Getting back into a routine at home was difficult. We were still catching up on sleep and adjusting to life in Ohio. The first official morning back I spent as much time with Dad as I could. Because it was a weekday and he had to work, our time together was limited so I helped him with his morning routine.
When Mom hadn't heard from us in a while she came in the bedroom to check on us. Here's what she discovered....
Mom spent the rest of the day explaining that women do not shave their faces...
After Dad was off to work, Mom, Macie, and I had to come to terms with being stuck indoors surrounded by 4 feet of snow. Returning home to COLD weather (in the 20's) was hard to get used to, but Mom tried her best to provide Macie and I with fun indoor activities.
Here is Macie in her swing we put up in the garage. Unfortunately it was just as cold in the garage as it was outside, but at least we were safe from falling snow. At first Macie wasn't sure about the new set up,
but once she got into the "swing of things", she was all smiles!
When the weekend came the backyard had accumulated an additional foot of snow. Dad and I bundled up and went outside to build a snowman!
Macie and Mom didn't want to get their hands dirty, so they supervised from the porch.
After an hour of hard work and heavy lifting, mostly on Dad's part, our snowman looked pretty cool!
Mom lent a helping hand when it came to the decorating- check out his awesome brussel sprout eyes, carrot nose, and teeth made of almonds.
Apparently Mom wasn't the only ones who thought that food made good accessories for a snowman- when we weren't looking that afternoon Jackson ate his face off.
On the 25th of the month we celebrated Macie's 6 month birthday! The family couldn't believe that 6 months had gone by since Macie came into our lives. She has been such an amazing addition to our family, and we couldn't imagine life without her!
As usual she woke up in the morning with a BIG smile on her face, and kept that pleasant disposition throughout the day.
We did some fun things in the house, but cold weather kept us from doing anything fun and exciting outdoors.
We had a photo shoot and Mom took some of her signature pictures for Macie's baby book.
Isn't Macie getting SO BIG! At Macie's 6 month check up the doctor told us that Macie weighed 16lbs, putting her in the 50th percentile for weight, and measured 27 inches long, in the 90th percentile for height!!! She is growing like a weed and has the potential to tower over me at any time. Good thing I am not only tough, but head strong- regardless of size I don't plan on giving up my title as chief any time soon.
Macie has come so far in the last 6 months. She is able to hold items with ease, and even reaches for things she wants. She has started to roll over (first time on valentines day, but Mom told Dad that it doesn't count since she was on a slight decline), but she seems a little to lazy to do it on a regular basis. She has started to find her voice and uses it any chance she gets.
That night when Dad got home from work we had a birthday party for Macie. She LOVED all the attention from the family, and couldn't keep a smile off her face.
She thoroughly enjoyed her birthday dinner of sweet potatoes,
but I told her to save her appetite for desert, so she didn't eat much. We all sang Macie the birthday song before she could dig in it her yummy treat.
She didn't enjoy it nearly as much as we had anticipated, so Mom, Hayley, and I helped finish it off.
After dinner Macie took a birthday bath and relaxed in the warm water while reading a book.
When it was finally time for her to go to sleep Mom didn't want to put her down. She had finally realized that Macie was too large, and too old, to be sleeping in the bassinet next to her bed, so she was placed in her own room. I know Mom had a tough time letting go and I am sure she checked on her throughout the whole night, but Macie went down without a fight and I didn't hear her make a peep all night.
She woke up the next morning with a big grin on her face, and Mom was proud of the two of them for surviving their first night apart.
Macie and I are having more and more fun together as she gets older. Mom says she really looks up to me, and wants to be just like me. I don't think the world can handle two Riley's, but check out the two of us in action:
While I run around and burn energy Macie and Mom play on the swings. Check out all the fun Macie is having, and watch as she shows off one of her new tricks (clapping!)
Now that Macie has discovered how fun it is to talk, we can't keep her quiet. I can't wait to teach her all I know...
Macie took to it right away, much different from the first time I had a banana with Susan in California. I didn't like it, but Macie couldn't get enough.
