Fall

I love fall...the cool crisp air, the changing leaves (especially here, since trees were non-existent in Lubbock!), pumpkins, football, jackets and scarves, etc. Fall has always been my favorite season. When I was younger, one of my favorite pre-fall activities was school supply shopping (and I admit, I have to control myself even now when I go into a store and see all of the pencils, notebooks, crayons, markers and binders...I mean really, what do I need with crayons at age 30??) I just love it all for some reason. That reminds me of the movie "You've Got Mail" with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks (love that movie)...where they're talking about fall, and he says he would send her a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils...I may just have to watch that sometime soon. I only mention my love for fall because it has felt so fall-like here lately. The air is cool (if not downright cold at times...we've had to turn the heater on a few days), the leaves are changing and falling, and there have been tons of fall festivals all around. I'm really hoping we can make it out to a pumpkin patch sometime this fall and take pictures with Hudson.

We had a nice relaxing weekend. Saturday I got out and ran errands while Colby and Hudson had some father/son bonding watching football. :) It was really the first time I've been out shopping without either a huge pregnant belly, or toting a baby & carrier around in quite some time. I have to say, it was nice...and much more efficient. When I got home, Hudson had a little throwing up incident...I say little...but it was quite major at the time. He was in his carseat, so it was all over that, all over him, and on the carpet/rug in the living room. Poor little guy...I don't think he felt very good that evening. But, he appears to be over whatever it was...so we're good now. Colby had given him a bottle of formula while I was out that day (his very first one) to see if he would take it. We're trying to prepare for me leaving town this weekend (going to Dallas for Janna's shower)...and Colby might have to give him some formula while I'm gone. So, we're not sure whether it was the formula that didn't agree with him, or whether he had a little bug or something...but, he seems to be back to normal now. We'll try the formula again this week to see if he'll tolerate it. I hope so...if not, I'm not sure what we'll do if I can't pump enough before Friday!!

In other news, Hudson's still sleeping through the night!! Yay! He's smiling all the time and talking up a storm! It's adorable. Still haven't cut his hair...although it really needs it. I just can't bring myself to do it...but if I don't at least trim the back and sides soon, people will start thinking he's a girl!! :)
Oh...Best Buy called and said that they had a "system upgrade", and that it might delay our camera being repaired. What on earth does that mean?? Another week, another two weeks, another month???  If I don't get it soon, I'm going to have to convince Colby to leave his iphone with me during the day so I can take decent pictures! Ugghhh...I want my camera back!!

Random Pictures

These are some random pictures from my phone from the last few days. Some of you may have already seen these, but thought I would post anyway since I don't have a camera at the moment. : (

Enjoy!

Getting ready for bed with daddy...man, that is some crazy  hair, and it looks a little red in this picture!

Playtime on my quilt from Aunt LaLa

This is the position I found him in a few mornings ago when I went to wake him up...right hand out of the swaddle blanket, sucking on his fingers, rolled over on his side. This is the morning he slept until 9am!!

Playtime in my crib while mommy put my clothes away

He's always in such a good mood in the morning...this was from this morning after breakfast

Also from this morning...sitting on the bed like a big boy waiting for mommy to get ready

What?!?! You mean I have to get up now??

I think we may be onto something!!

Hudson has slept through the night 4 out of the last 7 nights!!! Woohoo!! 2 were in a row. Then, night before last...we had a transformer blow really close to our house at 3am...so our electricity went off (i.e. Hudson's sound soother), and there was a LOUD gong-type noise right outside his window...so, of course, that woke him  up. But, the nights that he has woken up, I've been able to get him back to sleep with just a pacifier and a little comforting, and then he sleeps until around 6:30 or 7am. A few nights, he's even slept until 8 or 9! In fact, last night, we put him to bed around 11pm (he's been eating around 7-7:30 then going to sleep, then I wake him up to eat again right before we go to bed, usually around 10:30 or 11pm) and he woke up at 5am and went back to sleep after being re-swaddled and pacifier'd...then didn't wake up again until almost 9 this morning!! Go Hudson! This little boy likes his sleep!! And his mommy is thankful!!

He's been a super sleeper from the very beginning! I usually only have to get up with him once a night (if we time it right) to feed him...but now, I think we might be making the transition to sleeping all night! YAY!!!

PS- Camera still broken! We took it to Best Buy this last weekend to get it fixed, but wouldn't you know it...they have to send it off, so we won't have it back for 2-3 weeks!!! What is a mommy supposed to do without her camera for 2-3 weeks?!?!?? Colby asked about a loaner camera, but the guy just laughed. We may have to break down and buy a cheap backup camera to hold us off.

1 & 2 Month Appointments

At Hudson's one month appointment, he weighed 8 lbs. 11 1/2 oz. and was 22 1/4 inches. He was in the 70th % for length, and the 18th % for weight...but, going off his birth weight, he's right on target. He got only one shot at his appointment...but one was definitely enough!!!!!! He did NOT like it one bit. He had been such a good boy for the Dr. the whole appointment. Then the nurse came in with the shot in her hand, and it was like he could sense it was coming...he instantly started getting fidgety and fussing just a little. And boy, when that nurse gave him the shot, his face got bright red and he let out the saddest scream/cry I've ever heard. Poor baby!! :( But, with the help of his pacifier and a little cuddling from mommy, he got over it pretty quick!

Yesterday was Hudson's 2 month appointment! Man, how time flies! I can't believe it's already been a whole month since his 1st appointment! The shots went a little smoother yesterday...they weren't quite as traumatic, eventhough there were 2. He had a nice big meal before we went to the Dr. so he was good and happy for his checkup, and even smiled and talked to the Dr. a little. After the shots though, he went directly to sleep, and had a nice nap. Everything looked great, and he passed all the developmental checks. He weighed 10 lbs. 5oz. (20th %) and was 22 3/4 inches long (45th %). Since birth he's gained 3 lbs. and 2 inches! I don't have any pictures at the moment, because our dumb camera isn't working...but it's still under warranty, so I'm hoping to get it fixed soon...then I'll catch up with pics.

He's definitely talking a lot more now...cooing, and gurgling...and even makes the beginning sounds of a laugh. Although I'm pretty sure when he does it, he scares himself. It's the funniest sound...he makes a little coo, and then makes a loud noise by sucking air in. In the process, he sometimes looks startled, as if he's thinking, "where did that noise come from?!?" But then he smiles...like he did it on purpose. It's so funny! I just know one of these days that little noise is going to turn into a laugh. But for now, he sounds like a little velocoraptor. :) Colby and I love having little conversations with him...we talk, and he "talks" right back and gives us the biggest toothless grin! It completely melts away every care in the world.
~sigh~ I love being a mom.

1 Month Old (1 month ago...yeah, I'm a little late)

My friend Janna gave me these adorable stickers with every month of the babies first year on them. You're supposed to put them on a white onesie every month and take pictures to document their growth in the first year!! I love them, and they are going to be perfect to capture the many changes Hudson will go through this year.

So...since yesterday was the 2 month old mark (wow, where does the time go??)...I decided I better go ahead and post his 1 month old pictures! :) Our camera stopped working yesterday (annoying), so when I get it fixed, I'll take his 2 month old pictures...and hopefully get them posted before he's 3 months old! :)

These are some pictures we took of Hudson in his chair on his 1 month birthday. His little monkey was from Gram (my mom), and it's just his size (for now)! So...we aptly named him Buddy...Huddy's Buddy! I know, corny...but cute! :)

"Hey Buddy, we're the same size!"

"I like my Buddy...I'll even give him a kiss...well, kind of!"

"Okay mom...enough pictures!"

Painful Distraction & Excited Anticipation!!!

So...last week, I had a really painful distraction from all the fun. Mastitis...
Not. Fun.
I started on antibiotics last Wednesday afternoon, and was feeling better by Saturday. Sometimes with mastitis, you have flu-like symptoms...fever, chills, nausea, etc. But, thankfully, I had none of that...just a lot of pain, soreness and swelling. I'm thankful that antibiotics worked their magic...and I hope to never experience it again!!!!!

In other news, one of my very best friends is coming to visit us this weekend!!! And I can't wait!!

Janna and I at her bridal shower

June 2006

Janna and I lived together for 2 1/2 years in college, and then again in Lubbock until Colby and I got married a year and a half later. A total of 4 years!! I love her like she's one of my sisters, and I am so excited about her getting to come and meet our little prince! Janna is expecting their first December 8th...so I'm really glad she gets to make the trip before little Clara arrives!! :) (Who I also can't wait to meet...and neither can Hudson!)
Love you Janna, and can't wait to see you!!!! We're going to have so much fun! Hurry up Saturday!!

Us strolling on the beach at Bodega Bay when I went to visit her in San Jose, CA

October 2006 

PS...Janna, we have got to take lots of pictures when you're here this weekend!! I had to go all the way back to 2006 to find these!! We need updated ones...my hair was so short!! :)

Life in the First Month

Hudson is growing and changing so fast...it's going to be hard to keep up with all the progress and changes on here! But, here are some pictures from his first month of life (some are from 5-7 weeks old):

He LOVES to be outside!! He loves the warmth of the sun, and the breeze in his hair. We've thankfully had a really mild summer here, and the weather has been perfect almost every day. We've spent a lot of time out on our balcony in the evening, and Hudson just looks around soaking it all in.

He's tracking things really well now, and definitely responds to voices and sounds around him. I think he definitely recognizes mine and Colby's voice, and it's so fun to watch him study our face. I love it when he locks eyes with you and stares directly at you...studying all of your features very intently. Such a smart boy! 

At first, bathtime wasn't much fun...but it's getting a lot better. As long as the water is warm, he's happy. He also loves to get his hair washed, which he's loved from day one. The first time we gave him a sponge bath, he screamed the whole time...but once we wrapped him up and then poured the warm water over his head to wash his hair...his face instantly relaxed and he totally calmed down. It's a very soothing thing for him.

The puppies have been really good with him. We were really nervous about that before he was born. If anyone knows Briley, they know she's a very nervous dog. She scares easily, and is pretty much a big baby...she shows her frantic side by spontaneously peeing in place whenever she gets scared or nervous. Neither her nor Mazie had been around kids or babies much...and the few times they had, Briley was not great with them...growling, barking, hiding, chasing and nipping. Ughh...

But, to our surprise, she's done great with him! Both the dogs were so curious when we brought him home...running to him any time he cried, camping out under his swing when he was in it, laying under my chair when I was nursing him...but they lost interest pretty quick, and now it's like he's always been a permanent fixture here. They still sniff at him and want to lick occasionally...but for the most part, they're uninterested. Which is fine with me! :) They've definitely started playing more together though, since they're not getting as much attention. Eventhough they're both 5 years old now, you'd think they were new puppies by watching them play!

Mazie & Briley standing guard over baby Hudson

We had our first outing to Forest Park this month. Hudson slept most of the time, and then when he woke up, he was mad and hungry...so it didn't last long, but it was still fun for us to have him out there, strolling him around. We'll try again soon, and hopefully get some better pictures with his eyes open! Forest Park is such a gorgeous place here in St. Louis...it was the site of the 1904 World's Fair. It will be a great backdrop for future pictures as Hudson continues to grow and change and have firsts...like crawling, laughing and walking!

Hudson Christopher Lee's Arrival

Our Family

I can NOT believe it's been so long since I posted...a bit ridiculous! But, I figure I better get busy posting before our little guy is all grown up! :)
So...now for a brief update before pictures:

Hudson Christopher Lee arrived on July 21st, weighed 7 lbs. 5 oz. and was 20 3/4 inches long. He has incredibly long eyelashes, and lots and lots of light brown hair!!! He is amazing and perfect and the biggest little blessing we could have ever imagined! I am absolutely in love with being a mommy, and of course, I'm in love with this little boy. He melts my heart!! Colby is an AMAZING daddy...and soaks up every minute of it! From the second Hudson was born, he's been right there in the middle of it...changing diapers, getting him dressed, burping him, talking and singing to him (or beat-boxing...go figure), and making sure he gets lots of daddy-Hudson bonding time! It makes my heart so happy to see him with Hudson...I always knew he would be a good dad...but seeing him in action makes me love him that much more.

Love at first sight

Mommy's sweet boy

I had a great delivery...labor wasn't so fun, but of course, that was expected. I started having contractions at 1am on my due date (july 20th)...they were pretty minimal that entire day. My Dr. had me go into the hospital for them to check me around noon that day, but we hadn't made much progress, so I chose to go home and come back when the contractions were stronger and more frequent. So...we came home, ate, walked, rested and walked some more. And at about 8:00 that night, the contractions started getting a lot stronger. They progressed steadily until about 2:30 am when I couldn't take it any more and we went into the hospital. I was dilated to a 5 when I got there, and I promptly got an epidural...which was heaven at that point! We were finally able to get some much needed sleep after that, and at 9:00 am I was ready to push. Less than an hour later, Hudson Christopher arrived at 9:52. Everything went so smoothly, thank goodness! Here are some pictures from the hospital:

Just a few minutes old, and an ecstatic mommy!

My dad & Hudson...a very proud Popeye...my grandfather (dad's dad) was Popeye to us...and it's only fitting that my dad be "Popeye" to our kids...makes me tear up just thinking about it

Aunt LaLa and Hudson

About to get his first "bath"

Colby's parents were here for the delivery. My mom and sister, Lauren, got in that afternoon...and dad and Erin arrived the next day. We were so glad that everyone could stay and spend time with Hudson and us at home the rest of that week. We had so much fun with everyone here! Colby's parents left that following weekend, and then my family (minus mom) left the next week. Mom was able to stay and help out for 2 weeks! It was so nice to have her here to help with meals, laundry, etc. Plus, I'm not sure she could have left any earlier...she loves her baby Hudson!!

Now, on to more pictures...the fun part:

Hudson's first outing...5 Guys Burgers & Fries

How many guys does it take to change a diaper??? Apparently 3! :)

First sponge bath at home...dad had to do some comforting

Kim, aka "Honey" (Colby's mom) with tiny baby Hudson

Our first attempt at a family picture...hopefully next attempt will be better!

My mom, Gram, reading to Hudson

Curly hair after a bath!

Briley's not jealous at all....ha!