Moving - In Transit - Visit to Oklahoma City

June 1- June 6 2012

After our visit to Shreveport, we went to see Mamma's family in Oklahoma City.  We had a nice, long stay and got to spend quality time with my family.  We had so much fun!  You and Bailey played and played.  You get along so well and you all really love one another.  It is so sweet!  You all can grow up together and watch out for one another.  Your cousin Bailey has the sweetest, most kind disposition.     You got to sleep with Siti every night and you love that because you all stay up late and watch TV.  We went to an arcade place one day and you and Bailey played all the games and split lots of the tickets.  She had an easier time sharing the tickets than you my love.  Sharing is something you are still working on, but you are getting much better.  Tip: always share with girls.  In fact, give them what they want.  Girls are flowers and deserve to be treated as such.  

We also took you all to White Water Park and it was a blast.  You rode the big slides this time, not the kid ones.  Mamma rode many with you which was a bit crazy 8 months pregnant!   You had a blast and so did Bailey.  We also went to Uncle Rhoni's one night and watched the Oklahoma City Thunder game.  You and Bailey had an egg hunt and we put chocolate and money in the eggs.  It was a great trip to OKC.  Uncle Rhoni got me a birthday cake and I blew out the candles.  Yes, my birthday passed right through this move.  You and Siti woke up early on my birthday morning and got me yellow sunflowers and a cake.  It was so sweet and made my morning  I am very sad that we are moving far away from my family, but they will always come visit us and we will always go visit them.  Your Sisi is very sad that we are moving far too.  She loves you so much and this move has been emotional for her.  You never know, we may all be living closer together one day.

xoxo

Hudson (4) Bailey (5) - Sweet first cousins.

Mamma is 8 months pregnant with your baby brother (above).

The flowers that you and Siti got me on my birthday morning (above).

Hudson's Life is Changing

July 10, 2012

Hudson, amore mio, my love,

You are going through so many changes. It's all a lot for a 4 year old, however, it's good for you in more ways than you will ever imagine. You left your home in Dallas, the place you have spent your whole life, left school, friends, parks, Annette, all of it behind. You have been living in NYC the last month and you are loving it and doing fantastic! In fact, you dont want to leave (you are your mamma's baby-we heart NY!) and you are not so sure about moving to CT. We went to see our new house there and you said "I don't want to move there in that house. I wish we didn't have to move." I think because our stuff wasn't in there yet, it was weird and unsettling for you.... We will move to CT in a few weeks and leave NYC. You will have a new brother, a new home, a new room, a new town, new mates, and a new school. God bless you! But, you have been so resilient and so forward thinking and you have gone with it. This whole move has made you more flexible and this is a great lesson in life. One must always be flexible and going with the flow is one of the best traits someone can have, because go ahead and plan my love, your life won't turn out that way. Never does. I know this from experience. Life happens while making plans. This has been an adventure. A beautiful, fun adventure for us all and life should always be an adventure. You're living, learning and taking experiences with you and they become apart of who you are and it's awesome! Daddy and Mamma love you and you are always safe. Xoxo

Officially back in the Northeast - Goodbye Dallas

June 8, 2012

We officially landed at La Guardia today. Daddy met us at the airport and we all drove into NYC to our apartment. We are living in corporate temporary housing on the Upper East Side- 201 East 69th street, at the The Fairfax. You have been such a trooper Hudson. We have been on a big adventure and thats what we have been calling it. We moved out of our house, traveled for 2 straight weeks- to different hotels and visited all of or family and you have gone with it. I was worried when you walked into our empty house. At first you were weirded out I think- it's been your only home- you said "This is just a big empty boring house with nothing in it!" But, then you were ok. You have moments when you have told us you didn't want to move from dallas and why did we have to move and that you were tired if traveling, but rightfully so. It is a lot for a 4 year old. And all in all, we are so proud and impressed with you- You have been so flexible and you have had fun. I have talked to you a lot about being flexible and you get it. You even told aunt Shannon that you were learning to be flexible! Swear! This is one of the best traits a person can have, because Hudson, life can change on a dime. You gotta learn to go with it.

Hudson on the airplane on the way to NYC from Dallas. 

First night in your bed in the NYC apartment.  You did amazing.  You got right into the bed and went night night. 

This is your trick gum.  You got it at Chuck E Cheese the night we went with Kennedy, Kade and Aunt Stephie.  You pull it out and a cockroach comes out.  You did it to Daddy and you think it is pretty funny  You asked him 10 times, "You want a piece of gum?"

Day 1 and 2 of Move - Dallas to NYC to CT

May 24, 2012

Today, the movers came to our house in Dallas and started packing.  You went to school and Annette and Erik picked you up and took you to the zoo all day.  It seemed easier for you not to be in the house.  Daddy and I were not sure how you were going to react.  We have been preparing you, but it is still shocking for a 4 year old boy to see his house and items being shoved into boxes.  I was worried about my baby, but thank God kids are resilient and forward thinking.  We should all be so lucky, but you are not when you are a grown up - ha!  Grown ups drag things out (avoid that if possible when you are an adult).  You walked in after the zoo and said, "This is our big empty house!  BORING.  This house is empty and boring.  There is nothing in it."  I was worried because I know that was your way of letting your frustrations out, however after that, you seemed to be ok.  The movers were all so nice to you and made you a fort with the moving boxes and you had fun.    We have explained to you that this was going to be a big, fun adventure.

My love, letting go, moving on, and saying goodbye will always be a part of your life.  It's not always easy.  Sometimes it's for the best and sometimes it just happens.  These events in  your life will make you stronger,  they will build character and they will make you who you are.  These events cannot be avoided and are a part of life. When change comes, look for the adventure, look for the lesson, and look ahead.  Know that as long as you have love and you love in return, you will be ok wherever you are.

We love you sweet boy, Mamma

Hudson and Erik. (above and below)  You love Erik, Annette's son.  he is 14 and he has tons of energy and loves to play with you.  We will miss him and Annette so much!

Huge moving truck                               Guest bedroom where I tried to rest.

The movers made you a fort.

Melissa and Jack (above) - some of our oldest friends.   We had a play date with them almost every week.

Our empty house. (above and below)

You and Daddy in our empty garage (above).

Mamma and Hudson in our backyard (above) - only the tricycle left.  You never rode that much.

Mamma is about 7.5 pregnant!  I am a trooper.  Moving during pregnant not easy. 

Hudson- the tree above is on the side of our house in Dallas.  You started climbing it when you were 2 - we use to lift you up.  Of course, you get up there on your own now.  It may look small, but it is not easy to get up there.  You are a climber and a very good one at that.  You climb everything, things other kids your age do not climb.  You climbed that tree so many times.  

Day 3 of Move at The Four Seasons - Dallas to NY to CT

May 25, 2012

This was day 3 of our move from Dallas.  We stayed at the Four Seasons in Los Colinas.  We had such a fun time and it took our minds off the move.   Melissa, Jack and Cash came and swam with us everyday.  You and Jack had a great time and I loved spending time with Melissa, especially knowing that we would be leaving our good friends.  

Jack is above - you all look so much alike.  People ask me and Melissa if you all are twins.  Jack was one of your very first buddies.   You all are 5 weeks apart.  

Hudson (above) 

Jack and Hudson - Hudson is in blue and Jack is in white. 

Our Trip to Connecticut

March 30 to April 3 2012

We took a trip to Connecticut to look at houses and schools. I have not talked about the move in this journal. Daddy's new gig is based in New York City so we are moving back to the Northeast. It is a crazy time! We have not leased or sold our house, we are unsure where we are living, you don't have a school and I am 6 months pregnant. Everything is happening all at once, but when I was 9 months pregnant with you, we moved into a new house as well, so this is the norm I guess when I am preggies!

So, we decided we are not going to live in the city (although I would love to) so we are looking at two suburbs outside of the city - Westchester, NY, primarily Bronxville, and Greenwich, CT, primarily Old Greenwich. We did not take you on the trip to see Westchester, but decided to take to you to CT since it is on the beach. We had a very good time, although you were getting tired of looking at houses. It's confusing for a three year old going on all these house tours. We have not told you we are moving yet, just getting you use to the idea that someday we may have to move because Daddy works in NYC. We also took you to see a school, the Whitby School, it is one of the premiere Montessori Schools in the country and one of the first ones. It was amazing, truly. We had to leave you in a classroom and you did not like that at all. You cried and threw a fit so that part didn't go so well. You calmed down eventually after we left and all the kids made you cards - it was so sweet! The classroom was identical to yours now, so that helped.

We went to the beach in Old Greenwich, Todd's Point, and visited Daddy's friends, Dave and Alicia Collier, who live there and have 4 sweet children. You absolutely fell in love with Grace, like in love. You were all over here. You seem overly girl crazy for 3 - I mean you are 3! What am I in for when you are a teen?

Then, we also went to see Daddy's other friends, David and Kid Salomon, who live in Greenwich, CT. They have 4 sweet kids as well and you had a blast with them. They had a absolutely gigantic house - it was a crazy. We could have lived in their basement.

The trip was good and we like CT over Westchester, which was surprising for me, because I have always thought of CT as white, rich WASPY people, and we already live in that environment (Highland Park, Texas) and I want you to have diversity and culture (and I want that for me too). There were a lot of Europeans in Old Greenwich, which surprised me and it was so beautiful and happy, especially because of the beach,

Funny, when you are reading this years from now, you may not even remember Dallas, Texas, the place you spent the first 4 years of your life. We shall see where the wind takes us....

I love you my love. Remember, it doesn't matter where we are, Mommy loves you and Daddy loves you and you are safe.

xoxoxo

airplane...

exhausted in the car from La Guardia to Old Greenwich, CT.

You and Dave and Alicia's kids.... You hugging Grace and tackling her (Oh Hudson!)

You and Grace at Todd's Point Beach... You running on beach.

You and David and Kim's little girls, who were beautiful.

Exhausted in the car after a long day in Grenwich.

You and Grace. If we move to CT, seeing Grace again will help with your transition. That's how in love you were with her!