Grand Goodbye

On Saturday morning, we lost a vibrant, fun-loving, positive, and wonderful light in our lives, Tim's grandmother, Eda Stimac. We'll miss her amazing attitude about life, her stories about arriving in the United States from Italy and learning a new language and adapting to a new life, her reverence and her irreverance, the fact that she enjoyed good food and wine, and loved more than anything the company of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren!

We're looking forward to celebrating her life on Saturday! She would have loved knowing a party was afoot!

Like Father, Like Son?

This is Tim, circa 1975, after his parents adorned his hair with pink ribbons.



Thanks for locating this gem, Barbara!

Equal Opportunity

Ok, so I may have been overly anxious to start adorning a daughter's hair, but I found some clips that will actually stay in! Here she is sporting a new 'do:

Unfortunately, Joey did not want to be left out!

These Shoes Were Made for Walking

For big milestones, Clara and Joey seem to be neck and neck, and first steps are no exception. At 13.5 months, just like Joey, Clara started taking tentative steps, and now braves 5 or 6 at a time. Here she is trying out her new pink Stride Rites at the Daly City rec center (our regular Friday morning meet-up with Shawna and the girls).

Top 10 Signs You're Potty Training

You haven't blogged in more than a week.

You're running what seems like five loads of laundry per day, mostly underwear, pants, and sheets.

You find yourself constantly repeating, "Do you need to go pee?" much to the annoyance of your husband.

Your grocery order (online, of course -- you can't go to the store) includes 2 bottles of Clorox Anywhere, 1 bottle of rug cleaner, and 1 bag of Reese's Pieces.

Clorox Anywhere is your only weapon as you run constant interference between your inquisitive crawler and your toilets.

At Babies R' Us, you actually contemplate buying a replacement carseat instead of painstakingly washing out the one your toddler just peed in.

No outing will ever be the same again, as you constantly assess the location and proximity of public restrooms.

At the dog park, out of necessity, you escort a toddler who is prancing around and clutching his crutch to the nearest tree and tell him to pee on it like the doggies.

Somehow, this happens again the next time you're at the dog park ("I pee on THAT tree, Mommy!!"), much to the amusement of young male passersby, who yell out, "Awesome!" as if your toddler needs any additional encouragement.

Inevitably, dog park practices turn into "slides and swings" park practices, and really, you don't care anymore, as long as you're not washing clothes and carseats.

Little Maverick

It's a somber night tonight in the Cecchin house, but at least I had fun voting with the kids! Joey appreciated the snacks and beverages that our neighbor polling place provided (note the orange juice on his shirt), and did his best to spread the gospel during our half-hour wait in line, by loudly asking, "You vote CAIN, Mommy??? Oh, yay!" Now that is truly a maverick move in San Francisco!

Twick or Tweet!

This Halloween, we were lucky enough to celebrate with all of the little ghosts and goblins in the family! We gathered with the Cecchins at Tom and Meredith's house, and saw Tommy the hockey player and Marco the shark, and then scooted over to Shawna and Matt's house to see the little princesses there... Megan as Snow White, and Bridget as Ariel.

Best of all, Mop flew up just in time for trick or treating.

We opted for a redneck version of a hay ride, and piled all the kids and mommies in the back of the SUV ("where the doggies go!" according to Joey), and drove an illegal few blocks to get to the most happening block in Westlake.

At the end of the night, Clara showed off some small steps. I don't think her hair has ever looked so red!

We also got her two newest teeth on film for the first time!


Finally, a big happy birthday to Tim, who is resigning himself to his birthday taking a back seat to kiddie festivities for the next 20 years!