep sigh....]

The reason I know this is not because she refuses to nap every single day. Because she does still nap very happily 4 out of 7 days. But, rather... because on the days she DOES nap, she ends up staying up until Dan and I go to bed.

Giuliana has always been such a great napper. Consistently napping for 2-3 hours every day. And, until about 3 months ago, she would do her daily nap and then go to bed at night when Gabby and Rocco did. It made bedtime super easy-breezy to put all the big kids down at one time, together.

Then, almost three months ago, she started not falling asleep right away at night if she took a long nap. She would talk, and talk and talk, and sing, and tell us Gabby was the one talking (they share a room). This would make Gabby crazy, as she was tired and actually trying to fall asleep. But, her pesky little sister was singing at the top of her lungs in the same room making her angry, instead of tired. Ugh! Then if we went up there, Giuliana would say "Dabby being too loud. Dabby keep me awake!". (Insert parent giggles here... really, Giuliana?!)

It grew to be more of a problem putting Giuliana to bed at the same time as Gabby and Rocco. Instead, if Giuliana took a 3 hour nap, we'd put her to bed an hour or two after Gabby and Rocco. Then, she'd fall asleep right away.

Well, then Halloween season hit with all the spooky decorations and costumes, etc. I think the spook in Halloween spooked our girl, because she moved back into our bed as of early October.

Good. Times.

Now, Dan and I wake up with about 20 stuffed animals, in all shapes and sizes in our bed. Several purple blankets (aka, "purpul bankey"), sometimes a book or two, or a batman figure, or a few horse, cat or other small animals, a pillow pet here or there. It's really amazing, actually... I'm in awe sometimes when I wake up looking around me. I mean, how does all of that stuff and 4 people really fit in a king size bed. Amazing.

And, if that isn't entertaining enough. Now, when I'm getting ready for bed... Giuliana will be wandering around the playroom or whatever, running in and out of our bedroom. One night, I walked in on her in the girl's bathroom... and there she was polishing her toenails, and she had also put glitter on her face.

I have a feeling this little girl is going to keep us on our toes. For a LONG time. But GOSH... I'm SO IN LOVE with her! I must be crazy because I think she's cute even when she's naughty.

Gabby's 1st Gymnastics Meet

Gabby had her first gymnastics meet on Saturday, December 1st. It was an intra-squad meet, so they competed against their teammates - not another team. This was set-up to get them used to the structure of a meet, and having a real judge (which they did have) watch and judge and score them. Granted, the scores were never disclosed - which was fine and probably best. The next meets are set for January, February and March against other teams from throughout western Washington.

She practices twice weekly, for 3 hours each night. I think this is a little overkill - but she loves it. She's on pre-team. However, in January 2013, the US Gymnastics association will not classify her as pre-team anymore, rather she'll be called "USAG Level 2". Apparently, they are re-classifying all the levels, etc, with different names come 2013. And, her gym is one of those more serious gyms, so they stick to the guidelines and try to educate us parents about these changes via newsletters and emails.

I'm learning that some parents are REALLY in to all of these details, and that "meet buns" (how their hair is styled gym meets) are serious business. Ha! I tend to be one of the parents that knows my child will never be a professional gymnast, so I see no reason to push my kid beyond her limits. I love that Gabby is enjoying gymnastics so much. But, if ever there is a day she is not enjoying it, or if her school work suffers... then we know it would be best to pull her out. Her happiness and school/education is much more important. And, six hours a week for a 6/7 year old is a LOT. Life is short... and kids should be having FUN and enjoying life and the activities they are involved in at this age. 

Gabby was truly SO excited for the meet. She tends to be a perfectionist, so I was forced to help/watch her floor routine over and over for the 2 nights prior to the meet. We had been given the music CD, and a sheet of paper with the routine a month before, but we hadn't practiced at all. So, two nights prior to the meet, she became stressed that she would forget her routine. I told her it didn't matter if she forgot, to take her time, and that what was MOST important was that she did the very best she could do and that she was having FUN. But, she insisted on practicing... a LOT. Practicing over & over was painful at first (for me!), because Gabby's perfectionist was coming out. Then, it got fun when she started to relax, and it was cute because the little kids were watching and cheering for her. I did eventually have to tell her to stop practicing because she must have done that routine 100 times over & over.

We all went to watch Gabby at her meet. She did such a great job and we were so proud of her. It takes such courage and confidence to get out there and do the best job you can do in front of an audience. We couldn't help but be proud of not only Gabby, but each one of those girls! It was truly so fun to watch all of them perform.

Gabby's favorite apparatus is the bars, so I posted that video here. Her second is beam, and third is floor. Vault is her least favorite. She did a great job on all of her routines. She didn't forget them like she was worried she might. And, wow... it was just great fun to watch!

First Tooth!

Marco cut his first tooth today (Friday, November 30)! Just two days before he turns 7 months old.

All the signs have been there... waking up a lot more than usual during the night crying, drooling like a little madman, constantly chewing on his fingers or whatever he can put in his mouth, or biting on me.

Hard to believe my BABY (my LAST little baby!), cut his first tooth.

Wow!

A Turkey Day, Divided!

Thanksgiving 2012 will go down in the Martino memory books as a turkey day, divided.

We started the week out with a trip to the ER for Rocco, who had a coup/asthma attack on Sunday night. It was so crazy, as I *might* have heard him cough twice that day.  It was 11pm, I was brushing my teeth and I heard an odd coughing/hacking noise coming from down the hall and I thought it was Gabby having a cough attack, and being super dramatic about it (which is usually the case). So, I asked Dan if he could go check on Gabby since I was brushing my teeth. Then, I hear him yelling "Rocco, breathe!"... so I rushed over and realized we were dealing with a pretty serious case of croup/cough and told Dan to run down and get Rocco's inhaler. Rocco literally couldn't take a full breath, he couldn't talk, and was just coughing and gasping. It was all very scary to me and I was seconds from calling 911. We were able to get him breathe a bit closer to normal and Dan rushed him off to the ER. They gave him steroids, which helped him significantly. They arrived home around 1am, and Rocco then threw-up dinner (chili.... yum!) all over Dan and him and the downstairs bathroom floor. (Thankfully, it is a tile floor!). Clearly, the steroids didn't settle well in his tummy. Poor kid! Dan then stayed up until 3:30am, so he could have piece of mind that Rocco wouldn't have any more breathing troubles. Since Matteo died in his sleep... any occurrence like this rocks our world, and very quickly brings to surface all of the feelings and emotions and memories from the day Matteo died. And, I know nobody can relate, unless you too have experienced the loss of a child, but the emotions and feelings are so strong and present, they are palpable within our home.

Rocco was totally fine the next day, granted, he did have a little random cough. But, nothing I was overly concerned about. No fever, and his eating and energy levels were fine as well. Well, then Gabby started getting a little cough (so little and sporadic that I also wasn't concerned)... and she felt good enough to still go to school and gymnastics on Wednesday night.

This would be the first time since living in Washington that we would not host T.hanksgiving dinner at our home. Instead, we were invited to our friend's home to join their family. We were very excited about it and all of us were looking forward to it. Still, I decided to let them know we had two little people coughing, and showing mild cold symptoms. I am always very cautious about bringing my kids anywhere, if sick... and VERY appreciative of other parents who act the same way. Since Matteo's cause of death was mostly related to a virus he had picked up, I prefer to not spread germs whenever possible... and for people to not spread them to us. Some kids just don't have good immune systems.

Anyway, Thursday morning arrived (turkey day)... everyone was excited and getting ready to join our friends that afternoon. But, Gabby seemed to be coughing more and started looking horrible. I felt her forehead and knew right then and there that we couldn't bring her. Her temp was just under 100 degrees. She started sobbing, saying she wanted to still go but also saying she felt awful and sick. I felt SO bad for her. I tucked her under a blanket on the sofa, piled up some library books next to her, turned on a movie, and got her some juice and crackers.

Dan & I went for a 6 mile run together (our date, if your will!), showered, and Dan got Rocco and Giuliana ready to go while I finished up making the appetizer and dessert we were supposed to bring. We said goodbye to Dan, Rocco, Giuliana, and our au pair, Adriana... and as Gabby cried, I promised her I'd let her drink a F.resca (she's never drank soda before!), and have treats while watching whatever movie she wanted to watch.

So, Gabby, Marco and I stayed home. It was very quiet. Very uneventful... and definitely did not feel very much like a holiday. Spending a holiday divided... 3 at the party, 3 at home, was the pits.

BUT... there are so many things that are and could be worse. And, we have so much to be thankful for. So, it's best to focus on the positive, be thankful for what you do have, and keep that front of mind. Missing a turkey day dinner with friends and family is really not a big deal in the big scheme of life!

We brought Gabby to the doctor on Friday morning. She was diagnosed with strep for the 3rd time in 3 months. Jeesh! Then, Marco caught the cold virus, as did Giuliana... so we had 2 more sick little monkeys come Monday morning.

If I could, I'd wish flu/cold/virus season would just disappear!

She's SEVEN!

Our big girl turned seven recently. SEVEN.

Wow.

I have no idea where those seven years went.

Gabby's 7 Year Growth Stats:
Height: 4' 2" (75%ile)
Weight: 49lbs (50%ile)
BMI: 14-23 (10-25%ile)

Before I go to bed, I'll often tiptoe into her room to check on her and give her a gentle kiss on her forehead. Sometimes I'll just stare at her and get nostalgic... thinking I can still visualize her face as a baby. And, I'll think about how time just flies and she keeps growing. I'll think about the things that Gabby is worried or concerned about... and I'll wish all those things away for her. A parent's love for their child(ren) is an amazing thing.

I couldn't be more proud of the little lady Gabby is becoming. She is smart, confident, caring, thoughtful, loving, funny, and beautiful. She is sensitive. She's girly. She's an amazing big sister. She makes us laugh. Fashionista, drama-queen, dreamer and silly also come to mind. She's a happy girl... and she has such a big heart. We love her more than words. 

Gabby's seven year old favorites:
Food: pasta & meatballs with marinara sauce
Book: Sad Isn't Bad
Color: Pink
Movie: The Rise of the Guardians
Toy: L.EGO Friends Mia's Horsefarm
Song: any song by Taylor Swift or Katy Perry
Treat: mint chocolate chip ice cream
Day: Wednesday
Sport: gymnastics
Vacation spot: Hawaii

She is in first grade and doing so great at school. We're told she is one of the top students in her class, and she is reading at second grade level. Her teacher said she does well in both reading and math, and that Gabby is one of the kids in the class who is both helpful and she can really "count on" in certain situations. She loves reading chapter books. She loves learning math, and even spent an hour one night trying to do three digit addition, making me teach her how to do it over and over again [gee... THAT wasn't frustrating at all! ha!]. Gabby loves school. I think she likes both the challenge of school and the social aspect equally.

She is in gymnastics and swimming and has asked to be re-enrolled in dance class (ballet & tap) in January. She decided to quit soccer in September, saying she's just not interested in soccer anymore.

She is VERY into fashion these days. So much in fact that for her birthday, she asked us for specific shoe and clothing items. All having sparkles, of course (this child LOVES sequins and glitter!). Also, she has started designing her own dress and handbag line, and neatly cuts and tapes each new design into a journal/book for safe keeping. Then, for her birthday, a friend got her a very cool fashion design tracing light box... and she has since designed shoes and complete outfits. I have no idea where she got this gene from... not me! I'm pretty certain my mother only has photos of me wearing jeans and sweatshirts from kindergarten to age 20.

 I guess I shouldn't be surprised, as she has always been very opinionated in what she wears every days since she was 18 months old. Dressing up in heels and fancy dresses started shortly after 18 months. And, multiple outfit changes per day started happening at age 2. Now, adding to the interest in fashion is an interest in face glitter. This is a very new interest. It's cute and she uses it sparingly... never to school, just for fun. So I let her. It's harmless. And, I'll admit - it does look kind of fun! I think it's somewhat a result of having au pairs live with us who often put makeup on.

In addition to fashion, she also really loves L.EGOS Friends, and arts and crafts type activities where she can trace stuff, draw, and color, or just be creative in general in some way/shape/form. She is becoming quite good at drawing (copying) things that she's looking at - I've been impressed. And while she loves the L.EGOS... I think Rocco is better/more patient when it comes to building the sets. But, I do love that the kids all play SO great together with them. It's really cool. I had no idea how awesome the L.EGOS sets were until recently.

She knows how to S.kype, F.acetime, text message and email friends from her i.Touch. Crazy, I know. But, it is pretty funny to watch 6 and 7 year olds on F.acetime... just giggling at each other, asking over and over what the other one is doing and then informing us later that "so and so" is staying overnight on Friday. Too funny, because I remember having to call my friends on a rotary dial phone with the cord attached to the wall when I was a kid. I remember it being a very big deal/privilege to use the telephone, and I would have never imagined in a million years being able to call my friend on a tiny hand-held device where I could actually see AND talk to them at the same time.

She also listens to a lot of music on her iTouch, and I'll sometimes walk in on her singing at the top of her lungs to whatever song. I love walking in on those moments!

She's getting to the age where she is becoming more private. Enjoying more time content just by herself, whether it's reading, coloring/drawing, or just playing. She's also had moments of "I'm going to get dressed in my closet so nobody sees me." Then, the next day... she'll be running from the tub through the house with bare buns.

This year, we barely saw her on her actual birthday. She went to school, then sraight to gymnastics for 3 hours, and then finally home at 7:50pm. We sang her the birthday song, ate gourmet cupcakes and she ripped through her presents in less than 10 minutes. She was a happy girl and I think she had a great day.

For her birthday party this year, she asked to have it at a roller rink. She has never been roller skating before, so I figured this might be kind of interesting! As it turns out, only a few kids had ever skated before, so it was perfect because they all sort of had the chance to learn together. She invited a lot of friends from school and gymnastics. The kids skated, some played arcade games, and then they ate pizza and cake. When we got home and I realized all the presents that she had to open from her friends, I suggested we put together a pile of gifts that we would give to children who might not get any gifts for Christmas. Gabby is a lucky girl in that she does not truly need anything. I was so proud of Gabby because she agreed with me, without hesitation, and helped me set aside gifts that we could give to other children.

Love you tons, Miss Gabbers! You make me so, incredibly proud every single day of your life and I love you around the world and to the moon & back. xoxo

 

6 Month Update

Marco's 6 Month Growth Stats:
Height: 27.1 inches (75%ile)
Weight: 16lbs 6oz (50%ile)
Head: 17.8 (90%ile)

Night Sleep: Still no real schedule, but daytime nap patterns have emerged which is nice. As for night sleep, he typically goes to be between 8-9pm. He’s waking up again between 11pm-12am, so I nurse him back to sleep. He’s decided to make me his human pacifier… sucking for almost an hour. I usually fall asleep while he’s nursing at night , and then he wakes up at least 1-2 more times throughout the night to nurse and soothe himself back to sleep. 

Naps: Marco’s awake time has now stretched to 2 hours during the day, sometimes 3+ hours between his evening nap and bedtime. Every time he wakes up… he’s able to stay awake for at least 2 hours before he needs to take another nap. His first nap of the day is usually around 9am. His second is usually around 12:30pm, and the third is usually between 4-5pm. The majority of his naps are still rather short (30-40 minutes). But, he does have the occasional 1 hour nap.   

Eating: Marco still eats on demand…lucky boy! When he is hungry, I nurse him. I will also still nurse him to soothe him if he’s upset. I probably nurse him 10-12 times throughout the day and night. So far, I have tried feeding him applesauce and sweet potatoes. He has shown no interest in either and actually acts as if he’s going to throw-up with the sweet potatoes. He also looks at me like “MOM, what on earth are you putting in my mouth?!” Eating pureed baby foods is a big goal for us this month!

Marco Updates:

• Sitting all by himself!
• He’s now easily distracted when breastfeeding—he wants to check out his surroundings before he nurses if we’re not in our usual spot. It is next to impossible to nurse him if one of the other kids are around, or if there is any unusual noise.
• Reaching for and grabbing anything that I am holding. Or, if I’m holding him while writing something… he’s bending out of my arms to try and grab what I am writing with or on.
• Grabbing for everything and anything, really!
• Constantly playing with his tongue… sticking it out and wiggling it, making it look like he’s concentrating on his upcoming slam dunk
• Loves grabbing his feet and putting his big toes in his mouth
• I can hold him on my hip with ease now… his core strength is strong enough for me to simply hold him with one arm safely & securely.
• He loves to grab and pull on my hair.
• He likes to grab my arm and squeeze/pinch me, while I hold him on my hip.
• Long screams and screeches to talk with the other kids.
• LOVES watching water come out of water faucets. When I turn on the kitchen sink or pour water from the refrigerator door, he’ll squeal with delight and start flapping his arms and jumping with his legs. It’s hilarious!
• Definitely a liability on the changing table! This little guy likes to roll right over the second I put him down on the changing table.
• Everything goes in the mouth!
• He discovered his unit. Every time we change him now, his hands are like a magnet to the unit.
• Drooling constantly! We have to change his bib almost every hour when he’s sitting up because they get soaked.
• He LOVES being around his siblings! If he hears them – he wants to be with them or in the same room as them, and then he is THE most content, perfectly happy baby on the planet. While they are all running around talking and playing, he just sits there talking (screeching and screaming) away and playing with whatever baby toys are in front of him. Happy as can be! And, when the kids are all gone (maybe on an errand with Dan), he is just sort of fussy. It’s as if he LOVES the chaos of a child-busy house. So cute!
• He’s getting better about liking the car. But, can really only handle 3 trips in the car per day. If he hasn’t already “told us” he’s not happy about driving in the car, he’ll be sure to scream and cry a lot on the 4^th try. Because of this, if Dan is traveling, I try to leave him with our au pair so he doesn’t have to deal with car torture.
• He has really grown to enjoy stroller rides while I run. I love this, because then when I drop Rocco off at gymnastics, I can run with him during the class until I have to pick Rocco up again. Although… now, of course as I type this, I’m no longer able to do this with Marco because cold/rainy season has hit. Will have to wait a few months to do this again!

Halloween 2012

Why isn’t Halloween on a Friday every year? Wednesday just doesn’t work for a mom with 4 young kids. Halloween comes and goes so fast when the holiday is in the middle of the week. It’s like a mad dash of carving pumpkins, school party preparations, bringing and wearing costumes to school and after school activities, then toss Dan’s birthday into the mix, etc. I’m exhausted. I was secretly excited when November 1 arrived.

This year, Gabby and Giuliana both chose to be Batgirl and Rocco wanted to be a samurai (I think his decision was somewhat based on the fancy sword pictured with this costume). Marco was a monkey by default… I didn’t think much about his costume and threw the monkey on him as we were rushing out the door to trick or treat in town. I WISH I would have thought more about his costume, because then I would have remembered to put him in one of the twins bat costumes that they wore on their first Halloween. Bummer!!

Since Halloween was Wednesday night, and Dan’s birthday was Tuesday (along w/Rocco’s gymnastics), we decided to carve pumpkins on Monday night. And, since the rain decided to arrive a week into October (after 90 days of no rain)… Dan & I never took the kids to a pumpkin patch this year.

Pumpkin carving is a somewhat exhausting experience for a parent of 4 young, enthusiastic kids. Luckily, we have had the help of our au pairs the past few years. Gabby really loves carving pumpkins. She pulled out all the seeds and pumpkin guts herself this year. Love! I helped her just a tiny bit at the end. She also really enjoyed choosing what her pumpkin should be carved as. Giuliana also seemed to get in the spirit of pumpkin carving this year. It was probably a combination of her own excitement and energy, fueled by the excitement of her older siblings (and her wanting to do whatever they do; be just like them, etc). She used a spoon to whole-heartedly attempt scooping out pumpkin guts. However, at age 2, it was all about the interest and intent, and not much productivity. It was super cute. After she was done trying and playing, I scraped the insides out and let her pull as much of the guts out as she wanted (which wasn’t much). But, she had a grand time! Rocco was a big talker, but when it came time to clean his pumpkin out—he was not a fan. He didn’t like getting the pumpkin guts on his hands. He’d try to pull stuff out with the spoon, but didn’t quite get the concept of scraping the pumpkin walls first… so he just got frustrated and decided to enlist his mother to do the job. He also chose how his pumpkin should be carved and I had to stop him several times from trying to carve the pumpkin on his own.

We ended up carving a B.atman logo, a one-eyed pumpkin, a P.eace sign, a moon/star pumpkin (to represent Matteo), and a silly face.

 

This year, we also decided to make and decorate some caramel apples. Fun activity that lasts all of 7 minutes. MUCH more time put into melting the caramel, cleaning the pan, and cleaning all the sprinkles from the counter and floor. Now that activity is checked off the list - not sure we need to repeat it! ha!

 

On Halloween, both Rocco & Gabby had Halloween parties and costume parades at school. Then, we took them trick-or-treating through town where all the local businesses were handing out treats to the kids. I LOVE this... the kids fill up their treat bags. It's very social becuase it's from 3-6, so it's not yet dark and tons of families are participating so we see lots of school friends. And... the kids get somewhat worn out from this and don't yet feel the need to do much night trick-or- Yes... even at age 6 & 4, the concept of "work a little harder, get more reward" can be taught! ;)