The Hodson House

Ten on Tuesday

2010-06-29T13:42:00.000-07:00

1. Only 2 more days until we leave for California! We are SO excited! I am not excited about flying with Addie though. The last couple of flying adventures did not go smoothly. 3rd times a charm....right????

2. We have been having lots of fun with the Braxdale's (minus Allan) here for the summer! Today we met up at Brushy Creek park for lunch, fun on the playground, and lots of sprinkler pad time. Addie loves Aidan and Ma-Ma (as she says), but is still getting used to having to share toys with them. She is also the biggest mootch! It doesn't matter how much or what kind of snacks I have for her....if Andrea has something (specifically if Maddox is eating something), she wants it. Luckily, Maddox is excellent at sharing.

3. It feels great to finally be back at the gym everyday. We go to cycle, body pump, interval, cardio sculpt, rpm, and Pilate's classes, as well as an occasional run on the trail. It is so much easier to schedule this in the summer, and I hope I can keep up with it some what when school starts back in August.

4. On Saturday, we had the Braxdale's and Hoffman's over for fajitas and drinks. Addie and Maddox decided they did not want to miss the party and refused to go to sleep, while baby Graham slept upstairs like a little angle. Addison finally went to sleep about 11...sheesh! She was still up at 7 the next morning!

5. My mom got A couple of CD's for Christmas last year. One with Elmo and one with Mickey Mouse and friends. They both say her name in all the songs. She gets so excited when we get in the car to hear them. She will request Elmo or Mouse. If I play the wrong one she is not a happy girl. Addie loves to dance and try to song along and act out all the motions to the words.

6. She still LOVES her baby dolls and is constantly dumping out baskets and opening drawers to lay blankets down and make beds for them. She can spend quite a bit of time doing this.

7. Addison now knows how to open doors. I was drying my hair the other day and she was playing in our room. I didn't hear her for a minute so I peeked in and didn't see her. The door was shut so I thought she was hiding under the bed. Nope....she was on the other side of the door! Time to start locking those doors.

8. D updated my phone and itunes for me the other day and I found a few videos of Addie last summer. She was SO little and cute!

9. We need to figure out how to get our videos onto the computer so I can start sharing those.

10. It is suppose to rain here for the next 10 days.....luckily we will be in sunny CA on Friday!

We hope everyone has a happy 4th of July!

A huge, heartfelt thank you to all the men and women (and to their families!!!) who have courageously and selflessly served this incredible country. We are grateful for our freedom every.single.day.

Enjoy a wonderful and safe day with your family!

God Bless America.

Ten on Tuesday

2010-06-22T05:20:00.000-07:00

1. We had a great Father's Day celebrating what an awesome dad Derek is! We started out the morning with a walk on Brushy Creek trail, came home and made pancakes for breakfast, hung out in the backyard until nap time, and then met up with Uncle Butch and his two friends from Florida for a loooooong lunch at The County Line. We sat out back while we waited for our table and watched the turtles in the lake....Addie loved them. On the way home we stopped by Amy's Ice Cream and played at the park on the bulls for a little bit. It was such a fun day!

2. Addison is a waster of air conditioning. If she is playing out back she can NOT have the door shut. She definitely likes to keep her options open. She will get very upset if you try to shut the door. There are some battles that I choose to fight....this is usually not one of them. Addie will bring a bunch of toys outside and just sit in the door way playing.

3. Addie has become OBSESSED with Yo Gabba Gabba in the last week. DJ Lance and his bright, furry Shriner’s hat flashed his crazy smile and got my daughter hooked on the baby crack that is Yo Gabba Gabba. When Dancey Dance time comes around, my child is like a Solid Gold dancer. YGG is better than some of the other kid shows. At least it's moderately funny, however weird...and the music isn't half bad. Derek loves the Aqua Bats and their smash hit "Pool Party." Check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6CNdlJp9c8

4. I have been drinking green tea like crazy the past week. I can't get enough. I love the Tazo Zen Green Tea.

5. Nighttime this week has been teething hell. Addison is getting her canines and 2 year molars in, so I know she must be in a lot of pain. She wakes up 2-3 times a night screaming bloody murder. I really don't understand why we can't just be born with teeth....growing them is an awful process.

6. Despite her poor sleep habits, Addie has been waking up bright and early, usually around 6:15. I guess she doesn't realize that its summer break and we CAN sleep in.

7. We had a busy but fun day yesterday. Andrea and I hit up body pump at 5:15. When I got home at 6:30, A was up and ready for the day. We went grocery shopping and then she went down for an early nap. Afterwards, Andrea and I dropped the kiddos off at the Y, so we could get some laid back pool time.....which was AWESOME! It felt to great to just lay there for an hour. Later that afternoon we met up with Andrea, Aidan, Maddox, Katie, Sloane, and Finn for some sprinkler pad time at Brushy Creek. Addison was wiped out!

8. Speaking of the pool, my 20 month old apparently thinks she can swim on her own. D and I took her to the pool for the first time this summer a couple of weeks ago. She really did not get that into it and was a little terrified of the water. I was a little disappointed because I had high hopes for lots of pool time this summer. I gave it another shot though a few days later and she was a completely different person. She immediately waned to jump in on her own and wanted no help from me. She was all over the place and LOVED it! The next day I headed to Academy for a bunch of floatation devices....including her very own toddler life jacket that she picked out herself.

9. We have had a lot of people come look at the house lately. I hope someone makes an offer soon. D and I drove by the new lot a couple of days ago and they have started working on the foundation. It makes it all seem like we need to speed this house selling process up.

10. Addie lost her voice last Friday. It was so sad when she tried to talk and no sound came out. Dr. B said it was nothing to worry about though and that it was just a case of laryngitis that would clear up on its own. He was right, judging from last night's screaming session.

.

Ten on Tuesday

2010-06-15T07:19:00.000-07:00

So apparently I have been lacking once again on this blog thing. Since this week marks the first official week of my summer break, I decided to try to something new. Maybe if I have some type of weekly/daily theme it will make it easier to keep up with my blogging. Here it goes:

Ten on Tuesday

1. This is the first week of the summer that I get to spend with my baby girl until mid August. Gotta love the life of a teacher!

2. The tests results from my surgery came back yesterday.....the tumor was benign...YAY! I do not have to plan out my after-life haunting now!

3. Addison is OBSESSED with Elmo....she must say his name about 1,234,347 times a day.

4. After surgery I got hooked on reading some fashion/beauty blogs which talked about "haul" videos. I think this is crazy that people have this much time on their hands...but for some reason I can't stop watching them. Check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU8DJ89fZOs

5. Addie is starting to amaze me with the words and phrases she is learning. Yesterday she dropped her baby doll on the ground and looked at me and said, "No big deal." Then when we left the house she had to say bye to all her toys calling them by name..."Bye Elmo," "Bye Cookie Monster," "Bye Baby".....

6. We are getting so excited for our trip to Cali in a couple of weeks. I feel refreshed every time I go back there and we can't wait to meet the newest addition to the fam...Cousin James!

7. We had a fabulous visit from Aunt Jessica, Uncle Ernie, and Felicity 2 weeks ago. I wish we lived closer! Addie and City are so cute together and it melts your heart to see how much they love each other already!

8. Addison LOVES to dance. Every time she hears music she starts moving her shoulders and boucing her legs. She also knows how to "pop" her booty (she must have acquired that from her daddy). I need to post a video of it soon....it is hilarious. She also loves to sing along to songs...specifically Carrie Underwood's Cowboy Casanova and B.O.B.'s Airplanes.

9. Addison still has her shoe addiction and likes to change her footwear several times throughout the day. Before she left school this summer, her teacher told me that she liked to take the other kids shoes off of their feet and try them on. Kind of embarrassing...I know! She also will point out shoes if they are left unattended and try to swipe them....doesn't matter whose they are. She was constantly distracted in gymnastics because they make them go barefoot and everyones shoes were at the front of the gym. I have a feeling this could be an expensive interest in a few years!

10. I can't wait to spend the summer with Addie and all our friends! I am so happy Andrea and her kiddos will be in Austin....hopefully it will be for more than the summer!

Winter Happenings

2010-03-20T12:20:00.000-07:00

So I am not holding very true to my New Years resolution of keeping up with this blog....but resolutions are made to be broken, right?

We have have had an exciting winter at the Hodson house.

We started off the year with a trip to Las Vegas for one of our best friends 30th birthdays. It was a surprise for Allan and he had no idea Derek and I were coming. We had a blast hanging out for a few days....some days maybe a little bit too much fun!

February brought a winter wonderland to Austin for a couple of days, and we had good times playing in the snow and enjoying the cold for a change. We took Addison to Sesame Street Live and the girl LOVED it. She danced and sang along (as best she could) and would not stop smiling and laughing.

We also took our first trip out to Savannah to visit Mae Mae and Password. We had such a great time at the park, visiting the children's museum, going to the beach, and seeing the alligators at the crab shack. While our trip in Savannah was awesome....the plane ride was another story. Miss Addie is not a great traveler. I sure hope this changes soon.

We also had 2 new babies to visit. Our good friends Andy and Allyson, welcomed Graham Black Hoffman into their family, and Sloane Taylor Schwarz joined Katie, Rick and Finn. We could not be happier for them! They are the most adorable babies.

And other big news....Derek and I have decided to put our house up for sale and build in another neighborhood not too far from us now. Addison's toys have taken over our little home now and we thought it was time to upsize. Our house will be listed on Monday, so we have spent the last 2 weeks packing, painting, cleaning, and storing getting ready for our future buyers. Let's hope this process goes quickly.

Fa la la la la la la la late

2010-01-10T07:45:00.000-08:00

Sure it's almost three weeks late, but we're off to a new start right? So, what a better way to celebrate with pictures of our Christmas festivities.

On Christmas Eve, we went to our church service, picked up Jim from the airport, went to dinner at Jasper's, and then came home put on our PJ's and watched Four Christmases after Addison went to bed, while Derek and Jeff put together Addison's Power Wheels from Santa (Derek was a very good supervisor for this portion of the night).

Here's Addie sneaking a little peak at her gift from Sanata...she gets excited over any type of box these days!

Addison got us up early on Christmas morning, however she was not up for the paparazzi to greet her first thing.

She was so excited to come down stairs and see some of her new toys from Santa and Mae Mae. She wasn't to sure about the Power Wheels at first, but she was OBSESSED with all her new baby furniture and accessories. Addie spent the entire day putting her babies in the high chair, feeding them, taking them out of the high chair, putting them night night in their cradle, covering them up, patting them, and then doing it all over again. This girl is so spoiled, but she sure does love all her new things.

YaYa, PaPa, Aunt Jessica, Uncle Ernie, Felicity, and Uncle Butch all came over Christmas morning for breakfast. We had so much fun watching the girls play together. They love each other so much!

The breakfast casserole even turned out good this year!

Here is Uncle Butch with his gift from his girlfriend, Octomom....haha

Addie LOVED her new chair from YaYa and PaPa!

And, the adorable Felcity eating some breakfast

Overall, Christmas was wonderful. We got to spend time with the greatest people on earth-our family!

It's Your Birthday....

2010-01-03T06:01:00.000-08:00

go, go, go shorty...

it's your birthday...

we're gonna throw a luau party like...

it's your birthday...

we're gonna open lots and lots of presents like...

it's your birthday...

we're gonna have a limbo contest like...

it's your birthday!

Happy FIRST birthday Addison Kate! May your EVERY birthday be full of many sweet happy memories such as these.

And a big, huge, from the bottom of my heart thanks for all the friends and family that helped us celebrate with all the gifts, cards, calls, emails, hugs and kisses- this girl is SO blessed to have THIS much love in her life. I thank you ALL for loving us!

Note: Please insert this blog post between the last 2 posts. Addie's birthday was on October 1st and we celebrated with her party on October 3rd. Remember I have been lazy with the blog!

Resolution

2010-01-03T05:43:00.000-08:00

Excuse me just a second while I clear the cobwebs and dust from this little old blog....

In the world of blogging, I'm a lazy blogger. I have all of these fantastic ideas and funny stories I want so share, but when it comes down to it, I'm just too lazy to post about them. It's not until good friends like Andrea point out that I never posted Addison's 1st birthday pics and its been three and a half months since my last blog entry that I finally realize just how lazy I am. I do apologize for my laziness. I hope the two people who read this blog can find it in their hearts to forgive me.

So....

New Year's resolution #8 = keep up with the blog on a regular basis. Here's is to new beginnings!

Happy Birthday Mae Mae!

2009-09-14T04:45:00.000-07:00

We all love you very much and can't wait to see you in a few weeks!

A couple of things....

2009-09-13T16:06:00.001-07:00

Our blog has slipped into dangerously boring territory with the lack of frequency in posting and lack of substance to recent postings. Not to mention the lack of pictures of the more adorable by the day Addison. I know. I'll try harder.

We had an amazing second half of the summer, trying to make the most out of the hottest summer ever. Here is a recap in pictures.

A vacation in Corpus with the Braxdale's and Schwarz's:

A trip to Ft. Worth to see Amber and Doug:

Riding on YaYa's shoulder's at Olive Garden:

Playing with some of her favorite toys, Daddy's remotes and Mama's keys:

A fun trip to the Austin Children's Museum:

A photo shoot in luau gear for Addie's 1st birthday invite:

A trip to Dallas to visit Ben and Erin:

A day at the Circus:

Trying out some sloppy joes:

A visit from Felicity, Aunt Jessica, and Uncle Ernie in San Antonio with a trip to the Wildlife Center:

Welcome Baby Maddox

2009-09-09T19:04:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the world Maddox! On August 29, 2009 Maddox Alexander Braxdale arrived and we could not be happier for The Braxdale Family. He is perfect and we can't wait to get to know him even more. Congrats Allan, Andrea, and Aidan! We love you guys! I have more pics from visiting at the hospital, but I am behind on my downloading. Stay tuned for more pics to come!

10 Months Old!

2009-08-23T18:08:00.001-07:00

Before she turns 11 months in a few short days...I thought I would finally get around to posting Addie's 10 month pic which we took several weeks ago. I really can't believe how big she is getting. This has been such a fun month for us. The most exciting news is that she took her first few steps alone! We were shocked...Derek was on the phone and she wanted that phone and was going to get it! I will post more pics and details about our summer in the next few days!

Happy 1st Birthday Felicity!

2009-08-11T16:58:00.000-07:00

Our sweet niece Felicity turned one today! We can't believe it has been a year since we got the call that she had arrived. Happy Birthday Felicity....we love you so much and can't wait to see you in September!

9 Months Old

2009-07-22T09:51:00.001-07:00

Addison is 9 months old and getting SO big! Here's her stats from her 9 month check up with the doc:

Length 27.75 in (55%)
Weight 18lb 2oz (38%)
Head Circumference 43 cm (50%)

Laughing at Daddy

2009-07-09T13:37:00.000-07:00

Summertime and the livin's easy.......

2009-07-09T07:26:00.003-07:00

I LOVE LOVE LOVE being able to enjoy the summer with my baby girl. We started off the summer with 2 fun visits. Aunt Shirley and Uncle Jim came to visit from California and then Jessica, Ernie, and Felicity visited on Memorial Day weekend. Addison just adored her cousin! Derek and I had everyone, including several friends, over for a day of grilling, mingling, and redneck golf. It was lots of fun!

Uncle Jim and Addie

Aunt Shirley and Addie playing with her favorite green frog pillow....thanks Aunt Shirley....she loves it!!!

Our beautiful niece Felicity

Redneck golf at its finest

Addison and Felicity playing with the ball popper

Uncle Butch with the girls

Aunt Jessica, Addison, Daddy, and Felicity having some fun!

Katie with Addie and Finn

Jessica and Ernie...we miss you guys!

Addie also had her first trip the beach in June. Derek and I packed up for the weekend and headed to Galveston. Addison loved the beach. She had fun playing with her beach toys and bouncing up and down in the water when the waves crashed in. We took her to the Rainforest Cafe while we were there too. She was amazed by all the animals around her, especialy the butterfly next to our table. On the way home we stopped in Houston to visit our good friends from college, Terry and Brittney, and see their beautiful new house. We are going back to the beach next weekend with the Braxdale's and Schwarz's...this time to Padre Island. We can't wait!

Other than trips and visits, Addison and I have spent our time at the pool, shopping, napping, and hanging out with friends. Andrea and Aidan are here in Austin for a few weeks, so we have been spending lots of time with them and Katie and Finn. We can't wait for them to move back to Austin for good (hint, hint).
The hippo pool that Addison just loves to play in....

Playing with the water spout at the Farmer's Market with Finn

Exhausted after some pool time...she fell asleep in the car and when I layed her down she didn't budge and passed out just like this!

Happy Father's Day to the BEST Daddy EVER!

2009-06-21T17:46:00.001-07:00

Ding Ding Goes the Trolley

2009-06-18T18:02:00.000-07:00

Derek and I just returned from a vacay in San Francisco. My mom, Mae Mae, flew in to watch Addison, while Derek and I enjoyed 4 days of "grown-up" time. We had a fabulous time, but could not wait to return home to see the princess.

Day 1

We got into San Fran pretty early and checked into our hotel, which was in Union Square aka downtown San Francisco. We were right across the street from the biggest mall I have ever seen (I was in heaven) and right next to the cable car route. We learned pretty early that all the tourist wait in line for the cable car at the "turn-around" and that by walking just one block up we could jump on the cable cars as we choose. D and I waited in line for about 45 minutes the first time before discovering this. After that, you would have thought we were old pros hopping on and off as we saw fit. The weather was a big adjustment for us. It stayed right between 50 and 60 degrees the entire time we there. Coming from 100+ weather in Austin, we were quite shell shocked. So back to our first day...we hopped on the trolley after waiting quite some time, and made our way down to Fisheman's Wharf. We stopped and ate pizza from a street side vendor, walked down Pier 39 checking out of the fun shops, restaurants, and adorable sea lions, and then relaxed with a glass of wine at a local wine store. After Fisherman's wharf we headed to Chinatown to check out the sites and sampled some dim sum (delicious). We were pretty wiped out after Chinatown, so we made our way back to the hotel for a quick nap and then got ready for dinner in North Beach (the Italian area of San Fran). On our way to North Beach we walked down Lombard Street (known as the "The Crookedest Street". We ate dinner at the Manga Rose and it was the best food I have had in a long time...I completely recommend this place if you are in the area. After dinner, we decided to make it a long night by getting some drinks at a local hangout, called the Gold Dust. Derek and I had fun mingling with the locals, listening to live music, and enjoying each others company.

Riding the BART from the airport to check into the hotel

The cable car "turn-around" where all the tourists wait to get on

Warming up with some coffee while waiting in line

Finally on the cable car

Of course we needed a pic like this!

Painted men and D at Fisherman's Wharf

The seals on Pier 39

Ghiradelli Square

Chinatown

The top of Lombard Street

View from the bottom of Lombard Street

The Gold Dust

Having some cocktails at The Gold Dust

Day 2

We started off our second day in by heading down to Fisherman's Wharf and having breakfast at the Bueno Vista Cafe. Derek jump started his day with an irish coffee, and was very surprised to find that whiskey was involved in the drink. After a night at the Gold Dust, I am not too sure it was a pleasant surprise. After that we rented bikes and biked 8 miles, along the bay, across the Golden Gate Bridge, and then down into Sausalito, where we later rode the Ferry back to the city. The ride was awesome and the views were amazing. When we got into Sausalito we had lunch at a local hamburger joint, did some shopping for Addie in boutiques along the waterfront, and the headed back on the Ferry. We got back to Union Square in the late afternoon, and decided to go watch The Hangover, upon the recommendation of numerous friends.....it was HILARIOUS and is definitely a "must-see". After the movie we picked up some sandwiches and headed back to the hotel for an early night.

The start of our biking adventure

Half way up the BIG hill before the bridge

Nice view of the Golden Gate Bridge

D and I in front of the bridge

Yummy burgers in Sausalito

View of Sausalito on the Ferry

View on San Fran from the Ferry

View of Alcatraz from the Ferry

Day 3

The tour bus arrived at our hotel bright and earlier to take us to Muir Woods, a national park filed with Redwoods or Coastal Sequoia trees. These trees were the biggest, tallest trees we have ever seen. They were beautiful. I felt like I was in fairy tale land walking around the park. After Muir Woods, the bus took us back to Sausalito, where we had lunch at the well-known Scoma's Seafood. This would have to be my 2nd favorite place we ate. As we ate, I noticed a bunch of employees from the restaurant next to us looking down at the water. We got up to check it out, and it was the cutest little baby seal, who had been abandoned by it's mother. The restaurant called the rescue services, but the seal was fun to look at in the interim. After lunch, we headed back on the Ferry again and relaxed at the hotel for a bit. Later that afternoon, we boarded another Ferry, this time headed for Alcatraz. Derek was SO excited! I will have to say that is was a VERY interesting tour. We got to walk around the island, and took a very informative guided tour inside the prison. After the tour we listened to a talk about Al Capone and then boarded the boat back to the city.

On the tour bus headed to Muir Woods

Pictures from inside Muir Woods

Eating lunch at Scoma's in Sausalito

Abondoned baby seal

View of Sausalito

Another view of Sausalito from the Ferry

"The Rock"

Pictures from our tour of Alcatraz

Day 4

We woke up and decided to visit the Ferry Building, which is a gourmet food marketplace and a farmer's market some days. We then headed bak to Chinatown, so Derek could buy some authentic chopsticks and browse some more shops. After Chinatown, we decided to do even a little more browsing/shopping and spent some time at the stores in Union Square. Derek was not used to all of this shopping, so we headed back to the hotel for another afternoon nap. After resting a bit, we headed back to North Beach (this was one of our favorite areas of San Fran). On the way, we stopped at Top of the Mark, a martini bar with one of the best views in the city. We ate dinner at a small restaurant and then went to another outdoor Italian bistro for wine and dessert.

The entrance gate of Chinatown

Pics of the view of San Fran from the Top of the Mark

View of the Coit Tower in North Beach

8 Months Old!

2009-06-18T17:35:00.000-07:00

So I am incredibly late posting this month...we have been SO very busy this month with work and vacation (I will post about that shortly). Addison is growing like a weed, and not just in size but even more in personality. She LOVES to talk and is constantly babbling and screaming. She has learned to say "Dadda" and is working on "Momma." She loves looking at pictures and squealing at all of the faces she sees, especially her cousin Felicity. Addie has also learned all kind of tricks the past few weeks. She knows how to clap, shake her head no, stick her tongue out and spit making all kinds of noises, holler like a indian (where you tap your hand against your mouth), give high fives, climb our stairs all by herself (with supervision of course), and she loves dancing with Momma every morning (she gets so excited when any type of music of comes on). Addison just recently become very into the Holy Baby DVD and just can't control her excitement when she hears the music and sees the little nun dancing on the screen. She has also learned to drink out of a sippy cup and has become obsessed with water. She loves to drink from regular cups and if you have a drink of water around her she will throw a pretty big fit until you give it to her. Addie is not a vegetable eater....in fact, all she really likes is fruit. Derek calls her a Fruitarian because she is not satisfied until she gets her serving of fruit at each meal. She has started eating all kinds of real fruit and seems to like it all. Addison has also developed into quite the night-time sleeper, which is quite a feat seeing that she was.the.WORST at this a couple of months ago. She usually sleeps from about 7:00 to 6:30. Nap-time is a different story altogether. Everyday is unpredictable. We are working on that! Our monthly photo sessions are not getting any easier either (see previous 7 month post). For Addison's 8th month picture we discovered that tapping the sign to the wall was the only way to distract her from wanting to devour the sign. I fear by her 12 month picture rope and duct tape may have to be involved.

Addison is truly the light of our lives. She makes us laugh and smile on a daily basis. She is the sweetest and happiest little girl and also has that fiesty side to her that we love so much.

Milestones.

2009-05-18T08:29:00.000-07:00

Things Addison can do:
•Sit up
•Crawl
•Stand for a few minutes with assistance
•Stand without assistance if leaning on something for support
•Pull herself up on pretty much any object to a standing position (she especially likes her crib and the coffee table for this)
•If you hold your hands out, she will grab onto them and pull herself up with little to no effort on your part - she does most of the work.
•Hold her own bottle
•Hold items – like teethers, toys, cell phones, remote controls, anything that sparkles or makes noise…..
•Put her feet in her mouth
•She knows her name and will turn in your direction when you call her name or speak to her.
•She follows you with her head/eyes when you enter and leave a room.
•She hasn't started saying words yet, but she does babble, growl, gurgle, inhale and squeak quite a bit. Recently, she has also started hissing…something like a vampire!
•She smiles at herself in the mirror.
•She can wave her hand, although I don’t think she knows what it means.
•Sleep through the night!!! 7pm to 7am (This has only happened about 5 times…..but it is great!!!)
•She can ride in a shopping cart and sit in a high chair now.
•She's eating between 24 - 36 oz./day and eating solids for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
•Solids she has eaten - sweet potatoes, bananas, pears, peas, applesauce, prunes, squash, carrots, rice cereal, oatmeal, and puffs.
•Favorite solids: Pears, prunes, and puffs
•Least favorite solids: peas and carrots
•I love her.

7 Months Old!

2009-05-13T16:42:00.000-07:00

Since I am a fantastic mother who always gives 110% (wink wink), I've been taking monthly photos of Addison to document her growth. I edit most of the photos I put out to all you peeps and save the little FAIL gems all for myself. Tonight's photo session was incredibly FAIL worthy and too funny to keep all to myself. So without further a-do (is that how you spell it?) here is a display of Addison's anti photo rebellion from start to finish.

Mission 1: Grab paper as soon as mom puts it down

Mission 2: Take exactly one good picture

Mission 3: Destroy the paper

Mission 4: Get mom to put me back on the couch

Mission 5: Throw a tantrum, pull down my headband, and get rid of the paper

Mission 6: Eat couch pillow

Mission 7: Let everyone know how tasty the couch pillow was

Mission 8: Nibble the end of the sign

Mission 9: Throw sign away - not as tasty as the pillow

Mission 10: Show mom my belly has no more room for pillows or paper

Mission 11: Avoid the camera...no more pictures please!

Mission 12: Give the paper one more try

Mission 13: Destroy the remains of the paper

This was the last picture...mission accomplished!

A Fabulous Mother's Day!

2009-05-13T04:42:00.000-07:00

I have to brag for a minute that I really do have a wonderful husband. My first Mother's day this year was perfect! It all started by getting up, feeding Addison, and going for a nice morning walk on the newly connected Brushy Creek Trail in our neighborhood. The weather was perfect in the morning and it felt great to be outside. We came home got ready for church and headed out the door. After church, Derek made reservations at Stubb's for the their Gospel Brunch (something I have been wanting to try for a while now). It was terrific! Great food, entertaining music, and even a "make your own bloody mary bar!" Addison LOVED the music and kept trying to look over the balcony toward the stage as she banged her hands on the table to the beat, kind of. After brunch, Derek and I vowed never to eat again...ha! We headed to the mall so that I could get a couple links taken out of the watch that D and Addie gave me for Mother's Day. After that, we pooled it up....Addison's first time. She loved the water, and loved splashing....but didn't love splashing herself in the face. If only she could have figured out that banging your hands in the water would lead to a face full of water. Even so....she loved it...and that made me very happy, as I will be spending much of the summer there! After the pool, we were all pretty exhausted so we headed home. Addison had dinner and passed out. Derek and I watched our Sunday night TV shows, drank a glass of wine, and passed out too! Thank you husband....you really are the BEST!

Thank you Mel!

2009-05-02T09:59:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much Melissa for taking such beautiful pictures of Addie! You are amazing!

Bluebonnets

2009-04-08T17:57:00.000-07:00

Addison had her first trip to see the Bluebonnets last week. We went to one of many fields in the neighborhood of my school and had lots of fun taking pictures. Addison was loving the flowers...she kept trying to pull them up. I guess if she is already breaking laws, we're in trouble!

Happy Half Year of Life Turtle!

2009-04-07T18:31:00.000-07:00

Miss Addison, 6 months old....

How can it be that half a year has past since she was brand new to this world?

"They" told us it would go by quickly. But your never prepared for how quickly your baby grows up. She sits, she rolls, she crawls, she babbles...and each day she find some new way to make us realize how incredibly blessed we are to be her parents.

Happy Birthday Katie!

2009-03-31T15:20:00.001-07:00

We hope you have the best birthday ever! Love ya!

Updated Blog Finally!

2009-03-18T08:36:00.000-07:00

I spent some time updating the blog this morning because I have been slacking off a little lately. I posted 3 new entries. Look for more at the end of the week!

First Days of Spring Break

2009-03-18T08:16:00.000-07:00

Daddy and his girl before church

This week is my spring break and Derek took off the week also, so we could spend some quality time together. We have had a great start to the week. On Sunday, we went to church, stimulated the economy (as Derek would say) by doing a little shopping, and then spent the afternoon at the park. Addison had her first ride in her stroller without the carrier...and LOVED it! She is such an active little girl and liked having the freedom of moving around more and sitting up to look at what is going on around her.

I will post another Spring Break 2009 update at the end of the week.

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Lovin' Rice Cereal!

2009-03-18T07:52:00.000-07:00

Night 2

"Loading the Canon"

Last week I went to pick Addison up from her day care and her teacher asked me if we had started Addie on cereal. We had been waiting until she could finish 32 - 36 ounces of her bottles each day, and she hadn't gotten there yet, but she was getting close. Her teacher told me that she thought she was ready, so after talking to Daddy about it, we decided to start our spring break off with Addison first taste of rice cereal.

She could not get enough of it! As soon as we would take the spoon out of her mouth, she would dive with her whole head toward the spoon because the cereal wasn't coming fast enough. When the spoon finally made it back into her mouth, she had to make sure the food was there to stay by inserting her 3 middle fingers into her mouth and pushing it back as far as it would go. Derek now calls this "loading her canon." Addison then decided that diving toward the spoon wasn't enough and began pounding both of her fists on the tray of the high chair demanding more. The whole debacle was very entertaining. Needless to say, Addison and the high chair were completely covered in cereal. Both of them received a bath immediately following the meal. Night 2 was just as entertaining!

5 Months Old

2009-03-18T07:07:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I realize we are already over half way through the month and in just a couple of weeks our turtle will be 6 months old...but for right now, she is still 5 months old and I figured better late than never, right? The picture is actually of her AT 5 months.

Addison has already changed so much from the quiet, calm baby we brought home five months ago. She is on the move - scooting across the room, rolling from one end of the crib to the other and back again, and making some very conscious efforts in the crawling department. She is not quite there yet, but has come breathtakingly close to putting the knee and arm action together and taking right off. YIKES! She sleeps recklessly now, never sleeping in one position for too long and always awakening on the other side of the crib.

The 5 month marker brought on her first little tantrum....yes, already...and all over an olive jar! As I was making dinner several nights ago, Derek was holding "the turtle" in his lap on one of the stools in the kitchen. I had emptied the olives into the strainer and put the jar on the counter in front of them. Addison could not get enough of the big, heavy, shiny glass jar and Derek played along for a few minutes holding it in front of her and letting her touch and grab at it. When play time was over, Derek put the jar back down on the counter, out of her reach....and her first tantrum began. She started crying and banging her hands on the counter because she could not have the jar any more. I never knew that an olive jar would have such a big impact on a 5 month old!

But the most fun has been watching her sweet little personality grow - hearty giggles and smiles and curious expressions. Taking her places and seeing her smile brightly for strangers that say hello. Hearing that addictive and endlessly entertaining giggle. Holding her in the evenings, as she snuggles in closer with contentment on her sleepy face. Knowing that the girl we put to bed won't be the same girl who wakes up - each day she rises with some unfamiliar noise, some developing skill, and a little something new to keep us on our toes.

2009-02-25T16:46:00.000-08:00

In January, Addison got to meet her cousin, Felicity, for the very first time. Melissa took some amazing pictures of them together!

Addie Laughs!

2009-02-10T18:40:00.000-08:00

Derek took this video on his phone tonight when Addison was getting ready for bed. So happy!

4 Months Old!

2009-02-04T18:23:00.000-08:00

Well, first and foremost, things with little Addison are stupendous. Wonderful. Amazing. She is such an incredible little baby and I treasure every day we have together. It is such an experience to see how she changes by the day, what she learns, and how she grows. Or rather, how we grow together. It's true. I learn more about her every day, which changes how we handle things - what kind of schedule to put in place, what amuses her, when she gets tired/hungry/bored. She change so much too! Her random smiles have turned into real responses...she loves funny faces and funny voices. When she wakes up in the morning or from a nap and is refreshes, she is so proud of herself and can't stop smiling.

We celebrated her 4 month birthday on Sunday! She wasn't much in the mood for pictures, but she alllowed us one behind the scenes shot.

On Monday, Addison had her 4 month check up. She weighed in at 13 pounds 9 ounces (40%), measured 24.25 inches (75%) and her head has certainly grown to a whopping 40.25 inches (60%). I can't believe how much she has grown!

Happy Big 3 - 0 Andrea!

2009-01-25T17:17:00.001-08:00

Today is Addison's Godmother, Andrea, and one of our very best friend's 30th birthday! We had a fun-filled weekend helping Andrea celebrate the big event. Last night, Allan, threw Andrea a fabulous party at Bestsy's Bar in downtown Austin. We had such a great time! Happy birthday Andrea....we love you!!!

Happy Birthday YaYa!

2009-01-25T17:12:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday YaYa! We hope you have a wonderful day! We all love you very much!!

Happy Birthday Aunt Jessica!

2009-01-16T15:28:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, was the best sister-in-law EVER's birthday! We hope you had a fabulous day Jessica and can't wait to see you on Sunday! Happy Birthday...we love you!!!

Happy Birthday Allan!

2009-01-14T20:05:00.000-08:00

Today is Addison's Godfather and one of our best friends, Allan's, birthday! We all wish you the best birthday ever!!

Christmas Update

2009-01-05T10:24:00.000-08:00

We had a fabulous Christmas this year...and having Addison here made it that more special for us. My mom (now known as Mae Mae) and Jim flew in on the 20th and were able to stay with us until the 29th. It was so much fun to have them here and Addison loved every second of it! On Christmas Eve, we all headed to the candlelight service at church and then went out for a yummy dinner at Z Tejas. Afterwards, we came home and all opened up one gift, put on our new PJs, and watched It's a Wonderful Life. On Christmas morning, we all woke up pretty early to eat breakfast and open presents. Let me just say that Addison is one spoiled little girl. She was definitely the winner in the present contest this year. She got so many fun toys and super cute clothes. Needless to say, she is very easy to entertain with all her loot. YaYa, PaPa, Great-MiMi, and Butch all came up on Christmas afternoon for an early dinner. It was so much fun to have everyone over to the house! Our Christmas celebration is still not over though. In a couple of weeks, Jessica, Ernie, and Felicity will be flying in from Pittsburgh for Felicity's first visit to Texas. We can't wait!

Happy girl in her 1st Christmas hat
Momma and Addison
Addison looking silly in a way too big bow I bought
The family on Christmas Eve
Addison is not too excited about all the picture taking
Derek and Jeff in the annual Christmas PJ pose
Mae Mae, Jim, and Addison in their PJ's
Great MiMi and Addison
The Hodson fam
Such a pretty girl!
Mae Mae playing with Addie in her excersaucer
Addison's favorite toy so far is the sun.

Addison was a trooper being dragged all over town!
She loves her new bumbo chair from Mae Mae!

Addison is 3 Months Old!

2009-01-02T17:22:00.000-08:00

We really can't believe that our little "turtle" is already 3 months old. We have had an incredible journey with her so far.......(check back soon for the Christmas update - I am a little behind).

Addison's Baptism

2008-12-21T14:37:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful day it was! Addison was baptized into the Catholic church on Sunday, December 21, 2008. Our friends and family came to celebrate with us as our daughter received her first sacrament. Addison did so well through the baptism - not one cry. She just stared at her Godmother, Andrea, as the Deacon poured water over head three times, as her Godfather, Allan, held her. It was so sweet to see her looking intently at them as he initiated her.

After the ceremony, we all headed back to our house for some fajitas. Never had we had that many people in our house at one time. Addison got so many presents, too. They were all beautiful. Thank you to everyone who came - Derek and I are so grateful to have friends and family that love our daughter as much as we do.

Happy Birthday Daddy!

2008-12-16T10:57:00.000-08:00

Today is Derek's birthday...the big 28! We did most of our celebrating on Friday night during his surprise party we had at the house. Derek was SO surprised...it was great! Andrea and Allan came in from San Antonio earlier in the day to help me get set up. Allan met Derek at work and distracted him with a couple of drinks while we waited for everyone else to get there. Katie and Rick made the trip from Dallas, and a bunch of our friends here in Austin all came to celebrate. We had such a great time with everyone, and are thankful to have such great friends. Today, Addison and I are going to visit Daddy at work and then come home and make his favorite dinner...meatloaf muffins. Happy Birthday Derek aka Daddy! We love you very much and are so thankful for you each and every day!

Happy Birthday PaPa!

2008-12-15T11:06:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday PaPa! We hope you have a wonderful day! We all love you very much!

Santa Claus is Coming to Town...

2008-12-07T16:56:00.001-08:00

2 Months Old

2008-12-02T13:52:00.000-08:00

Wow...how time flys! It is hard to believe that yesterday our little girl was already 2 months old. We celebrated her birthday by a trip to the pediatrician for her first round of shots. You would think that some high contrast flash cards or sock monkey would be a better way to mark the occasion, but instead we rewarded her robust health with three needle pokes and a squirt of something vaguely sweet but not quite right. Addison was a trooper. Her daddy held her and she fell asleep a couple minutes afterwards. Addison weighed in at 10 pounds 10 ounces and 23.5 inches long. Both of these are in the 50th percentile for kiddos her age. Her head on the other hand measured in the 25th percentile. Seems like she got Daddy's genes in that arena. Addison was a little under the weather for the rest of the day and we spent the day at home resting, napping, and cuddling.

Addison also had her first official meeting with Santa. She was not quite sure about the man in the big red suit, but we managed to get one cute picture of the two of them. As most of you all already know....I am obsessed with all things Christmas. I am SO excited to share this holiday season with Addison. Last Sunday, Jeff came over to help Derek with the lights outside of the house. It was Derek's goal to "Griswald" the house. They spent ALL day outside...and I must say, our house really puts me in the Christmas mood. Derek and I also put up the Christmas tree and decorations inside the house. Addison is amazed by the lights on the tree. She loves to stare at it, kick her legs, and make noises....it is just so cute!

We took our first overnight road trip to San Antonio for Thanksgiving. We had a great time visiting with Grandma and Grandad Wichlep. Addison was in good spirits and gave us tons of those precious smiles the whole time we were there. After visiting the grandparents, we headed over to the Braxdale's for the night. It was a full house with Andrea, Allan, Aidan, Derek, Addison, Me, a cat named Cheetoh, and our dog Hailey. We had a great time with them! Andrea and I woke up at 4:15 on Friday to make our annual Black Friday shopping trip and the guys stayed behind to play daddy care.

Here are a couple pics of our sweet girl in all her smiles...we just can't get enough! Happy 2 Months Baby Girl!!!

Week 6 Update

2008-11-16T06:31:00.000-08:00

So we are officially 6 weeks old. In week 7 of life. It's funny - you count weeks of pregnancy in the same manner, and you just can't wait (or at least I couldn't) to stop thinking in terms of weeks, and then here we go again! LOL. Well, simply said, the first 6 weeks of pregnancy are a breeze....you don't even know you are pregnant! The first 6 weeks of a baby are a whole other story.

Addison has been doing really well. We have come across some "developmental" or "growth" issues that you read about. Cluster feeding, growth spurts, baby acne, day and night reversal, just to name a few. It's a fun business, let me tell you.

Addison and I have really become much more active. I was getting SO antsy and to be totally honest - depressed at being SUCH a homebody. Well getting out of the house took some transition - getting comfortable with it, building confidence, and so on and so forth. But you'd see us now and you'd think we've been doing this stuff for years! It has made me so much more content :)

So, I've been doing well, despite the cold I caught from Derek last week. Luckily, it seems that Addison managed to escape being sick, except for minor congestion. Last night was my first night alone with her and I now realize in retrospect that was the main source of my anxiety last week. See, it's not that I don't get up with her during the night. Derek usually feeds her a bottle (twice) and puts her to bed so that I can run to sleep around 9 or 1o and catch a few hours of sleep before she gets up around 2 for her night feedings (and I do mean that as plural). Once the night feedings start, it's all me. Makes sense - I've got the boobs, right? And I'm not working now, so I don't expect Derek to fuss over her all night. But I think it's just the security of knowing your husband is there...that you are not alone, that makes the difference. Anyway, I was SO worried about how she was going to be last night. All of a sudden I start doubting my ability to soothe her or be able to handle the situation. I know it will get easier as I get more practice, but we're still at the start line.

Anyhow, they say that at the newborn stage, sleep begets sleep. The more little ones sleep during the day, the more they sleep at night. Seems counter-intuitive for us adults, but for wee ones, that's the way it is. So as soon as Derek left yesterday morning, I took a deep breath, and said it was my mission to get this little one to nap really well. Just sleeeeep away! And that she did! The girl was out like a light. She would wake up to eat, and then go back down.

Last night, she went down around 10:45. I took deep belly breaths, hoping it would lure me into a sleep. Eventually it did. Little Addison decided to get up at 1am. Oh great I thought - here we go. I nursed her and she was out in a minute. Then she was up again at 2:00. Ack! Nursed her again (for longer), and changed her, and put her back down. She was out right away. Didn't get up again until 5:30 am. Score! Fed her again, changed her, and she went back to sleep until 8am! I was so, so relieved and happy. Granted, I was still groggy, but I brought her into bed with me and we snuggled a bit before heading downstairs.

Now, Addison is chillin' in her swing, daddy is in Pittsburgh at sweet Felicity's baptism, and my plan for today is just enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

1 Month Old

2008-11-03T14:20:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that Addison is already 1 month old! As you can imagine, this month has been very challenging for us, but so wonderful at the same time. We have been slowly adjusting to our new sleep schedule, which right now is pretty much non-existent. Derek is becoming a pro at getting Addison to sleep in her bassinett, but I on the other hand fail at almost every attempt and she usually winds up sleeping on my stomach instead. She is just beginning to smile, which to us to just the greatest thing. My heart melts every time she does.

Our baby girl....

2008-10-24T18:43:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday of this week, Addison was 3 weeks old. I can't believe how fast the time has gone by, but at the same time can't imagine life without her either. She makes us laugh everyday with her funny faces and developing personality. Here are couple of the fabulous pictures Melissa took of our our baby girl in her 2 week. To see more, visit www.iheartphotos.com, under proofing, and use "Addison Kate" for the password.

The Fabulous Work of Melissa Cole

2008-10-14T06:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, one of our very good friends, who just happens to be an amazing photographer, stopped by the house for Addison's first photo shoot. I know the pictures are going to be absolutely perfect! I will post those pictures when we get them back. In the mean time, visit her at www.iheartphotos.com to see the rest of her work. Melissa also took Maternity pictures of me at the beginning of September. They turned out wonderful!! Take a look......

Addison Kate Hodson is Here!!

2008-10-04T18:18:00.000-07:00

Click this link to see all the birth pictures

Hello everyone! We had a very long, wonderful, exciting and tiring last four days. We have a new addition to our family now. Addison has already brought us so much joy. We will have longer blogs coming with more details but I just wanted to share some pictures as soon as possible. Enjoy.

Addison Kate Hodson:

Born - October 1st, 2008

Time - 7:54 pm

Weight - 7 pounds 2 ounces

Length - 19 inches long

Hobbies - Making funny faces, eating, sleeping, and keeping Mommy and Daddy from sleeping.

Birthday in Bed

2008-09-16T07:14:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday. Normally I would be excited and looking forward to a month of celebration (I happen to celebrate my birthday for a month. I recommend you do it too!). But, since I can't really go anywhere for a while, here's a list of the things I wish I could be doing instead:

1. Getting a fantastic massage, then a manicure and pedicure so I can be relaxed, refreshed, and feel great about my freshly painted toes.

2. Having a mini-vacation at the beach, enjoying the cool breeze and warm sun, while sipping on a fun fruity drink (the virgin version of course).

3. Going on a fun shopping trip, picking up a cute dress.

4. Trying my luck at the tables in Vegas, and staying at a fabulous hotel.

5. Watching and listening to a fun summer concert.

6. Spending time with my family and friends, and maybe repeating the craziness of last year's birthday!

7. Enjoying a romantic dinner with my amazing hubby, complete with a sparkling drink and a decadent dessert.

I think this would be a month well-spent. A girl can dream, yes?

Addison's Baby Room

2008-09-13T21:35:00.000-07:00

We've been working on the baby's room and still have a couple of finishing touches to make. Here are some pictures of how it looks so far. Enjoy!

Couch Adventures - An Intro

2008-09-13T06:33:00.000-07:00

Starting at 33 weeks, my doctor became more concerned about my high blood pressure. At first we thought of it as "White Coat Syndrome" because of my anxiety of stepping foot into any doctor's office. After running several tests, I was prescribed complete bed rest at 34 weeks, having been diagnosed with either pre-eclampsia or chronic hypertension. In any case, baby Addison will most likely make an appearance sooner, rather than later, as they are now planning to induce me at 37 or 38 weeks....YIKES!

And so, my couch adventures begin.

Shower Fun!

2008-08-18T20:51:00.000-07:00

The past 2 weekends have been busy ones here at the Hodson house. Here is the run down:

On August 9, our friends Erica and Shay, Julie and Mario, Sarah and Andy, and Amber threw us a couples shower at Sarah and Andy's house in Salado. We had such a great time and everything looked perfect! Not to mention, we received some pretty fabulous gifts that I am sure Addison will love! It was great to spend time with the Killeen crew, their parents, and our families.

The following weekend, on August 16, Andrea, Katie, Melissa, and Mitzi threw me an amazing shower in Austin. I really do have the best friends EVER.....it was awesome! These girls went above and beyond and everything looked SO cute and sassy (that's for you Andrea). I think we pretty much have about everything we need for the little one! Derek had a fun filled day as well! Allan organized a "manly" day for all the guys, filled with golf and a fantasy football draft at the Hoffman's. Derek said he had "an awesome time!" I will post pictures of the guy's day as soon as Jeff sends them to me.
Thank you to all our amazing friends who made this time so special for us. We love you!!

Welcome Felicity Abagail Larson

2008-08-15T06:55:00.000-07:00

We are SOOOOO excited that on August 11 our beautiful niece Felicity arrived! We can't wait to meet her and know that she and Addison will have so much fun together! Congrats Jessica and Ernie....in Derek's words, "you guys did some great baby-making!" We love you all!!

Born on: August 11, 2008 12:47 am

Length: 20 inches

Weight: 7 lbs 13 oz

Shower Time in California

2008-07-30T09:55:00.000-07:00

My amazing Aunt Shirley, Aunt Sharon, and cousin Allison threw a fabulous shower for us July 20. The house looked amazing, the food was yummy, and of course, the company was fantastic! Thanks to everyone who made it out! I truly appreciate it! It was a blast!

Aunt Sharon and Aunt Shirley
Katie and Mom

Allison, Alex, Kristen, Aunt Sharon, and Mimi

Leah. Aunt Sally, Allison and the girls...too cute!

New Car!

2008-07-27T17:25:00.000-07:00

The days of driving the old Dodge Stratus have come to an end. My brother in law, Butch, flew in from Florida for a visit and on Saturday helped us buy my new MDX. We are really excited...take a look!

Shout out to Butch for handling the negotiations. Thank you Butch!

The Adventures of the Hodson House

2008-07-26T06:27:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I finally got roped into this blogging thing after my dear friend Andrea said that "EVERYONE in 2008" was doing it. I think that it will be a great way of keeping everyone up to date on all the adventures to come here at the Hodson House, especially with so many family and friends living so far away.

So here goes a quick update, as most of you already know....

We are expecting our first baby girl in October....Addison Kate Hodson! Life seems like it has been a whirlwind these past few months. Derek and I took a trip out to Savannah to visit my Mom and Jim in June and in July I went to Dallas for a week for a school conference and just got back from visiting my wonderful family in California, where my Aunt Shirley and Aunt Sharon threw our very first baby shower. In between all the traveling, we have been working on the nursery (slowly...I might add). Right now we have it painted and that is about it. Derek has been busy at work, running his branch. He was promoted several months ago to Branch Manager and manged to score a branch about 5 minutes from the house. I go back to school August 18, so I only have a few more weeks of summer left. I must also mention, Hailey Jade, our sweet dog. She has been enjoying a life of leisure while barking at any moving animal on the TV. I am a little nervous that this new skill she has acquired will become a big problem once the baby arrives....so she may be headed to boot camp (aka Derek's parents house).

So there it is.....Enjoy the blog and check back often for updates!