Where's Hudson?

Sometimes I feel as though we were playing hide and seek with him as we try to dig our way out from under the boxes. His little head disappears easily behind just about everything, and with a healthy dose of personal preservation missing, he is one that needs a watchful eye kept close. I love visiting our friends, and love visiting our friends with children just a little older than Hudson as we can get a scoop on what is coming our way in the next months. On our last visit with our dear friends the Zappasodis I enjoyed Rebecca's explanation of little Micah pointing out things that are off limits. As we walked by the pond he shook his index finger at the water saying "no no no" while Rebecca responded "thats right Micah, we can't go in the water". I loved that he stood there reprimanding the water. The gas fireplace in our home is the "testing ground" for Hudson. He is fascinated with it, and a little practice, he now walks around the house shaking his hand with index finger somewhat extended towards it. It is all I can do to keep a straight face each time I see him shaking his fat little hand. I'm not sure how to keep him from thinking it is a game though. He looks at me, then the fireplace, then smiles each time wanting me to say "no no no" while he obliges with his own sign language of the "no no". So far it has kept him at a distance from the hot glass, and he certainly gets the concept that he is not supposed to touch it, so heres hoping.

About the pictures I promised. I took the camera downstairs to get some pictures and once again can't seem to find it. I know, I know, I should be more careful, but if you moved into a place with no storage space and were busy trying to take care of a little one and find places to put millions of items you'd have a hard time too. In fact, Hudson goes though about 4 sippy cups a day lately as it is too much trouble to hunt down the one he had last, so being the conservator that I am, I simply go to the cabinet and make a new one for him. I'm sure they'll turn up... eventually. :)

A home at last

Just a quick update. We have found a home here in Canmore and are busy moving in this weekend. Dan spent the afternoon shoveling hardened snow off our porches while Hudson and I unpacked boxes. We are making great progress thanks to wonderful Grandparents here to help by bringing food for our empty fridge & bare pantry as well as making the oh so great sacrifice of babysitting.

We had a bit of a rough start when Dan called from the US/Canadian border saying the agents wouldn't let him across with our truck. Apparently we didn't have all correct paperwork in order (even though we called three times to be sure!). So with our truck at the border still and Dan here, we are having to be creative with how we move our belongings, thankful yet again for borrowed cars from Dan's parents.

I unpacked a box today and feel the need to share what I found inside. Ladies, let this be a warning to never let your precious hubbies pack boxes. The contents included: a wall clock, shower head, computer cables, teddybear, calendar, markers, a pair of high heels, Russian verb flash cards, and walkie-talkies. I now know how things get lost in a move.

I found my memory card for my camera but now can't find my camera...so once again I'll post pictures of our little snowbaby when I can find both pieces simultaneously.

Hope you are having a great February.
Love, Kristi

We made it...mostly

With the whirlwind of packing behind us, Hudson and I set foot on Canadian soil Saturday, grateful for the few days of rest at Grandma & Grandpa's house before we start the oh-so-enjoyable process of unpacking everything we just spent days packing. We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of our beloved provider as he drives our things up through 5 states and a province. We've only been apart 3 days but it feels like an eternity as we became quite spoiled with him at home full time the last two weeks! I took some great pictures of Hudson's first experience in snow, but can't get the computer to upload them. As soon as I dig my laptop out of the abyss otherwise known as our trailer I'll send you lots of pictures of our little marshmallow. We hope you are doing well and pray that you can enjoy each day you have with those you love! Signing off from the land of politically correctness, Kristi.

Some silliness

Since we started packing Hudson rediscovered his backpack wanting to be in it all day. First thing in the morning he walks sleepy eyed to it, pulls on the straps fussing to get in. God is so good with even the smallest graces, as this has been a life saver while moving boxes.

 

I tried telling Dan that he wouldn't fit in the crib....so he had to prove me wrong.....and now he wants a "grownup sized" one. Some kids don't ever really grow up. This is also a rare shot of our little guy quite unhappy (he hates naptime).

 

I found Hudson trying on his new winter hat...any tips from you cold weather people on how to keep these hats on kiddo? He just pulls them right off after about two nano seconds.

 

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Thanks Josh

For Christmas this year my brother Josh gave Hudson money to go to what he called "Nino's School". It is really a kids gym called JW Tumbles that I'd been coveting ever since I saw it when we moved to The Woodlands. Josh heard how much I wanted Hudson to go and helped pay for his classes. Today was the last class in the session so we had to memorialize the oh-so-fun place with a few pictures. I'm so sad to leave the gym behind, as whenever we walked though the doors Hudson would immediately take off running the spend the next 45 minutes or so climbing, pushing, and sliding on everything while having the time of his life. So I just wanted to stop and say "thanks Josh" for helping to make that all possible. Oh, and yes, that is my just turned one year old walking across a step ladder. Could someone please tell him he is not supposed to be doing things like this yet?!

Never too busy for you!

We are in the midst of a furious packing up of our home to which Hudson is feeling the lack of attention I believe. He has been a bit more needy the last couple days but even there God has once again showed us his mercy. I set out the baby backpack while getting something behind it only to find Hudson pulling and tugging on the straps wanting to be put in. Ever since that moment he begs to be put into the backpack at least 3 or 4 times a day. This morning he woke up (at 6 am as usual much to my dismay) and went straight to the backpack. He is such a morning person, waking up ready to conquer the world. This morning he was being extra silly in his bed, so I grabbed the camera and snapped a quick picture of the little early bird!


In all the hustle and bustle we've still made time to take Hudson out to play at his favorite spot - the park. We spend most of our time there pulling bark mulch out of his mouth but he also loves the spring loaded ride-on animals - especially when Daddy rides with him making the horse lunge back and forth as far as it will go!

On the road again...

 

I've had this song by Willie Nelson in my head for the last few days and cannot seem to get it out. Even as I write it is playing in the background of my mind. No doubt it is because we are about to be on the road again, with a cross-continental move - to Alberta Canada. After months of no leads, God has blessed Dan with a great job. To add to that blessing the company is based in the same town as his family lives, so we will be able to live near his family & Hudson's grandparents! When we left Alaska our hope had been to work in Texas, near my family, while Dan focused on going back to school. Those plans had to be put on the back burner when he was unable to find work after 7 long months of diligent searching. So now we are so excited to be able to live in the mountains, with SNOW, and play with cousins, aunties, uncles and grandparents! I did tell Dan that no matter what I was not going to teach Hudson to say eh? and in quite the opposite fashion part of his vocab curriculum (when he was old enough) would be the word "ya'll". You can take the girl out of Texas but you can't take Texas out of the girl :). I may not have a southern accent or wear boots and jeans, but I do love my home state.

So, we leave next Saturday and have begun the process of packing up the trailer and cleaning out our storage unit. Thankfully the packing part of the move is much easier this time as most of our things have been in storage, still packed, since we left Alaska. I told Dan it is going to be like Christmas when we unpack since I haven't seen many of our items since June!

At the storage unit one day last week I set some things of Hudson's that we no longer needed and were going to give away out on the floor. I continued to busily dig though boxes when I heard him yelling happily and banging on something. I turned to see him sitting in his old bathtub, quite proud of himself in fact, and I stood surprised he figured out how to get in there. He loved that tub and continued to get in and out of it the rest of the time. You just never know what kids will find entertaining. Right now at home Hudson's favorite "toy" is my ball-tipped wire whisk. He loves to put it in his mouth, bang on the walls with it to hear it's chimes (yes, this whisk makes chimey noises when banged - leave it to a toddler to figure this out!).