My baby is 2!

The weekend after Hudson's actual b-day we had a party at the house for him and a bunch of his friends. Like his brother...probably to BE like his brother, he loves CARS, so the theme was a no brainer. He knows all the characters, he plays with his die cast CARS cars more than any other toys, and we have to listen to the soundtrack daily.

I learned a few things at this party, 1st was that Gunner and the older boys are definitely BOYS and I better get used to the energy and tendancy towards mass destruction. Second, you just have to let the kids have fun, even if it isn't how you planned it. This is a big step for me, because I am a plan ahead kind of girl. However, most of what I planned wasn't actually played with as intended...no matter, it was a good party. Kids had fun, and the parents all hung out on the deck w/ cold beverages and watched the carnage. What is better than that?

As you can see, Hudson was pretty excited to see "Ligh-ning Ma-queen" at his party.

Decorating his gift bag and painting a race car suncatcher while the guests started arriving.

Michael and Marley playing with one of the CARS toys I set up on the deck...

Gunner is suited up for the big race with Mater (a.k.a. Lena). In addition to the costumes, they each got a white shirt w/ the racing # of their choice and their name.

Marley gets a CARS tatoo at "Ramones Body Shop".

The kids racing around the cones I set up...this was one of the few races...because....

The little kids, led by Hudson, found it more fun to carry the cones around and try to stack them up. I had already told myself that I was going to set everything up and then let the kids do what they wanted; there is nothing worse than going to a kids b-day party and having to spend the entire time telling your 2 year old not to touch everything. It was Hudson's party, and he could destroy it if he wanted to!

Luigi's "Casa Della Tire" (as painted on the tire). We had a wagon of balls for the kids to toss into the tires.

Hudson and Carson were the only two that really liked playing the game...the older kids decided they wanted to play a different game....

Roll the tire! I actually think this would be a fun game if I did a CARS party for Gunner, they could race...but they were a little big for Hudson and his friends. At least the kids had fun with the tires I guess!

This blow up Mater was supposed to be a party game where you threw some plush "tools" into his mouth...it was impossible to actually do, even for an adult, so instead they all just pretended to use the tools to "fix" Mater at Doc's body shop. I also had some car "poppers" set up as favors and they were able to shoot them into Mater's mouth...so it worked out just fine!

Reds "car wash" w/ some race car bubbles for their gift bags....

Popping the bubbles was lots of fun for Hudson.

First the kids fueled up at "Flo's Cafe" on Hudson's favorite foods, baked chicken nuggets and peas and corn. Then it was CAKE TIME! I ordered this cake in a rush from the Commissary cake dept., because I hate baking and I didn't want to keep taking advantage of my baking friends. I thought it was supposed to have an icing road on it, and that the colors were more "boy". It tasted good, but as the fathers pointed out, the rocks next to Mater look like something else (I am being polite), trust the big kids to provide comic relief.

As soon as we put the cake down, Hudson leaned forward and stuck his hands in it....luckily the damage was minor, LOL.

My favorite part of the party was watching Hudson while everyone sang him Happy Birthday. I think he is so used to having to share all the attention, he was loving being the center of it for a change...he looked so happy.

Hudson proceeded to punish both a piece of cake and a cookie w/ icing (which I got because they are the favorite of my sweet-toothed son). Gunner, naturally, took two bites and said he was done.

Some of his party guests, all ready for cake. Marley, Mclayne, Carson, Lena and big brother (who would not take off that helmet all day).

Me and my baby...yes, I remembered to get one picture of me!!

Michael and Ian getting some refreshments after some hard play!

Here is the elusive Carter, Hudson other friend who is actually his age. Carter is hysterical, he just doesn't sit or stand in one spot for more than a minute, so this was the only time I was able to get a pic of him! He is posing under what is left of the streamers I hung. The kids were pulling them down and tieing them all over their bodies as "wings" "jetstreams" and lord knows what else. I was not kidding when I said the kids didn't play with anything as it was meant to be played with...but they sure seemed to have fun!

Hudson playing with his little friend Carson, Carter was playing with them too, but by the time the camera went off, he was gone! I love that Hudson has a couple boys that are almost the exact same age to play with, who will be going to school with him when the time comes.

Face covered in icing....you know it was a good party!

Mclayne with one of the aforementioned streamers tied around her head, pushing Gunner on the swing. He wouldn't lift the visor on his helmet, he just kept tilting his head up and peering out from under it.

Lightning McQueen rides takes a ride down the slide....

Hudson was completely wiped out by the end of the party, he just laid down on the deck and zoomed cars until everyone left...

Opening presents after everyone left, and actually sharing Luigi's tire shop....I am surprised Gunner didn't sleep in that helment.

So, all in all, it was a success....and when I asked Hudson if he liked his party he said "YES, MY party....I like it!" . That is what it is all about!

1st Day of School

This post is 2 weeks late, but better late than never! Here the boys are before they start their first day of school. It was nice that the 1st day at their preschool was a Thursday, which is the day that Hudson has his one morning at the school. They were both able to go together, and Gunner got a kick out of "dropping off Hudson in his classroom".

Hudson kept sitting down and trying to open his lunchbox to see what is inside...I finally had to take it away from him until we got outside.

There he goes, his CARS lunchbox and "tutti" in hand, ready for anything. I find it hilarious that the lunchbox is 1/2 as big as he is!

They both loved school! No surprise for Gunner, he has been at the school for 2 years now...hard to believe next year he will be going off to public school 5 whole days a week...I kept him in the 3 day program again this year so I could enjoy having part of the week with him for the last time. Hudson did great...has not cried when I have left him, and last Thursday he said "Bye, see ya"...at least he is well adjusted I guess. I don't feel too badly, he could be telling me he likes school better than home like Calvin (just kidding Steph).

Labor Day

We started off our Labor Day on Friday (I love the Navy for the 4 day holiday weekends it gives Lenny!), we went to the Norfolk Zoo to check out the new train and all our favorite exhibits. One of the great things about living in this area is the proximity to so many fun activities, the zoo is only 20 min. down the road!

Naturally we had to start out at Gunner's favorite part of the zoo, the barnyard exhibit with the chickens and roosters...don't know why he loves chickens and roosters so much, but this is always his first request. Don't you love the "explorer" hat that Gunner decided he and Hudson should wear (Hudson tries his out later).

This is a close second favorite, the monkey cage. These little monkeys are very playful and swing and jump all around...Hudson was mesmerized "Mon-key Nonny, ooo oooo"

This monkey jumped right on the ledge in front of Gunner like he was trying to play and then just sat there cocking his head and watching him while Gunner "talked" to him.

We always have to get a picture on the giant turtle...I am guessing we will end up with about 100 of this same pic by the time the boys are in college!

Time for a ride on the new train that does a circle around the zoo, unfortunately, the new tiger exhibit, that is featured, is still under construction, so you really don't see much. This didn't bother the boys who were just psyched to be riding the "choo choo". This pic is why I don't have pictures taken, my husband doesn't take enough pictures so I only end up with one or two pics where I look wretched! At least this is classic Hudson, laughing and smiling and always generally happy.

Gunner is happy because he was pestering us ever since the chickens and roosters to ride the train "Is it time for the train ride yet.....is it time for the train ride NOW??"

Hudson finally decided it was time to wear his hat when we visited "Africa".

Trying to catch a closer look at the elephants....the "cheese" face makes him look like he is in pain.

After the zoo the boys took a nice long nap and then we headed down to the beach after dinner to put our feet in the ocean and play in the sand. This is our new favorite thing to do because we virtually have the whole beach to ourselves.

The greatest toy on the beach is a big hole to play in, this occupies them for at least a 1/2 hour straight every time.

"look Nonny, touch it!!" The boys kept finding big clumps of seaweed that had washed up on the beach; they decided it was a fun game to bring them to me and make me touch them to see how slimy they felt....yippee.

Hudson trying to retrieve a big piece of driftwood (after I examined it for nails etc.). After the big hole, random things that wash up on the beach are the next favorite thing....

Taking it to show Gunner...."look Gun-ner"

I love how they get along now, they play together pretty nicely most of the time, especially when we are out and they can burn off some energy. This is why being a 5 min. walk from the beach is so awesome...the beach is big enough so that they can go off alone and find their "chi" and then come back and play with each other.

Just a boy and his log...he kept trying to throw it into the ocean, but he could only get it to go an inch or two, so he would go get it and try again.

Burying their feet in the sand.....

We also had a BBQ at the house w/ a bunch of kids and parents that weekend, but I have no pictures because being a hostess trying to both entertain and control that many kids (and adults) did not leave any time for pictures! Over all it was a fun and busy weekend!

Seashore State Park

Just 5 minutes from our house we have this fabulous State Park, which, for some reason, gets very little use during the week. The side of the park on the Bay is pretty, but on the other side of Shore Drive is my favorite part of the park. The majority of it is heavily wooded with Cypress and Pine and there are wooden walkways through marshes, bike trails, hiking trails and wildlife galore.

Alicia and I decided to try taking all the kids for our first group hike. Lenny and I have taken the boys in backpacks before, but never where they both walked an entire trail. I didn't know what to expect from Hudson, so we picked a short 1.7 mile "easy" trail.

Here is Hudson's escort, Marley, showing him the right way to go. Every time we didn't want him to run too far ahead, we just asked him to hold Mar's hand, and he was happy to comply (already like his Dad I see)

Gunner doesn't like to be left out of the fun, and decided to "help" Hudson too....I noticed in this pic that Mar and Gunner are not the pudgy little toddlers that I always think of them as...next to Hudson, they are lean and tall and just getting to be such KIDS...sniff, sniff.

One of the kids favorite pastimes was finding the numbered trail markers...they would run up to the wooden post and start yelling "look...we found number 10...". Marley is taking a picture of the marker in this one.

Exploring a downed tree, Gunner is telling Hudson that "you don't eat the mushrooms on this tree Hudson, they are just for looking at!"...good advice....

Hudson amazed me during the hike because he would take off running full speed over trails with roots and rocks and didn't fall once (even while holding his prized "tutti", which you will notice he is holding in every picture). His balance and speed is so different than Gunner at that age, who would frequently trip on his own shoes and tends to still trail behind other kids when running (not sure if this is because he is generally too busy looking around and getting distracted, or if he is just slow).

Standing next to one of the marshes w/ lots of Cypress trees and hanging moss, holding hands naturally.

Our little crew....

Finally at the end of the trail and ready for some grub...not only were they not tired, they didn't want to leave. Maybe we can brave a longer trail next time....it makes for a nice long naptime!