My Hazel!

Zoe Jane gave Hazel her old bike. Don't worry, Zoe got a new bike. Hazel LOVES her bike. It is still a little big for her but I think she should fit it by summer. And even if she can't she will still try to ride.

I like the worried smile. It seems like Hazel has the worried look a lot.
Walrus.

Scary face. Scary! Face! I like it even better when she has her tongue out with the scary face.
Hazel hair is finally long enough for decent pigtails. Except for the bangs, which we are growing out. But, I think the pigtails are darling. And do a pretty good job of keeping her hair out of her face.
Zoey (as opposed to Zoe, of bike fame) came to visit. The girls had a great time jumping on Hazel's bed. Best of all, Hazel didn't get a single yellow card*.
*You know, for unneccassary roughness. I am so up on my sports terms.

My Bag!

Per Jenni:

My bag.

The contents:

I actually made a list of everything in my bag and emailed it to myself to list, but actually emailed it to someone else (a combination of my work and personal email address). Then, I was so embarrased, I decided not to list everything. Just see the picture.
I will not be 'shoutin' out' to anyone.

Monthly Update? What's that?!?!

I = suck. If only I could be a little more incompetent, people might not expect me to do so much. Of course, you would think from all the grief I get, that I am, in fact, completely incompetent. Or, maybe I would just think that.

Anyway, we haven't uploaded pictures since January 28 and haven't taken a picture since February 10. Yeah, that was like a long time ago.

So, here is a quick catch-up. With a bunch of pictures.

Hazel's verbal skills are improving every day. She talks more frequently and more clearly. It is great. Two is a fun age. I like the crazy talking and the "my turn!" and whatnot. Plus, Hazel is old enough to do stuff but still young enough to be restrained in a stroller. It is a bit tiring for the mama, but maybe that is just because I try and get in at least two hours of studying every night. Oh, and I have a job. And a two-year-old. And a Geoff...

She is also getting better at doing stuff. Like puzzles and reading books. And recognizing letters everywhere. She has also been very into coloring and playing with her doll house. And probably other stuff that I would think of if I wasn't exhausted.

Hazel made another trip to visit Baby Alex and co. in Texas. The weather was great and they watched Mickey Mouse and went to the zoo. Maybe other stuff, I don't know. I went to Portland and it was fabulous. I didn't watch Mickey Mouse or go to the zoo.

Making a snow angel. This was a massive snowstorm on....January.....28th? I just know that I got let out of work early, it took forever to get home and Geoff was laid up on the comp so I had to shovel everything. It has been a bad winter for snow and shoveling.

Hazel also made a "snow penguin". I don't know what made it a penguin. Or why the penguin wore a hat.
Playing in the box with daddy.


Sometimes we make her clean. She had to put on an apron to clean. Her choice, I am fine in her cleaning in whatever. By the time she gets really good at cleaning, she probably won't want to do it anymore.
Hazel likes to play on the computer. Mostly this involves banging on the keyboard and moving the mouse. And YouTube. She loves watching videos. Especially the Fairy Alphabet, from an old Sesame Street. And the Alligator King, and Ladybug Picnic, and so on and so forth.

The Internet. It is hypnotizing.
Notice that Hazel is now in a different outfit. They watch YouTube A LOT.

Cute baby in a hat. I love her in hats.

Hazel likes dogs a lot. Real or stuffed. She fashioned a leash out of her monkey backpack tail to use for her stuffed dog.
Most of all, Hazel loves her Nacho dog. Nacho is Hazel's dog. Triscuit is mommy's dog. Daddy doesn't get a dog. "sorry dad"

And that is the past month or so. Oh, and then our fridge died today. Or probably last night because the food was starting to thaw. But, I called a local appliance store (Famous Appliance) and they were able to deliver us a new fridge within an hour. Woo!!

Belts, Backs, and Boxes. Oh, My!

This whole Geoff's bad back thing is KILLING ME! Five pounds is not very much, which means I have to do all the heavy, and not so heavy lifting. He can't even lift Hazel!! Yeah, yeah, he is in pain but no one ever talks about the other victims of industrial accidents, the family! I guess this is where my work's ad campaign came from, it is basically kids telling their parents to be careful out there. Blah blah blah. It sucks.

But, enough whining...

Since Geoff is laid up, Hazel has to find ways to entertain herself. Such as pumping the sink full of soap and water and making bubbles.

Sometimes being so clean makes Hazel angry. Or something. I don't know what she is doing in the is picture.
Hazel has always been independently minded. She likes what she likes and doesn't want to be told differently. This is especially true when it comes to clothes. As long as she is dressed appropriately for the weather, and I don't have anything going on where I need her to look nice, I just let her be. This makes for some rather "interesting" outfits.

Here we have the infamous "belt" that is actually a headband. Also, she is in a tent made out of two dining chairs and a sheet. In front of the heat vent. She gets that from her dad. The complete blocking of a heat vent. Just a little self-congratulations, I love the pom-poms on this dress. I think they really make the outfit. I wish I had done the bodice longer so I could have had a level surface on which to sew the ribbon but other than that, I really think this is a cute dress.
Here is an even fancier outfit. We bought her a new swimsuit (seen in the soap picture over jammies), and she has been wearing it pretty much constantly. Hazel and I even went swimming today, and she wore her new swimsuit. It is way too big. I guess I didn't notice earlier because she has been wearing it over all her other clothes. Notice the face. She did not want her picture taken. In fact, she took off when I was trying to take a picture of her outfit. It is like she knows I will pull it out later in life... Plus, the action in this shot is fabulous.
Another outfit. I actually let her out of the house in this. I think we were going to the grocery store. So we have tights, leg warmers, shorts (from Japan) and then up top there is a long sleeve shirt, the matching Japan shirt and the fancy hooded sweater/jacket. Oh, and pink sparkly shoes. None of these are weird alone, but you get it all together and...well, let's just say you can tell she dresses herself. We tried to get a head-on shot but again she pulled the "no tam-er-a" stunt. (translation: No Camera, i.e. I don't want you to take my picture)
People always say that when you buy a kid a toy they would rather just play with the box. Well, you don't even have to buy them a toy. Hazel is just as happy playing with the box that my new filing cabinet came in. She made a house. Geoff cut this window. I cut one like an 'I' with a big top and bottom so it opens like shutters. Probably because I have a good back. She has also decorate and furnished the house. It is pretty full in there. But, she really likes her little house.

Notice the old filing cabinet in the background? If you want it, it is yours, just let me know. Two-drawer lateral filing cabinet. Fits letter or legal. We just don't have that much stuff to file and now that I am spending more time in the dungeon, I mean basement, I trying to get it cleaned out and organized. Which is all the more difficult since Geoff is an invalid and can't move anything.

Also, we have two CRT monitors (i.e. not flat-panel) if anyone wants them. Free to a good (or bad) home.

A couple of stories

Well, not so much stories as sentences.

1- Hazel has a headband, it is green with a big flower on it, I think it came from Tayvia. Anyway, she never really like to wear it as a headband but she LOVES to wear it as a belt. All the time. As in, she slept with it on last night. And the other day she was wearing pants that were too big and didn't have elastic in the waist (!!!) and I wanted her to wear a real belt, but she said "No!" because she already had a belt.

2- She only wears jammies. Seriously, it is a fight to get her to wear anything else. I know jammies are comfortable but it is not like she has to wear a suit, her clothes are pretty close to jammies. She used to wear clothes all day, then she decided she needed to wear jammies to nap, now she is in them pretty much all day. I do make her get dressed if we leave the house, however.

3- Whenever she has a little "owie", she blames it on the bumblebee. This is from the 'Baby Bumblebee' song. There are not a lot of bumblebees around in January but they still get the blame.

4- If she coughs and I ask her to cough into her elbow, she will fake cough into her elbow. Sometimes she remembers to really cough into her elbow, but either way is pretty funny.

5- Yesterday, Hazel told me, "Hazel no potty, Hazel like poop pants." I think this does not bode well for my desire to get her potty trained.

Oh, and I have officially started studying for my CPA exam. I have the (crazy, expensive but highly effective) review courses on CD, video lectures, and Hazel likes to watch "mommy's movies". They might be entertaining for the 10-seconds she is watching them but after the first three or so hours, the novelty wears off.

Happy Birthday to Hazel!!

Our baby is TWO! For her birthday, Hazel wanted a party. With cake and balloons and kids and party hats. Except for the party hats, she got everything she wanted. I decided we had enough activities and chaos and didn't need to add party hats to the mix. And, frankly, I don't think Hazel missed them.

We had brunch for Hazel's birthday, for the second year in a row. I made eight different quiche, but then didn't get out the camera before serving. Thanks to Anne for remembering the camera, or I possibly would have forgotten in the midst of the party. We also had yogurt parfaits and mini bagels. And cake. Cup-cake.
Hazel and her cupcake.
Mmmmmm.....frosting.
Hazel opening presents, notice the awesome party dress. Yes, I made that. And it is polka-dotty. And she has polka-dotted ribbons in her hair. And polka-dotted balloons. Not in her hair.

And a polka-dotted giraffe. Awesome. Which I didn't make, Amy made it. But, it totally fits the polka-dot theme.

Zoey and her parents came to the party. Zoey picked her own clothes. I understand this completely, as Hazel likes to pick her own clothes.
Gloria and Anthony and their parents came to the party. And Gloria was Grandpa Ray's friend, so we had to take a picture for proof.

Chase, Ashton, Dylan and Sadie came to the party. Chase = grown up.
Orson, Helen and Amy came to the party. Hazel was excited about Orson and had to pull out the matching Care Bear when I told her he was coming.

Anne and Jenni came to the party, but forgot to bring their cheeks.
Jenni and Shauntil were especially happy to come to the party. Oh, and they are crazy.

Jordan and Tayvia and their moms came to the party. And they proceeded to point fingers at each other. The kids, not the moms.
Hazel came to her party, and looked very determined about something.

Helen, Bonnie and Sadie were button-making machines!
More button making.
Zoey loved Hazel's big-girl bed. I am guessing she will get one in the near future, especially because her birthday is in three weeks.

Anthony, Orson and Gloria play with some Pez.

Proof that Gloria is Jenni's friend. Hazel is very finicky and sometimes likes people and sometimes h-a-t-e-s them. Gloria is nice and sweet. Thus, some people like proof of nice babies because they are used to the not-so-nice baby.
All in all, it was a fabulous party. And, it has been a fabulous year. We are looking forward to the, what are the called? Terrific twos? Yeah, I am sure that is what it is called.

Deep Fried New Year's Eve

So, to celebrate the new year, we (Jenni, mostly) decided we should have a Deep Fried New Year's Eve (DFNYE). This is as delicious as it sounds, but deadly.
We had donuts. Covered in sugar.
Also, clockwise, starting from the top. Cream cheese wontons, mini corn dogs, panko covered brie and onion rings.
Also, we deep-fried a Twinkie.
You see how we used whole-wheat flour? It is almost like our batter was "healthy".

We also deep fried: S'mores (which were like 100 times better than the zoo's), ham and swiss rolls, ham and Swiss wontons, pizza rolls, Brussel sprout (only one), my entire kitchen. It is like there is a haze in my house. The brie and the s'mores and the mini corn dogs were the most delicious, in my opinion.

And then we toasted the New Year with mini pigs-in-a-blanket. They were not deep-fried.
Happy New Years!