2013 - What a year!

As the ball drops and a new year begins, let's look back at the past year's blessings. . . .

1.  I got off my booty and got fit with Bella @ Baby Bootcamp

2.  We put our house on the market . . . . a LONG and nailbiting 3 months later it sold.

3.  Bella went on on airplane for the first time - DC or bust!  We  hit the road to Hutchinson so Bella could meet the Garber family and later flew to Texas where Bella got to meet Uncle Brent. We also made it up to Kansas City several times and met Tia Martha and Bisabuela Gloria. It's been a great year for visiting family!

4.  I signed my first job contract

5.  Fel & I completed our training (26+ years!)

6.  Packed up and moved out west to Manhattan (thank you 2 Men & a Truck, I bet my parents thank you too).

7.  Bella turned 1!  Other big Bella milestones this year: rolling over, her 1st tooth, and learning to walk.

8.  Felipe and I started our very first jobs - so scary and so exciting.  Still can't fathom that this is what I'm going to be doing the REST. . . ..OF. . . .MY. . . .LIFE.  (Well, until retirement that is.)

It's a Monday - - -

and I'm on call.  Yup, that's it.  Looking forward to the holiday and more snuggle time with Fel & Bel.

Flash forward

Too cool for school!  

Actually, we were all decked out to go to the park yesterday but never made it into the car.  We ended up playing outside in the snow (and melted snow!)

Quacking and snacking

Bella loves to Quack with Elmo!

So meaty!

I missed last night's post (drats!) because I was out on a girl date to see the new Hunger Games movie - - so good!  Tonight for dinner Bella enjoyed chowing down on her gpa's smoked ribs - - - so good!

Christmas morning. . . .

Just like any proper child, Bella woke up at the crack of dawn (well, actually it might have been the pre-crack of dawn).  This was followed by lots of breakfast treats, opening even more presents, and playing with everything.  I cannot even begin to tell you which one is her favorite.  

So far today she has popped her pop beads, sat at her table, molded some playdough, stacked some blocks, read some books, cuddled with peter rabbit. . . . .

And Christmas begins

I am so proud of my hubby - not only did he cook a ham and make a delicious green bean casserole, he also fed and dressed Bella, took a shower, emptied the dishwasher, wrapped presents, and put together a table and chairs.  Whew!  And all I did this morning was round and see patients in clinic.  I must say it was a bit disconcerting to have the tables turned, though I certainly wouldn't mind a handsome house husband all the time.

Today was Christmas with the Rosso's - and what a Christmas it was!  We must have been extra nice this year (or Santa had a little too much eggnog).  Not pictured is my fabulous new KitchenAid mixer!

Twas the night before the night before Christmas. . . .

Sitting here munching on some frozen pizza - what a guilty pleasure!  Unfortunately they do not sell our favorite frozen pizza here in Manhattan so we are still on a quest for the perfect substitute.  Newman's Own is a pretty close second.

Today was an awesome day for Felipe - he only worked a half day and had lots of Bella time.  Not so awesome for me, my brain was slow and my confidence was low.  Not a good combination, ugh!  I need to shake this funk off and get back to work.  

Tomorrow the Rosso's are making the trek down for Christmas - on the menu lots of yum:
ham
green bean casserole
festive rice
salad
cranberry-orange applesauce
cranberry banana bread

Snowed in

According to weather.com, we got a good 7 inches overnight!  (I will soon let you know how many inches my back thinks it is, just have to track down my snowboots first.)

We're staying warm here in the house - as warm as you can be without coffee.  We went to pick up a freshly roasted bag of beans from our favorite coffee shop yesterday and discovered the rest of Manhattan beat us to it.  Our coffee jar is empty and our hearts sad.  Can we make it a whole day?

Sleep in heavenly peace. . . . . .

Yes we did.  Nine uninterrupted hours.  BELLA SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT!  What a christmas miracle.  Well, I'm pretty sure she slept through the night.  Sometimes the nights run together.  But I'm pretty pretty pretty sure I did not get up a single time last night.  Could this be the start of a new era?

We're getting some snow today, which means we had to cancel our Christmas trip to Hutch.  Fingers crossed the weather is good tomorrow because I've got about 10 pounds of the Pioneer Woman's macaroni & cheese made and ready to take.

Before the snow hit we ventured out to the grocery (which is always an adventure when B tags along), put some air in my tires (and froze off the tips of my fingers), and grabbed a cafe mocha at our fave local coffee shop.  I've got cranberry banana bread cooling and am about to chop some potatoes for my favorite potato soup.

Supermodel

Today Felipe was interviewed for a local magazine - could this be his cover shot?

And this little lady loves to clean - her feet, the floor, momma's face.  If only this passion could continue through the teenage years;)

Cheese & Crackers

Right now (and for the past month) Bella's favorite snack is cheese and crackers.  But not just any cheese and crackers - this girl has a very sophisticated palate.  I call it the Wasa'p - Wasa crackers topped with Laughing Cow swiss.  She likes to hold the cracker flat against her face to lick off all of the cheese.  This causes the cheese to get all over her face and up her nose.  Once, she couldn't breath because her nose was completely plugged with cheese.  Crazy girl!

 

+

Big Poppa

Tonight was the Riley County Medical Society dinner - we thought we'd shake things up a little here @ the Rosso house.  I went to the dinner while Fel stayed home with B (and even put her to bed solo!)  Pretty impressive.

In other Bella news, I think she is one of the most popular kids in school.  Everyone seems to know who she is.  Let's just hope it doesn't all go to her cute little curly-haired head;)

Countdown to the new year

Alright, I've mustered up the drive - - one post a day until 2014!  Let's see how this post extravaganza goes.

I had the day off - which meant grocery shopping and errands.  But the fun didn't end there.  The weather was so beautiful, Bella and I got to play outside.  She loves to run around outside daycare taunting all the kids stuck on the other side of the fence waiting for their mommy and daddies to come pick them up.  We also got some playtime in outside at home where the ATE DIRT.  Won't hardly touch most of my cooking, but will happily munch dirt.  That said, she wouldn't touch hot cocoa either.  This girl has a crazy palate.

She loved eating dinner (pork stir-fry) off of mommy's chopsticks, and then devoured a pear muffin for dessert before bath time.  We've discovered she will splash and play happily in our monster tub with monster amounts of water.  

Forget the whales;)

Hello? Anybody there?

I think this is my longest blogging hiatus to date.  The days have starting running together - the alarm goes off at 6, we get Miss B up at 7, out the door by 720, drop her at daycare, then to work for me.  After seeing about 12 patients in clinic I dash back to daycare to pick her up, dash home to make dinner, eat, maybe a quick shower for Bella (depending on how much of her day she is wearing), and then bedtime snuggles @ 7.  This gives Fel and I a few hours to catch up on chores - dishes, diapers, tidying.  Or to catch up on work we didn't get done during day, or watch a bit of tv.  We usually crawl into bed between 830 and 9, do some light-reading, and then off to bed ourselves.  I suppose routine is good, but I think it's time to spice things up a bit!

I hope everybody is doing well and staying warm!  The weather here has been BEAUTIFUL!

ps - you think Bella's hair looks like Harry Styles?  All mussed and curly and such.

Bangs

After much debate over the merits of headbands and barrettes we decided to go for bangs - quick, easy, and fuss-free.  I think it makes her looks like a little christmas elf.

Tricky

Her top 3 tricks (in no particular order)

1. riding her zoom car
2. climbing in/out of the bumbo chair
3. vacuuming

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

Our tree this year is a little on the small size - perfect for Miss B.  And she is digging the fiberoptic lights!

This girl doesn't mess around when it comes to abuela's ajiaco

Looking Back

2012.

Bella's first Christmas!

2011.

Discovered Entourage - and was quickly hooked.

Made it to Arkansas for Christmas with the Garber's.

Had a blast @ the Urology Christmas party.

2010.

Got the kitties their condo, which we still have (but is starting to show it's wear.)

Went to a Yelp Christmas party in Westport

2009.

Fel got an unexpected snow day, giving us lots of time to snuggle next to the tree.  Unfortunately, that snow day meant we couldn't make it to Hutchinson.  I miss having a big mantle to decorate.

2008.

Got to spend Christmas with both families!  Decorated gingerbread me with the Schumacher's, went to the Hollenbeck's wedding, and did a ton of nesting.

Honk!

Bella had fun @ the park with GG looking at the geese.