Happy 40th Birthday Nelson!

We went over to Susie and Nelson's house yesterday to celebrate Nelson's 40th Birthday. It was a surprise, and I think he was quite surprised!

Susie surprised him with a trip to Vegas- he was in shock. She had literally saved for this for a year and 1/2- dollar by dollar (she's a stylist so she tucked away her singles so he wouldn't know what she was up to). What a great gift!!!

He is trying to process what this is. He said "an itinerary?".

Susie told him that Grandma would be watching Jaden while they were gone. At this point, he is finally realizing it's for REAL.

Jaden got a gift too (it was kinda bribery to get Nelson out of the house). It was so funny, Jaden was guarding this box with his life.....he wanted to "Rock".

Ahhhh, finally. Jaden puts on quite a show. He played the drums and sang too!

The two Macie's meeting for the first time.

"Come over here"....."No, you come here." They are only about 3-4 weeks apart....Macie is HUGE compared to the other Macie. My little chunker!

Macie's Mommy and Daddy- Jen and Kevin.

Lookout Hef, there's a new girl in town!

Daddy, That's MY Binky!

B

6 Month Checkup

Macie had her 6 month check up today. She had two shots and did really well. She seems to cry less and less every time. We also talked to the Dr. about her "lazy eye". Her right eye seems to turn in a little when she is tired. I developed Esotropia when I was two, and it is hereditary so we are concerned that she may have it. Mine was corrected with glasses/contacts until I was able to have surgery when I turned 18. They now have other ways to "train" the eye and strengthen the muscle. We were referred to a Pediatric Opthamologist so we'll be taking her there soon.

Here's her stats:

Weight: 18.0 lbs (83rd percentile)
Height: 26 inches (56th percentile)
Head: 17 3/4 inches (97% percentile) She is growing into her head and leveling off so the Dr. said that is good.

He said she is doing great and told us we can start her on finger foods (Puffs, cheerios, teething biscuits, etc.) if we would like. We got some of the puffs and gave her one, but she just made a funny face and spit it out.

Happy Easter/Spring

Macie and I met up with my friend Susie and her son Jaden. We decided to go visit the Easter Bunny, but it didn't quite go as planned. Jaden talked about the Easter Bunny the whole time we were shopping, and then when it came time to get his picture taken, he wasn't as excited anymore. He didn't seem scared, he just seemed uninterested (probably because we took too long shopping)! I got Macie all dolled up (thanks to Susie and Jaden for the adorable dress) to see the Easter Bunny for the first time, got up there and put her on his/her lap and she started screaming. She was all smiles until I set her down....poor thing. She did calm down briefly, but she just never warmed up to him/her, but she still looked darn cute in her outfit.

Her picture with the Easter Bunny will be revealed at a later time......hold tight!!!

Annual Blackhawks Game

We went to the Blackhawks game on Sunday which is an annual outing organized by our friend Matt. I missed last year since I was about 3 months preggo at the time so was glad I got to go this year. Macie stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Scimeca for the day. John and Kari came to their house to see Macie that morning, they haven't seen her since the day before they got married. Macie was very content hanging out with Kari while we enjoyed some breakfast.

6 Months

Dear Macie,

You are 6 months old today, and I am still trying to comprehend that fact. While I was carrying you in my tummy, six months seemed like 2 years. Now that you are here, 6 months seemed like 2 weeks. It has by far, been the most exciting, rewarding, challenging, and memorable 6 months of my life. I still stare at you all the time and am amazed that your Daddy and I made you, and are now responsible for raising you. I often wonder if I am doing all the right things, and I learn something new about you everyday. I study your adorable face all the time, it never gets old! I could stare into your huge, beautiful eyes forever. They are so expressive and seem to say everything that you are not able to right now. You seem to want to talk so badly and I think it's only a matter of time before "Dada" comes out of your mouth. You just adore your Daddy so much (can't say I blame you, I'm rather fond of him myself) and you get all Bejiggity (I'm sure I did not spell that right, but it's the perfect word for your reaction) when he walks into the room. When I am with you and call Daddy, I put the phone up to your ear and when you hear his voice you just light up and start looking around for him. It's so cute.

Your bottom two "toofies" are completely in now, and I think you are starting to get the top two. You chew on anything you can get your little hands on. You use those two bottom teeth to amuse anyone who will watch you. A few days ago, you started making this face and you stick out your two teeth, I about wet myself when you did it. Now all we have to say to you is "make your funny face" and you do it on command. You are quite the clown. You have now realized that you can, in fact, make people laugh and you love doing it.

Grandma got you to do the funny face, and she even got a picture of it! Hilarious.

You sat up on your own for a bit without any help. You are getting to be such a big girl. It's so much more fun for you to play with your toys when you can sit up. You love playing the piano.

You still need a little support, but I think it will only be a matter of time and you will be sitting all by yourself for as long as you want!

This past month you decided to switch things up a bit and you flipped from your back to your tummy. It took you all of about 2 days to master this task. Well, this is where the challenging part came in. You would go to sleep on your back and then decide to flip yourself over onto your tummy. You couldn't quite get the concept of flipping back the way you came from and you would get fussy. So, for about a week Mommy had to wake up every hour and flip you back since you weren't fond of being on your tummy at the time. Now, you immediately flip to your tummy when we put you to bed and you stay there. I was a little nervous at first since you would bury your face in the mattress, but I am slowly getting over it. I only check on you about 4 times in the night now!!!

This past month you have really taken a liking to your fruits and veggies. It is not physically possible for any of us to shovel it fast enough into your mouth. You get mad and pound your fists on the tray. When it finally reaches your mouth, you go "Mmmmmmm"!!!

This past month has been so exciting. Our lives have changed so much since you came into the world and we wouldn't change a single thing. We look forward to what the next month brings. You make everyday so special and it's amazing to know that no matter how bad our day may have been, we have you and that makes everything better.

Love you Macie Face,

Mommy

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

McMacie Face

Macie's Weekend

We played the piano!

Katie and Colin came over to visit

They brought me a really cute outfit!

We went for a walk with Otis. He's beat from the weekend.

Thank you for my cute outfit Katie and Colin, I can't wait to wear it.

Katie is 27 weeks pregnant, and she looks adorable!!! We can't wait to meet the little guy. Thanks for coming over to visit.

A Gigantic Thank You to Macie's Grandparents

Thank you does not even begin to cover our gratitude to both sets of Grandparents. Macie is very fortunate to have all of you in her life.
As most of you know, my Dad was taken to the hospital (yes.....via ambulance- I know, hard to believe if you know my dad) on Thursday afternoon. He was sent home on Sunday afternoon with a diagnosis of Vertigo from an inner ear infection (a HUGE relief considering his history and the symptoms he had). Thank you to everyone for your well wishes, prayers and phone calls to check on him. A HUGE thank you to Mrs. Collins for getting to the park so quickly and calling 911.
Most of you also know that my parents take care of Macie 3 days a week in addition to caring for my Niece and Nephew 5 days a week. I still am not sure how they do it, but they do, and they do an incredible job!
We wanted to give them a break this past Monday so my Mom and Dad could rest. We asked Phil's parents if they would watch Macie, and of course they were more than willing! Phil dropped her off at their house and she spent the day there while we both worked. Macie had a great time, and we are so appreciative that we had that option. Can't thank you enough!!

Do I look like a boy?

Please feel free to reference previous posts' pictures to cast your vote!

"Awww, he's adorable."

"How old is he?"

"What is his name?"

"He has the biggest eyes."

These are just a few things that we hear when out and about!

Apparently the pink outfits, pink blankets, pink bundle me, etc. are not enough. I am starting to get annoyed! Maybe I need to get some pink bows for HER !!!

UGH!

Where do I start?

It's been quite an exciting week with Macie. I have taken a ton of pictures, and just don't know where to start with posting them.

Ok, here goes! Bear with me, this is going to be pretty random. I will just write a little something with each picture.

Sitting up on her own...what a big girl.


Hanging outside enjoying the nice weather (while it lasted).

"Please, no more pictures."

Macie the Movie Star!

Great Grandma and Great Grandpa

Grandpa and Macie

Macie was calling in a favor from Ronnie. We were visiting my Dad in the hospital on Thursday and this Ronald McDonald statue was in the waiting room. He's a little creepy if you ask me!

This video is Macie doing her new favorite thing.....spitting all over Daddy!!! He taught her this! Of course the lighting was bad for the video, but you get the idea!

An exciting milestone....not so much for me!

Last night (actually this morning) Macie was fussing around 1:30 so I went in to check on her and she had flipped over to her tummy. She's been trying to do it for about a week or two now, and I am so glad she accomplished her goal, but WHY in the middle of the night??? I flipped her over, put her binky back in her mouth, and headed back to bed. 2:30- she's fussing again. I decided to wait a bit to see if she would fall back asleep, but all I kept thinking was "what if she is on her tummy again and is so sleepy she doesn't turn her head to the side to breathe?"....so, I go flip her again. 3:30- yep, you guessed it- the fish is out of the water again! Flip her, and back to bed I go. 4:00 she's up for good (this is her new waking hour for about 2 weeks now-crap). I try to get her up quietly and let Phil sleep since he gets up so early as it is and he works so hard so that I can be home a few days a week, but I had pretty much hit my breaking point this morning. I can handle only having a few hours of sleep, but the waking every hour gets to me. He got up and fed her and played with her until he had to hop in the shower. This gave me about another 2 hours to sleep.....thanks hon!
So, she has officially rolled from her back to her tummy. I'll get a picture or video to prove it one of these days, but she wasn't being very cooperative tonight.
She's getting pretty close to sitting up on her own now too. I have this vision of her fussing and I go in to her room and she's sitting straight up in the crib. We shall see!

Too Cute

Macie bounced herself into a coma earlier. She was bouncing away and I looked over and she was asleep. I have to admit I was a little worried since she went from Miss Bounce Alot to Sleeping Beauty in a matter of seconds. She just bounced in it so much she wore herself out. Too cute for words I must say!

Bouncy Bouncin' in my Rainforest Jumparoo!!!

This Rainforst Jumparoo is the best, Macie just loves it. She now bounces on command!!!

Thanks Grandma and Papa!

Cousins

Macie loves her cousins. Phil and I babysat Kate and Ryan two weekends ago and she had such a good time. Kate and Ryan talk to her and hug and kiss her all day long!!! I was actually able to get a picture with the whole gang, including Sadie, the 190lb Mastiff!!!


Macie is in there, I swear!

This was so cute. Ryan loves his Uncle Phil. Phil was outside walking Otis and Ryan stood at the window and kept saying "hi Uncle Phil".

This past weekend we went to Kim and Mike's house to celebrate David's Birthday. Macie got to hang out with her other cousins (David, Dean and Joey).

5 Months

Macie Face,

Wow, what a month this has been! You have grown so much and have done so many new things, you never cease to amaze your Daddy and I. As I sit here typing this you are "talking" away and I would love to know what you are thinking and saying. You have such determination in your face and you get so serious that it has to be very important. You are so close to rolling from your back to your tummy and you get so frustrated when you can't get the bottom half of. your body to follow the top half. You have sprouted your first two teeth, one on Superbowl Sunday and the other exactly two weeks later. They have caused you some pain, but you are quite a trooper since I would imagine it's not a good feeling when they bust through your gums.

Helps the pain when you stick both hands in your mouth at the same time. Poor baby!

We have finally realized when you wake up in the middle of the night that we just need to go in and put your binky back in your mouth and you fall right back asleep. You are so close to finding it yourself and getting it back in your mouth. This had made for some good sleeps for Mommy and Daddy and we appreciate that very much. You have really taken quite a liking to your bedtime stories and your favorite book right now is Goodnight Moon. You listen to every word I read to you and you look back and forth at the pages when I point to things, it's so cute. My favorite part is our cuddle time after we read books. You are so active now that our cuddle time gets cut short, but at night you nuzzle up to me and grab a hold of my hand and we rock until you fall asleep. It is the best thing in the world to me and I love having that time with you. Any stresses from the day are instantly gone and I can just sit there and stare at you forever.

You are even active in your sleep. We put you down in one position and you immediately start wiggling yourself sideways and by the morning you are usually turned completely around. I love going in and getting you in the morning. I am always greeted with the biggest smile and a giggle. You are so happy!

Your cousin Joey was born on February 7th and I can't wait until you two are running around playing together. You two have a lot of similar features when I look at your newborn pictures and look at his, it amazes me. Uncle Joe and Auntie Sam let you test out Joey's Rainforest Jumparoo and you loved it. I told Grandma about it and showed her pictures and of course she jumped on the computer and ordered one up for you and your were bouncing away within days in your own. I tried to tell Grandma that you loved Joe and Sam's 42" Plasma TV too, but Grandma's too smart.....she didn't bite on that one.

I have to cherish all these moments and milestones because the come and go so fast. I know that many years from now I will become "uncool" and you won't let me rock you to sleep, or read you stories before bedtime and it makes me sad, but with that thought in mind I am able to thoroughly enjoy these precious times I have with you.

I am also convinced that you and Daddy have your own little "club" and Mommy is not allowed. If Daddy is anywhere in the vicinity, I don't exist. You just stare at him until you catch his eye and you two just talk and smile and laugh. I do love watching you two together, there is nothing more precious!

This past month we have also been experimenting with different foods. You have tried cereal, green beans, peas and carrots. We took a little break from the "solid" foods since they were not agreeing with your little tummy. When we started back up, you did just fine and you sure loved your carrots. You just kept opening your mouth really wide and leaning towards the spoon.

Mmmmmm.....carrots!




You had your first Valentine's Day this month. We made a giant heart shaped cookie that said "Love You Daddy" and Daddy really enjoyed it. He loves cookies! You got some cards and some new toys from Grandma and Grandpa that you really liked.

This past month was so exciting and I am looking forward to what the next month brings.

Love you!

Mommy