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!!

The True Meaning of Christmas

As Peter gets older, we are able to do so much more with him. Although he enjoyed playing with the presents he got last Christmas, this year will be so much more exciting to him. He enjoys opening gifts and checking out everything. He also enjoys giving gifts. I've been very impressed at his desire to share things - even things he LOVES! He noticed the other day that I had finished my brownie for dessert after dinner. He broke off a piece of his (which he was really enjoying) and gave it to me. It was so sweet.

I decided this year to try to get him involved in various aspects of getting ready for the holidays. Because Baby Hazen is due right around Christmas, our holidays are not as involved this year. We will be staying in town and just doing a whole lot of playing at home and relaxing. I do have some craft activities planned for him, but other than that, this will be a very low-key holiday season for us.

However, I really want him to start to grasp the concept that Christmas is all about Jesus. I know he will enjoy getting gifts as well, but I want him to grow up with the knowledge that Jesus is the real reason that we celebrate Christmas. I want him to enjoy giving as much as getting. So, I decided to help him fill a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child this year.

We spent some time Saturday morning picking out toiletries, gifts, and other little things at Wal-Mart. I told Peter we were picking out presents for a little boy just like him that wouldn't get any presents this Christmas. He picked out a toothbrush, toothpaste, band-aids, toy cars, a toy horse, gloves, and more. He had fun looking at everything he picked out as he put it in the cart.

When we got home, we used a shoebox that my mom had left here on her last visit (Thanks Mom!). I let Peter look at everything and put it in the box. Here are a couple of pictures...

We delivered the box to church on Sunday so it can be shipped to a little boy just like Peter in another country. We will be able to track our box online, so I will be able to show Peter on the map where his box went. I can't wait to do it again next year - a new tradition has been started in the Hazen family. :)

Like Wiggles

Mommy: Peter, would you like to watch a DVD while I cut the potatoes for dinner? You can watch Sid, Elmo, Wiggles, or music.

Peter: Peter eat potatoes.

Mommy: They are raw right now. You may eat them after they are cooked.

Peter: Peter eat raw potatoes. I like them.

Mommy: I will get you a piece of potato after I cut it. I would like you to watch a DVD so Mommy can cut the potatoes. Would you like to watch music?

Peter: No.

Mommy: Would you like to watch Elmo?

Peter: No.

Mommy: Would you like to watch Sid?

Peter: No.

Mommy: Would you like to watch Wiggles?

Peter: Yeah. Peter watch wiggles. Banana - Peter eat banana.

Mommy: It's almost dinner time. Are you sure you want to eat a banana?

Peter: Peter eat banana. Like Wiggles.

So that's how come my son ended up eating a banana on the coffee table while I peeled and cut the potatoes for dinner. There is very small part of our Wiggles DVD where one of the characters and a bunny eat bananas. Out of the entire 1 hour DVD (of which Peter watches about 5 minutes at a time, if that much), Peter remembers this one part. Anytime I mention The Wiggles, Peter mentions bananas. I'm glad the Wiggles eat healthy snacks. :)

***Oh, and just in case you are wondering, Peter watches very little TV. He is usually much more content with his toys than sitting still to watch a video. When he does watch something, like he did while I made dinner, he watches a few minutes, plays for a while, watches again, and plays some more. No worries about my son being addicted to TV, at least for now!