Being obedient

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUM86eL6tVw

He cries in the corner where nobody sees
He's the kid with the story no one would believe
He prays every night, “Dear God won't you please
Could you send someone here who will love me?”

Who will love me for me
Not for what I have done or what I will become
Who will love me for me
'Cause nobody has shown me what love
What love really means

Her office is shrinking a little each day
She's the woman whose husband has run away
She'll go to the gym after working today
Maybe if she was thinner
Then he would've stayed
And she says…

Who will love me for me?
Not for what I have done or what I will become
Who will love me for me?
'Cause nobody has shown me what love, what love really means

He's waiting to die as he sits all alone
He's a man in a cell who regrets what he's done
He utters a cry from the depths of his soul
“Oh Lord, forgive me, I want to go home”

Then he heard a voice somewhere deep inside
And it said
“I know you've murdered and I know you've lied
I have watched you suffer all of your life
And now that you'll listen, I'll tell you that I...”

I will love you for you
Not for what you have done or what you will become
I will love you for you
I will give you the love
The love that you never knew


Thia is the song that started the yearn in my heart.  About a month ago, we were about to leave to take Darbie to school, and she asked me if we could take the Ipod and listen to Christmas music.  Normally, I'd said yes!  I LOVE Christmas music and we listen to it often in the car.  However, this morning, for what I thought to be an unknown reason, I said no.  I didnt know why I said no.  I had a conversation back and forth with myself about why I would tel lher no, but I did and I stuck with that decision.  About half wya to her school this song came on the radio.  Now, I have heard this song a million times and it never spoke to me the way it spoke to me that morning.  Tears immediately started streaming down my face.  I heard God ever so clearly that morning.  He was riding in the passenger seat and He and I were having a conversation.  I told him that we were not ready for another child.  The timing is wrong.  We don't have the money. Hudson is still nursing.  Hudson is still not sleeping the greatest.  Actually the night before that morning, we were up most of the night because Hudson wasn't sleeping.  I was laughing asking God,.... dont You see this?????  While our hands are blessed, they are also full at the moment.... Full with an 11 year old who is growing and becoming a young lady.....full  with an active 3 year old who is full of energy....and full with a now 1 year old who was at the time still nursing and who is still not sleeping the greatest.....God, WE are not ready yet.... someday.....someday we will be ready.....and He was consistently telling me "yes you are.  I will not ask something of you that you can not handle".... that is what I kept getting from Him that morning... Lean on me... I'll give you what you need....Depend on me....Rely on me.... Let me bless you like no one else can.....


I wiped my eyes and told Darbie to have a wonderful day and back home we went.... the thought kept nagging at me but I started believing that it was me just dreaming.... I did just not get a good nights rest... we were up most of the night... I was just sleepy....groggy....

I didn't say anything to anyone for about a week.  But God kept laying it on my heart....NOW NOW NOW is what I felt like he was telling me... I laughed one day and said Tim will shoot me if I bring this up to him....so I didn't... I let a few more days pass by and Tim had duty one night so I decided to email him everything... I'm better at writing than speaking my feelings sometimes and I didnt have to see the crazy look on his face as he was reading it!    So I sent him an email explaining just as I have here and I didnt get any response back from him... He came home the next day and said nothing about the email... .I said...."you see God... he thinks I am C-R-A-Z-Y!!!"  The night before Thanksgiving, I was sitting at the counter and he was in the kitchen and he looks over to me and nonchalantly says "have you ever thought that maybe we would adopt a child with special needs?"  I started with all of the statistics of special needs... all of the problems that could happen.... al lof the negatives when God stopped me dead in my tracks... "'Terra....this is not your plan...its Mine...."  Wow what a thought to slap you in the face... On Thanksgiving Day, I went to check the mail and there were two big enevelopes in there... As I was walking back to the ouse I looked at the return address label to see that they were from Bethany Christian Services... I said "Ok God, I get it!  I didnt order these... and I know Tim didn't....so we'll get on it... but lead us please!"  I got back to the house and told Tim that somehow we received some stuff from Bethany Christian Services....only to find that he had been doing a lot of research and had inquired about their services and had them send us information.... My husband, who I thought would think I was crazy, had already started the process of getting information.... God I love this man!

While we are still praying and are unsure of a lot of things, we want to be obiedient.  That is one thing that we have talked about and where we agree that we feel its the wrong timing, evidently God is telling us otherwise!  We always knew we wanted to adopt but we thought it would be later in life.

We ask that you pray with us as God leads us through this journey of adoption.  We don't know if He is telling us now is the time....or if He is telling us that this is not just something we've dreamed and thought about, but this is really going to happen.  If the timing is now, we don't know how we are going to pay for it.  so many unknowns but we know that we serve a faituful God.  We are terrified and excited all in one!  Pray that we are obedient to His word, His timing, His calling... We know that He already has a child for us!  Whether that child isn't born yet, or if he/she is already in this world just waiting on us to be obedient. 

This song has become a favorite in our house!!!

http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=WDGYYGNX

Hudson turns 1!

Dearest little man,
I can't believe I am sitting here typing your one year birthday letter. You are tucked tightly in your bed fast asleep.  You are actually one year and 5 days old but I wanted to wait until your birthday party before I posted this.  It has been an amazing year with you buddy!  To think that daddy and I were not wanting any more children after your two sisters.  God knew what He was doing and He knew what kind of a blessing you were going to be to us!  I am sooo happy He saw daddy and I fit to be your parents!  I think back on the year we've had.  You were born on the 5th.  Our house was packed on the 7 and 8th of December.  We said goodbye to all of our friends in Charleston on the 11th of December and headed to VA to our new home state.  I have pictures of everyone in Charleston holding you.  They were there to watch you grow in mommy's tummy and they were there to welcome you into this world!  Mommy misses our friends from SC daily and I think of all of the friends you would have had there!  But, the US Navy called us to VA and we moved here and took on a whole new adventure.  You soon met people here that we now call our friends!  These people have watched you grow from just an infant and many love you like their own.  What's not to love about your big toothy grin??? 

Let's see...... you now have 5 teeth and we think you maybe working on your 6th.  You have three up top and two on the bottom.  I am in the process of weaning you completely.  We were down to just our nightly feeding until tonight and I decided the longer I waited, the harder it was going to be so tonight I fixed you a sippy of milk and went to rock you, but you would have nothing to do with that sippy.  You didn't fight me.  You took your paci and snuggled against my chest and fell fast asleep.  I hope you sleep through the night becasue right now I am worried that you are hungry.  You have gotten nursed at bedtime every single night since you were born.  (Either nursed or a bottle at bedtime)  So, hopefully you sleep all night and hoepfully the last weaning is as easy as it was tonight.  I was worried in the beginning of weaning you that you wasn't ready.  However, you have been a champ and have not looked back.  It kind of makes me sad but it also lets me know that it was me not ready instead of you not being ready.  We did it buddy!  We made it longer than I ever thought we would and I am soooo happy we did!

You weight 24 pounds and I'm not sure how tall you are right now.  You don't have your one year well baby until jan. 7th.  =(

You are babbling up a storm.  Yu can say mama, dada, bye, hi, and you've said Bry Bry on several occasions when looking at Brylee.  Tonight I said "all done" and you copied it clear as day!  You love talking and you love smiling!  You light up anyone you are around!  You have quickly become a daddy's boy and you love when he comes home from work!  You love boy toys, which amazes me....How do you know what boy toys are??? you have a house full of barbies??? =) 

You are still very tempermental and have a temper like nobody's business!  Daddy and I are still trying to figure out how to handle this temper of yours. 

You are the biggest cuddler and a huge flirt with the ladies!  Your big blue eyes and big handsome grin melts their hearts!

You love to play peek a boo!

You are full of personality and life!

This past year has been a huge blessing and I am soo happy and honored that I get to be called mommy!

Here are some pictures over the last year!

Just moments after you were born!

 

happy 3 months!

 

 

happy 6 months!

 

happy 9 months!

Happy 1 year birthday buddy!!!!!

We love you more than words can ever express!
Love always,
Mommy and Daddy

 

 

Do all good things come to an end???

Ad I sit here, I don't even know where to start.  Breastfeeding was a personal choice for me.  When I was pregnant with Brylee, I said I would give it a try and if it worked it worked and if it didn't, it didn't.  I wasnt going to loose sleep over it.  Well, she latched on first time and never had any trouble.  I nursed her until she was pushing 14 months and decided it was time to stop.  We never had any issues and I LOVED it!  When Hudson came along, there was no choice to make.  I knew I would breastfeed him and in my mind we wouldnt have any issues.  I knew what I was doing and had resrouces if he didn't latch on.  I was confident.  He was born at 4:16 pm and started nursing right away and nursed pretty much for the first 6 hours of his life.  He quickly became a professional nurser his first day of life!  As his first birthday is approaching oh so quickly and I'm thinking it's time to stop, I just want to cry.  My mind is ready but my heart is not.  How can you have such a love/hate relationship with something.....So we started out nursing and for the first 8 weeks of his life no one got any sleep.  He screamed and screamed and screamed.  When we finally got to VA and went to the doctor, the first thing she suggested was putting him on formula.  (Now, we LOVE our doctor, but she isn't a big supporter of bresatfeeding=()    I quickly told her that wasn't an option so we had to figure something else out....A few weeks later, we headed to the GI doctor for the first time.  After looking at his charts and examining him and listening to all we had to say, he told us that we probably wasnt dealing with reflux (which is what Tim and I thought it was) and we were probably dealing with food allergies.  And guess what he suggested.... yep, formula...and expensive formula at that!  Oh, and in between visiting our doctor for the first time and seeing the GI, I gave in one night and Tim and I headed to Target to get formula.  I cried most of the way to get it....hated standing there trying to pick from the 20 different brands and kinds...and I hated giving it to him... I was secretly happy when putting him on the formula made no difference in his screaming fits and sleepless days and nights...I kept pumping during this time to not loose my supply.  We quickly went back to soley nursing and there was a lot of crying coming from this mama.... Anways, back to the GI... he said our best bet was to put him on formula... When I bursted out in tears in his office he told me that I had given him 8 good weeks of nursing and thats more than a lot of babies get... yadda yadda yadda.... Then I started feeling liek what one of the best gifts God gave me for my baby wasnt adequate and why wasn't it good enough... what did it hurt him so badly... a million thoughts ran through my mind as I sat there staring at Tim wondering what he was thinking and wondering what really was the best thing for our precious son.  I quickly made up my mind that so be it if he had food allergies, I could do this.... The doctor told me it would be hard and most mothers didnt do it because of the strict diet I would have to be on.  My thoughts were if he did indeed have food allergies and didn't outgrow them, I would have to learn how to cook to suit him anyways, so why not give it a try now.  And it was hard!  For 6 weeks I went on an allergy free diet and then we had to add things in one by one to see if he reacted.  And when he did react, I felt like the worse mom ever. Anyways, we finally got everything figured out and was sailing smoothly again!

(Didnt mean to go off in that direction... I feel like some days I have ADD like nobody's business!)

So, back to bresatfeeding comind to an end...I have to say that during this past year, there have been days that I dreamed of stopping nursing.  I have wanted to be selfish and eat what I wanted.  I have craved chineese food like nothing else!  We've been to get togethers and I've looked at foods I couldnt have and just wished that I was done with this.  I didn't want him to grow up.  I didn't want to put him on formula.  I just wanted to be done nursing in that moment.  there have been nights when he has nursed every 2 hours and I was exhausted and wanted to stop.  He nursed ever hour and forty five minutes to every 2 hours until he was 8 months old.  I felt like I was an open buffet 24 hours a day.  I was half naked more than I've been dressed in this last year.  At times, I wished I could have moved to a nudist colony or to Africa, where it's the norm for woman to be able to just go free up top.  Tim has seen my chest more in this last year than the 6 years we have been married combined! And let me say  Hudson, he has loved you for that! =)  Although I do not want to be the next Time magazine cover mom, I am just not quite ready to give it up i don't think.  But, I probably will.  It's time for him to be a big boy and it's time for me to have me back.  I know I have given him a good 12 months of breast milk and that has been amazing, especially when there were days I didnt know how much longer I could do it.  I've made it!  When the GI doctor asked me at his 6 month check up how much longer I was going to do it and I said until he is one and he looked at me like I was crazy... I was sooo proud of myself when we were there last week and he asked if he was still nursing and I said YES!  He is starting to self wean during the day and he only nurses for a few minutes and feedings are pretty far between.  He sitll loves to nurse first thing in the mornings, and right before bed...and during the night when he has a rough night.  I am not ready to give up the fact that a boob in his mouth can fix anything!  He is a comfort nurser and I don't know if thats the boy in him or if it's just him.  I want to cry thinking that this is one constant thing he knows and it's all he knows and to think I am going to take this away from him makes me want to cry...He has been put on a prescrition milk until he is 18 months old and at that point we will try whole cow's milk.  We have started introducing him to this milk and he is doing ok with it in his sippy.  He is not fond of it in a bottle I dont think.  So here we are...it's so bittersweet to me to be coming up on ending this fabulous thing that I have loved and hated at the same time. 

Hudson, I look at you and i see how big you have gotten and how healthy you are and I know that I did the best thing I could have done for you.  Some of my most favorite memories will always be sitting in your room in the dark, listening to KLove, and nursing you.  Over this past year, you have gone from being an 8lb little baby that when I nursed you, your whole body was right in front of me to now being almost one and you wrap half way around me when I nurse you.  I am going to miss you getting excited when I pull my nursing cover out.  You get the biggest grin on your face and it cracks me up!  I am going to miss going into your room in the middle of the night and you can latch on in the dark with no problem and you instantly calm down and fall asleep.

I am not going to miss my diet restrictions.  I am hoping that you start sleeping through the night when  you are fully on your new milk.  Im not going to miss worrying about frozen milk when daddy and I are on a date.

I am scared because I don't even know how to begin weaning you.  I know it's going to be rough in the beginning.  are you ready?  am I ready? 

This has been the hardest year and it has been the best  year.  I wouldnt change a single decision I made with nursing you.

I love you buddy and I pray we transition through this new phase easily.

Hudson is 11 months!

I seriously can't believe Hudson was 11 months on Monday!  Buddy, you are growing soooo fast and learning something new everyday!  Today, you finally took off with crwaling... You have been tinkering with the idea for a few weeks but today at the doctor, you crawled accross the floor to get a Mr. Potato head!  Daddy and I were so excited!  And then tonight, you have crawled a few times to get soemthing you want!  You weigh 21 pounds.  You haved bye bye for the first time yesterday morning.  You can say hi, daddy, and mama when you want to.  You had a follow up with the pediactric gi doctor today and we figured out a few things.  As far as your allergies are concerned, eggs still both you severly!  You are handling mommy having small amounts of dairy, but we have noticed your excema has come back since I have been having it.  We don't know about soy but the doctor said to still lay off of it.  Since the flu shot has egg in it, he said to not give it.  We have to double check with your one year shots to see if any have egg or not, the doctor wasn't sure.  You are being put on a special kind of milk.  The doctor doesnt think you rae quite ready for cow milk.  Mommy is really struggling with thinking about ending our journey of breastfeeding but I am a little ready.  Maybe I am being selfish, but I am ready to have all of my foods back.  Part of me says you have gotten 12 good months of breastmilk and you are good to go.  The other part of me says this is all that you know and I want to hold on to this moment.... I am ready to get my body back but I am not ready to take what you know away from you =(  It really is hard.  You daddy is VERY supportive during the first 12 months, but after that not so much =)  Your sleeping is still different every single night.  Some nights you sleep great and other nights  you do not.  You LOVE to eat food but you are very tempermental with it.  If you are sleepy, we can give up trying to get you to eat food.  You are still a comfort nurser and I think that is one more thing that worries me about weaning you.  You are as handsome as ever and you are soo stinking funny!  Daddy and I think you are going to be a class clown as you get bigger.  You love when you make someone laugh!  You still adore your sisters and smile when they come in the room.  You and Brylee love to play together but she doesn't like you drooling on her toys and you get mad when she takes them away from you.  You now have 4 teeth... top2 and bottom 2!  Welp little man, I think that is about it for now!  I can't believe I am about to start planning your 1 year birthday! =(

Love,
Daddy and Mommy

Hudson is growing up!

Can you believe it... I've thoguht to blog without a month brithday =)  anyways, as I sit here and type, he is playing with a can of puffs and they are all over the floor... but I dont care because he is quiet and happy... I don't even care if it's quiet but the last few days he has been super cranky and irritable because he is cutting his two top teeth.  =(  Poor guy.  The botton two didnt give him much trouble at all but these top ones are being stinkers! 

Last night, daddy had to lower his crib mattress because he is now pulling up on it onto his knees and looking over the railing and I was afraid he was going to fall out on his head =(  where have these last almost 11 months gone to?  My little man is growing soooooo fast!  He is now scooting everywhere and crawling here and there... He can get to whatever he wants with no problem, whether it be by scooting, rolling, or some kidn of crawl/army crawl, belly flop when he's close to his wanted item =)

Darbie plays soccer!

Darbie just finished another season of soccer and I am so sad that I didn't take many pictures this season.  With Tim's work schedule being so crazy and me having to take 3 kids to soccer by myself, most of the time I was spent just getting us there on time!  But, I did get one or two of her last game!  I didn't get one of her scoring a goal because someone, I won't mention names, had to go potty and while we were in the bathroom Darbie scored! =(  some dad telling you your daughter scored while you were gone is something ever mom wants to hear....NOT!!!

Hudson trying to stay warm!

My beautiful little princess!

So no good action shots, but here's what I have!

A little blury but it's the only one I got of her with the ball!

This smile can melt anyone's heart!

My beautiful girl with her medal and award!

Fall Festival in our neighborhood and MOPS

A few weeks ago our  neighborhood did a Fall Festival.  Tim had to work so just me adn the kids went.  Here are a few pictures.  The girls had a BLAST!  Pony rides, small petting zoo, jump castles, sumo wrestling, and cotton candy...what's there not to love, right? =)

Here are a few decorations in our yard!

Hudson loved holding his pumpkin that he chose from the pumpkin patch!

 the girls loved decorating their pumpkins!

 While Brylee loved the pirate and his parrot, Hudson wasn't so sure about him and anytime we saw him walking around, this is the look Hudson would give!

 Darbie and her pumpkin vampire!

 Brylee's first pony ride!

She was so proud to be holding him!

she got a sparkly spider to match her shirt

My little pumpkin!  This is his first Halloween!

Yes, he is standing!!!

Brylee and her bestfriend here in VA!

making a mesh wreath

 The top three pictures are the items you need to make this wreath.  The wreath is a 16in wreath.  Leave the paper on the straw wreath.  Unroll the mesh fabric but don't cut it.  You will use it all.  After unrolling it, take about as much as I have in the picture below and pin it on the wreath just as is.  the pins stick nicely in the wreath.

 Now that the beginning of the mesh is sevure on the wreath, you are going to take pieces about this long, bunch it up, and pin it on the wreath.  You will need to rotate bunching and pinning from towards the inside of the wreath to the "top" of the wreath.  dont worry that the back fo the wreath isnt covered.  You will not see that part of the wreath once it is hanging on the door.  (you may have to unpin and repin until you get the hang of it but it is super simple!)

 This is what one "bunch" looks like!

 After you get going, it will start looking like this!

Once you are finished it will look like this!  You can add whatever you'd like to it once it is done.  I attached my stuff using a hot glue gun but be super careful, it does melt the mesh but you can't tell once the item is on!

random updates!

I always have good intentions of blogging and something will be on my mind and I never get around to blogging about it.....HHHMMMM well, the girls are doing great!  Darbie is in full swing with school and afterschool activities... At times, I feel like a taxi cab driver that works for free between her and Brylee.  Here's a look at our week.... Mondays are our free days so we only spend 3 hours in the car... thats 30 min to take Darbie to school and 30 min back home.....about a 20 minute drive to take Brylee to gymnastics and then 20 minutes back home...then 30 min drive to pick Darbie up up and 30 min drive back home....(I know, we could have sent her to the middle school we are zoned for and we've heard nothing but great things about it, but she had an opoprtunity and I wasn't working so we couldn't pass it up.  She is getting more options where she is now than what she would have gotten at our zoned school.  She is learning in creative ways which makes me very happy.  She has had some struggles because thinking outside of the box isnt a strentgh of hers but shes learning and growing!  We are soo pleased with her teachers this year and she likes them all too!  So anyways, the drives every day are totally worth it!  Tuesdays, we take Darbie to school and come back home... We go pick Darbie up from school late because she has play practice in the afternoon and head straight to ballet for Brylee....spend an hour there and then head home quickly so Darbie can jump out of the car and throw her soccer gear on then we leave immediately and head back to the soccer fields (I didn't mention that we live in one place...drive in one direction for Darbie's school...then drive to the opposite end of town almost for Brylee's dance and then back to somewhat middle ground for soccer depending which field she is at that day)...then we leave soccer and come home to finally eat dinner... Wednesdays, we take Darbie to school and then come home...We pick Darbie up and every other wednesday the girls go to kids club and do crafts.  Wednesday nights they both go to Awana... Thursdays we take Darbie to school and then pick her up late because she has play practice afterwards... we then go to soccer on Thursday nights..... I know... we could cut some things out...and we have...we cut out SGA for Darbie on Wednesdays because she wants to take piano lessons again and we had to give up something in order to fit that into our schedule... but back to cutting things out... she loves theater and thats a creative outlet for her!  She loves playing soccer and it keeps her active... Brylee loves dance and it teaches her balance and some calmness for at least an hour... She is loving gymnastics and learning to be even more fearless han she already was!  They each get so much from each of their activities that it is worth the craziness we go through during the week to get them at each of their activities.... I now this is only a season and it will not last forever!  So, those are my thoughts on feeling like a taxi cab driver!

Darbie is doing good in school.  She kidn of got off to a rocky start but is really picking it up and doing well!  She was having trouble with staying organized and remembering to turn homework in... With some resistance and now closely being watched and made to stay organized and learning to become a good time manager, she is doing much better!  (She is on a block schedule and has math and language arts every day.... they have "a" days and "b" days... with those days, science, social studies, pe, and an elective rotates every other day so it takes some organization and some responsibility to remember to do homework and to remember to keep it in your binder to turn it in two days later.... She is doing amazing in soccer this season... She has a really good coach and what we have learned about our eldest in the last few years is the fact that she will perform where you expect her to.... if you have high expectations, she'll meet them.... if they are low.... she doesnt go beyond that.... so anyways, her coach this season is really good and has high expectations of her and she's doing amazing!  I find it hard to get pictures of her with two rugrats to look after but hopefully tomorrow morning I can get some pictures of her playing!  One good thing about the long ride to school in the mornings is there is time for some good conversations to happen!  She is a light for Christ and it shines soooo brightly!  We are sooo proud of her for this!

Brylee oh Brylee!  She maybe the death of me and her daddy!  She is oo full of life and personality it's not even funny.  A day doesnt go by that she doestn crack us up with something she has to say.  At times, she melts your heart and drives you completely insane all during the same moment!  She is fearless and opinionated.  Tim and I wished we would have started a log with all of the crazy stuff she says becuase man, she says some funny funny stuff and then we forget it =(  However, here lately she has been watching sooo much disney Princess movies that all she talks about is her Prince and marrying him.... Last night, Tim told her that he was going to take her movies away because she is too young to be thinking about marrying her Prince (he is a little concerned at times with this) and she said "OH DADDY, YOU CAN'T DO THAT TO ME!"  I lost it!  Then, the other day I had had it with her behavior and told her I was going to spank her butt.  (a  while ago we had to rename that body part to booty because she said "butt" a lot and it just didnt soudn the greatest coming from her sweet mouth) and without skipping a beat the other day...before I could get to her to spank her she very matter of a factly told me we dont say the word butt....we say booty... how can you spank a child after that????? come on!!!!!  She is exhausting.  She never stops and goes ninety to nothing from the moment she wakes up until the moment she reluctantly closes her eyes....  She definitely keeps us going.  Oh and something funny...she calls gymnastics benastics and it's the cutest thing ever!

Hudson, well I just updated you on him... but I just can't say it enough how cute he is... I think he has the most charming smile ever...The ladies better watch out... =)

Tim and I are doing great!  He just changed schedules and instead of working on two, off two...now he works every single day m-f and every 4th night he sleeps on the boat... which, already I am liking it better!  We was gone for a week last week and it just confimed that we are sooooo done with deployments and if nothing changes are getting out in two years!  He had the privelege of going on the mans retreat from church last weekend and had a blast!  I am sooo happy he got to go this year.  It seems like every year he has to work and can't take off!

I can't beleive the holidays are coming up so quickly!  I can' t wait to go home and see my family for Christmas!

Me, I am doing good... Trying to stay content with where God has me right now!

Happy late 10 months buddy

Dearest Hudson,

You are about 10.5 months tonight and I just realized I never wrote your 10 month blog.  You are currently in the bath tub playing with your sister.  You two have more fun in the tub every night than most could probably imagine.  Currently, you both are splashing so hard mylaptop is getting wet... I guess I need to scoot further away from the bath tub!  Lets see... what's been going on in your little life lately?  hhmmm well, you have started pulling up on thing onto your knees.  You have just recently started showing interest in crawling and daddy and I think you'll take off any day.  You just looked at me and said "mama"  which melted my heart!!!!!!!  You have been saying daddy for a good while but it's now becoming very meaningful.  You get the biggest smile when you see him!  You are his little mini me!  You are making lots of sounds and even imitating some things, which we love!  Just in the past few days you have started talking non stop!  You have lots to say it seems!  I can't wait until they are actually words we can understand!   You are weighing a little over 20 pounds now and I want to cry when I think about planning your first birthday real soon!  You are still throwing fits and we are still trying to figure out how to deal with these at such a young age.....You are so handsome and I just eat you up every single day!  You are loving toys and playing with other babies....as much as a 10 month can!  You have slept all through the night all week and its been GLORIOUS!!!  I am hoping this is your new routine and not just a teaser for mommy!  You go back to the GI doctor next week and we are curious as to what he says about your allergies!  You had yogurt for the first time this week and handled it!!! YAY FOR HUDSON!  So, when I do get to the grocery store...hopefully this weekend, I am going to buy you some more and start giving it to you daily.  We are hoping your allergy/intolerance to dairy is gone!  Eggs still bother you very badly and I haven't tried soy in a very long time.  You are very tempermental whenit comes to food and you watn nothing to do with it if you are sleepy...Our nursing days are quickly coming to an end I am afraid.  I am kind of ready and kind of not.  A few more months though.  I will be happy to be able to eaT CHINESE FOOD again =)  Overall, you are a very happy boy and you make mommy and daddy soooo very happy!  We thank God daily that he blessed us with you!

We love you buddy!
Love,
Mommy and Daddy

You are always cheesing for the camera!

 You are such a cuddler and I cherish these times with you =)

 You and me hanging out while daddy and the girls ride rides at Busch Gardens!

 Showing off your new skills!

 Look at these chipmunk cheeks!

Update on the girls

Here's a quick update on Darbie and Brylee

Darbie started middle school last week.  I know, right?  Where has the time gone????  She is doing great!  She is loving it so far!  I was very proud of how confident she has been going into a new school knowing no one!  Here is her first day!

She is auditioning for a part in the school play and made first cut.  She has her second audition today!  She loves acting!  Soccer has started but she hasn't had her first game yet.



Brylee is growing and learning something new it seems every day!  She start ballet and gymnastics in a few weeks and she is super excited!  Gymnastics maybe right up her alley....She is fearless!  She starts preschool with mommy on Monday.  Hopefully, she does well!  She currently weighs 36 pounds and is 41 in tall...She went to the doctor the other day for a sinus infection =(

Here she is practing her handstand!

 

Here are her beautiful curls for Zach and Laura's wedding!

Hudson is 9 months!

Dear Hudson,
As I sit here and type this, you are upstairs taking a nap!  I can't believe another month has passed!  We took you for your 9 month well baby visit last week and you weight 19.7 lbs and was right at 30 in long I believe!  You are growing fabulously!  You now have two teeth.  They came in days apart and are both on the bottom.  You are now realizing they are there and you are rubbing things against them.  You are sitting wonderfully now.  The other night you tried to crawl but you haven't shown much interest since that night.  You have gotten a very bad temper in the last few weeks and I don't know how to deal with it.  You are learning the word "no" but you don't fully understand it yet.  when you don't get something you want, you arch your back and scream very loudly.  Hopefully daddy and I learn how to handle that very soon.  Your sleeping is still very erractic both night and day!  Overall, you are such a happy baby.  And, you are such a lover.  You love to give kisses and cuddle!  Football season has started and you like watching the games with daddy.  You are slwoly learning how to throw your hands up when we say "touchdown" and then clap!  YOu are copying a lot now which is very funny to watch =)  Ok buddy, that's about it for now!

We love you so much!
Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Happy 8 months, Hudson

Dear little man,
I can't believe you are already 8 months old!  (8 months and a week as of right now)  The time has flown by.  According to our scales, you are weighing about 19-20 pounds already!  I know why!  You LOVE to eat.  If anyone in the room with you is eating, you think you have to be eating also!  You love all sorts of foods!  You pretty much eat with us and love meat already!  You haven't gotten the hang of feeding yourself yet but you are well on your way!  You can feed yourself a mum mum and  you love them =)  You are still nursing well!  I should have known that when all you wanted to do the first 4 hours of your life was nurse!  Your sleeping is still very random.  Some nights you will sleep all night....8-9ish, to about 5ish....and then nights like last night you are up all night!  Naps are still touchy go...somedays are great, others are not =(  Two weekends ago we had to buy you new jammies and we had to buy you 12 month...thinking you'd have PLENTY of room to grow....welp, they fit, and you have a tiny bit of room to grow... it almost made me cry...I realize just how big yo uihave goten at night when Im in your dark room nurisng nad rockign you to sleep...when you were just born, even weighing in at 8lbs and 2oz...you were soooo small...now you litterlly wrap all the way around my side while you are nursing.  I know this season is coming to an end beofre I know it and I'm just tryint to soak it all in while I can! 

You have just learned to sit up all by  yourself in the last several weeks.  You still fall over a good bit but you are getting better and better by the day!  You love Elmo toys.  And, when we go to Busch Gardens, you love to see Elmo =)  You are definitely going to be a talker... You love to talk and just today your daddy had food in his hand and was walking away from you and you started yelling at him...not crying or whining, but yelling at him...if only you had words =)  You can say dada when you want to.....I dont know how meaningful it is yet but you definitely know who your daddy is and your face lights up when he gets home from being at works for two days straight.  You love your sisters still and smile at them often.  Darbie is now sitting in between you adn Brylee in the van and you love that she is right there beside  you! 

You are going to be a fiesty little one.  You are already starting to stand your ground with Brylee by hitting and scratching and pulling her hair.  When she has something you want, or when she takes something away from you, you try your best to ge it back from her.  You are a biter and that may get you in a lot of trouble, especially when you do get teeth!

Mommy and daddy love you so much!  We have loved watching you grow and turn into a little man!  You are changing every day and looking more like a little boy instead of a baby.  You are so handsome and so loving!  Even though sometimes I'd love to stop the clocks, I can't wait to continue to watch you grow and grow!

Love,
mommy and daddy