Back at the Farm.

Marco's new school only closes two non-holiday days per year!  Excellent, right?

He spent one with Grandma down at "the Farm" in Gilroy.  Marco loved the chickens, the goats and "Unc'Lenny." 

I wanted to hear all about it!  Like a typical man, I had to ask him every question to slowly and painfully puuuulll the day's events out of him. 

And again, like a man, "Can you please stop asking me so much questions, Momm?"

Here's the proof:

Relief

Does this mean we can skip "The Picture People" this year?

Sigh.

Growing Pains.

Mine, not Marco's.

We occasionally catch a glimpse of that baby: 

...Middle of the night whispers, "Mama, can you come tuck in in again?" 
...Sweet games, "Pretend I'm a baby Mama, rock me to sleep and burp me." 
...Snuggling over a movie, "Come under my blanket.  Aren't we fun together Mama?"
...After bath, "Quick Mama! Wrap me up!"

But more often, I see him being blasted into adulthood, bopping around the house with headphones on, asking for 'his own' coffee and introducing me to friends at school, "This is Enzo!  He's three and a half and I'm three and a half, so that's why we're friends!  He lives at Oakland too!"

Marco's latest teenage reaction is an immediate swipe to clean off my kisses.  Well, this Mama can't be wiped, so I cover him with looooads of kisses.  "Stop kissing on me so much Momm!"

And just when you think your baby might actually still be a baby, you take a snapshot like this.  Hmmm... it might just be the last year bathing in the cabin sink. 

All About Marco

Marco got his first homework assignment! 

It is an autobiography.  He had to fill in the blanks about himself and provide pictures.  And here's what he said:

All About Marco.
I am 3 years old.
My favorite color is blue.
My favorite animal is a nice tiger.
My favorite food is chicken.

I am from Oakland.
Great America is my favorite place.
When I grow up, I want to be a teacher.
If I had one wish, I would wish for cotton candy.

Parents' Notes: Jeff was pretty disappointed that his favorite food wasn't pizza.  And I quote, "bummer." 

I think he wants to be a teacher after spending fun days with Grandma, Papa, Uncle Tom and Auntie M. 

"Great... great... Ameeeeerica... that place Barney Grandma takes me" was his second favorite place after "this chair at the dinner table," but Jeff said that didn't count because we were sitting there. 

Sure, it's not world peace, but cotton candy is amazing too!  You can imagine my surprise a few weeks ago when Jeff bought Marco cotton candy after telling me that he would never, ever, be allowed to have cotton candy.  :)

It's the family. It's the altitude.

We spent a quick weekend up at Silver Lake for the Kroeck reunion - complete with the Oregon relatives. Marco took right away to my Aunt Claudia and Uncle Roger.

I tried to explain that Aunt Claudia was Grammy's sister, but I think it lost in the translation. He decided to simply call her "Grandma Claudia." He even woke up in the middle of the night to say, "Is Grandma Claudia still here?"

When Grammy arrived, he ran right up to her and said, "Grammy! Your friend is here!"

Here's the proof: Here's Marco in white shorts waiting for Grandma Claudia to give him a bath in the sink. Wait! Those aren't shorts!
Marco took this photo!
Other photo credits to Darcy (who needs a camera anyway?)