My 3 1/2 year old guy!!

Oh how I love my Hudman!! We are at such a fun/difficult stage with him. I feel like from 3-4 you leave 'toddler-hood' and become a 'little boy'. His little brain is constantly at work and never stops. I often get a headache with all of his constant questions and whys. He really wants to know why the sky is blue, why we have to wear underwear, why boys potty standing up and girls don't, why do mommy's like to take pictures, if boogers are gross they why do we have them, and then of course the question of 'does Santa have nipples' before Christmas. I'm not kidding with these questions, I could go ON and ON. I laugh and think it is so cute, but some times I am thinking 'if i seriously have to answer one more why my head might explode.' He is not content with 'that's how God made us' because one second later his next question is 'why did he make us like that?' It is definitely been the year of the questions!

He also is at a tough place in disciplining. He likes to figure everything out for himself. For instance I can't tell you how many times I have said "stay away from my straightener because it is really hot and will burn you." Over Christmas what did he do???? Go right over and grab my straightener and burned his finger and thumb. I guess he just needed to see for himself that it really was hot like I said. He is also at that point where he really does know better, so we can't let things slide. I feel like we are being harder on him. It's because we know since he deliberately did something that he shouldn't now deserves a consequence. And being consistent is key with him. I can't say no one day and not the next because he'll call me out on it. "Why was that ok before mommy??" Sharing........oh don't get me started on sharing! I know kids go thru it, but man, it's a work in progress. I really worry that he'll be that kid in Kindergarten that hoards all the toys from all the kids. We just try and do our best with the tough areas of raising a 3 year old boy......

One thing I really love most about Hud is that he really loves Jesus. He loves church, loves his church friends, loves going to Bible class, and loves for us to read him his nightly Bible story. It is so precious. I love how when he is upstairs playing I can hear him singing a church song. I love that when he is scared he knows to pray, or when someone is hurting he knows that we need to pray for them. He says such a sweet prayer before we eat....and reminds us on those busy nights that we need to stop and pray.

Huddy loves his baby sister. Even though they can get into it, they love each other. I am sure this is how it'll always be. He is always so sweet when she wakes up in the mornings. He always wants to know where she is and tries his best to help me discipline her (which is a no no), but he say's that she needs him to tell her no.....yeah right... I love seeing the 2 of them interact. He wants her to be able to play with him soooo bad. She's not quite there. I am hoping over these next few months leading up to their b-days she'll be ready to play more with him.

Ever since Christmas, when Hudson wakes up in the morning he has been coming down and getting in bed with us. Matt is usually out the door pretty early, so Hud climbs in bed on Matt's side and snuggles in with me. We lay there until we hear Harper on the monitor. My rule for him coming to bed with us is that he has to see the sun thru his window. So far so good. No 5 am wake-up calls yet! I love our early morning conversations. We talk about the day ahead, and he just lays there beside me until it's time to get up. Such a sweet time....

My favorite conversation happened right after Christmas. Hudson came and got in bed with us and said that he had to wake up to see 'if the creatures were stirring' in our house (from Twas the Night before Christmas). We asked him if he saw anything and he said no. Then he sat there and asked "what are those creatures stirring? Are they stirring Christmas cookies?" We had to laugh out loud on that one. Oh the mind of a 3 year old.

At 3 and 1/2 Hudson is ALL BOY! He loves to play rough and loves to get dirty. Loves trucks, batman, his pirate ship, and still enjoys his costumes. His bay (blanket) is still very much a part of our family. He has not spent one night away from bay nor do I see that happening any time soon. Hudson LOVES his Daddy. They play hard once Matt gets home. Hudson still squeals with delight when "Daddy's HOME". I think we all do..... Hudson loves books and loves learning. You tell him something once and he remembers it forever (why the disciplining thing is so hard).

Hudson is such a joy and is the life of any party. He makes us all laugh and smile just with his funny faces and goofy stories. I pray constantly for God's guidance in raising him. I try not to freak out totally when he doesn't share with kids, when he isn't being very nice, or when we have just flat out had a not so good day. I pray that we just do our best as parents and God fills in those places we aren't so good. We are total rookies at this whole parenting thing and just take it one day at a time. We are so privileged to have 2 sweet, amazing, beautiful, wonderful kids. I look at them so many times and still can't believe they are ours. What a gift it is to be their mommy!! I love them both more everyday!

My sweet boy! Oh I could just eat him up!! Those beautiful blue eyes.... How can he be 3 1/2????