Pears and Peas

We started Hudson on solids, again, last week.  We had tried over Christmas, and while he loved them, I think it messed with his plumbing a bit, so we gave it a break.  So far we have given him rice cereal, pears, and peas.  He loves (LOVES!) the new food, for the most part.  He couldn't get enough of the cereal or pears.  Once he would see a spoon, he would open his mouth, even if it was two feet from his mouth still.  If given the opportunity, he grabs the bowl.

Well, it is a different story with the peas.  Not a fan. At all.  Really, at all.  Is it sad that it kind of makes me laugh.  We recorded his first time eating veggies, and I think it's priceless.  Take a look for yourself.

Oh, and while you're at it, those of you with kids, were there certain vegetables that you found your kids preferring over others.  We want him to eat vegetables, and haven't given up on peas, but want it to be a little more of a pleasant experience for him.

5 months

What a fun month this has been.  Hudson has been growing like a weed, and learning so many new things.  He had his first Christmas, which we were in Hemet for, and has been carted all over LA.

I think the most notable thing for this month is he is SLEEP TRAINED!! Honestly, I wish I would have done this sooner, but it didn't happen and I won't hold a grudge on myself about it.  He was sleeping well at nights, but I was looking for a more consistent nap schedule and a longer stretch of sleep at night (he was at 9-10 hours).  I used several things from the "Baby Whisperer" along with my own instincts, and after 2 weeks, I would say we are definitely there.  He has slept multiple nights 12 hours straight with us ending up waking him in the morning, goes down for naps with zero to a few minutes crying, and eats on a consistent 4 hour schedule.  It was a rough couple days at the beginning, but oh so worth it in the end.

So besides being absolutely adorable every day, what is Hudson doing?

• Napping! One at 9:30 (1-2 hrs), one at 1:00 (2 hrs) and a catnap (45 min) around 5
• Is taking an interest in toys and loves holding rattles.  If he is fussy, a toy with actually calm him down--new this month.  
• Still sucks on his hands, and now loves sucking on his new-found toys.  He has just recently found his thumb, specifically, and enjoys sucking on that as opposed to it always being multiple fingers or his fist. I have completely given up on a pacifier, as I think at this point he will just let it turn into a habit.  I guess I won't have to go throw weaning him from that.  The thumb will be another story though, I'm sure.
• He is wearing jeans!  Not that this is a big accomplishment for him, but for me I feel like jeans make him less of a baby, and more a big boy!  Silly how simple things can do that.
• If we help him out, he can sit for a short period.  He totally has the strength, just working on balance.  If I spread his legs out in a V, he seems to be able to sit longer.  I think he will master this in no time.
• As of last Friday, he rolls both ways.  Out determined little guy apparently got this idea in his head he could roll and spent probably 20 minutes trying to do it.  Once he rolled from his back to stomach, he was satisfied.  He actually hasn't done it since. Too funny. 
• spends time "talking" to himself.  Its usually around noon I can count on a little personal conversation happening with our little man.  
• Not eating solids.  We started him on rice cereal over Christmas break, but when he appeared to be getting constipated (probably because I thickened it up too quickly), we took him off.  With day trips around LA, and sleep training, I decided to wait to get him back on it until he had a more normal routine.  I didn't want to throw too many changes in at once.  My plan is to start back on solids this week.  When he ate them for a few days, he loved it.

Here is a photo overload of our little man. I had been doing a newborn photoshoot during Hudson's nap, and when he woke up, I guess I still had the itch to take photos, and Hudson was the lucky subject.  Perfect timing for his 5 month pics. After taking pictures of the newborn.  I all of the sudden felt like I had a big boy!  I think that's why I had him sitting in these pics. :)

 always with the hands in his mouth

 he definitely got his dad's long eyelashes

I think Hudson was done. Ha.

Christmas break

We had such a great Christmas break. First of all, let's talk about how we actually had a break! Colby and I were reminiscing how when we were working for Walmart, we only got Christmas Day off (unless we used vacation days) so typically worked Christmas Eve. It was great to have Colby out of school for three weeks. I quickly learned, however, that I really don't get time off from motherhood, but that's okay. My break I guess is having extra help from Colby.

We had three phases of our break: Colby spent the first week up in Northern California on the Tech Trek through UCLA visiting several Tech companies. I had headed out to Hemet to my parents with Hudson as there was no reason to sit in LA and wait for Colby. He joined us Friday after returning from Northern California. We then spent a week and a half at my parents, being there for both Christmas and New Year's. all of my siblings were there and it was great to all be together again for Christmas for the first time in four years, due to missions and us being in Arkansas. The last phase of our break consisted of us heading back out to LA and exploring our own area. While we have lived here 5 months, we haven't really taken the time to get out and explore. We went to the Venice canals pre tech trek, but hit up Hollywood, Malibu and Venice beach the last few days of break.

Overall, I really enjoyed the holiday season being with my little family and experiencing Christmas with Hudson. While he is definitely too young to understand any of it now, I can see how magical Christmas will become by having a child. I'm grateful for my parents for putting up with a full house and being so much fun. It really was great to be with the whole family this year!

4 months

I probably sound like a broken record, but I cant believe my baby is 4 months!  Time is just flying by.  There are moments i just want to freeze time, and then moments i just want him to be a toddler already so we can talk and laugh and go on the slides together. But then I remember that life with toddler isn't all just fun and games, and I am once again wanting to freeze time with my precious baby.

Hudson hit his 4 month mark over Christmas break.  I took him to the doctor for his 4 month check up and shots, which coupled with a cold made for a slightly unhappy baby.  But in Hudson's true form, he was a trooper.

With his 4 month appointment, we can start solids!  The doctor said we don't have to do so until 6 months really, but can start introducing it now to see how he does.  We tried rice ceral for a few days and he LOVES it.  I think I made it too think though and clogged him up a bit, so we have since taken a slight hiatus. With 4 months, I also made the decision to start sleep training.  With being at my parents house and with his cold, we decided to hold off until back in LA.

At Hudson's 4 month mark, here are some notable things:

• Growth Measures:
• Weight 15 lbs 7 oz (50th percentile)
• Height 25 3/4 inches (75th percentile)
• Head circumference 42.2 cm (between 50-75th percentile)
• Noticing his hands and feet more--still constantly has his hands in his mouth sucking and chewing on them.
• Much more interactive.  He no longer constantly looks around "mindlessly." We can almost see his little brain working trying to figure out different things he is looking at.  When I was holding Hudson and Colby poked his hear out of the shower, Hudson turned to look.  When Colby"disappeared" Hudson looked around for a few moments clearly trying to figure out where his Dad had gone--he was just there!!  It is so cute to see him try and figure these things out.
• With his cold, he has taken a step back on sleeping and is back to waking once each night.  I am still feeding him when he wakes, which will eventually change. 
• Loves the bath and loves the jumper
• Enjoys tummy time and has mastered rolling from his tummy to back.  If he decides he doesn't want to be on his tummy, there is no keeping him there.
• We got him one of the jungle gym toys where toys hang down from arching bars, and he love laying there.  There is one star that is this crinkly fabric, and he always finds that one, pulls it down and chews on it.  He is seemingly oblivious to the other hanging toys.
• He is gaining a few nicknames: Bud, Huds, Buddy

Of course, we love Hudson more and more and love having him in our home.  He is such a joy and is becoming more and more of a joy each day.