Bicycling and Depot Park -- April 27

One of Hazel's birthday gifts from Grammy Frieda was a new bike seat and a helmet.  We picked up the bikes today, and went for a test-drive, which went very well.  Hazel likes the helmet, and she clearly enjoyed the bike ride.  It was a beautiful morning, and only a little breezy.  She got quite thirsty, and downed a whole cup of milk like a pro once we were finished.

After our bike ride, we stopped at the playground at Depot Park so that Hazel could run around, and we tried out the swings. 

 

Hazel was all giggles, until she started insisting on getting "down, down, down."

 

She likes to pick up pine cones.  

 

Wood chips are also pretty fun.

 

We went to Turtle Rock Cafe for a sandwich lunch and Italian sodas.  Hazel can now share yummy things like Italian sodas because this week she mastered the art of drinking from a straw.  A perfect family outing!

Birthday Dinner -- April 22

Hazel was joined by all of the Laramie relatives for a birthday dinner at Altitude Chophouse and Brewery.  The 22nd was a Monday this year, so there weren't too many people out and about.  We were seated near the pool tables, which were not in use, and Hazel had a great time running around before and after supper with everyone taking turns supervising.  She found a few stray pool balls, and those pretty much made her day.

Birthday Morning -- April 22

One Year Old!

 

Hazel spent her birthday morning playing with a ball in the dog's dish and old newspapers after eating yogurt and chocolate milk for breakfast.

She has six whole teeth now, she climbs stairs, has just started making marks on paper with crayons, she likes going down the slide at the park, and she is just generally fun to have around.  She has several words that she uses regularly now, even if they aren't pronounced conventionally yet:

Dog (all-purpose for dogs, horses, and cats and usually said twice, as in "dog dog")

Ball

Bottle (applies to water bottles, shampoo bottles, etc.)

Blanket (in truth, she just has her own word for this one, and it usually comes as an adamant demand for her special blanket at nap time or bed time, or any other time she happens to see the blanket , followed by smiles and snuggles with said blanket)

Down (a request to be put down)

 Uh-oh (usually when something has fallen on the floor)

 She also has a hand sign that she uses to say that she is all finished at meal times, she claps to to celebrate when someone knocks a block tower over, high-fives, and waves hello and goodbye. 

How big is Hazel?  So big!

Blocks -- April 19

 

Hazel has gotten so big!  She is almost one year old here, and she is looking and acting more like a little kid and less like a baby all the time.

 

One of her relatively new activities is putting things away after she dumps them all out.  

Cowgirl in Training -- April 18

 

Hazel has fun with the rocking horse that Grandma Evelyn sent her, and has started to rock it on her own.

 

Sometimes the dismount is a little tricky.

Climbing Stairs -- April 18

 

We're in Laramie, and the move went very well.  After finding necessary parts and pieces of our camera, we're even back to taking pictures!  Hazel is working on stair climbing these days (only with supervision, of course), and she's getting pretty good at it.  

Moving and Mora -- April 5

 

Nana and Grandad came out to help us move, and Hazel got to spend a few days mostly hanging out with Nana while all the boxes and furniture got packed into trucks and trailers.

 

We visited Grandpa John and Grandma Lou in Mora to say goodbye, and to drop off a few things that didn't need to come to Wyoming just then.  Hazel liked running around in the yard in her new shoes.

In the Dog Box -- March 31

 

Hazel figured out how to undo the latch on Emma's crate, and rather enjoys noodling around in there with or without the dog.  

Pining after Dad -- March 29

The kitchen was entirely too hazardous for small people, so we kept this gate up to make sure Hazel didn't go tumbling down the stairs, get burned by the ancient oven, or get into anything else in the kitchen.  She didn't especially enjoy being shut out of the kitchen, though, and this morning was no exception.  Notice the tippy-toes!

Maundy Thursday Dinner -- March 28

We had a seder at home as part of our Maundy Thursday celebration.  We had matzo ball soup for supper, and enjoyed our charoset as well. 

Reading with Dad -- March 27

Boston -- March 15 to 19

 

A hug for Grandma Tina.

 

Red Hook -- March 13 to March 14

 

Grandma Evelyn found Hazel a rocking horse.  The rocking horse makes clippety-cloppety noises, and also says "Ride 'em cowboy."  Hazel was not the only one who had fun with the rocking horse.

 

Around this time, Hazel was really just starting to say "dog," and this farm book has just enough dogs to keep her saying that over and over again.  

 

Hazel liked looking out of the windows, which are the perfect height for her to peer out of.

To Boston -- March 12

Hazel visited Grandpa Van and Grandma Tina in Boston, and also drove down to Red Hook to visit Great-Grandpa Frank and Great-Grandma Evelyn.  Andrew stayed in St. Paul to work on the thesis. 

On the way out, we had a window seat and were next to a very nice (and baby friendly) couple.  Hazel liked watching the hubbub out the window.  She did not sleep at all on this flight.  Instead, she happily played with her toys and asked to read The Hungry Little Caterpillar over and over again. 

Water Bottle -- March 11

We got Hazel her own  Camelbak water bottle because she kept wandering off with ours.  Hers is a much more appropriate size. 

Reading -- March 11

This is Hazel's "Please read a book with me" face. 

Making faces -- March 7