And Now, a Word from Our Biggest Sponsor...

The Womb.

You haven't heard very much about developments here, doubtless because there's so much excitement going on outside. But inside, Baby Cecchin is growing at an alarming rate, and will be arriving in four short months (let's pause briefly to let Mommy panic).

At 24 weeks along, he or she is now the size of a large banana, a concept that big sister Clara can really sink her teeth into. For now, though, the baby in Mommy's tummy is way too abstract for her to fully grasp. She's still fascinated by her baby dolls and especially by real babies, including cousins Annie, Tessa, and Lucy and itty-bitty friends Mela and Eloise.

Big brother Joey, on the other hand, is so involved in the care and feeding of this little one already that he checks in constantly... at least 10 times each day. Mommy made the mistake of telling him that the baby loves to peek at the outside world through Mommy's bellybutton. As you can imagine, she does not approve of the baby viewing the world when we're at the grocery store, the post office, or school, despite Joey's urgent requests. But at home, he's free to interact with the baby as much as he wants, which includes draping his hands over her belly (keeping the baby warm with his "blanket," of course), showering the baby with kisses, entertaining the baby with song and dance, prodding the baby to "wake up!" (we may have to nip this one in the bud, especially if they end up sharing a room!), and trying to elicit baby laughs with bellybutton tickles.

Mommy and Daddy got to check in with baby at 20 weeks along, just after Christmas. They decided not to find out the gender, but Mommy still thought she might be able to deduce things on her own (she has been through this four times now!). Unfortunately, her credibility was shot when she asked the ultrasound tech how the brain looked when it turns out that she was looking at the four chambers of the heart. Undeterred, she still maintains that she thinks she saw the makings of a little girl.

If things continue to go well, these may be the last pictures you'll see of the baby in utero. Unfortunately, they're not the best, but Mommy and Daddy never tire of seeing a gorgeous heartbeat...



We can't resist including a gratuitously spooky 3D shot, which freaks out even Joey ("Is that baby a girl or even a boy, Mommy???").



The baby presented the ultrasound tech with a much sweeter, more human profile.



And finally, courtesy of Joey (aka Baby Stalker), we present two of the only known photos of Pregnant Mommy, taken today at 24 weeks. Baby Stalker was clearly miffed that these pictures did not include the bellybutton, and almost didn't comply with this request, but we decided to spare you that shot, although said belly is (miraculously) still largely stretch mark-free.





We'll continue to provide updates as we get closer to the end of May! You'll hear from us next with a baby name poll (any and all baby boy suggestions are welcomed before polling begins in February or March!).

A Shave and a Haircut...

I wish I could say it only cost two bits.

Our first joint haircutting expedition resulted in Joey's shortest 'do since his bald baby days (and our first glimpse of his strawberry mark and some assorted moles since his baby days, too!).

Meanwhile, Clara's first official introduction to scissors did not go well. Our normally unflappable girl was red-faced and teary-eyed by the time her curls were evened out and her bangs cut short.







The best part? The lollipops at the end, of course!

Law Abiding Citizen

Popcorn incidents aside, preschool does seem to have imparted to Joey that rules need to be followed -- even at home.

Yesterday, Daddy was attempting to repair one of Joey's foam pirate swords, and he innocently reached for a container of glue. Joey, watching intently, butted in:

"Did the teachers tell you you could use that glue, Daddy??"

Game On!

Parenthood hasn't completely atrophied our brains -- we triumphed last night in a trivia contest at the Olympic Club. We do have to give the majority of the credit to our skilled teammates Thomas, Sabrina, Brooke, Moh and Stacey!

Here, all non-pregnant team members toast with B-52s, one of the quiz answers that led us to victory!



We're looking for one more member to round out our group when we go back in February to defend our title! Preferably, this person would be male and age 50-60, as we learned we're miserably overmatched in pop culture quiz guestions from earlier eras! Applicants can summarize their talents and apply directly on the blog ;)

In the meantime, look for our group photo in the next issue of The Olympian!

The Perils of Popcorn

Four years of parenting, and we had never once set foot in an ER... until Sunday afternoon, when an innocent bowl of popcorn did us in.

While enjoying a midday snack with Daddy, Joey inexplicably shoved a piece of popcorn up his nose. It never does to ask why in these situations... although of course we did. When he realized just what he had done, he panicked and started wailing.

Not two minutes later, we had a copycat crime on our hands. The perp? Clara Jane. While we were tending to Joey and trying to get him to calm down, she started chirping, "Popcorn in nose! Popcorn in nose!" We didn't really believe that we had two victims of the popcorn bowl on our hands, but sure enough, we pointed a flashlight up her nostril, and she had a kernel firmly lodged there, too.

All you can do is laugh, right?

At least that's what the entire ER staff did when, a half hour later, we escorted our ridiculous twosome into the nearest ER -- which also happens to be CPMC's brand-new pediatric facility. Luckily, they're used to childhood trauma of all stripes, and tended to Joey and Clara with the perfect balance of sensitivity to their dual plight, and humor at their predicament.

They quickly determined that Joey was the bigger wuss of the pair -- big surprise, given Clara's unreal pain tolerance -- and set to work retrieving Clara's kernel first. She barely flinched. Joey, on the other hand, howled while they dug for his much more deeply embedded "popped" popcorn fragment.

Here's our pair in their shared exam room... Joey very ungallantly made Clara get her blood pressure taken first.







Sniffles were slightly kept at bay while they examined the cable car on the wall.



Clara shows off her patient wristband... on her right hand, since the kernel was in her right nostril, of course.



We opted not to keep the kernels for posterity, but gladly accepted popsicles for both kids, and were sent home with identical discharge sheets that instructed us to "Tell your child not to put objects into his or her nose."

Kids, are you listening? That includes fingers.

Uh Oh

First, the blonde hair, and now reading in public? I think Tim might be demanding a paternity test soon!

Mangia!

Joey embraced his Italian roots on Sunday with a birthday party at a local pizzeria (we'll have to compensate by having a dynamite corned beef and cabbage feast this year on St. Patrick's Day!).

He and his little friends and cousins made their own creations, which ranged from "no cheese, just olives and marinara suace" to true works of pepperoni-themed art. While the pizzas were baking, they also colored and experimented with their own "dough" -- Play-Doh -- and then decorated their own cupcakes for dessert. I think everyone had fun, except maybe the clean-up crew at Giorgio's once our own crew departed ;)























Thanks to everyone who joined us and helped Joey celebrate his big day!

Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Programming

With the holidays behind us, we were back to our regular activities this week... here's a glimpse into our routine.

We always try to squeeze in trips to the dog park, and Shawna kindly gave Clara a very appropriate top for these outings.



Shawna also outfitted both kids for another near-daily excursion... trips to the playground. Here, they're both sporting new vests.







We live on the edge here every day, but they both seem to enjoy it!



We try to balance out the frigid outdoor excursions with some calmer indoor activities, like storytime every Thursday at the Daly City library. Here's Joey cuddling a baby (um, I think it was Annie?), and both kids at their favorite perch... watching the fish in the huge aquarium.





This week, we also squeezed in a trip to the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito with cousins Tommy and Lucy. Lots of fun for everyone, especially in the art room, where the kids got to cover the walls -- and themselves -- in paint. Clara was almost unrecognizable after she retired her paintbrush, at least according to Joey, who asked, "Is that Clara?" after I cleaned her up and relocated her messy self to the sand table.









Stay tuned for next week's escapades!

King for a Day

Joey's birthday happened to coincide with his first day back to preschool after the Christmas break, and he started off 2010 with a bang! After charging into his classroom and announcing to teachers and kids alike that he was four, he got to decorate a birthday crown, share birthday cupcakes and a snack with the class, and distribute goody bags. Best of all, Clara got to stay for his party, which they both loved!

Here's the birthday boy and his baby sister putting the finishing touches on the crown... the last time you'll see him not wearing it.







Clara shimmied into a Snow White ensemble and played "tea" with one of the girls in Joey's class for at least 45 minutes. I overheard the girl ask Clara, "Are you a big girl or a baby?" Clara answered, "Baby!" and took a sip of tea.



As king, Joey got to sit next to Bridget, his long-standing crush.



And finally, the birthday boy, his candle and his cupcake.



The festivities continued at home, when Joey and his assistant Clara helped frost and decorate a chocolate cake for dessert. Luckily, the guest list was short and consisted only of people (Mommy and Daddy) who didn't mind that the frosting was repeatedly swiped at by little frosting fans.





We asked Joey what he wanted to eat for his birthday dinner, and served it up... a concoction we call taco salad, but is basically a taco scrambled up. I took a picture just to make all of our foodie readers shudder :) Despite its looks, it's always a surefire hit that has Joey, Clara and Daddy coming back for seconds and thirds.



We capped off the night with cake, presents, and board game fun. It's our sacred responsibility to train these little ones to love and obsess over board games, and we're starting off with Candyland, Chutes and Ladders, Hi-Ho Cherry-O, and The Ladybug Game :) Next up, Junior Scrabble!!

Four Years of Silliness... Happy Birthday Joey!

We can't believe it, but our little man has actually been around for four years! We took a trip down memory lane and put together a short video with pictures from his newborn days to now. I won't lie... I definitely had to break out the Kleenex, and I urge grandparents to do the same. Why don't people warn you how fast this time goes? Well, they do, but it's impossible to comprehend until you've been there!

Lots of these pictures predate our blog, so prepare yourself for an absurdly large, bald head and ridiculous chub. He has a lot more hair now, and he's slimmed down in ways that seemed impossible when we were shoving his thunder thighs and monster forearms into tiny sleepers. He's still our Moose, though, and speaking of chub, see below for our latest "baby book" entry.

Happy Birthday, Joey! You make us laugh each and every day!

The Stats: Joey at 4

Our record-keeping is becoming increasingly digital... here's Joey's vital stats at 4 years old. Can I get away with printing this and pasting it in the baby book?

Weight: 44 pounds (97th percentile)

Height: 42.5 inches (87th percentile)

Clothing size: 5T

Shoe size: 12

How/where is your child sleeping? Joey sleeps in his "big boy" bed, from about 8pm to 7 am, but not without some antics both at night and in the morning.

Is your child still napping? Thank the Lord, he is still napping... and Mommy is determined that he keeps it up until he's at least 8 years old ;) He normally takes a two hour nap after lunch.

Health: Aside from semi-frequent colds, Joey is a pretty healthy little boy who has not had to deal with any serious illnesses, thankfully!

What is your child learning? (numbers, letters, etc) He's a pro at writing his letters, and we're now moving on to numbers!

Organized activities (classes, sports, etc)? Joey loved his soccer class this fall.

Favorite saying? "Aw, maaaan!" and "Mommy, how are you doing today?"

Favorite activities: Drawing, rough-housing, eating, riding his bike, and kicking or throwing balls

Favorite toy: His new Christmas toys, especially his firetruck and his Buzz and Woody dolls (from Toy Story)

Favorite food: Apparently taco salad, since he requested it for his birthday dinner! But in general, he can be counted on to clean his plate!

Favorite TV show / movie: "Wow, Wow, Wubbzy" and "Go, Diego, Go!"

Favorite book: My Big Boy Bed is still the reigning champion, but he also loves various silly books like any and all Curious George tales, The Lady with the Alligator Purse and Goodnight Gorilla.

Best friend? He has yet to become super friends with anyone outside of his family and friends circle... he especially loves all of his cousins!

Preschool plans? He goes to preschool three mornings a week. He's ambivalent about the rush to get out the door in the morning, but for the most part, he likes all he's learning there, loves his teachers, and loves the opportunity to painting, gluing and other messy art projects!

Christmas, Take Two

Our Raley family Christmas this year involved six children under the age of three... it was complete bedlam, especially when it came time to open presents. You can see for yourself if you tip your head to the right.