Neglect.

It is pretty unbelievable that it has been 8 months since my last post. I think back to July and it seems like time has completely flown by in a whirlwind. So many things are the same, yet I feel like our family has gone through a plethora of changes with many more on the horizon. First and foremost, I feel like a ticking time bomb. It was about two weeks after my last post that I found out that- SURPRISE, I was pregnant and now here I sit with less than a week from my due date, just waiting for little Luke to arrive. We are completely excited to have this third little boy and are anxious to add him in amongst the chaos and wildness we already experience. I have loved being the mother of boys- we never have a dull moment around our house and Hudson and Tate have brought us so much happiness. In addition to this third child, we found out Tim was accepted into the Periodontic Residency here at Pitt, back in September- so we will be Pittsburgers for another three years after he graduates in May.... seven years in Pittsburgh. If you would have told me that it was going to play out like this when we first moved here- I would have thought you were crazy, but we love Pittsburgh and it was definitely our first choice to stay. This, plus the need for a third bedroom, prompted the move we made in October to an actual house!! It has been heaven.....finally I feel like we have some space and can actually breathe. The boys love having their spaces to play, ride their bikes and escape outside. I, of course, love all these things as well.

Anyway, life is busy but so good. I keep thinking I will catch up and post on the past 8 months, but I think I am giving up on that thought..... so onto better days of blogging. Hopefully I will do better.

Here are some recent pics of the boys that I took back in December. It is still crazy to think that we will have one more tagging along here in a few days..... and yes, I am ready to be done:)

Dental Campout 2009

We recently went camping with a bunch of our friends from the dental school. We had a great time and camped at a new place in Keystone State Park. Our campsite was beautiful and sat right on the edge of the lake where Hudson was able to fish all morning long. He is getting quite good, and is able to cast, snag, and reel in the fish all by himself. He still is not quite comfortable getting the fish off the hook, but he LOVES fishing. He caught about 20 fish that morning and he could not stop talking about it. It has been so fun to see him get into it. He are a few highlights of our trip.

A nice, peaceful nap in the woods.....

And Tate didn't like it. Really, he did sleep, but was not excited about being in the
tree cave when he woke up.

As you can see, our camp was not exactly organized.

My Name is Hudson and I Like to Party.......

Literally. So Hudson is a big three year old. I can hardly believe it and I don't have any idea where all the time has gone, but my little boy who was just a baby two minutes ago is now a "big boy". We have been through quite the adventure so far with daily ups and downs, but I love this little man more than I could ever conceive. He means the world to me and with being my first child, I can contribute the immense joy I have in being a mother and also the gallons (seriously probably buckets) of tears shed out of frustration, and happiness of course...but mostly frustration:) But all in all he is such a light to our home and definitely exudes an energy that could not come from anyone else. We love him with everything we have.

Here is the highlight of the day....or as Tim termed it the "birthday week". It really was ridiculous how much fun he had this year. I don't think next year will be quite so extravagant, but he was due for something since last year was a cake, period. Get ready, there are A LOT of pictures.

Hudson sporting his new bike, "The Gravel Blaster"

















First time ever at Chucky Cheese. He was in heaven and kept asking me if
the life size Chucky Cheese could come to his pool party.














Hudson's official Birthday Party......everything Dinosaur! The weather finally
coorperated after we canceled the original date of the party due to "severe thunderstorm warnings". Of course I walked outside at 3:30 pm- the exact time the party would
have started, and there was SUN. No one can predict the weather here.



































THE BIRTHDAY CAKE

(I am still finding green frosting throughout my kitchen. Only Lindsey will know the
nightmare I got myself into when I started this wonderful project. Thank heaven she
took my kids or they may not have eaten that day.)
















Hudson's Dino shirt made by Keri. He LOVES it to say the least.

























For Billy- the creative genius behind this shot.






















The face says it all. Happy Birthday Hudson! We love you.