We have a cat.

So, there has been a cat outside our house, basically since we moved in. First it was living on our roof. But lately it has been on the porches and meowing loudly. Hazel really wants a cat. In fact, she is waiting for Geoff to die so she can get a cat. And then along came Rufus* the Reindeer** cat.

*because he lives on the roof

** I don't know why the reindeer, except that reindeer live on the roof.

And then I fed him dog food and he was happy. And then Hazel asked to buy him cat food. So I did. And I guess this means we have a cat. Maybe he is a mouser... Anyway, here is a picture of Rufus. While he was meowing loudly at me from the front porch. Also, a bunch of lathe from the basement. Because apparently we need to keep that. On the front porch. Because our house isn't junky enough.

Hazel's outfit today. Candy cane (sic) dress and hat. And crazy interpretive dance hands.
She is showing off her ponytail holder. It is Hello Kitty and she is very proud of it.
And those are the only pictures I have from the big camera. I am going to do a separate post for the little camera. because they are mostly from Hazel.

We are much better, thank you.

Okay, just a quick update (no pictures because I don't know where the camera is, or it is not sitting next to my elbow and I am too lazy to find it). We are all feeling much better. Geoff is still a little sick, or just worn out. Or something. But Hazel and I are almost back to full strength. And I have a couple of stories:

1. When Hazel was getting her x-ray I was explaining how the machine would take a picture of her insides to see how she was doing. So, she stood with her tiny little back to the machine and then opened her mouth as wide as she could. It was hilarious. And then I explained how the rays would travel through her body and she didn't need to open her mouth.
2. Hazel and I were at the U-scan, which I tolerate and she loves. The cashier came over and was talking to Hazel and telling her what a great job she was doing and how maybe she could work there when she got older. Hazel looked at her and said, "No, I can't. I am going to college." And I was simultaneously mortified and proud that she knows she must go to college. Luckily, the cashier was fairly young and probably in college herself.
3. We had dinner tonight by candlelight. Hazel was thrilled. The magic of candles is awesome.

The sickness....Oh...the sickness.

Hazel and I went to the KidsCare today (urgent care for kids). And it turns out she has RSV. Which is essentially a really bad (and super-contagious, but they didn't tell us that, which would have been nice to know before I invited Jenni to go to the Target) cold. Anyway, here is Hazel account of the doctor:

We went to the doctor and they take a picture of my bones(1) and we hopped on one foot (2) and I got to pee in a cup and then I got a sticker and a sucker.

(1) They x-rayed her chest.*

(2) We played Simons Says while we waited for the doctor to finish sewing up another kid.

*Live update: We just got a call from the doctor. The x-ray machine wouldn't process the film and so they didn't have results until now. Anyway, she has pneumonia. Awesome. This means Geoff and I are going to have to actually go to the doctor and get tested. Blah.

Fingerpaints and destruction

First, a picture of Hazel and Triscuit. I think this one is sweet. Notice they are both wearing pink. Awesome.
I find this combination of clothing odd. Or funny. Or something. Whatever. It is late, and I am tired.

On Saturday Geoff and Michelle decided to pull down the ceiling in our basement. It needed to come down but it also need the stuff removed first. Notice the STOVE still in the one room they destroyed?? Yeah, I don't think Geoff noticed. Anyway, it was filthy work. And Geoff hurt his back.

And why didn't I get to help? Because Hazel had a birthday party. And it was awesome. Here she is in her "fancy birthday party tea party dress" with the Hello Kitty bow in her hair.

And a whole couch full of cute. Since Geoff hurt his back on Saturday, I got to spend time on Sunday cleaning in the basement. Between working at my job (aaaaagggghhhhh!!!!!) and holding a sick kid, it was not fun. But, I made some progress and even though my arms, back, shoulders, ummm... torso? is/are sore I am still upright and mobile, unlike Geoff. So, I have that going for me.

I busted out the finger paints tonight. Hazel had a rough day. She is has a bit of a cold and thus is mopey, Geoff threw out his back and is, in HIS words, "useless", I had to work late and so on and so forth. Plus, I had some really big sheets of paper from work. Thus, throwing caution to the wind, we finger painted. Let's put it this way, I should have waited until summer when I could put her outside. I thought pushing her sleeves up would be adequate. Because I am an IMBECILE! Hazel had a great time. I freaked out a lot.
I put Hazel in the tub with all her clothes on and made her scrub herself down. And then I had the brilliant (actual brilliant, not sarcastic "brilliant") idea to let her finger paint in the tub. Aaaaahhh...It just wipes off, and she is already wet so the paint doesn't really stick to her, and she is nekkid so I don't have to worry about her clothes. Perfect.

This was her masterpiece. I actually like it better than the finger paints on paper. Plus, clean up was much easier.

Finally, three things Hazel hates:
1- Jupiter
2- Going into space
3- Scuba diving

Randomly, on Saturday she told me this list of dislikes, and counted them on her fingers. It KILLED me. Still does. Because I am a nerd like that. Seriously, JUPITER!! Who hates Jupiter? My kid, that's who.

Hazel's Dress

Okay, I made this dress: And I think it is for sucks. Which means, of course, that Hazel loves it. It is basically a fleece sack with arm and neck holes and purple edging. She won't let me do anything to it because she, "loves it just like this!!" Also, bare arms and bare legs = bad mom.

This pose is funny. And look, arms AND legs covered and warm.
Hazel and Geoff rode the elephant together the other day. Geoff did not want his picture taken, which is lame because I have way worse photos of them. I made this dress too (Hazel has it on backwards) and it is way better. But a year old and getting kind of small.

Update with kid on the lap

Yes, Hazel is helping update. She likes to type h. A lot. Plus, she just sits and watches for h's and then wants to type them. She would like to spell her name: hazel. Okay, I am back (you don't realize it but that took like three minutes. In my impatience, that is a really long time, and it was probably 30 seconds). Now she would like to spell my name: mom. Okay. Pictures. ***Okay, I still can't use Google Chrome to update, lame.***
Hazel wanted "tiger ears" one day. This was the best I could do.

And here is the ferocious face to go with the tiger ears. I hope this picture doesn't upload blurry. It isn't blurry on my computer, but it is on the preview. Aaaahhhh...stream of conscious blogging.

We had to take many pictures with stars on our faces. Luckily, I remembered to remove them in the car before I went in to work.

Here Hazel is being a T-Rex (easier to spell). You can tell because of the short arms.

Hazel loves the dogs. They tolerate her. But, since Triscuit has been sick rules have been flying out the door. He is allowed on the couch now and any treats he will eat, he can have. So, the relationships are getting better. Nacho even shook Hazel's hand. This is huge.

Love of dogs aside, Hazel really wants a cat. But, alas, Geoff is deathly allergic. So, she decided her potato heads are cats. "Potato Cats". The other day she lined them up, with Charlie (the invisible cat) and had them all watch her ballet. The goggles, I have no idea what is going on with those.

Okay, so we have this weird hole thing in our floor. It has wood that goes over it but you can just lift them up and then there is a hole to the floor joists. Hazel is fascinated with this. As well she should be. Oh, apparently THIS is where she gets it from...

We have extra Triscuit pictures lately.

Hazel wanted to pose with Triscuit. They are being lions. Or tigers. Or maybe even, bears. Who knows.

Fancy dress. Pouty girl. We got this dress at the Costco, because I am lame and apparently that is the only place I shop. Anyway, it was a toss-up between this one and an awesome purple one with green edging (which I loved, but Hazel got to choose). She has worn it at least part of every day since then. If they had the purple one at our Costco (not just Bountiful) I would totally get it too.

So, here is my tear-jerking story of the day. I heard Hazel in her room this morning, when she was first waking up, she was milling around and then I heard her talking. So, I went and spied on her through the doorknob hole* and she was holding Triscuit on her lap, much like this (cont'd after the picture):

and talking to him. She said, "Triscuit, I know you are sick and you are going to die. But, I love you very much and I am going to miss you." And then I sat at the doorknob hole and cried. I didn't think she really knew what was going on, or that she would be upset. I was wrong. I think this is harder on all of us than we would care to admit. It was very touching and very sweet and absolutely heart-wrenching. It chokes me up to just think about it. And just now she asked if we could check on Triscuit because, "He is sick."

* because I live in a house of horrors and we don't even have doorknobs.

Pictures!

Okay, I think the picture problem was something with Google Chrome. Which is weird because I use Blogger to update my website (or "blog") and it is run by Google. Who also controls the universe. So, I am using IE today and it worked fine. Of course, it could have been something wrong with all of Blogger and it might work today. But, alas, I am too lazy to test any theories. I will try it next time. Chrome is a great little browser, I would highly recommend it, except for my snafu the other day.

And pictures.
Hazel's birthday party: The fabulous cake that I made for her. I foresee many New Year's Eves to come I will spend making some sort of fancy cake. Which reminds me, I need to return the pan to Julie. I am sure she has been wanted to make doll cakes and couldn't, because I have the pan.

The birthday girl in her crown. I bought (not enough, but all the store had) crowns for the party and then a giant bag of rhinestones, and then double-stick taped the back of the jewels. The crowns and jewels and other things to stick, seemed to be a hit. Hazel still has her crown and wears it regularly.

Not as much as she wears the dress, however. She loves the princess dress. If I wasn't so busy, I would make her another one (one not so....Made-in-China-y). That way we could actually wash one while she wears the other.

Hazel and Geoff made a snowman and a snowdog the other day.

The snowman later collapsed on the snowdog. (the wreckage is not shown)

Rockin' the side ponytail and twirling.

Hazel started ballet. Which she loves. It is just community ed ballet, nothing fancy. But she is only three and she loves it. They even get to have a little recital at the end. Anyway, she looks adorable in her little ballet outfit. Geoff even managed to get her unruly hair up in a ponytail.

Ignore the messy house behind her (seriously, could Geoff not find a plain wall for her to stand in front of? I don't like my mess broadcast to the world, or my mom!).

Hazel has become quite the computer addict. I am now limiting her computer time as well as her TV time. I don't know about Geoff, however. Wait, I do know. He doesn't limit any one's computer time. His or Hazel's.