Merry Christmas from Santa and Marty!

Dear Family and Friends,

On behalf of me, Mommy and Daddy, please accept our warmest wishes this holiday season. I hope that by now all of your presents are wrapped, your cards addressed and mailed, and all of your baking is ready for the big day! If you have all of that done, you are way ahead of Mommy!!

It's been a busy month around the Vaneskahian house! Mommy wasn't so organized this year...I don't know what happened to her. She usually has the house fully engulfed in decorations from front door to back by the day after Thanksgiving. This year we were still looking at pumpkins come December 1st. She didn't even put up all of the Christmas trees- yes, that is plural, we have more than one! There's the favorite gingerbread man tree that's in the family room with my train that goes around the bottom, the fancy living room tree that I'm not allowed to touch, and the Coca-cola ornament tree in the game room. There's usually a smaller one in front of the fireplace in the master bedroom, but she told Daddy just to leave that one in the attic this year! And, there' the toy tree for my room. Right now it's still in it's box, along with the bins of ornaments- all hidden in the guest bathroom bathtub behind the shower curtain. She had good intentions of getting it put up before the parties started...but with any luck it will at least be decorated before Santa gets here.

Last weekend I hosted my 2nd Annual Christmas Cookie Decorating Party with all of my friends! Mommy and I cut out and baked lots and lots of cookies, then everyone came over to decorate, eat and take some home. It was lots of fun!

We are spending Christmas eve at Grandmama and John Daddy's house in Hurst to be close to the rest of the family. So while I know that Santa will leave me presents there, I'm counting on him making a stop at my house even if I'm not home. I'm leaving my stocking at home just to see if he stops by!

Christmas eve we will be with the Bakers, grandparents and Aunt Sandy, Uncle John, and JD and Carley. Uncle John is cooking up the famous chicken and dumplings (Grammie's recipe, my great grandmother), we'll go to church, exchange presents-which there will be lots, and then to bed to wait for Santa! On Christmas Day we're going to the Boltons to celebrate with Aunt Mary and Uncle Vic, cousin Grace and her parents Brian and Jennifer, and Aunt Mary's side of the family! I just know it's going to be my best Christmas ever...especially since I made friends with the big guy in the fuzzy suit.

After having been explained to me in detail the concept behind Santa Claus and the behavioral requirements, I decided to get with the program. It sounded like it would be in my best interest! Last year Mommy and Naynay (Renee) tried to bribe me to sit on Santa's lap and I'd cry and run every time. Naynay even promised to get me a bigger helicopter than Santa could bring if I'd just get on his lap long enough for the camera to flash.

Well...this year Mommy and I got in the long line at the mall to wait our turn. I was quiet and cordial and friendly to the younger children who seemed to fear the unknown that was ahead at the line. I was brave, with my favorite F-18 Blue Angel airplane in my hand. I was taking it with me to show Santa and to tell him I would like a bigger plane this year- one that I can fly! The big man was friendly, seemed to like my airplane and asked if I'd been good. I assured him that I had...if he was leaving this decision up to me then of course my answer would be "YES!"

However, this was early in the month of December and there were numerous times that Mommy threatened to go back to the mall and revisit Santa about my behavior! The true test is only a few nights away now and we'll see just how strong the power of Santa can be...I also asked him to bring the "real" Little Einstein characters from Disney to my house to play with me. I just love Leo, June, Annie, Quincie and Rocket!

We started celebrating the holidays with Thanksgiving! My Abuela came for the long weekend. Cousins JD and Carley and I went to see Frosty the Snowman at Casa Manana. That was my first experience with a big creepy snowman and he scared the bah-geebies out of me!! Mommy and I watched the second half of the show from the wings of the auditorium- far from our front row seats, with my eye on the exit sign in case I had to make a run for it!

Overall it's been a pretty good year for your friend, Marty! We've had a few fun vacations, including a trip to Orlando to see the Vaneskahian family, to the beach and the Kennedy Space Center. Mommy and Daddy took me to two airshows. One was in Houston to see the Canadian Snowbirds fly (they are aerobatic airplanes, not birds!) and we went to the Johnson Space Center in Houston too! I love space and rockets and was an astronaut for Halloween this year! In October I got to see my favorite, US Navy Blue Angels fly!

I also had a visit to see my favorite friends too! We saw Diego Live, and you know I love Diego the Animal Rescuer! We also saw Elmo. I went to my first circus too this year. I had a fun summer and played with all of my cousins, my friends who live close by, and I went to camp! I attended a cool camp for kids who like airplanes and things that fly at the Temple Shalom School in Dallas. It was fun and I learned new songs and traditions about the Jewish faith. Our family isn't Jewish but the camp was open to everyone and it was nice to meet new friends.

Turning three was a big plus this year too. I had a really great party at the Johnson's Corral- Renee and Uncle Tommy's house. Uncle Tommy bought be a real pony, named Tony, for my birthday. I love Tony and go visit him often. I feed him carrots, ride him some and walk him around the pasture. Tony lives close to the airport so when the planes fly over the pasture I tell him what kind they are and what engines they have. He's a good listener!

My big milestone this year was starting school. On Mondays and Wednesdays I go to the Spanish Schoolhouse in Frisco. It's a preschool that has a Spanish immersion program- that means they only speak Spanish and we learn the language much as we learned English, by listening and association. Of course, I have a tutor at home since Daddy is fluent in Spanish and I call Abuelo and Abu in Orlando and talk to them often about the new words and songs I learn at school. It's fun! We just had our Christmas program- and it was all in Spanish. Daddy, Mommy, Grandma and Aunt Mary came to see my program. (Below is my first school picture!)

Mommy had a pretty good year too! She and Renee are on the "oldies but goodies" tour this year, having seen Rod Stewart, Billy Joel and have tickets to see Barry Manilow soon. Of course you know Mommy- she loves those old guys- especially Bon Jovi! Mommy also went back to work part-time this Fall when I started school. Over the past few years while she's been home with me she's been freelancing- writing and doing some advertising for several clients. But now she's gone back to Allen Community Outreach on the days that I'm in school. That's where she worked before I was born. She loves the human services field and helping people in need. Once a month Mommy and I and our friend, Kathy also deliver Meals-On-Wheels to some very nice people who can't get out and grocery shop or cook their own lunch. They love me!!

Daddy's year started off really good as he met his friends for a "guys weekend" -actually Mommy referred to it as a "geeks weekend"- in Washington DC. They went to the Smithsonian and many of the National monuments. He said it was a great trip and brought me lots of cool stuff! Daddy's stayed busy this year at Alcatel as the merger with Lucent became solid and he was moved into a different group in the IT field. After managing with the group throughout the year, last month he had an opportunity to stay within the company but transfer to a new division with a new product. He's now working in security on what they call IPTV- it has to do with television signals over the internet. It means working with Microsoft and AT&T with this new program and gets him out of the computer support mode. He's excited about the new challenges and focus of his new career!

The only sad spot in our year was the loss of my pets. Both Little Dog, who was 18 years old, and JoeBob, Mommy's beloved cat of 20 years died this year. He was sick for a long time, and finally took his last breaths in her arms. Mommy was very sad and still looks for him when we come home. JoeBob was my constant companion from my first day home. Now Daddy...he's enjoying the extra peace and quiet- but he never was a pet lover anyway!

Well tonight Mommy and Grandmama and I went out to the Gaylord Texan for the evening to see the trains and pretty decorations and give me a chance to plea my case to Santa one more time. That's my picture with him at the top of my letter. He said if I could just stay good a few more days there might be something special coming my way! I took my Blue Angel airplane again to show him in case he forgot what I wanted! I think he'll come through for me...and I bet he leaves a little something at your house too!

Check out our Family Photo Album at http://www.flickr.com/photos/vaneskahian/sets/

Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas!
Love, Marty (Jean-Martin Garabet Vaneskahian)

Marty's First Fish

November 11, 2007

At Lake Texoma with Aunt Mary and Uncle Vic, Marty caught his first fish! Uncle Vic bought the worms which Marty said were "yucky" and he baited the hook. Less than two minutes went by after the pole first went in the water and Marty got a bite- a perch! See the photo above.

The next worm went in and another two minutes went by before the bobber went down quickly and both Daddy and Uncle Vic pulled out a splashing HUGE catfish! But the line couldn't hold him and "the big one" got away. See the photo below to see just how big he was!!

If you are ever fishing in Lake Texoma and catch a catfish with a hook already in his mouth just know that Marty caught him first!

Email from Marty- November 2007 HAPPY FALL Y'ALL

Dear Family and Friends,

They say that as you get older “times flies.” Now that I’m 3 years old I understand what “they” mean! So much has happened since I’ve last written to you, yet it seems like it was just yesterday…but it’s been a few months and I was only 2!

Since then I’ve had a fabulous birthday party! My pony, “Tony” threw a terrific bash at the Johnson’s Corral for me and 60 of my closest family and friends. Thanks to all of you who came to help me celebrate. A special thanks to Uncle Tommy and Naynay (Renee) for having it at their house, and to my Abuela who flew in from Florida for the party. Grandma and John Daddy helped with the festivities too! Don’t miss the photos in our Album by clicking here and check out the special slide show from the party below in the post about the birthday party.

Just after turning 3, I was off to school for the first time! I began preschool at the Spanish Schoolhouse in September. As I’ve mentioned, it’s an immersion program where they only speak Spanish to the students all day and you learn the language much like we learn English, by hearing it spoken and associating. It’s been a bit of a challenge but I’m catching on! I love my teachers and the kids in my class. We do some fun things too!

Our first “event” was Grandparents Day. Students invited their grandmas and grandpas and there was a breakfast where we all ate together. Grandma and John Daddy were planning to come, but the night before Grandma got really sick and didn’t think that they would be able to come to the special breakfast. She was really disappointed. But Mommy called Rita and Martin, my favorite friends and occasional babysitters and asked them if they could fill in as “honorary” grandparents the following morning. I was sooo excited that they came to the party. I just love Rita and Martin and they did a great job filling in for Grandma and John Daddy!

Last week at school we had our Fall Festival and we got to wear our Halloween costumes to school. I was a Space Shuttle Commander from NASA! I got this really cool suit for my birthday from Mrs. Busby and since I’d been to both the Kennedy and Johnson Space Centers this year I was REALLY excited about being an astronaut for Halloween. In fact, I loved my costume so much I wanted to wear it a lot! I even wanted to sleep in it but Mommy said astronauts didn’t sleep in their suits. I’m not so sure about that, I may have to call NASA to verify that. I did wear my costume to deliver Meals-On-Wheels a few days before Halloween and everyone thought I looked “very cute!” Anyway, we had a party at school and a parade and everything!! Then, the best part was trick or treating that night! I just love begging for candy, and strangers are much nicer about giving me candy than Mommy is!!!

Speaking of the Space Center, I’ve been to two air shows since I last wrote! The first of October we (Mommy, Daddy and I) loaded up the car and went to Houston for a really cool air show at Ellington Field Airforce Base. The Canadian Snowbirds Aerobatic Team were the main attraction and I’d been wanting to see them perform. I have a video of them flying and doing their tricks and I have watched it a million times, in fact I knew their maneuvers as well as they did! While we were there we spent a day at the Johnson Space Center, and I got to see an actual Saturn V rocket just like the ones that took the astronauts to the moon. It was so cool! We had a great time.

A few weeks later we were in Fort Worth for the Alliance Airshow to see my favorite Blue Angels perform. The Clendinnings went with us and Ella and I had such fun! She’s pretty cool about airplanes for a girl, but she doesn’t like the noise. Usually I don’t either so I’ve been wearing Daddy’s ear covers, but Ella needed them more than I did so I braved the loud roars of the turbines.

Ella and Logan and I also went to a really cool Pumpkin Patch and got our faces painted and went on a hayride! It was a lot of fun! On the hayride we stopped and fed the cows and donkeys. They had a playground, a hay house, and lots and lots of pumpkins.

Also since I last wrote my mommy went back to work! Just part-time, while I’m in school she is working at Allen Community Outreach. That’s where she used to work before she had me!! She really likes it there. Sometimes she takes me with her for meetings or to stop in to have lunch with everyone on days when I’m not in school. I’m glad she has something to do while I’m at school. I was worried that she would be lonely and not be able to find anything to do without me by her side!

Rebecca and I have been meeting for lunch a few times lately and playing together at the mall play areas. We’ve been having a good time running around and chasing each other! Our Mommies like it too because it gives them time to talk. Next week Rebecca and I are taking a cooking class together- I’ll let you know how that turns out!
Ethan and I had a playdate at the mall recently too, after we had our portraits taken in our Halloween costumes. You know how our mommies are- they like portrait studios and coupons! When Ethan’s mommy and mine get together you can bet we’re going somewhere for pictures!! Ethan was a rock star for Halloween and he looked very, very cool!

Well, it’s just a few weeks until Thanksgiving and my Abuela is coming to Texas! While she’s here we are going with my Grandma and cousins J.D. and Carley to Casa Manana in Fort Worth to see Frosty The Snow Man! Maybe we’ll see Santa while Abuela is here too! Downtown McKinney has a big Victorian Christmas weekend following Thanksgiving so we’ll probably take Abuela there too. Mommy and I have already had the “Santa Talk.” She told me that I have to talk to Santa personally to tell him what I want for Christmas. She also said that he won’t bring me anything if I’m bad. From your own personal experience, do you know this to be true?? It’s not that I don’t trust Mommy, but she does have some sly parenting skills… Email me and let me know if Santa has ever left you high and dry on Christmas morning for being bad! I may be in big trouble this year….

Check out the latest photos in our PHOTO ALBUM- Click here

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
LOVE YA, MARTY

Jean-Martin (MARTY) Vaneskahian
Email- marty@vaneskahian.com


p.s. FROM MOMMY—
Well it’s not wrapping paper or cookie dough, but Marty’s school fundraiser sells tamales from the Dallas Tortilla & Tamale Factory! They are pricier than what the Factory sells them for, but hey- it’s a fundraiser! Last year the school made $12,000 profit selling tamales! Funds raised this year will buy picnic tables, classroom materials, gym equipment, books and costumes for the annual school show.

If you’d like to order, let me know before Nov 28th, I’ll pick them up on December 6th and deliver them to you. They are $12 per dozen and you can choose spicy pork, beef, chicken or bean & cheese. If you pay me before Nov. 28th make the check to the Spanish Schoolhouse. If I collect afterwards make it payable to me!! Cash is good too. No pressure on this, but if you’d like tamales delivered to your door it will benefit a good cause! ~~Thanks, Marjorie

Marjorie Baker Vaneskahian
Email- marjorie@vaneskahian.com

First Day of School for Marty

Marty began his first day of school at the Spanish Schoolhouse in Frisco today!

His teachers are Senorita Ivonne and Seniorita Cristina and he has eleven children in his class. He will attend school on Mondays and Wednesdays. The Spanish Schoolhouse is a special school which immerses students in the Spanish language at an early age. Marty's Vaneskahian side of the family comes from South America and speaks fluent Spanish so it's exciting for him to begin learning the language. He's had quite a head start working with Daddy and talking to Abuela and Abu, but now he'll be learning even more, and maybe teach Mommy some new words too!

It was a rainy Monday for his first day, but it didn't dampen his smile as he walked into his new classroom. Abuela extended her stay so that she could be here for his first day of school and Daddy took the day off too, so with Mommy they all came along to see him off for his big day! He had his new Diego lunchbox packed with his favorites, along with a new nap mat and the supplies he needed!

When school was over, he was all smiles again when it was time to go. But when Marty got home he took a long afternoon nap. Guess that first day ready pooped him out!!

See more photos of his first day in our photo album by clicking here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vaneskahian/sets/

Marty turns 3 Years Old!!

Wow, what a September we've had as we celebrated Marty's 3rd birthday beginning Labor Day weekend as Abuela Vaneskahian arrived just in time! Abuela flew in from Montevideo, Uruguay where she had attended cousin Gustavo's wedding.

Mommy and Daddy kicked off the celebration on September 3rd with a shopping trip to purchase a Diego bicycle. Unfortunately it took three stops at different stores before we found the bicycle we were looking for. With each stop Marty looked even sadder as we left empty-handed. But he was all grins when we left Target with the bike in the back of Daddy's car! As soon as we got home Daddy and Marty put it together so Marty could take it for a test-drive!

September 4th, Marty's actually birthday, Marty and Abuela had a great day learning to ride his bike and playing at home while Daddy went to work and Mommy ran some errands preparing for the big party ahead. When Mommy and Daddy got home it was time to open presents from Mommy and Daddy, along with gifts that came in the mail and that Abuela brought with her. From there we went out for Marty's birthday dinner then came home for cake!

The following Saturday on September 8th everyone came to the Johnson's house in Southlake for the BIG PARTY with Tony, the Pony! We had hot dogs, cake and lots of ice cream, rides with Tony and Handsome, the big horse! There were lots and lots of presents too!

It was a great day and a great week for Marty. Renee and Tommy Johnson hosted a terrific party at their house, Grandma and John Daddy had the dogs cooking, Charley and her friends were giving the kids pony rides, and everyone pitched in to make it a perfect day. Thanks to everyone for making Marty's 3rd birthday so wonderful!

See all of the photos from Marty's week of birthday festivies by clicking here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vaneskahian/sets/ and see the video slideshow below that Grandma Kay Baker made.

Here is a video slideshow of pictures taken at the party!

Here is a video of the day of his birthday September 4th, 2007

Email From Marty - August 2007

Dear Family and Friends,

Only 23 days until I turn 3 and a mere 27 days until the biggest celebration of the year, and I’m not talkin’ about Christmas! My pony, Tony, is throwing me a big birthday party at his corral on September 8th and I hope everyone will come!! He says he’ll give rides to all of my family and friends!! There will be hot dogs and ice cream and cake and all of the good party stuff too. Tony, the Pony lives with my Uncle Tommy and NayNay (Renee) and ChaCha (Charley) at the Johnson’s home in Southlake. If you need directions just call my Mommy. Saddle up and come on over about 11am on September 8th, I hope to see you there!



I’ve been busy, busy, busy! On top of my usual tight schedule of parties and playdates, I’ve been squeezing in lots of pool time with Mommy and in the evenings with Daddy too. I’m able to swim laps across the big community pool just around the corner from our house. Of course, I use the word “swim” a bit loosely. I’m not sure the American Red Cross would certify me as a swimmer, but with the help of my Nemo fins and floaties that Tia Lusan and Tio Nelson got for me I am a very independent dog paddler! I can also put my face under water, blow bubbles, float on my back and jump in from the side of the pool. Heck, who needs swim lessons-- I’m ready for the high dive!



Recently I had front row, center seats for Diego Live at the Nokia Live Theater and WOW, what a great show it was. You know, Diego is one of my favorite cartoon characters and I was very excited about meeting the “real” Diego. Mommy shopped for weeks looking for the perfect Diego outfit. (She doesn’t usually let me wear character clothes, but she found one she thought wasn’t too cheesy looking! Grandma even embroidered my name on the hat.) I was definitely the best dressed kid there and several Moms asked where Mommy had found my outfit. She smiled and was beaming with pride when she answered them! I couldn’t have been any closer to Diego unless I had climbed on stage…and if Mommy hadn’t been sitting right next to me you know I would have! Instead, I was able to get up and dance on the floor right in front of the stage. Some dancing palm tree people came down and danced with me! It was sooo cool!! NayNay and ChaCha came along too and I came home with most ALL of the souvenirs they sold, thanks to NayNay!

I’m also now an official Meals-On-Wheels deliverer with Mommy and her friend, Kathy! I even have my own “MOW” badge with my picture on it! We go to the Allen Community Outreach and pick up food to deliver to some very nice people who can’t get out and shop for groceries or prepare food for themselves. My job is to carry the milk or juice to the door. I really like it when they let me come in their house and take a look around for anything cool to play with. Everyone thinks I’m very cute and most all say I’m a “big helper.” It makes me feel really good to be helping others! Mommy thinks volunteering and learning to give your time to help others in need is very important and that I should be learning this at an early age.

And, speaking of Allen Community Outreach…this agency is especially important to Mommy because this is where she worked at the Volunteer Services Director for 4 years before she had me! Now that I’m going to be in school 2 days a week beginning next month, Mommy is going back to work 2 days a week at the Outreach Center to help them with their Capital Campaign and fund raising efforts. She’s very excited to be “back in the groove!” She can work with the friends she has there and with the mission she feels is so important to the community, yet still be able to be home with me when I’m not in school.



And, speaking even more about school…I’m getting to be a big boy now!! (Except for the potty training stuff…which is something I’m not the least bit interested in and it’s driving Mommy CRAZY! But hey- why should I waste time at the potty when this diaper thing is so easy!!) Anyway, they won’t know what hit them when I come through those doors on the first day of school! I’m so excited to be starting at the Spanish Schoolhouse in Frisco! School begins September 10th. Daddy has been holding summer school, you know, getting me ready for the entrance exams I guess. I’m well prepared for the basics of numbers, colors, body parts, etc. in Spanish. Daddy’s also gone a little overboard with the Science stuff- I’m really progressing on the Periodic Table of Elements Chart. So much so, that Daddy’s friends at work are giving him a hard time about me just memorizing the colored squares on the chart and not the letters that correspond to the element. So, back in front of the video camera I went the other day so Daddy could show me off again!



Just last week I went to my first Circus!! Mommy, Renee (NayNay) and Charley (ChaCha) accompanied me. We began with the preview of the animals 90 minutes before the show...in the parking garage which was about 110 degrees and no breeze! But we got to see the elephants and white tigers and horses up close. From there we spent the next hour on the floor of the arena chasing clowns to autograph my program (that would be Mommy and Renee who were doing the chasing!) and they got a few Kodak moments of me and Charley in clown noses and circus costumes. Just before the show began we choked down $23 chicken nuggets and $8 hot dogs. While Renee and Charley stopped at the potty, Mommy and I went on to make our way in the down the MANY steps in the dark. I was scared and wanted Mommy to carry me. But she was already carrying her purse filled with left over fries and chicken (in case I got hungry during the show), a coke, and the HUGE inflatable booster seat that Renee bought so I could see better in my seat! Once we got to our row, Mommy had to figure out how to get me in the blow-up seat, in the flip-down chair. She had her own clown show going on as she tried to hold the chair down with one knee, put the blow up seat on top of it, and pick me up on top of it all, while holding on to her purse and the coke and trying not to obscure the view of the people behind us. Did I mention that I was whining throughout this process that I wanted to “get d-o-w-n!”

Then the show began...and there were elephants, tigers, horses, acrobats, motorcycles and clowns in little cars, a few loud noises that scared me and confetti shooting up in the air...then Renee came back from intermission with a BIG light-up spinner with a red elephant on top, a plastic cell phone that orders "cotton candy please," a big stuffed monkey in a Jester's hat, and a light-up red clown's nose...and 2 1/2 hours later and we are all exhausted and heading back to the car...but I got my second wind once we got in the car! So I talked to Bobby the elephant on my new cell phone and played with my bright spinner all the way home! And, I’ve slept with the monkey in my bed every night since! Video from the circus is also here on our blog if you want to check it out, scroll down below to the circus entry.

Mommy and Daddy are trying to catch up with the current techies and become bloggers. The most recent info will now be on our blog website at http://vaneskahian.blogspot.com/ and our regular website will become a more static web page with little changes. My emails, both current and past letters will also be available on the blog site. You can also access our photo album and video gallery from the blog site so bookmark this site for access to all of our latest “stuff.”

As always, thanks for you interest in my life, trials and tribulations. It still amazes Mommy and Daddy how many people ask to be added to my email mailing list. And, if you ever want to be removed from my list for any reason, please say so. Just email me at marty@vaneskahian.com and put “unsubscribe” in the subject line and we’ll take you off of the list ASAP!

Stay cool as the dog days of summer are here. I hope to see you at my party next month! Please keep in touch!

I love ya,
MARTY a.k.a. Jean-Martin G. Vaneskahian

Back By Popular Demand, Daddy Showing Off Marty 2

After the last video of Daddy Showing Off Marty, there were many questions raised as to whether Marty know the symbols of the chemical elements based on the position and color in the large periodic table. Well, to answer those concerns we also use chemical element Flash Cards that I made myself before Marty was born, just waiting until he was old enough to begin using them.

I have also attached a video of me asking Marty more general science questions as well as questions of rockets, helicopters and airplanes.

Video Of General Science Questions

Video Of Periodic Table Flash Cards

We're off to the Circus!

Marty's first trip to the circus was the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey show at American Airlines Center in Dallas tonight! Mommy, Renee and Charley accompanied him, beginning with the preview of the animals 90 minutes before the show...in the parking garage which was about 110 degrees and no breeze!

From there we spent the next hour on the floor of the arena chasing clowns to autograph our program (that would be Mommy and Renee who were doing the chasing!) and we got a few Kodak moments of Marty and Charley in clown noses and circus costumes.

Just before the show began we choked down the $23 chicken nuggets and $8 hot dogs, only to make our way in the down the MANY steps in the dark...carrying the HUGE inflatable booster seat that Renee thought was such a great purchase so Marty could see better in his seat!

And it was a great purchase...once you figured out how to get a little inflatable chair in the stadium seat which wouldn't stay folded down long enough to plop Marty in it without a 3rd hand to hold it down. Moms are resourceful though, and the one knee that wasn't balancing the coke held the seat down long enough to get him situated.

Then the show began...and elephants, tigers, horses, acrobats, motorcycles and clowns in little cars, a few loud noises that Marty didn't like...a BIG light-up spinner with a red elephant on top, a plastic cell phone that orders "cotten candy please," a big stuffed monkey in a Jester's hat, and a light-up red clown's nose...and 2 1/2 hours later and we are all exhausted...except for Marty! He's still talking to Bobby the elephant on his cell phone!

Charley's going to kill me for putting this photo in! I couldn't resist!! Thanks Renee, Charley and Tommy (who gave us all lots of spending $$) for making Marty's first circus experience a memorable one!!

See more photos in our album from the circus- CLICK HERE!

Here are some small video clips of what the circus looked like from our seats

Video #1

Video #2

Marty and Ethan play at Gatti Land!

The boys needed a day out of the house so we met Ethan and mom, Jessica in Frisco for lunch and play at Gatti Land!


The carousel was a big hit!


Ethan preferred driving the race cars, while Marty was glued to the cockpit of the fighter jet!

Daddy Showing Off Marty's Skills

Daddy has been working with Marty everyday on learning new elements from the Periodic Table of the Element. We also work on astrononmy, physics, airplanes, and lots of Spanish. Watch the video below for a tiny sample of Marty's knowledge.

Marty Goes To Diego LIVE!

Here’s a few pics prior to the much awaited event tonight! Marty, Mommy, Renee and Charley went to see the big show at Nokia Theatre! Marty was the best dressed kid there and we had “VIP” front row, center seats- and of course Renee made sure he came home with ALL of the souvenirs they sold! They wouldn’t let us take photos inside, but Marty can tell you that it was THE REAL Diego, Baby Jaguar and even Dora made a surprise visit! He didn’t want to leave…. What a night for all of us!!! Whew.

Here are the pictures

Email From Marty- July 2007

Dear Family and Friends,

Shalom everyone! I’m just back from summer camp at the Shalom Temple in Dallas and I had a great time! It was a 2-week day camp for kids my age who like “things that fly!” We made kites, played with airplanes and helicopters, read books about things that fly, did art projects, had splash days and sang songs! I was really welcomed by everyone there and the best part of all was I didn’t do anything to embarrass Mommy!! She just knew I was going to do, say or sing something inappropriate.

Just before camp we took a vacation to Florida to visit the Vaneskahian family. Wow, what a great time we had!! First we flew in a big jet to Orlando. I’ve been putting in quite a few hours on the computer flight simulator and I wanted to offer to co-pilot the plane but Mommy made me stay in my seat! Instead Daddy and I just talked about the moving parts on the wings and tail- you know, the flaps, ailerons, elevators, the rudders, pitot tubes and such. I know all of them! Daddy likes to show me off and quiz me in front of the pilots to impress them.

Daddy and I also spend weekends hanging around the hangers at local regional airports, until we get run-off that is. They’ve only asked us to leave the Mckinney Airport once! I just love to walk around and look at all of the different kinds of aircraft. The pilots of the medic helicopter in Collin County all know me and wave as they land and I’ve impressed more than one pilot as they’ve come into the FBO (that’s Flight Based-Operations, for you novices out there) after landing their planes. They can’t believe a 2 year old can know so much about flying. I have to admit though we do look a bit like stalkers!

Anyway, back to our trip…. Then we went to Cape Canaveral and to the Kennedy Space Center. The Space Shuttle was supposed to touch down there that afternoon so we were excited that we’d be there when it arrived, but an hour before it’s arrival time the weather was too risky and it diverted to California. It didn’t damper my day though! My cousins, Perla and Isabelle and I had a great time seeing the rockets and astronauts and stuff. We spent the whole day there with my Abuela and Abu, and my Tia Lusan and Tio Nelson.

Next we headed to the beach and spent a few days at Cocoa Beach. Cousins Dianne and Sabino arrived to kick up the party a notch and we spent most of the next day poolside! I tried the beach but I just didn’t like all of that sand. Mommy was disappointed because ya know, she could live on the beach if you give her a towel and a margarita! Daddy and I prefer the more civilized lifestyle of the pool! Finally we spent our last day back in Orlando and went to the water park for another party!! It was a busy trip, best part was we were so busy that most days I missed my naptime!

There is a little black cloud hanging over the Vaneskahian house, and it’s not due to all of the rain we’ve had. Mommy, Daddy and I are in a state of mourning since the Clendinnings moved to Colleyville last month!! Daddy’s been pouting since they first announced they were moving, and I told Mommy that I wanted Ella to move back home but she said that Ella had a new home and it just wasn’t as close to us as her old home. But she said that we’d still see her and get to play together!!! Mommy was the only one in the house being an adult about the situation and realizing that the Clendinnings were just a few miles farther down the road….that is until the weekend the new swing set arrived in a box!!! Where is Ben when you need him??? Every project, every chore that Daddy would put off would finally get done when Ben would come over! (Ben, Jill, Ella and Logan lived just down the street and around the corner.) Now my swing set was out of it’s box and in a million pieces on the grass in the backyard and both Mommy and Daddy were staring at it. For some reason Daddy was just taking pictures of the pieces. That’s when Mommy said “I can’t believe the Clendinnings went off and left us!”


It was a long weekend for the 3 of us. I kept offering to help them but they seemed frustrated every time I’d pick up some parts they didn’t need, or when I’d ask for the 100th time if I could swing yet! I have to give the folks some credit though, by Sunday night the swing set was finished! I think they might have finished earlier but they kept taking it apart and moving pieces around. I’m not sure but I think they were building it wrong. Daddy said to Mommy that she had helped him screw it up enough that he wouldn’t ask her to help him next time. Mommy had a big smile when he said that so I think that was her plan all along. I have a very smart Mommy!

SAVE THE DATE!! Plans are underway for my 3rd birthday bash on September 8th! Word on the streets is that “Tony the Pony” is hosting the bash this year at The Johnson Ranch in Southlake! There will be, of course, pony rides, as well as games and fun and lots and lots of ice cream to keep us cool!! Put it on your calendars for Saturday, September 8th. You wouldn’t want to miss my birthday party, would you?

I start my new school on September 10th! I’ll go on Mondays and Wednesdays to the Spanish Schoolhouse Preschool. I’m really excited about it. It’s a Spanish immersion school so I plan to be fluent in Spanish by the end of the first semester! Daddy is giving me a head start and has been teaching me lots of new things this summer…he’s teaching me not only to count in Spanish (from 1 to 50) and to know the alphabet but I also know the colors, most of the body parts, and a few new words each day all in Spanish. And if that isn’t enough, since I’ve already memorized the planets, now he has me memorizing the Periodic Table of Elements. I know…don’t laugh, I’m serious!! He uses both flash cards and the actual Periodic Table! He really quizzes me on it! Don’t call Child Protective Services yet, he makes it a game and we actually have fun! And I have learned most of the Elements between Hydrogen and Silicon. I’m going to have to play it cool when I get to preschool or they’ll throw me out the first week for knowing too much Spanish and too much weird science trivia for a 3 year old!! I don’t want to be labeled a “geek” before I hit Kindergarten!

Have a great summer! Adios and Shalom!!
LOVE,
MARTY a.k.a Jean-Martin Garabet Vaneskahian

Email From Marty- May 2007

Dear Family and Friends,

Hi guys! I hope you had a safe and dry Memorial Day weekend. Sure doesn’t seems like Summer is on it’s way with all of this wet and gloomy weather, but it hasn’t slowed me down much!!!

I’ve been super busy the past 2 weeks. Mommy and I took a mini-vacation to Aunt Mary and Uncle Vic’s house in North Richland Hills. We had a great time, only thing was that they weren’t home while we were there! We were “house-sitting” and taking care of “Precious,” their Westie and “Kitty Hope,” their cat while they went on an airplane and then a boat with some of their friends. Mommy and I stayed up late and played, slept late in the mornings and had a nice relaxing time!

Grandma and John Daddy live only 10 minutes from Aunt Mary and Uncle Vic’s house so we saw them a lot during our mini-vacation. I spent a few nights with them and there was a present at their house for me every time I came over! We also spent a lot of time with Uncle Tommy and Renee and Charley. They have a new swing with a special car swing just for me and lots of room for me to ride my trike. I had a few crashes with boo-boos to prove it!

Best of all was a surprise new pony that Uncle Tommy got for me to ride! “Tony, the Pony” lives at their house but he’s mine to play with and ride anytime. He’s really cute, check out the photos on our website photo album to see him. Mommy says I was a little spoiled on our mini-vacation…but she was a little too!

The only bad thing about our mini-vacation was my sudden illness. One afternoon I was playing in the Johnson’s backyard and all of the sudden it felt like a bug flew in my ear! It really hurt. I told Mommy and NayNay (Renee) but they couldn’t see the bug. I kept on playing but holding my ear. Mommy took me to Grandma’s house because she was going out with friends that night. John Daddy looked in my ear and said it looked OK to him. I rode my tricycle at their house, holding my ear, which Grandma thought was strange, but I didn’t complain. I just kept saying that there was a bug in my ear! Later I climbed in Grandma’s lap and curled up, now holding both ears. Grandma decided she’d better call Mommy, since I was not acting like my usual jovial self. She called just as Mommy was leaving to meet her friends. I always have had good timing when Mommy has made other plans!!

So Mommy cancelled her plans and took me to Cook’s Children’s emergency clinic. She was now worried too because I was acting like I was very sick and she was afraid I would be worse if she waited until the next morning. She got us checked in at the clinic and we waited our turn. In triage I explained to the nurse that I had a bug in my ear while she took my vital signs. She seemed sympathetic to my problem. We went back to the waiting room to wait again. We waited and waited. I was beginning to get bored and my ears were feeling a little better. I was watching a video on the big TV screen and got down out of Mommy’s lap to dance to the music on the video. I think Mommy was embarrassed that I was dancing and didn’t look sick like the other kids in the waiting room. But you know me, I love to dance!! Just as I was really getting into the groove, the double doors opened and “JEAN MARTIN” was called. Boy did the nurse lower her brow at Mommy as she dragged me –still dancing- thru those doors and into the examining area. Mommy was a little pale herself…but her color came back, even got redder when I stood up and announced to the doctor when she came in that I had a bug in my ear!! 5 minutes later, we were out of there with a prescription for antibiotics to cure my ear infection…and I was dancing and singing all the way to the car!!

Since I last wrote I have been exploring the different modes of transportation. One evening Ella, Ethan and I took our mommies to a carnival in Frisco and had lots of fun. We rode in teacups, on a train, inside a huge teddy bear, and my personal favorite was the helicopter! Our mommies were a little hesitant about putting us in the helicopter because some of the helicopters on the ride went up very high and they couldn’t figure out which ones went high and which ones stayed lower to the ground as they went around. But us kids insisted that we ride! So they buckled us in tight, put Ella, the oldest, on the outside and told her to hold the bar in tight to her chest because it was a little loose. The ride began and around and around we went. All of the other helicopters went up and down, but ours stayed low to the ground. Our mommies were relieved but we were disappointed that we got the bum helicopter that couldn’t fly! Just as the ride was about over we all figured out that the bar that Ella was holding in tight was the lever to push out and make the helicopter fly up! Oh well, we had a really fun time that night!

Then Cousin Grace and I decided to try out the train at Forest Park in Fort Worth. Her grandparents (Aunt Mary and Uncle Vic) and my Grandma took us for a fun day. Later in the month we decided to try the Tarantula Train in Grapevine with Grace’s parents and Mommy. Wow is that train big! It was a fun ride until we had a train robbery, and a masked gunman got on the train! There was a shooting that Grace and I weren’t expecting and it was a little scary. I almost cried but wanted to look brave for Grace! Thank goodness there was a sheriff on the train and all was well in the end!

Good news! I’m all signed up for summer camp beginning in July! There’s a really cool two- week camp for kids my age that teaches all about “Things That Fly” so Mommy and Daddy thought it would be perfect for me since I love airplanes, helicopters, balloons, kites, etc. ! It would also be an opportunity for me to expand my religious culture awareness. The camp is at the Temple Shalom of Dallas. Daddy liked it because the curriculum was science based. Mommy and I went over to the synagogue and met the Preschool Director and toured the school. Mommy liked it because it offered other fun things like art and splash days and stuff I’d like, as well as learning more about the Jewish customs. I think it will be fun!

I’m getting my sunglasses and sun-block packed because we are heading to the beach! In a few weeks we are flying to Orlando to visit the Vaneskahians and then we’re off to Cape Canaveral to see all of the space stuff that Daddy tells me about! After that we are all going to the beach for a few days with my cousins Perla and Isabelle! Before we leave Orlando, we are going to a party at the waterpark! It’s going to be a fun trip and I’ve missed seeing my Abuela and Abu so I’m excited about spending time with them.

Have a great Summer and send me a postcard if you get out of town!!

Love ya,
MARTY aka Jean-Martín Garabet Vaneskahian