last blogger on the block: Hudson Turns FIVE

I know I say this every year, with every one of my kids, but seriously... he's already FIVE??!! I'm not ready for this sweet, snuggly, goofy, sensitive, quirky little boy to grow up any more. I absolutely love and adore him to pieces. He is just the best and so funny to talk to and listen to. He says the funniest things with the funniest eye movements and hand gestures. It's hilarious and adorable.

He is doing so great in school this year and absolutely loves going each and every morning. He jumps out of the car, runs across the cemetery and straight through those big red doors without looking back. He has made new friends and tells me all about them when I pick him up. His best friend is still Ryker Warnick, but Jack Crosby is a very close second.

Hudson played two seasons of soccer this year with dad as coach, and while he prefers talking to his teammates while out on the field rather than kicking the ball, he's proud to tell everyone he's a soccer player. He also loves to swim, and loves anything that involves Super Heroes - Batman being his current favorite! He has become a Lego kind of boy and usually has them all over his bedroom or family room floor, where he'll sit and play for hours. This year, for his birthday present, Ryan and I are getting him a new bed and mattress and I can hardly wait for it to be delivered tomorrow. I think he really wants bunk beds, at least he did when we went to Ikea last year, but his room isn't really big enough for that, so I hope he'll be just as excited about the bed we got him.

We did things a little different this year for Hudson's birthday. Usually we have a big New Year's Eve party with tons of friends, food, and games, and then tie in Hudson's birthday sometime during the night with birthday cake and singing. It works out perfectly and is always so much fun. However, I just wasn't feeling up for it this year.

Instead, to celebrate Hudson's birthday, he decided he wanted all of his best friends over for a pajama Lego Batman movie party. So that's exactly what we did and he was perfectly happy! Ryker, Jack, Lily, Mina, and Sophie (Kate was sick) came over in their PJs and they played in the basement, ate pizza, watched the Lego Batman movie, ate brownies and ice cream with sprinkles, and then played some more until it was time for everyone to go home. It was awesome!

For Hudson's birthday dinner he chose Cheesecake Factory, but due to time constraints with church activities and Ryan's work schedule, he was talked into Macaroni Grill instead. I think he was just as happy with their Mac & Cheese as he would have been at Cheesecake Factory.

Happy 5th Birthday to my favorite little boy!!

For breakfast Hudson requested pancakes with strawberries and powdered sugar. He also made it very clear that he wanted it all on the birthday plate...

Hudson has some really great friends...

This was the year for costumes. He got a red Power Rangers suit for Christmas, and this pack of four Special Teams costumes from Ryker for his birthday. Here he is dressed in his SWAT gear...