Two Weeks!

Whoa...trying to update the blog is a lot harder now...(like I needed any other hurdles to my delinquent posting). Especially, since this is one of the first days that I haven't taken a nap while Alden and Hudson were sleeping in the afternoon...but this is the most peaceful, useful time of day, so I am trying to cram a lot into these couple hours.














It is hard to believe that we have almost made it through 2 weeks! I feel like I have been mentally checking off the days in my head, knowing that things are going to gradually get better (meaning, Mom will be getting more sleep). Hudson is VERY grown-up today, as he woke up this morning and his crusty, dried raisin umbilical cord had fallen off. Thank goodness. Not that it was a huge deal, but diaper changes were seeming very complicated with the applying of the alcohol to the cord and vaseline application to the circumcision site.
















We have had a busy last week. We were able to spend some great time with Debbie, Jessica, Miles, and Lydia while they were in town, and Alden loved having kids to play with. Jess and I met our friend Colleen and her daughter on Wednesday morning for brunch at Carolina Cafe. I was childless for the morning (AWESOME!) and enjoyed time to catch up and to see Colleen's daughter Mary, who is almost 1, and SO cute.

Nana was up from Tuesday-Thursday and was the official Baby Rocker. Hudson got very spoiled from all his time snuggling with Nana in the rocking chair, but we have to cram in as much time into our visits as possible. After all, Alden got to live with Nana for 6 weeks when she was little! Nana gave Hudson his first bottle, too, which he took like a champ. It was so great to have Nana here. We really miss our time with her now that we aren't in Charlotte.

This weekend, my mom went to our house in Charlotte for a work-on-the-dissertation retreat, and we were on our own at home. It was a very relaxing weekend, and the weather was SO pleasant. We took Alden and Hudson to Bond Park Saturday morning. Hudson really enjoyed falling asleep in the Bjorn with Matt.














Saturday afternoon, I went to my friend Elizabeth's bridal shower. It was a great opportunity to celebrate Ellie and Dan, who will be married in January, and a fun impromptu reunion of the college friends before the Lake James Weekend Extravaganza in September. I really enjoyed getting out by myself for a few hours, and Matt did a great job wrangling Alden and Hudson solo. Auntie Amber came over that night, and snuggled Hudson for a few hours. It is so nice to have people take him. So nice.

We used the opportunity to take Alden and the dogs on our nightly constitutional. Alden started off not wanting to ride in the stroller, and fell down in the driveway and scraped her knee. For the ENTIRE walk, she was pitching a fit...sometimes about wanting to walk, sometimes about just wanting out of the stroller, sometimes about the boo-boo. AHH! Our neighbors heard her going and coming, and actually came out to try and distract her. We were pretty disruptive. I ended up carrying a thrashing, screaming Alden up from the greenway. Then, Matt took her outside again to hunt for lightning bugs, which seemed to calm her down some. Although she was upset, Matt and I couldn't stop laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. Maybe that is a bad response.

Sunday, we played hooky from church again, and met Courtney and Tom Bogan and their kids Avery and Cole for lunch at Smithfields. Alden and Avery had such a fun time together, and it was great to see Cole, since the last time was when he was in the hospital!

We walked the kids down to the park last night, and Alden ran off a lot of energy on the way home. No tantrums, so that was good.

Hudson has been holding his head a lot this past week. He is getting so much stronger. His MO lately has been to sleep a lot off and on during the day, and then is VERY awake from about 9-midnight. Last night was the first night he was up around dinner time and went to bed around 11. Then, he slept til 3!! That 4-hour stretch is our longest so far! I know it doesn't sound like much, but I was excited!

Alden and I went to the last story time at the library this morning. They take a break to plan and prepare in August before school starts. Now, without our Y membership starting up yet, and no library, we will have to get creative about distractions.

Aunt Kitty Scott and Cousin Elizabeth had graciously sent a TON of clothes down with Nana for Alden. Alden LOVED playing dress up, although her dress/pants/shoes ensemble didn't quite go together.

She's really been enjoying playing with her blocks, and made this great tower..."As tall as you!"