Interviews with my kids

What's your name?  Michela
How old are you? 6
When is your birthday?  June 4, 2010
How old is Mommy? 34
How old is Daddy? 35
What is your favorite color?  blue, purple, pink, and yellow
What's your favorite food?  I don't know
Who is your best friend?  Angel
What is your favorite song?  Best Day of my Life
What is your favorite animal?  Tiger
What are you scared of?  Scary movies
What makes you happy?  Parties
Where is your favorite place to go?  Disneyland
What do you want to be when you grow up?   Principal 


What's your name?  Penelope
How old are you? 4 and 3/4
When is your birthday? December 10, 2011
How old is Mommy?  I don't know
How old is Daddy?  35
What is your favorite color?  Red
What's your favorite food?  Pizza and cake
Who is your best friend?  Aubrey, Holly, and Noelle
What is your favorite song?  Best Day of my Life
What is your favorite animal?  Kitten
What are you scared of?  Monsters
What makes you happy?  Hugs
Where is your favorite place to go?   Disneyland
What do you want to be when you grow up?  Veterinarian 


What's your name?  Colin Seamus Quillinan
How old are you?  3
When is your birthday?  I want blueberries in my cupcakes
How old is Mommy? 3
How old is Daddy? 3
What is your favorite color?  Blue
What's your favorite food?  Cereal and cake
Who is your best friend?  Juliana
What is your favorite song?  Looking for Dracula
What is your favorite animal?  Hippopotamus
What are you scared of?  Tall roller coasters
What makes you happy?  Little roller coasters
Where is your favorite place to go?  Disneyland
What do you want to be when you grow up?  Tall like Keeka

Halloween

Dear Quillinan Trio,

I have so much to say since I haven't written in a while.  For now, however, I will leave you with Halloween fun.  I don't have pictures from trick or treating at Papa's office but I'll be sure to hound your uncles for photos.  ;)

We started the month with a Kindergarten Pumpkin Parade.

Then we enjoyed the Sartorette Monster Bash where we jumped in bounces houses, played games, visited with friends, ate pizza, and redeemed game prizes.

Penelope's preschool Halloween party included, face painting, games, prizes, and another bounce house. 

Our Alice in Wonderland is enjoying her spider cookie.

Kindergarten spider party where Michela also made a spider cookie.

Look at the spooky black widow!

Queen of Hearts, Firefighter, and Alice in Wonderland a Fairy.

With all my love,

Mom

Summer Fun

 Dear Q Trio,

We had a busy summer filled with fun activities.  Now that school has begun it is time we remember our summer fun.

Summer started when Michela graduated from Preschool!

Michela Preschool Graduation Video

Then Michela turned FIVE!  We didn't have a big party this year due to scheduling problems but you had many mini celebrations.  We love you Michela Grace!

We went camping in Big Basin with the Sacchi family!

Big Basin Camping Video

The tooth fairy came to our house twice!

Colin now sleeps in a big boy bed!

We went Ollaberry picking and found shells on the beach for Father's Day.

Castle Rock Video

We went on a short hike to Castle Rock.

San Francisco with Olivia Video

We met Olivia, Auntie Phea, and Uncle Mike in San Francisco.  We swam in the pool, ate yummy pizza, and tried to see the Pride Parade.

We had six weeks of swim lessons! (5 days a week)

Swimming in Ventura Video

Spent the weekend enjoying the Ventura sun with Nana, Papi, & Uncle Kyle.

Colin's 2nd Birthday Party Video

Colin turned TWO!  We celebrated with a Transportation party!

On Colin's actual birthday we enjoyed the SF zoo.

Q15 South Lake Tahoe Video

The whole Q family under one roof for a long weekend?  Why, yes! 

Grammy and Papa with all (but one) grandchildren.

We stayed the night in Monterey Bay

Monterey Bay Video

We had other adventures that were not photographed.  We went to the beach a few times; rode bikes to the park; went to Golfland; went bowling; went to Happy Hollow; and went to Aqua Adventure.  Aqua Adventure is a city owned water park with a few slides, lazy river, and splash pad.  All five of us had a blast.  I look forward to taking you back next summer. 

   

Backyard Silliness

School is back in session now so our crazy adventures will have to be limited to the weekend.  We had a lot of fun this summer.  Now we're onto new adventures of kindergarten and preschool.  

Love you three!

With all my love,

Mommy

First Day of Kindergarten

Dear Michela,

The day has come for you to go to Kindergarten!  This morning, you were completely beside yourself with the excitement and walked on campus radiating confidence.  Other students held on to their parents and looked nervous.  Not you.  You were ready to go!

You are in room KB with Ms. Matveief.  You sit at a table with 3 other students; Trey, Aaron, and Liat.   You had no problem going to a new school with a new teacher and new students.  I admit to not wanting to let you go.  I'm going to miss you during the day but you're going to have a blast in school.  I can't wait to hear all about it when I pick you up!  You better talk girl!  I don't want one word responses!  Give me the gossip!

First day of school obligatory picture.
Kindergarten with Ms. Matveief
"I want to be a Veterinarian when I grow up."  

Another obligatory first day of school picture.  :)

Arrived in class and got right to work.

Here's a picture of Ms. Matveief talking to the parents while you started working.

You're a kindergartener!!!  Eek!  So excited for you!

With all my love,

Mommy

Pass the Pig

Dear Quillinan Trio,

After too many conversations / jokes / silly talk about bodily functions at the dinner table I introduced "the pig".

"the pig"

If you are rude or show poor manners at the table, you get the pig passed to you.  You keep the pig until someone else makes an infraction.  The person with the pig at the end of dinner is then responsible to sweep under the table.  I was tired of repeating myself and no one listening or curbing the potty talk.  The pig however only took one night.  Potty talk is no longer a concern at the table!  Wahoo!   Unfortunately (or fortunately),  that means that I am the one who sweeps under the table but at least we are no longer getting frustrated!  WIN!

I'm sure you will all end up with the pig at the end of dinner sometime but I'm happy that all I'll have to do is pass the pig instead of correct your behavior.  Everyone stays happy and peaceful. 

Me: "look mad"  Looks more sour than mad but I'll take it.  :)

 

Me:  "look sad"  Good try Penny; if only your eyes weren't sparkling.  :)

With all my love,

Mommy  

Melody Moonglow

Dear Michela,

Your tooth fairy came last night!  You put your tooth in your pillow and placed it on the headboard of your bead.  But before I talk about that let me talk about how your pulled out your own tooth.  Your tooth has been loose for a while.  You have a second loose tooth and an adult tooth growing in.  Yesterday morning, we were playing "Volcano" in your room when you showed me your tooth.  It was barely hanging on so I suggested that you try to pull it out.  To my surprise, you did and it popped right out!  You were extremely excited and held it proudly in your hand to show everyone.  Once the excitement died down a little you put it in the pillow you made.  All day you wondered when your tooth fairy would stop by for your tooth and what she would bring.

Well, last night after you went to bed, Melody Moonglow (your tooth fairy) stopped by to pick up your tooth.  She left you a note and a dollar.  Let me tell you, she could have saved herself a dollar because all you care about is the tiny note she left in the pillow.  You woke me up at 2:30 in the morning to tell me that the tooth fairy came and left money.  You didn't find out about the note until 5:30am.  Penelope then came in my room to tell me that you got money and a note.  In all the early morning excitement (in the dark) you misplaced your dollar.  You couldn't have cared less about the dollar.  All you wanted was to read the note from your tooth fairy.  We found the dollar but the note is the real prize.

Such fun!

With all my love,

Mommy

Morning bed head, money, tooth fairy pillow, and the prize "mini" note.

Don't ask how I got a hold of your note on the computer.  It's magic.

 

Loose Tooth

Dear Michela,

Last week you turned 5 years old and this week you have your first loose tooth!  You discovered it this morning and simply had to tell me at 5:45am!  Pure excitement that has lasted all.morning.long.  I don't know how many times you asked me to see you wiggling your tooth - I lost count.  If you look behind your loose tooth you can see your adult tooth poking through the gums.

I started looking up "tooth pillows" but you had other ideas.  You decided to make your own pillow for the tooth fairy.  Check it out!  I think you did a pretty good job! The bow serves as the tooth / money pocket.  You already have it sitting on your headboard waiting.

While I'm not sure I'm ready for you to be old enough for teeth to fall out, I'm excited for you.

With all my love,

Mommy

Big Basin Camping

Dear Quillinan Trio,

I had so much fun camping with you this weekend.  We hiked, explored, ate outside, slept in a tent, laughed, and got dirty.  I thought our campsite last year was great with the giant tree to climb but this years campsite was even better!  It didn't have a giant tree to climb but it had a ton of space to play and explore.  A hollow tree was fun to play in as well as a tunnel made from bushes.  With all the space we were able to find a few centipedes and a lot of banana slugs.  Unfortunately, Michela found a few wasps that enjoyed to sting.  :(  The first time was early Sunday morning.  That wasp stung me too when I tried to help.   The next morning another wasp stung her twice while in the bathroom! Two days, two wasps, and 3 stings for Michela, 1 for me!  I wanted to cry along with her the second time.  Ugh!

Despite the nasty wasp stings, we had fun camping with the Sacchi family.

No words.

Cheese!

Our whole camping party.

 

Bear-bear came too!

 I look forward to more camping adventures in the future!

With all my love,

Mommy

Camping Video

1,826

1,826 days of breastfeeding with out a single day off.  That's 5 years (and a day)!  My breastfeeding days are almost over and it's been quite a ride.

I remember very vividly how painful it was the first 6 weeks.  I remember going upstairs at Grammy and Papa's house to breastfeed Michela during Daddy's first father's day and just crying because it hurt so bad.  I was ready to quit and move to exclusive pumping after week 4 but I knew how time consuming and challenging it was for Auntie Susan so I pushed on.  I knew it had to get easier so I endured the pain.  And magically at the 6 week mark, we got the hang of it.  It no longer hurt!  I did it!  

I also remember walking in the grocery store with itty bitty Michela (probably only 2 months old) and passing a mom breastfeeding her 9ish month old while walking down the isle.  I looked at them and thought wow!  She can breastfeed AND grocery shop at the same time?!?!  Amazing!  I was still fumbling around with a Boppy pillow on the couch and trying to get a decent latch without ripping my nipple off. ::shutter::  My how I've grown.  

Then, we found out we were expecting Penelope.  I had a 9 month old and wanted to at least breastfeed until Michela was 12 months.  Breastfeeding while Pregnant was painful.  Almost as painful as the first 6 weeks but I was able to endure the pain much better.  Michela turned 12 months and I started to get pressure to wean Michela.  I wasn't ready to wean and she didn't seem ready either.  I heard many people say that I couldn't breastfeed a newborn and a toddler.  It would be too much stress on my body.  I'm babying Michela (this makes me laugh now because a 1 year old IS a baby). I heard everyone's "recommendations" but continued to do what I felt was best for the family.  Daddy had reservations about breastfeeding beyond 12 months and more reservations about tandem nursing.  But through discussions and a good tandem nursing book we decided that we I would wean each of our children at 2 years of age.  

Since we decided that 2 was the magic weaning number that meant that I tandem nursed twice!  6 months with Michela and Penelope and 5.5 months with Penelope and Colin.  

Now we are close to the end of my breastfeeding days.  As much as I'm ready to accept that I no longer have babies, I'm a bit sad to be finished.  It's been part of my daily routine the last 5 years.  It's hard to just stop doing something when you've been doing it for so long.  I'll adjust, just as I have when I weaned Michela and Penelope.  

Now on to new adventures - operation, "bye, bye diapers."  ;)  

The Big FIVE

Dear Michela,

Happy 5th Birthday!  You woke up to discover your brand new bike sitting in the family room.  It has been there all morning and you sit on it every chance you get.  We haven't taken it outside just yet but we will.

We went to Build-a-Bear (aka overpriced stuffed animals) for a small celebration.  You picked out a bear covered in hearts and named her Lilly.  You loved looking at all the accessories and clothing choices for the bears and settled on a pair of pink shoes and a pink dress.  Penelope picked a bunny with purple clothing and Colin picked a puppy.

I love you Michela.  5 years ago you were a little squishy baby.  Now you're a preschool graduate looking forward to Kindergarten.

XOXO

Mommy

You requested a shirt with the number 5 so I made one this morning.  :)

Pushing the pedal to stuff Lilly Bear.

Animals packed safely in their kennels.

This picture makes me laugh.

Lilly Bear hanging out in your bike basket.

Lilly Bear with another Build-a-Bear you received as a gift for your 3rd birthday.