8 months going on 2?

I swear I was just in 7th grade yesterday. Where does time go? Life has been good to Curtis and I in the big scheme of things. Now if you get down to the details... but that's for another post. Our Huddy Buddy is 8 months old today! I swear he is a 2 year old in an 8 month old body. He is busy busy busy! He's too smart for his own good! He has been doing so well this last month with so much improvements and accomplishments! I have been bringing him to his pediatrician for weight checks every two weeks and he now weights 15.3 pounds! It was so good to finally see that number higher than his pre surgery weight! I'm feeling better about his up coming surgery now. I can definitely tell he is filling out too! He has been eating so well! And he sure does love his meals!!

Here is what's new with the Hud:

-He crawls! Yay!!
-He can pull himself up to anything now! Yay!... Not so much. I then had to lower the crib. I do find it cute when I go into his room in the morning and he is standing there reaching out for me.
-He LOVES his little puff snacks! He takes 2 or 3 at a time and tries to stuff them in his mouth! I must say I'm a little embarrassed that I even doubted he would make it to finger foods with his cleft palate. After a few choking episodes and throwing up his food I almost gave up on trying. But he never gave up! And I should have known better with him. It took him about 5 days to learn how to chew and swallow his snacks with out choking on them. Oh man he just makes me so proud! He is one smart little boy! Nothing stops him!
-He LOVES to walk, with assistance of course. He would walk all day long if it didn't kill our backs! He gets angry when you sit him back down. Then you have to hide your hands. Once he finds them it's all over and you know you just can't resist that face! I wont be surprise if he is walking by 9 months! Yikes...
-He loves his sweets! Yogurt, otter-pops, lollipops, ice cream, the list goes on... Good thing he doesn't have any teeth yet! Healthy foods on the other hand... doesn't care for them. I figure those extra fat calories are good for him. :)
-Huddy sure loves his daddy. And it's the cutest thing. He gets so happy and always reaches out for him. Here I do all the work and Dad's the hero...
-He is very very ticklish and I love it! His laugh is the most sweetest thing I have ever heard in my entire life. I could listen to him laugh all day long. I can't help but smile and laugh along with him.
-His favorite things are tags and strings. Hey that rhymed. He will spot a tag from a mile away and heads straight for it! And he has a favorite blankie which has tags all over it. I love when he crawls around and drags it with him. And when I get him from his crib in the morning or after naps he has it in hand when he stands there waiting for me.

Hudson is such a delight to be around! Anyone who has met this amazing little boy can attest to that! We have been so blessed to have him in our lives these past 8 months. He has changed our way of life. Being a parent has brought a new meaning to the word proud. I've been trying to get him to hold his bottle and sippy cup forever now and just the other day he was sitting in his high chair eating snacks and I look over and he had his sippy cup in both hands and was drinking from it!! It's the little things...

Gosh it seems like years ago that he had his NAM. I sure don't miss it! I was really hoping I could keep it but I guess his surgeon had other plans for it and we never got it back after surgery. I still can't believe all that he has been put through. I love that he is ours and that he was born the way he was though. I love that he is different. I can't say it's always been easy but the good days always make up for it. I keep wondering what I am suppose to be learning from this whole experience. Patience? Probably. But it hasn't happened yet and that's because it isn't over yet. Darn. I love hearing all the complements on how great he looks after his surgery. It truly is amazing. Of course I notice his scar, but everyone tells me how you can't even notice it. All the glory goes to his amazing surgeon for sure! I just get to be his proud mom.

I've been so anxious for his palate repair. I can't wait for it to be over. We don't meet with his surgeon again until October 24th though. I stress about when it will be. He said when he is between 9-12 months old but then it's the holidays around that time and then his birthday... But I really don't want to wait any longer. Because it's Hudson I know he'll amaze us once more with another surgery. I just don't know if I can handle another one! I said it before and I'll say it again, he was definitely built to handle what life has given him!

He loves that table!