year in review… that took almost as long to finally write

So I started this months ago and just haven’t had a chance to finish it (along with others that I am still working on hopeful to finish in the next few days).  As I sat down and started looking at the unfinished work ahead of me I though this one was a great place to start with the year coming to an end.  So here it goes. 



Helping bake my birthday cake



So the year in review.... Where to begin??? So much has changed and happened you would think that it would feel like a year, but no it has flown by. Lately with work I am so behind on my blog, so here it is. We just celebrated my boy's first birthday. 1 year already!! I was really good until we were watching the video we made and the tears started and wouldn't stop. I don't know why I was sad. I have this great kid, who brightens everyday, so why was I sad that I have even more to look forward to???

Maybe because the reality is it all goes by too fast, and before I know it he'll be 5, then 10, then 18. Nevertheless we had a great day with the family.

 

R.I.P



To celebrate we went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium to see the great white shark that is on display. (it was alive when I wrote this, however now, not so much)  It is only about 5 feet long, and yet still intimidating. With the way he effortlessly cuts through the water, aware of everything, and without a care, I certainly wouldn't want to come across him in the ocean. I was so excited, being a HUGE nerd about shark week, to be able to see one up close, but not TOO up close. We had a great trip visiting the aquarium, wineries, and pebble beach. Although it was just for the weekend it felt like a mini vacation. I came back recharged and refreshed. Hudson won't remember these trips but I'll never forget them. Standing with my son looking out on the ocean taking in the sights of the seals, otters, and birds (yuck) was one of the best days ever!!!
Sometimes it doesn't feel real. I put him to bed and watch Hudson sleep and think to myself I can't believe he's mine. I hope I'm not the only one out there that has moments of absolute awe at the thought of this little one being apart of me. It just seems overwhelmingly unreal. Lord help me never take those moments for granted and try to live in the moment, because these moments are GREAT!

We also celebrated another Thanksgiving and Christmas as a family.  It was great for everyone to get together and enjoy each other's company.  The only bad part is that we get so wrapped up in visiting that we take no photos of all of us together.  That is my news years resolution (well one of them).  We have tons of pictures of Hudson, but hardly any as a family, or him with our extended family. 

As this year closes there are little things that I am afraid years from now I will forget so I am going to take this moment to write them down so hopefully they stay in my mind forever.  They may seem trivial to you, and maybe years from now they will to me too.  However these are the memories that I treasure most right now so here they are.

1. The look on Hudson’s face when they handed him to me.  He was so calm and those huge eyes just stared at me like he knew who I was immediately, not screaming or fussing, just taking it all in. (I know this one is not from this year, but I had to write it) He still looks at the world the same way now.  Focused, calm, and wondering.  I hope that never goes away.

2. How Hudson twirls in a circle when he is seated on the floor.  Now that he is walking he hasn’t done it, how I wish I would have gotten that on video.

3.  At Christmastime Nana got us a Fisher Price “Little People” nativity and at night Hudson would press the angle so that the song would play and then we’d say “kiss the baby Jesus” and he would grab just the baby Jesus and give him a kiss.  (that one really warmed my heart)

4.  Watching Hudson and Jeremy walk hand in hand

5.  When I drop him off at Nana’s in the morning how he has to give me a kiss goodbye through the screen door, and as I walk away he leans forward for another one so I have to run back and forth a few times.  It’s amazing that I get to work on time.

6.  That even at this age he looks to Jeremy for approval.  While playing with his train where he has to put the letters on the train and then it tells you what letter it is and a corresponding word, after he puts each letter on the train he looks up at Jeremy as if to say “Is that good Dad?” 

I’m sure there is more that I will add later, but for the sake of posting I will end it here with just the fact that we are so lucky and blessed.

What a great year! And as Hudson would say NNNN-Da!