The Marcellino Family's California Adventure

saturdays with daddy: a photo essay

smiley726 — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 16:14:21 +0000

priceless

smiley726 — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 03:09:54 +0000

Grandma’s Camera that Gianna wants to hold- $236

Parenting Book that reinforces teaching your child ‘limits’- $14.50

Catching Gianna’s response to said ‘limits’ in this candid- Priceless

But, I want it!!!!!

abc tag

smiley726 — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 15:37:48 +0000

MomMega was so kind as to tag me for this (whew I finally figured out how to link!). Here goes nothing:

A. Attached or single? This week was my 3rd wedding anniversary And our daughter’s 1st birthday!

B. Best friend? James, Alexia, The girls (Carly, Lindsay, Megan, Dani), Mommy, Mel (right back at ya!), and my newest little friend baby Gi.

C. Cake or pie? Cake. Preferably of the chocolate variety.

D. Day of choice? Is Sunday everyone’s favorite? I call it Sunday Funday. When James and I wake up we say “Happy Sunday”! Usually I sleep in and he plays opera music for he and Gianna to sing and dance to while he makes us breakfast. How could a day go wrong after a beginning like that?

E. Essential item? Hmmm this is tough. I have a few: 1- Coffee (no explanation necessary), 2- Sesame Street (to save my sanity when Gianna is driving me nuts having a moment), 3- the Computer/ Internet (how did we live pre- internet?)

F. Favorite color? Don’t have one. I am an equal opportunity color chooser.

G. Gummy bears or worms? Worms glorious worms.

H. Hometown? Southwest Ranches, FL.

I. Indulgence? Wine Please.

J. January or July? July. I am a Florida girl. It gets too cold in Southern California in January! (How sad is that!)

K. Kids? Gianna Bear, 1. (AHHHHHH)

L. Life isn’t complete without? Family and friends. Good books, wine and food. (Sorry Mel, you just got that one perfect.)

M. Marriage date? September 4, 2005

N. Number of brothers & sisters? Mathew Craig Stirling 11/25/86- 11/06/05

O. Oranges or apples? Oranges.

P. Phobias? Small Spaces.

Q. Quotes? “Tuesday”… yea it’s hard to explain, but pretty funny once you get it.

R. Reasons to smile? Gianna.

S. Season of choice? Summer.

T. Tag seven peeps! Um, yea, since all my readers are friends and family (aka non- bloggers), I have no one to tag. Feel free to SUPRISE ME!

U. Unknown fact about me? I can cross my eyes and then uncross one at a time while the other is still pointed in.

V. Vegetable? Sweet Potato, does that count?

W. Worst habits? Procrastinating.

X. X-ray or ultrasound? Ultrasound. (From my mommy!)

Y. Your favorite food? Gnocchi Bolognese in a pink sauce. Only if James made it.

Z. Zodiac sign? Sagittarius.

weird. weird. weird.

smiley726 — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:46:01 +0000

During one of Gianna’s well- baby visits (months and months ago) we happened to meet another mommy and daughter. The daughter, at least 2 years old, was sitting on the mommy’s lap and with her head on her mommy’s chest had her hand up to her mommy’s eyebrow and was twirling it. The mommy laughed (clearly the look on my face gave away my thoughts) and said, as though this was a totally normal habit, “Yea, she started doing it as a baby while she nursed and now she does it everytime she’s tired.”

Weird. Weird. Weird.

Today I started to actually laugh, out loud, which incited giggles from Gianna, when I remembered this.

At the time we were in our rocking chair and Gianna was in that place that every mother knows well; that place where your baby is not quite sleeping but not really awake. That place where you would rather ignore that itch on your eyelid for 35 irritatingly long minutes than risk moving a single finger which could then start baby’s falling asleep cycle all over again. At the time Gianna had one hand down my shirt and under my boob and the other hand had a finger up my nose. No you didn’t read that incorrectly. Go ahead, read it again. Done laughing? Yes, yes, really, under my boob and in my nose.

Seriously, this is a common occurrence during our rocking to sleep cycle. (I know I shouldn’t be rocking her at all, but that is not the topic here. Focus people.) The cycle goes a little something like this: Read a story, drink our bottle, sing a few songs, Gianna turns towards me, rock some more, Gianna turns to her other side, rock some more, hand finds its way tucked under the boob, rock some more, Gianna sees my face and either sticks a finger in my mouth, up my nose, or picks at a beauty mark on my chin, rock some more, eyes go back and forth and shut. (That was the short version.)

James said that when he is putting her to sleep she sticks her hand down the top of his shirt too. This leads me to believe it has to more with feeling our heartbeat than some weird boobie fetish. (Let me believe what I want, ok?) But the need to stick a finger in a facial orface? Perplexing to say the least.

Can’t you just see me now? I’m sitting in the waiting room of Gianna’s pediatrician ready for her 2 year check up. She’s fussy so I decide to let her rock in my lap while we wait- hand under boob, finger in nose.

Weird. Weird. Weird.

Of course I don’t just sit there with her finger in my nose. I usually let her do it for a few seconds, waiting to see if I don’t react maybe she will get bored. Inevitably though, I just can’t stand it so I move her hand and she gets all personally offended that I dared to move during “that place” and starts to cry. We start all over…

i have no shame anymore.

smiley726 — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 23:21:50 +0000

It’s the afternoon here at the Marcellino house. Gianna and I are playing downstairs when all of a sudden “gurgle.” Oh no, it’s my stomach. Quick, grab Gianna, let’s go upstairs to mommy’s room. Into the bathroom we go, quick scan, good she can’t get into much, “Here’s your bathtub babe,” I say as I throw some toys in it for her to put in and out, start unzipping pants and YES! I made it. Whew. Pull out BabyTalk magazine and start reading article about “Me Time” and make a mental note to take some. I have one of those bathrooms where the toilet has it’s own door, so I can’t really see what Gianna is up to but it sounds like she is having fun and I am just happy to be making my way through the article (and other stuff…) without her trying to unroll the toilet paper or sit in my lap (yep, it’s happened, I have no shame anymore). Suddenly, my little walker Frankenstein’s her way past the door smiling at me with something in her hand. What is that? No.. it can’t be.. it IS.. wait let me wipe my… GIVE ME THAT… it’s the disposable Clorox pad that I had cleaned the toilet with earlier in the week. Quick scan missed the garbage can.

Is it bad to give your child a bath in Purell?

Inhibitions

smiley726 — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:36:29 +0000

Do you ever wish you could take back that “I’m-so-excited-about-my-new-blog” email that you sent to everyone you have ever known? I have a feeling that was a rookie mistake. I want to complain vent about things going on in my life sometimes, but I am inhibited by the thought of certain people reading it. (No, not you.) Mom mega, you should have warned a girl.

Now THIS is Bedhead

smiley726 — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:38:51 +0000

This was awhile ago, but every time I see it it makes me laugh out loud. This kid has some serious hair!

Child or Children?

smiley726 — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:28:12 +0000

Funny Story: When J and I got married, the Justice of the Peace was taking us through our vows perfectly until it came to the part where J was supposed to repeat “I take you, Samantha, mother of my children..” and instead said “I take you, Samantha, mother of my child..” (Haha right?) The Justice of the Peace was put a little off guard so when it was time for me to repeat, he was sure to correct himself. ”I take you, James, father of my child..” and I instead said “I take you, James, father of my children..”! Needless to say there were lots of chuckles and it served as a cute moment in what was becoming a rather tearful ceremony.

Fast Forward 3 years: Child, Children, Child, Children! Oh my..

J is very set on only wanting one. Now I am stuck in my head wondering if I only want TWO because he only wants ONE or if I really want two. Humph. How important is it to me? How important is it to G? These are decisions that seem too important for a pros and cons list; but I literally cannot sort out emotion from intellect when it comes to this issue. Any help in this department? I need it!

Oh Happy Day (Evening)

smiley726 — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:28:56 +0000

Today is going to be a great day (evening). Craig and Kristin are coming down this afternoon with Craig’s mom. Why is that so wonderful? Craig’s mom is going to babysit tonight so we can go out to dinner! You know, that thing couples do ALL THE TIME b.b. (before baby)! I am dreaming of a long shower alone, blow drying my hair and putting on makeup withought Gianna holding on to my leg, getting dressed up without fear of pea stains and getting out of the house sans diaper bag. I don’t care if we are going to Chronic Taco, I am wearing a dress.

Leis and Cakes and Polynesian Dancers, Oh My!

smiley726 — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:45:34 +0000

I can’t believe how fast this first year is going by. It honestly feels like just yesterday I was bringing Gianna home from the hospital, and now I’m planning her FIRST birthday party! I’m really trying to not go overboard but it is just so exciting and I l o v e throwing parties. Do any of you watch Tori and Dean Home Sweet Hollywood? This week they showed their son, Liam’s, first birthday party and it was a REAL party. They took their monkey theme all the way with appearances by real chimpanzees! Is that normal? Is this what my guests are expecting? We are doing a Luau- do I need to book Polynesian dancers? This is Orange County, you never know.