Gramma Schoeffler's Visit

Last weekend my mother-in-law came down for a visit which was so nice. Henri loves her to pieces and Hudson is well on his way to getting totally spoiled by her (she sat in the back of the car with him and fussed over him every time he cried; he now thinks that's his due). We went to the pond and played at the beach where Henri got her first ever sunburn. Oops. Then we went to Patriot's Place to see the stadium and have lunch. Absolutely gorgeous weather for it all and we're very sad she had to leave so soon. Then the rest of the week was spent studying for my practice comps (passed this morning with a 92! Phew!), lots of walks to the park, and getting off the caffeine wagon. Yup, my french press is back in business and I'm a much happier person because of it. Hudson hasn't seemed to mind it either. Then on Wednesday two old coworkers came by to provide some adult conversation which was sooooo nice. Of course I completely forgot to get out the camera...and by old I don't refer to their age, just that I used to work with them. Do you call them ex-coworkers?

Hen's been a bit sassy this week which both amuses and horrifies me. On the one hand I love seeing her able to construct elaborate sentence structures and apply reasoning, as well as display her sense of the absurd and sarcasm (no idea who she got that from). On the other hand, she's pretty entitled to begin with, and I have a deep fear of raising a bratty monster. On the other, it's pretty hard to figure out what to say when she saunters in to your room, casually tells you that "Mom, I don't like your face" and walks back out. (In case you're wondering I was initially hurt, then I laughed, and then I told Steve when he got home. Still have no idea what prompted the comment).

As for Hudson, well, he's a mamma's boy through and through. Maybe it's because I was bottle feeding Henri at this point and Steve was doing the evening routine that I never felt like Henri really saw me as necessary in her life, or maybe it's just personality, but this little guy knows how to get whatever he wants from me. He has very subtle facial expressions that just crack me up, and he's responding to different words (as in, he knows what a boobie is, he looks around when I say "here's your sister!" and he grins when I call him my love bug). He also has this thing for zebras. He'll spend a good 20 minutes just staring at the print over our couch, he loves Henri's pink zebra, and the mobile over his swing has one that gets a grin every time it rotates by. Generally he sleeps 6-8 hours stretches at night unless I'm stressed or have to be up early and then he "helps" by getting up every 3. I put him down awake for the first time last night and he wiggled himself to sleep which was a promising start to him self-soothing. Obviously he is the most gorgeous and smartest baby boy that ever existed, but I'll stop bragging and just give you the photographic proof:

She loves to play "soccer"

He's starting to really like being outdoors and looking at the trees

Our grill!

He loves to carefully lick his hand like it's an ice cream cone. I try putting his thumb in his mouth but that just makes him mad and gag. Whatever makes him happy, I guess!

Hanging out at the pond

Gramma and Henri making sand castles. Gram S is very good at them!

The rain boots were inspired. She loves being able to stomp in the puddles she made

This doesn't look like much, but it represents a huge progress in her independence; she would actually go to the pond, walk out a bit, and get her own water. Beginning of the summer she was terrified.

Selfies

Attempts at family portraits. Someone was very uncooperative

Loving his Gram

He has a big gummy grin that he gives as well, but this is his "pleased with the world" look

The face you get when you beg her to "just look normal" for a photograph :)