Baby Hudson

A few weeks ago, I went for my 4D ultrasound. I can't believe what they can now do with technology. It's amazing! Hudson actually looked like a real baby! Yes, I know he is a real baby...you know what I mean :) He was so funny, too! I made sure to eat plenty of snacks before I left so he would be good and wiggly. And while he was wiggly, he wouldn't move his hands from in front of his little face. The ultrasound tech tried her hardest to get a good picture without his hand being in it, to no avail! What can I say...my child is a stinker! Ha! The apple doesn't fall far from the tree :)

 He was using both hands to cover his face in this shot!

I can't believe we only have 11 more weeks until he is scheduled to arrive! I am so ready to meet this little one! I have to admit that pregnancy has started to wear on me a bit. Aches, pains, and sleeplessness have set in, and I spend most of my time being very uncomfortable. But it will all be worth it very soon! I would not take away one ache, pain, or sleepless night, for my reward will be greater than my suffering! Bringing a child into this world is one of the best feelings in the world. I love to feel those jabs, kicks, and hiccups everyday. I love this little one so much, and I can only imagine the love I will feel for him when I see him for the first time.

Amanda

Lake Renovations

Tucker and I are so excited about the renovations taking place at the lake. The house is getting a complete overhaul, not that it needed it, but we did need a little more space with our growing families. Before, there were only three bedrooms and two and a half baths. After the additions, we will have five bedrooms and three baths, plus a sleeping room complete with bunk beds for our growing kiddos. It is due to be finished in April, right on time before the lake season begins!

Tucker and I visited the lake last weekend to see the progress that was being made. Phyllis, Al, and Mymama were meeting with the builder to make some final decisions on some things. I was really impressed with the progress that had already been made, considering they started the renovating in January. It was also exciting to imagine the final product. Hudson and I may be spending most of our summer at the lake:)

 The view when you drive up. The right side of the addition will have a fabulous patio.

 The sleeping room for the grandbabies.

 A much bigger bathroom.

 This hallway separates the new addition from the existing part of the house. There is a door on each side. Let's hope the kiddos don't try to escape! Ha!

 New bedroom

 Second new bedroom

 New Bathroom

There used to be a screened porch here, but now it will have windows. 

The lake is our home away from home. It's truly one of our favorite places to be. We are so thankful to Phyllis and Al for making this place even more enjoyable. This will be a place that we will enjoy for a lifetime, and so will our children and grandchildren someday. I can't wait to get little Hudson's toes wet! I can just see him in his little swimmies and floppy hat now, with his cousin Prudence right next to him. This summer is going to be fun!

Amanda

A Diva in Training

I loved playing with dolls as a kid. I hate to admit this, but I played with my Barbie dolls until I was fourteen. My favorite thing to do with my dolls was to play dress up with them. Now that Prudence Rae is here, I have a living and breathing doll to play with!

Phyllis, Emily, and I had a mini photo shoot with little Pru this weekend. One of Emily's friends made the most adorable tutu's for Prudence, and we had matching headbands! We were in heaven! At first, Prudence was not a fan. Our little diva demanded a bottle before her performance :) Us girls completely understood! It's hard to work on an empty stomach! And even though Prudence was a little grumpy then, I know someday she will thank us.

 Our little ballerina

 Shug and Mommy giving Pru a pep talk! Being beautiful is hard work!

We had to bring in the reinforcements! Daddy had to come sing to his little girl :)

 My favorite :)

Future Auburn cheerleader...I think so!

It was so hard to leave this little girl. I just love her to pieces, and I can't wait for her to meet her cousin Hudson. They are going to be best friends! 

Amanda

Another Year Younger

This weekend Tucker and I went to Calera to celebrate Phyllis's birthday and to visit the sweetest little girl ever, Prudence Rae! Saturday, Phyllis, Emily and I had a girl's day out. We had a delicious lunch at The Tavern in Birmingham, then we were off to see the play "Billy Elliot" at the BJCC. It was one of my absolute favorite days, full of some of my favorite people, doing some of my favorite things. 

Later that night, we had a to die for steak cooked by the Andy Fuller. Only he can make a well done steak taste delish! Then we brought out the cake, opened presents, and celebrated our sweet Phyllis!

Us girls before the play.

Happy 26th Birthday, Shug!

I can't tell you how fortunate I am to have this woman in my life. She is one of the most thoughtful, caring, and genuine people I know. I hope to be half the mother to Hudson as she has been to Tucker and Emily. She is my ultimate cheerleader, and I love her dearly. I feel so blessed to love my mother-in-law and have the great relationship that we have. 

We love you, Shug!

Love,

Tucker, Amanda, and Hudson

Breathe In, Breathe Out

Wow! This month has been busy! I feel like I have barely been able to take a breath. There is so much going on in our little world lately. First, I have an intern and a lab student this semester. Surprisingly, I have enjoyed it. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to let go of the control, and I'm still working on it, but I'm doing pretty good so far. My intern is fabulous, and with her help, I have been able to get so much accomplished. So far, we have left everyday this week at 3:30. That almost never happens. My lab student will come every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I met her on Monday, and she seems eager to get started. That's one quality I'm definitely looking for. Having this help really comes in handy when you're pregnant. Being able to go to the restroom any time I want is amazing, plus I get to rest a little:)

Tucker and I have been busy every weekend this month, and I know we are only going to get busier the closer we get to Hudson's due date. Last weekend, we went to Montgomery to celebrate the engagement of our sweet friends, Reese and Jenifer. We are so excited for them! The weekend before that, Tucker and I registered for our upcoming showers. That was a daunting task in itself! Thank goodness I have a wonderful sister-in-law who doesn't mind me calling her several times in an hour! Ha! I also have amazing Mommy friends that recommended products and brands that they liked and were pleased with. I can't thank them enough for their help!

Hudson has diapers!

Tucker and I at Reese and Jenifer's engagement party. (25 weeks)

We had a great time visiting with old friends!

On top of all of that, Tucker and I have tried to work on the nursery here and there. I saw on Pinterest where a woman made book shelves for her child's bedroom using a pallet. Following her directions, (well, most of her directions), Tucker made them for Hudson's room. I was a little skeptical at first, but they turned out great. Thank goodness I have a handy husband that's good with his tools! This weekend, our goal is to hang curtains in Hudson's room.

 Before (Tucker had already cut the pallet)

 After

It's almost ready!

On another note, Tucker and I have decided to join the First United Methodist Church in Opelika. We will officially join this Sunday. We have been visiting for several weeks, and we feel like God is leading us there. It has everything we are looking for in a church home. They have a traditional Sunday school class, and they also have one for young adults in our similar situation. Fortunately, we already know many of the couples attending, and most of them have just had a baby or are due soon. We are excited that Hudson will have so many friends, and he will have a loving church family.

In a way, I'm glad that we have been so busy and will be so busy. It makes it seem like time is going by faster. I can't believe little Hudson will be here in 15 weeks (more or less)! We can't wait to meet him!

Amanda

A Tiny Miracle

This day, one week, ago, we were anxiously awaiting the arrival of Baby Fuller. We had no idea if it was a he or a she, but we couldn't wait to find out! We didn't have to wait long! Emily was induced last Thursday morning at 7. By 11:30 she was ready to push, and by 1:30, she and Andy had a beautiful baby GIRL named Prudence Rae. She was 6 pounds 7 ounces and 20 inches long. She is absolutely gorgeous!

 Prudence Rae Fuller aka most precious baby ever <3

 I was so emotional! I love being an aunt!

Our family celebrating little Prudence Rae!

Tucker and I are so excited to have a niece! We are also so very fortunate to have Emily and Andy leading the way. Being there with them and holding Prudence made the experience a little less scary and overwhelming. We just might be able to do this! Ha! At the very least, we can say we have held an infant and we didn't break her :)

 Finally home!

 Snuggling with her Uncle Tucker and Aunt Manda

Prudence with some very important men.

Meeting Prudence made us very anxious to meet our little man. We can't wait to see who he will look like and count his fingers and toes. We are excited for him to meet his older cousin, too! Imagining them playing together sends my heart a flutter. We will have to be patient just a little bit longer, though!

Our family is so blessed to have another addition! We are even more blessed because she is healthy, happy, and perfect in every way. She is loved beyond measure by so many. I know at times, we will probably annoy the stew out of her, but she better get used to it :) 

Welcome to this world, Prudence Rae! We LOVE you!

Amanda

Adventures in Furniture Assembly

Hudson's nursery furniture came in this weekend! We drove to Columbus Saturday to pick it all up. We got a crib that converts to a toddler bed, then to a full size bed. We also got a dresser that will act as a changing table for now. Also, we got a chest and a chair with an ottoman. It was an adventure, but then again, everything we do turns into an adventure! Ha!

We thought we were going to be able to borrow a friend's truck on Saturday, but our friend needed his truck at the last minute. With no time for a plan B, we decided to risk it and hope everything fit into the Tahoe. At first sight, things were looking good, however, we could not fit everything. The crib had to be fastened to the top of the Tahoe. We were a little anxious the whole ride home. We figured we were in trouble if people were trying to get around us quickly and giving us dirty looks. Luckily, we made it home with all the furniture in tact.

Of course, we had to put the furniture together right away! I would like to say that contrary to what the pictures show, I did, in fact, help Tucker put the furniture together. I assisted in helping put the dresser and chest together, and I supervised Tucker putting the crib together. I had given it my all be the time we got to the crib! Thanks to my sweet husband for staying up late and getting the job done! He's going to be an amazing daddy!

 The calm before the storm.

 In the midst of the storm. Ha!

 Reading the directions... as you can see, I was supervising :)

 In Tucker's words, "If I'm ever going to do anything right, it's going to be this."

 Resting after a long night of furniture assembly!

Hudson's room

We still have a lot to do to have it baby ready, but I think we are off to a great start. The bedding should be here soon. We decided to go with the Logan bedding from Pottery Barn. It's a train theme with navy blue, red, gray, and light  blue colors. We also purchased the mattress, so at least, in the next week or so the nursery will be livable. 

After all of this hard work, Tucker and I really hope Hudson doesn't color or put stickers on his furniture. I have a feeling, if he's anything like his father, I will be out of luck. Tucker was known to do some damage as a child. I, of course, was the perfect child and never did anything like that! Ha! (I have been known to stick a Lisa Frank sticker or two on my furniture.)

 21 weeks

22 weeks

As you can see, I'm getting bigger by the day!

Amanda