Thanks Julie!!

Also, while we were in Montgomery Todd's cousin Julie took some really cute pictures of our little man. She was so good to do this for me. I loved them all but here is one of my favorite!

Can you believe he is already seven months old?! He is still doing the "army" crawl and is getting up on all fours so I know it won't be long before he takes off. He also started waving while we were in Montgomery. He has only done it a few times but it is so cute when he does. He is jabbering like crazy and his favorite words are "baba" and "Dada" but I don't like to say that he is saying "da da" yet. I am still holding out for "Momma"

Visit to Mongomery

We have been busy, busy, busy!!! It seems like we have something going on every day! I have been loving every minute of it though!! Two weekends ago, we took a little trip to Montgomery, Alabama to visit some of Todd's family. His Grandma Austin had not met Hudson yet and neither had his cousin Allen's family. They were all so anxious to see Hudson, especially his cousin Shelby. We were able to spend a few days with them and even made some new friends while we were there. They were so good to us while we were there and we enjoyed our visit with everyone. Thanks for a great weekend!!

Hudson and Shelby. She was great with him and he loved playing with her too!

Hudson meeting his Great-Grandma Austin.


All the cousins on the Austin side of the family. There are four now but this summer there will be five!! We are all anxiously waiting on the arrival of Jackson Parker Lewis!!

Day at the Zoo!

Last week was the start of Todd's spring break. He gets two weeks with the first being an optional work week. The kids have a chance to come to school for various activities or make-up work. Two days they went on field trips and one of them just happened to be the Memphis zoo! So Hudson and I decided to go too. I knew he really wouldn't know we were there but I just thought it would be a fun way for us to spend the day together. We were only there for a few hours but we enjoyed our time there. I will say that I hope the next time we make the trip that we are not going with a school full of kids....crazy!

Fun times at the zoo!

We got to see lots of animals. I was very excited about the panda..it was so cute and even sat and ate for us. I was really hoping to see the monkeys and chimpanzees...they are my favorite. We did get Hudson a cute shirt with monkeys and we will definitely be making some more trips in the future.

It's my turn!

Some of you may remember that back in the fall Hudson wore his Alabama outfit for the SEC Championship game. Well, I finally got my turn to see him in some Tennessee orange! My mom had gotten him this little tee awhile back when she went to Chattanooga for a business trip. I could not wait for him to finally get to wear it. I think he looks pretty good in orange, his daddy proabably thinks differently though. One thing we can agree on is that we will ALL be cheering for the Memphis Tigers in the NCAA Tournament when they take on Mizzou in a few days!

My little Lepricon

Hudson got to celebrate his first St. Patrick's Day. Hudson and I went shopping with my mom and had lots of fun. While we were out we had so many people comment on Hudson and his red hair. I have to agree he was pretty cute in all his green.

Waiting for Nana to go shopping!

" Kiss Me, I'm Irish"

Cabin Fun

My aunt has been wanting to get all the girls of the family together for a night at their cabin on the Tennessee River. With Spring Break being this week we had a chance to get away on Sunday night. So my mom and I loaded up with Hudson and my aunt and GiGi (my grandmother) loaded up with Miller and Andre (Katie had to work....sad) and we all headed to the cabin on Sunday afternoon. We enjoyed our night together talking, cooking and even had a chance to watch a movie while Miller and Dre played and played and played. Hudson just played around in the floor and watched as those two big boys ran all over the place. We laughed and said it won't be long and he will be running around with them. On Monday, the Nashville cousins came for the day. We always love getting to see them and see their kids and my grandmother always enjoys us all being together.

Hudson spending some time with GiGi. She loves him to pieces and can't wait to get her hands on him every time she sees him.

Hudson napping on his Nana. He was so tired and he finally gave up.

Singing "Hudson's song" aka "It's a Small World". My mom started singing it to him a while back and he loves it so we sing it a whole lot. Well, Andre wanted to join us. Every few minutes Andre would stop by and want to sing to him. Andre would say let sing to "El Kate" and I would say that's Hudson and he would say "no its El Kate" and we would do this several times and then finally he said, "Don't tell Hudson". Precious. He continued to call Hudson "El Kate" several times but I would just pretend he didn't...he was so confused. He has loved Ella Kate since she was born so he thinks ALL babies are her.

All the cousins getting together for a picture. This is only half of the great- grand kids. GiGi has twelve and she is so proud of each of them. Maybe one day we can get them ALL together...but who knows if we would ever be able to get them still for a picture!

Something New

It seems like there is something new with Hudson everyday and I don't want to miss any of it. I keep the camera on me at all times and I feel like the paparazzi at times. Every time he eats something new, plays with a new toy or wears a new outfit I have the camera ready for that perfect shot. Here are a some of the pictures I have taken of these "first" for Hudson.

Hudson tried using a sippy cup for the first time. I have tried giving it to him a few times when he is eating and sometimes he drinks from it and sometimes he just chews on it. Whatever he wants to do with it is fine with me. I had just wanted to see how he would do with it. I thought he did good and I know when he is ready he will do great.

We finally started putting him in his high chair. We had been using his bouncy seat to feed him and that was working out great. Since he is so active and is growing so much we thought it was time for the high chair. I think he is pretty cute!

Thankful Thursdays!

I have SOOO much to be thankful for this week!

1. I am thankful that Hudson and I are OK....our garage isn't but we are...Long story!

2. Thankful for Christmas money that allowed me to buy a new camera so I can take pictures of our precious precious boy!

3. Hudson is feeling lots better after his ear infection a couple weeks ago.

4. My parents...I am so thankful that they live "close enough we can walk" to their house. My dad runs errands for me and comes over when I need something fixed. We also get to eat dinner with them a lot which I am very thankful for. I don't know what I would do without them here.

5. I am loving teaching the two year old class at church with my cousin Katie...well helping her. I am thankful for the opportunity.

6. Todd is on break the next two weeks!!! He will work intercession the first few days but then we hope to go visit his family in Alabama.

7. Todd's job...he loves it and he works so hard to support us. I am so thankful for that.

8. My amazing friends. We get together once a month and play Bunco. We have a blast!

9. All my pregnant friends have had healthy pregnancies so far and I am so happy for each of them.

10. My friend Heather. We don't get to see each other as much as we would like but I sure do love her!

So I splurged...

I have been wanting a new digital camera or camcorder for a while now. I have searched and thought and searched and thought and just decided to wait until I could find the one I really wanted. Well, Todd and I had a "date night" Saturday and after dinner we decided to go browse at Best Buy.....BAD idea! I was looking at all the different ones and talking to the sales associate about what I was wanting and my dilemma....that I need a good camera and a video camera but obviously could not afford to get both right now. She was so nice to listen to me babble for awhile:) I found one I liked and then she proceeded to tell me about this ten percent off promo they were having....SOLD!!! I was excited to finally get my new camera although nothing was wrong with my other one, I just felt like I needed an upgrade:) I love it AND it has a video camera so I got a memory card that will hold two hours of video footage...problem solved!! Here are some of the first pictures I took with the new camera.

So if you know anyone needing a Canon Power Shot A560 please let me know. I would love to sell it!!!

Sitting Up!!

I have been trying to get Hudson to sit up on his own for a few weeks now. He has been so active he has not wanted to be still long enough to sit up. I will sit him by a toy and usually he immediately falls over...it is so funny. We have tried the Bumbo seat but he has been falling out of that too. Last night I sat him up thinking he would just fall right over but this time he didn't. I was probably more excited about that then when he started army crawling. I know it just means my baby is growing up and that makes me sad. I am so happy that he is growing great and doing everything that he should be at this point. He sat there for only a minute or two but it was long enough for me to snap a couple pictures of him. He fell over right after I got the pictures:)

Hey Mom...Look at me!!

Loving this weather!

The weather the past few days has been amazing. We all enjoyed the pretty snow last weekend but I think we have all enjoyed the warmer weather a little more. I was so excited about the warmer weather because I was finally able to get out and stroll Hudson. Todd and I decided to take Hudson and Gracelyn for a walk on Saturday afternoon. Gracelyn was so excited. The second you say "walk" she is all over the place and ready to go. We started walking and before we knew it we were all the way at my mom and dads house. They live a little less than a mile from us and we have always teased that we live close enough we could walk to their house and now we really mean it. It was a nice break for Gracelyn...she was thirsty and I was too. I have to admit I was little tired afterwards but I hope to do it again soon!

Hudson and Todd are ready for our walk

One cool baby boy!

So Silly!!!

Tonight Hudson was in such a great mood. Todd got in the floor and was talking and playing with him. He was making silly noises at him and he would laugh out loud....hysterically. He has done this before but I have never been able to get it on video and this time I DID!!! I hope it makes you laugh just a little too:)

I love precious moments like this with Hudson and his daddy!

Third times a charm....I HOPE!

Hudson is now on his THIRD ear infection. He started being fussy late Monday night. I thought maybe it was from the shots so I was giving him Tylenol every four hours like I have done every other time he got shots. In the past the shots really didn't bother him so I wasn't really sure what was going on with him. He was up all night Monday night with a stuffy nose and I could tell something was bothering him. I thought maybe it was his ears but I thought surely his pediatrician would have caught it...I even wondered if it could have been the PEAS!! So Tuesday he seemed a little better but still just not him self. Todd and I were supposed to be on Mrs. B's first time parent panel in her class that afternoon so we went ahead and went with Hudson. Hudson was very good for her class and even slept for the first half. He did get fussy at the end so we just told them they were getting a "real" taste of parenthood:) That afternoon my parents came and got him so we could have a little break and after about an hour my mom called and I could hear him screaming...so we made another trip to the doctor. As soon as she looks in his ears she says "well that's whats wrong with him" and I am thinking that is what I thought but I just knew his regular pediatrician would have noticed that at his check-up. Todd went to Jackson to get his antibiotic filled and got him a humidifier...we have had several people recommend them so we are hoping that will help. He seems to be much better today and he slept MUCH better last night. I am hoping this will be our last ear infection for awhile but I definitely won't count on it!

A happy Hudson visiting his Nana at work.

Peas....Ummm!

Monday we went for Hudson's six month check-up. We were thankful to get all good news at this visit. Hudson is growing right on track...he is 17 pounds and 3 ounces and 29 inches long. Todd made the comment to the doctor that he is going to play football and Doctor Blake said if he keeps growing the way he is he will be a basketball player!!! We were happy to hear that too:) He wasn't crazy about the shots and neither was mommy but he only cried for a second. We also decided it was time for him to try some "baby food" since the doctor said he was ready. He tried peas for supper......gross!! He did great as far as trying them goes. He didn't seem too crazy about them but at least he didn't spit them back at me. We laughed because by the end he was turning his head away from the empty spoon....guess that means peas go on the bottom of the list of favorites:) He did make some pretty cute faces though!!

Hmmm...not so sure about this.

It's getting better:)

Half Birthday!!!

Saturday was Hudson's "half" birthday! It is so hard to believe he is already six months old! We are loving every minute with our baby boy. He is changing every day and he does something new everyday. His little army crawl is getting better every day too. We have realized he is now "mobile" and are going to have to start baby proofing everything a little sooner than we thought. He is not even thinking about sitting up on his own and he still needs to be rocked to sleep at night....no complaints there:) I love him and LOVE being his mommy! I thank God everyday for giving us this precious boy!!

He was all smiles:)


I have been trying to get a picture of Hudson's two little teeth and I finally got one!

Snow! What?!

Our friends Bekah and Ian from St. Louis came for a visit this weekend. We were very excited they were finally able to make time to come see us. We were enjoying our visit with them and were about to head out to dinner when we looked out the window and saw lots of snow falling down. I was very surprised!! I knew they were calling for some snow to come our way but I think we got a lot more than they had expected. I think we got about ten inches at our house and it was gorgeous. We tried to get out and play in it today but Hudson wasn't too crazy about getting all bundled up. I just took a few pictures and then came back in with him while the boys worked on getting the drive way cleared. It had already started melting by the afternoon and the roads were clearing off pretty good. Some of the schools have already cancelled for tomorrow but we haven't heard from Todd's school yet. We are crossing our fingers though!!

The view from our deck last night

Our deck and backyard today

Our sweet boy in the snow

Hudson trying to figure out what this crazy stuff is:)