A trip home

A friend I've known since 1st grade is expecting her first baby (BOY) so I went to my hometown to go to her baby shower and visit with my family. Nick stayed in town, he was busy studying for school! Macina napped at my parents house while I went to Jeni's baby shower which was nice since I could talk with some old high school friends I haven't seen in a while:

Jill, Jeni (5+ months pregnant), and Me

After that I spent the next couple of days just playing outside with Macina and my siblings. She loves all the kids! Here she is jumping on the trampoline with my sister, they are best buds, she is such a good little Aunt!

Then Monday night my parents babysat Macina and I went out with my sister Emily for drinks. We had so much fun, can't wait to do that again! :)

It was a great long weekend hanging out with my family and friends. I needed that! Love you guys!

Spring is finally near!

It's well into April and I am still having to dress Macina in fleece and a hat. I am so ready for nice warm weather. I took Macina out today in the yard and walked around the neighborhood and she loved being outside. This is going to be a fun summer with her and we'll be going through a lot of sunscreen! (for my pasty skin, not hers!)

Easter 4-11-2009

We spent Easter weekend at my parent's house this year. I was really looking forward to hiding eggs for Macina and watching her hunt for them this year. But since she is a candy freak, all she cared about was the easter basket. I got her to find one egg, but she heard candy rattling inside so she got preoccupied with that and quit looking for more. So maybe next year she'll get the whole easter egg hunt concept!

On the 2+ hour drive to my parent's house:

Coloring easter eggs:

I swear Mom, I didn't dunk my hands in the cups!

Easter morning= Candy for Breakfast!

Look at my egg!

My family after church

Cheese!

Florida Vacation: 3-20-09

Last month we went on our annual vacation to Florida with Nick's family. It was so much fun this year, I just wish it had been warmer (it was 70's) because Macina LOVED the water but when she got out it was cold. Macina was great on the plane. There were a couple teenage girls sitting behind us that were lifesavers on the way home when it was just Nick and I! They kept her occupied playing peek-a-boo, giving her playing cards etc. for a while. And of course Nonna was a big help on the way there and walked her around when she got sleepy. We left for the airport at like 4:40am and Macina didn't sleep at all (besides 20 min. on the plane) till we got to Florida! She was so excited. The best part of the airport was the moving sidewalk! I got some video of her and Nonna going for a ride!

We stay at Nick's parents condo at a golf and tennis resort (last year we saw Derek Jeter, the shortstop for the New York Yankees, there!) But we didn't have any celebrity sightings this year! It was a short vacation this year due to Nick's class schedule but it was great to get away even if it was just for a few days! Here are a few pics of us:

Nick and I on the golf course

Macina enjoying her first Strawberry Daiquiri:

Being a tennis resort, there were tennis balls everywhere from people taking lessons. Macina loves balls so every day she came home with more. One day we went out on the balcony and she threw a few of them off.

Here's Macina finding a tennis ball she threw off the balcony:

Hoarding tennis balls on our walk:

Remind me not to buy a white sun hat, she looks like Gilligan.

Drinking a daiquiri with Daddy by the pool:

Me and my baby girl

Nick and I at the pool bar together:

More Cheerleading video :)

Okay, I just HAD to post one more video of Macina "cheerleading". She did so well and even had her little Chicago Bears cheer outfit on from her Aunt Kate who lives in Chicago (she really needs a Gators dress). I promise I will not be one of those stage moms that push their kids into a sport/activity even if they don't like it. If Macina doesn't ever want to be a cheerleader it is FINE with me! :) But for now it's fun watching her do this at only 18 months old!

Collegiate cheerleader in the making?

Like mother like daughter:

Some video of Macina

I took this video a few weeks ago, before she turned 18 months, right when she was finally learning her new words. She says them even more clearly now but has not been very cooperative lately for me to get new video. I'll keep trying! :) Sorry it's kinda long...2-3 min. I think. And she kept getting so close to the camera lens and touching it. I've never posted video before so I hope it comes out okay! Oh, and don't mind the toys EVERYWHERE in the background, she dumps out every bin and every toy box every day. We were playing very hard that day!