Crook Family: Happy New Year

Well its the new year, and we are looking forward to a year as wonderful as the last. One resolution I made was to root for the Ducks in one game… which I did on New Year’s Day at the Rose Bowl. So both times I rooted for the Ducks this year, they lost. Now I know, some of you are saying ‘Keep rooting for them!’ and some are wishing I would stop. But I can only please one of you, and so I choose to not root for the Ducks. Sorry Beaver fans, but I just can’t bring myself to that level. In case you are wondering, I made my shirt and it says "I only root for the Ducks when they play Ohio State."

I feel we have a lot to look forward to this year. We have Justin progressing in school, Levi will be starting pre-school (as soon as someone takes him off the waitlist), Hazel will start walking ANY day now, and we have some small trips planned (nothing major, just to the coast or mountains).

Well I’ll start off with Hazel. She recently has been teething… okay she’s been teething for about four months straight. Every time I began to wonder if that’s what it really was, I would feel in her mouth and feel one or two more teeth in there. Well as of the last couple weeks she’s been working on four new teeth, two of which are her canines and they hurt the worst. So needless to say she’s been medicated. Which actually has made her quite sweet. I was beginning to wonder where my little sweetheart had gone… but I guess when your mouth constantly hurts you’d be grumpy a lot too. She is also so close to walking on her own. My mom saw her take five steps the other day, but nothing since. I have seen her take one step and then crawl. I know its coming, crud its been coming now for two months or more! She has the stability, so I don’t know why she’s waiting. But I’m in no hurry, so when she’s ready she’ll do it. Here’s a link for a cute video of Levi walking with her:

http://picasaweb.google.com/JustDaCrooks/January200902#5425930797523677362

http://picasaweb.google.com/JustDaCrooks/January200902#5425930827339658258

Now for Levi. He is getting quite the personality, which is mostly just a big goofball with a little bit of his mom’s temper in there. The other day we were driving past Reser Stadium (where the Beavers play football) and I asked him if that was a football stadium. He said, “Yeah, Go Beavers!” So I responded by saying “Go Beavers!” Justin didn’t say anything, and after some nagging from Levi, Justin said “Go Ducks!” To which Levi said, “No daddy, you’re supposed to say go Beavers.” So Justin obliged him and said it. Then, in his cute form Levi said with a big sigh, “Okay fine, you can say go Ducks.” Justin and I both laughed and Justin said go Ducks. Then Levi said, again with a big sigh, “Okay fine,you can say go Cougs.” We were still laughing and Justin said that too. For his final comment Levi said, “Okay fine, you can say go Nana.” Justin didn’t say that one but was very confused because Nana is my mom to Levi. We just laughed anyway!

We had a fun time this past weekend when we went up to Portland to OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry). They have many exhibits, and all are kid-friendly. Levi had a blast, and even Hazel enjoyed herself. We then went to lunch with my mom and dad who were up there for my cousin’s wedding. After lunch I was able to see my cousin and his new bride, which I’m glad I did, there reception won’t be until March, so it would have been that long before I saw them.