John Hudson is Three Months Old!

Three months and three days to be exact.  I can hardly believe my baby has been here for 95 days already, but at the same time we cannot even  remember what our lives were like without him.  He has brought so much joy to our home.

Two big milestones have happened this week.  First, John Hudson stayed with a babysitter for the first time ever! The "babysitter" was his beloved Grammie, but still it was a huge step (especially for mommy).  I think he handled it way better than I did, and of course Grammie loved every second.

Secondly, John Hudson rolled over from his belly to back today! I went in to get him from his nap and to my surprise, he was on his back! I scooped him up and we danced around the room in an excited frenzy.  I rejoiced over a milestone that seems so "small" in comparison to the grand scheme of life.  Its sweet to think of our Heavenly Father rejoicing with us as we make seemingly small steps toward Him.  I can imagine Him adoringly gazing at us with a huge grin spread across his face.  Oh how He loves us.

John Hudson is beginning to fall into a routine, although each day can still be vastly different from the day before.  He is a very good sleeper, usually going one 7-8 hour stretch a night (one day last week he was extremely tired and slept a full 9.5 hours!).  A usual day looks somewhat like this:

6:30am: Wake to eat and then back to sleep in Mommy and Daddy's bed!
9-9:30am (ish): Wake to eat and begin the day
11-11:30am (ish): Morning nap lasting 30-45 minutes (Sometimes eat before)
1-2pm (ish): Eat and nap
4-5pm (ish): Eat and nap
7pm (ish): Eat and take another short nap (30 min)
8:45pm: Start bath routine
9-9:45pm (ish): Nurse and go night night! He still sleeps in the bassinet beside our bed.  And I love that :)

John is doing great with nursing.  After hitting a little bump at one month, he's fully figured everything out.  He loves his mommy milk! I pump occasionally and he's taken two bottles in his lifetime.

When he isn't napping or eating, John Hudson loves to lay on his play mat and watch the mobile, swing in his fancy swing and look outside, go on walks, or snuggle with mommy in the Moby wrap.  He is usually very, very happy.  He smiles all the time and has recently started giggling.  He loves to be kissed on his belly and lifted in the air like an airplane. He loves, loves, loves his bath time at night.  He could kick and coo for hours if I would let him.

John Hudson went swimming for the first time this month! He loved the water and didn't even flinch at the coldness.  Maybe its because he was born in water :)  We made a make-shift tent using a small umbrella to shade him from the sun!

John is still trying to figure out which finger(s) he likes to suck best.  Recently he's been choosing his middle and ring fingers on his right hand.  This is quite endearing to me because those are the fingers I sucked (except mine was on the left hand) until I was 11 years old!

But sometimes, he just can't decide if he wants his fingers or his pappy.  So he tries both.

John is wearing size 1 diapers and we are slowly moving into his 6 month clothes! At his two month check-up, he weighed 13 lbs 5 oz and was 24 inches long.

John Hudson is loved by so many, but we always remind him that Jesus loves him more.  So much more.

 

  

One Month

Two Months

Three Months

 

June Eighth

It was June 8, 2013.

My eyes jolted open.  Butterflies danced in my stomach.  My palms were sweaty.  My heart was beating fast.  I was getting married today.  I had dreamed of this day for years, 22 years to be exact.  I had played it over in my head countless times.  But I could never be sure if it would actually become a reality.  I had spoken to the Lord a thousand times concerning this day, each time being reminded that I must surrender this day and the desire for this day to His ever-capable hands.

But here we were after almost four years of patient pursuit and prayerful romance, and God was giving me one of the greatest desires of my heart.  How did I deserve this?

The truth is, I absolutely do not deserve this precious gift.  I do not deserve a man who, after twleve months of marriage, pregnancy, childbirth and a new baby--still pursues me daily.  I do not deserve a man who loves Jesus more than he loves me and can often be found before the light of dawn sitting quietly with his Lord. I do not deserve the stability he's brought to my life, the daily reminder that he's not going anywhere without me.  I do not deserve the "I love you's" in the middle of the night or the "You are beautiful's" in the morning.  I do not deserve the tender reminders of the deceitfulness of my sin and the reality of God's great forgiveness. 

No, I do not deserve these things.  But I graciously accept them, giving thanks to my Father, for "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." James 1:17.  I accept them because I am reminded that this is not about me--my happiness, my dreams, or my goals in life.  It's not because we "did everything right" (which we certainly did not) and are now being rewarded.  It's not because we're "those" kind of people who things always just go good for. 

No, this marriage is about making much of Jesus.  Its about being a small, imperfect reflection of Jesus' fierce love for His bride.  Its about being sanctified by having every dark place in your life examined and exposed.  It's about being loved like Jesus loves and learning to do the same.  Its about forgiving like we've been forgiven and learning to accept it from others.  It's about Jesus making Himself known through an earthly union that is simply a shadow of what is to come--when we will be united with our True Bridegroom for all time.  Its a covenant relationship that sings of a greater covenant relationship--one without blemish or stain--one in which we will be redeemed, restored, and reunited with our first Love. 

That is why this year has been so wonderful. It has left us both breathless at the foot of the cross, realizing that our marriage is imferfect indeed.  But one glorious day, this shadow will become clear.  Our Bridegroom will come riding on a white horse and we will be His forever.

Oh Glorious Day.

June 8, 2013

June 7, 2014