Bear Hugs

My sister found this perfect outfit.

My dad's nickname is Bear and he frequently alters our last name "Hughes" to Hugs.

So here is my little adorable man wearing a Bear Hugs shirt.

You can say it. He is pretty. :)

Small but mighty

He will nod "yes" but shout, "NO!"

He will demand more attention than one twice his size.

He will get up bleeding and go back for more.

He will set the tone of the entire house.

He will make clear his intentions despite a vocabulary of about 8 words.

He is fearless.

How about...

"How about" is a phrase Hudson utilizes about 700 times a day. It precedes him altering the agenda I have established for something more to his liking.

"How about I go watch a show NOW and then we have quiet time."

"How about you go get my blanket and I will wait here for you."

"How about I get six cookies because I am hungry."

"How about you give me a sucker because that lady did not offer me one."

You notice these are not questions. They are demands. It is a little exhausting.

Tucker has an ear infection. That is a little exhausting.

I have to get our taxes done by Friday, edit a couple chapters in my current book job, clean this house, pay the bills, and cull through two sessions from last weekend. That is a little exhausting.

Recently, I figured out something about myself. When I get really stressed and overwhelmed, my first reaction is not to take steps to correct or alleviate the situation. It is to do something creative. I have these elaborate designs or ideas for my business or my home or my life in my head all the time. And when my back is against the wall, it is like I have to get one of those out first. I met another creative brain girlfriend like myself recently and she completely understood my brain process. I am not offended if you don't.

However, this is useful to know and probably explains that with all this stuff I have to do, my first reaction was "How about I blog" instead of doing something actually useful.

How about I am more like my son than I realize?

Mechanic Woes

I am aware I named my baby boy after a car. I don't think I was prepared for where our conversations would take us in four short years. We are having a serious problem with listening lately and so I have started referring to his listening switch. Most days we have to turn it on. He seems to like this and this was us this morning...


Me: "Where is your listening button today? We need to turn it ON."

Hudson: (Giggling) "It is broken."

"What?!"

"I over heated and my two fans broke and then the wind came and broke my button. The switch is right in here (pointing to his belly). It will take three days to fix it."

(I am pretty sure my jaw was on the floor by this point. For Hudson to get that thought out took five minutes.)

"Hmmm, well, I think I will take you to the junkyard by then. You tell your mechanic to fix your listening button NOW."

"Okay, he says maybe two days."

(Shaking my head.)

"Or maybe one. Can he have some M&Ms?"

Snow day play

How to get your kids prepared for playing in the snow (in minutes):

0:00-3:20 locate appropriate under clothing
3:20-4:30 change diaper of little one; ask older one to go potty
4:30-5:00 insist that older one potty while dressing little one
5:00-6:00 physically take older one to bathroom despite his protests that "he doesn't have to" and watch him pee for 30 seconds
6:00-7:00 washing hands (kid is obsessively thorough)
7:00-8:00 snow pants, warm socks, sweatsuit on yourself
8:00-9:50 snow pants and boots on older one
9:50-10:50 find where little one escaped to
10:50-11:50 snowsuit onto little one
11:50-11:54 realize you have no idea where all the gloves are
11:55-13:00 locate gloves
13:00-13:15 put gloves on older one
13:16-13:59 find little one again (you knew; where to look this time)
14:00-15:40 attempt to put gloves on one year old; multiple attempts
15:40- 15:45 desperately want a drink; realize you have to go the bathroom; decide against
15:45-16:00 older one thinks "watching a TV show" might be more fun; subdue desire to curse
16:00-17:00 put hats on everyone
17:00-17:10 take a quick picture
17:11 go outside

for about 5 minutes....before someone is crying

Little turkeys. Drive me crazy but I love 'em.

19 Things about my 19 month old

I did this same post concept three years ago for Hudson. You can read that one here.

(As told by Sweet T himself)
1. My temperament is most associated to the time of the day. I wake up awesome and go to bed grumpy. Always.

2. Talking is overrated. I know enough words to get me through the day. My brother constantly says what he thinks I am wanting to say. He is rarely correct; I do not care if he plays Mario Kart or not!

3. I love to play with footballs and basketballs. My athletic prowess is surely a result of my amazing Air Jordan shoes Grandma Janet bought for me. Speaking of shoes, I wear a size 6 currently. Unfortunately, for me, my closet is full of footwear from size 7 on up in boxes that were my brother's. I may never see a new shoe again.

4. I like to eat whatever is on your plate. That same entree on my plate does not look as appealing. I am obsessed with blueberries (a pint at one sitting is par) and grapes. I frequently choke on food. My mama has a heart attack because of this about once a week.

5. My clothes are all 2 T tops and 18 month pants. Again, hand-me-downs run the show.

6. Both of my front teeth are chipped. I don't remember this happening, so I will just blame my big brother.

7. I still like to take two naps. Usually at about 10:30 a.m. for an hour and then another in the afternoon around 3 p.m. This is just one of the many reasons why I am Mama's favorite child.

8. I like to walk around and show off my belly.

9. Don't even think of not giving me a sip of that drink in that cool cup with a straw. I really don't like cups for babies. I want to drink out of big boy cups like my brother.

10. My favorite thing is music. Dancing is so much fun. I play the piano several times a week.

11. Mickey Mouse rocks too. Turning off the show before it is over (and even if it is) is grounds for a tantrum.

12. My carseat now faces forwards because my legs are so long.

13. Mama is the coolest person on Earth. Until my dada comes into my line of sight. Grandpas too are favorites.

14. I love toothbrushes. I do not like brushing my teeth. Your logic does not apply.

15. It is possible I have an unhealthy addiction to my paci.

16. When we hug, if I really like you, I will pat your back.

17. Acts of torture may include trying to change my diaper, putting shirts over my head, cutting my fingernails, and my brother kissing my nose.

18. My gift to my Mama is that I do not cry when she leaves me to go workout or go to work. I never have. (This is another reason she will buy me a pony or a race car.)

19. Splishing and splashing are my favorite pastimes. Pools are awesome. I can not wait to see the ocean.

Self-portrait: March

Work day at the studio.

Dale Face

I love it when I look at the boys and see the expression of Josh or one of our dads. This photo CRACKS me up because it is the "face" of Tucker's namesake. This is the expression my father in law, Dale, makes when he tells a story about something ridiculous. Like Obama.

Funny Fridays: Red Lobster

In one trip to Red Lobster:

1. Hudson informs me that the lobster apart from the pod is feeling the "most racey".

2. While waiting outside my bathroom stall door, he tells women to "Be Safe!!!" as they leave the restroom.

3. After he loses to me in the "I Spy" cardgame we are playing while waiting on our food, he informs me that we have "Two winners! Yessssssss!"

4. When I ask him if I can have one of his precious popcorn shrimps, he responds, "Can I get a new Hot Wheel car if I share with you?"

5. He grumpily instructs me that he would have to go to the bathroom less if I had ordered the "Fizzy Pop" that he wanted. "Water makes me pee more, Mom. It goes like this (gestures from his mouth to his parts....)"