First Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving this year was extra special because we had Hudson to be thankful for.....our biggest and most precious blessing of all! We enjoyed good food and good company. Although Hudson's Grammy could not be with us on Thanksgiving, the cute little pumpkin she picked out for him during her visit reminded us how grateful we are that Hudson's grandparents love being a part of his life. Now we are looking forward to creating Christmas memories as well.

Roll, baby roll

This past week marked another milestone met....Hudson has been rolling over consistently for the past several days. YEAH!!!! He showed me that he could perform this skill a few weeks ago but then decided after a couple days of it that it wasn't important to him anymore. Thankfully, he rediscovered the usefulness of it.

We want to wish everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving!!!

Not so little anymore

Two weeks ago Ryan and I took Hudson to the pediatrician for his 4-month check-up. He weighed in at 13 pounds, 11 ounces and measured 26 inches. In just 4 short months Hudson has almost doubled his birth weight and grown 6 inches! I love to go back and look at pictures from when he was just a few days old. It's my attempt at holding onto every peice of him because I'm realizing how quickly he's growing up. His new favorite thing to do is use his tongue to make bubbles....it's so cute to watch but definitely a slobbery mess to clean up. He also loves to talk to himself in the mirror while riding in the car. His conversations often sound very "matter of fact." His grasping skills are improving which is usually a good thing but not so much when he gets a hold of my hair. This happens often. Ryan and I are not typically big Halloween participants but this year we decided why not....baby costumes are too cute to pass up. I don't think Hudson shared our enthusiasm. Oh well. :)

Out and About

Jetton Park - Cornelius, NC

Blowing Rock, NC

Hudson's cousin Vivian

Wow, has it really been 2 months since my last blog? One of my blogging friends kindly reminded me that I need to update Hudson's page more often. She's got a point. So here's my most recent attempt at keeping up with this. :) I titled this blog "out and about" because we've recently been taking advantage of the nice fall weather. I'm including pictures from one of our local parks and the mountains.

Hudson's personality has really been evolving over the last several weeks. He's very curious about the world he lives in and enjoys studying people's behavior. He's bashful on occasion but I've never seen him turn down a compliment....he flashes a smile every time. The first time he giggled, Ryan and I laughed so hard we had tears in our eyes. It was truly "music to our ears".....sappy I know but there really isn't anything sweeter than the sound of laughter coming from your child. Last week he discovered his toes and this week he discovered splashing during bath time. He's so much fun!!!

2-Month Checkup

Today Ryan and I took Hudson to the pediatrician for his 2-month checkup. He weighed in at 11 pounds (45th percentile) and has grown to 24 inches (90th percentile). He had his first round of vaccines, one oral and one injection. Hudson was a champ....a couple of tears and then he was fine. Thank goodness because otherwise I would've shed some tears of my own.

Hudson is interacting with us more than ever these days.....lots of smiles, giggles and cooing. He's also picking his head up to look around whenever he gets the chance. We're really excited about his development and can't wait for him to gain even more independence.

By the way, for those of you who have little ones at home, I've started including links to some neat websites at the very bottom of Hudson's blog page. When you have some time, check them out. They contain some really great information and ideas.

Sweet Dreams

Since newborns sleep A LOT, the majority of our pictures thus far capture Hudson sleeping. So, I thought I would share some of them with everyone. And although Ryan and I have long forgotten what a full night's sleep feels like, looking at these pictures reminds me that the sleep deprivation is completely worth it!!

Mom, enough already!!

Lincoln County Fly-In

This past Saturday, Hudson and I joined daddy at the Lincoln County airport for a "Fly-In." A fly-in is a chance for pilots to gather together for some food and camaraderie. It also gives people in the community an opportunity to learn about our flight school and see our planes on display. This was Hudson's first trip to the airport and will certainly not be his last (especially if Ryan has his way). Uncle Matt, Aunt Kristen and cousin Vivian were also able to join us. Vivian enjoyed her turn as "pilot in command" and seems to be a natural. :)

Family Baby Shower

Well, it's obviously been awhile since my last blog but my motivation to keep this current has been reignited. I decided that I would post separate blogs in chronological order as a means of pretending that I've been posting them all along. (Ha!)

On July 12, Hudson and I attended a family baby shower to celebrate his arrival. We were so lucky to have several of our family and friends there, especially Gigi and Poppy (my parents),Grammy and Grandpa (Ryan's parents who live in Oklahoma), Uncle Matt, Aunt Kristen, cousin Vivian, Uncle Ken, Aunt Judy and cousin MaryBeth. Ryan and I really appreciate all of the wonderful gifts we received.

The following day, July 13, I celebrated the big "3-0." It hasn't quite set in yet but a good friend told me that thirty is the new twenty.....sounds good to me! Turning thirty was easily the best birthday yet because I had already been given the best gift of all...Hudson!!

A Special Thank You

Ryan and I wanted to send out a special "Thank You" to all of you who prepared and delivered meals, sent cards/flowers and stopped by for a visit. We really appreciate everyone's thoughtfulness....it made the transition to home an easy one.

Happy Birthday Hudson!

Okay, so we may not be celebrating his 1st birthday yet, but Hudson is officially 1 week old and, to us, that's worth celebrating!! As a first time parent, you never know what to expect when you bring your child home but we couldn't have asked for a smoother transition. Even though our responsibilities have increased significantly, we LOVE having him home with us! Ryan and I really look forward to watching him grow each week and we can't wait to share all of the details with family and friends.

Hudson is Here!

Hudson Christopher Akin was born June 26, 2008 at 4:00 am in Huntersville, NC. He weighed 7 lbs 2 oz and is 20 inches long. God has blessed Ryan and I with a beautiful little boy and we can't wait to see what each new day will bring!