My BABY is FOUR

What?? How in the world am I old enough to have a 4 yr old? I really can't believe it. I feel like 4 is so much older than 3. Here are a few pics from Hudson's birthday party. He requested a party at "Pete's Party Castle", and so that is where we partied. It was really a lot of fun and I appreciate all of you coming and celebrating with us...even though it was in the middle of the SEC Championship game :-) My bad.

Here's the Birthday boy hugging "Pete". This blows my mind. He's usually scared out of his mind, but not on this day. Maybe it's because he's 4 now.

I LOVE this picture. He was so "assited" (aka excited) about his party.

Hudson and Annalee riding the train...his favorite part at Pete's.

Isn't this the cutest little table set up? I loved it.

And here's Hudson's train table that he got for his birthday. It's perfect. It fits underneath the bed...a huge plus for storage!

Hudson is such a joy. He changed our lives forever four years ago and I can not imagine life without him. Matt and I can't remember what we did before kids : ). Some of Hudson's strengths are: he's a thinker...sometimes this drives me totally insane. He needs to know the plan and asks a million questions a day, but really I think it will be a strength. He will definitely think for his family and make decisions based on details...his future wife will probably have a love/hate relationship with that characteristic. He's also very artistic. He loves to write and draw...I hope he got his daddy's gift. And here are a few recent Hudson convos:

Setting: It was raining this morning and we hear thunder.

Micah: (Boohoo crying because he's scared)

Hudson: "It's ok, Micah. It's just 'tunther' (thunder). Nothing to be scared of." (then pauses to think)

"But if it's real loud...then I will be scared."

Setting: On our way home after traveling for Christmas to see our families. We were literally 10 minutes from home after 2 hrs and 15 minutes in the van.

Hudson: "I'm hotttttttttt!!" (in the whiniest voice you've ever heard)

M: "Ok. We'll roll your window down for a minute." We roll down the window and he loses his mind for a few minutes telling us he's still hot etc. etc. etc.

M: "Hudson! You are fine. Not another word until we get home. We are almost there."

H: Silent for a couple of minutes. "I love ya'll."

M: "Aw, that's sweet buddy. We love you too."

H: "Yeah, cause we trust God."

M: "We do. What made you think of that? Is that what you talked about in church this morning?

H: "No. When you trust God, you obey."

M: Sensing a seriously teachable moment here : ) "That's right. And who does God tell you to obey?"

H: "Mommy and daddy."

M: "Yes. And what did your mommy and daddy tell you to do?"

H: "And He's willie (really) powerful!!!!!!"

M: "He is."

H: "Yeah, and He can do ANYTHING!"

M: "Sure."

H: "And when I'm hot....I can tell Him. And he can fix it."

M: "Well, that's true. He can fix it. And He wants you to tell Him whatever you want to tell Him." Totally laughing on the inside now because I see where he was going with this.

H: "Yeah and He telled (told) me you shouldn't tell me to be quiet."

M: "Oh really? I didn't hear Him say that."

H: "I did. I 'heeyurd' (heard) Him. He said that."

Bahahah! I guess all the while, he was trying to teach ME. Though I don't necessarily love the way this convo ended up, I DO love the fact that his need was to cool off and he thought God could meet that need. Amen and Amen! He CAN meet that need...and I believe He is totally interested in that need. We really struggled to make Christmas all about Jesus...and I'll post more on this later, but we decided not to emphasize Santa in hopes that Jesus would be emphasized more. So, though I don't totally love the ending of this conversation, I LOVE the fact that Hudson thought about talking to God about His need and not Santa. I counted it as sweet fruit from the Lord and hope we have many more similar conversations.

More posts to come soon...included Christmas, Micah's update, and some resolutions for 2011. Man, I have a lot of catching up to do.