Sawyer is 1

I have been way behind with updating the blog, but my baby boy just turned 1! I canNOT believe that an entire year has passed since this little guy came into our family.

Sawyer, you are absolutely the sweetest baby I know. You are our baby who changed the most from birth. You were born with dark hair that fell out a few months later and then grew back in way lighter (different from Hudson's hair that stayed dark and Finley's who's stayed dark and Walker's that was just light from the beginning). You look the most like Walker's baby pictures...actually you look just like Walker's baby pictures! You wear size 12-18 month clothes and size 4 diapers. You do not like having socks on your feet, and will pull with all your might until those things are off! You love your brothers and sister and you want to do everything that they do. You crawl all over the house and your newest feat is that you like to climb up all the steps (of course we only let you do this when we are going behind you). You have started walking behind Finley's little stroller and the little people bus that was your brother's. You absolutely will not walk with me holding your hands (I'm not sure why) but you'll just lift up your feet and wait for me to pick you up! You are sometimes sleeping through the night, and sometimes still waking up once. You are a cuddle bug! You will crawl into our laps and just sit with us (you do this more than the other babies, I believe). You really hardly ever cry...you've just started this thing where you fuss at meals (we're thinking that we aren't giving you what you want). You also will NOT stay seated in your high chair...you try to climb out at each meal...drives me a little crazy! You have the sweetest laugh and give some really big, sweet, open mouthed kisses. You are the sweetest addition to our family, and I can't even remember what it was like without you! You just go with the flow and so very happily! We love you up, Sawyer Ezekiel!

Sawyer at a few days old, November 2010.

Sawyer in October 2011.

I'll try to post some pictures of his birthday party and his stats after his 1 year well visit!

6 years old

6 years ago, on a Labor Day, Tony and I sat around taking it easy, knowing that soon, our lives would change forever. 6 years ago, we were to get to the hospital at 7 p.m. to be induced with our first little! Things I remember about that day...I was feeling HUGE, as I was overdue, we watched The Last Samurai and I laid on my side on the sofa, I ate ramen noodles and drank lots of lemon lime gatorade, we had no idea what we were getting into! 6 years later, our biggest is now in Kindergarten and acts like he's going on 50 with some of the things he says. Sometimes it's hard to remember that he is only 6. He got glasses a few months ago, and so I want to remember that about this year before he turned 6. And, in the last year, he can now eat wheat and eggs baked in things which has been totally life changing.

6 things I love about my Hudson...

6. He is my biggest helper!

5. He is the BEST big brother!

4. He is super thoughtful-always thinking of his brothers and sister!

3. He has an impeccable memory...I LOVE all that he can remember!

2. He has really started to branch out in the things that he's eating.

1. He is the first baby I ever fell in love with and he continues to captivate me( and drive me a little crazy at times :)!

6 things Tony loves about Hudson...

6. He is so helpful around the house.

5. He is always thinking about his siblings.

4. He remembers everything.

3. He listens and tries to figure out what we're saying...almost at. all. times.

2. He loves school.

1. He still likes to get Daddy's ears (cold, please).

Happy Birthday Big Boy (and my sweet baby)! We love you up!

Twas the Night before Kindergarten

Twas the night before Kindergarten and all through the house,
Not a wee one was stirring, no one watching Mickey Mouse.
The new school clothes were laid out, they were picked out with care,
There was anticipation and excitement filling the air.

The littles were sleeping, all tucked in their beds
Hudson's clothes ready, filled with all colors of reds.
Daddy and Mommy were already wiped out,
Having already gotten up with their youngest little sprout.

We were all so excited that our biggest little guy
Was already starting school, in the blink of an eye.
The years have gone quickly, oh how fast they flew,
And now it was time to begin something new.

Mommy was sad that her boy was so big,
And he would be off starting a new gig.
Lunches were packed and so was snack,
Everything ready, even the backpack.

Prayers were lifted up and said with great fervor,
Our big boy would be off and out, a world observer.
The beginning of the time when he's not under our care,
That he can be a light and protected is our prayer.

So the night before Kindergarten, how did you come so fast?
I know in a short blink, you too will have passed.
For now, it's our hope that this first is a wonderful day,
And each one after that filled with laughter, learning and play!

My boy and I were driving in the car the other day and talking about school. He started asking me about the cafeteria and what he would do when he went in there. I was telling him that he would probably be sitting at the table waiting for the other kids to come with their trays. He so innocently said, "So I'll sit and wait for everyone to sit down and then we'll say the blessing, and then eat." Oh my goodness, I was struck with a sense of total sadness. Tears filled my eyes as I explained to my sweet boy that at school, we don't pray before lunch. I told him that we go to public school and everyone doesn't believe the same thing we do, but that he can say a blessing himself before he eats. How sweet and innocent is that boy!? Love him!

Girls Only...

Our wonderful children's ministry at Graystone Church, led by sweet Katie Landress, planned some fun activities for kids this summer. One of the ones we got the chance to participate in was a Pajama party for sweet little girls ONLY! And oh boy (or I should say girl) was it cute!
I didn't remember until I just looked through these pictures that Finley wore her sunglasses for the entire first part. She had them on when we got there and she wore them through the reading of the book...in the dark! I know she couldn't see a thing! She was totally cute! When we first arrived, the gals got to play a little, then they all gathered around Miss Ashley, and turned the lights off and she read the book If you Give a Pig a Pancake with a flashlight. After the book, the girls got to actually eat pancakes for breakfast. Next, they played a little relay game using the dolls or stuffed animals they brought. Aunt Lori helped me out with pictures of this part, as I was off feeding Sawyer.After that, they decorated a little purse with stamps and shiny things. Then, we all went outside and the girls blew bubbles. Finally, we came in and got tattoos, girly ones of course. Finley had so much fun! Her cousin Kylin was there and Finley always loves to see her! Uncle Justin made it possible for me to take Finley and Sawyer by keeping the big boys, who LOVED getting to stay with him! Thanks so much to "Miss Katie" for having such fun activities for our little ones!

Out of the mouths of my babes!

A few sweet and funny things have been said by my littles in the last few days. Walker and Hudson were playing Hide and seek the other morning. Hudson was hiding, Walker was trying to find him. I heard him upstairs yell out for Hudson..."come out, come out forever you are!" How precious is that! In another conversation with Walker, he was asking me if I was a "big" person. I asked him to clarify. He said are you big or little like me and Hudson. So, I proceeded to tell him that I am in fact a big person and he and Hudson are little people. He jumped off the sofa, held his hands up in the air, then declared that he was not little any more, he grew and now he was HUGE! I wish I could type it the sweet way he said it!One night a few weeks ago, Tony was putting Hudson to bed and Hudson was smelling his arm. He then said "I smell like Jesus." And then, that sweet boy said, "because Jesus made me!" I am not even kidding...how awesome is that?!!

And just because she is saying some things...Miss Finley says VERY clearly...night, night, bye, bye, da da, mama, even bevo. She also says something over and over and I just know it means something, I just haven't figure out what, b/c it really doesn't sound like a real word, just a bunch of sounds put together. I love the talking!

Finley is 1

Our sweet baby girl turned one on March 10. I cannot believe that it has been an entire year since our baby girl was born. She is absolutely the sweetest little thing. Her brothers adore her, she smiles, hugs and offers us lots of love. When she hugs, she makes this sweet little sound like she just loves soooo much! She is also a tough one! Those brothers of her get a little too rough sometimes and she usually just rolls with it. She is crawling and getting into everything, especially the kitchen cabinets. She is pulling up on everything and she will walk with us holding her hands, or behind her little stroller. I don't have her stats yet, I'll post those later...she is a big girl, though! She really is such a joy and we have loved every minute of this first year with her! Here are some pictures from her first birthday party and some that Justin took for some 1 year shots!

Big Apple Circus

Last Wednesday, Tony took the morning off and we took our crew to Stone Mountain to see the Big Apple Circus. It was spectacular. The tent was pretty small, so our seats were close, even though they were the back section. It was a one ring circus, and we really all loved it. The boys really liked Grandma the clown. Tony and I had a great appreciation for the skill it takes those people to do all those great acts! And Finley...she's happy wherever she is. She soaked it all in, ate some snacks and had fun, too! Here are a few pictures...

Serious cuteness...or future blackmail?

Review in Pictures

My posts have been few and far between the last few weeks. I'm not sure why...we've been super busy. Hudson had a birthday party that I never wrote about, Finley started eating, rode in our little car for the first time, tried drinking out of a cup, is sitting up, Tony had a 30th birthday...lots of fun things going on at the Dudish house. Here are some of my favorite pictures...Hudson in the pirate ship at his pirate birthday party.So proud with his new guitar and his flum picks.Okay...seriously, this boy might be an artist. He does not ever stop...always on the go. He sat and painted with watercolors for like an hour. Hudson finished and got up and Walker kept painting. And he'd say that what he was painting were different things, like pine cones, trees, footballs...love it!

Finley...riding in the little car, sitting up, eating the first time, then my favorite eating picture so far...the look on her face...Hudson said "Mommy, I don't think she likes it!"Sweet girl drinking out of a cup for the first time.

Tony's 30th birthday "cake"...our boys LOVE rice krispie treats!

New Fun

Today we did something new. It was also very fun. It entertained the boys for at least an hour. We made play dough. We've never gotten to play with the store bought kind before b/c it is made of wheat. So, today, we made our own. We had different recipes, one with flour (we used soy flour) and one with baking soda and cornstarch. We made the first with flour and when it didn't turn out like I wanted (it was really sticky and I could forsee the mess), we made the next recipe and it turned out great. It really felt just like store bought play dough. We colored it using Wilton's paste food coloring, which we had b/c that's what we used to color icing for our birthday cakes. The colors were very vibrant and even colored our hands. I think the more we play with them the less this will happen. The boys really had a blast. And, so did I...getting to watch them experience playdough for the first time. They were so excited!