New Year's Eve/Day

I have a feeling it's true, but i can't quite believe that 2012 will be my best year yet! (Knock on wood)

I know I have yet to report on Christmas (and it was wonderful), but I'm skipping ahead because nastalgia like this only comes once a year...

Belle's Rules of Breaking in the New Year:

1. Always break in the New Year with the one you love

2. Never lose the wonder of starting (or seeing) something fresh

3. Stop and smell the Petunias

4. Run, don't walk into the new year!

5. Celebrate with gusto

6. Take a Break. You Deserve it.

Cookies Galore!

We have quite the little baker budding here! This week Belle attended our neighbor's annual cookie party (soooo fun!) and also helped mommy bake for our kiddie cookie exchange!

What? That is exactly the perfect amount of sprinkles.

They look as good there...

As they do here!

It's always important to clean up after a long morning of baking!

What's on the docket for tomorrow, Belle?

More winter baking? You betcha!

And the Winter Fun Continues...

Loving the train ride at Chandler Mall. We passed Santa's Village and she said, "I want to sit on Santa's lap and tell him what I want for Christmas!" After asking many times (we thought she would get upset), she sat very nicely on his lap & told him, "I want a bunny for Christmas." She said it repeatedly! Afterwards, he gave her a book to take home with a bunny in it, and now she holds the book up & proudly says, "Santa gave me a bunny!" Phew! Glad that's off our shoulders! ;)

Getting ready to bake some mint chocolate Christmas cookies!

Mmm...maybe I'll just sample a few chocolate chips

Quite the mess, but so worth it!

Especially because this big girl loves to clean so much!

And of course, the coup de grace... putting up the Christmas Tree! We drove around and looked at lights afterwards, and now she asks to see the "moving reindeer" and the "Christmas Place" (a spectacularly lit house in the Foothills. When she saw the set up she said, "I want to go to it!")

She is enthralled with the train!

And every night before bed we say, "Good Night Christmas Tree" and sing "Oh Christmas Tree"!

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

Is anyone else excited to wake up every morning lately? The weather is great, the holidays are greater & well, babies are the best! I know Belle is technically not a baby, but somehow the coming of this new little guy is reminding me of the baby she was & the baby she really still is.

Just a little recap of the fun this time of year brings! (The new blog photo is Belle & Jack at the Train Park. Thanks for making Belle a fan of trains, Jack!)

Zoo Lights!

Turkey Cookies for breakfast (the day after Thanksgiving) by the fountain outside of AJ's

"Grocery shopping" on Thanksgiving

Getting her yearly addition to "The Wall of Tall"

General merriment whilst cooking Thanksgiving dinner!

A bun in the oven...

A pie on the pan.

Fingerpainting bunnies for Grammy's Birthday!

Meeting Aunt Mary in braids. She reacted to the braids as she did pigtails. So they have only happened once, but one day, you will love braids Belle! I just know it!

Puppet Theatre with Grammy (they saw The Little Red Hen & she now calls herself that when we bake, which is her favorite activity. Perfect for pregnant me at Christmas! Baking pics to come!)

And going waaay back... all ready to go out on Mommy's Birthday!

We have so many pics right now... more baking and Christmas fun to come!

Third Trimester!

I am soooo excited for my little person to arrive! In honor of that, belly pics!

The Moose

Or rather, the pig as Belle more often calls him these days. ;) 28.5 wks

The Duck

Such a difference! This preganancy has been completely different from the 1st...which I'm guessing is a sign of things to come... ;) can't wait!

Sugar and spice
and everything nice
that's what little girls are made of

Sunshine and rainbows
and ribbons for hair bows
that's what little girls are made of

Tea parties, laces
and baby doll faces
that's what little girls are made of

Tutus and Cupcakes!

One of Belle's friends hosted a tutu and cupcake party! Of course, we could not pass that up!

Afterwards, I was putting dinner in the oven when I heard a little clatter in the bathroom:

That's right! Always remember to brush after sweets, Belle!

Joy To The World

"I believe that if, at the end, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do. To make others less happy is a crime. To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts. We must try to contribute joy to the world."  ~ Roger Ebert

What a relief that I can die happy now - because I have definitely contributed joy to the world by bringing Belle into it! Still feeling sentimental after her 2nd birthday & I am just amazed, actually beyond words, at the person she is. She makes me laugh so hard my cheeks hurt every day. She even makes strangers smile everywhere we go.

Some of her funny quotes lately:

"I am going to walk my foots to the dentist party." (She pretends to go to a party every day. She puts on her new princess shoes, my beach bag & grabs all kinds of stuffed animal "friends" & says "Bye Mom, I am going to the party!" Lately, the party is a doctor party or a dentist party.)

Her Christmas List "A bunny. A deer. A Book. A Horse. A Book..." Today she added, "A Pumpkin, A book, A mouse." The animals will be well read & well fed. ;) (oh, and just so you know she's only 99.9% girl... she also wants a train and an airplane for Christmas!)

She loves to help me drive by pointing out the color of the light, "Red light! 'top!" "Green light means go!" and my favorite, "Lellow light...'loooow down!"

And my moment of bragging... she can count to 11 & loves to try and count higher, she knows almost all of her letters & sounds (usually identifying them by saying, "G, Grandpa. D, Duck. etc), and (heavily knocking on wood now) she is excellent with her underoos, as she likes to call them. Oh, and rhyming is big at our house these days! She has nicknamed Dr Suess, Suess-a-ma-goose. I had nothing to do with that! But I love it!