Gymnastics Program, Santa, Mother Daugther Party, & Giada News

This week was a busy one...

Gymnastics Holiday Program. Since we are in a parent tot class this means I had to participate too- oh joy! Good thing I have some friends in the class so we can all feel silly together. The kids were great, it was a fiesta theme so they gave them sombreros to wear at the end of the program for the finale. The finale was the macerena to holiday music. I definitely had to refresh my memory on that dance, and try to help Giada do it, so I could avoid doing it myself! I'll try to upload the video it's pretty cute.

Giada with her friends Preston, Cooper, & Claire.....we were unsuccessful at getting them all to look at the same time.

Giada and dad after the program.

She loves her sombrero and has worn it everyday since the show!

We had a visit with baby Aubrey this past Sunday. This time Giada wanted to hold her a few times. She put blankets on her, gave her pacifiers etc....it was like a real life doll for her! And all with wearing Dylans bunny ears. She loves dressing up and wearing animal headbands!

Happy Birthday to Ran! Giada is getting pretty good at saying "Happy Birthday!"

So for the last 13 years or so we have had a Mother/Daughter Party with my high school friends. It's so much fun and I look forward to it every year. A different person hosts every year. This year Natdogg hosted and decided to make it a theme. You had to wear some sort of animal print. Well......a few of us decided to take that to the next level.

Hilder the Zebra, Kristen the hunter, Julie the Giraffe :)

Hilder and I even had tails.

The Whole Gang

xo Girls- Love you!

Country Girls

Another Santa photo....and another year I have to be in the picture! We were the only ones visiting Santa at that particular time so he was being very Jolly, asking Giada all kinds of questions. So she got a little overwhelmed. He gave her a candy cane, so now she keeps saying "Santa, candy?" and is pretty good at "ho ho ho Merry Christmas" when you ask her what Santa says.

For the past few years Mike and I have been donating a bike to Adopt a Child. Here is this year's bike. I hope this is something we can do every year, I always get all choked up when we are dropping it off!

Last week I forgot to mention a couple other things Giada is up to:

-Saying "I yove you" to us and it just melts you.

-Still a big lover giving lots of hugs and kisses to everyone

-Has started reading some books to me, and it's real funny to hear her repeat the things I've been reading to her for months even the tone I use for certain things. Her memory amazes me daily!

And last but not least she forgot to tell you to read her shirt below!

She was holding the cat in front of her shirt, so I asked her to put it on her head so you could read it....but for those of you that can't it says..."I'm the big sister"

Yep that's right, our family is growing and Giada should be a big sister in July. I'm 9 weeks along and so far so good!

Tree, Light Parade, Cookies, & Giada update!

Last weekend we picked out a Christmas tree. I just didn't post the pics yet.

The nice man at the lot also gave Giada her own tree to plant

which she carried around for quite some time.

As you can imagine the Christmas tree experience this year has been a bit different. Last year when she was 1 everyone said to worry about the ornaments but they weren't a problem. This year different story! I put only a fraction of them on this year, and only near the top. The bottom 1/3 of the tree is non- breakable ones which she takes off and on all day. Showing them to Sydney, her babies, and sometimes throwing them - yikes. All the casualties so far have been fixable.....but it is only the 6th, so I'll keep you posted!

This week consisted of lots of cookie baking! While visiting the Kernals this week, Nicole had the kids help make cookies. It went pretty well as long as they had their own tray and sprinkles for decorating. Dylan was showing Giada how to use the mixer.

Then when we were done he would grab some dough...

And feed her! It was so cute and funny, but they seemed to be having a good time.

Sometimes he would open his mouth as she would to eat it!!

This week was the Lodi Light Parade. It's a tradition every year. This year it was a little rainy but we bundled up and headed out. Every year has a theme and this years was sports. Some people got pretty creative but most were pretty weak. We kept waiting for a Giants float. Well I guess they saved the best for last. A local dairy did a great Giants float, it was our favorite.The had the San FrancisCOW logo, and BULL Pen, they were clever. And of course Santa is the last to go through town on the firetruck. Thanks for coming out friends!

KR and Ben

This weekend was Coldani Cookie Baking Weekend. Gina comes home and we bake for HOURS. This weekend it was 7 hours on Saturday! Its lots of fun and we rock out to Christmas music all day. This year Giada was there to help for a few hours.

She did lots of mixing and tasting!!

Par for the course, I forgot to do Giada's 22 month update!

- Talking up a STORM, and repeating most things she hears.

-She is really picking up on colors and shapes, it's so exciting to see her use the things she is learning in the right context.

-She will often tell her babies, Sydney whoever is around what she hears. i.e. "Train sydney train, bird baby", while touching her ear.

-Sleep is improving - finally!! We were back to MANY wake ups a night but the last few nights she slept through 2 nights and only woke once 1 night. Progress in my book!

-She has been more and more into make believe. She was running around with her arms out and said she was a "plane" woosh" "flying"

-Enjoys dress up and dressing up her babies, including putting diapers on them.

-Loves bath time

- Mike and I watch Two and a half men a lot and she has started signing the theme song "Men men men men manly men" when she hears it coming on, it's a crack up.

- She heard me call Mikes name to get his attention one day and now she will randomly call him Mike, it's always funny to hear her say that and not dad.

- Like every kid this age, she is becoming more independent, making it clear what she wants and does not want.

-Still a pretty good eater

-Two more teeth on top. One has popped in the other is pushing its way out.

-She was at the piano looking at some sheet music and thought the notes were ants. Its funny how their minds work.

Run for the hungry, Thanksgiving, & Harvest

For quite few years now Kristen, Jaime and I do the Run for the hungry 10K on Thanksgiving morning. Who else joins us every year always changes. It's always fun to get together before the big meal that day. They announced that last year they raised $63,000 for the local food bank, so thats always great to be a part of as well. This year Marla & Tricia joined us. Linds it wasnt the same without you!! Thanks for coming out girls!

KR snapped an action shot!

And Marla snapped one of us at the finish. The weather was COLD and KR and I were tired but we managed to fake it for the picture of course!!

Our families split up Thanksgivings which is nice for us all to only have one meal per day. My mom does Wednesday night. This year we remembered to take some pics. Everyone else(even Giada) smiled after the 1,2, 3 was announced....except my dad....shocker :)

Ran and Bud were celebrating with us too!

Giada was then going around wanting her picture taken with different people, and wanting to look at the picture on the camera saying "oh pretty"

Not sure why we didnt take any pics on Thursday with Mikes fam....I dropped the ball there!!

We usually head up to Graeagle this time of year, but we are in the middle of harvest. So we have been spending some time out at the ranch.

We are winding up the harvest this week...hopefully! :)

She is just tall enough to reach over...

And pull out all the olives....

Nonno let her stand in the bin and she was a happy girl!

Dylan came out to check out all the action at the ranch...

He too liked throwing olives.

Grandma Barbara and Nana

Visit to SLO, & random Giada pics!

This week Giada did some baking cupcakes with Nana...and of course wanted to eat all of them!

Nana and Giada also like to have picnic lunches on the lawn. So after hearing her say "nic" "lunch" I think I figured it out. Everyone was having a picnic lunch....duh!?!?

And her newest thing....closing her eyes while smiling when I want to take a photo. Kind of cute at first, but then I just really want a good photo with EYES open!

So I ask her to open her eyes....and she opens one all the way, one part.....argh!

And then I say open both, and she raises her eyebrows and opens mouth....geez! Good thing we have the Christmas card pic already for this year!

The Coldani's missed out on the trip to SLO this year for the annual softball girls reunion due to the Harvest party. So Giada and I headed down this past week for a couple days to play with the girls that live in town. Thanks Clarin's for letting us invade your house, and thanks Waylands and Shafers for hanging out with us!

The beach was pretty cleared out since the locals apparently don't go to the beach in November, but it was fun for us. We spent a morning in Avila, walking around, collecting seashells and chasing birds of course.

We checked out the Children's Museum too.

She jammed on stage with musical instruments...

Played dress up and wore the butterfly wings all over that museum...

Addy did some driving...

One of my requests was Farmer's Market, and it was great. Delicious food, good company and some shopping. Blake and Giada enjoyed dancing to all the live music.

We all celebrated Pubie Schubie's bday with breakfast at McLintocks. Yumm!

Joined by Jacks and Chloe

The Schafer Fam

And then we let the kids play in at Tom's Toys.

Cool store, has everything. Including toys for adults. :)