Macina 18 months old :)

Macina has finally started "talking"!! Up until a week or so ago all she could really say was Mama and Dada. Now she says "baby, more, duck, boo-boo, yeah" very clearly. She attempts to say other words when we ask her to repeat after us. Since learning these words she doesn't really use the "sign language" signs for them anymore. At first she did, but we'd remind her to say it and she would.

Macina is so much fun and really makes Nick and I laugh. I mean, she still is high-maintenance, demanding and fussy, but it is getting better. She still wakes up in the middle of the night to nurse, I dream about the day she will start sleeping through the night! She loves to do things herself. She always grabs yogurt drinks out of the refrigerator, bites into the foil top and wants to drink it by herself. But I never let her because I know she just can not resist shaking that bottle and spilling the yogurt drink all over the floor. When I try to take it from her and help her drink it she throws a fit. The terrible 2's are beginning!

She likes Blue's Clues, Barney and the intro of Backyardigans (all kiddie shows). She won't watch for very long, maybe a couple minutes here or there. She is still obsessed with baby dolls and her Nonna just keeps encouraging this addiction by adding more and more to her collection. She likes to dance, jump, climb and do somersaults. She also likes to bump her head on things and then shake her finger at whatever she bumped her head on as if scolding it saying "no, no, no" (she doesn't say no, just shakes her pointer finger). If she bumps into Nick (or anyone/anything) and falls she'll tattle on him by coming to me and holding her head and say "Ohhh" and then point to Daddy and shake her finger at him.

She is finally getting to be more comfortable with being with someone other than her mommy, which is so great.

Her favorite foods now are sausage, macaroni and cheese, chili, chicken, and cheesy scrambled eggs. She loves to kick soccer balls (she does everything with her left foot/left hand by the way) she has a great kick! She likes building towers of blocks especially with Nick. Oh, and I think she's going to be a nail biter like her daddy too!

Still not a lot of hair. It's straight on top with little curls in the back. The curls are cute, but the second she lies down it becomes frizzy and looks like I haven't brushed it in days! Here's a picture where you can kind of see the curls in back:

Ok, time to stop babbling on about my big girl. Good night.

Santa Claus Party 12-20-08

Every year Nick's parents throw a big Christmas party for their family and friends where Santa Clause comes to give out one present to everyone. All the kids go up one by one to sit on his lap and get their present.......but Nick and his brother and sister have to do it (along with their significant other) for tradition. My mom and dad and younger siblings came over for the party too. They always enjoy this every year and it's so nice to get both families together.

Me on Santa's lap--he gave me Victoria's Secret pajama pants....SANTA!!

Santa commenting on Nick's new scruffy beard!

Macina refused to go, even with Nonna, but then the candy cane came out and she decided it might be okay for Nonna to hold her on Santa's lap:

Then it was Kate's turn to sit on Santa's lap (Nick's sister). She had no idea, but Brandon (her boyfriend) had a little something planned and Santa was in on it! Long story short---Brandon proposed! Here's a picture of the engagement:

(sorry Brandon--you're not even in this picture, but the Rock is! LOL)

Some more pictures from that night:

Daddy and Macina having a heart-to-heart

Macina finishing off her drink
Me, Macina and Nick

My mom and I
(I am stooping way down because my mom is only 4'10"!)

Macina on the pool table in the basement with the big kids:

Macina was attached to her Nonna's hip all night long, and a little cranky, but she has four new teeth coming in so let's just blame it on that....k? Once Macina was in bed and my family had gone home, Nick and I and his siblings went to Nick's best friend's parents house for their big annual Christmas party. I was so tired and wouldn't have minded just going to bed, but I went as the designated driver.....which is probably why I don't really have any pictures from that night.....I was sober! (well, I do have ONE: Nick slow dancing with Mrs. T) Happy Holidays!

Macina's First Snow Day 12-18-08

It finally happened! I have been waiting for a snowy day where Nick and I are both home without it being freezing and windy outside to take Macina out to play. We bought her snow pants and boots and a sled a while ago and just haven't had the chance to use them....till today!


All bundled up and ready to go:

She wasn't too fond of sitting in the snow, mostly because she couldn't MOVE! She was really like the kid in The Christmas Story movie that "can't put his arms down!"

But she LOVED daddy pulling her around the yard in her sled!!

Snow + Boots + Macina = face plant into the ground......so I mostly had to hold her hands while she walked around.....it was like she was a baby again!

Nick made a little hill from the yard into the street to go down and she loved it.

She kept signing "more" after every time he pulled her down the little hill:

Next time it snows we will HAVE to take her to a sledding hill, I know she would love it.

Time for the Christmas Tree!! 12-11-08

Today we went and bought our Christmas tree. Nick is very adamant that we always get a "real" tree. I prefer an artificial tree but he says this is one battle I will never win.....but I'm not giving up, we've only been married 4 and a 1/2 years!

Nick stringing on the lights

Macina "helping" hang ornaments

she mostly just whined the whole time since she didn't have our undivided attention.....

that is, until she found the candy canes:

Daddy reading bedtime stories after decorating the tree.

Once we put Macina to bed we had some holiday "fun" drinks around our christmas tree :)

Play 'n' Bounce 12-10-08

Today Nick and I took Macina to Play n Bounce. It's a huge building with a ton of big inflatable bounce houses and slides. I took her there once myself and she loved it, so I wanted Nick to go with us so he could see the look on her face going down the huge slides!

Weeeeeee! (she wasn't even scared!)

Macina and Daddy at the bottom of a slide

I can do the splits!!

My American Gladiator LOL

Thank God we were the only people in the whole place so no one saw my husband in that ridiculous helmet!

Thanksgiving 11-27-08

Happy Turkey Day! This year we spent thanksgiving with my family. Macina had a blast playing with my brothers and sisters and her cousins. It was a very loud, boisterous houseful of kids but so much fun. Since my mom finished all the cooking the day before we were able to relax and hang out all day. The only family missing was my brother and his wife and daughters since they just moved to Texas.

Macina eating turkey with my little sister Ava (they are best buds)

Running around with cousin Andrew

Making a mess while the big kids & adults play Wii

The day after thanksgiving the boys decided to play a little football in the snow flurries:
my brothers and my sister's boys

The girls helped make another big batch of homemade rolls:
Ava, Macina and Sophia (2 of the triplets....Jonathan was playing Wii with the boys!)

Thanks for all the great food mom and dad!!

Ohio State vs. Michigan Party 11-22-08

Saturday, our friends threw a big Ohio State party. Since Nick's siblings were in town, they joined us and we had a great time! We aren't OSU or Michigan fans, so we ended up concentrating more on the food and drinks than the game! I do know that OSU won though.

Brandon (kate's BF), Kate (nick's sister), Adam (nick's brother), Molly (adam's GF), Nick and ME-----oops, I blinked!

Nick, Brandon and Kate behind the bar in the newly finished basement:

Me, Molly and Adam

Now, the fun begins......I felt like I was back in college with the drinking games:
"Beer Pong"

"Flip Cup"

*Note to self (and my husband)* Do not play drinking games when you have to go back home and take care of a whiny toddler. (Don't worry, Nick's parents helped us!)