Daddy's Back!!!!

Hello everybody!  After three weeks in Tampa with my new job, I finally came back home to Ohio last week to a completely different family and a completely different baby Hudson....he has changed so MUCH!!  When I left for Tampa, I had a calm and content little boy; he was fed every three hours and had just learned how to roll over onto his back.   But once in Tampa, the phone calls started coming - "Your son is acting like a brat!"; "Hudson is never satisfied but for a few moments.  And he is always HUNGRY!!";  "Huddy is always whinging!  He is such a handful now!!".   And then came the part that I had been waiting to hear since Angela and I got married.   In an almost sighed resignation, Angela told me on the phone, "I'll admit it Chris.  You are very helpful with Hudson, and I wish you were here right now to help."   Woo hoo!!!  And I went even further to interpret that as also saying "Hudson really misses his Daddy!".  Despite all the bad reports, I couldn't wait to get home to see my Huckleberry.

When I came home last Friday, the first thing everybody told me was that Hudson now had changed yet again.   He had started his first week of daycare, and know he was a totally different baby - a calm, cool, content, happy baby!!   I'm not sure if I believe it, b/c all I know is that he was a calm, cool, content, happy baby before I left and when I came home he was again a calm, cool, content, happy baby.  Nobody in the Kemp household knows what happened to Hudson while I was gone and why he acted out the way he did, but from where I'm standing, it's as simple as Hudson really missed his Daddy!!!!

Hudson meanwhile, has done a fantastic job at adapting to the daycare schedule.  I was a little hesitant to do daycare at first, given how expensive some of the places were, but after seeing him firsthand come home from daycare completely wiped out, I can tell you that daycare is worth every penny!!!   And this week, Daddy finally caved and got him ready for daycare and dropped him off.   Angela makes it look so simple, but it really isn't that easy of a thing to do!  You gotta make sure you dress him properly (which has always been a struggle for me...I'd say I've got about a 45% success rate of dressing myself in matching clothes, so thank the Lord most baby outfits come in sets!); then you have to make sure all his gear is packed (bottles, diapers, etc.); then you gotta put him in the car seat and make sure he has toys, pacifiers, blanket, et al. to occupy him.  Then you gotta drive him to daycare and pray Hudson doesn't start crying from the way I drive (which I've come to learn isn't the preferred way of driving a car).  There's a lot of little things in that list that can go wrong!   Thankfully, I got Hudson off to daycare without a hitch - though it did take me 30 minutes longer than I had planned and I had to go back to daycare b/c I forgot to pack something.

On Saturday, we went to the Newport Aquarium with Shannon, Andrew and Anderson, and Angela's friend Bonnie and her husband Kris.  Hudson loved it - he immediately wanted to get out of the stroller so he could look at all the different fish-ies and all the tropical colors.  I've never seen Hudson move his head so fast!   Right, center, left, then right, left, right, center, up, across, down......his head was going everywhere!!!  Cousin Anderson also enjoyed himself quite a bit, and it was near impossible to hold that boy still for long enough to get a picture with him!

Anderson would not stay still!

Yes, this is one of the better pictures at the aquarium!

 There were also a couple of spots at the aquarium where you could actually touch the fish.  This scared cousin Anderson half to death (no surprise!),  and he wasn't going near the starfish to touch it.  Hudson though, touched it without incident, albeit with Daddy's help.  There was even a shark tank that you were allowed to stick your hand in and touch!   Hudson was moving his little ol' legs and would get really excited whenever he saw a shark swim past!  I couldn't get Hudson's hand close enough to the sharks to touch, but I let Huddy watch as his brave Daddy touched every shark that swam past.

We had a blast at the aquarium and Hudson enjoyed himself....it definitely wore him out!   On the ride back home he slept the entire way and then when we got home he was STILL asleep, so we just let him sleep in the car seat, which if you know Huddy, he's not a big fan of the car seat.   

That's all this week.   I'm glad to be back home with my family and the Huckleberry, despite the fact that I now have to help out in feeding him in the middle of the night.  Huge bummer.   But Huddy's worth it!   See y'all soon!

     

Halloween, Swings and Rice

Hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween week! Hudson was full of giggles and grins as he got to wear his police officer outfit again. He's already outgrown most of his 3 month clothes so I was glad I could get one more use in. We went to Aunt Shannon's house to watch Anderson trick-or-treat and then pass out candy. Hudson sparkled in his officer outfit; Anderson, however, had a tough go in his Elmo costume. It took two adults to get him in that thing. But once he was outside and saw other kids, he liked walking around to the houses.

"Why can't I eat the candy mom?"

Officer Hudson

This pic was taken right before Anderson was told he had to put on his Elmo suit.

Poor Anderson. Lolly thought this was soooo funny!

He eventually put on the hat and was a happy boy. It was pretty cute, trust me.

Hudson was also introduced  to his Jump-n-Go swing. He's still a tad small for it and I had to put a pillow behind him, but he lovesssss to be standing. He seems to get frustrated that he can't walk and even more frustrated that he can't sit upright on his own yet. But once he realized he could push off the floor, he'd do a couple bounces....and then he had to rest and suck on his hand. Standing up is tough work!

                                        

And another big milestone this week. Not only did Hudson hit the ripe age of 16 weeks, but I also started rice cereal. My boy was eating over 32 oz a day and still seemed hungry. With all his moving, kicking and squealing, I figured he was burning too many calories and needed an extra umph. I was hesitant and anxious to start rice cereal so early, but after he grabbed the spoon out of my hand, I figured he was ready.

"More please!"

And he still loves his Exer-Saucer. It's a surprise every time he gets in it. He can't even control his eyes he's so surprised...

Anderson helping Hudson push all the buttons.

Next week is a big week! I start work and Hudson starts daycare. I'm already dreading mornings and trying to figure out how I'm going to muster up the energy to mentally perform for a full day. But as long as we survive the crazy week, we'll get to see Chris next weekend. Three weeks in Tampa and I'm ready to not be a single parent anymore. I hope Chris is ready for some cold weather. And I hope he's ready to see a bigger, more energetic baby boy!

My Blustering Bodacious Boy

It has been a crazy week for Hudson and his momma. My little boy has taken me on a marathon that will hopefully end soon (fingers crossed). His once beautiful six hour stretch of sleeping has dwindled away to a little over three hours, which has really cramped my own beauty sleep. People tell me this is the norm and that he's probably going through a growth spurt. And that it should end soon. But I think they're just being gracious because I look like a walking zombie. Luckily, God created under-eye concealer which is my new best friend through these sleepless nights. I'm also transitioning Hudson to formula, which isn't setting well with his tummy. He's spitting up more and going through a lot more diapers. Gross. And to top it off, I had a sinus infection earlier in the week and have felt like crap. But my little boy keeps me smiling every day with his funny faces and belly giggles.

    He can almost roll from back to front, but I think those bulky cloth diapers are hindering his moves.

He had a wonderful play date with some college friends and their little ones this week. My girlfriend Abby is a teacher and it happened to be her fall break. She grew up in the Dayton area and brought her beautiful baby girl Stella over. Stella was the perfect baby; she is five months old. She was quiet, content and cute as could be. She never made a peep. It was definitely something I wasn't used to, as my son likes to jib jab all day long. Everyone must know Hudson is in the room and all eyes MUST be on Huddy....and he will let you know if they're not!

Stella giving a nice pat to both Hudson and Rumford.

My girlfriend Lindsey lives in Columbus and brought her two rambunctious boys, Henry and Marshall. They were adorable as well, but they had A LOT more energy than the babies. And the fact that I had gummy worms, skittles, brownies and pumpkin muffins for them, only added to the chaos. They definitely gave me a glimpse into my future with a boy on my hands, and it looks pretty exciting!

Hudson, Stella, Marshall and Henry

Then there was Rumford, Bonnie's 14 week old puppy. Penny Lane made sure to show Rummy who was boss by trying to either hump him or pin him to the ground with her paw. But Rummy was a champ and eventually Penny Lane was too tired to play. Her 'senior citizen' dog status is starting to catch up to her.

Could they be related?

Hudson was also introduced to his Exer-Saucer this week, which was just mind-boggling for him. His eyes would get all buggy every time a new sound would go off or a toy would light up. Flashing lights are his favorite.

I have one more week before I start work and have to send my baby off to daycare. It's going to be a tough moment, especially since I don't have Chris to distract me. But I'm excited about this new chapter that includes daycare. Hudson will be interacting with other babies every day and will soon learn sign language and Spanish. And there's even a video monitor app so I can check on him at any moment of the day. Oh how they grow up way too fast......

My baby boy at 3 days old and 3 1/2 months old.

Mom's back!

Angela here! I'm on blog duty for the next couple weeks because Chris is in Tampa training for his new job. Chris has been REALLY upset about being away from Hudson for three weeks. So upset in fact, that he's kind of turned into a bipolar husband. Every time he is not with Hudson, it's "Where's my kid?", "Let me hold my kid," or "Your mommy is hogging you." However, every time I have tried to pass my baby off (mommy's need 'me time' too), Chris is like..."Oh, I can't hold him. My ankle hurts." Or..."Yeah, give me 10, I have to go to the bathroom." Or...."You think Huddy will get smarter by watching football?" I am very perplexed about my husband's emotional roller coaster. Hopefully it ends by the time he returns.

Last week, Hudson had his first professional photo shoot with one of my besties, Bonnie. She started her own photography business last year and has been doing great ever since. She does weddings, events, families, babies, you name it. She's in the Cincinnati area but does travel. So if you are looking for a wonderful, personable, professional photographer, check it out! Blynnephotography.com (and yes, this is a plug)

Hudson was the perfect baby all day long during his photo shoot. He let me change his outfit multiple times as well as place him in baskets, on blankets and anywhere in the sun. And those baby blue eyes still remain,which makes me very happy!

 Thanks to Lolly, Hudson is a police officer this Halloween. It even comes with a hat! And yes, I know he will hate me for this pic one day.

My baby is starting to turn into a little man.

Short and sweet post this week. I am currently rocking a baby to sleep and typing with one hand. All while trying to do my laundry, wash cloth diapers and eat breakfast. Chris has only been gone 5 hours and I miss him already. I have definitely been spoiled and blessed to have so much help. Huddy has the best dad ever! Until next time............

Bath times, Laughs, & Football, Football , Football!

Hello again everyone!  Has it been a week already?  Time must fly when you're having fun, b/c I have been having a lot of it lately!  I think I've finally discovered my voice box, b/c I am beginning to LOVE to make sounds - specifically those of the non-crying variety.  Mommy & Daddy [M&D] say I'm starting to develop a real personality from all these new sounds I'm giving off.  I think it is my inchoate laughing that really gets them smiling.  It almost sounds like a Beavis & Butthead-type laugh...one of those "Huh huh. Huh huh huh huh," but with a long "waaaahhhhhhhhhhh" at the end of it (and a big ol' smile).   There's no rhyme or reason for what sets me off to laughter (if that's what you call it)....right now, it's all fun to me!   This week it was my feet.  I mean, I already knew I had arms, but this week M&D decided to start shoving my feet in my face.  It's like I never knew those extremities were down there!  I was mesmerized!!   And then Daddy starting putting them in my mouth  [DADDY NOTE:  I can't believe how flexible little babies are!!!].....I was hooting and hollering - I couldn't give enough of it!  I'm sure next week will be something different, but right now, I am all about looking at my toes-ies!

I've also discovered more changes in store for me.  This week M&D got rid of the baby bath.  Yup, you heard right - I am now taking baths in the big boy tub!  I love, love, LOVE my bath time!  Here's how bath time plays out:  I am swaddled and knocked out, in either Mommy or Daddy's arms.  Next thing I know, I'm getting unswaddled and M&D are looking right up at me.  I begin to whine, then cry, as they undress me - I hate getting undressed!  I'm handed off to Daddy, which makes me cry even louder, but before I know it, he's lowering me into the tub.  My butt hits the soothing, hot water and whatever I was whinging about is instantly forgotten.  Aaaaaaahhhh!  I am in baby heaven.  As I get adjusted, my arms go everywhere; my feet are a-kicking and more often than not, I am looking up at M&D just smiling away!

Of course,  that feeling of being in my own Shangri-La is immediately cut short once I am lifted out of the tub, dried off, and before long, I am back crying again.   Put me back in the bath!

I also got to watch my very first football games this week!  Apparently Daddy calls Saturday and Sunday, "Guy Time" which involves not wanting to be bothered by nagging spouses.   It is a novel concept, if you ask me.  That Daddy - he's so smart!!!!!   Anyway, he said I was ready to finally experience Guy Time 2013!! First we watched Daddy's team LSU sticking it to the Florida Gators.  It was a real bloodbath and that LSU defense was suffocating!!!   After LSU had dispatched Florida with little effort, Daddy rocked me to semi-sleep as we watched Daddy's team Ole Miss (whose T-shirt Daddy put me in to get me psyched for the game!) and their moral victory over Texas A&M.   

What a wild game that was!   I remember Daddy waking me up, cheering over a HUGE pass Ole Miss completed for a touchdown....Daddy going crazy made me smile and laugh.   However, just so happens that Mommy waltzed into the room at the exact same time. 

"What in the he...?!?!  Chris, what do you think you are doing?!!?! Don't you DARE wake up my baby!!!!"  

She gave Daddy the look of death.  Poor Daddy!!!!   She must not have seen that I was already awake and was (kinda) cheering along with Daddy.   Jeez, what a killjoy!  Needless to say,  Guy Time 2013 was just about done for the night....but apparently the same thing happens next week!!   I can't wait!!!

Sunday was Pop's birthday, so Mommy made sure I dressed the part.   I looked all dapper in my bow & tie and was super excited.  True, the pictures don't really convey that image of pure energy & excitement (especially the first one w/ Lolly & Pop!!), but it was there!  We celebrated Pop's birthday w/ Aunt Shannon, Uncle Drew and cousin Anderson (talk about someone who is pure energy & excitement!!!).  I think cousin Anderson is a little jealous b/c he will not let Aunt Shannon hold me!   Whenever he sees her holding me, he throws a tantrum until she has to hand me off to Mommy or Daddy.  I wonder if I will be like that when I'm Anderson's age???? 

That's all for this week!   This week is the last week I will have with Daddy before he goes to Tampa for a whopping THREE weeks for work!!!   What am I going to do without my Daddy??!?!?!     Anyway, see you all next week!

Hitting the 3-month mark

Hi gang!  Sorry for my absence in posting my thoughts; I think Mommy & Daddy (M&D) filled in nicely so I could focus on growing.  This past weekend I hit the twelve-week milestone - that's THREE months for those that are counting!!!   Apparently three months is a pretty big deal and a huge accomplishment.  I'm still here gang!  It's also when a bunch of new changes will start to happen....or at least that is what I'm being told.  I hear Daddy griping to Mommy about how "we" need to re-read those baby books and get refreshed on what new signals & behaviors I will be giving in the weeks ahead (I think when Daddy says "we", he's usually referring to just Mommy).  I'm already starting to show them some of my new tricks!

Sure, I can roll over like it ain't-no-thang, but I don't think M&D told you how I'm also learning to reach for and grasp objects that happen to be dangling right in front of my face.  Not sure when babies usually begin doing that, but I'll go out on a limb and say 8-10 months, which means I'm way ahead of schedule!!!  Daddy though seems to be more amazed that such a thing actually has to be learnt, as if he were expecting a baby that wasn't a complete blank slate.  C'mon Daddy!  [DADDY NOTE:  I am continually astonished at how much of a "blank slate" little babies are.  Everything is brand spanking new to them.  I mean EVERYTHING.  It all has to be learned.  I'm sure moms everywhere will think "yeah, and....?" as though it were intuitively obvious for anyone with a grade-school education, but c'mon, it's not THAT obvious!  You would've thought that SOME behaviors would be instinctual...but outside of breathing, apparently nothing is.  I just find it fascinating, is all...and fun to watch!]  M&D introduced to this device called a Bumbo seat; I think it is supposed to help me sit upright.  Whatever it is, I find it quite obnoxious and boring, but M&D love to watch me in it!  

"Are we done here, or....??"

"So should I be doing something right now?  Not sure why I'm here."

"I may look happy & cute now, but you should've seen the picture they took 10 seconds later!" 

I'm also noticing this strange, somewhat viscous, clear fluid beginning to drool and/or bubble out of my mouth in copious amounts.  There have even been times when Daddy lifts me up and a strand will come from my mouth and go all the the way to Daddy's chest without breaking!  Talk about impressive!!  M&D think I am starting to teethe, because I'm also beginning to put things in my mouth not called my pacifier.  Recent favorites have included my thumb (I say thumb, but it's more appropriate to say fist....I haven't quite figured out how to separate my thumb from my hand, so to make it easier I've resorted to shoving my entire fist in there!), the side of my arm, and the Baby Bjorn (BB) whenever M&D is carrying me.  I'll even suck on Daddy's thumb if it gets to close to my mouth!  And of course, I'm still master of the un-swaddling stretch routine.  Whether it's arms stretched giving all sorts of face contortions, or absolute motionless expressions, M&D still love to un-swaddle me to see how I'll react!!

Hudson was in this position for a while.  Mommy got worried...she had to put a finger under his nose to make sure he was still breathing!

Sttrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeettttcccchhhhh!!!!!

Huddy still isn't used to the way Daddy carries him on the BB!

This weekend, Lolly & Pop went off to a wedding in Maryland, and Aunt Shannon & Uncle Drew dropped off cousin Anderson (and their dog Cooper) because they went to a wedding in Louisville.  Anderson is such a great cousin!!!  Although for some reason, he always wants to force a pacifier in my mouth....and he hasn't appeared to learn the word gentle yet, because he will try to shove it in there even when my lips are closed tight!   Anderson and I had a great time taking all the dogs for a walk with M&D.  The thing is, Mommy had me in the BB and I was trying to sleep, meanwhile Anderson would jibber-jabber and point out all the things he saw by mimicking the sounds they make - seemingly with his loudest possible voice. The kid wouldn't be quiet!!!  And Daddy didn't help by encouraging Anderson to keep on doing it!   Needless to say, I couldn't get too much shuteye on the walk.  Back at the house, Anderson helped me play with my toys and was so nice watching me super up close as I stared up at stuffed animals.   Fun times!!!

Anderson forcing the paci into Huddy's mouth

Daddy had the dogs and Anderson most of the walk, honest!!

That's all this week!    I'm making good progress on rolling over (I rolled over again on my play mat just before I typed out this sentence!) and Daddy thinks I'm starting to laugh.  I do give off a "heh..heh..heh" every now and again when I'm smiling, followed by a gurgle sound or two.....is that what laughing is?   The 3-month mark is when a bunch of changes are happening, and I can't wait to throw it all on M&D and see how they react!!  I'll keep you all posted!