Goodbye August

I thought 2005 was going to be the last year James and I would experience a "first day of school" together.  That thought was incorrect because on August 26th, Hudson watched as James left to attend his first day of the Fire Academy and I went to UC for my first day as a full time student.  I have been seeing so many people post sweet pictures of their kids this week, as they are about to head off to their first day.  I couldn't help but imagine Hudson holding the camera and taking a picture of his parents on their first day of school.  Obviously not realistic but it brought a smile to my face.

As summer will soon end and we say goodbye to August, I smile thinking of all the good times and fellowship we have enjoyed with friends and family.  I can't wait to see the joys (babies and weddings in particular) that will come with fall and winter.

A Budget Friendly, Beautiful August Weekend

James and I are trying to budget our money a little better since we are hoping to buy a house before baby Becker number two comes into the equation.  This rules out a lot of forms of weekend entertainment options but that didn't stop us from having a wonderful time with some fabulous people!

On Friday night James and I found out that Allison was back in town so Whitney and Allison joined us and we went downtown in hopes of attending the Blues Fest.  The weather was absolutely perfect but by the time we had walked through downtown, had dinner at the Banks and walked to Sawyer Point, it was already past our bed time :-)  So instead we just listened to one of the bands as we watched all the boats gather on the river in preparation for the fireworks.  Then we headed back to the Banks where they have a play area for kids.  Water squirts up and they light the water with flashes of light in timed sequences.  We watched a family (mom, dad and toddler) come up the path to the fountains.  Their little boy escaped their grasp and made a beeline for the water.  We all cracked up as the innocent little boy got a surprise burst of water to the face.  He enjoyed it after the shock wore off.

I love Cincinnati!   

Hudson was sound asleep at this point.

On Saturday James, Hudson, Achilles and I went to Winton Woods with Max, Tara, Lil, Hatchi, Emily and Rosie.  Hayden was technically there too.  :-)  We were quite the sight as we strolled down the trail with two men, three women, two strollers, an American Bulldog, an Akita and a Pit Bull.  Afterwards we enjoyed Icee Floats, which were amazing!  Then we watched Lil and Hudson in this priceless encounter (shown below).

It began with a nice introduction...

A little friendly hand holding...

Lil gave Hudson some little kisses...

Hudson is now afraid of the ladies...they are a bit overwhelming.

Lil just wants to be friends...

Lil decides to give it another go but ends up with a mouth full of eyeball.

Nailed it.  So sweet.

On Saturday we spent a beautiful afternoon with James' family in Springfield.  Afterwards we went to Young's Jersey Dairy for some ice cream.

You don't know the power of the dark side.

Baby Mullet

 Lately Hudson has been loosing a lot of his blondish-red newborn hair.  There will be no more mohawks in Hudson's immediate future.  Instead his head is filling with bright blond hair, with the exception of his mullet.  :-)  Since this is probably the only time in his life when a mullet will be socially acceptable, we are letting him enjoy it for the time being.

Hudson is more fascinated with his hands and feet as the days roll on.  His mouth has not met his feet yet but I have a feeling this will happen shortly.  We are still amazed how peaceful Hudson is most of the time.  Since the weather has been so nice lately, James and I have been playing tennis almost every day.  I thought that having a child meant the end of my "tennis time" but I have already played more this year than last.  Hudson doesn't mind coming along for the ride.  He gets fussy every once in a while but a lap around the tennis court tends to calm him down and sometimes even put him to sleep.  Yesterday one of our neighbors was juggling down by the tennis court.  He kept Hudson's attention for most of our tennis match.

Lately Hudson has been enjoying play dates with other babies.

We have gone to the park several times.



































And Hudson found out he is going to have a little cousin named Hayden Amos!


































Since Hudson joined the family, James and I have not had a date night without James' mini me.  :-)  We just haven't wanted to leave Hudson's side.  Instead we have been watching a lot of television.  James and I just finished watching the M.A.S.H. series, which we began in December of 2012.  I can't believe it's over.  All we have left are the special features.  :-(  I think M.A.S.H. may have been my favorite series I've ever seen.

I'm hoping that, since Hudson is a little older, James and I will be able to work time in for a date night before the end of summer!  And I don't really care where we go but I want to get dressed up and do my hair and makeup.  I have only styled my hair three times since Hudson came home.  It's been a pony tail every day for this girl.  Every day I go into my closet and choose an outfit that is "breastfeeding friendly".  So many outfits have been neglected over the past few months.  :-)  It's time to bring one back to life.  I think I will make date night happen!

4 Months

Lately I have been writing my blog in the moments during the day when Hudson falls asleep.  It has sometimes taken me days for one entry.  Tonight I am not able to sleep due to a tooth ache, so what better time to blog.  However, this will be a short entry since I am having trouble getting past the pain.

Hudson is four months old today.  James and I comment often that we think he is getting more and more adorable with each day that passes.  I don't know if this is true or if we are just falling more in love with him. 

We took Hudson to another Red's game.  Game two was a whole different ball game!  He slept through a majority of his first game but he was able to observe most of his second.  While we sat right outside the ballpark to feed Hudson, we met a family with six little boys under that age of ten.  The youngest was only weeks old.  All of the little boys were blonde.  We joked that this could be us in nine years.  ;-)  

Below: He still loves to sit in the Moby Wrap while I clean the house!

A few weeks ago, Hudson, my mom and I drove up to the Lansing area for my Uncle Matt's wedding.  I purchased this hat for Hudson to wear to the wedding.  After a long engagement that must have set a record, my Uncle Matt married his beautiful wife, Barb.  They had a wonderful outdoor wedding!  The weather was perfect.  They were married in their backyard and had the reception in their yard as well, followed by a bonfire with s'mores.

Below: This was taken at the hotel pool.  Hudson didn't seem to know what to do with the warm water in the pool.  Ours at home was still pretty cool at this time in the summer.

My date, the baby mobster!

Above: Uncle Matt and Aunt Barb

Below: My brothers, Joe and Jon

Below: Me and my mama.

Below: Hudson's 3 month photo

Below: Siblings at the bonfire.

Hudson just woke up.  Of course tonight was the night that he set a record of 6 hours, 27 minutes of sleep.  I will pray that this is the start of something beautiful!  :-)

"Liquid Gold"

Due to the amount of blood loss I experienced because of my retained placenta issue, I was told by the doctor and nurses that I would have trouble getting my milk to come in.  Breastfeeding was something that I knew I wanted to do (if possible), even if only for a few months.  We took advantage of every opportunity for guidance and encouragement in regards to breastfeeding while I was in the hospital.  James and I met with two different lactation consultants.  This wasn't just for me but James also had to learn how to get Hudson to latch on because the first five days or so after labor, I was not able to tilt my head enough to see that part of my body.  With James's assistance, the first night we latched Hudson on almost every hour because we knew that the more frequently Hudson latched on, the better chances we had of my milk coming in.  I woke up in the middle of the night on the third day after birth, seriously engorged.  It hurt but I could not have been happier!

When I had Hudson, I was only allowed to take six weeks unpaid leave.  From the day my milk came in, I began pumping 1-2 times a day.  I knew from other mother's experiences that if I was going to continue breastfeeding when I returned to work, I was going to need a reserve in my freezer.  I returned to work May 9th.  I was pumping twice a day at work to supplement what Hudson needed while I was away from him.  To make a long story short, for a handful of reasons, James and I decided I would quit my job.

I have spent the last three months stockpiling "liquid gold" in our freezer.  Since I am now able to be with Hudson almost 24/7, I don't have such a dire need for the previously expressed milk.  During our Bradley Method classes, we met a woman who was not able to produce breast milk for her newborn.  The couple located a milk bank and was able to provide their newborn with breast milk from a donor.  This was my first time hearing about "donor milk banks". 

I began researching donor milk banks to see if I wanted to donate.  I have to admit, initially I was a bit apprehensive about some other infant drinking my breast milk.  It seemed a little strange to me.  I read about why these babies desperately need the human milk and as I stared down at my little guy, I couldn't imagine doing anything else with the milk.  After reading more about the process, I decided to donate to OhioHealth Mothers' Milk Bank.   

It's an interesting process.  When the milk is donated it is logged in to assure tracking from donor to recipient.  The milk is thawed and placed in testing flasks to check calorie and fat content.  Milk from three to five donors is combined to evenly distribute protein, fat and antibodies.  This is done in a laminar flow hood to prevent contamination.  The milk is then pasteurized.  It is heated and then cooled to eliminate bacteria while still maintaining most of the milk's beneficial components.  The milk is labeled with a batch number and expiration date.  Then it is placed in a freezer until it gets shipped out.  With a physicians prescription, the milk is then packed on dry ice and sent to hospitals and recipients The milk is typically used by those who are pre-mature, ill, or have life-threatening illnesses.  There is a constant need for milk.  The OhioHealth Mothers' Milk Bank sends out between 15,000 to 25,000 ounces per month.  If you know anyone who is able to donate, please spread the word.

Here are a few things you might want to know if you are considering donating.  Milk that has already been expressed can be used!  A minimum of 200 ounces is required for your initial donation.  You can be a one time donor or a continuing donor.  There is a screening processes you must go through.  First there is a phone interview.  You must then complete a medical and lifestyle history review and sign release forms so your Obstetrician and your child's Pediatrician can share your medical information with the donor bank.  You can also sign a release so that your milk can be used for research.  Once that is complete, you will be sent a blood work kit.  You then go to the hospital and have your blood drawn to check for several illnesses which would exclude you from being a donor.  As soon as all of this is complete, you will receive your donor number and you can begin donating.  You just have to contact the milk bank when you need more milk storage containers or boxes to ship the milk in.  All of this is free.  You just have to take the package to FedEx and they will bill the milk bank.

If you or someone you know is interested in donating human milk and you have questions, I would be happy to answer them.

Road Trips to Biloxi, New Orleans and Indianapolis.

It is amazing to see how much Hudson has changed in only three months.  He looks more and more like James every day.  I am amazed at his level of interaction with people.  He is constantly smiling and laughing when he is talked or sang to.  I just love listening to his little coos and watching him hold his bobbly little head up.  Many other parents told me of the amazement you feel when you see your own child do these things and now I am getting to experience these surreal feeling first hand .  I am still shocked that James and I made this little creature.  It's been three months and I'm not sure that I will ever stop looking at Hudson in wonder.

Hudson has experienced a lot his first few months of life.

When Hudson was five weeks old, James headed down to Biloxi for military training.  I decided that we should go down to visit him, so Hudson, James's mom and I drove down to Mississippi right in the middle of James's time away.  We took his two month photo on the beach.  The beach photos were much more exciting for James, Tammy and me than they were for Hudson.  :-) We spent a week down south visiting James.

  

While we were down there, we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to visit New Orleans since it was so close.  James and I had both been there before but separately.  He went to the Sugar Bowl and I visited while on a business trip.  While we were there we went on a tour of the French Quarter with Free Tours By Foot.  The tour was great and I would recommend the company to anyone.  Free Tours By Foot does not have a specified price for their tours.  At the end of the tour, you give the tour guide whatever you feel they deserve.  The company operates in several different cities.  I will definitely be looking into tours with the same company when we travel to other cities throughout the United States.

James is so wonderful.  He was even brave enough to wear the Moby wrap.

While in New Orleans we visited the National WWII Museum.

While James was at work, Tammy and I drove to Gulfport via Beach Boulevard.  On the way back we stopped to eat at the Love Shack for lunch.  It was delicious.  Thank you Urban Spoon!  We decided to take James there later that week for dinner.  The next day Tammy, Hudson and I started our trek home.

Grandma and Meemaw had some fun with Hudson while we waited for James to get home.

Once James got back, it was time for some Bumbo time.

We took Hudson to our pool and he loved the water.

Supporting the Cincinnati Reds...

James surprised me with an anniversary trip last weekend.  On June 21st we headed to Indianapolis (those advertisements on Hulu got us!) for the weekend to celebrate 5 years of marriage and 10 years together.  We had a precious little third wheel.  I had only been to Indianapolis for a business trip and we didn't have time to venture out into the city so I didn't know how amazing the city is.  There are tons of restaurants and sites to see.  I even felt safe walking around downtown alone (with Hudson) while James worked out.  It was the perfect place for a weekend getaway.

We went to Dicks Last Resort for our anniversary dinner.  Romantic right?  It wasn't what most women might want to do for their anniversary but ever since I saw a feature on Dicks Last Resort on the Food Network, I've wanted to go.  For those of you that don't know, the waitresses and waiters there are rude to you.  If you ask for a refill, they will tell you to get it yourself.  You can basically expect rude remarks in response to anything you say or ask.  Also, the waitress makes a paper hat and writes mean things on them.  James tried to prepare me before we went in there by saying that they will probably tell us that our child is the ugliest they have seen, and other things of the sort.  I'm not a violent person but I think I might become one if I heard someone talking trash about Hudson.  :-)  Lucky for the the waitresses face, she only said nice things about our son.  :-)

James and I have talked about going to a children's museum for a few years.  We didn't want to appear creepy and show up without children so we waited until we had one of our own.  We visited the Children's Museum in Indianapolis and it was wonderful.  They even had an Avatar exhibit that opened the day we went.  The Avatar exhibit was interesting.  It explained a lot about the making of the movie.  

This was a water clock that absolutely fascinated me!

They had a doll house exhibit and these are two of the rooms I thought were really cool.

Family Photo with Bumblebee.

They had these cool miniature statues right outside the museum.  Of course we took advantage of them!

This one below is my favorite.  I love his facial expression.

Off to the many war memorials in Indianapolis.  They are all right in the middle of the city.  We went inside the enormous memorial that housed a small Civil War Museum.  You had the option to either walk up the 34 flights of stairs to the top or take the elevator.  James and I, being the extremely competitive people that we are, decided we wanted to take the stairs. 34 flights didn't really sound that bad.  I mean we walked up the stairs in the Eiffel Tower and the Cologne Dome in 2009 so we weren't worried.  Anyway, we couldn't take Hudson with us because we had the stroller so James went first.  When he made it back down, he looked hot and exhausted.  I was next in line.  As I was about to go up, I noticed a sign that said, "Please do not attempt the stairs if you are afraid of heights or claustrophobic".  Lucky for me, I am both of these things, plus my only option was to go alone.  I tried to go up as fast as I could so James wouldn't think I was weak.    :-)  I would realize later, that was a bad choice.  I observed the beautiful view at the top then enjoyed the much easier 34 flight descent.  Afterwards our legs felt like noodles.  One day post stair climb my legs were sore.  Two days post stair climb, I tried to stand up out of bed in the morning and collapsed!  I told James that if I were able to go up and down 34 flights of stairs daily, I think natural birth with our second baby will be a piece of cake.  The only thing I feel could have made labor easier was some decent leg muscles.  Anyway,  more war memorials.

Happy Summer!