Back to School

Thank you for all your prayers last Thursday as I started back to school!

While it was a very difficult day for me, and I cried probably more than I should admit, I felt God's hand of peace and comfort all day long. I had so many texts from friends and family wishing me well and offering words of encouragement, as well as prayers. I am so grateful! Plus, my sweet husband surprised me with flowers delivered to the school! The power of prayer is amazing, and what an awesome God we serve who can comfort us when we truly need it!

This is going to be a good year at school! I was able to jump right back in and get settled quickly. Since the lead teacher (aka LT) will be out a couple hours each day for Reading Recovery, I have a little work to do with the kids (my long term sub didn't have much management I don't think). Thursday and Friday we got to know each other. Tomorrow the real work begins! We have a few boys who will give us a run for our money, and a few girls who will probably talk our ears off! So far, though, they are all really sweet kids, and since LT and I worked together last year, I think this will be a great year for us! While I hate leaving Hudson, at least I'm doing something I enjoy in an environment that supports emotional, young, new mothers with lots of hugs and encouragement.

First day of work - saying good bye to my little man. I kept this picture on my phone and looked at it all day!

Friday afternoon I came home to smiles!

This will be our first full week apart. Again, prayers would be appreciated. Leaving for two days was one thing, five will be hard, especially after being with him all day Saturday and Sunday. I don't think it will ever get easy - just easier, at some point.

I hope everyone is enjoying fall! I know we are!

God Bless

Happy Fall!

I cannot believe it's already October! These past weeks have flown by way too fast, and now we're into October and fall is in full swing! The leaves are turning colors and falling, the air has a slight crisp and chill to it, and pumpkins are every where! I love this season, not as much as spring, but it's definitely my second favorite.

Hudson continues to grow and change every day. He is more alert when he's awake, and in the past couple of weeks he has really started to focus in on things. My favorite is of course when he focuses and holds eye contact with me! I love seeing his little eyes stare back into mine! He has also started smiling and laughing! Its just a little giggle, but it's so sweet. He is still a very active baby! He is always wiggling and moving. I have a feeling we're going to be chasing after him as soon as he's mobile!

This past weekend we took our first adventure away from home. We went to Charleston to visit and stay with my parents. He did really well all weekend, and had a great time with Gigi and Papa.

Please say a little prayer for me when you can. I go back to work on Thursday, the 3rd, and I'm not really looking forward to it. I have LOVED every minute I've been with this sweet baby boy, and it's going to tear my heart to leave him. He'll be in good hands, but they just won't be mine.

God Bless

One month old

Hudson is one month old today!

It is so hard to believe he's already been here with us for a month. He's growing and developing each day, and is a pleasure to watch. Adjusting to a newborn has not always been easy, but it's worth every minute. I could sit and look at him, and hold him all day.

How he's growing:

He loves to be held and in someone's arms
He either loves his swaddle, or hates it and fights to free his arms
If he is propped up on someone's shoulder he can hold his head up really well, and loves to look around
He is making eye contact and can hold it for a few seconds, which is so much fun
He loves to be outside, especially rocking in the front porch rocking chairs
He is starting to sleep better and longer during the day
He is doing better sleeping at night, but still wakes up every 2-2.5 hours to nurse
He loves being sung to - we sing "Jesus Loves Me", "You are my Sunshine", and "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" at night, and a whole bunch of livelier tunes during the day
He spends time each day on his play mat, but has yet to really pick his head up during tummy time
He now loves baths!
He is probably going to be out growing all his newborn clothes real soon, and fitting into 0-3 month
He is generally a very happy and content baby, bringing so much joy to Paul and me

We are so fortunate to have all the support and love of our family and friends. Hudson is blessed beyond imagination to have so many wonderful people in his life. Thank you!

Hudson's 1st Photo shoot

Jana Candler came a couple of weeks ago for a photo shoot with Hudson, and we just got the CD with all the pictures! She did an amazing job, of course, and captured Hudson so wonderfully! We are so grateful to have these pictures of this sweet little boy.

Thank you, Jana!

God Bless

3 weeks!

Hudson was three weeks old yesterday! And these three weeks have flown by!

We were excited to have my sisters come and stay for a short visit last weekend, and then my mom come and stay with us this past week. She was a huge help during the day and even the evenings. Up until she came I had been kinda hard headed about taking it easy and just resting - have I ever been one to just sit still?! But just like a good Mama should, she took the baby each afternoon and made me rest. And it was probably a good thing that she did. I don't think I realized how tired I actually was.

Hudson is doing great! He's nursing well, sleeping better (minus one feeding sometime in the middle of the night that he decides to stay awake for and after), and is starting to stay awake more during the day, too. I'm not really trying to schedule him, but more of getting him in a routine. I know the whole Baby Wise model is very strict with eating, playing, and sleeping times, which I'm not a huge fan of, but I do like the routine of eat, play, sleep. He's starting to pick up on it, and within the past day or so, has started nursing every three hours, instead of two, all on his own. I never knew how much of a difference an hour can make! My goal is really to just get him close to a three hour routine of eat, play, sleep. If we can do that, and he can start sleeping through the night a little more, which is doing as well, then I'll be happy.

Here's my baby boy - 3 weeks old!

God Bless

Growing already

When we first started getting clothes for Hudson, looking at the newborn onesies, I thought there is no way he will fit in these! They looked so small! And I really didn't know what to take to the hospital with us for him as a coming home outfit, so I actually took two outfits - one in a newborn size, one in a 0-3 size. Being only 7.12lbs, he fit into the newborn, and it was even a little big for him.
Well yesterday we had to go to the doctor, and I put the same outfit on him. It didn't swallow him anymore! At the office, they weighed him, and he was already 8.2lbs. We had taken him last Monday to the doctor since we were released early from the hospital, and he had lost a few ounces, down to 7.6lbs. So in a week he had gained that back, plus 6 more ounces! Our baby boy is growing!

Here are two pictures of him in the outfit - you can see that he fills it out more. He looks so cute!!

God Bless!

The love for a son

This morning, as I was picking up Hudson out of the bassinet, I had this overwhelming sense of love and joy. This little person was my son, given to us as a gift from God. The greatest and most precious gift anyone could ever ask for.
But what really made me emotional, was thinking about how much I love my son, and I've only really known him for 5 days, and then thinking about my Heavenly Father and His love for me, but also His love for His son. God sent His son, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, here to Earth to die - and to die for me. I've only had Hudson for 5 days, but if someone told me that I had to give him up, I would be beside myself. I've always known about God's love for me, and known about Him sending His son to die for me, but I don't think I ever comprehended the depth of that love until I had my own son. All I could do was cry and thank God for His love, for His son, for the sacrifice He and Jesus both made on the cross, and also for my son. Hudson is a gift far greater than imaginable, and the love I have for him is probably incomparable to the love God has for us. He loves us so much that He sent His only son to die for us. If that isn't humbling, I don't know what it.

I was reminded of these verses:

Ephesians 2:4-5 
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ

Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1 John 4:10
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

I thank God multiple times, every day, for this precious, little boy.