Starting the Year Off Right!

***Warning: I am treating our blog as a family history/journal, so my monthly update posts will probably bore you to death. No need to read, unless you are completely bored, you are my stalker, or you just want to kill a few minutes ... er, hours.***

Nursery Boy! Hudson's first official Sunday in Nursery.

It's so fun to be 1 1/2 years old!

Look at my awesome toys!!!

Nursery Boy

On February 7, Hudson turned 1 1/2. He is finally in Nursery! We are so thrilled and so is he! For awhile, the poor little man sort of felt like an orphan, wandering the halls at church while Seb and I were busy with our callings. He adores Nursery - they have so many cool cars and trucks - and we have a hard time pulling him away!

Hudson had his 18-month check-up and is doing awesome! He says many words (at least I know what he's saying) with some of his favorite being: truck, puppy, dog, mama, dada, papa, milk, mimi (binky), mix (Mom: Hudson, what does a cement mixer do? Hudson: Mix! Mix! Mix!), nooooo, and grandma.

Hudson loves watching Sesame Street, Sid the Science Kid, and especially the Goofy Movie. He's even picked up some of Max's dance moves and does them along while he's watching the dance scenes. Hudson reminds me a lot of myself - he loves to be around big crowds of people (a total social butterfly), but he is very shy and bashful. He's been a bit of a whiner lately (that's putting it gently), but I'm sure (and hoping) that it's just from the frustrations of being a toddler. (Or the fact that we stopped binkies and bottles cold turkey a couple weeks ago.) Huddy Man loves reading books, but usually only if they include some sort of heavy duty machinery: dump trucks, cement mixers, trains, etc. I never knew what a backhoe excavator was until this manly little man came into my life!

Some of Hudson's other favorites include:

• Going out! Whether it be to the park, the zoo, the library, Grandma's house, the local Chickfilet ... this boy doesn't like being at home all day. He'd rather get out and see the world!
• The mint green crocheted blanket from Great Grandma Joy is his favorite to sleep with. He gets giddy when we put it in his crib. 
• When daddy comes home! When Hudson hears the Mustang rumble up the driveway, Hudson points to the door saying, "Papa? Papa?" He always seems happier when Dad's around. 
• Lining up his cars, trucks, and animals along the coffee table, bookshelf, couch cushion, etc. They are all over the place!

I adore my little boy. He's such a precious angel. There has never been anything more trying, yet more satisfying, than being a mother. Thank you, Hudson, for bringing so much joy into our lives!

18-Month Stats:

• Weight: 29 lbs (85 percentile)
• Height: 36" (97 and above percentile)

Valentine's Day!

Cookie Taste Tester

The finished goodies

Notice our newly stained/painted table? It used to sort of match the chairs in the background.  We sanded the top, put a linseed oil finish on it, and painted the bottom white. I am in love!

For Valentine's Day this year, I was determined to make sugar cookies. I really didn't feel like it, but I already had the dough made, so Hudson and I went to work. He did NOT want to help out, so there was lots of screaming that morning. We ended up delivering cookies and cupcakes to Seb's work (they were already overloaded with treats), and we gave a plate to Grandma and Grandpa. As a reward for being so helpful, Hudson was my Valentine and we went on a date to Chickfilet. He got a balloon and nuggets and got to play in the tubes. That evening, we all went on a family date to one of our favorite New Mexican restaurants (Padilla's) and then we each picked something out at Barnes and Nobles. Seb got a season of Seinfeld, I got Something's Gotta Give, and Hudson got a book called My First 100 Trucks. Seb and I spent some good quality time together that evening and he got me a pretty bouquet of pink roses. It was a lovely Valentine's Day! (Oh yeah - and we had a sinfully sweet breakfast - chocolate waffles with whipping cream - not the best way to start off a morning but oh so tasty!) 

We're Going Stir Crazy!!!

That peacock is AMAZING!

Not impressed, Mom ... and who is this guy holding me?!

Not too sure about porcupine Harold

My little lover man not feeling well

Yay for sunshine!

Sweet cheeks

Hudson and I have had colds the past 10 days or so, so we've tried to lay low. We've skipped out on my exercise classes, his play groups, and even church this past Sunday. The poor little man has been a booger face all week! We watched lots of movies, read lots of books, and did lots of puzzles. This week I needed to get out of the house! I bundled Hudson up and we went on a date to the zoo. I sure had a lot of fun. The animals were all out and active - Hudson got to pet some llamas, feel a porcupine quill, see some big cats up close, and the gorillas threw a stick into the crowd! I think it really lifted both of our spirits to get some sunshine. 

Other Happenings ...

• Missionary Moments: Seb's the new Ward Mission Leader. We've had the missionaries over more often than usual. I was even invited to come out with the missionaries a couple times, and really enjoyed hearing the gospel afresh!
• Exercise Classes: A girl in my ward is working to become a personal trainer, so she's been offering FREE exercise classes in our church gym Tuesday and Thursday mornings. I've tried making it each week, and I've really LOVED feeling the burn! Also, a friend of mine invited me to go to Zumba with her ... and it was SO fun! I hope we go again soon!
• Dinner Group: We'd been doing a dinner group with some family and friends (which has since been cancelled). We had one in January and another in February. I really enjoyed the get togethers while it lasted, but it got too hard to put together with so many babies, limited space, and varying schedules. C'est la vie! 
• Design Work: I've been blessed with some opportunities to continue doing design work while here at home. This year, I've designed my sister-in-law's wedding invitations, a logo and website for an educational app company, and I might be designing a former co-worker's blog. 
• Good News: I learned some exciting news last month - my best friend is pregnant!!!!!! Need I say more?!? That is the most exciting news EVER!!!!!!!!!!!! 
• Nail in the Foot: This is the most awful thing - Hudson was playing with my Pinewood Derby Car. The wheel popped off, and Hudson stepped on the nail! It went all that way into his foot. We didn't realize what had happened, but Seb saw Hudson collapse onto the floor screaming. The wheel was nailed onto his foot! Seb yanked it out and the blood started gushing! Thank goodness Seb was home. He put pressure on Hud's foot and the bleeding finally stopped. We were so worried about it, but Hudson was a trooper and healed up nicely. It was such a scary thing seeing my baby bleed that much. Fortunately, my parents were on their way to our home to have pizza and go bowling. They arrived right when it happened and were there to help us out in the moment of panic. 
• Play Dates: Hudson (and Mommy) have had some fun play dates with several different friends. We've visited Jill and her crazy dog and cat; we've played with Zack, Ellie, and Henry; and Hudson's really fallen for a girl named Emily (my friend Mandy's daughter). They have so much fun chasing each other around Andrea's kitchen. 
• Sharing Time: I was able to teach sharing time twice this month - about Noah's ark and how disciples choose the right. It's always a little out of my comfort zone to manage a room full of kids, but I really enjoyed it when all was said and done!
• Setting Up Seb's Office: Seb was able to switch offices at work - now he has two windows instead of one (moving up in the world!). We spent a Wednesday evening (while Grandma babysat) setting up Seb's new office. I think it looks so nice!
• Superbowl Party: Andrea and Tim had us over for their family's superbowl party. We just love those guys! We were also able to spend some quality time with her entire family at a game night at her parent's house. They are like family to me :)
• P90X: On Monday, Seb and I started the P90X exercise program (the diet part is definitely not happening). We're going to try to "BRING IT!" It's perfect timing, since Sethrina's wedding is in 90 days. Wish us luck!
• If you are still reading this and you are not either Jessica, Sebastian, or their posterity ... please stop. This has got to be the most boring, long post on the planet! If you did read this, kudos to you! Ha ha!