Well hello my little...Chad?

Lately the young one is looking more and more like his uncle Chad. It catches me off guard most of the time, because before a couple of months ago, I was certain one of the nurses at St.Boniface must have gotten our bassinet mixed up with the one on the other side of the curtain; no matter how often people said Hudson looked like Ty or a member of my family, I could rarely see the resemblance to any of us.

When Chad was a little boy, he got the nickname Chadders (or "chatters"), because of his ability to babble on about whatever popped into his button-filled brain at the moment (and I'm not kidding about the button). Sources tell me that Ty was much the same as a young kid, so it's no wonder that I'll often hear Hudson before I see him, chattering away to the bars on his crib, Mr.Icarus, or a piece of string. It's so neat to see him start practicing his speech, finding his voice, using all the different vowel sounds, and even sorting through some of the consonants like b's and m's and d's.
Two days ago I was astounded when he started "waving" to me in his high chair (that awesomely cute wave babies learn to do where they basically open and close their little fingers all at once), and I said to him,"Say hi, mama," only for him to reply (while still waving), "Ay mama!" Whether they were intended for me as a greeting or not, I was still very excited, and intend to record this as his first words!

Also as a first - the beginnings of a tooth are starting to show on his bottom front gums. I kept waiting and waiting for the top ones to come (as they are typically the first to show up), especially because he's been showing more and more signs of teething lately (feverish, flushed face, increased cuddling - which I can't complain about), but nothing was happening. The other night I was fishing yet another unknown item out of his mouth (the boy has a thing for paper and shiny things, okay?), and to my surprise, I felt something sharp coming out of his bottom gums! Sure enough, there it was. I am happy that he has reached another milestone in his development, but can't help but feel (as all mommies and daddies do) bad for the peanut, because I can't imagine how miserable this process must be for him.

See that little white bump?

 This month has been a little up and down again. As for the up, Hudson is reaching a really fun stage:
He gets the giggles...

He is eating all kinds of interesting foods (loves a good chicken curry or anything mexican)...

He is finding his favorite toys...

Snuggling Triscuit the fox.

Putting Mr.Icarus in a choke hold.

Climbing the stairs with his giant string in tow.

 And is even (crossing my fingers) occasionally listening to the word "no" (mostly used for instances involving toilet paper or the top of the stairs)!
He seems to be boycotting his afternoon naps again though, so I don't know if I should be extending his awake time, cutting it down if the culprit is overstimulation, losing the second nap altogether and putting him to bed earlier, or chalking it up to teething, and doing everything as per usual. Crazy babies! Always keeping us on our toes.

Somebody's slee-py...

 Nighttime sleep is going well though. He has been waking up once a night for the past little while and crying for a few minutes, but has been able to put himself back to sleep the last few times. I am still nursing him pretty often during the day, and always at sleep time (naps and at night), but thankfully not having to get up any earlier than 5:00 or 6:00 (and usually closer to 7:00) to give him his first feed of the day. I am not willing to give this up yet, even with my back to work date looming in the future. His bedtime routine is something that works for us: it starts with a bit of cereal, then it's bathtime with daddy, then I take over and put on his sleep time music, cuddle and nurse him (and occasionally read with him), say my usual prayer over him, put the CD back to number 4 (as track 3 is an upbeat spanish song that gets him a little too jazzed up sometimes),  and Hudson's off to dreamland, facefirst, hands underneath his tummy, and bum way up in the air.

As far as I go, physically and mentally I have been so...drained. I often have trouble this time of year, but I think especially now with the resurgence of hormones due to night weaning, I find myself often exhausted and just not quite right. I've heard it said that you carry a baby for nine months, and it takes at least that long after the baby is born for your body to start readjusting. So, this "readjusting" business is, well, sucky right now, but I know it will end. Meanwhile I'm trying to keep my energy up, because goodness knows I will need it  when those first independent steps are taken. Shouldn't be long!

Getting a much needed haircut.

Washing down all the hair he swallowed with his beloved cheerios.

We took a short trip to Minneapolis because we got dad tickets for him and Ty to see the Leafs for Christmas. This was a very solemn Hudson on the car ride out of Rosenort.

At the game, when the Leafs were (according to my dear husband) still faintly in the playoffs race, so it was actually pretty exciting for them to be there.

Stealthy shot of James Reimer, the Leafs goalie (and Ty's man-crush, next to Kessel), who happens to be Ty's third cousin!

With Papa at Legoland in MOA.

The only one of the boys still happy to be at Ikea.

Apparently he's under the impression that books don't belong on shelves.

Hand stuck in the drawer.

Sweet and droolly.

I call this one Blue Steel.

Beautiful child!