Random Catch Up - Dr Betts(Oakland Children's), Olive Festival, Cousins.. & more!

This past week we headed to Oakland for Gino's last appointment at the Children's Hospital. It is bittersweet. It is hard to believe a year has gone by since we first headed there.  We are so thankful for the wonderful care we received and realize how fortunate we with Ginos final diagnosis. We wish Dr Betts could always be our doctor, he was amazing, but we are glad to be closing this chapter in our lives.  

 Since we were in the area, we headed to the Oakland Zoo...couldn't get those pics to download but the kids had a good time. Fun to see Gino point to the animals he sees and try to talk to them.  Then we headed over the bridge to drop Mike off to meet his buddies at the Giants game. We had some time to kill and even drove down the tourist Lombard Street.  Fun day with the fam. 

Coldani Family headed to the Paso Robles Olive Oil Festival this past weekend, always a fun event - filled with great customers we are happy to see return each year! Giada came this year and joined in on the fun - especially with Freckles the clown!

My mom entertained the kids during the festival then we were off to Santa Barbara for a family wedding. Great visit with the MacLaggans that were in town! Great meeting Todd! Welcome to the family!

Apparently I was the only one ready for the picture! Giada then said, if Gino doesn't want to smile for the picture, I will!" lol  It was so hot - we enjoyed cooling off in the pool. Giada is getting more and more brave. Having Uncle Chris and Peter to jump in and throw her in the pool was so much fun, she is still talking about it! 

On the way home we were sure to hit the beach in Avila to visit with friends! Thanks for joining girls! Schafers- hope you get those kids to the beach more often, they loved it! ;) And as always Firestones did not disappoint!!! 

Random pics!

 He's a climber!

 Those teeth and that hair -Both have a mind of their own!!

 Giada loved her new twirl dress! And she looks so different with her bangs pulled back!

Thank you Heather for watching the kiddos! I needed those couple hours! :)

Gino's Climbing, Chloe Baptism

This little guy is getting brave and mischievous!

Sneaking in sisters room while she is sleeping and knocking everything off her side table..

 And he can no longer play alone....he climbs on everything ...dangerous boy!

 It's that time of year!

 Giada didn't want me to look and went in our closet and came out dressed like this...requesting we send a photo to dad...I'm sure he is proud :)

 This past weekend we headed to Petaluma for Chloe Barberas Baptism. 

It was a nice day, and good to see everyone. 

Chloe here with Godfather, Riley Chaney.

Gino taking the girls for a ride!

Giada had a fun day playing with Santina

St. Patricks Day, Nico's Bday, Sleepover & Giadaisms

We have a climber! She will climb anything and everything and more recently moving objects to climb on so she can get to what she wants. So far this poor Japanese Maple has only lost one branch!

Happy St Patrick's Day! Bre at BW Photography had a darling set for the holiday. Giada's "neck hurt" that day. It was very out of character but she had this sore neck for a couple days - maybe slept wrong?? Who knows. Either way - wanted nothing to do with our picture, but Gino cooperated. I kept asking if she wanted to go back and she said "Next time Ill take a picture atBres work"

We still love our cat Max! Max was missing for the first few weeks of having Belle, but we have convinced him to come back. He does run straight upstairs when he gets in the house....I think he is pretty frightened by the pup but he is adjusting!

No preschool for the kiddos the last 2 weeks, so Heather and I wanted to do something fun with the kids. Wouldn't you know it rained the day we planned to go to the SF Zoo...so we headed to the Mud Mill - the kids love to paint there.

I asked them to look at me for a picture and they said they were busy - lolIt's not a trip downtown unless you hug Big Bear!Gino is also climbing on everything! He has made major progress on getting himself down though....which makes it much better for everyone!So I saved the party hats from Giada's birthday. She had us all wearing them the other night and said "Let's pretend it's my birthday!" I think she was hoping for cake and presents too! Sydney was a good sport, along with Mike and I...Gino and Belle....not so much....Later in the week the crowns and hats came out again. This time she said "Gino can be queen"

And it's official...I'm the mom that drives those HUGE carts you can't even move around the store. I always regret giving in, but they have so much fun. Gino couldn't get enough of that steering wheel.The boys headed to Reno for some March Madness, so the girls got together and had a sleepover. The kids had tons of fun, staying up late, watching movies and making pizza. We had lots of fun drinking wine and catching up. Thanks Nicole for having us over!

The kids were cracking us up that night. Dylan said "this is going to be the best pizza ever" I also said at some point in the night - Dylan, it's so nice to see you, he replies "thanks!"

Happy Birthday Nico!! Marc and Renee should make a business out of throwing parties! They are awesome at it!! This year's theme Mr. Potato Head. Food, friends - so much fun!

Just a sampling of the HOMEMADE AMAZING potato heads all around the house!

Nico and Giada messing up the darling table decor!

Gino enjoyed being pushed around the party on the tryke

Dylan went to town creating his potato head cupcake!

And had fun making funny faces at me when I was trying to take pics!

Lots of kiddos!

Giadaisms

I just can't write things down fast enough these days...she is a crack up.

- This one ...not so funny! "Mom, your stomach is getting big" Really Giada.....thanks a lot.

- She loves drawing things these days, letters, numbers and learned a heart. She said "Look I made a heart just like dad showed me!"

- She was helping us make dinner and says " This is going to be the best cooking ever, I can tell"

- Mike was helping with dinner and I told him to let her crack the eggs, he looked at me like - that is a bad idea- and she says " I can be the egg cracker in no time"

- Giada was resting in our bed one night watching a movie, I was cuddling with her until she said " Don't lay your cheek on me, I'm not a pillow" :(

- That same movie night we were having some popcorn and she says "I like salt on it and this doesn't feel like it has any??" - Really Giada??

-Potty training is improving. I just gave up and that method is working, most of the day she is going by herself. And she loves the potty chart, different stickers for what happens - seems fun for her.... we'll see...hopefully the end is near!