Holiday Sing-along, Ring-a-long

Grandma Karen and Sequoia are giddy at the thought of Sequoia's first holiday sing-along!



All dressed and ready to go in her special dress!



Explaining why she needs no fewer than 4 adornments in her hair...




Sequoia didn't sing a single word, but she rang those bells like crazy! And then she tried to tie them to her wrist...



Her mama was so proud!










Papa Tony and Sequoia celebrated with a High 5 Fest!

Beautiful Sparrow

This picture is just too beautiful not to share. At a recent playdate my friend Becky (a talented photographer) captured little Miss Sparrow to a "T." This was just minutes before she raided the brownie tray and became a gooey mess!

Christmas Photo Shoots

In search of the perfect Christmas card picture, the poor Sanchini sisters were subjected to multiple holiday outfits and scenes. Still... they could never quite coordinate into the vision of Christmas cheer we were searching for.


Sparrow took to the Santa hat immediately, but thought her tree was a bit on the small side.

Sequoia found a tree that was more her size, but still wouldn't shoot a smile at the camera.


I had 30 seconds to take this shot....


What better location for a holiday shoot that mom's new wishing well? what fun!


Who wants to smile pretty for the camera when we could be yelling and screaming?


Nothing like a guest appearance from the Christmas duck!




Now hand them a snack and they are in their element! Happy Holidays!

Bay Area Discovery Museum

Despite the picturesque location of the Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sequoia isn't so sure she should enter. Sparrow scoffs at her older sister's nerves, and mild-mannered Daddy carts them away to the entrance.


Sequoia took several laps around the Wisteria maze, still not quite feeling right about the place.



Sparrow, however, immediately settled in to a large, cozy nest.



Sequoia found her way to the cozy nest, and Sparrow taught her the subtleties of rock egg patting.






Sequoia perfects her simultaneous flapping and tweeting skills.


Before we could blink cousin Lucas had joined the mix and there were suddenly 3 rock eggs. Sparrow felt she had other nests and rock eggs to conquer and promptly flew the coop.

Oven Mittens

Sequoia sports some of the spoils from her birthday. She has been an avid cook and tea partier from a tender young age, and now has the appropriate attire and oven mitts to do it safely.



Not to be outdone, Sparrow went running to put on her own version of oven mitts (though hers seem more well suited to the cold than the oven- but no one told her that!).




The two inspect their equipment and concur that there will be much cake-baking and soup simmering in their future.

Thanksgiving 2009

Someday... someday, little Sparrow will be able to reach the towering (and taunting?) heights of her older sister.


For now, Sequoia shows off her artistic prowess with this holiday-themed ditty entitled "Thanksgiving Tunnel."



Sparrow is content to at last tower over someone else- another little sister in the family.




The Sanchinis had a wonderful Thanksgiving 2009. Sequoia is still thinking about those delectable olives!

Yahooie! Yippee! Sequoia's Turning 3!

Well, she turned 3 in November and I'm just getting around to posting it now!

There was all kinds of fun stuff to do at Sequoia's celebration:

Tunnels galore...

Right this way to the balloon room extravaganza!

My family almost got swallowed up!

Bubble magic was a favorite with the younger crowd

And of course, hatching my plans to take over the world while sweet Grandma Iris and dazed cousin Lucas stand by.


I've got Grandma Karen in on the plan now, but Lucas is going to take a little more convincing.



Thank goodness Uncle Chris stayed after the festivities to help me with his superior medical skills. I have developed a nasty habit of swallowing puzzle pieces a la Curious George and have become a frequent flier to the imaginary ER. Nothing a little tickling, surgery, and band-aids can't fix.

Cupcake Tutorial

I'm 3!! Yippeee!!!!


I huffed and I puffed and I blew that candle out!

Sparrow is a little short on table manners. But me, I waited for the appropriate cutlery.

I guess I'm a little out of practice on my fork-cupcake skills. Gotta catch up before I turn 4.

No matter how you eat it, this cupcake is delicious!

First Trick-or-Treat

What if there are spooks out tonight? Who will protect me?



Don't worry, dear lion! If any spooks try to haunt you, I will simply click my heels 3 times and we'll be a-ok!


Great! Now I can enjoy my cheese and look forward to tonight. Maybe I'll even lose the shades.



Welll...hmmmm.... not sure you should go that far.



First trick-or-treat- so much anticipation!!




Lo and behold! It is the Wicked Witch! the Lion explains trick-or-treating etiquette, and the two are invited in for a snack.

Pumpkins!

It's a race to find the perfect pumpkin!




Sequoia licks her lips in exuberance at finding a rather large specimen, while Sparrow is still searching amongst the straw holding out hope that she will find a microscopic version.