It's a Girl!!!

Danielle Grace Hazen arrived today, December 29, 2009 at 1:01PM.

She weighs 8 pounds, 14 ounces and is 21 inches long.

Happy Birthday Daddy!!

Happy Birthday Jesus!!

We've really been trying to focus on talking to Peter about the true meaning behind Christmas - the birth of Christ. He really isn't old enough to even understand about Santa, but as he gets older, we want him to know that Christmas is about Jesus and giving to others. Peter and I were up for a little while before Daddy and Grandma, so we read The Story of Christmas and talked about celebrating Jesus's birthday. Peter has a great memory, so he remembers that he had a birthday just a few months ago. After Peter's nap this afternoon, we made a birthday cake for Jesus. Peter loves to cook, so he had fun pouring the cake mix in the bowl, stirring, and cracking the eggs. After the cake cooled, Daddy iced the cake and Peter ate the icing. It was hilarious - he had icing all over his face!! We sang "Happy Birthday" to Jesus while we ate cake. It was a great way to really focus on the true meaning of Christmas in a way that a toddler could understand.

pouring in the cake mix

Peter cracking the egg "all by myself"

stirring

Daddy icing the cake. It was in the shape of a clown, but I didn't let it cool enough before pulling it out of the pan, so the head came off. Luckily all Peter cared about was eating it!

Yummy icing!

"I made handprints on the table!"

playing in the cake

Merry Christmas!!

Christmas this year was very low-key and relaxing for us. Being 9 months pregnant and ready to deliver in just a few days, I knew that I wouldn't be doing much this year. My mom and sister helped put up the tree a couple of weeks ago, and Peter decorated with a few ornaments and candy canes. He's been watching the Veggietales DVD about Saint Nicholas a lot lately, and Bob is decorating a Christmas tree in the DVD. Every time Peter looked at the tree, he always said, "Like Bob!" The video is a great way to introduce kids to the true story behind Santa.

Another thing that we did differently this year was not buying gifts. This was a little hard for me at first (I love to shop and buy gifts for people during the holidays), but it was just a decision we made this year. Andrew bought a few things for Peter, but it was quite relaxing for me not to have to be running around with a toddler trying to get things for everyone on the list.

Andrew's mom came into town a few days ago, so we've really been enjoying her visit. She has helped tremendously with cleaning, playing and helping with Peter, and getting the house ready to bring baby home. She cooked Christmas dinner today, so that was another thing I didn't have to worry about.

It's amazing the difference a year makes! This time last year, Peter wasn't all that interested in opening or playing with any gifts. This year, he had a great time passing out a few presents and opening the ones that were for him. He would start to open it, and then he would say, "What is it? What is it Daddy? What is it Mommy?" It was adorable. He enjoyed playing with everything as he opened it. It was nice to have a relaxing day and let him open and play with things on a relaxing schedule. He had a great play day with all of his new toys!

I took a TON of pictures, so here is just a sample...enjoy! :)

hanging out with his bus and new wagon (that will have wheels - it just needed Daddy to hammer them on!)

opening some new trains

Daddy helping Peter open the box

"A new Thomas!"

helping Mommy open the gift that Peter got for her - a beautiful necklace and earrings

looking at the earrings

opening a butterfly kit - we'll have to send off for some caterpillars in the spring

Peter helping Daddy open his new razor

a new Elmo tent

40 new toy cars!!

Homer also enjoyed relaxing today

lining up all 40 cars

Grandma and Peter playing with a new puzzle

looking at a new book

looking at a new bath toy

Merry Christmas!!!

'Twas the Afternoon Before Christmas...

We enjoyed spending some time yesterday with my dad (Papa John) when he stopped by to bring over a Wii for us for Christmas and a very special gift for Peter. Peter LOVES buses. After playing with the Little People School Bus at various places (church, Sydney's house, and MaMa and Poppy's house), he keeps asking to go to these places to play with the bus again. Well, now he owns it! :) Papa John came over with the bus and 4 figures (3 people and a dog). Peter is really into opening and playing with the gifts this year, so it's been fun to watch him. He was very excited to see the bus in the box, and he had Papa John open it right away. He played with it all evening, and he even took one of the little people to bed with him. Thanks Papa John and Nina!!!

Almost a Big Brother!!

Sophie

We discovered a new park a couple of weeks ago. It had a little playscape with a great slide that Peter enjoyed playing on for a long time!

On the other side of the park, Sophie was waiting to take eager children on rides around the entire park. We no longer have to travel downtown to ride a train - we have one here in Round Rock!

Slide!

Thanksgiving 2009

This was our last Thanksgiving as a family of 3, and we have so much to be thankful for this year!

We both have jobs

Peter rarely gets sick anymore (Thanks Dr. Gerard!!)

We have gotten to see our family in Houston, Austin, and New Jersey so much this year, and Peter is really getting to know his aunts, uncles, grandparents, and great-grandparents

Baby Hazen #2 is healthy and will make an appearance in just over a month

and so much more...

We spent Thanksgiving with some friends from church. They have 5-month-old little girl and a little boy just 7 months older than Peter. Peter and Sam had fun playing at their house in the morning, and then we had lunch at Cracker Barrel.

It was nice to enjoy turkey, ham, and all the sides without being in the kitchen for hours cooking everything. The wait was a little over an hour to get a table, but the boys played and were so well behaved while we waited.

Once we were seated, the service was wonderful. The food was brought out very quickly, and it was delicious! I think Peter's favorite parts this year were the ham and mashed potatoes.
All in all, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving. :)

33 Weeks - 5 Days

Only 5 more weeks to go!! I can't believe how fast this pregnancy has gone by. Other than a sore back, I feel great. I've only put on about 15 pounds, so that's not bad at all!! Just a comparison - this was at 21 1/2 weeks...Boy? Girl? We find out soon!!