Oklahoma Visit

We had another fun weekend in Oklahoma this weekend. We drove up Friday morning after Hudson had breakfast so that Kelly and Paw-Paw could get to the golf course. (Important stuff!) Aunt Shani was going to St. Louis and had to catch a flight at 4:00, so she brought over lunch and had some one on one time with Hudson before she had to leave. We went over to Aunt Fern's house on Saturday and stopped by Mamaw's house on Sunday before we headed back. Our little traveler doesn't do well when he is off of his schedule, so he definitely dictates our (and the rest of the family's) plans!!

Hudson and Aunt Shani
Hudson chewing on a spoon at lunch with Nana.
Drinking from Uncle Geoff's water bottle.
Aunt Fern with Hudson.
Hudson and Paw-Paw

On the way home, we made a stop in Gainesville and Hudson wanted out of his car seat for a few minutes. So...he practiced driving with Daddy! :)

Look at his hands on the wheel! Too cute!

Actually Playing!!!

Yesterday, my friend Melissa came over with her son Colton. It was such a good visit as always! This visit was a little different from the past ones because Hudson actually played this time!! It was the cutest thing. He just sat facing Colton and he laughed and smiled at him while they looked at toys together.

The boys eating lunch before playing.
Sharing the yellow ball!

Colton clapping as Hudson played the drum.
I couldn't resist this last picture...Hudson kept rolling with the blanket...it was too cute!

Happy Easter!

Hudson's first Easter weekend was definitely a success! On Saturday, we took him to the Easter Eggstravaganza at church. After eating a picnic lunch, we walked around to look at everything. Next year Hudson will definitely have a ball. Not only were there egg hunts, but there were 3 bounce houses and a toddler zone complete with pools full of plastic eggs instead of balls, face painting, and crafts. We had a great time, but I definitely can't wait to see how much he enjoys it next year. This year he just loved watching all of the people! Easter Sunday was wonderful also...we went to church and had a yummy Easter lunch here at home with Noni. The weather was supposed to be rainy, but it was bright and sunny. Even though it was chilly, it was just a beautiful day!

Hudson and Daddy
Hudson and Mommy
Hudson chewing on Mommy's sandwich bag!
Hmm...if I can't eat a sandwich, maybe I can eat a plate!
Hudson and Noni
Future Fireman?
Easter Sunday
Hudson with his Easter Basket
Hudson sitting in his chair from Noni!

Weekend Fun/First Egg Hunt!

Paw-Paw and Nana came for a visit this weekend. They brought Hudson his first Easter "bag" since a basket wouldn't hold of the goodies they tried to stuff in it! He had such a good time with them this weekend! :)

Nana and Hudson
Hudson with Paw-Paw after his bike ride.
Hudson with his "Easter Bag"
Examining all of his goodies!
My "Little Hooligan"! Hudson's first St. Patty's Day t-shirt! :)
Playgroup was at Meredith's house today. She planned an Easter egg hunt for the boys and gave each of the boys a pair of sunglasses. She had even written their names on the eggs for them. It was too cute! Hudson's main objective of course was to put the eggs into his mouth!
Investigating the grass.

What does an egg taste like?

Playing with Tanner.

Tired boy! The egg hunt went into Hudson's second nap for the day. He was a very sleepy boy when we left. As soon as we got home, he laid down and slept for an hour and a half. That Easter egg hunting can really take it out of you!

7 Months!!

Hudson is seven months old today and he couldn’t be more fun! His personality is really coming through and he seems to be quite the flirt these days! Whenever I am out with him, when people peek through to look at him he turns on the charm and just smiles away. :) He is also loving other kids. We took him for a walk the other night and stopped and talked to a neighbor with her 4 year old son. Hudson just laughed and laughed at him the entire time. It was hilarious! He is really into solids now…he is gobbling up more and more each day. His favorite food so far is peaches. He definitely loves fruit, but is eating his veggies too which makes me happy! We haven’t tried peas again though since that first week ~ we’ll see how they go the second round. (I still don’t blame him for spitting them out…ha ha!) One other thing that cracks me up...when I go in to get Hudson in the morning or after a nap his socks or the feet of his jammies are wet. Yes, he now sucks/chews on his feet while waiting for me to get him! He continues to be an absolute joy and I look forward to each new stage!

His monthly picture next to his "Hudson" pillow. His name is covered up more and more each month it seems!

A Good Cause...

Four years ago my sister came to me with an idea...run a marathon. I thought she was nuts until she told me why. She wanted to do it through Team in Training and raise money for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. (I raised over $3,500) Our Uncle Randy had died of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma a few years before that and we were going to run in memory of him. So...the training began. Now I had NEVER been a runner, so it was all very new to me. Half way through training my sister's foot got injured and she was unable to run. I trudged ahead. That June I ran the Rock and Roll Marathon in San Diego. Hands down, it was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. My sister went ahead and came even though she couldn't run and met me at the 24 mile mark to go in with me. It was so weird because as I finished I expected to be exhausted, but I wasn't...I felt energized. I know that Uncle Randy was smiling down on me. Well, the Long family is at again. This time, I will be on the sidelines cheering family on. My Dad and sister are currently training for a 100 mile bike ride through Lake Tahoe this June! Again, they are doing it through Team in Training and to raise money for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. They each have to raise $3,800 this time. I am so proud of them for taking this on!!! They started a blog where they are posting stories about their bike rides if you want to check it out: www.ridin4randy.blogspot.com. I can't wait for this June to see them in action! I told Kelly that maybe one day he, Hudson, and I can all do something as a family for LLS...who knows...maybe the entire family can do something together. I wouldn't put anything past us now! :)

The morning of the marathon...Shani got up at the crack of dawn and "suited up" with me!
This was me after completing the marathon. Don't ya just love the Texas shorts? :)

Easter Bunny

We took Hudson to visit the Easter Bunny today. He fell asleep in the car on the way over, so he was still a little sleepy when we arrived. He wasn't awake enough to get a full "Hudson" smile, but we did get a half smile out of him. :)

Mirror, Mirror On My Jumper...

Hudson loves mirrors...he loves being held up to look in the one above his changing table after every diaper change, loves going in the bathroom to look in the mirror, and today fell in love with the mirror on his jumper! He never really has noticed it before, but couldn't quit looking at the baby in the mirror this morning. It was just too cute!

Who's that baby?
I think I like this guy!

SNOW!!

A note from Baby Hudson...

When I woke up this morning, Mommy was very excited about something. She changed me really fast, bundled me up and took me outside. It was really cold and there was white stuff all over the ground. I'm not sure if I liked it or not...I think I was still a little too sleepy maybe.

Mommy...why are we out here right now?
I don't know about this...I think I want to go inside now.
Maybe next year I will see this white stuff again and want to play in it. Love, Hudson

Tags and Bath Time

Hudson has a new obsession...TAGS!!! Whenever he sees one, he immediately grabs it and if he can, he promptly puts it in his mouth. While in his exersaucer which is full of toys, the first thing he turns his attention to is the tags. It cracks me up! He does get mad at these tags sometimes though because he can't get them in his mouth! :) It is just too cute!

Playing with the tags on his exersaucer.

Hudson's new thing while taking a bath is to chew on a wash cloth. When they get dry, he likes it to be dipped back in the water and he goes to town chewing on it again. Maybe he's thirsty? :)