American Music Awards

Hudson,
I TiVoed the American Music Awards on November 21, 2010 and you watch it over and over. For awhile, you only wanted me to hold you and dance with you. You are getting so heavy so it's a workout for me, but I love it. You now play your drums in front of it and watch them. You love it, of course! Some of the performers are Enrique Iglesias, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Train, Kesha, Carlos Santana with Gavin Rossdale, Train, Usher and Justin Bieber. You dig Justin Bieber, the Black Eyed Peas and you now know that Carlos Santana is one of the best guitar players ever. You know the sequence in which the performers play. You have memorized it as well as so many of the lyrics. Let's not forget that you are not even 3. WHOA!

I wonder where Justin Bieber will be when you are 10. He is only 16 now, so he'll only be 26 at that time. Heck, he will only be 36 when you are 20. Justin has a great story. He was raised by a single mother in a low-income household. He taught himself to play the piano, drums, guitar and trumpet. Pretty amazing. Bieber's mother posted his performances on Youtube when he was only 12 and his following grew and grew as she posted more. There is a movie about him right now and when I see clips, I think of you. He was drumming everything and jamming on the guitar as a little boy, just like you do.

I like The Black Eyed Peas because they also have a good story. Two of the band members, Will.I.Am and apple.de.ap both overcame a lot of adversity. Will.I.Am grew up in the projects with a single mother and apple.de.ap was raised in the Philippines by a single mother.

A quote for you my love, "Do not fear the winds of adversity. Remember: A kite rises against the wind rather than with it."

I love you, Mamma

Drums After Siesta - January 2011

Hudson,

You woke up from your siesta and you wanted to go downstairs and play your drums. It takes you awhile to get happy after your siesta, and sometimes, you are full on in a bad mood. I tell you, "It's ok if you need 10 minutes to be by yourself to wake up," and you say, "No! I don't want to be by myself." You did not want me to take these pictures, but you looked so cute in your big boy shirt. You don't like to put your pants on for awhile after siesta. You wonder all over in your pull up or your underwear. Honestly, you are so precious in your underwear or your pull up, you can run in them all day as far as I am concerned! You will only be this little once. Your teaso is the cutest thing ever and it should be bronzed and put in the Smithsonian!

Siesta is a good thing. I always tell you it is good to take a break in the day. It gives mommy a break and you a much needed nap. We sing this song, "Siesta, siesta, a nap in the afternoon. Take a break in the middle of the day, they say it's good for you. Es bueno that is true." You have always been a willing napper. You are are ready to get in your crib, your safe haven, and rest. You are a great sleeper Hudson. You're in bed by 7 or 7:30 and you sleep 12 hours a night. You have been doing that since you were about 3 months old.

There will be a day that you won't want to nap, but we will still take quiet time! We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Remember, there is nothing wrong with a break in the day, whether you are a child or an adult. It Italy, a siesta is common for everyone. At about noon, everything shuts down there for about three hours for lunch and siesta. This is why Italians live la vita bella. I need to practice what I preach, because I have never been a good napper...

I love you amore, Mamma

January 2011 - After siesta.

Back to Back Rock Stars

Hudson,

As you read all the time, we play music for many hours a day. You wake up saying, "Let's go in my music room." We have been dancing, playing instruments and listening to loud music since you were born. When you were a baby, I would cradle you and dance with you, and sometimes, you would fall asleep in my arms - beautiful memories. Mamma totally jams out with you. I play instruments, dance and I sing. I like to sing mostly. Mommy can't play any instruments in real life, but I could always sing. One day, you came out with this move below. You said, "back to back" and you got up against my back and we jammed out. It was the cutest! Daddy took this picture. You may have gotten it from the Lady Antebellum concert you watch. I TiVoed one of their concerts and you have probably watched it 200 times - no joke. Now, you say "back to back" and we instantly do it. I love it! We can jam out, however, you will be the musician, far better than I ever could have been. Learn to play at least one instrument well. Practice often. Practice often. Did I say practice often? I love you my rock star, Mamma


December 2011 - You are 2 yrs and 8 mos old

Kanye West Sunglasses - January 2011

January 28, 2011



Hudson,

You have these green sunglasses and you look super cool in them. I call them your Kanye West Hip-Hop Sunglasses. We got them for you in Crested Butte, Colorado last summer. It's funny, when you were a lot younger, you did not like hats and sunglasses, now you love to wear your sunglasses and you wear your baseball hat backwards and call it your "rally cap." Daddy taught you to say that. When we are in the car, you will say, "Mamma the sun is out. Do you need your sunglasses? I need mine." We have almost lost these sunglasses a 100 times. We even left them in Annapolis when we went to visit Ella. Anni sent them back to us. You are my little rock star. xoxo Mamma


You eating breakfast with your Kanye West sunglasses. 1-27-2011


In Mamma's car.


Popular hip-hop artist, Kanye West wears similar shades. West first rose to fame as a producer. After bringing a soulful, distinctive sound to artists like Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, he went on to win Grammys for his own career as a rapper and solo artist.

Dinner with Daddy 01/25/11

We got back from Oklahoma City today and I was very tired so Daddy took you to dinner at Chipotle. He sent me this picture from dinner. You always get the cheese quesadilla, black beans, rice and chips when we go there.


01/25/11 You are 2 years and 9 mos old.

Chipotle is infamous in this family. Last year, you walked out of the restaurant, tripped on the railing, fell down and busted your forehead open. I grabbed you and I knew it was bad. I turned you over and there was blood everywhere and you were bawling. I was mortified! We took you inside and laid you on one of the tables. All the workers were bringing rags, band aids, water and it made you cry harder. I think it scared you. It was obvious by looking at the cut that you were going to need stitches. Daddy carried you all the way home. It was not close. I was so upset. I was crying and I did not want you to see me. We walked all the way to Dr. Bower's house. He is a pediatrician who lives down the street. He looked at it and said, "Oh yea, he's going to need stitches." I was hoping he wouldn't say that, but I knew he would. We got in the car and headed to Children's Medical. You would not let anybody touch you. You were going crazy, which I knew you would. I knew how very difficult it was going to be. You are not so fond of doctors. They had to give you a drug to calm you down so they could bond the wound, which was the one humorous part of this story. You were sedated and acting almost drunk! It was precious. You are never that calm. When they came in to clean your wound and bond you up, I had to leave. I couldn't watch! Daddy stayed with you and held your hand. He said they had to put you in a straight jacket so that you would not move. My poor baby! Daddy said he felt terrible and that you were looking at him like "Get me out of here Daddy!" It was quick though and they gave you a rainbow popsicle at the end. I hated to see my baby hurting. It made Mommy so sad! Daddy was sad too! You were so tough and such a big boy.


October 10, 2010. You are 2 and a half years old. This was taken at the hospital.

Hudson, Charles & Ella Summer 2010

These absolutely beautiful pictures were taken in June 2010, the summer before Ella moved. I think they look like postcards. You were playing with Charles and Ella in Ella's backyard. Charles and Ella were in your very first playgroup and in your first Mother's Day Out Class at Incarnation Academy. You all ran all over the backyard and had a lot of fun. You would run off and play by yourself at times. I am not sure you wanted Charles invading your time with Ella. Ha. You and Charles do get along though, however we have not seen him as much lately because we are in different schools now. He is a sweet and precious little boy. You are all precious. These pictures are so truly sweet.



Ella Marie Charron (2.4 yrs); Charles Brewer (2.5 yrs) & Hudson (2.2 yrs)

Natural Museum of History

We go to the Natural Museum of History and we have a lot of fun. The bottom floor is for kids. You get to dress up like a fireman. You had so much fun driving the play firetruck. You said, "I'm going to help people." You also like dressing up like a construction worker. You really like construction workers, dump trucks, cement trucks, and tools. We will be driving down the street and you will say, "Mamma, there is a cement truck!" And you know that cement trucks "make streets." You have this construction book that you were obsessed with for months and we read it so much, you memorized it. I mean you even know what a bucket truck is and you point them out. You have been doing this for at least a year.

You also have fun in the market area. You get a basket, collect fruits and vegetables and sell them at the market.

At the moment, there is a dinosaur exhibit. You want to go, but you don't. It's like you are scared, but also curious. We saw it once and you were a little freaked. The second time, you did not want to go. I don't blame you. It would be freaky for a toddler! The dinosaurs are gigantic and you can press buttons to make their bodies move. Plus, they have large, sharp teeth and you say, "Mamma, they are mad." You think all animals with pointy, sharp teeth are mad.

You do love the dinosaur dig though. They have a huge area filled with sand where you dig for huge dinosaur fossils. We get shovels and brushes and dig away. You know what a T-Rex is and you know that the dinosaur skeleton is a dinosaur. Personally, I think you are a bit fascinated with dinosaurs and I don't blame you. Gigantic creatures that lived on the earth over 200 million years ago and look scary are quite fascinating.

I love you amore. Mamma


January 2011 - 2 yrs and 9 mos old


January 2011 - 2 yrs and 9 mos old


Dinosaur dig - 2 yrs and 9 mos old