A new generation of Rosdil

phone photos

2012-02-03T19:06:00.000-08:00

Now that phones are so fancy these days, i find myself taking pictures on my phone as much as if not more than with a regular camera. SO here are a few i thought were good from our trip to Carmel, and one from here in Denver.

Though I haven't been consistently writing monthly updates about the new things going on with Hudson, there is still much to be said about what's going on with this little guy. For example, today we went to the mall (we are in the middle of a snow storm, and have gotten about 16 inches so far, with the horrible white stuff still falling as i type), and for about 45 minutes, Hudson RAN around the mall. There weren't a lot of people there because of the storm, and he likes to run now, so he ran. It was fun - because the mall was pretty empty. Most days, I'll pass on that experience, thank you. We are currently in the phase of not eating out - because our beautiful son cannot sit still, eat his food without standing, jumping or throwing it first, and thinks that restaurants are good places to scream. So we have been enjoying almost every meal at home. It doesn't bother us much, but can be difficult to do other things - like grocery shop, or go anywhere that requires him to sit for more than 15 seconds. :)

REGARDLESS - Hudson has been A LOT of fun lately as well! He continues to expand his vocabulary, and regularly takes my hand to lead me to something he would like to do or see with me. I would say his favorite word right now is "bath" - he typically takes his bath about 30 minutes before bed, but several nights lately it's been an hour or more before bath time when he takes me by the hand and starts pulling me upstairs saying "bat! bat!"

He is definitely a little busy body - rarely sitting still, and typically talking about his ball, bear, choo choo or car. Each of these words is said with a Boston accent, which makes listening to him continually entertaining. Ba (ball), baya (bear), Ca (ca) - repeated multiple times - you can't help but laugh. He's a little entertainer, but likes to test us as well when we ask him not to do something. We are often chasing him around to retrieve whatever it is we asked him not to stick in his mouth, etc.

He is our fun-loving, energetic, laughter filled 1 1/2 year old, and we LOVE him to death. And yes, some nights bedtime is a much needed time for us as well, but the minute he wakes up in the morning I can't wait to see his little smile.

Reeves Christmas in Carmel, CA

2012-01-20T10:59:00.000-08:00

This week we spent some time in Carmel, CA with my family - at a beach house right on the water. It was a rough week, as i'm sure you can tell by these pictures. :)

There was a living room off the kitchen, and second one (above) with some amazing couches - Abbie's bed for the week!

One day we went for a walk near the house to see if we could see any whales or seals - we saw about 5 seals, but it was fun to get out nonetheless. I can't remember a time when we've gone on a walk as a family like this…i think it's been a long time!

One of Hudson's favorite parts of the week…BRULEE.

Lots of fun time with Auntie Abbie - by the end of the week i was the last person Hudson wanted holding him.

Vivian and Cam came for dinner the first night we were there - they finally met Hudson, and I'm so glad i got to give her and her little one on a way a big hug!!

Josh was showing Abbie how to make a garlic goat cheese dip for our bread - it was delicious!

We also went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium one day - though there was some great things for kids there, it was a little hard to handle this 1 1/2 year old and see any of the fish! We didn't get to stay as long as I wanted, but Hudson did get to touch his first starfish!

Jonathan grabbed this awesome picture of a jellyfish!

Our last day was amazing weather, so we had a great time sitting out on the patio, walking on the beach, and pushing shopping carts around the yard. Hudson pushed the shopping cart most of the time. I took a turn here and there, though it was a little small for me.
We also got to see Allison and Nate and their two girls, and it was so awesome to see them again! Allison was a great friend of mine in college, and i'm so thankful for her continued friendship! Unfortunately we didn't take a picture together - next time!

HI DADDY

2012-01-12T17:20:00.000-08:00

for the first time - this was the second weekend in December, 2011

Christmas with the Rosdils

2011-12-30T18:46:00.000-08:00

This year we spent Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa Rosdil! We were joined by Pete and Anna, and Mike and JoAnn for Christmas day. Hudson had a great time with his family, and he loved having Gracie there! They were quick pals, and as you can see in one of the pictures, when she wasn't inside, Hudson was often by the back door looking for her.

All dressed for Christmas, Hudson remembered he needed to brush his teeth before we left…too bad he didn't get the wrapping off first. He's on his way to practicing good hygiene!

my little boy…so big!!

He carried this bumble bee all around the backyard…and it was heavy!

This trip we discovered the playground just a block away, the backyard (and the bumble bee watering pitcher), we had fun time reading with Grandma, playing with everyone, and we took our first trip to the dairy farm! Hudson did not have much patience for the tour, but he certainly loved all the life-size cows they had displayed! There was even a cow merry-go-round!

outside time!

2011-12-20T19:07:00.000-08:00

family time!! with our little 16 month old!

songs

2011-12-16T20:25:00.000-08:00

Lately Hudson has begun singing, and dancing when I sing a song to him. The song he seems to like the most is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. He'll sing the "up above the world so high" part, and sway back and forth. It's pretty much the cutest thing i've ever seen. Now he also sings himself to sleep...heart melting, really. Though along with this adorable behavior has come a change that I believe to be the beginning of the terrible two's. Someone once told me that the "terrible two's" doesn't mean the challenge comes when they turn two, but that the two is representative of a two year period where your child may provide you with a new adventure - often of the not-so-fun kind. :) To put it nicely.

So when all of a sudden Hudson has decided that he doesn't want to sit in his high chair to eat, and that he'd rather stand on a chair at the table and throw most of his food, I'm inclined to think he's entering this phase. Screaming and crying in his high chair, if we can get him strapped in, for over 30 minutes provides us with clear communication that he no longer likes eating there. It also creates a new level of fatigue after a long day at work. Along with this, his fits and tantrums seem to be multiplying faster than rats in a sewer.

And the adventure thickens. Lucky for him, Hudson is balance out with an adorable personality...most of the time.

One of Hudson's favorite things to do is to take his dirty clothes hamper and put it over his head, then walk around with it on. It's hilarious! Tonight he grabbed it after his bath and before we had a chance to get him dressed - so i got a quick picture with my phone. So funny!

Time in the park with Teddy bear

15 month stats

2011-12-06T18:55:00.000-08:00

Today's doctor appointment gave us an update on where Hudson ranks with his peers…and the results are:

Height: 33 1/2 inches (95%)
Weight: 26 lb 8 oz (75%)
Head circumference: 18 1/2 inches (45%)

So he's staying on track from where he started - TALL. And his development is great also - though he hasn't broken into an all out run yet, his trot is continuing to quicken! This weekend he started singing twinkle twinkle little star with me, and he has added several new words to his repertoire. He said GiGi for the first time yesterday (great grandma), and that was awesome! On and off are popular now, which makes turning lights on and off in rooms a much longer process. :) He has also started taking my hand more often to lead me where he wants us to go. Great new stuff!

At this point he has molars in on the top of both sides of his mouth, and the bottoms are swollen but no teeth have broken through yet! We're about to upgrade to a size 6 1/2 or 7 shoe, as his size 6 are getting a little snug. At this rate he's going to need a bigger bed by summer!

happy feet

2011-12-03T10:41:00.000-08:00

It's so hard to get a good picture of this guy these days - he's always on the move! And he's teething big time this week, so his temper has been very up and down, depending on the moment. His fingers are his favorite thing to chew on this week!

15 months

2011-11-20T18:07:00.000-08:00

WOW, has it really been 15 months since this amazing person was born?! it's hard to believe, and watching him grow and change like crazy lately makes me feel like he'll be starting first grade before we know it. These days Hudson is chatting up a storm, and we officially have his first few words to report!

1. BYE. He will say bye to everyone and everything. Stranger, animal, car. Anything.
2. CAR. When we get in the car, when he sees a car, when we're walking out of daycare to go to the car. CAR. CAR. CAR.
3. BALL. Hudson loves to identify any round object that resembles a ball. Lots of fun.
4. SHOE. He will get his shoes, my shoes, and andy's shoes, and bring them to me saying "shoe."
5. UH OH. This one is more recent, like in the last week. He will throw food off of the table and say uh oh. He's learning quickly that he can do something, and use 'uh oh' as the reaction. Smarty pants, indeed.
6. Belly Button - this one he's still working on, but he if you ask where his is, he'll pull up his shirt and show you. VERY cute.

There are few other things he says, but these are the most common, and he's been using bye for over a month now. So i think his first official word is bye!

In addition to the chatter, he is "helping" more around the house - he'll put things "away" when i ask him to, and will let me know when he's all done with something so i can clean it up. He still loves hanging out on the stairs (see picture), and though he likes his pacifier to chew on, he loves his straw-lid sippy cup also. In the last couple weeks he has had molars on both sides of his mouth break through! He's been a bit more restless at night, waking up a couple times a night regularly to cry out, roll around, then fall back asleep. He's also been drooling more, so we've been eating pieces of ice to try and cool down our mouth (yes, i do this with him - what? I like eating ice sometimes…and popsicles). Thankfully he hasn't gotten sick yet this season, and I'm starting my prayers now that he won't be sick when we're traveling!

We have still been spending time almost every weekend across the street in the park. This is a great time to point out cars, airplanes (another favorite of his), and kick leaves around while we walk toward any dog we can see. I love this time, because he is free to direct his own path, and it's fun to see what he wants to do. Most of the time he's not really interested in the actual playground. If someone pushes a tricycle or wagon to the park, he'd rather check that out and push it around the perimeter. Which is always fun, asking the parent if it's ok if my son takes your son or daughters bike for a 'push' around the area. Thankfully all the parents around here are very friendly!

A few other fun new developments have been popping up as well - Hudson can now open doors, and will not hesitate to see what you're doing in the bathroom if you close the door. He will also go in and shut the door by himself, even with the lights out. Just hanging out in the bathroom with the lights off. That's our son. He's also enjoying riding on things still - we got him a choo choo train to push around the house, and that has been fun. Even if he only gets to push it for a couple feet before he runs into something.

We love the hugs and kisses we get from him now, and the fact that he can tell us so much better what he wants and doesn't want. He still loves seeing other people, and will smile and laugh at just about anything. We can't stop talking about how great he is, and how thankful we are for him. He's a character - and fits right in with the rest of our family! :)

halloween

2011-11-01T08:35:00.000-07:00

Hudson was a teddy bear for halloween - one of his favorite things! They had a trick or treat parade with his daycare on campus, so I got to volunteer and walk the parade with him. No candy for him just yet, but that didnt' stop him from enjoying the wrapper of this twizzlers! I also couldn't get him to stay still long enough to get a good picture, so these will have to do. I was just glad he let me put the hat on! He looked pretty darn cute in that teddy bear outfit!

phone pics

2011-10-30T13:36:00.000-07:00

With the way today's phones are made, it's common to take pictures and videos on your phone just as much as you talk on it. So here are some i've taken recently, and a video clip from a few months ago that melts my heart. :)

We went to the Four Mile Historic Park by our house to look for a pumpkin, and they also had horses!! Here Andy and Hudson are enjoying the horses in their matching jackets. :) Yes, i bought both jackets - though not at the same time.

We spend a lot of time out in the park these days, and hudson loves looking up at all the planes that fly over!

neighbors

2011-10-26T18:44:00.000-07:00

We have the BEST neighbors - and last week a few of us were outside at the same time so we got to visit! Mayjen is about two months older than Hudson, and she and her mom Monica were out as well - and Mayjen and Hudson decided to sit down on the steps together, so of course we all ran and got our cameras!

Our neighbor Becky took a quick family pick for us as well! (even though i had no makeup on, yikes!) We definitely love our neighbors!

snow day!!

2011-10-26T18:35:00.000-07:00

The weather in Colorado is typically all over the map this time of year, and today was no exception. Yesterday we were about 60 degrees, today we got almost ten inches of snow. The up side to this was that Hudson got to go out and experience it - last year he was pretty little, so it was fun to take him out and watch him absorb all the "white" outside. His thrift store snow suit is a little big, but it does the trick!

The last couple weeks we've noticed a few big changes in this little guy, causing him to seem more and more like a toddler every day. He has started saying "bye" - and uses it every time someone is leaving (including himself), saying goodbye on the phone, or if he wants to go outside. He will now go get his jacket (if he can find one), bring it over to me and hand it to me while saying "bye" - quite clear communication! He loves going outside, and if he hears an airplane in the distance he will stop and look up in the sky until he can find it. He is picking up speed with his walk, and we know the run is not far away.

He's also been communicating more with sign language, and is trying to say more words as well. Right now he will sign please, more, all done, and he'll say ball (ba), bear (similar to ba, but he'll point at the bear), dada, more, occasionally he'll try saying please, and more and more he'll try repeating most words we say to him. It's been so fun to actually understand some of the things he's saying, since he has been a big talker since day one!

This kid loves to dance, and will stomp his feet, bend his knees and clap his hands when you say the word! He's also started climbing on everything…which can be tricky when tries dancing on the tables and chairs!

He loves to laugh, loves people, smiles at every one and everything, and is still so much fun to be with. We can't believe he's 14 months, yet he's grown up so much since his first birthday! He weighed himself the other day (yes, he loves the scale), and it said he was about 26 pounds!! That with a size 6 shoe, we're thinking he's grown in height a bit as well - we'll find out at the next doctor visit!

pumpkin fun

2011-10-15T19:16:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we took Hudson out to visit grandma and grandpa Reeves, uncle Josh and aunt Jen, and Great Grandparents! We had a great time - and Hudson enjoyed the dogs, water, and company! This 14 month old loves to walk, play, eat, laugh, and experiment!

Today we took a trip to the pumpkin patch with our friends Sarah, Chris and their kids, and we had a great time! Hudson walked through the corn maze, played with the pumpkins, and rode on a tractor pulled hay ride! He loves tractors right now, so that was a real treat!

The sun was also starting to head south, and it was perfect for picture taking!

2011-10-09T19:12:00.001-07:00

The zoo!

2011-10-05T19:05:00.000-07:00

Last weekend while Andy was in Chicago, Hudson and I got to go to the zoo with our friends Lindsay and Cannon. We went first thing in the morning and it was great - all the animals were out! Hudson really loved seeing the animals in motion - a couple times he almost fell out of his stroller. A kid after my own heart - an animal lover!

Late sleeper?

2011-10-02T07:21:00.000-07:00

So, Andy is in Chicago this weekend, and Hudson and I have been having some mommy-son time. Of course it's been great for me - i love this little guy to pieces. But i know Andy is going to be disappointed when he learns that i am writing this post at 8:20am, and Hudson is STILL sleeping. Yup, this has NEVER happened. He woke up at 6:00, (woke me up), rolled around for about 20 minutes, found his pacifier, and fell back asleep. He has done that before, but never for this long!! Wow, too bad I'm not a late sleeper or i would be asleep right now (like Andy would).

hoola

2011-10-02T07:18:00.000-07:00

When I picked Hudson up from daycare this week, he was outside - playing with a hoolahoop! He was having a great time with that thing!

Hudson and the water hose

2011-10-02T07:16:00.000-07:00

Lately Hudson has been getting bad diaper rash - we think it has something do to with the food he's having a day care. So each night after bath, we're giving him some "free" time to air things out. :) You can see he is uninhibited, and still loves to read.

Even though it's October, the weather has still be in the 80's. This particular day, Hudson was "helping" me water the plants…and quickly discovered he would much rather just play with the hose. We were out there for at least 15 minutes doing this - and he was having a serious good time. There were no smiles, just Hudson and the hose.

First celebrations

2011-09-25T18:09:00.000-07:00

This weekend we went to one of my staff's daughters 1st birthday - Minnie Mouse, hot pink and zebra print theme! She is the cutest little thing - and I think she should be Hudson's first girlfriend. :) Arayah and Savanah took a picture with us to commemorate the occasion!

Hudson was checking out Arayah's birthday present - the chair - and I think he might appreciate one of his own…He spent quite a bit of time on that thing.

love

2011-09-23T10:16:00.000-07:00

Hanging around

2011-09-17T18:16:00.000-07:00

Does this picture make you want to say "The End"? They were watching the rain come down outside...

Hudson loves pushing trucks (and anything else) around the house! This one came from Grandma Rosdil for his first birthday!

Teddy bears are a boys best friend - at least at this age! Hudson has a few teddy bears he likes to snuggle with, and tonight he found TWO and carried them around together!

Snuggle time with the Teddy bears.

andy's project

2011-09-11T18:23:00.000-07:00

Last week I got to see andy's project, and managed to take a few pictures! it's looking awesome!!

and this is what Hudson was wearing that day - i got this jacket on clearance - he looked so cute I had to try to take a picture, but couldn't get him to stand still!!

13 MONTH new favorites

2011-09-11T18:16:00.000-07:00

Our loving, adorable little Hudson has been discovering some new things to do lately…some of which are adorable, and some of which are NOT adorable. This picture is one of the latter. And he does this ALL the time. Go into the kitchen, pull everything out, and find the best things to chew on. One good thing: it's helped me clean out my cupboards!

Other things this marvelous little 13 month old does:

1. He loves making two specific animal sounds - monkey and lion. He will make these two noises throughout the day, and loves when we make them as well. It's very cute.

2. He loves pushing things around on the floor - anything he can push, pretty much. Wheels, no wheels. Mobile, not mobile. Doesn't matter, he wants to push it across the floor. This presents several problems, however. 1) Our house is small, so there isn't a lot of floor space to push things without running into something; 2) not everything is meant to be pushed. Both of these often result in a frustrated Hudson, which is not fun for anyone.

3. This little boy LOVES walking! I'm sure this is common among walking one year olds, just as i'm sure the challenge of picking them up when it's time to stop walking is common. We love going outside to the park with Hudson, and he loves walking around (wherever he wants to go at the moment), playing on the playground, and meeting new friends to play with and steal toys from. He does NOT like when it's time to go inside. So we just accept that the neighborhood will hear our screaming child for a few minutes after play time.

4. Hudson has started stomping and dancing when he gets excited about something. I love this! The other morning I asked him if he wanted a bite of banana, and he did a little happy dance - stomping, clapping and making a little happy noise with a big smile on his face. It was hilarious, and so sweet - his sincere little personality was beaming through at that moment. I can't believe how much he's growing up - and how much fun it is to watch him become Hudson.

5. Toothbrushing. Yet another thing this boy loves doing. He will let me brush his 7 little teeth for just a brief moment, then he takes over. He'll move the brush around in his mouth quite a bit (on his gums), and will proudly walk around the bathroom showing of his brushing skillz.

6. Laps: Our upstairs is all connected through the hall and bathroom, so Hudson can do loops starting in his room and going through our room and the bathroom. Lately he has been grabbing any number of items (andy's laundry basket is the favorite right now) and pushing or carrying them around the loop - at least 10 times in a row. He will just continue to walk/push from his room to our room to the bathroom and back to his room - having a ball. Silly guy.

7. This little boy has always liked books, but lately he has decided that he wants to sit in your lap while you read him a book. He'll pick one out, walk over to you with it, push your legs if they're crossed and plop down (facing out) so you can read him his book of choice. His determination to sit on my lap for a few minutes is fine with me. :)

8. Other fun facts: He loves his milk, and drinks out of a sippy cup all day except at bedtime and first thing when he wakes up. He loves food! He almost always eats everything we give him, and is getting much better at eating with the spoon! We are pretty sure he's gained weight since his 12 month check up, cause he's feeling very solid these days…still wearing 18month - 2T clothes mostly, his gap pants are 12-18 and they're almost too short. He laughs a lot, loves puzzles, has just figured out how to close doors - and actually is tall enough to OPEN the doors in our house now, which he did while i was in the bathroom the other day!!! In general he is VERY social, loves people, smiles at everyone, jabbers all the time, enjoys a pacifier while he's in the car, takes one nap a day (about an hour and a half, which is too short by day care standards so he's a bit of a "project" in that way), goes to bed about 7pm and wakes up around 6-6:30. He is a LOT of fun, gives great hugs, can point to my nose, mouth and eyes, and seems to be learning something new every minute of the day! We love him so much - Hudson, you enrich our lives beyond what we could ever have imagined.

my first vegetable

2011-09-05T19:42:00.000-07:00

I'm not really one to have a green thumb, but i received a tomato plant as a gift a few months ago, and had to share what became of it…

It may be small, but i couldn't be more proud of my first home grown tomato.

Labor day weekend.

2011-09-05T11:32:00.000-07:00

This labor day weekend the mornings have been cooler, so we've spent some time in the park and on the playground. And had some daddy/son picture time too!

I love this picture idea…and this one turned out good!

Hudson had green beans for dinner last night…can you tell?

Happy boy

2011-09-01T19:31:00.000-07:00

Hudson has always been a mover, but now that he's walking, it's a LOT harder to get a picture of him that's not blurry! This little series was taken with not quite enough light, but he's wearing a little suit i picked up at a garage sale the week he was born for $1.00! It's a Kenneth Cole pin-striped suit, and it fits him perfectly now. I tried but couldn't get a good picture of him cause he kept walking up to me - and he's getting fast! Soon he'll be in the all out run, i just know it...

Such a happy 1 year old...

Aquarium

2011-08-27T11:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we checked out the Denver Aquarium...where we saw this huge tiger. Yes, this is not a typo. There was a huge TIGER exhibit in the aquarium. And it decided to come right up to the glass, which was very cool!

Nothing like a walking naked boy...

ONE YEAR STATS

2011-08-26T13:47:00.000-07:00

Hudson went for his 1 year check up today!

The results:

Height: 32.5 inches (97% percentile - yes, he's still TALL)
Weight: 24 lbs. 6 oz. (75%)
Head circumference: 18 3/8 inches (50%)

So we have a healthy little one year old boy!

An evening in the park

2011-08-20T19:20:00.000-07:00

Tonight our friends Sarah and Chris came over with their son Quentin, and their new twin little girls. Quentin is just about two years old, and since Hudson has now started walking, we took the boys over to the park after dinner for some play time. This was the first time Hudson has played at the play set we have in the park across from our house (aside from swinging in the swings), and he had lots of fun! It was hard to get a picture of him because he's on the move so much! We had a great time with the Jones' and look forward to more times playing together!

Both boys were having a blast!

Birthday firsts

2011-08-15T11:41:00.000-07:00

For his birthday Hudson tried on his first Pith hat! That lasted about long enough to get this picture...

Other things he checked off his list the week of his first birthday include:

1. Pooping in the bath.

Isn't that enough?

ONE YEAR

2011-08-10T19:14:00.000-07:00

One year ago today, my little Hudson was born. He said his first hello to the world, peed on me, cried, then won our hearts over forever. It's strange to think about everything that's happened - in some ways it feels like it's lasted a long time, in other ways it seems to have flown by. I still think the first few months were the worst...but some of my favorite memories from this last year were in those first few months. His first smile, watching him figure out that he can control his hands - and get them into his mouth, the first time he rolled over on Christmas Day. And these memories were only a few months ago! Yea, time is a strange thing.

Well, I want to make sure I capture who this one year old is as best as I can in this blog, so we can all look back on it and remember some of the little things that warmed our hearts so much and made us laugh. So here goes.

Who is Hudson, the one year old?

He is a boy who LOVES:

Water
Laughing
Being with people
Pointing
Lego
My cell phone (yes, he knows how to unlock it and hand it to me to get his game open)
Jumping on the couch
Hugging his teddy bear
His pacifier! After 11 1/2 months of NOT taking a pacifier, now he loves it.
Watching video of himself (our favorite dinner activity)
Reading (he flips through the books and reads to himself)
Being outside
Playing Peak-a-boo
Eating with his hands, and trying to eat with the spoon
Chewing on his sippy cup, and occasionally drinking out of it
Family - it's clear this little boy LOVES being with his family
Dancing (even when you say the word he bobs up and down)
Climbing - then jumping on whatever he climbs on
Light switches
Laughing
Water (yes, these last two definitely needed to be repeated)
And of course so much more...

At one year, Hudson wears 12 month to 2T clothes (depending on brand), size 5 shoe, goes to bed at about 7pm and wakes up between 5:30-6:00, eats three meals a day plus about 30 oz of formula and water, takes one to two naps a day depending on what's going on and who's around that he would rather spend time with than sleep, and still doesn't like riding in the car - unless he has a pacifier, which extends his tolerance by a good amount.

He is a HAPPY boy, smiling and laughing easily at those he interacts with. He is fascinated, focused and determined - interested in the world around him and seemingly excited to learn the who's, how's and why's in his little life. He lights up when he sees his mommy and daddy, which sparks a feeling in my heart I have never felt before. He will play by himself, but prefers the company of others. He's learned to swing his arms and hit, but knows how to give "gentle touches" as well, when he wants to.

Hudson started walking at 11 1/2 months, but still hasn't mastered the art of it, so goes back and forth with a crawl/furniture cruise/walk technique. He is amazingly quick to pick up on things, and we currently anticipate that he'll be excellent at everything he tries. :) Of course we do, we're his parents. But in all honesty, even the doctor told us he has excellent motor skills. :)

The bottom line is, he is a fantastic child. He's the best part of our lives. And though we are often wiped out at the end of each day (especially when you add in the full time job part), I can't wait to walk into his room the next morning and see him sitting there smiling at me.

I love you so much, Hudson. Happy Birthday little monkey.

Birthday weekend

2011-08-07T19:29:00.000-07:00

For Hudson's first birthday we had a jungle themed party out in the park across from our place. Lots of our friends and Hudson's friends, along with family came to celebrate! I worked for hours on his birthday cake...and you can tell from the pictures he liked it ok. :)

Hudson got this really great shirt from his Great Auntie Susie and Uncle Rick for his birthday - and it fit perfect for his big day! We all missed you!

Hugs from Oma and Opa!

The lion on top was made of fondant, and it took several hours to make. It definitely "made" the cake though!

Because it was a hot summer day, we brought out a couple pools for the little tikes. They were a big hit! I think Hudson spent about an hour in the pool - and he played nice for a minute, then he wanted the pool all to himself so he'd start trying to push the other kids out (poor Quentin!). This kid LOVES his water!

Chris and Casey Jr. came to help make cupcakes on Friday after Abbie arrived - they're 3 weeks apart and already good friends!

We rented a house for the weekend near the capitol, and it's been great having everyone together, and having a second "home" to go to and hang out. It was a Victorian style house, built in 1900 - so lots of character!

He wasn't sure what to do at first...

But he figured it out.

We couldn't get him to keep his safari hat and glasses on, but he sure was CUTE in them!

Patty cake

Grandma Rosdil gave him one of Andy's old trucks from when he was a boy.

Overall there were about 25 guests (plus kids), and we had a great time! We're blessed to have met some great people here in Denver, and thankful many of them also have kids so Hudson is starting his second year of life with some great friends!

Andy's project

2011-08-02T07:09:00.000-07:00

For the last year and a half Andy has been working on a project up at the CU Boulder campus - building a large lab. This week he took a picture from the top of the building, showing an amazing view of the campus and the Boulder foothills. The project is expected to be completed by February/March. It's amazing to see how it's developed from nothing - Great job Andy!!

sleepy time

2011-08-01T13:04:00.000-07:00

Hudson has taken to sleeping in strange positions lately - and it's hilarious to walk in and see him zonked out! Sometimes his legs are through the bars, or he's curled up into the corner. But he typically ends up snuggling with something - his teddy bear from Great Grandma Fluckiger is the fave! I'm pretty sure he moves a lot in his sleep a lot!
This week they are starting to transition him to just one nap a day, and only sippy cups to drink out of (no bottle). So far he is doing well (yes, today is the first day, but that's what they said). He loves sippy cups already, so i didn't expect that to be hard - so long as he doesn't take a big drink then let it fall down his chin. :) I'm sure that's normal, but it's not very fun for me. He loves doing it. And I went to see him at 12:30, not realizing he would be getting ready for his FIRST nap of the day! He was a mess, as you would imagine. So, needless to say, i'm not as thrilled about this part of the transition. I like the two naps a day routine - and as of right now, he really needs that morning nap! So pushing him until lunch is a big stretch...and I think it may take some time for both of us to adjust. Yes, i realize that part of me just doesn't want him to grow up.

Headstands and more

2011-07-28T07:51:00.000-07:00

Hudson has started doing headstands - and it's adorable! Typically the headstand is followed by him standing up, and taking a few steps! That's right! 11 1/2 months old and this boy has started WALKING! He has taken about 7-10 steps at once, but is a determined little guy, so we know it won't be long before he's running!

It's hard to believe he's going to be a year in a couple weeks! I can honestly say that time has gone by fast the last few months - almost too fast! With the school year right around the corner, things will start picking up at work again, and our summer days will begin to shorten. But I am SO thankful we will have beautiful warm weather to celebrate his birthday with family and friends!

play time

2011-07-23T18:41:00.000-07:00

Hudson has started testing the waters with the stairs - hasn't actually taken the leap and tried to go down...yet. But we don't ever leave him alone there...just in case! I know it's coming soon...

This kid is a great little drummer already - aside from being 90% fish (yes, he loves the water that much), we see a future for him as a musician. And no, that does not mean we want him to get a real drum set...i've heard stories about those things. Cool for about 10 minutes, then they're just loud.

We're nearing the end of the bottle...:( but not ready to say goodbye yet! In a couple weeks we'll start transitioning to only a couple bottles a day...then none at all. He does well with the sippy cup (when he's not throwing it on the floor), so we think he'll do fine with the transition. It's me I'm worried about - my little baby is growing up so fast!

Every summer there's a huge garage sale about 10 minutes from our house - and i mean it's huge, like 300 homes participate. And most of these homes have little kids living in them. Yes, this = jackpot for us! This year i was out of town when it happened, so Andy was on his own (with Hudson) as far as shopping for bargains. He came home with this great little "house", which Hudson loves, for only $2! He also got a McLaren stroller and a high chair! So once again, the Stapleton garage sale has served us well!

Girl time

2011-07-22T09:45:00.000-07:00

This last weekend I was able to take a trip out to Los Angeles for the weekend without Hudson to spend some time with a few of my closest girlfriends. We had a great time!! It was hard to be away from Hudson for almost three days, but Andy did an amazing job with him, and we got to skype a couple times too! I had a wonderful time catching up with my friends, sleeping in (and staying up a lot later!), and just being together. It was awesome!!

Sandra, Melissa and I went to one of the only remaining wineries in Los Angeles! We took the tour and learned some interesting things about the history of the City of Angeles!

Beach time with Chiraphone - one of our favorite things to do together!

Riding in the back of Sandra's car on a beautiful summer day - definitely a weekend I will remember!

more 11 month pictures...

2011-07-15T14:06:00.000-07:00

eating by himself

2011-07-14T07:57:00.000-07:00

Hudson has started using the spoon! he doesn't get much food onto the spoon before he gets it into his mouth....but he's on his way!

11 months!

2011-07-14T07:53:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe we're planning Hudson's FIRST BIRTHDAY. He is still growing by the second it seems, and acting more like a little boy every day!

A few highlights:

1. We have started the transition to more milk (formula) in the sippy cup and less in the bottle. This has been hard for me surprisingly...thinking he will be too old for a bottle soon doesn't seem possible. But he loves that sippy cup, so he is doing really well! He only has milk with breakfast and snack in the cup, otherwise he's still loving his water and bottles. He eats three meals a day with a snack, and is growing more interested in what we eat all the time!

2. We are SO close to Hudson taking his first steps. He is standing on his own, reaching across to things that require him to move one foot to get there, and is just cruising on everything. I think it could be any day...

3. We have words! Hudson is saying more intentional words (or sounds), and it's awesome! He will say MOO when he sees a cow, stop (sounds like DOP) after we tell Lego to stop licking him :), he is saying mama and dada, and a few other things like that. Still not sure how intentional they all are, but he is definitely learning his animal sounds!

4. Our boy is in a cuddle stage! He gives hugs and kisses, and now favors his stuffed animals over his other toys. He will talk to them, hug them, and carry them around - and it's adorable. He recently received a large stuffed tiger from a woman at daycare, and that is by far the best snuggle buddy. He's also taken to being on the couch! He will jump, roll, walk, lay down, and just sit and relax for a long time! He LOVES being up there!

5. THis boy is a water baby through and through! He cannot get enough of it! He loves his splash time at school, kiddy pool at home, and the big public pool - he will stay in the water until he's exhausted, then he will sit in the shade with his bottle or snack and just watch everyone else in the water - happy as can be.

6. We have graduated to our 12-18 size clothes, still wear size 3 diapers, have about 28-30 oz formula a day plus meals, and still takes two naps a day. Day care will be transitioning him to one nap a day and no bottles soon, so he can move up to the 1-2 year class room after his birthday. Crazy!

Overall Hudson's personality is shining more each week. He loves being around people, being outside, and especially the water. He is so much fun to be around, though we've had to start working harder to keep him out of things he shouldn't be getting into (like Lego's food). This weekend I plan to leave him for a couple days with Dad to have some girl time with friends...so we'll see how that goes! Andy does a great job taking care of him, and aside from the house looking like a disaster when i get back, i'm sure they'll have lots of fun boy time!

a night with friends...and kids!

2011-07-10T09:19:00.000-07:00

Over four years ago we started hanging out with this group of people. It started out as eight adults, having dinner out and getting to know each other. Last night we had them all over to our house for dinner. Only this time, there were FIVE kids there with us! Between the four couples, we now have five children. Needless to say, dinner is now very different than it used to be! There's a 3 year old (Malaya) and her little sister Cadence (4 months), Cannon who's now 1 1/2, Casey Jr who's just three weeks younger than Hudson, and of course the social butterfly who couldn't have been more thrilled to have his buddies over, Hudson. He was LOVING it. And we had a great time with the friends (and their kids) we've gotten to know here in Denver. Fun times!!

Paul and Malaya...Malaya wasn't too big on smiling for the camera...

Cannon is a hugger....hugs all around!

All the kids loved this chair (Malaya brought it) - and you can see that Hudson made himself right at home when it was his turn. Such a ham!

Lindsay, Chris and Lina - three lovely ladies!

Chad with Cadence - she looks JUST like him.

party face

2011-07-09T20:10:00.000-07:00

Normally Hudson doesn't like things on his face or head...but these sunglasses are clearly the exception. He is SO cute with these on!

Hudsons new favorite thing to do is hang out on the couch. He will work and work until he can get himself up there (usually with my help), then he will roll, jump, flop, and as you can see, relax. The couch is definitely the newest cool thing he's discovered.

tasting flowers

2011-07-01T18:03:00.001-07:00

Standing on his own!

2011-07-01T15:41:00.000-07:00

Hudson has recently started getting a bit more daring with his balance - he has stood by himself for about 5-10 seconds! He's still pretty nervous, but today he did a great job! I didn't catch the moment on film, but a few seconds after!
You can tell by these photos that we were talking about the flowers...and how they aren't food.

The things this 10 month old loves to do...

2011-06-25T07:52:00.000-07:00

Three things Hudson loves right now: the stairs, the elliptical machine, and the shoe shelf.

The people in my life

2011-06-23T11:09:00.000-07:00

Working at a community college the last 4 1/2 years has been a very interesting, challenging, deepening experience for me. I have worked hard at times, not so hard at times, and spent countless hours listening and talking with students about life issues I sometimes can't believe they are experiencing. My days are filled with encounters that I find both fulfilling and exhausting. When I think my life is complicated or difficult, I can stop and think of any number of students I've known here and feel silly for complaining or not being thankful for the abundance of blessings in my life. These students have taught me so much, and I can only pray that my life and our time together has impacted them in some small way as well.

Lately though, it's been hard to hear some of the stories my students have gone through. I'm thankful for the counseling classes I've taken, and the skills I've developed as I walk through life with these people. They often feel comfortable sharing their most difficult and personal life experiences with me, and I am so thankful they have. Yet there are days when the burden weighs very heavy on my heart, and I can't help but cry over their trials and tribulations. Abuse: sexual abuse, drug abuse, physcial abuse, mental and emotional abuse. Boyfriends abusing their kids, boyfriends beating them up, husbands making threats, witholding money, making their lives miserable. Cheating: cheating on husbands, cheating on boyfriends/girlfriends, divorce. Pregnancy: scares, miscarriages, stress over not having enough income, not having a father figure, not having insurance. Dealing with being gay, not sure if they should tell their family or friends. Fear of rejection. Lack of money, failing classes, alcoholism, parents and grandparents in the hospital. Death, suicide. Parents failing to be there for these students, when they need them most.

And I've only listed some of the topics that have come through my office this year...

How can I help them? What can I do? I do all I can to listen, support and love them. And almost always, that is just what they need. It breaks my heart more often than they know, and I should be praying for them every second I can. But I'm human, and i don't. Sometimes i'll just go home and cry. Or i'll hold it in until i watch a commercial with a mom hugging her son lovingly, and i'll just ball. Why do these horrible things have to happen? Where is God in all of it?

Lately I've talked to one of my students about the idea that "God never gives you more than you can handle." This woman has gone through more life trauma than a room full of 100 others will in their entire lives. Yet she comes in every day with a smile (almost every day anyway), she prays and thanks God for her life and her blessings, and she keeps moving forward. What more can we do?

I'm thankful for the opportunity i have had to be work in the field of Higher Education. It's so much more than anyone can understand without being in it themselves. It's hard. It's fun. It's sad. It's fulfilling. And because it's so many different things, depending on the day you ask me, I may love it or be ready to get out of it. But overall, i have loved the chance i've had to experience life with so many people.

10 months!

2011-06-11T19:39:00.000-07:00

And we have ourselves a 10 month old! One who is doing all sorts of things - continuing to keep us on our toes more every day!

Hudson had a very exciting 9th month of life. :) He spend 9 days at the beach in Southern California, got 3 rounds of shots after 2 tries with antibiotics to get rid of a lingering ear infection, and got his 5th tooth! OK there's more too.

1. Hudson is eating LOTS of big boy food these days - finger foods with every meal, and more "people" food every week. Right now he's loving the melons and fresh fruits of the season, and loves drinking out of his sippy cup still. He still has about 27-30 ounces of formula a day, but also has three meals and a snack! There hasn't really been much he's said no to as far as food, but he clearly favors things he can put in his own mouth. And he's showing a lot more interest in what we put in our mouths!

2. He has been furniture walking for months now, but has added the walker and other moveable objects to the list. We're practicing our walking while holding mommy's hands, and he loves doing that as well. He has always been cautious - sits down slowly, doesn't go over the edge of the stairs, etc. so he is a little cautious as well about walking without that support of something keeping him upright. So we'll see how long it takes for him to just go for it!

3. Aside from the nasty cold he had in April, accompanied by a horrible, drawn out ear infection, Hudson has been doing well with his sleeping, etc. He sleeps about 10 1/2 −11 hours a night, and has two naps a day. Because he's moving so much now, he pretty much needs those naps to refuel!

4. Play time is pretty much all the time right now (other than sleep time). Hudson is so interested in everything going on around him, and tries to copy anything he can - or just stare at it. He loves meeting new people, Lego, being outside, reading (or ripping up) books, you name it, he loves it. He is a LOT of fun to be with, though it can be exhausting. He does so many grown up things now, with his expressions. He will copy your hiccup and cough, he plays with his hair, and if he sees you chewing he will chew as well (on nothing). He makes great noises, and is happy playing with others as well as by himself - though he's still a mama's boy all the way.

5. For his 9 month check up we found out he was 22.2 lbs - at this point I think he has to be 24 or more! He's getting SO heavy! And he's still wearing his 12-18 month clothes just fine. Yes, he's a big boy.

This weekend for his 10 month birthday he got a visit from Grandma Rosdil and Uncle Peter! We've had lots of fun hanging out, going for walks, and getting into the cupboards! Time for baby proofing those things!

Hudson you are truly an amazing little man, and we LOVE being with you, watching you grow, and sharing in all the love, smiles and happiness that fill your life every day.

splash time

2011-06-09T09:59:00.001-07:00

Daycare has splash time now that it's getting warmer! Here's our 10 month old!

Hanging around La Jolla with the fam

2011-06-05T12:57:00.000-07:00

We were staying real close to the cove where the seals come to hang out, so we went over a few times to check it out!

It's been five months since Hudson had seen uncle Jonathan, so we had to take some new pictures! I LOVE both of these shots!

Uncle, Auntie, we had a GREAT time seeing you both!! (and Theo too!)

2011-06-05T09:28:00.000-07:00

One day we went down to PB and rented some beach cruisers to ride along the boardwalk. We stopped to eat lunch on the beach, and of course play in the sand and water! The wind was cooler that day, but Hudson was still anxious to get his toes wet. Seriously, it was so adorable to watch (and listen) to him get excited when he saw the water!

Family photo!

Touch the sand...

look at it...

taste it...

YUM!

Then he applauded himself. Good job Hudson, way to eat sand.

Time with Auntie Abbie

2011-06-05T08:46:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun visiting with Auntie Abbie and Uncle Jonathan (and Theo!). One afternoon Abbie came over and we went down to the beach to play - so she got to experience first hand how much this kid loves the water. His bouncing is evident in the picture - though he's always jumping!

Hudson enjoyed chewing on my sunglasses...and he looks pretty good in them too!

Sea World

2011-06-05T08:40:00.001-07:00

We went to Sea World one day with Abbie, Jonathan and Theo - it was lots of fun! Hudson made it through the dolphin show, but wasn't quite able to last until the shamoo show...:( but we have our year pass, so we'll be back!

Vacay continued: on to San Diego!

2011-06-05T08:37:00.000-07:00

We rented a place in La Jolla for the week, about a block from the Wind and Sea beach - so our first day we walked down to let Hudson experience the ocean and sand - and he was instantly in LOVE. Every time we saw the ocean after that, he would start chattering and get all excited. It was the coolest thing for me...cause i feel the same way when I see the ocean. :)

Hudson quickly checked out the place and hit his head on every place he could. Childproofing couldn't happen quick enough.

WE had our own private patio, which was used for breakfast, snack, and just lounging while Hudson took his naps!

Mommy and son enjoying a slice of heaven - looks like Hudson needs sunglasses though!

First experience sitting on the sand...he didn't know what to think at first, but quickly realized he should try tasting it to see if that helped.

Once he got his hands/feet in the water, he was all about it!

This is where Hudson ate his meals - we borrowed a high chair from Abbie's friend, which was awesome! It was small place, not the best shape, but it was so great to be there and be able to get around so easily!

Happy boy - we went for walks every day, and man, the people in La Jolla have beautiful yards!!

Family vacation - the series

2011-06-05T07:11:00.000-07:00

We have lots of pictures to share, so they will probably be a little too much if you don't love Hudson!But if you're looking at this blog, you probably already love him to bits. :) So enjoy.

We started our week long trip in PV with Auntie Susie - and her hot tub! It was beautiful weather, and despite Hudson feeling a little under the weather, which you would never guess from these pictures, we had a wonderful time!

Somehow he always manages to find the dog toys...

Giving a look that is basically asking why we took the dog bone away from him...that or why does she get to put it in her mouth and i don't?

LOVE our time with Auntie Susie!! :)

play time

2011-05-24T18:19:00.000-07:00

Last night we took Hudson's diaper off so he could "be free" for a few - and he loved it. Of course.

This kid LOVES being thrown up in the air, turned upside down, swung around like a monkey, etc. Basically he only sits still when he's sleeping, and he likes it that way.

One of the many noises and mimicking actions...here we try to demonstrate through photos...

And after a good job of mocking dad, we get a HOORAY!!

Check out the two top teeth!

Teeth

2011-05-19T20:02:00.001-07:00

Hudson's top teeth are on their way in! And he is smiling all the time - so it's strange to watch his appearance begin to shift with these teeth showing up. Still the cutest little boy in the world though!

BLOOMS!!

2011-05-19T20:00:00.000-07:00

Andy got me an orchid for Valentines day, and for the first time ever (i've tried this a few times) i not only kept the flower alive, but it BLOOMED TWO NEW FLOWERS!!!! :) I'm so proud, can you tell? My Aunt Susie grows the most amazing orchids, and i just never thought i would be able to keep one alive. So here are the pictures of these two new beauties!

These are the two new blooms - so pretty!! :)

9 months!

2011-05-16T10:09:00.000-07:00

Our little baby is 9 months old! And he had his check up so we updated stats!

Height: 30.75 inches (98%)
Weight: 22 lb. 2 oz (75%)
Head circumference: 17 1/2 inches (45%)

We found out Hudson is about as tall as a 1 1/2 year old!! No wonder he's wearing 12-18 month clothes and they fit just right! This kid is TALL.
This month has been very active for Hudson as well.
1. He is cruising! He loves his walker from his Aunt Jen and Uncle Josh, and is smart enough to turn it when he runs into a wall so he can keep on moving! He is experimenting with his furniture walking as well, letting go and standing for a second before he plops down on the floor - then pulls himself right back up!
2. This month has been a month of recovery from a bad round of ear infections, and we found out that he has residual infections so we're still working on getting rid of them! It appears that tubes may be in our future, but we're hoping there are a couple more options before we have to go there. He is a trooper though, and his mood has been generally good.
3. We are now just putting him down in his crib for nap and bed time. He will cry for a couple minutes, then begins soothing himself until he falls alseep. He sleeps from about 7:30-5:30, sometimes 6 (if we're lucky), and has been sleeping solid through the night!
4. He still eats about 30 ounces of formula a day, plus his three meals and snacks! He started eating meat this month, along with a lot more finger foods! He loves eating the finger foods, and they tell me at daycare he always watches the other kids eat their finger foods too!
5. He has started saying "Ge"and we think he's trying to say Lego - but we're not sure. He sure loves his doggie though - she makes for much of our pre-bedtime entertainment. Otherwise he does a lot of baba, dada, bububub noises - he is a vocal little guy!
6. Hudson also loves touching his hair - it's hilarious, but he will play with his hair (and mine) while he's eating. This usually results in sticky, food ridden hair, but it's very cute.
7. He's also started waving, clapping, and giving hi-fives! He'll copy much of what he sees and hears, and is definitely a interested and engaged boy. He watches very closely, and you can almost see him figuring out in his head how to copy!
We have had so much fun with him - especially since he got over that BAD two week sickness a couple weeks ago! He loves laughing - he gets the giggles! - and he is so quick to smile, it awesome.

The many expressions of Hudson

2011-05-13T20:29:00.000-07:00

I take a lot of pictures of Hudson, and typically choose the best (or favorite) ones to post on the blog. But tonight we took some hilarious pictures of Hudson making some interesting expressions, so wanted to show that not every picture he takes is necessarily great - though he IS very photogenic, like his mom. :) He is obviously experimenting with his facial expressions right now, and it's so funny to watch! He gives open mouth kisses - loves it when you make the kissing noise while you kiss his open mouth. He's sticking his tongue out all the time now, chewing on his fingers, moving his hand back and forth on his mouth while he makes a noise to hear how it changes, still making the bbbllllll noise with his tongue and lips, and just talking a lot in general. He's lots of fun!

Oh and I can't forget to mention how much he loves smiling and laughing! He LOVES laughing - and we love laughing with him!

LOVE this little man

2011-05-13T20:18:00.000-07:00

Our little nine month old...we love our dinner times together.

Cry it out?

2011-05-07T18:36:00.000-07:00

The last couple weeks we have tried a new tactic when it comes to sleep time for Hudson. We used to go pick him up every time he cried, try to rock him back to sleep, only to put him back down in the crib and watch him immediately wake up and start screaming. So we would repeat this process - along with trying a few other things like seeing if he'd sleep in our bed with us - only to wind up exhausted. We knew he wasn't old enough to self sooth in the beginning, but by 8 months he should be learning, right?

So the last two weeks have involved the "cry it out"method. We feed him, rock him, rub his back, etc., then put him down. This happens for both bed time and nap times. At first he would cry for about 20-30 minutes, standing, yelling, doing what he thought would bring us back into the room to pick him up (because normally, it would). But our patience was indeed rewarded, as he would eventually topple over like a rag doll (really) and fall asleep. It's hilarious to watch on the video monitor! Then the crying time began to shorten, and it was often 10 minutes or less before he would allow himself to relax enough to sleep. Andy and I were thrilled. We also stopped going in to pick him up if he wakes in the middle of the night, and wouldn't you know it? He puts himself back to sleep! Yes I know - I'm sure this is normal. But to us it has been a small miracle.

Well, the last few days, Hudson - my darling Hudson - has decided he really needs to start crying and SCREAMING for at least 20 minutes, before he'll let himself go to sleep. Not sure what happened, but this is just not working. It's not working at home, and it's definitely not working at daycare. They can't put him down to cry it out there - so what happens? Stubborn Hudson doesn't nap. Great. By the time I go to visit him at lunch, he is a crabby mess. And if they can't get him to sleep in the afternoon? God help us all. SO, here we are today.

Precious little Hudson will be sleeping soundly in your arms...until you go to put him down. It's like there's a scream/cry button you accidentally press in the process of putting him down. So far I've been unable to determine where this secret button is.

Perhaps someday, my little Angel Hudson will give up the fight, leave the drama behind, and sleep without tears. Someday.

beautiful day!

2011-05-07T15:36:00.000-07:00

Today it's a beautiful day out! We've gone for a couple walks, put some new flowers in the pots on the patio, tried some watermelon for the first time this season (and first time ever for Hudson - he likes it!) and sat out with Hudson to enjoy some of the 80 degree warmth - my kind of day! :)

Last night Andy surprised me with an early Mother's day gift - a beach cruiser! I LOVE it. Best first Mother's day I could have asked for! Hudson is back to his normal self, smiling, laughing and into everything! He is such a great kid, it's so fun to be with him - watching him discover and grow right before my eyes. We definitely love him more every day.

Can't believe he'll be NINE months next week!! Yikes.

phone camera

2011-05-06T08:10:00.000-07:00

These pictures were taken with my camera phone - not bad!

Copy Cat

2011-05-01T19:07:00.000-07:00

I think i may have written before about how Hudson has been copying the other kids at daycare - they cry, he watches them, waits for them to stop, then squeals at the same pitch they did - almost as if he's making fun of them. It's hilarious! He has also recently learned to give hi five's, clap, and as of today, he's waving. YES - he was sitting by the front door, looking out the glass/screen door, when he looked back at me with that sweet face of his (dead pan) and waved. Of course we've been trying to get him to wave for a week or so, but he hasn't done it until tonight! It was a finger wave, really, the kind where you just bend those four fingers, leaving the rest of your hand still. We will definitely be trying to get it on video! oh man, this kid is smart AND cute. Lady killer for sure.

Swing time

2011-04-29T11:01:00.000-07:00

Today we went for a walk, and stopped at the park across the street on our way back to swing! Hudson LOVED it. It is such a beautiful day here today in Denver - 72 and sunny with a light breeze. The kind of day I long for all winter - so we're taking advantage!! We'll probably go for a second walk later this afternoon, or after Andy gets home - definitely one of our favorite things to do on warm evenings here!

A boys best friend

2011-04-29T10:55:00.000-07:00

Lego will always be Hudson's first dog, and what a great first dog she is! She is so patient, loving, and calm with him (other than when she wants to play REAL bad). Hudson loves being around her, watching her, laughing at her. I'm sure as soon as he can figure out how to feed her, he'll be doing that as well - and she will be in doggie heaven. This picture kind of captures those little moments they already share, and moments I know Hudson will look back on with great fondness (once he starts remembering his childhood, of course). :)

Easter egg hunt

2011-04-25T18:36:00.000-07:00

Every year there is an easter egg hunt across the street from our place at the park. This year we were excited to bring Hudson out into the mix with all the other kids. Yea, should have thought that one through a little more. Of course he can't walk, and all the other kids can. SO, we ended up finding ONE egg, hovering over it while we put Hudson down (he was still under the weather so just sat there which was kind of nice) and took pictures of him looking adorable with his lone Easter egg. But you can see in these pictures, he did look adorable!! :) Unfortunately because he was sick, we didn't even think about taking a family photo. Maybe next year!

Couch walking

2011-04-25T15:48:00.000-07:00

EVEN with an ear infection/stomach bug/cold/teething, Hudson has begun walking his way around the couch. 8 1/2 months. Anyone want to place bets on when this kid will be walking on his own?

Hello, Easter Bunny

2011-04-23T11:37:00.000-07:00

Hudson met the Easter bunny today...as interesting looking as this Easter Bunny was...looks like Hudson thought he was different looking as well...

A good day after a VERY long week...

2011-04-23T10:39:00.000-07:00

This last week was probably one of the roughest we've had so far as parents. Hudson experienced the following:
1. Double ear infection
2. Stomach bug, causing him to vomit for over 12 hours
3. A cold (runny nose, cough)
4. Top teeth coming in
5. The worst diaper rash I've seen yet

YES. That all happened this week. So you can imagine, we got very little sleep. Because of that, we missed work, snapped at each other unnecessarily, and got sick ourselves. Oh, and it has been a VERY busy week at work for me - which doesn't work well with everything else going on. It was also the hardest week I think for us not having family close by to help out. I now realize why they say it can depressing and lonely when your kids are sick - it's true.

BUT!!! Yes!! We are on day 5 of medication, and doing MUCH better! We went to our first swim lesson today AND our first Easter egg hunt (not much of a hunt, but you know what i mean!)!! So things are finally looking up!

cutie pie

2011-04-17T13:52:00.000-07:00

Well, its been a couple weeks, so sounds like its time for another cold. Great. Once again, poor baby, and poor us. :) Good thing is, he's still smiling some of the time!! He's a trooper. Now i'm off to take a nap.

copy cat

2011-04-13T19:59:00.000-07:00

Hudson has begun copying certain things. He will copy one of his friends at daycare if they scream or cry - he waits until they are quiet, then makes the noise they just made. It is hilarious. He also watches one little boy, Talal, walk around on one of the toys they have there, and now he is starting to do that himself. Tonight, he copied Andy as he made a pllll noise with his mouth. He's done this kind of thing before a little, but never cause on video! He also copied me three times in a row when i said DADA today...WOW! Not sure if i'm ready to say that is his first word...

EIGHT MONTHS?!?!

2011-04-10T16:58:00.000-07:00

I have an 8 month old son. Really? Yes. He's 8 months old. WOW. So much has happened the last month, it's amazing how much this little baby has grown into a little boy. And he's only 8 months. ONLY. Funny how one minute he seem so grown up, but the next he is just my precious little baby boy.

From 7-8 months, the following changes have taken place:

Hudson got his first cold, that turned into his first ear infection. Not fun.

He figured out how to pull himself into the standing position; and now he does it ALL THE TIME.

He got his first case of the hives - haven't figured out what caused them yet, but they stayed for just a few days.

Hudson climbed the stairs. Yes. Hudson climbed the stairs. By himself. See video in previous post.

He is a busy little guy, crawling everywhere, feeding himself, pulling his toys out of his toy box, playing with the remote, cell phone, and any other electronic device he can stick in his mouth.

We think he is teething, as he has been waking up at least once a night for the last week - with a shreaking whale.

He LOVES to make a fishy face - seen above. And he is playing with his voice, making all sorts of interesting noises. One of which is screaming. We hope that phase doesn't last.

Hudson has recently become much more of a mama's boy. Only mom can put him back to sleep when he wakes up at night. Joy for mama. Hm. Hopefully he starts sleeping through the night again, for my sake.

We also got a visit from Grandma Rosdil this month! We went to the zoo, went for walks, and just had fun together. It was beautiful weather, and lots of fun!

Last night we got a sitter for the first time, and had gotten tickets to the Arcade Fire concert. We were both excited to see the band, and have a night out of the house. Once we arrived at the concert venue, about 25 minutes away from home, i get a call from the sitter. Hudson is screaming in the background. He has woken up, and she can't get him to calm down. We ask her to try soothing him for a few minutes, then check back. She calls 7 minutes later, and he is still screaming. Loud. We wait another 10 minutes to see if he will calm down (the band is getting ready to go on), and when I call to see if he's calming down, I can't hear her talking over his screams. So, we do what any good parent would do. We go home. Though disappointed, I really couldn't wait to get home to comfort my baby boy. And of course, it wasn't hard once he was in my arms. Within seconds he was smiling, putting his head on my shoulder, and getting ready to fall asleep. We said thank you to our awesome sitter (who will hopefully sit for us again in the future!), and put our little boy to bed. All by 9:45pm. I'm sure the concert was in full swing by then, but we'll have to wait until next time to hear them live.

just a few short months ago...

2011-04-09T06:24:00.000-07:00

Just looking back at pictures of Hudson from day one, and found this one picture of him with Great Grandpa and Grandma. I love it, because you can almost hear grandpa talking to Hudson - and Hudson talking back. That night, Christmas Eve, was one of the best Christmas memories I think I will ever have. Hudson was so wound up from all the energy and people - meeting everyone for the first time, having four generations together for the first time. And we all had such a fun time with him. I don't know if we'll ever have another Christmas, quite like that one.

doing stairs

2011-04-05T18:37:00.000-07:00

Hudson's first NUDE photo shoot (PG-13)

2011-04-03T19:09:00.000-07:00

No need to shield your eyes...unless you want to miss out on seeing some cute baby booty.

family photo

2011-04-03T18:49:00.000-07:00

our fun (warm) day at the zoo!

visit with grandma Rosdil

2011-04-03T18:47:00.000-07:00

Hudson had fun with Grandma Rosdil this weekend! and he wore his special shirt from Ireland just for her! (she brought it back from her trip last summer!)

An examination of Lego's bed

2011-04-03T18:44:00.000-07:00

Hudson decided to check out Lego's bed...and the new carpet we got put down in our bedroom! He climbed the stairs last week to check the carpet out there...i think he approves. :)

a trip to the zoo

2011-04-03T17:23:00.000-07:00

Last time we went to the zoo was Halloween, Hudson was less than three months old, dressed like a pumpkin, and slept through the whole thing. This time was a little better - he was awake, in his big boy stroller, and was equally as cute as he was at Halloween! And this time Grandma was here to go with us!!

we had to stop in to get a sun hat because it was 81 degrees out! Of course the next day it is snowing...and if someone says "that's spring in Colorado" one more time...I swear...

He's smiling now...

2011-03-26T17:43:00.001-07:00

Once Hudson starts walking, I think Andy's face might look a little bit different...

stand in the place where you are...at least for the moment.

2011-03-26T17:31:00.000-07:00

Now that Hudson is crawling AND standing up - he is getting EVERYWHERE, and pulling himself up on EVERYTHING. Here are a few examples...:)

fish face

2011-03-25T08:44:00.000-07:00

Hudson's new favorite pose - we like to also call it "Blue Steel" (Zoolander inspired).

me and my boy

2011-03-22T09:44:00.000-07:00

Well, we thought Hudson had his first cold a couple weeks ago, but I now believe it was a precursor to his REAL cold, which is currently happening right now. He has the runny nose, the horrible cough, trouble sleeping, trouble eating, general unhappiness - which is not like him! Poor little guy...and now i've got the cold too, so poor me. :) It's definitely more difficult to take care of a sick baby when you're sick and not getting sleep either! At least we have Andy, and he is a good daddy/husband - so we appreciate that! He just has to deal with us...so poor Andy too.

In other news, Hudson is pulling himself into the standing position whenever possible, and has now mastered his crawling. He will crawl directly to the closest object he can pull himself up on, and work his hardest to get up on those feet. Last night i walked into his room to find him standing in his crib...and i know it's only a matter of time before he takes a nice crash and hits his head. But i guess there's no avoiding that, since he doesn't know how to bend his knees while standing, and i'm not going to stay up all night watching him. Andy and I both think this kid will be a handful of constant motion...starting now.

2011-03-15T19:53:00.001-07:00

Loving his walks...

7 months

2011-03-13T17:41:00.000-07:00

So, i know this is quite a few pictures that are very similar, but it was necessary to put them all on to show the sequence of behavior we have now begun. This weekend, upon turning seven months old, Hudson discovered his ability to pull himself up onto his feet. He is now doing this as often as possible, no matter the location. This kid hasn't quite mastered his crawling, and here he is starting to stand up. Great.

Other things happening with this amazing 7 month old:

1. He LOVES pears. He'll eat some of his other vegetables, with an often times painful look on his face, but he'll devour his pears.

2. He makes the funniest sounds - with his breath. If he feels something in his nose, he breaths heavily in and out through his nose, seemingly fascinated by the noise. He's started breathing in, while making a kind of squeeky noise - and he loves it. He'll just take deep breaths, for no necessary reason, other than to make that noise. It's really funny. He also says DaDaDaDa all the time...so far no MAMA, but i'm listening very closely. :)

3. He is crawling/army crawling everywhere. And he wants to put everything in his mouth. So we have now vowed to clean the floors more often, and put away the nasty things we don't want him chewing on.

4. He is wearing 9-12 month clothes, and size 3 diapers.

5. He still cat naps a few times a day, but usually sleeps 9-11 hours a night, so he gets enough rest.

6. He will be starting to have 3 meals a day, starting this week! Since his activity has gone WAY up with his crawling, we figure the 3rd meal is necessary now.

7. He still loves his sippy cups, and likes to take drinks all by himself - tipping his head as far back as he can to get that last bit of water at the bottom of the cup.

8. Hudson and Lego are playing more together as well. Lego LOVES the attention, and Hudson just laughs and thinks she is the best as she wiggles and jumps all around him, wanting desperately to play. They're pretty cute together, other than the fact that Lego gets too excited. Go figure.

**SPECIAL NOTE***

We lowered the crib today. This 7 month old isn't pulling a fast one on us yet.

Is this normal to do at 7 months???

2011-03-12T13:33:00.000-08:00

First cold

2011-03-09T18:47:00.000-08:00

Last night Hudson got his first fever, and it's moved into his first cold. The second picture on this blog was taken today, and you can see that the cold hasn't totally gotten him down. :) He has been more fussy, hasn't eaten much, and has had a hard time breathing, but he's still the little happy man for the most part. Hopefully his immune system will kick this quick, but on the positive side i got to be home with him today, and will be with him for most of the day tomorrow (other than when i go in to work for a meeting).

Tomorrow he turns seven months...

strolling

2011-03-06T08:41:00.000-08:00

This weekend we took Hudson out in his big boy stroller - facing forward! He LOVED being able to see where he was going, and had his legs swinging back and forth the entire time. It was a little chilly out so he was kind of bundled up...but was so content and happy to be in that stroller! We took two walks, just because he was so cute to watch - so happy looking around and taking it all in.
Lately Hudson has been a little more difficult to put down for his naps - he ends up crying sometimes for 10 minutes before he finally relaxes and lets go, falling into his 30 slumber (short break for us, but still nice!). Today Andy was holding him after trying to put him down for a nap (unsuccessfully), and he was so tired he just started zoning out and rubbing Andy's chin. It was both hilarious and the cutest thing you've ever seen at the same time. This kid is always moving his hands and feet, but it was just funny to watch him calm himself by giving andy's chin a little massage.

Sometimes I look at him and just can't believe how adorable he is. Other times, I wonder why he won't sleep just a little bit longer...

The little traveler

2011-03-03T19:33:00.000-08:00

This last weekend Hudson was away from us overnight for the first time. He spent time with Grandma and Grandpa Reeves while we spent a little time together in San Francisco. It was hard at first to be away from him, but the time together with Andy was definitely worth the time to reconnect and have some time just the two of us. Hudson did great as well, loving every minute with Oma, Opa and the two yellow labs Bru and Shammy!

I do have to say, the flight back was definitely the most rough of the flights we've had with him so far (this was his fourth time flying out of state!). He is so squirmy and didn't want to sit still, let alone be quiet. So, for what I'm sure won't be the only time, we were "those people" on the plane with the baby that just wouldn't be quiet. All i can think to say to that now is, there are worse things that could happen...

love bug

2011-03-01T20:33:00.000-08:00

waking up from a nap

2011-02-19T08:06:00.001-08:00

Hudson has started pulling the bumper on his crib down to see what's going on when he wakes up from his naps. It's the cutest thing...and it's nice because he doesn't cry because he's too busy trying to get a peak at whatever is going on.

one week to 6 months

2011-02-18T19:12:00.000-08:00

One week old

6 months

Just can't get enough of this face!!

2011-02-18T19:04:00.000-08:00

I love this picture of Hudson in the chair with the sun streaming in...grabbing his foot, one of his favorite past times. And another great shot of his teeth. I think I look at this blog at least once a day...and it's my blog. I double click on the picture, and just look at how amazingly wonderful my son is. He's fun, gentle, sweet, goofy, curious, brave, and has a genuine joy that spreads right into my heart. I love you Hudson.

the sippy cup

2011-02-16T19:28:00.000-08:00

This kid loves sippy cups!! He's started drinking little bits of water here and there now, and once you give him that cup he will not let go! This one has a straw (given to us by a friend), and he actually figured out a couple times how to suck the water through the straw! His other sippy cup is currently his favorite thing - if I dump the water out of it he starts crying! He knows I'm taking the good stuff out that he wants! Crazy kid.

Six month stats

2011-02-16T17:22:00.000-08:00

We had our six month shots today - NEVER a fun process. But we did get his stats!

Six Months:
Height: 28 1/2 inches (97th %)
Weight: 20 lbs 2 oz (85th %)
Head circumference: 17 1/8 (45th %)

Compared to what he was at 4 months:
Height: 26 1/2
Weight: 16 lbs 2 oz
Head: 16 1/4

So he grew two inches and gained 4 pounds!!!

little bear update

2011-02-11T16:47:00.001-08:00

This last week Hudson turned six months old! It's amazing how many things have changed in just the last month, but to think about where we were six months ago is almost hard to fathom.

Our little 7lb 7oz bundle started out beautiful (for a newborn), and has already grown into such a handsome little boy!

A few highlights at the six month mark:

1. Hudson got his two bottom teeth! They came in at the same time, and he was just about five months and one week when they arrived. We're wondering how long it will be until the top two decide to start showing up...

2. He is sitting up! He's been wanting to sit up for months, and has finally mastered the art of keeping his balance to do it on his own. He LOVES sitting up...while he's eating, getting his diaper changed, you name it. I can't even imagine what will happen when he wants to stand or walk. Oh man.

3. FOOD. Hudson is now eating real food, and a little bit of water from the sippy cup! His first taste of peas was hilarious - we don't think he liked them...but he kept opening up for more! He's still eating rice cereal twice a day, and now has veggies and water along with it. The most well received veggie so far has been sweet potatoes - we have a food processor so he's getting some good fresh stuff!

4. Now that Hudson can roll over, and is constantly doing so, he has started working on his crawling. He gets up on all fours and rocks, lurching himself forward onto his tummy to get where he is trying to go. By 7 months I'm sure he'll be scooting all over the place!

5. He has been sleeping through the night for the most part the last couple months, and usually sleeps 9-11 hours, going to bed between 7:30-8. Some days he chooses to wake up at 4:30 all bright eyed...and we're hoping that is a phase that will die soon. :)

6. Hudson still loves music, and is always soothed by the sound of it either on the radio or from mom and dad singing.

7. We still have a little giggler and smiler on her hands - our boy LOVES people, loves doing things and looking at everything (if not grabbing it), and will smile for any stranger he interacts with. He is getting a bit more ticklish, and Lego licking his hands makes him laugh no matter what! Lego and Hudson have definitely grown in their interactions with each other!

8. We have our six month check up next week, but we can already tell Hudson is a bit larger than your average six month old. He is wearing 9 month clothes (6-12 from gap), size 3 shoes, and we're thinking he is close to 20 pounds!! We are nearing the day of upgrading to the bigger car seat - WHAT!? Crazy.

Daddy and son have been bonding more this last month as well - trips to Home Depot, play time just the two of them, etc. Andy and I both continue to LOVE this little boy more each day - his smile melts our hearts in an instant (even at 4:30am). Our prayers over his life grow more meaningful each day, as we pray for a lifetime of blessings and happiness for this amazing little person.

happy at the half

2011-02-11T14:21:00.000-08:00

my half birthday!

At about 5 1/2 months, Hudson started sitting up on his own!

Check out the TWO chompers he got during his fifth month of life...

He's got the crawling position down, just hasn't quite figured out how to move the arms and legs...yet.

Don't have to show this kid how to play with his food...

Our little half pint.

TEETH.

2011-02-08T11:34:00.000-08:00

and there they are...the chompers.