Thursday, February 23, 2023

Hazel's Birthday Celebrations

 It's a new year and a new round of birthdays! This year I decided that I needed a break form the big friend parties. I talked to the kids about it and they were a bit reluctant but okay with it. 😉 I told them that we would still have decorations, cake and presents and then also do a special fun thing together- either as a family, or with mom and dad or maybe they could have one friend or something like that. We'll see how we figure it out as the year goes! 

So for Hazel's 9th birthday, we had a "Bluey" (the show) and blueberry theme. Two things she loves.

 Traditional coffee cake in the morning.

 
Opening presents. I added more photos of this than normal but it turned into quite the ordeal Hazel had asked for some specific things: colored pencils, paper...
 
...and mini things. So I got her mini things and my mom and sister got her some mini things and my mom ended up getting her a doll house for all the mini things and the kids went berserk! Especially Rose, who couldn't hold her tears of jealous back with each mini thing opened.She cried out, exclaiming, "Please! Jesus! Give me some mini stuff!" It was, ummm, a bit dramatic.
 
But i took her aside and gave her hugs and we had a good talk (and now she's planning to ask for a doll house castle for her birthday....) and Hazel let her play with her and all the mini things and everyone is okay now. 😉

Hazel's birthday was on a Sunday so she choose to wear her baptism dress from last year. She also got to give a talk in primary!


After church Haben, Yonatan, and Alonab came over! Winta was also there for the weekend. Then Ben and Lauren came too for dinner. We had hamburgers, fries, ice cream to dip the fries in and oranges and blueberries- all Hazel's request.


Aunt Jade declared that she's taking a year off of cake making so it was up to me this time. Hazel's one request was an ice cream cake so I made blueberry ice cream and a blueberry cake all from scratch and put it together and hoped for the best. It turned out really good!

It was a great birthday!
And since her birthday was on a Sunday, we celebrated on the Saturday before too. So now we're rewinding to the day before her birthday. Hazel LOVES to swim so we went swimming!

And then the biggest thing we did was go see the Bluey play. It happened to be in town that weekend and it just happens to be one of Hazel's favorite shows. (and every kids' favorite too haha) Our cousins came too! They all loved it and had a great time and we got ice cream after the show.


It felt weird not having a party and stuff and I felt a little guilty about it because "Mom guilt" is a weird thing, but HELLO! She had a great birthday! So yeah. We love Hazel and it was a delight to celebrate her!

Sunday, February 19, 2023

Happy 9th Birthday, Hazel!

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAZEL!!

 Dear Hazel, 

This year has been one full of so much growth! Not only did your hair get super long and you got taller, but you keep getting wiser, more fun, creative, and talented as the days go!

 
You're still taking art classes  and loving that and piano as well. But you also added on Irish dance classes now and it's like you were always born to do so. You've been loving them and learning well. It's been so fun to watch you grow and find your things in life.

 
Besides extra curricular actives, there are many things you love. You love to learn about the body and all things anatomy. You LOVE swimming and we can't get you out of the pool once you're in it. You love school and learning and are one of those kids that actually gets sad when you're checked out early or have to miss a day. You love reading and all stories- you listen intently and remember all the details! You're well rounded in your love of learning as well, not only do you love art and anatomy but also science, space, math, English, cultures, geography, and animals. You still love to do crafts as well and will still beg to use any cardboard box that enters this house.

You love to talk and you ask good questions too- you'll ask me things about my life and my opinions. You also are bursting with constant questions about the rarest things on earth, or about how something works or is made. You really do care, listen, and remember. You are thoughtful and love to learn not only about things, but people as well. Not just about your family and friends but you're very into biography stories also. Basically you're ready to learn about anything and everything!

You've had to go through some hard things this past year too. But you're so good at recognizing your emotions and being able to talk about them. I hope that you will learn that no matter what anyone else does or the ways they may hurt you, you will always have the power within yourself to find true happiness.

 
You're an old soul but also super goofy and I hope that you never loose that. You make the weirdest faces and sounds. You're pretty good at hiding and scaring me too. 😅 
 
 
We hit a big milestone and finished reading all the Harry Potter books together this year! That will always be a core memory for me! Going through all that with you and all those emotions and then staying up till midnight a few nights to finish the last book! You'd pat my shoulder when I'd cry at certain parts. haha It was the best! We've now moved onto some new books, which felt weird at first but it's fun to start exploring new worlds with you.

 
You're still our "fruit bat" who eats a carton of blueberries in one sitting or 8 oranges at a time. You still choose water over most any other drink option, except sometimes you really want a Sprite. ;)  You love cheese burgers so much and french fries dipped in ice cream. You also love butter noodles with salt. And no bag of Pirate Booty is safe around you! 

You continue to have a soul full of faith and curiosity. You love to learn about Jesus and from the scriptures. You just seem to get it, you know? Like you've somehow always known. I'm excited to see where your faith takes you though life!

 
Lastly, you're still my homebody and I have to drag or bribe you out of the house half the time haha But once I get you out, you always love whatever it is we do- especially because you learn something from each outing, so what's not to love?! ;) You really love any nature outing as well, so you're my kindred spirit. :)


 Hazel! We love you more than words could ever say! You're a constant light in our lives and you are amazing! How we got so lucky to have you as ours, is beyond my understanding. Thank you for being YOU and Happy Birthday!

 
Some silly Hazel quotes from the past year:
 
"I'm really hungry and I have no underwear. That's a problem!"
 
Mom: Why are you hiding things in your boots?
Hazel: Because it's possible. 
 
Telling Hazel that she should share her treat with Rose, which she didn't want to do, I asked, "What would Jesus do?" To which she replied, "Split it into a million pieces?" 
 
"You have to go to the hospital if your independence blows us!" 

"My room is too messy to be cleaned."

After scowling all day, "My eye brows just don't want to stay up today!"

"I've got big dreams, Mom. I've got high hopes!"


Birthday Interview:


What is your favorite color?
Brown

What is your favorite toy?
Drawing


What is your favorite TV show?
Bluey

Favorite snack?
Blueberries

What is your favorite book or book series?
Harry Potter- of course


What do you take to bed?
Sparkles and my blankets and Mr. Monkinsen, and pumpfy



Favorite breakfast?
Multi grain cherrios

Dinner?
crepes

What does mom always say to you?
Quiet!

I love you

What makes you Happy?
Family

Sad?

Being alone

What makes you Laugh?
Pretty much anything

What is your favorite thing to do?
Color- art

Who's your best friend.
Piper and Harper and Macey

What do you want to be when you grow up?
I can't decide between an artist, doctor or baker

What are you really good at?
Coloring and telling a bunch of facts and making little kids laugh and scaring mom.

What's mom good at?
Taking care of us

What's dad good at?
Finding the best excusing to get out of playing an annoying game.


What's June good at?

Being annoying?!

What's hazel good at?


What's Rose good at?
Naming all the stuffies.

Johnny?
Yelling

Winta?
Coloring

Haben?
I haven't seen her in a while so that's a hard choice.

What aren't you good at?
Riding a bike. And reading out loud.

What is your favorite song.
I will listen to anything.

What do you want for you birthday?
A whole new kit of colored pencils and paper.

Favorite animals?
Bats, tea cup pugs, and cats and monkeys

Dad work?
He helps people be better at their job.


Where is your favorite place to go.
Museums!

What do you Complain about?
There's something different every day.

Musical instrument.
The harp or the Celtic harp

What scares you?
Being alone and bugs.

What would your three wishes be?
That we lived in a warm place all the time, and we had every last book in the world in our library and then a great and happy long life and my family.

What seems dangerous to you?
Jumping off of a cliff. Of off an airplane with no help.

What do you love about yourself.
My imagination.


What do you work hard at?
Being a better example for my younger siblings.

What secret are you keeping to yourself?
I shall not say.

Favorite holiday?
Valentines day

Any last words?
I like to go crazy!