~happy new year~

we were blessed with another year full of sweet moments with a bright, beautiful & sweet toddler.  i couldn't ask for anything more & look forward to more wonderful memories to make & cherish.  she topped off the end of my year by telling me tonight before bed, "i want to be a mommy just like YOU when i get big". . .   
happy new year to you & yours . . .  may you live fully in the moment of this upcoming year!! 

merry christmas

so it's time to officially retire my role as mrs claus this year.  my house looks like someone turned it upside down & shook it, then turned it right side up again.  i look at it as a sure sign that a wonderful christmas was had here & many more memories were made & tucked away to revisit later.  we had a white christmas this year & enjoyed a crackling fire throughout the day.  now to spend the rest of 2010 not doing much of anything, being lazy, playing with puppets & pretend dress up clothes, eating lots of treats & simply enjoying every moment with my family.  hope you & yours had a fantastic christmas!  
merry christmas from the nitto family!! 

2 things. . .  

if you're thinking about getting an ipad & you can't quite decide, i must tell you that if you have small children it is sooo worth it!  isabella uses her ipad daily & loves it.  with all the available educational apps, she is learning so much.  she's been using hers since summer & is a pro at it.  we even use it for movies in the car & it comes in handy out to eat.   

in between baking cookies & christmas parties, we did a couple of projects this weekend.  made an imprint of isabella's hand for the christmas tree. . .  yet another attempt to try to keep her little ;-)

i love getting christmas cards & hate when i can't display them, so i hung one of isabella's cute art clips, from 'the land of nod', across the breakfast room window.  now we look at them while we eat & isabella loves asking about each & everyone of them.  we just may have to do this again next year.   

 

my mom gave me a box of all 'my' ornaments several years ago that i had accumulated over the years as a child.  i cherish these, as each one holds a special little memory of its own.  part of the fun of the holidays is taking them out of the box every year & reminiscing a little with each one.  since isabella's birth was 3 weeks before christmas, she received quite a few ornaments.  she may not remember when she received them, but boy do i.  what a magical time that will never leave my memory.  every year we give her an ornament or two under the tree, so when that day comes when she finds herself decorating her own tree, in her own space, she'll have quite the collection. . .     & i can already see her with a smile on her face, reminiscing with each one. . .

 

~our annual gingerbread house~

sticky fingers & chocolate kisses = smiling hearts

 

'baby it's cold outside'. . .   it's currently 28 & snowing!  yes, in atlanta & it's not even winter yet!! i can't say i'm not enjoying it though. . .   i am snuggled under a blanket next to my little girl while she plays christmas games on her ipad.  we don't mind the cold & the snow, especially this time of year.  we had a fantastic day making holiday treats & watching the snowflakes out the breakfast room window while eating our lunch.  hope you all are enjoying getting ready for the holidays like our family is. . .  ho ho ho!

 

 

~oh christmas tree~

one of the best parts of the holidays are the sights & sounds.  the warm glow of the tree in the early morning or evening with the subtle smell of cinnamon spice candles in the air.  i could sit & admire the tree for hours & not tire of it.  i'm a big 'tradition' girl & it's really important to me that we instill family traditions into isabella's childhood.  i want her to remember all the little things that make her heart smile & think of family. . .   we're off to make our annual gingerbread house & christmas cookies.  enjoy your saturday! 

~potty update~

you will not believe me when i tell you, right after i posted my frustration with my sweet toddler, she surprised me!  while heading upstairs to bed she informed me she needed to use the potty.  with out accepting any of my help, she stripped down, got right up on the potty & went right away with no fuss, no tears, just very matter a fact. . .   whenever i think i've got this parenting thing down, she changes things up.  so today was a repeat of last night - no fuss, no tears, just all business with no issues.  i shouldn't be surprised.  this is typical isabella fashion, to do things on her own time, when she is ready.  i am so proud!!  just hope i haven't jinxed us! 

another vintage bella. . .

i must say this potty training is for the birds!  since bella is now 3, i feel this overwhelming rush to have her potty trained.  while i've left it totally up to her this past year, it's now time. . .  just before her 2nd b-day i sat her on the potty & voila, she immediately went!  i thought for sure we had this in the bag & this child was way too easy!  no such luck, shortly after that she showed no interest, so i stepped back & waited. . .   & waited . . .  now it's time! !  she's going, but she' not happy about it.  it's getting better day by day with a little bribing, toys, m & m's, mini marshmellows, whatever it takes. . .  i've become that mom!  i've spent this past weekend waiting patiently for the sound of 'pee pee' in the potty & have never given so much praise in my life!  she's a quick learner & this like every other milestone will be behind us once again. . .   however, this one i must say, i'm not too sappy about.  

 

vintage bella . . .   so love her!
did you think i would leave you without the usual sappiness. . .