Hats

Thank you, Grandma Nikki, for all the cute kids hats for Christmas.  We love them!  Isabella wears a different one outside everyday.  (The next few posts--above--have Nikki's homemade hats as well.)

Right Now

Playing at the American Museum of Natural History, aka our new backyard.

Grabber

This boy has the fastest hands in the East!  As I reach for an item he grabs it before I do.  Which is making cooking, while holding him, very tricky.  And working on the computer, with him on my lap, practically impossible.  And taking photos while we are out and about is resulting tiny fingerprints all over my camera lens (I always have him in a front carrier).

Dress Up

For Christmas Isabella got several dress up outfits and she loves them.  This, snow princess, is one she's been sporting most of the time these last couple of days.  Heather (Brian's sister) picked up a bunch at Target the day after Halloween for $5/each. Awesome!

Cousins + Trains + Pizza = A Perfect Saturday

It was a bitter...I mean BITTER cold out (wind chill=5 degrees), but we were determined to enjoy the city!  We succeeded.

This was the beginning of our adventure.  She wasn't actually asleep, but still groggy after her nap. We went out to meet up with Spencer, Heather, Devon and Roman for some play time.

I think the New York Transit Museum is one of the city's best kept secrets (and cheap too).   I have heard about it several times, but it was always dubbed "If your kid loves trains..."  I never considered us train lovers, but we loved the museum and could have spent hours here.  Too bad we arrived 30 min before closing (but they let us in for free).  We will be going back again soon.

We finished the evening with some delicious pizza from Lombardi's in Soho.

 And over-priced pastries from Celi-Cela

 

The Magic

the amazing windows at Bergdorf Goodman

 

I know and understand the true meaning of Christmas.  But there is a special, inexpressible magic and sense of wonder that made this Christmas even more special as I witnessed Isabella begin to comprehend and enjoy this season of hope.   I'm convinced little children make the celebration of the birth of Christ more meaningful, pure, and exciting.

Right Now

Enjoying THE only "quiet" corner in the Children's Museum. What was I
thinking? A children's museum during school break and tourist
season?! Crazy!!!

Christmas in the City

Hosting Christmas at our tiny apartment this year was so much fun!  Seven of the Carini clan came and enjoyed the holiday celebrations at our place, making a total of 11 bodies in our 600 sq ft apartment.  (They did sleep at a hotel and I'm only estimating that's how big it is.)  I've never hosted Christmas and the only time we've had that many people in our apartment was with a casual pizza party...not a holiday meal.  It was a big deal for me, I was a little nervous, but it all turned out great.  After they left our small apartment felt surprisingly huge. 

Oh, Christmas Tree!

About two weeks ago we picked up our fist Christmas tree from the deli on W 73rd & Columbus.  It was an exciting moment for me.  I've always loved the tradition of getting a tree and decorating it.  This is the first year we felt comfortable splurging on a tree since we were going to be in town for Christmas.

Since we have never had a tree before we needed some ornaments.  Isabella LOVED making some salt dough ornaments.  We had a lot of fun.  I got the recipe and inspiration from here.

 

And on Christmas day we took some cute photos of the kids in front of the tree.

Let it Snow!

Just over a week ago we had a fantastic winter storm blow in and leave almost a foot of snow on Sunday morning.  Brian attempted to get Isabella to church while I stayed home with sick Oliver.  According to Brian, Isabella was impossible to get to church.  All she wanted to do was jump in the snow and roll around.  Really, who can blame her?!  After church I strapped Oliver on and met Brian and Isabella in Central Park where we played in a winter wonderland.

First Foods

Oliver has started eating solid food recently.  I was so hesitant to start because with Isabella it was more a battle than it was worth.  But Oliver is doing well...as long as it is sweet, but who can blame him?  And Isabella is an excellent helper!

Right Now

At ballet class with my very talent friend, Maria, of Maria's Movers.
Three year old girls doing ballet is THE cutest thing ever.

Right Now

Putting up our first Christmas tree ever!! You have no idea how
excited I am!

California

After spending a week touring around Washington with Brian, the kids and I headed to my mom's house in California and relaxed for a few more days before heading back to New York.  Isabella adored all her cousins, aunts and uncles, great aunts, and Grandma in Washington and California.  It was nice to rest up.  Which prepared us for the crazy week after returning home: redeye flight to NYC, drive to CT, run in a 8K race, feast on Thanksgiving day, tour Boston for two days, drive back to NYC and then move apartments.

Northwest Trip in photos

We loved visiting family in Seattle.  We were lucky to have a couple sunny days while we traveled around.  Most of these were taken on our Orcas Island trip.  And, regretfully, I neglected to snap many photos of the family.  I guess we'll have to go back again soon.