Naked Time!

I suppose Hazel may not like these photos when she is 16, but for now, they just make me laugh! This was post-bath last weekend at my parent's house - and Hazel just couldn't resist one more "rock" on her new Moose before she went to bed.

Hazel LOVED walking around and around my parent's coffee table...here she is getting ready to turn the corner...yet again!

Finding her legs...

Hazel has been crawling now for about a month and a half...but she is quickly discovering that her legs can be used in a new way! I think she especially loved the feel of the grass on her feet. Her balance is still shaky, but she is getting more and more steady every day. It is so exciting to wake up each morning and know that something new will come!

Banana Yum!

Hazel is such a big girl eating a WHOLE banana on her own! She did take some rather large mushy bites, but did a great job of gumming it down. She was soooo proud of herself for being so self-sufficient!

Nana was taking the peel down more for Hazel, and Hazel was applauding her fine work!

A TOOTH!

Hazel has spouted a tooth - FINALLY! If you click on this photo you can make it bigger and see (maybe) the itty bitty beginnings of her first tooth. Look Close!

My Huntington Pics

Okay, just as few more pictures from our fabulous trip to Huntington Beach. These pics were from my camera - not quite as fancy as Joanne's - but I got some good ones none-the-less.

Hazel sports the new hat I bought her at H&M (wish we had one in Oregon) as she plays on her new favorite apparatus...the dishwasher.

Hazel's first chunk of watermellon - to hold on her own

Oh, how she loves a good ear of corn!

Yay for corn!

Joanne and Lexi catch some rays

Joanne shows Hazel some water skills

Us girls enjoy a day at the pool

I love this picture of Lexi and Hazel waiting to see what action lies ahead in the driveway.

Happy sisters!

Lexi and Chloe loved sitting next to Hazel in the van...Hazel loved the entertainment.

Joanne and Hazel peer in to see who is coming...

Yay for Lexi!

I love this picture of Lexi swingin'

Will's Going Home

Today marks a big day in our household...Will is moving home to his family in Idaho tomorrow. We are really excited for Will and for the success he has had in our home over the past 7 months. However, with that comes sadness in seeing this fine young man leave our home. Tonight we celebrated - Will style. He picked our dinner locale - Baja Fresh - and also our Dessert destination - Sweet Life. It was a really nice evening for us all, good food and good company. We send Will off tomorrow armed with tools to use in his home and we are confident that Will has it within him to find success in life. He is a really great kid, with lots of potential. Watch out Idaho...here comes Will!!

Will sure did fit in well!

Hazel is going to miss having Will here!

This is part of a tradition Beau started with the foster boys that come through our home...not quite torture...but close! He has them "enjoy" a box of these interesting flavored jelly beans! Will came close to losing his beans - literally - but managed to gather himself after consuming what we believe was the rotten egg bean! Ugh. If Beau ever thinks of trying this with me, he will be sorry!! :)

Will eating a pencil shaving flavored bean (note the joy on Beau's face)

Tonight @ Baja Fresh

Life is Sweet!

For a funny story, ask Beau what this treat Will picked out was called!

Huntington Beach Visit

Hazel and I are so grateful for our friends - The Hall's - great hospitality and generosity as we have spent the past four days with them in sunny Huntington Beach, California! Beau wasn't able to make the trip, so it has been just the girls on this adventure. Hazel has been a STAR traveler and has LOVED all the attention from Chloe (age 6 - almost) and Lexi (age 4). At times she may get a little overwhelmed by the two little mommies, but for the most part she is just having such a great time. We go home tomorrow, but Joanne took some beautiful photos over the past few days and I wanted to share them even before we get home.

Hazel misses her daddy sooooo much - she got to talk to him on the speaker phone and it was really cute - and we are excited to see him at the airport tomorrow. Hopefully t-shirts will suffice as far as souvenirs go for both daddy and Will.

The Halls just got home from a weeks long vacation in Hawaii...so of course us Oregon girls looked VERY pale in comparison! Hazel loved going to the ocean today, especially all the snacks that Joanne packed. Give Hazel a "cookie" or fishy cracker and she is a happy camper. Oh, and she has been taking the BEST naps and sleeping soooo well at night on this trip. The pack-n-play is set up in the walk-in closet and she seems to love the isolation! :) (After having Lexi and Chloe doting on her all her waking hours, I suppose a break and some alone time is refreshing.) Both Hazel and I are going to miss our friends so much!

Happy Hazel

Hazel, me and Joanne

Hazel's time in the Bjorn are VERY limited...mommy's back can only take so much!

It was windy, but the three girls didn't let a little wind spoil their fun!

Kris thought he would be FUNNY and take a photo of our legs...guess which ones are mine. I am proving I am a good sport my posting this for him.

Lexi is sooo funny!

Chloe is funny too!

My leg was holding her steady as she stood on the bench in the jacuzzi - swimming lessons definitely helped get her ready for this trip.

Hazel with the hazel eyes - post swim snuggle time.

Lemon tree on my right, lime tree on my left - gotta love So. California!

Hmm...bubbles on my bottom

Wait, you're not my daddy!

Life is Good!

Hazel-bug, I can't believe you are almost ONE!

Long lashes from Daddy

Rockaway Beach Weekend

We just got home today from three days at the Oregon Coast! It was Hazel's first trip to Rockaway, a small beach community just north of Tillamook. My parents rented a beach house there, ON THE BEACH, and it was wonderful.

Today is my folks 36th Wedding Anniversary - Happy Anniversary Nana and Grandpa!
We had so much fun. Hazel discovered that she loves getting all covered in sand, and also that she doesn't much like the icy cold Pacific Ocean. "Get my toes out of this," she wailed!

Will joined us for most of the weekend too and enjoyed digging a big hole in the sand - with some help from Beau. Over the course of the weekend, Hazel became so adept at pulling herself up to standing on EVERYTHING. At times this wasn't such a great thing, but most often she was able to explore this new-found skill. She was QUITE proud of herself as she pulled herself up and beamed at all of us.

I took gobs of photos, and will try to limit my selection for you all. We had blustery weather the first day - no rain though. After that, we had beautiful blue skies and sunshine! Fabulous. We hope this could be a yearly tradition of my parents that we can join them for!

Loving time with Daddy

I love this picture!

In the background are the Twin Rocks that Rockaway is famous for. The view from the living room was of these rocks. Beautiful!

What a great view on Daddy's shoulders!

With Grandpa and Nana
Happy Girl with her Grandpa!

This was our WINDY day on the beach!

Hazel takes refuge in my sweatshirt!

Brr...Hazel doesn't like the COLD Pacific Ocean.

Crawling to Nana

Nana is soooo funny!

I love this one too! Squeals of delight!

Red was the color of the day I suppose.

North of Rockaway is Manzanita Beach...this is the vista just North of Manzanita. Beautiful!

The guys are ready to dig!

Finished! Will didn't make it to the Olympics in China...but got close!

Hazel LOVED the coffee table at the beach house. Here she is showing us how much she loves to explore these days!

Below are some of my favorites of just Hazel...

The sand on her face didn't seem to bother her at all. (It bothered her mom and dad more!)

Nana was kind enough to share her yellow hat with Hazel.

Hazel had her first cob of corn (mommy had already eaten all the corn off). She LOVED it! She loved it so much, that she became VERY possessive of the cob and wouldn't let me take it from her.

Here she is crawling in the sand and WIND!