Wishing you a Happy New Year!!

Our family is enjoying a very 'low key' New Year's Eve. After Isabella was tucked in for the night, my husband made a very nice & yummy dinner - surf & turf - it was so delicious! A very nice way to end a very good year. This first year with Isabella has brought us so much joy. Here's to an even better 2009!!
Hope you all have a safe and Happy New Year!!

Merry Christmas!

wishing you & yours a very merry Christmas!

'Twas the night before Christmas . . .

hopefully, your little one(s) are 'snug in their beds, while visions of sugarplums dance in their heads . . .'

from our house to yours - merry Christmas!!

Just because . . .

Gingerbread war. . .

we have a cookie war going on in the nitto household. . . grandma r. & my dear sweet husband, decorated cookies yesterday, while i decorated mine today. these are mine. . .

this is one of theirs. . . you decide ;-)

Gingerbread men . . .

someone loves gingerbread men as much as her mommy does! this afternoon was isabella's first 'real' cookie & she loved it! all she ate was his head, but still enjoyed it. . .

she even shared. . .

The first haircut!

this morning, isabella had her first haircut. we didn't want to cut too much, but it was getting a little 'shaggy'. michelle did a great job & she was so quick! now isabella's all set for the holidays with her new 'posh' haircut!! ;-)

An artist in the making!

this was waiting for me yesterday when i got home. . .

the sweetest finger painted (with the littlest fingers) Christmas tree (that of course, brought tears to my eyes) . . .

miss mona gave isabella her very own finger paints, smock & paper for her birthday. they decided to try them out & make mommy & daddy the best artwork we've ever seen! thank you isabella!!

our 1st gingerbread house. . .

while isabella napped today, i thought i'd make her her first gingerbread house. not as pretty and as big as i had hoped, but i think she liked it. . .

13 days 'til Christmas . . .

we're anxiously awaiting santa in the nitto household. isabella loves to say 'ho, ho, ho' & likes to touch the ornaments on her tree. surprisingly, not as much as i thought she would. it's so much fun having a 12 month old in the house at Christmas time.

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree. . .

we bundled isabella up today & headed off to pick out our Christmas tree. it was so chilly out our hands were frozen.

it just so happens that exactly today last year, we went to pick out our Christmas tree & isabella was merely 6 days old! maybe we'll make it a family tradition. it's neat to see how little she was & how much she's grown, in such a short time.

The birthday girl . . .

enjoying her day. . .

holding grandpa's hand. . .

playing with her balloons. . .

Our little Bella turns 1 . . .

isabella turned 1 year old this past sunday!! happy birthday sweet angel! your little giggles and sweet little hugs & kisses have brought more joy to our lives - you are such a blessing and we thank GOD for you every day. . .