My 18 month old...

Hudson has been into this hat lately. He has been wearing it while he eats and while he has his morning Wiggles.

Ever since July 13 of 2005, the 13th of every month has been special to me. I always think back to that very special day and wonder why he is growing up sooo fast. You may think he's just a baby, he's only a year and 1/2 old. Which is true, he'll always be my baby, but with each passing month Hudson grows up so much. He is always learning something new. We see a little bit more of his personality each month (which is so fun and cute). With each passing month he grows a little bit more into a little boy and a little bit farther away from being a baby.

I have absolutely loved every single stage of his life. Not one stage is better than the other, and I can never tell the time that he moves from stage to stage. It was like one day I realized that he wasn't a "newborn" anymore. Then one day I realized he's a toddler now not a baby. It brings me so much joy to see him grow and learn. He really is such a sponge. He copies everything we say even if we just say it one time. He observes the world around him so closely. He is so funny. He is very much a little boy, and the very way I dreamed of how a little boy would be. He loves to get dirty, play with any kind of ball, run, be very very noisy, play rough with his Daddy. In my opinion, and I know I am his mommy, he gets cuter and cuter with each passing day.

Since my big boy is 18 months old today, I wanted to make a list of 18 of my favorite things that he is doing these days.

1. When Hudson wakes up in the mornings, I LOVE LOVE LOVE hearing him talk on the baby monitor. He says HI to everything. I hear him say, "Hi bay (his blankie), Hi books, Hi toys, Hi hats, Hi ball"...ect. It is so cute. I can always just picture him in there looking around making sure everything is still there.
2. I LOVE going into his room in the morning (after I have listened to him talk for several minutes), and I walk in and his face lights up and he says "Hi mommy." Makes my day.
3. When Matt comes home from work I'll say "Daddys home" and Hudson will run to the garage door and look thru the kitty door thats locked (the people who lived here before us had cats) and watch Matt drive in. Matt LOVES seeing that little face staring thru at him. Hudson LOVES his daddy so much. He is very much a daddy's boy. I call him Daddy's shadow because once Daddy is home, Hudson does not leave his side. It's adorable. Oh, one funny add-in here. Hudson over heard me call for Matt the other day, and then Hudson started calling Matt, Matt. He'll go up to him and say, "hey Matt." Well, Matt doesn't like it at all, so I have to go around now and call Matt daddy. I don't see Hudson learning "Allison" any time soon.
4. When we ask him what his name is he'll say Huuuuuddy.
5. Hudson loves to read books. We will sit and read book after book after book. He will study the pages and name off the characters on the page. Once we get to the last page of any book, he'll close it and say "all done."
6. The child could live outside. He LOVES to play outside with all of his toys, and Ace. He could live out there if we let him. I'll be glad for pretty weather soon so we can play outside more.
7. Hudson has been obsessed with animals ever since he learned what an animal was. I know a lot of his love comes because we go to the FW zoo so frequently, but he really has an obsession. I'll say, "Hudson, did we go to the zoo? What did we see?" He'll say, "monkeys, tigers, goats, hippo".....and just list off every animal that we saw. He can see an animal and know it's name. It is so cute because at the zoo he'll say "Hi elephant, hi monkeys, hi zebra..." I really think he thinks they are his friends. He also loves that at the zoo we ride the train every time we go. Its so fun.
8. My son LOVES The Wiggles. Our morning routine is: wake up, get milk, his bay, and sit in green chair. He'll say "wiwwles?" So we watch The Wiggles together. I have grown to love and appreciate The Wiggles very much.
9. Hudson is addicted to his blanket. He calls it "Bay". I really think he thinks his bay is a person because he will talk to it. If we have been gone for a while he runs to his room and yells "hiiiiii bay." It's his lovey for sure!
10. When we go shopping Hudson will say hi to every person we walk by. If they do not respond, he will continue to say hi until the acknowledge him. Most people think it is cute and will talk to him. I get real annoyed with the rude people who ignore him on purpose. I just want to tap their shoulder and say, "please tell my child hello because he won't stop until you do."
11. When Hudson gets really excited and runs really fast, he'll push both arms behind him and run with his head forward like he is charging something. It's funny.
12. He will sing, "row, row, row your boat" whenever he sees or talks about a boat.
13. He is starting to make sentences. His big ones these days are: "I want down please. I want more milk. I want a bite." His first sentence was Thanksgiving when he said to Matt's parents blue boat, "bye bye blue boat, I love you."
14. Hudson will pull out picture albums so he can name family members.
15. He has always been a great sleeper. He started sleeping thru the night at 8 weeks, and has ever since. We just put him in bed and he will talk a while, and then fall asleep. I have always loved that about him. My mom asks me, "are you praying about that for your second child?" Since Hudson had been so easy, I guess I'll be in for a rude awakening if number 2 does not like to go to bed.
16. Matt and I take turns putting Hudson to bed at night. We will rock him for a while and let him drink his sippy cup. My routine with him is to talk for a minute, sing a few songs, and then say our prayer. Now when I pray with Hudson as soon as I start he will say "Amen" over and over again until I am finished. I am not sure if he is giving me a "shout out" for the good parts of my prayer, or if he wants it to be over. It's pretty funny though.
17. He has learned how to "pat the Bible" in Bible class. So Hudson will get out his little Bible and say over and over again "pat the bible." To me it looks like he is beating up his Bible, but he'll pat it and pat it and pat it.
18. OK so it's number 18. All I have to say is that there isn't one thing that I love more about him than the other. He is so fun, so cute, and such a joy. Everything he does we think it's the cutest thing ever. (which I know you would too). :) Being his mommy has been the greatest 18 months ever.