Multi-Tasking Momma

I don't have nearly the time I'd like to write the post I'd like to about this, but I at least want to share this picture.  There have been a few times lately that the lawn has been getting too long, and Nate has been too busy to cut it, so I've done it.  Once I did it to just do something nice for my husband, since I'd been gone all day giving service to others outside my home, and felt I needed to make my hubby my priority as well.  Both times it's looked something like this:  Cooper, Huddy in the carrier, and me trying to keep everyone safe while getting the job done and not getting completely exhausted.

It is quite a challenge to get even the simplest tasks completed sometimes with a 4-yr old following behind me messing up everything I just did, or me going in his wake, trying to keep up, all while usually having a baby on my hip.  But a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, and that includes mowing the lawn, even if I do feel like a mother hen with her chicks literally under her wing while doing it.  I don't even want to know what the neighbors think as they all drive by.  Ha!

Happy Halloween 2013

We had a lot of Halloween fun this year.  With Cooper entering the prime of his childhood as far as holidays, it is getting pretty fun to celebrate.  Besides the pumpkin farm and carving pumpkins, we also went to a local fall festival with our neighbors.  Cooper and his friend, Braden, had a blast going on all the bounce-houses/rides and playing the games.  Cooper played two games really well:  corn hole (a Southern MUST, so he's getting rather good at it), and one where he had to throw a full-sized football into a hole on a life-size painted wood cutout of a football receiver.  He had three tries, and got the ball in the hole all three times.  The people running the game were shocked.  He had a good time.  He was dressed up as a pirate, but we didn't get any pictures of him before it got too dark to take any; he was too busy having fun!  Hudson was dressed up too...

 Then a few nights later we had a trunk-or-treat pot luck and party at church.  I dressed up as a Red Sox player, Cooper as a pirate (minus his hat and hook, which he refused to wear), and our little Hudson giraffe again.

 Huddy looks terrified in this picture.  Maybe he saw a Halloween spook!

 I didn't get any pictures of Nate and the back of his truck all decked out in spiders and spiderwebs, but it's much the same each year.  He stayed and handed out candy while I took the boys to get treats.  Cooper didn't recognize his Sunbeam teacher, Sister Bryant, at first.  She made a good witch!

 On Halloween night we got together with our neighbors, Tammy, Hugh and Braden Blanton, again.  They were taking Braden trick-or-treating in his Grandma's neighborhood, and they invited us to join them.  We had such a great time.  We know most of the Blanton's relatives because they are over to their house often, and the boys play together every chance they get, so hanging out with Tammy's mother and step-father was no biggie.  And it happened to be the neighborhood some of our dear friends used to live in until they recently moved out of state.

Here are the boys ready to trick-or-treat:  Cooper the Pirate and Braden, I mean, Optimus Prime

 Several people asked Cooper if he was a pirate when they were trick-or-treating, and he always replied, "No.  I'm Cooper James Smith."  Ha!

 Once our little giraffe woke up from his nap, he joined the festivities.

It was a very fun Halloween.

Pumpkin Fun

We had fun carving our pumpkins for family home evening a about a week before Halloween.  Cooper was very excited until we opened the top and he saw the "guts." He wanted no part of pulling out the slimy pumpkin insides. He did about two handfuls with a lot of coaxing and called it quits, which totally surprised me since the boy loves to be dirty.

After I'd cleaned out the pumpkin, Cooper was ready to wield the pumpkin carvers (i.e. knives). He was so disappointed that we wouldn't let him do anything with the carvers but supervise.  At that point he said, "Mom, when does the fun part start?" Little stinker.

Hudson was hanging out next to us.

Cooper chose the tin man face.

It was a fun family night.

Belated Birthday with Aunt Denise

Since Aunt Denise wasn't able to make it to Cooper's birthday, we held a little belated birthday party when she came to visit a few weeks ago.  The boys both had fun swinging and playing with Aunt Denise.

Hudson was so little in his swing that the shoulder straps were at his ears, but he loved Aunt Denise helping him swing.

Cooper LOVES his time with Aunt Denise. She spoils him with lots of one-on-one attention, and he thrives on it.

Cooper had picked out some chocolate cupcakes with gummy worms on top to have when Aunt Denise came. 

We sang happy birthday and he got to blow out his candle.

We always love a visit from Aunt Denise and Uncle Jim!

Hudson 5 Months Old

Hudson turned 5 months old a few days ago.  I can't believe my baby is already that old!!  He is getting so big.  It's funny that I have so many pictures of him sitting.  He rarely sits, but prefers to stiffly stand when being held.  I have to coax him to sit down.  I think he thinks that by sitting down he's going to miss something.

 He loves playing in his jumper, which we keep in the kitchen.

 He is a very curious little guy, always observing and trying to figure things out.

 He still has the chubbiest cheeks ever.

 And I think he's starting to teethe.

 He likes watching cartoons with his big brother, Cooper, especially Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Curious George.

 I'd laid Hudson in his crib to gather the boys' clothes to get them dressed for the day, and Cooper climbed into the crib with Hudson and took this picture with my phone, which I thought turned out pretty cute.

Hudson is one of the most smiley babies.  I love his smiles and coos. 

His favorite time of day is bath time.  He kicks and smiles and squeals when he realizes he's going to get a bath.

 Last weekend I went out with one of my friends for a girl's night out, and Huddy joined us, trying out his attachable chair for the first time.  He was happy to be part of the conversation at dinner.

  Speaking of food, he's really starting to notice our food, and wants to eat it.  He's reaching for it, and watches us eat.  I mean really watches by following food from plate to fork to mouth.  One day last week Coop and I were taking a break from the heat and having freezer pops.  Hudson clearly wanted some, so I took a bit, sucked nearly all the juice out, and gave him small bits of ice.  He was ELATED, couldn't get enough of it, and was disappointed to the point of tears when it was gone.  A few hours later I was nursing him and thinking about something, which made me bite my lower lip, a bad habit of mine.  He thought I was chewing on something, reached for my mouth, and opened his.  He didn't believe me that I didn't have any food to give him.  One more month and we'll start solids.  I'm holding out this time in hopes that we reduce the risk of allergies like Cooper has, but Hudson is more than ready as far as interest in food and having the right tongue movement.

Hudson loves to play peek-a-boo.  I thought I was taking a video of him the other day, but realized I didn't have the video recording.  Of course I missed the best stuff.  But here is a bit of him just after that.  Not as great, but still cute.

Happy 5 month birthday, Hudderball!

Adventures at the Pumpkin Farm

Last weekend we visited Riverbend Farm again for some Fall fun.  Right off the bat, Cooper enjoyed seeing all the animals, especially the squealy piglet...

 ...and OF COURSE the tractor!

 Shootin' apples with the air gun.

Our traditional tractor tire photo:

Cooper (4 years)

Hudson (almost 5 months)

 Driving the wagon

with the fake mules.

Daddy and Huddy as we headed off to the silo slides.

At first Cooper was a little unsure about the slides.

 Then he got a little more brave, and couldn't get enough of them.

 Daddy and one of the new slides.

 That was AWESOME!

 And he's off!  We could barely keep up with Coop as he ran from one slide to the next, and on and off again.

 OK maybe he got a little OVER confident about sliding down.

 Daddy and Cooper on the tractor-pulled wagon ride to the pumpkin patch.

 Mommy, Hudson and Cooper on the wagon.

 How about this one, Mom?

 Thankful for a big, strong Daddy to tote our loot home.

 Huddy fell asleep, but Cooper helped pick out a Hudson-sized pumpkin.

 Gotta try out the REAL combine harvester one last time before we leave.

 It was a beautiful morning at Riverbend Farm.  Can't wait to go back again next year!