Thursday, December 26, 2013

The holiday season in Denver...


We call this the triple sandwich - both kids are happiest when they have zero personal space, so this sums it up.
We have known this group of friends pretty much since we moved to denver in 2007, and when we first met none were married and there were no kids. Now there are NINE kids between us. This was a fun holiday get together - the boys are all within about 1 1/2 years in age, so they always have a good time together. Stella is about two months younger than the twins (boy/girl).

Stella with her buddy from school, Alexis (1 1/2 months older), and her teacher Lina at the little holiday party she hosted for us.


Christmas morning - Stella had fun with everything in the room - packaging, Hudson's toys, AND her gifts. She is becoming more affectionate and loves to hug and kiss any stuffed animal, so it was lots of fun to open a few of them and watch her. She also loves music, and will make banging noises and dance to just about anything.

Hudson got new jammies and light up shoes...both of which he needed to put on right away. He also got what he asked for from Santa - Thomas the tank engine with the misty island tunnel and shake shake bridge - I have no idea where he came up with the detailed description, but Santa delivered! And I can thank Toys R Us for helping too...
Stella received a couple outfits from her Godmother too, so of course we needed to try them on! She liked the tootoo piece - her first one! She also spent some time on Christmas checking the garland...and tasting it too.




Here she is kissing the doggie from Gigi...she did this all morning. So adorable.





These kids are a great adventure, that's for sure. Though it was hard to be here, away from family, this first Christmas for us as a family of four, it was great to be home with them too. I guess at some point we have to make our own family traditions, so this was the year to start. I'm thankful to have this little family of mine.

Student Services shindig

This year I hosted a Christmas party for the other Student services Directors - we meet weekly, and I've gotten to know and love them, and since we have this big house right now it was great to have them all over after work! I'm thankful to be able to work alongside some great people.


Sunday, December 22, 2013

cookie decorating 101

Since we weren't traveling this Christmas, we were sure to do some fun traditional activities here at home! Hudson made his first sugar cookies! He did a great job, and even moved the dough down to his chair toward the end so he could easily pick up what dropped on the floor and put it back in the ball to roll out and prepare for a Christmas shape. :) That's just what you get when you make cookies with a three year old. He also helped with the decorating - and I think it's safe to say his favorite part was dipping the toothpick in the frosting and licking it...then licking the spoon, the bowl, anything with sugar. Yes, that afternoon was a doozy.




Saturday, December 21, 2013

Oh, flu-ey.

Well, it had to get to us eventually. The flu. This week it hit both kids, at the same time, hard. I've never cleaned up so much throw up. Poor babies, and poor us! For the last few days no one has gotten sleep, eaten enough (well i'm still doing fine with my sweet intake), or smiled as much as usual. Hudson experienced throwing up in the toilet for the first time (when he could make it there in time), and Stella is taking it all like a champ, though her wimpers are regular right now. Going through this with them together has shown both Andy and I that Stella is like me when she's sick, and Hudson is like Andy. Hudson is very needy, winey, can't do anything himself, and is stuck to me like a magnet. Stella wants to be held a little more than normal, but seems to want her space and to tough it out more on her own. This is pretty similar to how Andy and I are sick. There aren't many times when i'm so sick i just need someone to take care of me. Typically i'll manage on my own. Andy, not so much. Maybe his mom was just too loving, and i'm the harsh reality that those days are over? :)

Needy or not, i hope our babies recover soon, so we can make our cookies and get ready for Santa to come!

Sunday, December 08, 2013

happy holiday season


This year, for the fourth year in a row, we went to our local mall to take pictures with Santa. It's been the same Santa every time, which is awesome. The first year we went there was no line, and we were in and out. The others have been quite different! So as we waited in line for what seemed like forever, we took a couple pictures and enjoyed the time together. Hudson has made a turn this year with picture taking - he now enjoys having his picture taken, and will sometimes ask you to take one of him doing something he enjoys or thinks is photo worthy. Stella did great hanging out with everyone while we were in line, but when it came time for Santa's lap, that was a differen story. So needless to say (a picture is worth a thousand words for sure on this one), he picture was quick, and the memory great.


Andy and I both agree we have the most amazing, beautiful, loving kids ever (like so many parents do i'm sure), and this holiday I've committed myself to appreciating the time we have together. We have been reading lots of Christmas stories, watching the holiday flicks (especially Rudolph, Frosy, and the Polar Express), and of course enjoying the season's goodies!! Good thing Abbie's wedding is coming to help remind me i can't let loose entirely! Hudson has loved the Christmas music, and regularly sings his favorites throughout the day. It's hilarious to hear the words he chooses, since they're mostly wrong or not even words at all, but his melody is always good!

Didn't even have to ask and he hops up in the "Ice Princess'" lap for a beautiful picture. He's a ham, for sure!
Stella loves music so much, it's wonderful to watch her dance and light up whenever an instrument or tune is played. We will need to get her taking lessons while she's young so she can be the family musician!! maybe take after her great grandpa...


Friday, November 29, 2013

10 months with Stella

Now that stella is crawling everywhere, she and hudson have moments when they actually play well together. Hudson loves having Stella in the train with him, and she loves crawling in and out just as much as he does. The hard part is them crawling over each other to get out the same exit...but it works for most of the time. ;)
Hudson has taken to asking me to take pictures of things these days, when he feels like he does something that needs to be recorded. He and Andy were both sitting with a blanket and a stuffed animal, staged by Hudson himself. Once he sat down he immediately told me to get the camera and take a picture of him and Daddy. So funny!
This is another Hudson orchestrated photo - he was getting out of the bath and stella was prepping to get in, so he suggested I take a picture of both of them naked. Stella currently loves holding on to the bathtub like this, so i just had Hudson stand with her for the pic. Not much padding on either kid, but the buns are my favorite!! This was how we wrapped up our Thanksgiving Day here in Denver. The turkey turned out good, we had beautiful weather, and you can't complain when you "end" a day like this!
Our Stella is 10 months old!! Hard to believe we are two months from having a one year old. Time has definitely gone faster with her than it felt like with Hudson. They both keep us quite busy, and Stella has taken off with her crawling and getting into things! By the end of the work week i'm fully ready for a couple days to relax, clean, and bond with these kiddos!

A few things about our sweet girl:
1. She loves her solid foods! She's still eating between 26-34 ounces of milk a day (usually), and now has three meals a day plus snacks also! She loves any finger food she can feed herself, so i'm always trying to introduce something else. It's funny though because she almost doesn't like the spoon as much because she'd rather feed herself! So far she loves her fruits, green beans for sure, and though she makes a funny face with things like hummus, she still eats it! She still has her days of small eating, and she is by no means a big eater, but she's enjoying all her new options!

2. Crawling - well she was a few months later than Hudson in the crawling department, but she has taken off! She's working on stairs right now, and though she likes crawling she also loves walking! She loves when you hold her hands so she can use those feet - so we are wondering if she will be crawling by her first birthday?? Maybe by Auntie Abbie's wedding in February! Either way, it's fun to watch her get herself around, even though everything needs to be babyproofed again!

3. Stella typically sleeps from about 7/7:30 - 5:30/6:00. She goes to be very easily, but ideally we would love for her to sleep until about 6-6:30! Hudson often wakes up at this time too, so we think we may be doomed to have early risers.

Our little princess is getting better and better at letting us know what she does and doesn't want - and she really only cries when she's hurt, so that's great! She loves to be where brother is, and still likes to look around an observe rather than be part of the show (unlike her brother). She doesn't take great to strangers, but if mommy is holding her she can usually do ok. She is doing great at daycare, and now loves to play peek-a-boo, patty cake, and just loves clapping and dancing in general. I've found her playing the tamborine quite a few times at daycare! So maybe she'll be a little dancing musician?

She is a wonderful balance with our boy, and though she's not the biggest snuggler, she will give you hugs and kisses if you ask, and when she's tired or hurt, mommy is the comfort winner. Which is fine by me!



Tuesday, November 26, 2013

visit from Sandra, a weekend with the God Daughter and Doctor Hudson

This last weekend we had a visit from my friend Sandra - and we all had a great time with her!

Hudson had a special day going to see Sesame Street Live with Sandra and I - and has been good at getting his doctoring skills refined lately too!





Our Dr. Rosdil - making sure he has his glasses on before he takes your blood pressure or checks your eyes out! He just may have a future in this...:)