I guess it has been another routine couple of months since my last blog. Sorry! But Hudson just had his 1st birthday (June 17th) so it is time for me to write.
(Oh, by the way, Amy is in Europe travelling this summer before she starts her PhD at Georgia Tech in biomedical engineering. Her blog is http://chengamyy.blogspot.com.
I can't believe its already been a year since Hudson was born! What an adventure! I never knew how much I could love your own child. In fact, I didn't really like kids that much. I think I started turning the corner when Tyler and Kaelyn were born. Totally cute, and really good kids. But still, they made messes and had food on their faces and had smelly diapers and I wasn't really crazy about it all. But there must be some switch that happens when you see your child born and grow. I think the switch didn't even happen at birth...yes I loved Hudson, but I REALLY loved Hudson once he started looking at us, making cooing noises, grabbing things and studing them in his hands, and that sweet sweet smile that just makes you melt. He gives the special "look of love" when you read books to him (Hi Baba!).
Hudson is now cruising along furniture, stands up easily holding on to things. On his birthday, he stood for the first time on his own, for 30 seconds! He says "bababa" and "mamama" and "mmmmm" and "ga-ga" (for da-da) and "gog" (for dog) and "bopbopbop" for everything else, and "shhh" for fish. He has the cutest giggly laugh espcially to "tinky toes!" where you smell his stinky feet, and when you tickle his armpits or swing him upside down. He is analytical - likes to hold things in his hand and study them...I think he'll be an engineer...or an interior designer, as he likes to touch fabrics.
We had Hudson's first first birthday party in Long Island, New York, where the pictures are from. Barbara threw an extra special party with all the good luck charms of a Chinese birthday! A cake with an Ox on it (Hudson is an Ox), everyone wore red (for good luck), he ate long noodles (for long life), and many of Nicole and Barb's and Robert's friends and family came to celebrate. A second first birthday party will take place here in Atlanta in July. More on that later...
I also can't believe that we have made our move back to Atlanta! Our life in NC has come to a close. We have had a wonderful 4 years there and made many friends and really had a home there. We will miss our 2 closest couples there - Dave and Karen, and Andi and Mark - who we have shared lots of time in and out of work, and with our kids. We also have so many other close friends that are like family to us - Chris Barger, Amy Hird and family, the Parkwood softball team, the Residents (and champion resident softball team) and my co-chiefs, Dr. Greganti, Paris (and Zemaya) and Melissa (and Braden), and our nanny Sherri...and others (sorry if I forgot you!)
And now we are moving to Atlanta, where we used to live 4 years ago, and are so fortunate to have wonderful friends and family here. Amy and Nate, Ben and Jen, Stephanie, Andre, Carrie and kids, Jay and Cynthia (our old neighbors in Durham)...and Barb to move in soon! We also have a great nany share set up - we met Kelly and Jon and their son Ethan, who has Hudson's exact same birthday! And a nanny, Guisella, who speaks Spanish and will hopefully teach Hudson to use his right brain well.
There's so much other stuff to talk about, but it will have to wait because I'm running a 5k tomorrow. To remind myself...
- San Fran
- Sold our old house and bought a new house on same day
- New house with pictures
- Finishing chief residency
- Starting cardiology fellowship
- Having a month off
- Father's Day and being a dad
- Post more pictures
Talk more later,
Alan
