Hudson is 5 months old!!

Who, me?

This guy is 5 months old....where in the world has the time gone?!  It seems like just yesterday he was the tiny, squishy, sleepy newborn but now he makes his presence known with squeals and shrieks and sleepy is a word I would DEFINITELY NOT use to describe him anymore!

Smiling for Kemper

Cheesin' it up for Pops

I have no clue how much the little stinker weighs at 5 months but I would guess somewhere close to 18-19lbs.  He loved his oatmeal cereal we started last month but out of desperation one night when he was SCREAMING in frustration (I think) and opening his mouth everytime one of us brought a spoon to ours, we mushed up a banana and he devoured it.  At this point, he's had bananas (loves them!), applesauce (hated it on first try but now loves it!), peas (LOVES!), and squash (seems to love!).  It seems that as long as it's going to his mouth, he's going to love it.  I've got sweet potatoes and pears in the freezer waiting for him but I'm not expecting anything other that love.  

Speaking of loving anything that goes near his mouth - toes are another favorite.  If he can get to his toes, he will try to get them to his mouth.  He gets so mad in the carseat because he cannot figure out how to get his toes to his mouth.  On the changing table, toes go in his mouth.  Playing on the floor, toes to his mouth.  Sitting in the bumbo, he tries to take his mouth to his toes.  It's kind of nice to have these built in toys that go everywhere with us!

He's getting more and more steady while sitting but still gets distracted (mostly by Kemper running around) and loses his balance.  He can't figure out what to do with his arms while sitting up.  If I put a toy into his hands, he'll play (try to eat it) but otherwise, he sits very still and just looks around.  (And to clarify, since James says I was misleading in my last post: he sits up on his own when we put him in that position.  He is not getting himself into the seated position.)

Hudson absolutely LOVES Kemper!  If Kemper is in the room, Hudson is going to know where he is at all times.  He follows him (with his eyes of course) around the room.  If Kemper stops long enough to pay attention to Hudson, he gets the biggest grins on his face and is just beside himself!  I love seeing them together and I am so proud of Kemper for being such an awesome big brother.  He has done amazingly adjusting to not being the only child and has shown very little jealousy (and it's mostly when Daddy is playing with Hudson).  I can't wait to see these 2 as they grow up.  I hope that Kemper can always make Hudson smile and that Kemper will forever look out for his baby brother.  

Hudson at 5 months

-nurses every 2-3 hours (mostly every 2) 

- oatmeal at lunch, oatmeal + veggie/fruit at dinner

-goes to bed at 7pm (sometimes closer to 6:45, very rarely does he make it past 7)

-wakes at least twice a night to eat and up for the day around 8

-sitting up unassisted, rolling front to back, rolling back to front

-wearing mostly 9 month clothes but some 6 month clothes still fit

-loves to play in his Exersaucer and Jumperoo, loves to watch Kemper

-LOVES his bath and loves to splash

-gives Daddy the BIGGEST smile when he gets home from work

-getting better in the car but definitely doesn't like to be in there for any longer than necessary

MeMe and Pops visit!

photo by Lynse Michael Photography

We had such a wonderful visit with MeMe and Pops!  We always love it when family comes to visit and we typically stay on the go when we do have visitors.  We met up with my friend Lynse to have some family pictures taken.  It's always fun with Lynse is around and we got some wonderful pictures from our evening at the park.  Kemper was pretty disappointed that Gavin wasn't with Mrs. Lynse but rebounded quickly when she put him in charge of shaking the bells to get everyone to look at the camera.  :)  

Quite a bit of Pop's time was spend playing Legos with Kemper.  On a trip to Opry Mills, Kemper got to visit the Lego Store for the first time and he was in awe.  So.Many.Legos!  After learning their lesson in buying a Lego firetruck set and then having to put it together for him, we wisened up and purchased a 600-count basic lego set.  I am pretty sure that the amount of time they spent playing with the Legos over the course of their visit more than made up for the price.  Bridges, houses, robots, wands, people...the list goes on and on!  

We went to the pool one afternoon (and if I can figure out how to add pictures from my phone to the blog, I'll add a few pictures) and Hudson got to get in for the first time!  We weren't really concerned that he wouldn't like it because this boy LOVES bathtime.  Sure enough, he loved being in the pool and just floating around in his float.  Kemper, with the help of his PuddleJumpers, was all over the pool himself and had a blast.    Kemper has never been a child that gets worn out after swimming (last summer, Casey and I tried to wear his butt out at the pool more times than I can count and it never worked) so after the pool and a failed "rest time" in his room, we loaded the boys up and headed out to dinner.  It was awfully quiet in the car (and it's unfortunately NEVER quiet in my car between Kemper and Hudson) and I looked back to see both boys sound asleep.  Kemper was so deeply asleep that I unbuckled him and carried him into the restaurant and he  barely stirred.  Hudson, true to form, woke up as soon as the van turned off. :)

Also, Hudson began sitting up unassisted while MeMe and Pops were here.  Slow down little boy!!  

Another fun activity Kemper and Pops did during their visit was to play school!  Kemper will start his second year of pre-K on the 4th of September but we've been working on letters and numbers.  I found a fun dry erase book of letters and numbers and it is one of his favorite things to do.  He loves to write and will constantly ask us to spell things for him to he can write lists.  Pops had him do "homework" and then he would grade it for Kemper.  Kemper asked to play school 25 times a day it seemed.  He just couldn't get enough!  Hudson was content to supervise.

As always, we were sad when their visit came to an end.  Kemper is at the age where he's much more aware of what is going on and doesn't like it when they leave.  It has always been hard to say goodbye but it's even worse now when I see Kemper get upset.  Luckily he rebounds pretty quickly but it's heartbreaking nonetheless!  

We're looking forward to meeting up with them at Myrtle Beach in September!  It's looking like James won't be getting to take any vacation anytime soon so just the boys and I will make the trip down.  Ten and a half hours (not counting stops to feed Hudson or bathroom breaks for Kemper) with a 4-year old and 6-month old who hates the car.....I may be crazy but can't wait to introduce Hudson to the ocean and hopefully reunite Kemper and a special red head!