Hudson Turned 3

July 6th, Hudson turned 3 years old.  He is getting so grown up so quickly... too quickly!  He a has always been able to have a few birthday celebrations with it being so close to the Fourth of July.  This year was no different.  On the Fourth we went to Ethan and Lisa's house to swim and eat.  I didn't swim, but the boys did for a few hours.  Then we had burgers and cheesecake.  Hudson got this lovely sign from his cousins, Allyson, Jackson and Julianne.  His favorite color is blue, his favorite thing in the world is basketball.  Very appropriate.

Coming home from a family reunion a few weeks before Hudson picked up the habit of sticking his fingers in his mouth instead of talking to people.  He was still doing it here.  He is picking up swimming on his own.  We got all the boys some flippers and they love them.  They help him swim, but he also treads water a lot.

Eating his cheesecake, that was probably the only bite he ate.

Hudson's actual birthday was on Saturday.  That is always nice because we don't have to wait for Daddy to come home from work to sing Happy Birthday and eat treats!  I had planned on making Hudson a basketball cake but on Friday he informed me that he didn't like cake anymore.  So donuts it was, Hudson's favorite!  He picked a "wong john wift sprinkles."  But still stuck in the shy mode, wouldn't look at us and smile while we were singing.  He tried to hide, but maybe was a little excited because he couldn't take both eyes off the candlelit donut.

We did our usual birthday meal at Grimaldi's.  The boys love it!

Hudson opened his presents.  He was very particular about what he wanted this year.  A guitar.  He saw this guitar at the Walmart Neighborhood Market by our house and had been asking for it for his birthday for 2 months.  Luckily, we got the last one... on clearance I might add. Score.  He also got a new basketball, a skateboard and a basketball jersey from EIU.  He has worn that thing so many times since, I cannot believe it is still intact.  He wears it for days in a row.  It is kind of gross.

He wanted to put it on immediately and didn't even want to take off his other shirt.

He tested out all of his toys right away and still has a hard time sharing them, especially the guitar.  He is getting the hang of the skateboard but goes so slowly that he gets frustrated when we go far.  The other day he picked it up and carried it to the mailbox and back.  He didn't want to ride it but didn't want to leave it.  

Some things about Hudson when turning 3:

He is very shy when he sees other people.

At home he is very loud and bossy.

He LOVES basketball and still calls himself "The basketball player."

He usually says his name is Hudson.  Then when you ask, what is your full name? He replies, "Hudson basketball player Grover."

Hudson likes cereal, peanut butter crackers, goldfish, apples, applesauce, yogurt, taquitos, and occasionally pizza and toast. AND anything that is considered junk food.  That is it. Nothing else and he won't even keep a plate with something else anywhere close to him.  He is very stubborn when it comes to food. I wouldn't know where he gets that from...

He likes to color and draw but he gets frustrated easily and flails on the floor when he can't draw something like he wants, or color in the lines.  He wants me to do it for him. 

He enjoys riding bikes (can ride on 2 wheels), scooters and skateboards.  He wants to learn how to pogo stick and has come so far with swimming this summer. 

Hudson loves his brothers and at his well-check when asked what who his best friend was he said, "Carson and Porter."  He didn't pick only one.  He also LOVES his Daddy.  You know his Daddy is his hero.  Anything I ask him to do he will say, "Does Daddy do that?"  He is always asking when Daddy will be home and if he can go places with him.  Plus his daddy gives him Crunchberries and Cinnamon Toast Crunch for breakfast, Mommy doesn't.  Anytime Travis changes after work, Hudson asks him if he is going to play basketball and if he can go.  He gets to go a lot.  What a lucky boy.

Hudson talks a lot.  All day, every day (at home).  He is always asking questions and telling "his kids" stories.  His kids are his stuffed animals, Harry and Timon.  He loves them, he plays with them, he reads to them, he potty trains them and he puts them to bed.  Sometimes, he tells me, they are naughty and messy and pee and poop their pants.  But sometimes they are angels.  

Hudson is going to be a fun big brother.  He loves to feel the baby in my tummy and always wants to know if she has a "mouft?"   He always asks when she will come out of my belly.  He knows that his bed will be hers.  He also gave up his pacifiers for her to use (or so he thinks).  

Hudson is always telling jokes or yelling or telling stories at the dinner table, making the other boys giggle.  He likes to start stories with "Once upon a time" and then starts talking about monsters and dinosaurs and darkness and anything else that he sees in the room at the time.

We love Hudson so much.  We couldn't imagine our family without him.  He is helpful and sweet and funny and silly.  He brings so much energy and happiness to our home.  We can't wait to see what things he can do in his next year!