4 months...

Hudson,

 How can it be? 4 whole months? They certainly never went by this fast while we were anxiously waiting for you to arrive. I am so unbelievably head over heels for you (Shh! Don't tell your dad!) and my love for you seems to grow with each passing day. I can remember when we first brought you home and I begged and pleaded with you not to grow up because I hoped you'd stay tiny forever. Even though I already miss holding itty bitty little newborn you, I must say that it such a joy to see how you grow and and change. We are getting lots of fun glimpses of your personality and it is fun to talk about where you may or may not get certain traits. Today is my 26th birthday and I can't think of any better way to spend it than hanging out with you and your dad. You guys are my world and I am so very thankful that God knew exactly what I needed when He brought your dad into my life, as well as when He blessed us with you. For my birthday, you and your dad spoiled me ROTTEN with two new amazing lenses for the camera! (I guess I have started taking a few more pictures than I used to!) I have so much to learn about them, but the greatest part is that they do most of the work. They are like "photography for dummies" as I instantly became a much better photographer just by sticking them on the front of the camera! 

Anyway, back to you. We are heading to your 4-month appointment next Tuesday, so I'll be able to share how chubby and tall you've gotten lately once we get home from that. You are such a smiley boy these days. When you wake up from in the morning and from naps, all it takes is one "Buenos dias" and you flash an adorably sweet smile through sleepy little eyes.

You also cannot get enough of your hands. One of them. Both of them. Left. Right. Thumb. 3 fingers. One finger. 10 fingers. It doesn't really seem to matter. All you want to do is put them in your mouth.

You think we are quite funny and you love being kissed. Especially close to bedtime. Once you are all swaddled up, giving you kisses is almost always a sure-fire way of getting belly laughs out of you. You love to make noises. Little shrieks and high-pitched sounds are a recent constant banter around our house these days.

You are getting stronger on your tummy, but by far your favorite position is to stand holding our hands. If you're grumpy, it almost always stops the tears (and whining!). (This picture is blurry, but I love your little curious face.)

Bilingualism has always been amazing to me. However, I will admit that there are times that I get a little nervous about our decision to have me only speak Spanish to you. It is a total blast and constantly keeps me speaking, but there are occasional little twinges of doubt that creep into my head from time to time making me question whether it is the best thing for you. When that happens, I have to constantly remind myself not only of the research I know so well, but of the many children I've seen become bilingual starting in kindergarten when they don't have any Spanish experience at home. It's so incredible how you  recognize our voices so well, and respond regardless of the language being spoken to you. I know this is going to be a roller coaster of a journey for us, but I'm excited to see how it all turns out. Even though it is scary sometimes, I am very thankful we are giving it our all and trying it out. I know that I would have huge regrets if I didn't at least try to pass on the benefits of being bilingual to you. And, if you're anything like your dad, I'm sure you'll talk our ears off in any language we will listen to. :)

Every night before we pray for you and tuck you in, one or both of us reads you a book. Maybe it's the teacher in me, but I am a children's literature fanatic! I'm totally the kind of person who you could find spending hours in the children's section of Barnes and Nobles just reading away. So far, you seem to be a big fan of books as well! Woo-hoo! You sit there and seemingly listen so intently as you stare at the bright, colorful pages. Every once in awhile, you even let out a little shriek or laugh in approval of the evening's book selection.

Another thing I've learned about you is your preference to be held and cuddled after you wake up. You are not one to be plopped down on the playmat or into the swing right after waking up. You seem to need just a few minutes of transition time before you're ready to take on the world. 

Your Auntie Mallory confirmed that there are thankfully no teeth in your very new future, but the amount of drool that comes out of your mouth makes that hard to believe. 

Just last week you started being able to take the binky in and out of your mouth all by yourself. It seemed so silly to get so excited watching you do such a simple task, but that must just be part of being a mom.  Hopefully I can catch you in the act soon and videotape the huge accomplishment! :)

Oh, it is such a joy to be your mamá. I've said it before, but my constant prayer is that God will help us to be wonderful parents, and that you will serve Him all the days of your life. There is no greater joy than knowing Jesus, and I feel so privileged to get to teach you about Him. I can't wait to see what He has in store for your life.

Since we're trying to keep this post positive and upbeat, I won't go into too much detail on what an amazing sleeper you aren't. Let's just say you're below average. :) But that is okay. You are a great daytime sleeper and I'm confident that good nights are just around the corner. I like to comfort myself by believing you just love me so much that the thought of going 6-8 hours without seeing my face is just pure torture for you. Hence why you seem to want to see me every forty minutes  few hours. :) Although I'm a bit sleep-deprived, I know these days are numbered. Don't get me wrong, I think it is important for both of us to get good sleep, but I also know that someday I'll ache to be able to hold you, sit with you, and keep you all to myself in the wee hours of the night.

Hudson, we love and adore you. Thank you for enriching our lives and bringing us a whole new kind of happiness. I can't wait to share Christmas with you for the first time. 

Happy 4 months mi corazón.

Thank you God for our perfect little man.