First Ride

Waiting to catch the ball.

Catching the ball, look at that face :)

Finally got out of the house yesterday and my baby on a horse. He loved it, although Zoe doesn't look too thrilled does she! He thought trotting was fun which didn't suprise me the way he likes to bounce around and dance!

It's getting cold tonight, 2 degrees. Soon Jason and I are going out and putting blankets on all of the horses. Hopefully our little shack will stay warm through the night, too!

Wednesday

He's really started to pick up speed when walking, this is him hustling to me last night.

Playing Peek-a-boo

Here I am, greasy hair and all (don't worry I'll take a shower today :)!!

Concentrating on the dozier.

I snapped a few pictures last night of him before bed time. Yesterday was a success on the nap time. I loved it! He skipped his morning nap. They therapist said to feed him lunch when he would be napping and he would want to stay up longer. He stayed up til 1:20 and then napped for almost 3 hours. He was not exhausted last night. He normally doesn't want to lay down in the afternoons and then at night he is ready to go to bed at 7. He went to bed a little after 9 and slept until a little after 8 this morning which is right up my alley!

Two night ago he bit Jason twice and last night he bit him twice again. He tried to bite me and I bit him back, you would have thought I had done the worse thing in the world, but he didn't bite me again!

Our social worker came yesterday morning. The visit was very good. Chris has been awesome over the past few years, I don't know what we would have done without her. She is definitely the highlight of our experience with Bethany. While she was here yesterday he was running around playing. He loves to go in our bedroom and I was sitting in the living room floor watching where he was going when he disappeared in the bathroom. After a few minutes I got up to see what he was doing. The little stinker was in the bathtub just hanging out. It was pretty funny!

I am determined to ride a horse today. The most I've been outside since we've been home is a little over an hour. That's the only thing that's really getting to me. These bones of mine weren't made to be held in by four walls! I NEED to be outside, I think I'll have spring fever much worse this year than ever before. Hudson loves to be outside but I just can't get him out in this cold of weather. But let spring get here and I'll attach him to my hip and take off!

Vanderbilt Adoption Clinic

Sleeping in the car today, when he gets good and to sleep his two fingers fall out of his mouth and his little lips pooch out!!

Laughing at Dad

I wish I had sound effects for this picture. He puts his face underwater and blows bubbles. I think he'll be ready for the swimming pool this summer.

Hudson and his buddy!

Rockin' out with Granny and the guitar!

So today was a very long day! We left this morning for Vanderbilt at 7:15 and didn't leave there til almost 1:00. Everything was great until nap time came! Unfortunately nap time was the time they did his TB test and drew 7 of those tubes of blood-NOT FUN! The doctors were fantastic. We spent almost an hour with each dr.

First we saw the developmental pschycologist. She was very happy with him and said he seemed to be attaching well. He never went to her or the other lady and constantly came to one of us to be held. Once he fell and bumped his head and started to cry and came to me. She said to keep doing what we are doing and stick to him just being with us for a while. I have noticed him really preferring us and not wanting to be held near as much by everyone else. Twice over the weekend when we have let him sit with family members he has screamed for me back. She also said we need to go to one nap a day in the afternoon, they sleep too much in the orphanage.

Second we saw an occupational therapist. She helped us with the texture issue and said she thinks it is not that bad and gave us some suggestions. She said his fine motor skills are good. He stacked blocks with her but got a kick out of knocking them over and he did other things with her.

Third we saw the pediatrician. She was awesome. He has gained almost a pound since Dec. 30 so that puts him at 23lbs. and he is 32 in. long. His height was 54% and weight 14% so he has some catching up to do on the weight end but we're working on it. His head size was also very good, I can't remember what it was though.

We will get his test results back at the end of the week and each doctor will also get us their evaluation of him. We were very very impressed and happy with the Vanderbilt Adoption Clinic. Each doctor answered all of our questions (and you know me, there were lots!) with great detail and patience. We just can't say enough about it, if you are adopting definitely take your child there when you get home, the Carney's give it 2 thumbs up!

Tomorrow is our first post placement visit. Our social worker, Chris, will be coming out and visiting at 8:30. Should I have warned her I am not a morning person :)

Oh, and I'm lovin' my new washer and dryer. When the guy brought it and I had to sign the paper I told him I have never been this excited about washing clothes. He said, "Don't worry it'll wear off after 3 loads." He was right, but I still think it's awesome I can put that many clothes in a washing machine.

Best Friends

Meet Andy (and Foxxy in the background). Andy is our 8 month old lab. He and Hudson were inseperable last night. Jason and I laughed and laughed at them. They followed each other around everywhere. I wish I could have found my camera when Hudson was crawling all over him but I didn't know where it was.

This isn't the best picture but shows you how Andy went everywhere Hudson went.

Hudson playing in his room.

Both of them enjoying a toy that lights up and plays music.

This picture and the one below were taken back to back. Hudson would throw the ball and Andy would chase it down. While Andy was running after it Hudson would throw his arms in the air and scream, "yay". It was the first time we've heard Hudson make the "Y" sound.

Andy would bring the ball back and drop it and wait for Hudson to pick it up.

They did it over and over!

He loved throwing the ball for Andy.

Everyday we feel much better. The past two nights we have both gotten good sleep. Jason went back to working today. But I am so thankful he stayed home for almost a week. And winters are slow for him so he can be very flexible. Yesterday we sent off our paperwork to register Hudson at the Russian Consulate in D.C. and we turned in health insurance information both of those things were at the top of my to do list since we've been home and I'm so relieved now that they are done. Hopefully I can get the rest of the paperwork finished soon.

Also yesterday we bought a new washer and dryer. Saturday my washing machine quit working and my mom has been washing our clothes. Our dryer is also on it's way out. It takes an hour and a half to dry a load of clothes so we decided to get a set. It arrives on Friday and I'm very excited! Also got a hand mixer and a blender. Is it sad that we were married for 5 1/2 years and never used a blender?!

So glad we have the blender. Since we are having texture issues and feeding him anything besides mashed potatoes and oatmeal is a battle, I decided to puree the food we eat and see what he thinks. I made spaghetti, smelled good, but didn't look good pureed! But he loved it and ate every bit of it and didn't hold any of it in his mouth.

Now if we can get him to sleep a little more than 1 hour per day!

This coming Monday we go to Vanderbilt where he will see specialists that only work with internationally adopted children. He will see a pediatrician, developmental pschycologist, and occupational therapist. I am looking forward to talking with these doctors and asking them my many questions. I am not looking forward to having to be there at 8 a.m.!!

Lotsof Pics

These first set of pics are from the second day we were home. Sheryl, Jeanna, Robert, and Loretta came over.

He has loved exploring the house and he LOVES all of his toys.

Grandmom and Grandad gave him his first rocking horse for Christmas.

We tried to get some good pics of the 3 grandkids, but weren't very successful. He kept wanting "Mama" which I was not complaining!

He's pretty cute in camo!

All the pics below are from the night we got home.

Grandmom and Loretta

My mom is still not sure what she wants to be called.

My girls and their posters.

He was already putting the move on Jordin. They were too cute!

Best friend, Mandy, who I think cried enough for all of us put together! She and my mom spent the afternoon taking turn crying the day we were coming home, I was cracking up listening to her tell me about it.

Grandad Meeting Meemaw and Granny

Loretta

Aunt Jeanna

First time to be held by Papaw

We were all so tired!

Austin

Today I'm hanging out on the couch and letting Jason play Mr. Mom. I'm not feeling so well and I hope it just passes, I was up for about 3 hours last night and drank 1/2 a thing of Pepto. My biggest concern is that Hudson does not get sick.

Overall I feel like his transition has been smooth, I can't wait to get on a good routine. Nap time has been a battle the past few days but the past 3 nights he has slept the entire night which is so awesome. We are having some eating issues which are pretty common with adopted children. He seems to have some texture issues. My friend Cydil gave us some pointers we are going to use and see if it will get better. But the biggest problem we are having is him going to everyone. He definitely prefers mom and dad but if someone comes in the house he walks right up to them, it's really bothering me. I think we need LOTS of alone time with him and no one else. But I know that our family has waited over 2 years for him and they are so excited, but I think we are just going to have to be firm.

All that being said here are some random Hudson thoughts. He is so happy and the only time we see him upset is when he's getting sleepy. He loves to walk in our bedroom and reappear in about 30 seconds. He is picking up on some more english. He knows when I say "Come on" that we are going somewhere, when he's ready to go he holds his arms up wanting you to pick him up and says "Bye Bye". We're pretty sure he called my dad "Papa" the other night. He does not want to get out of the bath tub but when he does get out he shivers and sometimes his teeth will chatter. And it's very hot in the bathroom, we'll be almost sweating! He no longer has to crawl to something and pull himself up, he can stand up on his own in the middle of the floor. He has figured out how to go down the little step in his bedroom without falling. I could go on and on!

Oh, and he loves animals. He thinks Andy is hilarious and last night he was in the kitchen smiling at Foxxy. Foxxy is our stray who has been here for 3 years but is still very skiddish. Howevery, she loves me :) She's normally the most skiddish around children and men but the other night I was sitting in his room with him and she snuck up behind him and sniffed his hair, I don't even think he knew she was there. Then later that night she was laying below the couch and let him touch her 3 times. It was very sweet.

January 5

He might not appreciate this when he's 16 and I'm showing this to his girlfriend, but he has a blast sitting on the potty! He laughs and raises his hands and claps and then when I crack up he does it even more :)

Pictures

He wasn't quite sure what to think about being on a horse. My Treasure 2 Farmers would be happy to know his first horse to sit on is my Honey!

He liked the cows.

Dad had hay in his hands and of course Raisin had to check it out. He really liked Raisin.

Dad has been waiting forever to get him on the tractor. He wasn't sure what to think about it. For the record, Chipp (my dad's dog and favorite thing in the entire world) was sitting on the ground just waiting to get on the tractor, Dad didn't even acknowledge he was there HA!

Ride 'em coboy!

Waving at Uncle Will

He really liked petting the horses, but we have to teach him how to be soft, he wanted to pat them hard. Gypsy was very patient with him.

We had Christmas last night at my parents house. He liked the tissue paper the best!

Center of attention!

Aunt Casey

Uncle Will makes this horrible sound, me and Casey says it sounds like a terradactil (however you spell it) and like we would know what that sounds like! Anyway, Hudson thinks it's hilarious!

Meemaw

Granny

Yesterday Sheryl, Jeanna, Robert, and Loretta came over but I didn't know where my camera was so I'll have to get pictures of them from Sheryl to post. Grandmom and Grandad got him a rocking horse that he thinks is lots of fun.

I am also going to have to get pictures from people of our homecoming. I can't wait to see them. Bentz Huschke also videod for us and I'm excited to watch that, too. So more pictures to come.

He seems to like animals which is a great thing when your mom trained horses for a living and you live on a 242 acre farm. He has really enjoyed exploring the house and playing with his toys. He didn't want to take a nap today but finally gave in. He woke up 4 times in the night. Jason is still sick and not sleeping good. I don't think I've been in a deep sleep since we've had custody of him. Any little noise and I jump out of bed. I don't even know what day it is. I know it will take us a week or two to get on a routine and sleeping better, I'm looking forward to it.