2 Years - Week 5 - Choo Choo!

Many little boys go through a Thomas the Train phase, 

and Hudson is smack in the middle of his right now! 

He wants to wear his "choo choo shirt"...

...and play with with his "choo choos..." 

He wants to read a "choo choo book" at bedtime (and while on the potty!)...

 He wants me to make up songs about trains, 

and he wants to watch a "choo choo show" every time he is near a TV...

He want to make train whistles shounds, 

and he wants to play "choo choo iPad" games....

We bought him some Thomas Wooden Railway trains and tracks for Christmas, 

and he plays with them almost every day.

We haven't figured out why, but he likes to put his body on the ground 

and move in a circle along with his trains... 

I know there will be many more phases in the years to come, 

but I'm really enjoying this one and hopes it lasts a while l: )

2 Years - Week 4 - My Valentines

It is impossible to explain 

how much I love these two.

They look a little bit alike, and they both have a special place in my heart.

So thankful that my dreams are coming true with the love of my life...

and that he helped make me a mama.

***

The day before Valentine's Day, Hudson and I made these heart-shaped banana-bread muffins for his daycare pals...

When woke up early the next morning to head to the gym, 

I was greeted by these beauties and a card...

I went straight to work from the gym, so Nick sent me this gem...

We had dinner at Freddy's with Mom and Great-grandpa George, 

and we got home in time to play with Hudson's choo choos.

I know it is a made-up holiday, but I love it because it makes me reflect on my relationships with others. And, it is a good reminder that there really is

SO MUCH LOVE

in the world and in my life.

***

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

my heart)i am never without it(anywhere

i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done

by only me is your doing,my darling)

                                                      i fear

no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want

no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)

and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows

higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

e.e. cummings

2 Years - Week 3 - "Happy"

Hudson,

The past few weeks have been rough. I've been sick and tired, and our household has been more than a little bit out of whack.

I can always count on you, though, when I'm feeling sad.

As soon as I tell you that I'm sad, you respond by patting my chest over and over and repeating "happy" in your sweet voice. (If I'm really lucky, you give me a kiss, too!)

You learned the sign for "happy" (patting your chest) at Toddler Sing and Sign this fall, and you picked it up right away. We've talked about feeling "sad" and feeling "happy" many times since then. You seem to know that these feelings are opposites, and – even though I didn't tell you – you also seem to know that "happy" is a better way to feel than "sad."

When you learned the sign, it never occurred to me that you would try to use it to make me happy. I am so glad that you thought of it, and I am so glad it works: )

I love you every second of every day.

Mama

2 Years - Week 2 - Holding Hands

Hudson usually refuses told hold my hand in public: (

I think he just wants to be independent, but my head and heart skips ahead to the future to a time when he will always refuse to hold my hand...and I probably won't even ask anymore. 

(Maybe that won't come true...but how many teenage boys hold hands with their moms!?!)

In Target last weekend, Hudson agreed to hold my hand - and actually wanted to hold my hand - rather than run through the store like I can't control him he usually does.

So thankful that Nick was there to capture the moment for me: )

I am also thankful that Hudson still likes to cuddle and hold hands when we're in the car or at home. If he is upset in the car, I can reach back and hold his hand for a minute and his world becomes a bit happier. At home, he scooches close to us on the bed, on the floor, or on the couch, and he almost always rests his hand on each of us or holds our hands.

Nick loves to document Daddy/Hudson moments to share with me!

I know some day that he'll grow out of this, but I hope he will hold on a little bit longer.

I don't even care if it is in the middle of dinner...