Halloween Fun

I haven't posted our wonderful Halloween pictures yet, but that is not because we didn't have a great time. I'm assigning the blame to the sickness we've all had these past few weeks, which also translates to sleep deprivation. Jay got sick, then shared his germs with Hudson, who then passed them on to me. Ah, family! It's awful when a little one is sick. You want so badly to help them feel better, but there's not much you can do. Fortunately, my mom came up for awhile so I had help giving him extra TLC.

We're feeling (and sleeping) much better, but Hudson and I decided to stay home all morning, which is unusual for us. I think the phrase "stay at home" mom is quite contradictory because most moms with that title are always on the go. It's nice to have time to allow Hudson to play with his toys and for me to stop long enough with him to watch him accomplish small feats, such as today when he realized that his rubber blocks can be used for stacking. He usually waits until I have made a neatly patterned tower and then gleefully knocks them over. Today, however, he stacked several together with much concentration and a steady hand from Mom. It was a great moment!

We had a great Halloween weekend: visiting pregnant Aunt Kandace, trick-or-treating in Starkville, and watching the Bulldogs play. Although State didn't win, Hudson and I will remember that they did because when we left the game, they were ahead! Here a few pictures from our wonderful Tennessee/Mississippi trip. (Note: Aunt Kandace is intentionally left out of these pictures at her own request).

Halloween Party

My mom will come up with any excuse to spend time with her grandchildren and celebrate special occassions, so this year she decided to have a Halloween party for her 3 grandchildren, even though the boys are just 1.

She got my dad in on the festivities, and he even agreed to drive his John Deer tractor for a hayride and dress up in overalls like a farmer. They made carnival games and had goodies for the kids. It was lots of fun.

We tease my mom for being so nutty about the grandkids, but I have to admit she makes life very special. I admire her creativity and love for family.

Pa, Gigi, and Hudson before a tractor ride
(unfortunately, I didn't get a good pic of Dad in his costume!)

Gigi helping Hudson fingerpaint...so fun...
well, until he realized it was sticky and wanted it off his hands

Aunt Teresa helping Hudson (puppy) and Ally (bee) go "fishing" for prizes
Yup, this is in my parent living room!

Bugs for Breakfast

This morning Hudson and I were going about our normal morning routine. After breakfast and bath time, I get ready in the bathroom as Hudson comes in and out of the bathroom exploring the cabinets or playing with his toys. He usually stays really close to me so I feel okay with him moving about. This morning when he walked in from the hallway, he had an expression on his face that told me something was in his mouth. I've gotten good at squeezing his checks to push open his little mouth and retrieve whatever he has put in there. As I'm doing this I see somthing black in his mouth. Then I saw it....a bug!!!!! Ew, ew, ew! He had gone in the entry hallway and picked up a small black bug. I had seen it the night before but had no idea I should have picked it up so that Hudson did not eat it. I think the worst part was that after I got it out of his mouth, the bug crawled away. So gross!

Needless to say, I began to immediately clean out his mouth. I had told Jay last night that it was probably time to start brushing Hudson's teeth since our first tooth has finally come through. Now was the time! So, I scrubbed out his little mouth trying my best to clean it out. He actually enjoyed the mouth cleansing. I used this little finger brush thing, and he liked biting down on my finger.

Other than his new love for bugs, Hudson and I are doing great. He is amazing us with what he is learning. He loves making a "b" sound and telling everything bye-bye with a wave. He is crazy about books. He wants to throw them all down on the floor and search for his favorites. He doesn't like it when I put them on the shelf. He is more expressive about what he likes and doesn't like. I can see temper tanrums on the horizon, but for now I can make things better fairly quickly. All and all, life is good...even with the bugs, I suppose.

New Things for a New Year

Hudson seems to be working on his vocabulary now that he's one. He enjoys saying "ba" (bye) more and more, louder and louder. We're more confidant that he really does know what he's saying when he says "Bayee" (Bailey). And tonight he said "Da-da" over and over when he was looking at a picture of himself and Jay. He can say "ma-ma," but he says it rather randomly so who knows about that. I think Jay was proud Hudson seemed to get Dad before Mom. He's so competitive!

His vocabulary comprehension is also becoming more apparent. He responds well to "sit down," which is important to us when he approaches the steps down to the laundry room. He loves to be in the kitchen and watch the pictures on the computer in the laundry room, but we make him sit down so he doesn't fall down the steps. He also runs to the back door when I ask him if he wants to go outside. I think Bailey taught him that trick. He responds in the same way when I ask him if he's ready to take a bath. It's been so neat to see what he can comprehend.

Oh, and we're so excited because we see his first tooth coming in. We're taking bets about when it will actually break through.

Happy Birthday Hudson!

Hudson admiring the many pumpkins!
His first pony ride!
Having fun with Daddy
Enjoying his birthday BOX

Although we had Hudson's birthday party last Saturday, his actual birthday was not until this Tuesday. We decided we would spend the day together as a family to celebrate Hudson's birthday.

We drove over to Tulsa and took pictures together, which was less than pleasant. Poor Hudson was just scared of the photographer. I think I might have been too. They do such goofy things to make children smile. We ended up with a few good pictures. The positive side was that I did not have any difficulty selecting which pictures to buy. There were not too many good ones. :)

Pa and Gigi joined us for lunch at the mall. That was a lot of fun. Hudson even got to open a few more presents at lunch! Then we went to Pumpkin Town, which was the part I was most excited about. The weather was not good, but Hudson still had a great time. He rode his first pony and played with all the pumpkins. He loves picking up pumpkins and throwing them down. It was a short visit due to the weather, but we left just in time for Hudson to nap on the way home.

At home he got to enjoy a birthday cookie (thanks Gigi!) and open presents from Mom and Dad. He enjoyed the box we gave him more than the gift itself. Oh, to be one! It was a great day, and I can't believe we have a one year old!!

Hudson's Birthday Party

Hudson getting excited about his presents!
We matched his cake to his invitation
This is when Hudson was enjoying his cake
    Getting a mouthful!

Saturday was Hudson's first birthday party. I have spent much of my free time time over the last two months thinking through all the small details off how to make this day special, and it was all worth it. It wasn't the decorations or food that made the day special, but the time that we had to spend with family and close friends celebrating the life of our sweet Hudson. Almost all of our guests were from Tulsa and beyond (including Mississippi and Tennessee). What dedicated family!

Hudson loved the company. It was a beautiful fall day so we spent much of it outside. He just started "dancing" and enjoyed showing off his new moves to everyone. It's pretty much just a deep knee bend that he does to music, but we think it's fantastic entertainment.

Opening presents went about as well as I would have predicted. He enjoyed the tissue paper the most. He zeroed in on a few gifts and lost sight of all the other goodies he could enjoy. (Note: He has now had more time to discover all his gifts and is happy with all of them. Thanks guys!)

The cake was a different story. For starters, my wise and experienced sister suggested I put on a t-shirt before Hudson started in with his cake. Should have listened to her. I realized I didn't know what I was doing. While everyone was singing to Hudson, I put his cake in front on him with the lit candle. As I would have guessed, he went straight for the candle flame. I quickly blew that out. Then he went in to discover what this cake was about. He got caught up with the icing and didn't seem very sure about that sticky goo. Once he finally got into the cake he started to get excited. The problem came when he wanted to take a bite of the cake using only his mouth not his hands. We all laughed and got excited. Hudson cried. I think the excitement of the day and the cold he had this week caught up to him. This wasn't so great. So, he wanted me to pick him up and of course he was covered in icing. Grandma(s) came to the rescue quickly to clean him up.

The rest of the day went well. He enjoyed all those who stayed around to visit. I gave him some of his birthday cake on Sunday and let him get right to the good stuff, not just the icing. He enjoyed that much better.

Happy Birthday Hudson! We thank God for giving us such a special, joyful little red-headed boy. We have cherished this year and look forward to all the adventures that are ahead!

A Baby or a Big Boy

When Hudson was four months old, we moved him from the bassinet in our room to the crib in his room. This was difficult as I felt this was some type of rite of passage symbolizing that from then on Hudson would never need me as much as he had when he was a newborn.

Moving him to his bed, of course, has turned out very well and allows all of us to sleep better. Since the move I've also realized that watching him grow and change is exciting, and he certainly still needs and wants us. With his first birthday approaching, I am seeing glimpses of Hudson becoming more of a "big boy" and less of a baby.

Hudson has become very brave and curious. Stairs, loud machines, and barking dogs don't frighten him. He loves them. He squeals in delight when Bailey is barking and running at him full speed. When I'm vacuuming, he often comes and stands right in front of the moving vacuum cleaner just to touch it. He loves nature. He is fascinated by leaves, dirt, and rocks. I was quite proud of myself for letting him pick up dirt yesterday when we were outside even thought he was wearing a creme outfit. He also loves being a "mighty man" and lifting large items (like his empty diaper boxes) and grunting.


On the other hand, I just treasure the moments when he is still my sweet little baby. He just started coming and sitting in my lap now when it's time to read. He stands in front of me and maneuvers his chubby legs backward until he falls in my lap. I love it when I can get him after a nap when he's still tired and he lets me rock him.

I am trying to remember just to treasure the moments, enjoy them, and realize he still has plenty of time before he really is a big boy. I think I can still call him my baby for a few more years before he tells me to stop. :)


This is a video of Hudson's pig impression...we love it!!!

Tahlequah and The Standing Teepee

Over the Labor Day weekend, Hudson and I joined Jay and our youth group on a retreat to float the river in Tahlequah. I have made this journey several times myself and enjoy it, even though I don't enjoy the shower shoes and dingy bunk bed mattresses. Now with Hudson I didn't really even have time to notice those other discomforts. Little Hudson did not sleep well in the cabin with all the distractions there, but was really such a trooper. He has been such a good sport about traveling and has gone to so many places that most babies never go. He started early with a Miss State football game at 6 weeks, then went on to a bowl game in Memphis, a ski trip to Colorado, a Mission Trip to Texas and numerous trips to Tulsa, Dallas, and Starkville, Hudson has become a proven road warrior.

Since we've been home, I've come to notice several of my new favorites things that Hudson has done. One of my favs is what I call the "standing teepee." When Hudson starts to stand, he uses his hands to help him up. Sometimes he'll keep his head down and just rest there for awhile, thus the "standing teepee." So funny. This a picture of him starting the move. I haven't been able to capture a good picture yet.

His sense of humor is really developing as well. He makes goofy noises or faces and then lets out a little chuckle when he gets a reaction from us. Another thing I just love is after a nap when we'll stand over the crib and he'll say "ba ba" as he drops his pacifier back in the crib for later. (For those of you keeping track, we do believe this counts as his first word).

Hudson's Best Buddies

Hudson and Spencer playing ball...you can hear Spencer say "Hudson"

We went to visit our cousins and best buddies, Spencer (1) and Ally (3), several times this summer. While Jay was off for a week studying theology at Dallas Seminary, Hudson, Bailey, and I took a vacation to Pa and Gigi's house. This week was extra special because Spencer and Ally (and Teresa and Seth) were also staying there as their new house was not yet complete.

Hudson and Spencer played really well together for the first time during that week. Spencer learned to say Hudson's name...so precious...and would say it over and over again. He even started calling me Hudson for awhile before learning to say my name. I love hearing a baby learn to say new words.

We love playing with our cousins and are very eager for the arrival of baby boy Thompson in January. Yea for boys!

Nose Kisses

Snuggling Noses with Mom

A few weeks ago Hudson was in his high chair, and I leaned in close to his face to get a smile. All of the sudden he leaned his face in and rubbed his nose on mine. It was the sweetest moment...a nose kiss!

I realized after then that I should be doing a better job of recording these special moments with Hudson. His first birthday is coming quickly, and I am sad to admit that I can't remember some parts of his first months. I've kept up his baby book, but it's a simple format without room for anecdotes and such.

So, that's what led to the creation of our Hudson blog. Jay tried to get me to start a blog when Hudson was first born, but I was hesitant. Now I realize my wise husband was right.

I hope to keep regular updates of the happenings of baby Hudson in this blog. Maybe this will help me remember more of these sweet days with our baby.

Oh, and the nose kisses continue at almost every meal. There's not much better in life than that.