All I want for Christmas.

This is about the best I could ask for Christmas. Marco loves his new bike. And loves his new helmet.

"Mama, I want my helmet on my hair."

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

The good, the bad, the crab feed.

I know, we're adorable.

Truthfully, the best pic of the bunch.

Grammy was very excited to read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. Luckily, Niko was into it. Marco was more interested in Thomas.

Merry Christmas!

Donuthole, dance, milk, repeat.

A pre-daycare treat with Dada.

Brookie Cookie

We got to have Brooke over for the afternoon. Marco talks about going to Brookie's house or having Brookie over all the time so he was very happy. In fact, today he told me "I want to tickle Brookie." Uh... okay.

Jeff and the kids made cookies. It was a series of "MY SPOON!" "NO, MY SPOON!" "No, no Brookie, my step!!" "No Marco, my cup!" You'd think they didn't spend all day together sharing.

In a move that echoed my mother, I said, "if you can't share, I'm going to take them away." Ha.

Breakdowns followed. In a low parenting moment, I photographed it. Awesome pics. I'm sure these pics will solidify our future in D'Angelo babysitting. Call the Cecchins for babysitting!

I go up. I go down. I ride horsies!

We visited Tilden Park's Christmas Fantasy Carousel. Marco loves the carousel. Santa was there too and Marco walked right up to him. I'm pretty sure if I could read his mind it would go something like this: "What you doing Santa? You don't remember me? I'm Marco John Cecchin from earlier at SI? We high fived? You're friends with my Papa? Nothing?"

Ho Ho Ho

SI hosted a Santa event again for children and grandchildren of staff and faculty. Marco has been talking about Santa a lot lately, so we're really looking forward to Christmas. But, we were prrrrretty sure he was going to be petrified.

As it turns out, Marco LOVED Santa. Papa got a round of "Here Comes Santa Claus" going and he appeared. Marco couldn't take his eyes off of him. We he started calling names to give presents, Marco dragged Jeff up to the front to get a closer view. He was enamored.

One by one, Santa called the kids up to receive gifts. Marco kept standing up and whispering "That mine." Until it finally was his. I don't know why I'm surprised, but Santa speaks Italian! He said, "Marrrrco Cecchin! Viene Qui - Buon Natale!"

Dinner time conversation

I read that it is important to talk to your child and especially to listen to show them that you think they are important. Ha. Listening to Marco is a full-time job. Here are a few recent conversations at home:

Marco on *his* phone.
"Hi! Hi Granny. What you doing? Um, um, and the turtles? Okay, okay, bye."

When the cat sniffed a discarded Cheerio.
"No, no Toby cat. That not your Chee-yo, that mine."

After dinner.
"I want eat banana like a big boy." (Meaning he wants to hold it inside the peel.)

In the middle of the night.
"Where my agua go? Dada! My agua fall down! Ooooh no... there it is!"

When Jeff came out of the bathroom.
(Clapping!)"YEAH DADA!! YOU GO POO POO ON THE POTTY!!"

And finally, here are some pics that never made it to the light of the blog:

A very Fake Thanksgiving.

A very real Feast. Again, our "fake" celebration allows us to all be together!

This year, we're thankful for our big family, six homemade lasagnas, three types of homemade bread and a platter of delectable desserts.

Not naming any names, but some people photograph the food.(front to back: Italian rustic, focaccia and sweet rolls)


...and some people photograph the people... and that's why we need two Sara(h) Cecchins on the Team.

RIP Pizza Bear. 11/7/09 - 11/21/09.

"FIX IT MAMA!" Get the chalk.

Good friend, you will be missed.

Praise Be Daycare, Part II

I'm sure we'll teach Marco something someday. But for now, praise be daycare!

(Excuse the video taken at night in the car - let's call it "audio.")

Pizza Bear, sniff sniff, you stink.

Pizza Bear is down one eye, his leg is loose and I have to follow him around with a dustpan for crumbs, but otherwise, he's hanging in there.

Auntie M - does this answer your question?

Pizza Bear, I love you.

Papa John and Grandma Linda were in town, so we had a bustling weekend filled with great food and wine. We finally got to Tony's Pizza Napoletana in North Beach. Jeff was nearly giddy with excitement. The way to his heart is wood burning ovens and perfectly crisped Italian-style pizza. The pizza margherita was the best outside of Napoli and the spot was great too.

They were piling up loaves of bread straight out of the oven when Marco saw it. A warm bread loaf in the shape of a teddy bear with olives for eyes and a giant belly button. He was in awe. "Pizza bear" he whispered.

He kept visiting it and staring until Jeff finally murmured to the waitress, "How much for the bread teddy bear?" Ha. She looked like he was nuts. "Uh, let me check." She returned moments later and said we could have it. Marco's love affair with Pizza Bear began right away.

Punch line please.

Utley, Adrian and Rocky walk up to a house...

Rocky! Rocky! (Update.)

Deciding to have Marco dress like a boxer was a self-fulfilling prophecy. The week before Halloween he (accidentally) gave me a black eye. Sure, this one was staged, but he has it in him.

By the way try riding BART on Halloween eve/Critical Mass/Bay Bridge closure/Opera night with your husband and a black eye. Poor Jeff.

More from Sara...

A real page turner.

Marco is shaping up to be an avid reader. He loves books. He wants to read them again and again and then he'll "read" them back to you. He is fast approaching Jeff's lifetime record for completed books. This morning he told me "I'm a witch. Happy Halloweeeeeeeeen!" straight from Dora's spooky Halloween book.

We don't go anywhere without a book and that includes Stockton to see Granny. Thank goodness she likes to read as much as Marco. I need a break. And luckily, her book club hasn't gotten to "Moo Baa La La La," so she didn't already know how it ends.

It's a small world.

Is it just going to Catholic school all your life that makes the world a teeny tiny place?

We referred the Moores to our pediatrician at Kaiser (who was referred to us by Jack and Katie). If you're paying attention, that's St. Francis/St. Brendan's/St. Ignatius/Christian Brothers/Loyola Marymount.

So, they take their new beautiful daughter to see our Doc. They say, "Hi Doc! Little Marco Cecchin referred us to you." Doc says, "There's nothing 'little' about Marco Cecchin."

Ouch. Oh no she di-int!

Here's the proof of his giant man hands. I mean, look at the meat hooks.

Praise be daycare.

A few weeks ago, Marco was playing and counted some toys up to ten! I repeat. He counted to ten! (Alright, truth be told, he was counting snacks not toys.)

Jeff and I dropped our jaws and stared at him until he clapped and said "Yeeeeeaaaaah!!! Mama yeah? Dada yeah?"

He's already learned a life lesson. I mean, if you don't pat yourself on the back, who will?

Here's video proof (forgive my annoying direction trying to get proof)...

Like a fine [boxed] wine.

Three reasons I've recently discovered I'm old:

1. Sacramento got this oldies station "All 90s, all the time." I know every single word to every single song. Digital Underground, check, Bryan Adams, check, Ace of Base, check. It's shamefully old woman of me, but it rocks.

2. We went to Jeff's 15-year high school reunion. Awesome. Marco went to Papa and Grandma's overnight. Since Jeff's Dad teaches at his high school, everyone at the reunion kept telling me, "I love Mr. Cecchin!" to which I replied, "I know, he's an awesome babysitter!"

3. I can't remember the third thing, which makes "irony" qualify as the third. It's like a black fly in your chardonnay.

Here's some shots of Marco's adventures overnight in P-town.