Hazel's First Birthday and Other Random Happenings of the Past Week

Hazel's first birthday was last Tuesday, December 1st. We did celebrate, I promise. We had a picnic at the park next door and played on the swings and slide. And we ordered Chinese food for dinner so Hazel could have rice for her birthday dinner. (She loves rice.) We helped her open her presents in the living room, surrounded by boxes. And she got to sleep in her crib for the first time in days.

Ooh, new books. She immediately plopped down in Daddy's lap to read.

The whole week was spent unpacking, but once everything was out and there was a little counter space in the kitchen, I made cupcakes for her.

Todd ate one before I took the picture.

The frosting and the candle freaked her out, but the next day she figured out as long as Mama ate the white stuff for her, the cupcakes were pretty darn good! She helped me eat them all week long.
Hazel's probably pretty sad that we're just about done unpacking now. She has been having a blast climbing in and out and on top of all the boxes.

Now that the boxes are gone, she's had to find other places to explore. She found this corner cupboard in the kitchen and will play in it for loooong stretches of time.
Just this morning, she discovered another cupboard that isn't quite her size. She got stuck and had to be rescued, but not before I snatched this picture!
And I'd like to say she's just started to get interested in helping me cook, but honestly, I've just barely started to cook again myself. She probably would have wanted to help me months ago. (No reason to make a big meal without a man to eat it.) But at any rate, it's her new thing. She wants to help stir and measure. It's really adorable. Maybe it's time to get her a play kitchen?