17 months

Dear Hudson,

BOY, You have really kept us on our toes this month. You literally amaze me each and every day with your knowledge and ability to learn, your spunky personality, and contagious laugh. Each day is a new adventure.
You really enjoyed Christmas. You opened all of your gifts by yourself, and were so precious each time you saw a new gift. You took the time to figure each new thing out before you went on to the next. When you took your new shoes out of your stocking (yes, your shoes still fit in your stocking) you got the biggest smile on your face, started saying "SHOES", and tried to put each one on. It's the little things like that I never want to forget.
You got a cold around Christmas, which led to your first ear infection. You cried all night one night, and it broke our hearts. Daddy and I felt so helpless. We hate when you are uncomfortable.
You had a blast playing in the snow at the beginning of January, and I was lucky enough to spend 2 extra days with you because they canceled school. You stood at the window and yelled "SNOW" until we took you outside to run around. The snow/ice stayed on the ground for about a week and every morning when I took you out of your crib, we had to look out the window to see if it was still there.
Your vocabulary has absolutely exploded this month. Literally, you are saying new words every single day. Here are some of the new words this month...frog, boots, off, juice, puffs, light, poop, knock-knock, hey baby (to the cats in a sweet high little voice), George (curious), Lee (your uncle), choo-choo, fish, hot (you blow all your food and think everything is always hot), broom, Ella (your cousin), Claire (your best friend), Elmo, trash, MMMMM (when you eat something you like), ahhhh (every time you take a drink), Mooooo (when asked what the cow says), neigh (when asked what the horse says), toes, eyes, balloon, Hoola (Claire's dog), star, square, shake, bulldog, beep, hat, nice, light, whoa, five, blue, tiger, hooray, eat, shake, here kitty-kitty, and chair. You pretty much repeat everything that we tell you to say, and have even started to say a few phrases like "I did it.", and "I do it.". You can identify and say the letters H and A consistently, and we are working on the other letters in your name.
We can't get anything past you. You know everything that is going on, and most of the time you do exactly what we ask you to do, bring us, take, etc..I spilled my drink on the couch one night and you ran into the kitchen saying "uh-oh". You cane running back with a clean dish rag that you had taken out of the drawer and started wiping up the spill. You are an escape artist and can crack open child proof locks in less than 10 seconds flat. Sweeping is one of your favorite things to do these days. We got you a little broom, but you prefer the regular one. Reading is also a favorite past time, and you also love for your daddy to pull you all around the house on the big blanket. When Elmo comes on, you get super excited, but Barney is still your favorite. You will sit and watch a whole 60 minute Barney movie if we'd let you. Taking all of the pans out of the drawer at the bottom of the stove is also something that you do every. single. day., and you take the cookie sheet and use it to roll your cars around on. Your laugh is so contagious. I wish I could bottle it to save forever.
You still have a head full of blonde hair that grows super fast, and after months of trying to decide what color your eyes were going to be they have officially turned brown. There's no mistaken that you have your mama's brown eyes, and I love it! You are starting to be a little more picky with foods, but you still eat very well. You favorite foods are still cheese, pancakes, mac and cheese, and all fruits. You've decided that you don't really like to eat green veggies anymore, so I have to disguise them and hide them in other foods. You are using a spoon and fork yourself although it is quite messy. You have 15 teeth (I think...that was the last count), and brushing them has become quite the task. You HATE brushing, and won't let me look in your mouth for anything. You still love tubby time, and get so proud of yourself when you create a masterpiece with your tub crayons (one of the best inventions ever, btw).
You are still wearing 18-24 months, and I just bought you shoes in size 7. You still throw temper tantrums by sitting down, then throwing your head and body back on the floor when you don't get your way. Recently though, you have started thinking a little more before you do this and not always throwing your head back and bumping it. I'm glad that you realized that it hurts. You can identify and point to your head, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, toes, feet, and hair. We love when you are being affectionate and come running up and wrap yourself around our leg. We are so thankful that you get to spend every day with Claire and Nana when we are at work. You love Mrs. Jennifer so much too. She is so sweet to you. Your nickname has stuck and you are officially Claire's "Bop".
I know this is a little long, but I don't want to forget all of your special memories that we are fortunate enough to be blessed with. I am going to get the blog printed so that we will have a hard copy of your "baby book". Thank you for being such a good boy. You are so smart and precious!


I love you more than words,

Mom




Here you are being adorable in Claire's shades


You and Claire after a nap...still a little sleepy

Shopping at the Cracker Barrel with Claire

running to the other side of the deck because the ducks swam under and you wanted to beat them to the other side