The Hudson Family

9 Months Gone Too Quickly

2012-02-17T19:41:00.000-06:00

Rylan is 10 1/2 months old now (even though this post is his 9 month blog post) and is crawling and pulling up on everything in sight. It won't be much longer before he is walking. He is such a sweet little boy, and we are overjoyed to have him in our lives. Here are his 9 month stats:

Height: 28 1/4 inches (50%)

Weight: 20 lbs. 7 oz. (55%)

Head: 18 inches (65%)

Rylan loves:

Playing with his sister until she takes away a toy from him and then he gets really mad (we didn't realize he had a little temper until the first time this happened)
Loves to walk behind his little turtle or CAT truck (he's itching to walk on his own, but just isn't quite ready)
Eats so much more than Kaelyn ever did (about 5 times per day for solids, and 3-4 times with nursing); his favorite foods are oatmeal with banana cereal, sweet potatoes with bananas and cinnamon, bananas, mandarin oranges, mashed potatoes, mum mums, yogurt, apple blueberry, and so much more. I'm really enjoying making all of his baby food and wish that I would have made Kaelyn's for her.
Squints his eyes and makes a funny "gasping-for-air" sound when he laughs
Loves to snuggle with mommy right before bed time
Still takes two naps per day (thank goodness because mommy definitely needs the down time)
Wrestles with our faces when you try to give him too many kisses (it's really funny to watch)
Waits anxiously and patiently for daddy to get home from work (he just might be a daddy's boy)
Loves to crawl after balls; he doesn't want to hold the ball, but wants to play chase with it
He's very patient when Kaelyn wants to put headbands or jewelry on him (he will probably be upset with us for not putting a stop to this when he gets older)
He's an escape artist when it comes to diaper changing time
Enjoys playing upstairs in the gameroom where he has plenty of space to crawl and explore

We cannot believe that he is quickly approaching 1 year old! Time really does fly by. Rylan, we love you with all of our hearts and cannot imagine what life would be without you in it. You are one special little boy who is loved by everyone you come in contact with. We know there are big plans in store for you as you continue to grow. The Lord blessed us when he chose us to be your mommy and daddy!

Love,

Mommy, Daddy and Kaelyn

The End of 2011...Beginning of 2012

2012-01-19T17:00:00.000-06:00

Today is my blog catch up day! I cannot believe it's already 2012 and I haven't even posted an entry about the holidays. I guess that's what happens when you chase a preschooler and an infant around all day! So, 649 pictures later (not all posted), here is the end of 2011 update!

From the beginning of November through most of December, both Kaelyn and Rylan fought constant colds. However, the kids got to go to Longview to spend some time with both sets of grandparents over the week of Thanksgiving which was super nice for me and Robbie. We've decided this is an annual tradition because we all love it.

Two sick kids

Kaelyn in her Thanksgiving shirt

Rylan having fun!

Kaelyn also got to ice skate for the first time at the Galleria around the big Christmas tree. I'll admit, I was a little skeptical when Pop said that he wanted to take her because I figured it was going to be a lot of work on the two of us trying to hold her up, but I am happy to have been proven wrong! She was a little ice skating champ and loved it. Especially after aunt Karlene bought her some pink gloves to keep her hands warm.

At this point, the iceskating was a lot of work on

Mommy and Pop trying to hold Kaelyn up.

Figuring out how to hold on to side rails

"Look...One hand."

Aunt Karlene and Rylan watching from the side.

We met a little friend who was ice skating for the

first time also, but her mom didn't have any help so

we all joined hands. Kaelyn loved it!

KK and Rylan watching and relaxing.

Once again this year, our Santa sent his annual Christmas letters with ornaments for the kids. We are so very blessed by Santa Claus and the love he has for our kids!

Getting ready to open boxes from Santa.

Kaelyn's Letter from Santa

Kaelyn's ornament...Snowgirl carrying a lunchbox

(very appropriate since Kaelyn started school this year)

Rylan's Letter from Santa

Rylan's ornament...Celebrating his 1st Christmas

with his newborn stats.

November and December were busy days at Stonebriar Preschool Pals also. Kaelyn has learned so much since she started in September and comes home to share with us each and every day. We had a Thanksgiving party at the end of November and a Happy Birthday Jesus party just before school got out for the Christmas holidays! She is making lots of friends and can't wait to get out of the car each morning to head into class.

One of the mom's dressed as a mouse and told the story

of a mouse on Christmas morning celebrating

Jesus's birthday.

Mommy helping Kaelyn with her nativity craft.

The kids each brought a book for the gift exchange.

Kaelyn sat next to her friend Lucy waiting patiently to unwrap.

Jesus's birthday cake

Over the Christmas holiday and New Year weekends, we celebrated a total of six different gift exchanges and Kaelyn and Rylan loved every minute of it. The Lord has truly blessed us with a very loving family in which everyone is crazy about our kids! They are spoiled rotten.

The Killian Christmas

I rarely catch these two on camera together. Love this

picture of my sweet brothers!

We totally underestimated how much Rylan was going

to love opening packages this year. He really didn't

care what was inside, but loved all the paper and bows.

Kaelyn got a new double jogging stroller for her babies.

Rylan entertaining himself with all the paper.

Rylan and Grandad Killian in their Sooner gear.

(Our kids are going to be so confused with colleges thanks

to all the family buying them Aggie, Sooner and Bama stuff)

Rylan on his new CAT truck.

Aunt Kim spoils the kids rotten on the Perry side.

She's always bringing gifts. On Christmas Eve she

brought the kids fun hats!

Kaelyn in her Penguin hat

Rylan as a White Tiger

The Famous Christmas Morning shot with the Perry's

Seeing what all Santa brought

At Nana's getting ready to open gifts...Such a fun change

now that there are 5 young kids again.

Rylan getting some daddy time.

Loving Mommy on his First Christmas morning.

And more paper...

Playing with one of his new toys (drool and all)

Rylan with Robbie's grandmother, Memaw

during the Hudson Christmas celebration.

(She is one of his biggest fans!)

Uncle Dale from San Diego and PawPaw

Daddy chopping up candy canes for

our hot cocoa bar!

Kaelyn being a ham!

(For some reason she thinks that she needs

to lean over and pose when we ask to take

her picture...Getting to be really frustrating)

Kaelyn and Daddy getting Santa's milk and cookies ready.

Kaelyn decided to eat the reindeers' carrots! Oops!

Santa arrived again!

Not sure what this face is all about, but it's funny!

The holiday season is behind us and while it was a lot of fun, we are very thankful to be getting back in a routine and starting a new year with new blessings! 2012 is going to be a great year with lots of adventures. I also promise to be a better blogger. I've got to remember not to get so behind because it's much easier doing a little at a time.

Rylan is pulling up on anything and everything.

These two absolutely adore each other.

Poor Rylan is already getting dressed like a girl...

In a headband here and just got his hair blow dryed by sister.

Too big for the bouncy seat since he started climbing

out of it while buckled.

My two Lowe's buddies...Every store should

have carts like these! Genius concept.

Over MLK weekend, we did lots of family things

including feeding the ducks in a nearby pond.

Kaelyn got another haircut and April curled her hair...

Thanks to her, I now get to spend an extra 15 minutes

per day curling Kaelyn's hair since she demands it!

"Look at my curls!"

So precious with her bow!

Rylan getting into the magazines

(reminds me of when Kaelyn did the same thing)

Running the Rock

2011-12-08T21:34:00.012-06:00

Last weekend on Sunday, December 4th, Robbie ran the White Rock Marathon! The kids and I couldn't be more proud of him for "Running the Rock." Since it would be hard for me to share all of the details, I asked Robbie to write them down so I could post it!

From Robbie:

After completing the Sprint Triathlon, I was looking for a new physical challenge. My employer, Behringer Harvard, is a big sponsor of the White Rock Marathon, so I decided to give it a try. However, I only had six weeks to transition from triathlon training to marathon training. As I would find out around mile 18, I probably should have had a little more endurance running training before tackling a marathon.

One of the best things about getting ready for the marathon was that Bentley decided to run the half marathon. I really enjoyed all the training, strategizing, and commiserating with him in the weeks leading up to the run. It would have been so much harder without him.

The night before the race, we all met at Olive Garden for our last carbo-loading meal. After dinner, Kristen and the kids went home, and Bentley, Lisette, and I drove to our hotel by Fair Park. Lisette’s company was also a sponsor of the marathon, and she was able to get us a hotel room and VIP parking for the event. We went to sleep around 9:00 p.m. and woke up at 6:00 a.m. Nerves definitely got the best of me that night. I took a series of about fourteen 30 minute naps, but woke up refreshed and ready to run.

One of my biggest fears leading up to race day was the weather. The temperature was in the mid-40s all day, which was perfect for running. However, it rained the entire day, and the occasional wind was pretty demoralizing at times. The wet conditions would become a factor as the day continued.

We parked at around 7:30 a.m. for an 8:00 a.m. start. Because of the VIP parking, we were about 100 yards from the starting line. We made our final preparations in the car, and we were ready to go. At Lisette’s suggestion, Bentley led us in prayer and we began to make our way to our starting corral. As we approached the starting line, one of Kaelyn’s favorite songs (Justin Beiber’s “Baby”) began to play, which of course made me think of her. While the song was playing, I reached my hand into the pocket of the sweatshirt that I was wearing and found a small toy alien about the size of a fingertip. It was a toy that Kaelyn had asked me to hold for her a few days earlier. I decided that it was my good luck charm and put it in the pocket of my running shorts. After stretching and giving Lisette our excess clothing, we got in line for the start.

Bentley and I just minutes before the start!

There were 5 starting waves (A-E) and three corrals in each wave (1-3). Bentley and I were in corral D-2, which was essentially near the end of a long line of runners stretching back from the starting line. The gun went off at 8:00—Bentley and I crossed the starting line at around 8:25. At the last minute, we put on $0.88 ponchos that we purchased at Target the night before. We were both really glad that we did.

My adrenaline was really pumping at the start. Thankfully, the crowd was pretty packed, so that prevented us from overexerting ourselves at the beginning. Our strategy was to run to each of the aid stations, which were separated by about 1.25 miles, then walk for one minute, then run to the next aid station. While we were together, we were able to execute our plan almost flawlessly. For the first three of four miles, we were having to bob-and-weave our way through the crowd, trying to avoid runners and massive water puddles. After about mile 2, my shoes and socks were soaked—and that was the biggest negative for me. It felt like I was wearing ankle weights and my entire body started to prune up from the wetness. Carrying all the extra water weight definitely slowed us down and required us to burn more energy throughout the day.

The atmosphere was really great at the beginning. The crowds were big and loud and all of the runners were fresh. Bentley and I ran side-by-side almost the entire time, except for when one of us had to pick our way through a crowd. The first 8 miles passed very quickly for me, and I felt really good. We were just under a 10-minute per mile pace. At the 8.5 mile mark, the marathon and half marathon runners separated. I didn’t realize what a big deal this was going to be for me. As we approached the fork, I remember telling Bentley that I would be “running with him” mentally until the 2:20 mark—then he was on his own. Hours later I would find out that he never had to run alone—he finished in 2:20 exactly. We gave each other a fist pound, said “Love you, bro” and parted ways.

At around mile 11, the marathon route took me around White Rock Lake. This is where I hit my lowest point mentally. After talking with Bentley, we both seemed to experience an overwhelming sense of loneliness at about the same time. The growing physical pain, combined with the weather, losing Bentley, and the dissipating crowds, started to take its toll. At about the 18 mile mark, I had to abandon my “run-to-each-aid-station” strategy. From that point on, all I could do was run until the cramps started, and then walk until I could run again. I never had to stop completely, but my legs—particularly my calves— would get very, very tight. The slightest change in elevation, incline or decline, would wreak havoc on my lower body.

At around mile 20, the loop around the Lake was finally over. The crowds began to gather again, and my mood greatly improved. At this point, I knew I could finish. My body was definitely breaking down, but I knew I only had about an hour and a half left. The aid stations were definitely a big help. They each had water, Gatorade, fruit, candies, etc. Some people set up make-shift aid stations in their front lawns, many of which had an interesting definition of “aid”.

I decided not to run with ear buds or music because I wanted to “soak in all of the atmosphere”. There were tons of bands, cheering spectators, and signs to provide a welcomed distraction from the monotony of running. My top ten favorite signs were:

10. “Remember, You Volunteered To Do This”

9. “The Couch Misses You Too”

8. “This Is A Motivational Sign”

7. “Just Keep Swimming”

6. “Chuck Norris Never Ran A Marathon”

5. “Chafe Now…Brag Later”

4. “Worst Parade Ever”

3. “Your Feet Hurt Because You’re Kicking So Much Butt!”

2. “You’re Running Better Than Rick Perry”

1. “You Have Stamina…Call Me!”

Over the final six miles, I was only able to run about half of the time. However, I was able to maintain a pretty quick walking pace the other half of the time. At the 24 mile mark, I finally discarded my poncho. I couldn’t believe how much colder I got when I took it off. I checked my pockets one last time to make sure that I had exhausted all of my supplements, and I found the little toy alien! I had forgotten all about it. I held it in my right hand for the last mile, remembering all of the sacrifices along the way—I couldn’t have finished the race without the support of my family—I thought about them a lot on the course.

As I came around the final turn, I heard “Come on, BRO!” in a familiar voice. I almost fell down when I saw Bentley and Lisette cheering me on down the final stretch. I ran over to see them before stumbling across the finish line. My first thought upon crossing that line was “We did it!”

Video of me crossing the finish line

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVPpUCG_Sko

Before the race, whenever someone would ask what my goal time was, I would say that if I didn’t finish in under 4:30, I would be disappointed. After finishing in 4:45, disappointment was the LAST thing I felt. I couldn’t be prouder of my time and my accomplishment. White Rock definitely beat me, but I left everything out there—and I finished.

Here are my final stats:

Official Chip Time - 4:45:28

Average Mile Pace – 10:53

Overall Place – 2,786 out of 4,556

Division Place (M 30-34) – 287 out of 401

Potty Trained!

2011-11-15T16:30:00.001-06:00

We started potty training with Kaelyn on the afternoon of Thursday, October 20th after she got home from school. I was really dreading the process because of horror stories from friends. We had been practicing by letting Kaelyn "try" to potty at different times during the day. She never once went potty during our practice tries. But all of a sudden, she was ready that Thursday afternoon and we had it down with no accidents by Friday. It amazed me! I cannot take credit for her success because she did it all by herself, but I will say it was a great birthday gift (since my birthday was the 19th). Our little baby was now a big girl. It is also a nice feeling not to have two in diapers anymore (and a pay raise). With a bag full of M&M's and a few big prizes from the dollar section of Target, she was motivated and more than ready! After two full weeks of no more diapers, Robbie and I took her for a special treat to show her how proud we were. Kaelyn got to experience Build A Bear Workshop for the first time. Kaelyn loves all of her babies and stuffed animals, so we knew this was the best reward for her. However, we are a little terrified of visiting the mall now that she is aware that a place like Build A Bear exists. She picked out the perfect bear who is all pink with hearts on her feet and named her Pinky Bear! (The child is obsessed with pink)

Kaelyn,
When you look back at this blog or the scrapbooks when you are older, just know how you continue to amaze and show us how smart you are in all that you do! Mommy and Daddy are so very proud of you and the big girl you are becoming each and every day! We love you!

-Mommy and Daddy

Kaelyn kissed and rubbed her nose on Pinky Bear's

heart before putting it inside her!

Giving Pinky Bear a bath with much love

before picking out her clothes.

Even though Rylan is far from potty training, I hope he is as easy as Kaelyn was in her training. Doubtful though!

Halloween Festivities

2011-11-15T16:30:00.000-06:00

The Fall season is a busy time for our family because of a mutual love for college football along with great weather and fun times with friends and family. This year is definitely no different! After five different Fall/Halloween parties and events, we were ready to hang the Halloween hat up until next year.

The festivities started on Thursday with Kaelyn's Preschool Pals Fall party. It was so much fun for me and Robbie to attend the party with her and see her in action at her school with her friends. She comes home each Tuesday and Thursday after learning something new and we love it! She's really cute when you quiz her about anything she's learned. She gets very excited and shy!

She walked right in and sat down at the table ready for the day.

Working on a Pumpkin craft with Mommy.

Kaelyn's teacher, Mrs. Jen, making the rounds

Eating breakfast with her classmates

Friday afternoon, Robbie's company hosted a festival and trick or treating for all the kids. We got dressed in our costumes to attend. It was a lot of fun to meet Daddy's co-workers and participate in the costume parade.

Playing all the games for candy with Daddy

A cute little backdrop for pictures...however,

this was the best we could get. Rylan is really busy and

was interested in the hay.

Kaelyn meeting some of the other kids.

After the BH party, we had about an hour before heading out to the Stonebriar Fall Festival (put on by the church and Kaelyn's school). It turned out to be a chilly evening, but thankfully there were games inside and out. The festival was much larger than we expected, but a lot of fun.

Rylan staying warm in the stroller!

Fun ball toss game.

Potty toss game

(very appropriate for us since we just became potty trained)

Getting a lighted ring (Kaelyn loves her bling)

On Sunday evening, our church small group particpated with the other Frisco small groups in a Trunk or Treat. It was a lot of fun to hang out with everyone and see all the kids' costumes. Our little Alabama cheerleader and Aggie football player enjoyed the festivities and playing at the park.

Kaelyn and cousin Kade sliding together.

Trying to get all the kids in one picture together

(Kaelyn wouldn't cooperate so you won't find her)

Mommy's Little Aggie

Finally, our Halloween festivities ended with a little trick or treating in the neighborhood on Monday evening with some friends. We didn't stay at it long, but it was amazing to see the difference in how much Kaelyn has grown in the past year. She had no issues saying "Trick or Treat" and waiting patiently or often picking out her piece of candy. Unfortunately, Daddy convinced her to get all skittles. Mommy should have taught her to look for the chocolate. Oh well. Better luck next year.

Taking a picture before trick or treating on Monday night

Such a sweet smile from our little Bama cheerleader

Rylan adores Kaelyn!

The girls prior to Trick or Treating

(Boys were wrestling in the background)

The Gang

A Season of Fitness

2011-11-09T11:12:00.000-06:00

Back in the summer months, Robbie made a committment to an 11-week training program to become a Sprint Triathlete and compete in a local competition in Denton. Because he was training so hard, he inspired me to also accomplish a fitness goal. While my goal was much smaller in scale compared to his 250 meter swim, 16 mile bike, and 3.1 mile run, we began cheering each other on. I've never really enjoyed running but decided I would run the Frisco Fun Run 5K and check off an item on my bucket list.

On October 16th, Robbie competed in the Monster Sprint Triathlon and beat all of his personal goals and training bests. I am so proud of him and how hard he worked to prepare for the competition.

Robbie's Results

Swim

For Robbie, the swim was by far the most disappointing part of the race. All the participants got in a long line and entered the water one at time, with about 5 seconds in between each swimmer. They would swim down, touch the end, duck under the lane ropes, then swim back, duck under again, etc., making their way to the other end of the pool. Robbie looked great for the first 2 lengths—then disaster struck. He got caught up in a 3 person log jam and couldn’t get around the people in front of him. One of the people in front of him wasn’t even touching the wall at the end of each length—she was ducking under the ropes about 10 feet from the wall each time—which made it almost impossible for anyone to pass her. Then another guy in front of Robbie was doing a backstroke/doggie paddle hybrid. We could tell Robbie was frustrated, but thankfully he only lost about 1 minute of time.

Projected Swim (5:15). Actual Swim (5:51). Group Ranking (17 out of 21).

The Swimming Madness Begins!

Robbie standing in the long line preparing!

Daddy's #1 Fan

The Long Anticipated Swim

Looking good so far!

Bike

Robbie decided to rent a road bike instead of using our cheap moutain bike, and he says it was the best decision he made. He had biked the exact course with a mountain bike on two separate occasions and finished in 1 hr. 6 min. each time, so he was hoping to gain about 6 minutes with the road bike. Later, he said he felt like he was flying out there and was able to pass people. He ended up saving more than his projected 6 minutes with the rented bike!

Projected Bike (1:04:00). Actual Bike (53:59). Group Ranking (6 out of 21).

Walking through the bike transition area

Taking off for the 16 mile bike ride!

"Go Daddy Go!"

Run

I was shocked by Robbie's run time. I won't lie, the first time he passed us, I thought he was really struggling after going so hard at it on the bike. But, his time proved me wrong! It actually gave me hope for my upcoming 5K.

Projected Run (26:00). Actual Run (23:47). Group Ranking (11 out of 21).

Beginning Lap 2

Finishing Strong!

Projected Overall (1:39:15). Actual Overall (1:26:49). Group Ranking (7 out of 21).
Overall Ranking (83 out of 268).

The kids and I couldn't be more proud of him! It was fun to be out at the event to cheer him on in his transitions from swim to bike and bike to run.

Then on October 29th, I ran in the Gary Burns Fun Run in downtown Frisco, along with Robbie, his dad and brother. My goal was to finish the 3.1 miles running without walking and I'm proud to say I accomplished my goal while losing a few inches along the way. I finished in 32 minutes and I'm okay with that time considering the log jam at the beginning of the race. The week of the race we had sick kids, so I have to say it wasn't the easiest going into an early run on Saturday morning after a lack of sleep during the week. I have lots of respect for Mom's who train consistently to compete in events because sometimes being a Mom causes interruptions in a normal training schedule.

Robbie's company is sponsoring the White Rock Marathon at the beginning of December and he will be running the full 26.2 miles. He is still working hard in his training and I'm so very proud he is my husband. My fitness has transitioned to attending cardio classes while still running three times per week (what can I say, I liked the weight loss results even though I didn't care for the running).

A Cinderella Pumpkin Patch

2011-11-09T09:35:00.001-06:00

This year Robbie and I decided to take the kids to the Dallas Arboretum for the Cinderella Pumpkin Celebration. Kaelyn has really gotten into princesses recently, and we always enjoy the beautiful flowers and greenery at the Arboretum. It did not disappoint! The weather could have been a bit cooler for October, but we live in Texas and that is usually impossible to come by. We had a nice family picnic while we were there and enjoyed spending some time together.

Welcoming Everyone to the Pumkin Patch!

I've never seen such beautiful pumpkins and flowers!

(She's also a hard target to take pics of these days with her funny faces)

Rylan loved the hay and wanted to eat all of it!

"Look Mommy and Daddy...I found one my size."

One of the beautiful pumpkin houses in
the Cinderella exhibit.

Trying to get her to JUST smile! Little Stinker.

Cinderella's Carriage

Ahh...The Famous Glass Slipper.

(Kaelyn was most impressed with it)

The King's Palace

Being silly with Mommy while Rylan napped.

Rylan wasn't quite sitting up yet, but he was most

fascinated with the grass and looked like he might even take off and crawl.

Fun times with Daddy.

6 Months Already???

2011-10-09T11:47:00.000-05:00

Where have the last 6 months gone? I cannot believe that on Tuesday, October 4th, we celebrated Rylan's 6 month birthday! It seems like yesterday, Robbie and I were holding him for the first time. He is such a joy to our family and loves his big sister so much! Robbie and I can make him laugh easily, but Kaelyn can just look at him and he laughs wholeheartedly. He is in full teething mode now and loves to have something in his hands to gnaw on at all times. Rylan coos and makes all kinds of new sounds now. I even heard a da and ga yesterday. He can almost sit up completely on his own and also eats cereal now. He's still not a huge fan of the cereal though, but I'm almost certain that when he starts eating veggies and fruits (which we got the okay for Thursday at the doctor), he'll change his mind about solid foods.

Rylan's 6 Month Stats

Weight: 18 lbs. 9 oz. (80%; big boy!)

Height: 27 inches long (75%)

Sunday, October 2nd was also a very special day for our family. Rylan was dedicated at church that morning and all of our family and friends were there to support us! We were especially excited that Brice, our cousin, was in the audience for the dedication since he is Rylan's namesake! Rylan was especially precious because as our children's minister was talking about him, he decided to give a huge smile. We even thought he might squeal into the microphone!

Rylan Brice, we pray daily for you and cannot wait to see what the Lord has in store for you as you continue to grow in your christian walk with Him. We love you so much!

First Days of Preschool and Labor Day Weekend

2011-09-18T22:02:00.000-05:00

On September 1st, Robbie, Kaelyn and I went to her Open House to meet her teachers Ms. Jen and Ms. Amy. Kaelyn got to play with the kids in her class and get acclimated to the environment. Then last Thursday, September 8th, Kaelyn started His Kids preschool at Stonebriar Community Church. She was excited that morning and rolled her rolling backpack inside all by herself. We put all of her things away in the bins and then I said goodbye to her and assured her that I'd be back soon to get her. She cried as I left, but I knew she was in excellent hands. (It also made me feel better that there were lots of cries throughout the hallways that morning.) When I picked Kaelyn up, her daily report was excellent. Her mood was happy (she missed mommy though), she ate most of her lunch, and she enjoyed painting and home living most.

Meeting Mrs. Jen at Open House

(Kaelyn served her some orange juice)

Meeting a classmate

She will go each Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Robbie and I are so excited to see what all she is going to learn and how she will grow and mature. Each day she will work along with her classmates in learning centers, attend music class and chapel, and enjoy time at recess. The 2 year olds take longer naps (or quiet time) right after lunch. They end the last 15 minutes of class in play centers. We are so impressed with the school and the staff. I'm excited for Kaelyn and to also have a little bit of one on one time with Rylan too.

This month's classroom units are: "I am growing, I am learning to help, and we have fun with friends." They also learn a bible verse each month along with a shape and color.

First Day of Preschool

(We are definitely not leaving Piglet behind; their teacher

actually asked for them to bring a "lovie" to help with the transition)

Mommy and Kaelyn trudging through the grass with our rolling backpack

So precious! She's such a big girl!

Over Labor Day weekend, Robbie, the kids and I went to Broken Bow with Pop and KK for a relaxing weekend on the lake. It was nice to relax in the water, do a little skiing, and enjoy time together. Being the oldest of four kids, it's a very rare occasion to be the only Perry kid around for a holiday weekend. I definitely missed my brothers and sister, but enjoyed the time with Mom and Dad and our little family of four. Kaelyn loved skiing and couldn't get enough of it and Rylan loved the swimming.

Swimming with Pop

Mommy swimming with Rylan

Rylan is probably the happiest baby ever and loved the lake!

Just chillin' in my bumbo

My favorite boys

KK getting love from her grandbabies after a long day in the sun.

Mommy's little skier

(she can't get enough and loves waving to all the other boats)

Here's a few other random shots from around the house lately along with a video of Rylan in his Baby Einstein bouncer which he loves!

Rylan loves to hold his sister's hand

Such hams!

He loves that he can see the whole room from his bouncer.

Kaelyn can't stand that he's getting the attention of the camera and joins in.

For the first time, one single headband!

Can you tell these two are from the same mold? I can't get over

how much they look alike. Love my babies.

Video of our little squealing monster in his bouncy seat.

(Plug your ears)

Worth Every Minute

2011-08-25T22:01:00.001-05:00

"Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!"

1 Chronicles 16:34

From the day I stopped nursing Rylan on Monday, May 2nd, his doctors, speech pathologist, and lactation consultants prepared me for the hard fact that I would probably not be able to get him to nurse again once he outgrew his dysphagia (a fancy name for the suck, swallow, breathing coordination issue). I am so proud to say that last Monday, August 15th, we started weaning Rylan off the SimplyThick and by Wednesday afternoon, he and I began reteaching ourselves how to nurse. By Friday at lunch, he had it down perfectly again! We even nursed in a mother's room at the mall under the hooter hider! From the beginning, I was pretty emotional about not being able to nurse him because it had been so easy with Kaelyn and I longed for the bonding time with Rylan. I write this post with tears of joy and thankfulness to the Lord for allowing me to have this opportunity when it seemed unthinkable. The past three months have been long and tiring at times. The pumping, bottle feeding, and bottle washing consumed much of our days at home. I even learned how to pump and drive (which sounds kind of dangerous now that I don't have to do it anymore, but a mom has to do what is necessary) I can honestly say IT WAS WORTH EVERY MINUTE to get to where we are today! I feel like I gained 3-4 hours back to my daily routine. Rylan is doing so well and I couldn't be a more proud Mommy. Thank you to our friends and family who have prayed over us and have listened to my frustrations!

"Children are a gift from the Lord." Psalm 127:3

2011-08-12T21:01:00.000-05:00

The month of July was another busy summer month for us! During the month, Kaelyn got to attend her first dress up party, we went on our family vacation, Rylan began eating cereal, and Kaelyn moved to her big girl bed.

Kaelyn was the cutest little 2 year old at the dress up birthday party. She walked right in and put on her purple tutu with pink fuzzy shoes and joined in the fun with the older girls. She even got to wear make-up for the first time along with fingernail stickers! I must admit that our little 2 year grew up overnight. I loved the party because I got to sit back and watch all the action with a big smile on my face. I knew Kaelyn was very "girly," but experiencing all her squeals and sheer delight at the party helped me realize it even more.

Loved her pink fuzzy high heels!

She loved her fingernail stickers! If one fell off, she went back

to the "salon" for a reapplication!

First time for her to wear make-up!

Her new friend Lexi who helped her with the makeover!

The finished product! All grown up!

We left for our first family of four vacation on Saturday, July 23rd headed to Destin, Florida with the Blackstock family! Our trip had been in the works since before Rylan was born and we were all so anxious to get on the road and enjoy some beach time. We drove 2/3 of the way there on Saturday, stopping in Port Allen, LA for the night. We arrived in Destin on Sunday afternoon and the beach fun began! We stayed at the San Destin resort which was very family oriented. Kaelyn loved the sand. It provided hours of cheap (FREE) entertainment of sand castle building, burying daddy in the sand, and watering it. The kids all got along wonderfully and we got to enjoy some relaxing adult time as well. The resort had its own village called the Baytown Wharf and we spent several evenings walking around the village and enjoyed eating outside with live music. There were tons of activities for bigger kids (zip lining, a ropes course, etc.). One evening we got to see a fireworks show over the Wharf which was beautiful. It was Kaelyn's and Rylan's first fireworks show. Kaelyn kept saying "loud" so I'm not sure how much she liked them. After we got the kids down for bed each evening, we adults enjoyed sitting out on the balcony of our condo listening to the ocean and catching up on life. It was a great week and definitely not long enough. Robbie and I decided that the beach is our new favorite family hotspot because of all there is to do for our kids. Rylan will love it next year. We loved traveling with the Blackstock family as well! Kaelyn still asks for "Sarah Kate and Col."

Both of our kids were champs on the long drive!

Kaelyn passed the time coloring and watching movies.

Kaelyn thought it was funny that Piglet helped Daddy drive.

We made it to the beach!

(Her "Say Cheese" tilt of the head and smile)

Rylan loved the ocean breeze and his bed.

The view from our 13th floor balcony.

Sweet boy slept most of the day at the beach.

The 3 big kids climbed into bed together to watch a movie.

Kaelyn holding hands with Collin and Sarah Kate holding Rylan.

(Kaelyn is in love with Collin and made sure to hug him each night;

Sarah Kate was like a little mommy to Rylan and helped out with him)

Daddy and Kaelyn enjoying time in the sand.

I packed the garden water pot and had no idea what a hit it would be.

Sarah Kate and Kaelyn took turns watering the sand!

Blowing bubbles in the kiddie pool.

Giving out some love.

Gator Beach: Home to over 200 alligators

"Not too close Daddy."

Foggy lens from humidity, but picture with my babies!

Rylan's favorite thing to do at the beach...Sleep!

(It was his own personal sound machine)

Jumping the waves with Daddy.

Taking a break from the hot sun to take a drink from her juice box!

Burying Daddy's legs in the sand!

The two boys at The Track

The kids built a fort under the end table in the condo and

somehow all fit inside very snuggly!

Inside was a little cramped.

Meeting Memaw's sister, Birdie, for the first time.

She lives in Destin.

More beach fun

Our condo at the San Destin resort, The WestWinds

Thanks to Tropical Storm Don, the waves were huge the last two days.

(Red flags flying)

This baby can sleep anywhere! Poolside this time.

After our return from Destin, Rylan had his 4 month check-up. He is growing big and strong each and every day. He has a very contagious laugh and smiles with his whole body just like his sister! We love watching our little boy grow both physically and in personality! He even has started a high-pitch squeal that is just hilarious to hear. He enjoys watching Kaelyn play and thinks she is pretty funny too. Rylan has started teething and enjoys nibbling on anyone who will let him. We go for his follow-up Barium Swallow Study on Monday, August 15th and are anxious to hear if we've made any improvements. We are hoping and praying we can at least backup on the thickener. Our pediatrician has started us on rice cereal so we can hopefully get hiim sleeping through the night (this Mommy is more than ready for an uninterrupted night of sleep).

Rylan's 4 Month Statistics

Weight: 15 lbs. 12 oz. (75th percentile)

Height: 25 1/8 inches (75th percentile)

Not sure if he thinks the rice cereal is funny or his Mommy!

Kaelyn is also growing up as well! We just converted her crib to a toddler bed and she is sleeping very well in it now! It is an understatement for us to say that she adapts to most changes very well! She loves her big girl bed and wakes up each day happy and ready to come downstairs. Next on the list: potty training!

Reflecting on the change!

She is trying to figure out where all her babies are!

Found them Mom! "I'm too smart."

(These are all the babies she slept with in her crib, but there

isn't any room anymore)

Waking up from her first nap in her new bed

Our Precious 2 Year Old!

2011-07-16T14:17:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday, July 6th, Kaelyn turned two! I know I speak for many parents when I say that Robbie and I cannot believe how quickly time has flown by and that we are now the parents of a two year old! In our eyes, Kaelyn is really mature for her age and such a joy to be around! She makes us laugh all the time (most of the time we have to hide our laughs from her so she'll know we mean business) and she is growing to be fearless in trying new things. This might be my favorite age thus far because Kaelyn minds pretty well and is just independent enough to help out. For her actual birthday, Rylan and I took her to pick out her own donut for breakfast and then as a family, we went to GattiTown for dinner and play. I think she really knew it was her special day and loved all the attention (especially when anyone sang the birthday song to her).

Birthday Donut (sprinkles of course!)

Playing skee ball at GattiTown

Opening presents from Mommy and Daddy

A new baby that looks just like Kaelyn

(even wears purple Crocs)

"Don't worry; I've got my diaper bag and I'm

pushing my baby through the house."

Sweet girl laying her baby down on the exercise mat

On Thursday morning, we had Kaelyn's wellness check-up at the doctor's office. I was really impressed with her willingness to cooperate with our doctor. Unfortunately, she had to have a shot and then we had blood drawn. She wasn't as happy about that part of the visit, but still remained very strong (just a little sad)!

Kaelyn's 2 Year Stats

Weight: 28.4 lbs. (75th percentile)

Height: 34.5 inches (80th percentile; FINALLY)

Head: 20 inches (95th percentile; LOTS of brains)

Kaelyn at age 2:

Loves Piglet. He travels everywhere with us and she hugs him all night long as she sleeps. He's truly her best friend.
Enjoys watching a variety of television shows including: Backyardigans, Strawberry Shortcake, The Fresh Beat Band, Barney; she has even watched half of her first Disney movie, Tangled. (Mommy and Daddy can't wait until we have Friday night movie nights together)
Has become quite the little fish. Enjoys the pool and the lake as well as bath time!
Loves playing "hide and seek" with daddy. It's really funny to watch her watch Daddy while he looks for her. She doesn't want to miss a thing!
She is very independent and enjoys putting on her own clothing and shoes. She's even started playing dress up. The one downside is that she is still very much into her head-bands and often wants to wear them out in public. It would be okay if there were just one or two, but not eleven head-bands at once, literally.
Her baby dolls. Kaelyn walks her babies around like her Daddy walks her while imitating what Mommy says to Rylan saying "Shh...Shh...Shh."
Has been jumping and dancing for a while now, but just now got off the ground in her jumping and has really learned how to shake her bottom in her dancing.
Enjoys cleaning (whose child are you?) and often helps Mommy with diaper wipes (so cute and frustrating at the same time)
Starting to use complete sentences: She says "I do," instead of "Yes." Often says the phrase "I get it," and plenty of more really cute ones.
Is learning her colors and ABC's. Kaelyn starts school in September and we are really working with her at home.

Saturday, July 9th, we celebrated Kaelyn's birthday with a party at Pump It Up! Ordinarily, this would not be a place for most 2 year old birthday parties, but Kaelyn attended our cousin Kade's party there in May and absolutely loved it! She couldn't get enough of all the slides and obstacle courses. We decided that it would be cost-effective and allow us to enjoy the party if we held it someplace besides our house. It was amazing! Robbie and I got to play and climb in all the bounce houses with her and the adults even had a competition in one of the obstacle courses! The staff there took excellent care of us and we didn't have to worry about much of anything which was super nice! We even had our own cameraman, Uncle Keeton, to capture the moments.

Patiently waiting for the party to begin and all her friends to arrive

First slide down with Daddy (pure delight on that sweet face)

Can't leave sweet brother out

(He slept for the first part of the party)

Bounce House Jumping

PawPaw and Uncle Bentley collided on the slide

"What? Is that Mimi sliding?"

KK and Kaelyn

(at the end of the slide, they were upside down!)

Our wonderful friends and family who celebrated with us!

KK, Kaelyn and Mommy inside one of the obstacle courses

(Great job Camera Man Keeton for climbing in to capture this shot)

Kaelyn easily scaling one of the walls (I struggled a bit)

Nana and Great-Granddad cheering us on with Rylan

Jason and Edie slide will Ava looks on!

Collin and Henry race down!

Grant and Luke playing King of the Mountain

One happy little girl!

Pop and Kaelyn

Cousin Brice along with Uncle Kylen entertained all

of the boys playing King of the Mountain

Natalie, Kade, Jackson, and Henry

Pop taking a break and holding Rylan

Group shot (almost everyone who didn't have to leave early)

Kaelyn is still an Elmo Fan!

(Great job Sam's Club for a delicious cupcake cake)

Getting ready to sing to the birthday girl!

Blowing out her candle!

Aunt Kim and Bre holding the newest additions to the Perry family

(Kipton and Kooper)

Licking the icing first

At the house while everyone assembled new trampoline,

I took pictures of the 2 month difference between Rylan and

Kipton and Kooper (Yikes!)

Kaelyn loves her new trampoline!

It's a great size and fits in the center of our gameroom!

Playing with water table on Sunday with PawPaw

Still our headband girl!

Dear Kaelyn,

Your Daddy and I cannot believe how much you've grown this past year! You are such a beautiful little girl inside and out. You have grown to be a great big sister to Rylan, and he loves watching your every move. You're fun loving, fearless personality and smiles are so contagious. Your compassion shines through when you kiss Mommy and Daddy's boo boos without us asking and when we see you taking care of all your baby dolls. We are very excited to see what this next year holds as you start school two days a week and continue to grow! We love you with all of our hearts and can't imagine life without you. You are truly a gift from the Lord!

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

Of course, I can't post a blog entry and leave out our precious Rylan from the pictures!

"Where do you think you're going Rylan?"

He scooted clear off his mat; Mommy is not ready for this!

Rylan loves his mobile in his crib!

My little blog helper! He kept me entertained while I updated.

We have just one weekend left before we head to Destin, FL for our family vacation, and when we get home, we begin the adventures of moving Kaelyn to her toddler bed and begin potty training!

Wrapping up the Month of June

2011-07-12T11:05:00.000-05:00

The month of June proved to be lots of fun around the Hudson household. My youngest brother, Kylen, came to spend a week with us and Kaelyn loved every minute of it. Back when Keeton and Kylen were younger (during the first years of our marriage and both boys were not able to drive yet), Robbie and I had them come spend a week with us and called it "Camp Little Elm." Since Kylen is spending the summer after his freshmen year at Texas A&M living back home, he decided he wanted to have another "Camp Little Elm." One of our camp activities was the pull out the good ole' slip 'n' slide. Kaelyn loves the water and loved the slip 'n' slide.

"On your mark, get set, GO!"

Uncle Kylen (Ky to Kaelyn) sliding.

Daddy slippin' and sliding

Sheer delight on that sweet face.

Loving this activity.

Bama even got some love from Kaelyn.

We also wrapped up our swimming lessons in June. Our last swim lesson was great! The class usually has 6 adults and 6 kids in the water since it's a Parent/Me class, but there were only 2 of us there, so Kaelyn basically got a private lesson with her swim coach. She has come so far since the beginning of June. She is very independent (a little too independent and scary for mommy) in the water. During bathtime, she is swimming on her stomach and blowing bubbles and then turns over and lies on her back without complaining about her ears being in the water. She loves to jump to us in the pool and enjoys her daddy throwing her up in the air after going underwater. She has become our little fish!

Splashing kickers in the water

Monkey walks along the side of the pool

Kaelyn has gotten so comfortable floating on her back!

"1, 2, 3, bubbles!"

Underwater swimming

Learning to climb out of the pool on her belly

During the last week of June, our church held their annual Vacation Bible School. Since I volunteered, Kaelyn was able to attend each morning and go to the 2 year old class. She did so well in class each day and loved the worship time at the closing of each day. Here's a video of her praising the Lord and dancing!

On Friday, July 1st, we left to spend the weekend at Lake Limestone with my family! It wouldn't be July 4th weekend without a lot of skiing, swimming and pyramid building. This year we decided to build a 7-man pyramid. We were successful even though the picture doesn't show us all the way on top. After the 7-man was complete, we built a 5-man to wrap up the day. On Monday, July 4th, Kaelyn practiced her skiing in the lawn. Pop pulled her around on her skis to get a feel for what it would be like in the water. Then we put her on the side of the boat and let her ski! She loved it and Pop only had to hold her to help her keep her balance. Hopefully by the end of summer, she will ski behind the boat with little help. We are so proud of Kaelyn!

Swimming with KK

First Inner Tube ride with Mommy and Daddy

Beginning to build our 7-Man Pyramid

Here's the last picture before the fall! We did get all the

way up to the top even though the camera didn't capture it!

5-Man Pyramid

Kaelyn gave her daddy a mud bath!

Putting on her skis to begin practicing in the yard

"Don't worry Mommy and Daddy, I've got this!"

Bending her knees for the waves!

She loved skiing on the side of the boat!

(Soon to come...Behind the boat)

KK got some Rylan love while we were teaching Kaelyn to ski!

Happy 4th of July!

Practicing her picture poses with Mommy!

(She was really concerned with getting her hands just right!)

Kaelyn has her "say cheese" smile down!

Summer Lovin'...Happening So Fast!

2011-06-21T11:30:00.000-05:00

We are finally getting into a normal routine with our little family of four. The summer time is always a busy time for us and this year is no exception. Here is what all has been going on in the month of June.

Kaelyn posed for her picture so I could use it on her birthday invitation.

(So precious and silly)

Rylan is all smiles these days! He has the cutest little laugh too.

Rylan had his 2 month check-up at the beginning of this month. He's doing really well with his feedings now. We are still thickening his milk to help with his reflux and dysphagia, but we hope that at his 4 month check-up and swallow study, we will be able to ditch the SimplyThick.

2 Month Stats

Weight: 12 lbs. 6 oz.

Length: 22 1/2 inches

He is currently holding his head up really well, and he loves to play on his exercise mat and grabs hold of the toys. He laughs and smiles constantly and coos right back to us when we talk to him, especially when Kaelyn talks to him. He is waking just once at night to eat (which Mommy loves) and takes lots of naps during the day. He is on a great schedule where he eats, plays for about 45-60 minutes and then gets sleepy and naps until the next feeding. He polishes off 6-7 ounces of milk in about ten minutes! Rylan is such an easy baby and adapts to the craziness of this Hudson household. We love you Rylan and are so thankful you are a part of our family!

We've had lots of playdates with our girls from church this year and one of the places we went was the Frisco Science Discovery Center. Kaelyn loved all the different activities, especially because most of them had balls attached.

Kaelyn, Sarah Kate, and Edie check out the exhibits!

Harper and Kaelyn make music!

Robbie found an indoor Safari Park in Plano that we took Kaelyn to one Saturday to stay out of the heat. It had an indoor climbing area, putt-putt golf, train tables, motorized safari rides, and a train. She loved it!

During the month of June, Kaelyn and Robbie have been taking "Parent and Me" swim lessons. Kaelyn and I took lessons last year when she was just 10 months old and she's doing great again this year. It's exciting to be in a class with our friends Brent and Erika and their daughter, Harper this year.

Harper and Kaelyn floating on their backs!

Erika and I with our sweet girls after swim lessons.

Other exciting news arrived on Wednesday, June 8th with the birth of our two new cousins. Rylan now has two new playmates. The Lord blessed Kirk, Chan and Kade along with the Perry family with two healthy boys at 35.5 weeks gestational age. Kipton Lee Perry arrived first at 5 lbs. 15 oz. and Kooper Dax Perry arrived 23 minutes later at 6 lbs. 1 oz. They are very cute and so small compared to Rylan. They will catch up to him soon enough though.

From left to right: Kooper and Kipton

(such a sweet picture)

On Friday, June 17th, Robbie's company had their annual "Bring Your Kid to Work Day." Kaelyn got to participate and loved it! She didn't want to leave. Of course, Robbie got nothing accomplished from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The kids participated in a Lemonade Stand project and learned all the in's and out's of renting property and selling their product.

Leaving for work

Someone found the sticky notes!

Good working: Decorating Daddy's desk with sticky notes.

"I found my seat daddy; Where are you going to sit?"

Father's Day weekend was special this year because we hosted our church small group lake party. It was a fun-filled Saturday with lots of sun, boating, and swimming. All of the kids seemed to really enjoy the lake and learning to ride the tube. Thank you Pop, KK, Keeton and Kylen for all the help. Without you all, we would not have been able to pull it off.

Easter 2011: Only 1 Month Late

2011-05-25T12:19:00.001-05:00

And I thought I was all caught up on blogging the big events...Somehow I missed Easter weekend! We headed into Longview for Rylan's first visit and to hunt Easter eggs with all the cousins, grandparents, and great-grandparents. Kaelyn really got into dying eggs this year as well as hunting them! She loved it.

The Hudson's Welcome Rylan to Mimi and PawPaw's house

Kaelyn rarely falls asleep anywhere but her bed, but she was so tired

that Mommy got some sweet holding when we first arrived.

(Notice her hand is on the soccer ball; she didn't want anyone to take it away)

Dying Easter eggs at Mimi and PawPaw's

She found her Easter basket from Mimi and PawPaw in the pantry!

Rylan's Easter basket from Mimi and PawPaw

Dying more Easter eggs at Nana and Grandad's house

with Kade and all the cousins!

Cousin Breanna helping Kaelyn put stickers on her Easter eggs.

Easter morning; Kaelyn found her basket from the Easter bunny!

The Easter bunny hid Pop and KK's basket for Kaelyn too!

Rylan definitely loved his Easter basket from the Easter bunny!

(Can't you tell?)

Another Easter basket from Pop and KK for Rylan!

An attempt at a family photo.

Family photo with Mimi and PawPaw

Family photo with Pop, KK, Karlene, Keeton and Kylen and Kade

Nana and Grandad and all the Grandkids and Great-Grandkids

On your mark, get set...GO!

Kaelyn was a great hunter, finding eggs in the craziest of places.

Got a little sweaty during the hunt and decided to cool

off in the pool with Pop's help.

Our sweet babies

Rylan loves to stretch out in his crib!

Kaelyn sitting on her new bean bag with all of her

stuffed animals inside (finally contained)!

Rylan's Baby Pictures

2011-05-19T16:30:00.000-05:00

I can't believe that Rylan is already six weeks old! We went in on Monday, May 2nd for his 4 week check-up and have had busy weeks since then. Since birth, he has struggled a bit with nursing and would often choke and sputter through the feeding. At his doctor's visit, our pediatrician was concerned with how fast he was breathing and immediately sent us for a chest x-ray. Come to find out, Rylan had an early onset case of pneumonia which was not what we expected to hear at all. Our doctor believed it was brought on by silent aspiration during feedings and scheduled us for a Barium Swallow test at the hospital. On the following Wednesday, we went in for the test and have now adjusted his feedings. This has been a tough thing for me emotionally because I love nursing him and it came so easy with Kaelyn. He is a lazy swallower and so I'm pumping and having to thicken his milk for each feeding. Since Wednesday, May 4th, the feedings have been going much smoother (just a little more time consuming on my part) and he sounds less congested. Unfortunately, pumping and bottle-feeding are our new normal for at least the next month or two. My prayer is that we will be able to have the Barium Swallow test again in a month and be able to move back to breastfeeding solely and offering a bottle for convenience. Rylan will outgrow this "swallowing coordination" obstacle, and I'm hopeful it will be soon. I know the Lord has a plan for us and right now feeding is not as easy as I expected, but Rylan is responding well to the change.

Rylan's 1 Month Stats

Weight: 10 lbs. 14 oz.

(Who would've thought he'd be having feeding issues?)

Height: 21.75 inches

He is such a sweet baby and enjoys sleeping. We are beginning to have more alert times and are enjoying watching him look around and listen and recognize voices. He loves his tummy time and is very strong. He has been able to move his head from side to side while on his tummy from the first week. Rylan coos and smiles very often and loves to be snuggled closely. Kaelyn loves being his big sister, and we often find her giving him lots of kisses. This is such a special time for our family of four and we thank the Lord each day for our healthy children. We also recently got his newborn photos in and wanted to share them. Just like Kaelyn's newborn photos, it is impossible to pick out our favorites because we like them all.

In Daddy's sweet arms

Proud Mommy

I love this candid photo of our family of four!

(I like it so much it's our new blog title photo!)

My Mother's Day Gift

(A new canvas of our precious kids above the mantle)

Big sister loves Rylan and takes such good care of him!

Some sweet pictures of just Rylan!

A Circus, Some Country Dancing, and the Zoo

2011-04-28T10:46:00.000-05:00

With the upcoming birth of Rylan, we spent quite a bit of time with Kaelyn on mini-dates to spend time together as family of three. We visited Gatti Town which Kaelyn loved, took several trips to the mall to ride the carousel, and enjoyed the nice weather outside by adventuring out on walks and playing on our swing set. One of the more memorable dates we took was to the Shriners Circus in Garland. Kaelyn has really taken a liking to elephants and we knew she would love seeing all the animals. Fortunately, Pop and KK were coming in town for my Granddad Killian's 80th birthday party and they got to join us. We arrived early for the pre-party activities which included elephant rides, pictures with a snake, meeting the clowns, bounce houses, and pony rides.

Kaelyn getting ready to ride her pony!

She loved riding the pony and kept saying "Neh"

since we've been practicing our animal sounds at home.

Kade and Kylen with Kaelyn following close behind.

She couldn't believe how big the elephant was! She's only

seen them on her television shows and was surprised!

Bo, the elephant, was amazing in his circus act!

How on earth did he get all four of his big feet on

such a small stool?

Another amazing feat...Doing a handstand on the same small stool!

On the Saturday evening after the circus, we celebrated my grandfather's 80th birthday with all of the family. We ate at one of my favorite restaurants growing up called the Trail Dust Steakhouse. Unfortunately, there is only one left in the DFW area and so we drove the distance to Arlington for a little boot scootin' and good food. One of the attractions at Trail Dust is the 50 ft. slide from the second floor to the first floor. Kaelyn was so excited to try it out. She also tried out her dance moves on the dance floor while the band played.

Kaelyn dancing with the birthday boy!

Sliding down with Daddy!

Granddad Killian sliding at 80 years young!

Getting warmed up on the dance floor.

She was a little unsure at first...

But not unsure anymore...Right at home.

Mommy and Daddy enjoying a dance together.

The young bunch trying out the line dancing while the band played.

A little boot scootin' with Pop.

She found the stage directly in front of the band and

made it her own!

A new kind of step...and a little tired at the end of the night!

Fast forward to Rylan's second week of life...We decided to take Kaelyn and Rylan to the Ft. Worth Zoo. Mimi and PawPaw were headed into town to help out for the week and got to join in on the fun. Robbie and I really thought Kaelyn would make it 1/3 of the way through the zoo and get tired of it, but we were definitely wrong. From 10:30 in the morning until 3:30 that afternoon, Kaelyn enjoyed seeing the animals and couldn't get enough. It was so precious to see her excitement when she recognized certain animals along with her curiousity when we introduced her to a new animal. The best part was the bird feeding where she got to go in and let the birds land on her feeding strip. Rylan was a trooper as well. He is such a good baby and just goes with the flow of our family. He saw the zoo in his sleep mode!

Such a sweet picture! The mommy and baby together!

Kaelyn and PawPaw checking out the zebras.

Kaelyn riding her own elephant (a statue dedicated to the baby

born at the Ft. Worth Zoo named Bonnie)

Feeding the birds

"Wow, Daddy. One of the birds landed on my stick to eat. I'm

not sure what I think of this just yet."

Found a kangaroo statue...Kaelyn being goofy!

Our luck never fails...Found the carousel and picked out

a horse to ride with Mimi!

Our precious Rylan enjoying a clean diaper and some time to stretch out!

Rylan Brice Hudson

2011-04-26T11:31:00.000-05:00

Rylan Brice Hudson was born on Monday, April 4th at 1:05 p.m. He weighed 8 lbs. 0 oz. and was 20.75 inches long. He is absolutely beautiful, and we are a happy family of four now!

Rylan's Birth Story: The morning started just like I feared; we were bumped for induction AGAIN (with Kaelyn we were bumped to four days later) and were told to call the hospital at 8:30 a.m. (We were scheduled to be there at 7:30 a.m. and go the call at 6:35 a.m. after we had already showered and packed all of our bags in the car). Instead of having anxiety of giving birth, my biggest concern was getting that dreaded call. Thankfully the Lord took care of us and the hospital called us at 8:20 a.m. and told us to come have a baby! Of course, just like with Kaelyn, all the family was already in town because no one wanted to miss the birth of Mr. Rylan.

We got checked in around 9:15 and they started the pitocin drip at 9:30 a.m. Everything went very smoothly with the labor and delivery. My only complaint is that I should have asked for the epidural 30 minutes before I did, but I like to think I actually experienced some real labor contractions with intense pain! My doctor had said we would have a baby by lunch time provided that we started at 7:30 like planned, and she was right!

When we met Rylan for the first time, it brought back all the memories of delivering Kaelyn and the happiness Robbie and I felt then. When I saw his little face, I had tears in my eyes and felt so happy to have another precious member of our family. He is so special and Kaelyn couldn't be a better big sister!

Things have been really great since we arrived home. Robbie got to be home for the remaining of the week and then we were blessed to have my parents and Robbie's parents with us for the first two weeks. Kaelyn received lots of attention from her grandparents and it enabled me to get in a rhythm with Rylan. As Robbie likes to say, we are definitely practicing "man to man coverage" right now with learning to parent two children. Welcome to our family Rylan Brice! You are one special little guy and we can't believe how much you've blessed our lives in just these first few weeks. We love you so very much!

Big sister Kaelyn checking out her baby brother!

Cousin Brice, from whom Rylan got his middle name!

Daddy and his sweet babies!

Kaelyn getting a little daddy time!

Our happy family of four!

Little Brother

Daddy and Rylan getting some snuggle time.

Kaelyn holding Rylan! Such a sweet girl!

Rylan Brice Hudson

Kaelyn's First Haircut

2011-03-23T16:56:00.000-05:00

Last Friday afternoon, Kaelyn got her first haircut! Robbie and I were very hesitant to cut it because we were afraid her baby curls would be gone, but she definitely needed it. My hairdresser, April Stuart, did an amazing job! My mom had warned me that Kaelyn would probably not be happy during the haircut, but did Kaelyn ever prove her wrong. She was an angel and just sat on my lap very patiently, even keeping her chin down to get her hair even in the back (while watching The Fresh Beat Band on my phone). Thank you April! We love our new haircut!

The Before Pictures...

Look at that crazy hair!

Kaelyn sitting very still so April could even up the back.

Very suspicious of the hairdryer/roll brush combo...

The final touches...

After our First Haircut!

The back view...

Hanging out in the chair with a sucker for a treat!

"Hi Daddy!"

(We wanted Daddy to experience it with us even though

he was at work!)

Back to Blogging...

2011-03-21T09:07:00.000-05:00

I have not been a good blogger lately, but I vow to do better now that I'm nearing the end of my second pregnancy. I also haven't been the best photographer lately either. It is really easy to snap Kaelyn's picture with my iphone, but the pictures are never as good. I'm calling the month of March my New Season Resolutions time and promise to do better. I feel as if there are so many things going on with Kaelyn that I don't want to miss writing about each one.

Recently, we took Kaelyn for her first emergency visit to Acute Kids Urgent Care. We have been to Acute Kids before, but for nothing as serious as we experienced a couple of weeks ago. As I was fixing dinner in the kitchen, Kaelyn decided to stand up in her pink rocking chair. Robbie and I have both told her over and over again that she is not allowed to stand on the furniture, but she didn't quite remember on this particular evening. Of course, the chair tumbled backwards onto the tile floor and Kaelyn busted her lip. At first I couldn't figure out what she'd hurt because the mouth bleeds regardless of the size of the cut. Robbie made it home about ten minutes after our accident and we both checked it out. She had a pretty nice gash on the inside of her lip and we just wanted to make sure all her teeth were okay and that she didn't need stitches, so we took her in! I cannot say enough nice things about the Acute Kids in Frisco because they are so quick at seeing each child and it makes the experience much better for the parents. The pediatrician on call took a look at her lip and gave us the great news that she wouldn't need stitches. They were going to have to strap me down with her if we'd been told she did need them. This mommy was feeling guilty for not being right there to warn her as it happened. Thankfully the inside of the mouth heals quickly, and the doctor sent us home with a popsicle to ice it down!

Kaelyn's puffy lip (one day after)

We've really enjoyed the nice weather lately and have been spending a lot of time outdoors. Last weekend Robbie's parents were in town on Saturday for the day and we took Kaelyn to a nearby park to swing! She has a swing in Longview that Pop and KK hung from one of the nice pine trees while she was there visiting a couple of weeks ago and absolutely loves it! We wanted to show Mimi and PawPaw how much she enjoys swinging! After the park, we enjoyed a nice dinner with Memaw (Robbie's grandmother and Kaelyn's great-grandmother) for her 87th birthday! It was such a nice dinner because Mimi and Memaw took care of Kaelyn and I got to enjoy my meal and conversations with the rest of the family! I have to say that Kaelyn was especially great during dinner and Robbie and I were so proud of her. My family was going to stay the night with us later that evening, so we headed home after getting the Hudson's on the road back to Longview. When we arrived at home, there was definitely something fishy going on! When we walked in, no one was inside the house. We headed outside, and to our surprise, we saw a lot of work going on! To make a long story short, my Mom and Dad, my brothers, and my Granddad Killian were putting together a swing set for Kaelyn. It just so happens that Karl and Marlene, my aunt and uncle, along with their sweet girls Kathryn and Madalyn were getting rid of their nice swing set and wanted to pass it on to Kaelyn! Mom, Dad and the boys made the trip to Houston and back to Dallas in a day to surprise us! We were thrilled and so was Kaelyn!

She can't believe that Daddy can swing with her!

Look at her sweet face to see the pure delight!

The Construction Crew (project complete)

Thank you Karl, Marlene, Kathryn and Madalyn for helping

take it apart in Houston and for passing it down to Kaelyn!

Here are a few other pictures of Kaelyn's activities recently.

She loves her Megablocks (Thank you PawPaw and Mimi)

Enjoying the outdoors with Mommy

Such a throwback to the 80's with all the headbands...

She loves to wear them all at once! So funny.

"Hi Mommy...I added a necklace to go with my headbands.

What do you think?"

Will he be a March or April baby?

2011-03-16T10:39:00.000-05:00

On Friday, Robbie and I went for our last sonogram with Rylan! It's amazing to think that the next time we will see his sweet little face will be in person! He is currently 5 lbs. 12 oz. and is definitely running out of room in my belly. Our induction has been set for Monday, April 11th, but after the doctor visit, we aren't sure if we'll make it to that date. I've already started progressing and my doctor thinks there is a good chance he'll be early! Now, it's time to guess if he'll make his debut in March or April? I actually packed a bag today (I was trying not to yet because I didn't want jinx myself) and worked on many other projects around the house. All the "nesting" has exhausted me though!

I've heard all the second child stories about not keeping up as well with pictures, etc. and I'm determined to defy the odds, but I have to admit that Rylan's room isn't 100% ready yet which doesn't help me get off to a good start. All the furniture is in place, but I still need to decide what else goes on the walls. We are so excited to meet our little guy and cannot wait! We ask for prayers for an easy delivery and for the health of Rylan! His next blog post will be when he arrives!

Daddy and his little Princess

2011-03-14T13:40:00.000-05:00

Sunday evening on March 6th, Robbie and Kaelyn attended our church's annual Princess Ball for the second time. Last year, Kaelyn was just 7.5 months old and came home sweating afterward. Robbie was really looking forward to taking her again this year since she loves music and dancing! We got her all dressed and ready to go and met a few of the other dads and their daughters for pictures ahead of time. Once they got to the Princess Ball, Robbie said Kaelyn was very reserved (which was shocking to both of us). She wanted to observe and didn't leave her daddy's side for long at all. She wanted to be on the dance floor most of the time, but just wanted to watch the lights and dancing. Daddy got lots of sweet hugs and hand holding all night. She really enjoyed the ice cream bar and lemonade that was served.

A few pictures before the Princess Ball.

So cute...My Prince and his Princess

The girls from church...

The Dads and Daughters getting ready to leave for the night out...

A few more pictures for Mom

I love this face (Kaelyn's Intensity face)...I think

she'd had enough of Mommy asking her for pictures

and decided to let Daddy have it!

Sweet girl gave in for one last kiss picture with Daddy.

Arriving at the Princess Ball, there was a carriage for photos.

Funny Daddy

Taking a rest from dancing.

So thirsty...Lemonade Face.

"I'm tired Daddy, but it's been a lot of fun!

Can we do it again next year?"

Win an iPad2 and help bring baby McCuiston home!

2011-03-04T13:15:00.000-06:00

"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come for you." John 14:18

Our dear friends, Jason and Angie McCuiston along with their sweet children, Henry and Edie, are adopting an orphan from Ethiopia and are selling raffle tickets to win an iPad2 to help in their fundraising efforts! For just $10 per ticket, you can help them bring Baby McCuiston home! See Angie's blog for details on how to participate.

http://www.angiemccuiston.blogspot.com/

Thank you to our wonderful friends and family for supporting our friends in this huge task placed on their hearts from the Lord!

A Shower for Rylan

2011-02-14T16:57:00.000-06:00

It is hard to believe that I'm 32 weeks pregnant now with Rylan Brice, but it's true and I'm officially counting down the days until his arrival. We had a wonderful baby shower this past weekend hosted by wonderful friends and my sister and sister-in-law. I figured it was time for Rylan to get a blog shout-out and wanted to post pictures from the shower and my growing belly. We can't wait to meet our sweet little boy!

Rylan's shower decorations

A sweet gift from the Blackstock, McCuiston, and McGregor kiddos

Shower hostesses (left to right)

Kamara Cox, Laura Blackstock, Lisette Hudson, Amy Stewardson,

Liz McGregor, Angie McCuiston, and Karlene Perry

Gift Table

Rylan's bedding set (Thank you Pop and KK, Mimi and PawPaw)

The nursery isn't done yet, but more pics to follow soon...

I can't post a blog entry without showing pictures of our sweet Kaelyn who is growing up to be such a big girl with her long-locks and sweet smiles. Happy Valentine's Day Kaelyn! Mommy and Daddy love you so much!

Practicing our "say cheese" smile for the camera

Trying to stay warm in this winter weather Dallas has had recently.

Because we've worn our hat so much lately, Kaelyn likes

to wear it around the house (especially at meal time).

Wearing one of Mommy's clips...I can't believe how long her hair looks here.

Her new favorite thing to do at the mall...Carousel rides with Daddy!

Happy Belated 18 Months Kaelyn!

2011-02-04T21:57:00.000-06:00

Kaelyn turned 18 months old this past month and it is impossible to believe there was ever a time we didn't have her in our lives. She has brought so much joy and laughter to us in the past year and a half. Happy 18 months sweet Kaelyn! We love you more than words can express!

At 18 months, Kaelyn:

navigates the stairs all by herself (both up and down) and loves to play upstairs in her toy playroom (which used to be Robbie's gameroom until he had to make room for all the toys)
loves to take showers and stick her head under the shower head
enjoys reading books over and over again
can't wait until Daddy gets home each evening so they can have a dance party to her Praise cd's (Daddy gave Kaelyn a strobe light for Christmas and they really get after the dancing now)
likes to get her own snack out of the pantry (I guess she thinks that Mommy and Daddy don't pick out the good stuff)
LOVES Barney, the purple dinosaur (hopefully we will outgrow this soon) and enjoys repeat episodes while sitting in her pink chair (thanks Mimi and PawPaw)
is saying all kinds of new words each day: ball, bye, hi, milk, shoes, brush, daddy, ma-ma, Pop and PawPaw, Mimi, Tay-Tay for KK, baby, eat, etc.
still takes 2 naps a day on most days (although we are trying to transition her to 1 nap for when she starts school in the Fall)
likes to get stickers as a surprise
likes to follow her usual routines (especially in the morning when she helps Daddy get ready for work)
has just started kissing her baby brother (or Mommy's belly)
gets out of bed with at least 3 stuffed animals each morning (we aren't sure how she has room to sleep in her crib because she won't let us move any of the stuffed animals out); Piglet, Bear, and Dog are her favorites
loves to play with her baby dolls and takes extra good care of them: pushing them in their stroller, patting them on the back, feeding them her sippy cup, and sometimes they even get to slide down her slide
is usually not a great eater, but loves raisins, chips, strawberries and grapes
likes to help Mom clean the house (thankfully Pop and KK got her a cleaning cart and she has her own vacuum now to help out since Mommy's is too heavy)
doesn't like her hair fixed even though it's getting too long to not fix

Enjoying a snow day!

Helping Mommy cook in the kitchen

Kaelyn with all her bling!

Merry Christmas and Happy 2011!

2011-01-06T14:57:00.001-06:00

This Christmas was a lot of fun with an excited 17 month old. We made the trip to Longview on December 23rd and stopped through "Santa Land" on the way to see the millions of lights! I think we are going to make this an annual event for our Hudson family because Kaelyn enjoyed it so much (and so did we). We took her out of her car seat and let her look out the sunroof and windows at all the lights and scenes. She loved to wave "Hi" to all the characters and kept saying "lights" over and over.

On Christmas eve, we spent the evening at Chandra's parents house in the country with a bonfire and fireworks. The rain thought about keeping the festivities at bay, but we prevailed. Kaelyn loved the sparklers and thought the fireworks were cool from a distance. Santa delivered presents for Kaelyn in Longview that evening and we woke early Christmas morning to see all the new toys! Kaelyn loves to take care of her babies and got a baby-care center where she can put her baby to sleep, feed her, and give her a bath. She loves it! Santa also found some of my old toys and pulled them out of the attic for her too. There were "little people" galore and the whole "Potato Head" family joined in as well. Christmas morning was very special this year, not only because of Kaelyn and the pure delight she showed when seeing all of her toys, but we also revealed Rylan's middle name at my Nana's house that morning. We asked my cousin Brice to give us a Christmas present. We wrote a letter and presented it to him. Brice, my 25 year old special-needs cousin, read the letter with the help from his mom. This was a special treat because I've never heard him read so well. To make a long story short, we gave him the reasons why we would like to use his name as Rylan's middle name and asked him if we could. There wasn't a dry eye in the room. Our baby boy will be named Rylan Brice Hudson and his name couldn't be any more special. After more gift opening, Kaelyn was worn out with overstimulation and excitement from all the new toys. On Sunday, we spent the afternoon at my Grandad Killian's house and celebrated with my mom's side of the family. This was a very special time for all of us. My grandfather gave each of us girls a Pandora charm off of my late grandmother's bracelet with a special note. Every time I look at the charm, I remember what a special lady my grandmother was. Kaelyn got a riding rocking horse that wags its tail and makes horse sounds when she squeezes its ears. She loves it! We enjoyed celebrating with the Perry and Killian families over the Christmas holiday.

Santa left lots of goodies for Kaelyn in Longview

The traditional Christmas morning photo before we see what Santa brought us!

Kaelyn testing out her vacuum (it actually works too)

Kaelyn stopped playing and decided to feed her baby a bottle.

At Nana and Grandad's house, Kaelyn got a bouncy cow

named "Howdy" that proved to be quite entertaining for everyone watching

Kaelyn bounced like a maniac! (Thank you Nana and Grandad, Pop and KK)

Riding her new rocking horse at Grandad Killians house.

As tradition has it, we celebrate with Robbie's family over the New Year holiday weekend. We hosted everyone at our house again this year and thoroughly enjoyed having everyone in town together. Uncle Dale made it in from San Diego and this year Robbie's cousin, Jordan, surprised everyone and brought Aunt Diane to celebrate with us. It was truly a special weekend with good food and fellowship. Our Christmas eve also coincided with New Years Eve and we spent the evening playing games and watching a little football. Santa visited Kaelyn on Christmas Morning (New Years Day) and left her a little kitchen, a pink chair and ottoman, and so much more! She loves all of her toys! The kitchen has become a fixture in our living room because she loves it so much. We feel so blessed to have such loving families with whom we share our lives with. We are looking forward to an exciting 2011 and adding our sweet Rylan into the mix.

Her talking puppy from Uncle Bentley and Aunt Lisette.

Kaelyn got a jewelry box for all her bling and

matching TOMS shoes (coincidentally)

Santa left lots of goodies for Kaelyn at home too!

She must have been extra good this year.

Checking out her new kitchen!

She loves having her own seat and it's pretty cute too.

She thought Mommy was funny when trying to snap

this picture of her lounging after all the company left town.

Santa Cry Baby

2010-12-14T16:54:00.000-06:00

It's that time of the year again! After last year's experience with taking Kaelyn to see two different Santas, we decided to go back to NorthPark Mall and officially name that Santa as "our Santa" for years to come. Robbie and I have been working so diligently with Kaelyn on recognizing Santa (through ornaments on our tree, different Santas around the house, etc.) in preparation for sitting on his lap. We have even been practicing saying the magical phrase "Ho, Ho, Ho, Merry Christmas!" As we walked into the mall, with Kaelyn dressed all cute in her Christmas best, we asked her if she was ready to sit on Santa's lap and tell him what she wanted for Christmas. She instantly replied "Yes!" and shook her head up and down. Robbie had already grabbed our ticket early this morning so we wouldn't have to wait in the long line (yes, we are officially becoming pros at maneuvering our way to the front). As we walked up, we showed Kaelyn how all the kids were sitting on Santa's lap. We asked her again if she was ready to see Santa and she said "Yes." Now Santa's beard might be alarming to some kids, but Kaelyn loves her PawPaw's beard, so we felt comfortable that she would not be scared of it. As we turned the corner for our turn, Kaelyn instantly grabbed a hold of me and started crying. She did not want to sit on Santa's lap. But, you've got to capture the memories anyhow. Someday she'll look back and laugh at how mad she was (if you look carefully, you can see her molar teeth).

After Kaelyn finally calmed down, we showed her the picture. Robbie and I started laughing because she genuinely looked disappointed in herself. Maybe all of the buildup was too much for her. Here's her picture from last year.

We Are Having a BOY!

2010-12-09T15:41:00.000-06:00

It's official finally! We went to the doctor on December 1st and got confirmation that our early-screen doctor was correct in his assessment that we are definitely expecting a boy! We've also chosen Rylan as his first name. It's exciting to start picking out baby boy nursery bedding and everything else blue. We have just 18 weeks left to go. It's hard to believe how quickly this pregnancy is going! Check out the sonogram pics.

Rylan showing off his manhood!

Just for mommy...His sweet little face.

10 Days Away From Home and Thanksgiving

2010-12-01T13:27:00.001-06:00

Kaelyn went to spend 10 days (4.5 days of which were without mommy and daddy) in Longview over the Thanksgiving holiday. I drove Kaelyn to Terrell on Friday to meet my mom and Betty where we made the exchange and I kissed our sweet girl goodbye! I was a little teary-eyed driving away from her even though I knew it would be great for her and for me and Robbie. Of course, Kaelyn didn't seem to notice. She has both KK and Mimi wrapped around her fingers and she was in heaven! Friday night Robbie and I went to the movies to see Harry Potter 7. We haven't been to a movie in such a long time that it was a nice treat. On Saturday morning, we drove to College Station with 10 of our small group friends to cheer on the Aggies against Nebraska! We could not have asked for better weather, food (Wings N More), or a game (Aggies win)!

Wings N More (got to enjoy my brothers' company)

Our Group

We drove straight to Longview from College Station late Saturday evening to be in town for my grandmother's memorial service on Sunday. It was a sad day, but a time of celebrating her life. We were so fortunate to have many of our small group friends, family and loved ones there to support us! It was also great to see Kaelyn even if it was just for the day! I spent Monday and Tuesday shopping, cleaning house, and doing other things that aren't as easy with Kaelyn, along with enjoying a dinner out with Robbie. On Wednesday, we made it to Longview in the early afternoon and we were so excited to see our sweet girl! She even ran down the driveway to us. I think she was excited! The rest of the week was spent with friends and family enjoying great food and football!

Kaelyn loved playing Legos with Uncle Kylen

Cheering on the Aggies with Mommy

Kade and Kaelyn, best cousins

Kaelyn thought wearing KK's glasses was really funny!

Sporting the Santa boots at Mimi's and PawPaw's

Trying to figure out why they are so big!

Santa Strikes Again...

2010-12-01T13:27:00.000-06:00

Kaelyn received a mystery package from Santa yesterday in our mailbox (direct from Candy Cane Lane in the North Pole) very similar to the packaging of the one delivered last year. Kaelyn loves to help check the mail each day, so she was particularly excited that there was something in the mailbox just for her. Here's what the letter had to say:

Dear Kaelyn,

My how you have grown so much since I last saw you. In the last year you have

started walking, talking, dancing, swimming, skiing and now you are going to be

a big sister! You have made your mommy and daddy so proud of their little girl.

Since you have been so good this year, I have an early gift for you. This is your second

ornament from me, so place it somewhere special on your tree.

Ho, Ho, Ho and Merry Christmas sweet Kaelyn!

Just remember as you wait for Christmas Day;

that the reason for the season is Jesus' birthday!

Love, Santa

Dearest Santa Claus,

Robbie and I are so thankful for your generosity and love for Kaelyn each year! You better know that WE BELIEVE! Merry Christmas! We'll be sure to leave you some milk and cookies on Christmas Eve.

Kaelyn wanted to show off her special package!

Anxiously awaiting to open the box! Funny girl.

The sweet letter Santa sent along with the ornament

Kaelyn checks out her beautiful ornament!

A Weekend Away in Broken Bow, OK

2010-11-27T16:41:00.000-06:00

The weekend of November 5-7, we took our annual Hudson family Fall trip to Beavers Bend in Broken Bow, OK. We rented a 3 bedroom cabin and enjoyed family time, football watching, and nature exploring. Kaelyn loved the cabin because it was surrounded by rocks. We even had to get her a bowl so she could collect all of her favorites. On Saturday, we took a mini-train ride through the state park and got to see lots of wildlife and then drove over to see the lake near the dam. I've made many trips to the lake as a young girl and then we've been back as a family, but never at this time of the year with all of the beautiful trees as they change colors. Robbie enjoyed the fire pit each evening and Kaelyn really enjoyed the playground at the cabin. We ate at a local diner for lunch and spent the evening cooking and watching college football. It was a great trip and we can't wait to see where we go next year.

One of Daddy's great fires

Reading a book with PawPaw

Daddy is so funny!

Getting ready to ride the train

"Yeah! Let's ride the train Mommy!"

Smiling with Daddy

Wildlife in the area (the deer were everywhere)

After the train ride, we posed with the engine!

Seeing the lake in the fall (gorgeous trees)

Our little rock collector!

Kaelyn loved to slide down the big girl slide!

Swinging with Mimi

Hanging out with Aunt Lisette in the treehouse

(Kaelyn enjoyed dumping rocks through a hole in the treehouse)

Found a bowl to collect her rocks

Back home...Kaelyn enjoys reading books with Daddy!

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-01T11:35:00.000-05:00

Our Halloween weekend was filled with lots of fun with our friends from church! On Saturday night, we attended our small group's Halloween party at the Quesenberry's house. The kids had a great time playing the different carnival games, eating the yummy food, enjoying a hay ride with the dads and roasting smores by the firepit. Kaelyn was tuckered out by the time we got back home Saturday evening.

Our family in costume: Kaelyn as a Little Witch and

Robbie and I dressed as "A Bun in the Oven" (hence my large box and his

Baker outfit; Cooking Time: 5.5 Months)

Kaelyn was having a blast with these balls, but

we couldn't figure out where she got them

(found out later she took them from the Pumpkin Toss)

Here she is at the Pumpkin Toss

(she played this game over and over)

Carefully selecting her prize!

Bobbing for Apples (or rather picking an apple in Kaelyn's case)

She did try to take a bite out of it though after she got it!

Daddy and Kaelyn on the Hay Ride

Our Gracious Hosts: The Quesenberry's

(Aka: Annie, Annie, Daddy Warbucks and Ms. Hannigan)

Kaelyn's Award Winning Pumpkin

(Received Best Overall Award)

Drank some milk while collecting our award

All the Ladies in Costume

The Men Who Dressed Up

On Sunday, we joined some friends for trick or treating in the neighborhood. We took the wagon for Kaelyn to ride in from house to house, but she preferrred walking with all the big kids. She was very methodical about picking out which piece of candy she wanted (usually Snickers bars) which Robbie and I thought was hilarious. She even snacked on Snickers at the end of the evening. We had a great time and it was a very memorable first Trick or Treating experience!

Our Little Witch

Never could get her to look at the camera!

Not sure what she was doing here, but having fun nevertheless!

Practicing our "Trick or Treat"

All the kids dressed up and looked so cute!

(Kaelyn refused to be in the picture because she was too busy)

Loaded and ready for the first house!

(Kaelyn and Edie)

Off she goes! The wagon was too slow for her tastes!

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-31T11:02:00.000-05:00

We took Kaelyn to her first Pumpkin Patch this year and she absolutely loved everything about it! First of all, she loves the outdoors and I can't express that enough! She definitely liked being able to roam freely in the large Pumpkin Patch in Flower Mound. Not to mention that there were these large orange "balls" everywhere she turned around! Kaelyn got to experience her first hayride behind a tractor and couldn't get enough. She'll be ready for her Pop to take her to the farm at Thanksgiving, so she can ride the tractor. Robbie and I laugh at her daily because she's always doing something cute and mischievous. If you notice that there aren't many shots where she's looking at me, it's because she wasn't the least bit interested in the camera and mom taking photos! There was way too much to see and do and she knew she had little time!

"Found one Mom and Dad..."

"This one is just my size."

"I'll just take a little break and have a seat."

"Daddy, this one is really heavy!"

Dazed and exhausted from all the excitement.

Somewhere along the way, she found a rock. Oops!

"I need another break so I'll just rest here on this large pumpkin."

"I don't have time for pictures."

Wasn't a fan of taking time to sit on the big haystack!

Kaelyn and Daddy petting the donkey and goats!

Here are some other pictures that I haven't posted that are cute and funny! Kaelyn finds new toys around the house daily and makes great use of them!

One toy she found is her diaper basket.

She thought it would be fun to climb in and out of it.

Except when she missed stepping over it and crumbled.

(I can't believe I somehow captured this on film.)

Just laying around in the papasan chair reading some books!

(Books have become a favorite around our house lately)

Testing out her new look-alike Ugg boots!

Taking some time to read... (make mommy proud)

Couldn't miss taking this picture of Kaelyn in her boots and skinny jeans!

Cheesing it up for the camera!

"Mom, I'm done with these pictures and here's what I think about it."

Oh Boy!

2010-10-28T10:03:00.000-05:00

While chasing around a 15 month old, I frequently forget how quickly this second pregnancy is flying by (now that I'm not as sick all day long)! A couple of weeks ago, we went in for an early-screen to see if the doctor could determine the gender of our baby earlier than our 20 week appointment which isn't until December 1st. He predicted that it's a 90% chance we are having a BOY! Robbie and I have been so excited, except it hasn't really sunk in just yet. The same doctor correctly predicted Kaelyn's gender with an 80% margin, so we feel confident! We've started talking "boy" names, which is a lot of fun. I've also been telling Kaelyn that her baby brother is in my tummy. Until yesterday she has been completely confused and still loves to wrestle with mommy and crawl all over my belly, but yesterday she patted my belly and then gave it a hug. I think she thinks her baby doll is somehow in my belly which makes it even funnier. She still doesn't have any idea what the future holds for her! We love our little baby (whether it's a boy or girl) and are excited to continue to grow our little family!

All of our early-screen test results turned out very well! We are still in the low-risk category which is a blessing from the Lord!

Picture This

2010-10-15T08:06:00.000-05:00

On a breezy Sunday morning, we met Jenn Zindler, our newborn photographer, in downtown Frisco for Kaelyn's One Year portraits (or rather her 15 month portraits since we are a little past July). We are so proud of how they turned out and wanted to post a few of our favorites (okay a lot of our favorites because it's too hard to choose). I've even been motivated to ask for a photo editing software for my upcoming birthday, so that I can take more pictures of Kaelyn and maybe other friends along with doing some digital scrapbooking!

Little Stinker

2010-09-29T15:33:00.000-05:00

Thank goodness I'm starting to feel better because Kaelyn is keeping us on our toes. Here are a couple of funny stories (although they weren't funny at the time, we can laugh now).

Yesterday, she was very defiant and getting into trouble a lot. We have started hand spankings and I have to admit that Kaelyn probably got 10 yesterday alone. She kept getting into everything that she knows she's not supposed to touch (the fireplace screen, Daddy's electronics, and Mommy's china cabinet). After the final "No, Kaelyn," she gladly held out her hand for a spanking! Am I crazy? Clearly, this punishment wasn't working like I thought it was. By the time her daddy was on his way home, she and I both needed rescued! Thank goodness for a fun daddy who could lift the mood in the house.

Today we had a follow-up doctor's visit for Baby Hudson (everything checked out greatly) and then we ran a few errands while we were out. We got home in time for her afternoon nap. I laid Kaelyn down around 2 p.m. Forty-five minutes later, I hear a ka-plunk and then her crying. Thinking she'd figured out how to climb out of her crib, I ran upstairs. Thankfully, she was still in her bed. I gave her a glass of milk, put her back down, and then I hear her talking really loudly and smiling into the monitor camera (as if she's making faces at me). Did she know that I was watching her? Finally at 3:30 (after an hour and a half), she decided to curl up with her lovies and fall asleep.

Our little girl is very smart and I think we've hit a stage for her to test the waters. Dear Lord, please be with us as we navigate these toddler years. We've only just begun!

Who's Her Daddy?

2010-09-23T16:11:00.000-05:00

As Kaelyn has grown this past year, Robbie and I keep pulling out the baby pictures of ourselves to see who she looks more like. Well, the verdict is in! Robbie would have been a cute little girl!

Kaelyn at 14 1/2 months

Robbie's One Year Picture

Kristen's One Year Picture

If I didn't know that I birthed her, I would be asking Robbie questions. She is an exact replica of him! I'm so happy that she is her daddy's girl because we both love him so much!

She looks a little more like me when she smiles!

Look Who's Going to be a Big Sister!

2010-09-11T17:43:00.000-05:00

Robbie, Kaelyn and I are excited to announce that we are expecting Baby Hudson #2 on April 15th (yeah for tax day). We just went for our check-up and the baby's heartbeat is strong, and he or she is growing right on pace! We are nine weeks along (it's already going by so quickly). Kaelyn is going to be the best big sister even though she hasn't quite figured out that she's got competition! I have been so sick with this pregnancy (so much worse than with Kaelyn) and can't wait to be out of our first trimester. We are glad that the secret is finally out and would appreciate lots of prayers for the health of our sweet little one!

Family Vacation

2010-08-07T21:39:00.000-05:00

Last week we went on our family vacation to my uncle's lakehouse on Lake Limestone with the Perry clan. Our original vacation destination was Florida, but with the uncertainty of the oil spill and its effects, we decided to change our plans. It's either the beach or the lake with our family! We thoroughly enjoyed our time at the lakehouse together relaxing, skiing, coming up with new ski tricks, and sitting around the firepit at night. We ate a lot of good food (being at the lake makes us so hungry) and at odd times of the day. Kaelyn spent a lot of time in the boat because it was the safest spot when we were all down at the dock, so she learned how to drive the boat and loved it!

Kaelyn driving the boat

Kaelyn's first little pony tail (I love this picture)!

Her hair is getting so long and blonde.

"Are you sure I should be in here?"

(cheap entertainment)

Pop and KK bought Kaelyn a pool that splashes water!

Kaelyn liked to sit on the slide and

check out the water spouts!

(the well water at the lakehouse was freezing,

so this is the only time she'd sit in it)

Hmmm...Do you think we're ready for football season?

(one of the new waterski tricks)

Kaelyn liked to sit on the boat platform

(We had to keep a hand on her because she wanted

to jump in without her life jacket)

A new toy, the handle of the rope

Loving on Mom

(really she'd do anything as long as she was driving the boat)

Our home away from home

(Thank you Karl and Marlene)

Driving the boat with Uncle Keeton

Playing patti-cake with Uncle Kylen

Daddy letting Kaelyn drive (AGAIN)

A beautiful sunset

Pop and Kaelyn

We got home on Wednesday evening and didn't want to spend the rest of Robbie's time off sitting around the house. The rest of the week we spent at the pool, the splash park, and doing some much needed house chores. Kaelyn and I have definitely enjoyed having Robbie home for an extended period of time. Robbie and I have laughed and laughed at Kaelyn's new gibberish and the funny faces she makes. It's been so great to catch up on family time.

Kaelyn loves to climb in the tupperware cabinet

(I thought it was a good idea to leave the locks off,

but now I'm regretting my decision after picking up

tupperware three times a day)

Kaelyn really wanted to get under the water-dumping

buckets, so Daddy showed her how they worked.

She took ownership of letting the

fountains get her in the face!

(Had we tried to coerce her, she would have thrown a fit!)

She loves her wagon so much, that when we

aren't taking her for a ride,

she gets in the small one (she can barely fit)

Bye, Bye Paci...Hello Baby!

2010-07-28T08:44:00.000-05:00

We have successfully gotten rid of our paci! Kaelyn never ceases to amaze us on how quickly she adapts to everything. By Monday night (only the second bedtime), she went down after fussing for about 2 minutes. Yesterday, she went right down for her naps and for bed! She definitely loves her baby and cries if she "accidentally" throws her overboard (which she's been doing for a while now).

Here's a funny story to leave you with: Last week, Kaelyn and I had gotten upstairs without our baby for bedtime (even before doing away with paci), so we asked Daddy to meet us at the edge of the stairs and toss her up to us. Between the bad throws and the bad catching, we dropped baby twice (with Kaelyn watching). She screamed and was so traumatized (we had to laugh secretly) because she thought her baby was hurt. She focused her anger on Daddy (it was definitely all his fault) and we all had to show how much we loved baby before she would go to sleep! She is so nurturing and it gives us hope for any future siblings she might have.

Miss Independent

2010-07-26T11:19:00.000-05:00

These past two weekends, Kaelyn got to spend a night without Mommy and Daddy. The weekend of our anniversary, Mimi and PawPaw came to stay with Kaelyn and this past weekend, KK kept her. The past few years, we've spent the actual day of our anniversary with family either on vacation, celebrating with our sweet new baby, or at a CD release party (actually, I'm not sure we've been by ourselves yet). Robbie took the day off on Friday and we had a mini-staycation just the three of us. We wanted to spend some quality family time doing some fun things around town.

We took Kaelyn to an indoor play place called "Going Bonkers" after her morning nap on Friday. It was a huge jungle gym and had a toddler play area just for kids Kaelyn's size. We played for a while, stopped to eat pizza (one of Kaelyn's favorite foods), and played some more. Now that she is an independent walker, she loved navigating herself around without us. As we were walking out, Robbie was holding Kaelyn and she gave him the biggest hug. It was like she knew that this day was all for her!

The slide, which Kaelyn kept going back to over and over again!

At the bottom of the slide, Kaelyn relaxed for a bit.

"No, Daddy. I can do it all by myself!"

This is the face she wore all day! So delighted!

Testing out the teacups!

Sliding with Mommy.

Down with Daddy!

On Friday evening, we took Kaelyn to Babe's for her birthday dinner and then decided to venture over to Allen for the watershow (thank you Kristen Aune). We arrived early before the 9 p.m. show and weren't sure what to expect. Needless to say, before the show starts, it's a big splash park for kids to run around in. We were ill-prepared for it (without Kaelyn's swim suit), so we stripped her down to her diaper and let her run around in the fountains. If only I'd had my camera because she loved it! She took complete ownership in getting splashed in the face by the various fountains because she refused to hold our hands while she walked around. She couldn't get enough of it, so we played until they cleared the area for the water show. We got a drink and dessert and watched the show. The fountains were coordinated with music and Kaelyn enjoyed watching them go so high. Friday was definitely filled with lots of fun and Kaelyn was worn out by the end of the day. She crashed as soon as we got back to the hotel.

On Saturday morning, we got up and ate breakfast at the hotel and then went to the mall to enjoy the kiddie play area. Around lunchtime, we passed her off to my mom and got to enjoy the afternoon and evening just the two of us. Robbie took me to dinner at The Cadillac Ranch in Las Colinas where we got to hear live music after dinner. One of the best parts was getting to sleep past 7:30 a.m. on Sunday morning, but we definitely missed Kaelyn. Kaelyn loved her time with both sets of grandparents. She didn't even act like she missed us.

On Sunday evening, after everything was back to normal, we sad goodbye to our friend, "Paci." Now that we have a toddler in the house, it was time to bid farewell to all things baby. Recently Kaelyn has transferred her love to her baby dolls, so we knew she was ready for the transition. Robbie and I anticipated that last night would be rough thinking that she would cry for maybe 30 minutes. Boy, were we wrong! After an hour and a half of crying, she finally went to sleep. My friends have told me that it usually takes 3-4 days, and we've just begun! But, we will be thankful for it once it's all said and done! Goodbye "Paci!" You've been our crutch when we've needed you the most. You've stood by us in times of pain (our vaccinations), and you've comforted us during times of rest! We love you and will always remember you!

Kaelyn and her baby

6 Blissful Years!

2010-07-18T16:20:00.003-05:00

Six years ago yesterday, I married the man I had always dreamed about as a little girl. The Lord has been SO good to us over these past six years.

We spent the evening in Houston watching Robbie's cousin, Jordan's band play their CD Release party. It was our first night away from Kaelyn. We missed her dearly, but enjoyed a night out together along with friends and family.

Dear Robbie,
From the time we met in the 8th grade, I knew you were somebody very special, but didn't realize that God planned you for me! I feel so loved and blessed to be your wife each and every day! I love you for who you are and for who you are becoming! Watching you this past year as you've become a father has been so memorable and I look forward to this next year as we continue our journey of life together as a family. You are my best friend, my soulmate, and my partner in crime! I love you so very much!

The Party of the Year

2010-07-11T16:00:00.000-05:00

This week (Kaelyn's birthday week) has been so special! I've shed a few tears this week as I finished nursing our sweet baby for the last time, and Robbie and I have been elated (and a little sad) to watch Kaelyn take her first steps! She started walking on Tuesday (on her actual birthday) and has taken more and more steps each day. We officially have a walker, and it's so fun to watch her grow from our baby to our toddler. (see below for the video)

On Saturday we celebrated Kaelyn's 1st birthday with all of our wonderful friends and family at our house. The flower garden party was a big success! Thankfully the rain held off for a little while, so we could enjoy the back yard (even with the sweltering heat). We want to thank all of our friends and family for helping make this day so special for Kaelyn, Robbie and me. Thank you to everyone who made the trip in from out of town, and for those of you who took time out of your weekend to celebrate with us the first year of Kaelyn's life! We love you all and are so thankful to get to experience life with you!

Kaelyn got so many great new toys, books, and clothes and we've spent the rest of the weekend playing with all of them. She has been one tired little girl (a little over-stimulated), but we can't keep her from playing her heart out.

Kaelyn wasn't quite sure what to think of all the colorful packages!

Boy, was she in for a treat!

Some of the party decorations (the cake table)

Kaelyn's first birthday cake

This cake turned out much better than I expected!

I think I might have a second job as a cake decorator! (Just kidding)

Ready to dive in! She was really excited that everyone was singing to her!

Oh, our little danty girl!

We kept waiting on her to take a handful, but she was quite careful (at first).

Yum! Yum!

Thank goodness we stripped her down to her diaper because

we had cake in our hair, our ears, and more!

Some of the kids eating lunch in the backyard!

Ready, set, OPEN!

This gift was a very special treat created by our good friends, Laura and Angie!

I can't wait to hang it in her room! Thank you girls!

Having a blast with daddy!

I'm a little partial to this gift. These were my trainer skis when I was a young girl

and were passed down to my sister and brothers! Pop and KK (my parents) refinished and

painted them for Kaelyn (passing along to the next generation of skiers).

On the back of the skis, KK put the years we all learned to use them!

Kaelyn loves her Cozy Coupe car.

She likes to ride in it, push it, and stand next to it!

Mimi and PawPaw gave Kaelyn a Radio Flyer wagon (it's the cadillac of wagons).

Her passenger for this ride was her new friend, Elmo (thank you Grandad and Grandma).

The balls bouncer

This tunnel is taking up all the space in our gameroom! (Thank you Pop and KK)

It's a hit though and we look forward to watching Kaelyn figure her way in and out!

Late Saturday night, Kaelyn was winding down with the balloons and her cozy coupe!

After a good night's rest, Kaelyn tried out her skis on Sunday!

Looks like she's ready for the water! (coming soon)

After all our company had left, we took Kaelyn on a wagon ride!

She absolutely loves being pulled in her cadillac (oops I meant wagon).

Happy 1st Birthday

2010-07-06T11:31:00.000-05:00

We celebrated Kaelyn's birthday a couple days early with our little family. Her birthday party isn't until this Saturday, but we couldn't let the day go by without celebrating the first year of our baby's life. She absolutely loved her Little Tikes Picnic and Playhouse and loved eating her first cupcake. She isn't too picky of an eater because she did try to eat the candle as well.

She wasn't a fan of Mom's homemade birthday hat!

First bite into the cupcake

Umm...Yum, Yum!

After she saw her new toy, we couldn't get her attention to

pose next to it...She was way too busy climbing the slide!

We spent the July 4th weekend at my aunt and uncle's lake house (Karl and Marlene) on Lake Limestone. With the Killian clan, there is always a lot of waterskiing and pyramid building going on. Kaelyn also got to ski for the first time with mommy and daddy. We think she might have beat the Perry record. She skied when she was 364 days old! Way to go Kaelyn!

Dear Kaelyn,
On July 6, 2009 at 3:41 p.m., our lives changed forever when we fell in love with you. From the beginning, you have been the sweetest little girl your daddy and I could ever ask for. You have the most bubbly personality and continue to be so easy and relaxed in any situation we put you in. When you smile, you smile with your whole body and light up the room. We can't believe how fast you are growing from a baby to a little girl. You never cease to make us laugh or to amaze us with how smart you are. We know that this is just the beginning of a lifetime of happiness because we are so proud to be your mommy and daddy. You have us wrapped around your little finger and we couldn't be happier! We love you with all of our hearts.

Love,
Mommy and Daddy