Hudson's First Birthday Party

This past Saturday we hosted many family and friends for Hudson's First Birthday Party!  I decided since he will only be a baby once, I would do something sweet for his first birthday.  I chose a light blue and green theme accented with elephants (random I know.... I get these crazy visions and everything has to be custom ordered/made.... I never do anything easy! NEVER!)

 

 

 

 

We were hoping for a sunny, spring day but instead were faced with a forecast of thunderstorms.  It stormed all night Friday night and Saturday night, but the Good Lord gave us a break Saturday morning so our guests didn't get soaked trying to get to the party! 

We let the kiddos play as everyone arrived.  I stole Jessica's wonderful idea to entertain the kids with a ball pit... it worked!!

 

Most of the babies at the party...

Easton and Ryleigh showing the babies how it's done!



Cousin Dominic LOVES "Baby Hudson"
 

Then this little cutie opened waaaaaayyyy too many presents! I think he is set for a while! 

We had lots of food and fun, including a little cake for the birthday boy!



Momma having to choke back some tears as we sang Happy Birthday

Not too sure at first...

You thought it was pretty good!

After the cake, Hudson got cleaned up and relaxed with all of his company. 

We had so much fun planning for Hudson's special day! It went by so fast.  Our house was full of people that day.  After everyone left and the house was mostly cleaned up, Mommy, Daddy, and Baby all had a WONDERFUL nap.  We spent the rest of the afternoon as just the three of us.  Mommy and Daddy loving on our baby boy... talking, playing, dancing, eating leftovers, and enjoying some of his new goodies.  One of the presents we got him was a chair.  It was hard to get a good picture of him with it during the party, so after he was all cleaned up that night, we had a little photo shoot.  I figured I would get all the use I could out of all these decorations!

Oh my goodness..... could he be any cuter?!?!

 

It was a very special day for Hudson, but I think it was an even more special day for us as we celebrated the blessing of our baby boy.  We are so lucky for Hudson to be surrounded by such wonderful friends and family!

 

 

Happy Birthday, Hudson!

Hudson,

today is your FIRST birthday! 

At 12 months old, you weigh 25 pounds and are 30 1/2 inches long.  You are no longer in the 90th percentile... you've moved down to the 80th.  I'm wondering what this will mean for your adult height! I guess you just never know!

You wear a size 4 diaper, mostly 18 month clothes, and a size 4 1/2 wide shoe.  You have 8 teeth - 4 on top, and 4 on bottom.  The doctor said she could see your one year molars were about to pop through the gums any day now, which explains the low grade fever and slight fussiness lately. 

 

You are a speed demon when it comes to crawling and you will crawl and cruise to get everywhere you want to go.  You just haven't let go yet.  You are into E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.  I am literally about to have to remove the wipe warmer from the changing table because you constantly pull up and yank wipes out of it.

You are sleeping well through the night, going down between 7:30-8:00, waking up around 6:00, and taking 2 naps a day around 9:30 and 1:30.  

 

You are eating mostly table food.  You will eat almost anything we eat.  Actually, you eat healthier than we eat!  Mommy makes sure you are eating all the right things! : ) The only thing you do not like so far is mashed potatoes.  You literally gag and your eyes start watering every time we try to feed it to you.  

 You still LOVE cheerios! AND you are COMPLETELY off the bottle! The best part is you pretty much weaned yourself.  I can tell that you kind of miss it in the morning, but once we get breakfast going well, you are good to go.  

A few weeks ago when we were testing you on eating table food at restaurants, we took you to Full Moon BBQ.  You ate off of my BBQ plate - pulled pork, baked beans, mac and cheese, and even a bite of Daddy's catfish!  

Based on this face, I'd say you loved it! 

Last week while Mommy was off work for spring break, we spent lots of quality time together! 

 

During spring break, there was lots of cuddle time, reading, laughing, dancing, and just enjoying each others' company. 

On Tuesday, we went to the zoo with your buddies! It was the first zoo trip for all the boys (Hudson, Gage, and Caleb L to R), but Ryleigh was the pro leading the way!  We decided to take the Smart Trikes instead of the strollers and it worked wonderfully!

 

 We've had some changes in childcare lately, and different family members keep you various days of the week until I get out of school for the summer.  I have tried so hard not to use a sick day this year, but I decided since someone had to keep the birthday boy today that I wanted the pleasure. : ) I justified it by taking you to your 12 month checkup.  

You started out the day by tinkling on your pjs, so you enjoyed a scramble eggs with cheese, fruit, and cheerios breakfast in your birthday suit!

While I cleaned up a little, you enjoyed one of your current favorite activities - watching the dogs play out the door and yelling "Coop Coop".

We spent the morning cuddled in the recliner during nap time, then off to the doctor.  

The day ended with dinner and dancing and a bath time filled with new toys.

I absolutely can not believe that at 4:01 pm a year ago today, you entered our world and turned it upside down in the most amazing way possible.  I thank God every day for the most wonderful gift of a healthy, loving, funny, playful, strong, cuddly, charming, smart baby boy.  We are so blessed to be your parents. 

Here's to many more wonderful years of making memories with you!

We love you, Bug!

11 Months

Hudson,

You are ELEVEN months old!!!

 

 Always trying to escape!

(Just a talkin' with your serious "I've got to tell you something important" face on!")

Look at my big boy!

 

You are the sunshine of our lives! We love you so much!

It is unreal to think about how much you have changed in the past 11 months.

 

 

 

 What a testament to God's works! Every child is a true miracle!

 

You currently weigh 26 pounds.

The 12 month clothes are getting pretty snug.  You are wearing mostly 18 month clothes and a size 4 diaper.  

 

Your feeding amounts/schedule/naps haven't really changed at all except we are incorporating much more table food, especially at dinner time and on the weekends. 

We have been SSSOOO lucky (*knock on wood*) that you've only been sick enough for a doctor's visit with a prescription 2 times in 11 months! WOW! What a blessing!
However, you've had a neck rash that has been extremely stubborn.  It started out about the size of a dime around Thanksgiving.  It would go away, then come back over and over again.  Then it started getting much worse, then better, then worse...  The doctor said it was a drool rash (you are always SOAKED from chewing on E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.) and we tried multiple over the counter creams for over two months.  Mommy became really worried when your chin looked like this one Sunday...

The doctor finally prescribed a stronger steroid cream and it was gone in a few days!! I hope that it is gone for good!
 

In the past few weeks, you have changed at a very rapid pace.  Not long after you turned 10 months, you began crawling on all fours.  You would do it some times, but you were still much faster at Army crawling.  You went from crawling on all fours, to pulling up completely, to walking behind your walker, to cruising on furniture all within a week or two!  Now you are doing little "handstands" trying to figure out how to stand up without pulling up.  We call you "Evel Knievel" because you aren't scared of anything now! If you are cruising and want to get down, sometimes you will just dive! But you catch yourself with your hands. If you are anything like your Daddy, I know we've got our hands full with you!

 You think you are so cool these days!

 One of your new things... looking out the window.

 

YOU ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE!!

We are having to watch you more closely because you move very, very quickly and of course, the things that are off limits are the ones you really go for!  Your morning routine was to have a bottle in your Nap Nanny and watch TV in Mommy and Daddy's bedroom while we got ready.  After you finished your bottle, you would just chillax and watch your shows.  Now we know when you are finished because you will climb out of your Nap Nanny and come find us in the bathroom! You pretty much go wherever you want, whenever you want!

 

 

Your favorite things besides Mommy and Daddy are: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Macy and Cooper, chasing the dogs in your walker, items that are supposed to be "off limits" (potted plants, BBW Wallflowers, breakable items, electrical cords), and being as adventurous as humanly possible by climbing on everything in sight and pulling down anything you can reach. 

 

You are loving all of these new table foods and so far you have yet to turn anything down! So far we've had vegetables galore, a few fruits, scrambled eggs, french fries, shredded cheese, BBQ style pork, chicken and dumplings, chicken chili, ground beef, beef stew, ice cream and strawberry cobbler (at Aunt Rene's Birthday Party)....  You've currently got a love/hate relationship with your bottle - mostly the nighttime bottle but sometimes the lunch one, too.  It's frustrating at times, but I guess it will be easy to wean you to only a cup when the time comes.  You are either starving for it, or you will squeal and push it away.  You never know!

 

 

This month you celebrated your 1st Valentine's Day!

Everyone loves this little boy to pieces!!

 

We hung out with your friends at Parker's 1st Birthday Party!

 

 

Your birthday party is 24 days from today! Mommy and Daddy already have a couple of big ticket items picked out for our special boy! We are so excited!!!

 

It has been very emotional past few weeks (at least for Mommy).  It truly has flown by, just like everyone said it would.  I could lay you down in your crib at bedtime, but instead I (or Daddy) rock you to bed every single night.  We will do this as long as you will let us.  We can't believe that in 1 month you will be a year old!

 

WE LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK!   

Stay-at-Home Saturday

Today consisted of this...

And this...

And even this...

Now THAT'S what I call out cold!

Today was exactly what the doctor ordered. I feel like we've been on the go since Thanksgiving. So today, we stayed put. As matter of fact, I didn't get out of my pjs until 4pm. Only then did I put on jeans and a pullover to run to Dollar Tree and take my car through the car wash.

I read a bunch of organization posts that were linked to Kelly's Korner and got a little inspired. Our guest bedroom/dog bedroom/craftandhuntingstuffcloset needs a little pick-me-up. I'm going to get rid of the bed that's in there and turn it into an office/play area/craft room. We rarely have spend the night company and we desperately need some type of office space.

I really enjoyed relaxing with my boys all day!! Hudson is changing so quickly and it was great to have some time to ourselves to soak up these last couple of months with our "baby".

Hope you guys had a great Saturday!

 

 

Ramblings....

Having your nails done just makes you feel better about yourself. Oh, and new shoes. Who doesn't love new shoes?!

If I were a stay at home mom, Hudson and I would have really made the most of the beautiful weather today. But I work. So, after work I sprinted to daycare (as usual), and we went to the park! I was so pumped. And thennn people stared at me. All of the SAHM/grandparents that picked up their kids after school had the same idea and the park was packed. With jeans and tshirt clad kids and adults. I busted up in there and took my ten month old down the big kid slide. In my black slacks and pearls. Let's just say I stuck out like a sore thumb. Who cares.

I'm very OCD about all of Hudson's stuff. I usually pack his bag and then recheck everything. And then I usually have back ups. BUT one time we went shopping and I realized on the interstate I packed formula but no bottle. A few weeks ago I SOMEHOW (even though I unpack and repack his daycare bag like a machine every night) forgot to pack his cereal for breakfast. Note to self: I'm human. There will be many more mistakes, no matter how "Supermom" I try to be.

My 4 grade level coworkers that have become some of my very best friends are my sanity. Only teachers understand teachers. And only new first time moms understand new first time moms. We cover EVERY, and I mean EVERY topic under the sun. Our babies are 20 months, 10 months, 5 months, and 4 months. And then there is Aunt Middendorff, who politely listens to our CONSTANT ramblings of snot, fevers, milestones, breastfeeding, husbands, birthday parties, etc. No kids yet, but I'm convinced by the time she does there will be no reason to read any baby book because she will know everything she needs to know. ; )

Speaking of teaching, people SERIOUSLY cannot fathom the amount of patience it takes to be a teacher. This crossed my mind today as we were working on our research papers. Some days I want to pull my hair out. Some days I want to take them all home. Today I laughed. A lot. The things they say...the things they do... Like come back from the bathroom with tons of purple eye shadow and sparkling lip gloss on. Yes, they are 8/9 years old. Going on 27 most days. What a mess. I feel like we expect these BABIES (yes, they are babies) to do SO MUCH. Write informative research essays, sit perfectly still for hours taking a standardized test (in case you did not know, kids are not allowed to read or draw or do anything after they are finished anymore except for sit), etc. Today was the most beautiful weather we've had in weeks. It was what we call a non-resource day,so after lunch I took the kids outside. I'll let them run around and enjoy the sunshine. We did the hokey pokey and played Duck Duck Goose. They had a blast. I had a blast. The kids got to be kids. It was so refreshing.

A parent can have the worst day but when your child smiles the biggest smile when you walk in the door, it all fades away. At least until they go to bed and you have time to think about it again. Seeing Hudson and Rusty smile at each other everyday is one of my absolute favorite things. They have a new thing- post dinner dance party. It's pretty cute. It's amazing how a child can mold a husband into more than you could ever imagined.

Just my thoughts for today! Feel free to share yours!

Baby Dedication

It was Baby Dedication Day today at our church.  In most Baptist churches, it is a very simple, but meaningful ceremony.  The parents promise to raise their children in a Christian home and provide guidance by keeping them in a loving, supportive church home.  The church commits to helping the parents raise the child by supporting the parents and providing Christian guidance to the child. We were very lucky to have most of our family join us for the service this morning. It was a very special time as we prayed for God to guide Hudson through every step of his life. 

We decided to have Hudson just sit with us during the service instead of sending him to the nursery and he did very well! Right at the very end he finally got sick of sitting there and Rusty took him out.  Despite a very nasty cold and teething, he did great!

 

After the service and a small photo shoot in the lobby, we headed to our house for some food and fellowship! It's not very often that both sides of our family get together.  We had a great time catching up and of course spoiling Hudson with lots of hugs and kisses!

Hudson finally went down for a nap about 2:30.  Shortly after everyone left, Rusty and I crashed as well.  We all woke up just in time for the Super Bowl! It was a great Sunday and I look forward to giving Hudson his letter from our Pastor the day he accepts Jesus into his heart!

 We love you, Buddy!