A BIG week and a NEW Year!

This was a big week for you Miss Hazel Lee. Not only did you turn 8 weeks on Saturday but you also celebrated your first New Year. To top it off you experienced your first venture into the forest with a snow shoeing trip with mom and dad.

I can't believe you are getting so big and growing so fast. It seems like yesterday you were still in my belly waiting to come out to the big wide world. Now you're growing out of your newborn clothes and developing in front of our very eyes. You have started to really talk, albeit baby talk. We can see you processing things and wanting to say something. I'm sure you'll have a lot to say in the coming months and years...and we want to hear it! I love the mornings with you, watching you get unswaddled, seeing you stretch your little arms over your head and arching your back and then wiggling those little legs back and forth. You still are mesmerized by your forest friends mobile. Too cute watching you squeak with delight!

New Year's Eve was spent at Jon and Marks, joined by Kristin and Michelle. It was fun though you slept right through it. We were just glad you were with us and we celebrated the beginning of 2011 as a family. In the morning we all saw the sunrise coming over Lake Washington and it was glorious. A truly great way to begin the new year.

Even though your mommy and daddy were running a little slower than normal, we decided to head to the Teanaway Valley and snow shoe. It was a picture perfect day, sunny and bright...but frigidly cold (9-13 degrees!). We bundled you up, putting socks on your hands to keep your little fingers warm and daddy carried you in the bjorn. In the beginning you didn't seem happy with our outing but soon you calmed down and (in our minds) appeared to enjoy the adventure.

We also took down the tree and decorations for another year yesterday. While sad, next year will be here soon enough and you should be able to appreciate and enjoy them more.

I am exactly half way through my maternity leave and will head back on March 1st. We found out last week that you were accepted to the Mermaid Lagoon which means we will all drive into work together and come home together too. We will be able to come down and visit you anytime we want which makes us happy. I can't imagine not seeing you for more than a very short while : )

Every night your daddy and I talk about how much we love you and believe you are the best little baby in the whole world. Thanks for joining us our little Hazelnut!