cell phone photos from September/early October

The last couple months have been filled with much fun, travel and family time! we had our first garage sale as a family of four in early September, and it was a great success! We desperately needed to go through things and start to organize the boxes that seem to have settled in the basement, so this was the perfect motivation! Even better, we earned enough to pay for a night away from the kids in Chicago when we went a few weeks later for Stella's baptism!

These little feet - at 8 months old stella is somewhere between a size 2 and 3 shoe. She is still wearing 6 month clothes, but fits ok in 9 month too for the most part.

She's not crawling yet, but she needs to spend a little more time on her belly to figure that out!!

These two are totally in best pals - they love to be together, and LAUGH together so much - at least for now!

Chicago...

Hudson and Stella had their first field trip with school - to the Butterfly Pavillion. Stella enjoyed as much as an 8 month old would enjoy something like that :)

Hudson and London

In October we had a get together with all of Hudson's daycare friends (minus a few who have left the last couple months). It was fun to be with the families, but more fun to watch Hudson in his element. He is SO social, and loves being with his friends - particularly his friends Luke and London!

Little Stella has a bit of a sensitive stomach, so she's easing into her solids...strawberries are a bit of a question mark still, must have been a little sour!

We had a girls weekend for Abbie's engagement shower - got to spend some great time with Great Granndma and Grandpa!!



last days of summer...

 Fun with friends in Chicago - Hudson had a great time with his new friends Wiley and Michael!

 Such handsome!

 Our big girl loves sitting up! She spent some time exploring the grass - and of course had to try it!

 Look who's standing!

Chicago weekend

 This last weekend we headed out to the Chicago area for a couple fun occasions - Stella got baptized and one of Andy's great friends, Mike, got married!

 Stella's Godfather - Tim Muller and his wife were able to make the ceremony, and her Godmother, Sandra Qatami was there in spirit!!

 Val and Mike's wedding - I first met these folks when there were no kids…and now look at us! Six kiddos and one on the way! (not us, Mike and Val are expecting)

 Da boys

in the middle

I know i've heard this said, multiple times and in multiple ways: "life in the middle", meaning life in between, in transition, waiting, etc. And lately I've been feeling like we are 'in the middle' if you will - waiting, wondering, hoping for what's next. The thing about being in this place though, is that it's easy to forget where you are.  Andy and I have lived in Denver for 6 1/2 years together. In that time we've bought a house, gotten married, had two amazing kids, and now we're trying to sell our house, start looking at schools for Hudson, and are celebrating our five year anniversary this November. So a lot has happened. Yet we often find ourselves talking too much about what's next - where are we going? what are we going to do?

It's a hard place to be. We want to settle down, plant roots, invest. But at the same time we feel the pull to leave, be closer to family, be at a place that we can see ourselves in for life. So here we are, in between.

I don't know what will happen next. I don't know if we should keep trying. I don't know if we should just stop the conversation and focus on where we are today. With our kids. With good jobs. With good health, ability to travel (if we can afford it!). Some days i think I'm present, appreciating and investing in the now. Other days I have a longing to be somewhere else, and can almost visualize life five years from now - not in Denver.

So, I'll do what I know. Pray. Ask for Peace, Patience, and Faith. And I'll continue trying my best to trust God's plan for our lives, knowing He'll open doors when the timing is right. In the mean time, I will be thankful for what I have, where I'm at, and the many gifts and blessings I experience every day. Like today, when Hudson asked me to sit with him, rub his back, read him a book. BE with him. Tomorrow can take care of itself, right?

3 years!!

HOW ON EARTH Hudson is three years old, I have no idea. But we do have his stats, and can still safely say he will be TALL when he grows up! 

STATS: 

Height: 39 1/2 inches (90%)

Weight: 37 lbs (90%)

BMI: 75%

I also don't know how this kid is 90% for weight, other than the fact that he has to be all muscle. He never stops moving, and really is not a big eater. So that's a bit of a mystery, but at least he's healthy!

Hudson LOVES to talk, and be with people. He will talk to a wall if you let him (talks to his toys, etc all the time!), and always has a story. He's very expressive, very sensitive, and very perceptive. He picks things up very quickly, and we do believe he is quite smart! He still loves his trains and cars, and above all other toys will usually end up playing with those by the end of each day. His best friend, BEAR, is still by his side at all times, and we've grown accustomed to bringing Bear with us wherever we go (thanks again Gigi for that wonderful gift!). He has also become very caring and respectful, asking how my day was, if i enjoyed my dinner, etc. Don't get me wrong, he's still a three year old BOY, but he's a doll most of the time. 

We can't believe how amazing he is, and how much we love him. Hudson, you are and always will be my favorite guy. I love you!

7 months

 Our growing girl! Stella has had an eventful month, taking her first plane ride (which she was perfect!!), getting her first tooth, and continuing to master her sitting up! She's getting around a bit more now, though hasn't mastered crawling. She will scoot and roll all over the place! She loves standing, and has grown to love the bouncy seat almost as much as Hudson did! Jumping, standing and talking are some of her favorite things to do! For the most part she sleeps well through the night, though teething has interrupted some nights. This last month we also survived 5 days without daddy! Both kids were great, but by the end of the time I was ready for Andy to get back! 

 Stella is continuing to eat more, and loves her fruit! She wants to hold everything, and has become much more firm about when she does - or doesn't - want to eat! You never have to wonder what she wants at least. She's still very easy to smile, and loves watching brother more than anything. 

Family

First TOOTH!!!

Stella finally had a tooth break through!! She has not been sleeping as well through the night for the last week or so, partly because she's starting to sleep on her tummy and seems to get stuck and wake up, but we think part of it has been these teeth! So Saturday morning I was thrilled to find that little tooth poking through! Even though it was a rough weekend - Andy was out of town for a bachelor partry - it was a relief to have a tooth come through finally! A month and a half after Hudson got his first tooth, she's just telling us again that she is her own little person - and we wouldn't have it any other way.

She's also been getting a bit more interested in getting into the crawling position (sort of). She and Hudosn love to laugh together, and she's loving her FOODs more and more. Fruit is definitely favored over veggies, but she's having both and so far seems to dislike bananas and green beans more than anything. She'll eat a little of the green beans, but the face she makes when she tastes banana just plain is quite a sight. She's also figured out how to use a straw! I will upload the picture I took soon, but she is so adorable loving that water!!