The hot summers in Kansas

We have had crazy high temps and humidity here in KS so we have been trying to stay cool by playing in the sprinklers outside or going to the neighborhood pool to cool off.

Snack time with Mason, Gage and Ainsley (and Kate who must be eating the coupe car!)

Or we have been staying in the air conditioning. Hudson still loves building towers although the best part is still knocking them over!

sand table or box?????

We thought we were purchasing a sand "table" for our deck to try and minimize some of the messy sand being tracked in by Hudson sitting in a sand box....but apparently we did not outsmart him as he stripped down naked and climbed in the sand table to make it the sand box he really wanted. I guess we are stuck with a minimum of one bath a day for summer:)

I wonder how much longer it is ok to post naked pictures of your child....I guess until the next one comes along?

You will notice a trend in these next pictures. Hudson has taken a very strong attachment to a Muppet Movie DVD with all the muppets pictures on it send by Uncle Evan. Currently he only enjoys watching the scenes with the popular songs in it (Rainbow Connection and Movin' Right Along) but he loves to carry this DVD around and feed Fozzie, brush Fozzie's hair, kiss Fozzie and so on and so on. We have ordered the poor kid the stuffed Fozzie plush straight from Disney World (the only place you can find it) but it hasn't come yet so he is stuck with the DVD for a while.

Aunt Sam ("Meece") came over for a visit and thought Hudson's dad would love this picture of Hudson playing with this car at Toys R Us.

Of course he preferred the more expensive car......he inherited his father's taste

Yes, even Fozzie gets his diaper changed......I wonder what in the world people were thinking at the grocery store when they saw him carrying around a diaper! Yes, it was clean:)

We have been enjoying the summer and made it to the neighborhood pool. Hudson wasn't so crazy about his wet swim diaper and trunks but quickly became distracted when he learned he could make his toys disappear into the skimmer in the baby pool which became a great game. He loves to find small places to put things then say "Uh-oh, where it go?" and try to find it. So far we have a CD down in between the deck boards and a spare car key that was rescued from the air vent and who knows what else is missing!

We did learn this past week that Baby #2 is a boy! We are very excited for Hudson to have a little brother and I am sure Hudson will teach him all his tricks rather quickly. We hope Hudson will take as good of care of him as he does the Fozzie DVD and his boy baby doll he sleeps with. We were happy he looks healthy and saw some fun shots on the ultrasound of the baby playing with his toes. We didn't get many pictures because as the tech was finished and taking pictures, he decided to get into the fetal position (which I guess is pretty appropriate) but was face down....maybe there is hope we may have a more reserved child than we have right now:) Although Hudson's spirited and creative personality makes us laugh many times a day and we are really enjoying this stage of being two.

Ainsley and "Meece"

We were lucky to have two special visitors this week! Aunt "Sam" came back with us from St Louis over her break before her summer classes start at MU in a few weeks. Hudson had so much fun playing with Aunt "Meece" as he calls her as for some reason he can't say Sam or Samantha. He walked by the bedroom she stayed in and kept asking for "more Meece". We are happy she is coming back next week for baby #2's ultrasound.

Hudson found her headband she left here and very proudly wore it around the house. We will have to save this for his college days.

Ainsley also came over for a morning to play while her little brother is in the hospital. Hudson and Ainsley had so much fun together. They conversed with each other in their own language in the car together and got real worried at lunch when the other one would run out of strawberries or grapes.

The most fun was jumping off the step into our family room....so much for the toyroom!

They even took a few breaks from playing to share some hugs.....

Hudson and Meece

a busy May!

We have had a busy and FUN couple of weeks here. We are enjoying some spring weather. Hudson LOVES to be outside and is a great "helper" at watering flowers (which usually turns into chasing Tanner with the hose), getting the mail and loves to take the trash cans out to the street....we are hoping this lasts a while!

We spent Memorial Day weekend in St Louis. Nana watched Hudson while John, Dana and I went to the Royals/Cardinals game then we also got a trip into the zoo which was a huge hit.

getting some special treats from the family
Hudson loved helping clean the pool cover in the driveway

With Nana at the zoo

The highlight of the zoo might have been the train ride. Hudson yelled "all aboard" and "more choo choo" each time the train came to a stop

Yes, the belly is growing. We find out in a week whether Hudson will be getting a new brother or new sister later this fall

We also got to celebrate Pirate Henry turning three years old! He had a great party complete with a bounce house which the boys loved. As you may notice, many of our friends have BOYS!

Hudson is a big dough nut fan - surprise, surprise!

he picked out the mini dough nut with sprinkles

Mother's Day and some spring pics

We spent some time on Mother's Day back at Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead. Hudson LOVED giving the goats bottles. Although this time he wanted to choose which ones he fed and make sure they all had a few sucks on the bottle. He was so confused as to why goat's down understand the same commands dogs do.

Eating with Ainsley at Luke's party

Waving to the train going for a ride

The AWESOME train cake that Luke's grandma made for the party!

Luke had a train party complete with train rides! The kids loved it and Hudson rode at least 6 times. When it would come back from a ride he would just sit there till it started up again. It was a HUGE hit!

We have been trying some new summer foods and Hudson (who previously wouldn't eat much meat) has had a couple hot dogs. Last weekend we made it to the Brookside Art Annual and got to see our old neighbors.

....and corn on the cob!

Henry (who is turning three next week) came over for dinner along his parents and the Abplanalp's. Henry and Hudson played so well together and were quite the buddies.

Henry and Hudson eating at the picnic table

Hudson practicing being a big brother!

In case you haven't heard, Hudson will be a big brother around Halloween! He is very excited as he loves babies and points them out everywhere we go. We only hope he won't mind one living with us!

Spring is here!

Nana came and spent 5 days with me while Dada had to go to Houston for work. She introduced me to worms.....ewwww!
And I helped her plant flowers

And she gave me my first sewing lesson.


Letting my toys enjoy the slide as well

Fixing the ladder

Hudson loves his new swing set that Pa and Dada put up. He "makes sure" they didn't miss any screws by taking random forks and other items from the kitchen to "work" on it.

I love to take toys up to the playhouse to play

Picking dandelions in the yard

my new bubble shooter - BIG, cheap entertainment for a 2 year old

I still love my choo-choo and car set