Christmas!

Christmas was fabulous this year. Hazel was far more into it this year. She loved giving presents and getting presents and wrapping presents and unwrapping presents and a sleepover with Auntie Jenni and seeing relatives and going home and all the other joy that comes with Christmas.

Hope everyone had as fabulous a Christmas as we did. Hugs and kisses.

Hazel got these super-cute jammies for Christmas from Shauntil. She got the matching robe (without even planning it!) from her mama. I thought I uploaded a picture of it but apparently I didn't. And since I have to upload in reverse order (stupid blogger, stupider Vista) and the Internet (the ENTIRE Internet!) has crashed twice, requiring two reboots, I am done. Just enjoy the pictures from Christmas.
Our three-generations (and Santa) picture. Apparently, I don't know how to brush my hair.
The normal Christmas Eve chaos. Meadow, Ashton, Anne, Hazel, Dylan and Sadie.

Mama and Hazel opening new jammies (JAMMIES!) on Christmas Eve. Hazel was having a hard time with all the other kids getting presents and none for Hazel. She was fine after opening jammies.
Jenni got a button for Christmas, something about how Engineers are ALWAYS wrong and never trust them, or something, Hazel borrowed it and wrapped it in a napkin and then gave it back to Jenni. We wrapped a lot of presents this season, but apparently not enough for Hazel.

Hazel, Sadie and Dylan. In a rare moment where Hazel is not attacking Dylan.
Hazel and Jenni reading the story of Ping, the duck who gets lost and then captured by a boy with a barrel on his back who later lets him go so his family doesn't eat Ping. I just think it is weird he has a barrel on his back.

Geoff standing guard on Christmas morning. He is the family brute squad.***As a side note: Geoff got a pedometer for Christmas (it was the "IT" gift this year) and now he is jogging in place while I update the blog. Damn you, Internet! I am going to lose in steps today, just like every day.***

Hazel opening presents from her Auntie Jenni. She was much better this year at opening presents. She even helped other people open their presents.

Hazel and mama reading Knuffle Bunny Too, her new book from Auntie Jenni. It is much wordier than the original Knuffle Bunny, but Hazel has a longer attention span now, so it works out.

Hazel and her daddy on Christmas morning.
Playing the accordion with Grandpa Ray. We tried to get a video of them playing together and Hazel freaked out. Her relationship with Grandpa Ray runs very hot-cold.
Cutie-cute pink shoes from Grandma and Grandpa Caracena. "Hazel Shoes?"

Opening the tent.
Hazel signing 'tent' to show the tent she got from her Grandma and Grandpa Caracena.

Hazel got a dollhouse from her Tutu. She loves it and has spent a good portion of the day playing with it.
Hazel got this fabulous cat from Auntie Michelle. There was a stray running around her 'hood and she took it to the taxidermist. It is actually a puppet, the hand hole is not in the back...

Meadow and Hazel got matching kitty (KITTY!) shoes from Ray and Anne. They are even more awesome in real life. Plus, matching. And kitty.

Hazel loves her tent. And it works perfectly on her bed, we were a little worried because Geoff shortened her bed to fit her mattress, because we don't have a crazy Ikea mattress. But, it worked and it is fabulous.

It was a very, very, very long day.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

Hazel has been loving the snow this year. Last year she was really too little to care about it, except to hate the cold. On the first big snowstorm this year (December 1), we went and played in the backyard.

Nacho had to sniff the animal encircling Hazel head. The dogs also like playing in the snow. They play a game I like to call "Hide-the-poop", wherein they poop and then it snows and then I step in it because I can't see it under all the snow. I do not especially like to play this game.

I was trying to get Hazel to make a snow angel. I think she (1) did not understand what I was trying to get her to do and (2) did not care.

I love the shifty eyes in this picture.

The very next Saturday, we had another big storm. This was the day of our Cookie Party! so Geoff and Hazel shoveled the walks. I love this series of pictures.

Cookie Party!!!

We had our 2nd Annual Cookie Party a couple of weeks ago. Okay, maybe one week ago, but it has been a really crazy couple of weeks so it seems like it was a lot longer ago. And I am tired. And don't have the English....diction...

Anyway, I think the party was fabulous. The stupid rice in my chicken soup fell apart (again!) but it was still good and really the kids just cared about the massive quantities of frosting and candy. All in all, I think it was a lot of fun and even though it is always a lot of working to have a party, it is worth it.

Random Pictures

Dog angel.
Angry baby who is ready for some fisticuffs.
Posing by Grandma Betty's tree. Hazel comment as she looks at this picture is, "Kitty! Kitty!" Apparently, Grandma Betty has a kitty or two. Or three.

The kid needs to earn her keep somehow. Geoff pays her a nickel to act as a foot rest.
Fake hair + baby = hilarious.

And the full-length sherpa shot. This was in preparation for voyaging to Tutu's house.

My First Video Post

Oh yeah, that girl of mine is brilliant. Here she is spelling her name.

November? Already?!?!

Hazel and her lion.
She put this sweater on all by herself. Mom helped with the pigtails.
Hazel is getting really good at signing. She knows way more signs then we do, and likes to show them off. A couple of days ago I was taking pictures of Hazel and she asked me to take pictures of various toys (see the lion above). Today we are going through pictures and she sees this picture of a penguin:

This was the result (hard to tell in a still photo but she is signing penquin and it is darn cute):
Oh, and she has discovered the joy that is Oreo. Oh-wee-oh.

Obviously, she was quite embarrased by the mess she made. And some random stories without photos:

• Hazel has been having great fun playing with dolls singing, “Rock baby, rock baby” over and over again. Also, tucking in the doll, or bunny, or kitty, or alligator, etc. in and kissing it goodnight.
• She also has taken to riding the rocking horse crazily saying “yee-haw, yee-haw”, again with much chanting over and over again. Actually, it is probably closer to “ee-aw” like what a donkey says. Also, sometimes animals get to ride too. Right now it is a bunny.
• Early today she was rocking so crazily that she flipped the rocking horse over. She got up and said "WHOA! Big ee-aw!"
• She will ask for “pia-cy” (privacy) when using her potty. Not going to happen.
• She also insiststhat mommy gets a sticker for using the potty. For, you see, Hazel gets a sticker for using the potty. It is only fair that mommy gets one too.
• When she wakes up, she will sometimes alert me by saying, “Mom, I wake.” This is greatly preferable to her waking up cranky.
• She claps and cheers when we finally get what she is saying/signing. Like, “Way to go, you idiot, I have been saying cheese for like an hour here.”
• When I ask her what she wants for breakfast, I usually get one of two responses. The first is, “food”. If I ask for clarification, as in “do you want eggs?”, “No! Food!”. The second response is, “candy”. She does not get candy for breakfast. I counter her candy with let’s say eggs. “No eggs. Candy?” And so on and so forth. Both of these can go on for quite some time. Eventually we just end up eating oatmeal.

Happy Halloween!

Hazel was a vampire for Halloween. You know, she bites. Although, she only tried to bite once the whole night. She had a great time Trick-or-Treating and was a big hit. She was cute and friendly and wished people "Halloween!" The "happy" was really more just implied, not so much spoken.

And the vampire family at home.

I was a Lazy Eye for work. It was hilarious. to me. No one got my costume. But, I found myself to be quite funny. But way too hot.