October Bliss

I'm a little late but... in October we went to a [[real]] family owned pumpkin patch! It was our first as a family! Ahh, so cute. huge pumpkins. baby pumpkins. pumpkins everywhere. and it was chilly. My favorite! What's even better, it wasn't just Hudson's first pumpkin patch experience, it was Jordan's as well. We had great fun, spent more than we wanted too, but that's all a part of the experience :)

One reason for going to the patch to get pumpkins was to find a good pumpkin for a contest we decided to enter Hudson and Kealaka'i in. Poor Hudson did not have fun. We won. I'm sure you can see why :) Adorable little pumpkins!

We also celebrated Halloween! [[My favorite holiday.]] Jordan was such a sport. I'm so lucky. We went as a family of scarecrows! adorable. Hud was the cutest scarecrow I've ever seen! Hope you all had a great October, too!

So Many Faces

I can't believe how many faces Hudson makes. He is always surprising me. They crack us up, (even the sad faces. he's still so cute!), so I had to share. What a character!

Sheesh, what a ham!!!

Hymns & Hudson

    It's hard to write this post because I feel so overly exhausted and couldn't be more frustrated and sad with how Hudson has been sleeping lately, or lack there of. Each night this week he hasn't slept well at all. I'm up literally every hour and sometimes it takes me two hours to get him back to sleep. Talk about frustration overload and lots of tears. So, this has been my week. And to make things harder, before this week, he was sleeping so well--Still waking up 3 -4 times a night, but falling right back to sleep and sleeping for at least 2 hours. 

So there's the background to this post... 

    Last night, while attempting to put Hudson back to sleep for the third time, my emotions were high and all I wanted to do was cry. As I was rocking him in our chair I began to sing to him. [[Special fact about Hudson: Jordan has a song he sings to him to get him to sleep-You Could Be Happy by: Snow Patrol and I sing the childrens hymns- I Love to See the Temple, I Am A Child of God and A Child's Prayer. (By the time these songs are over he is usually fast asleep.) It's a little sweet and special thing we each have with him.]] So I am singing these songs (my songs) and praying at the same time for help and comfort. (My frustrations came from feeling like I'm not being the best mom, my child should be sleeping, I must be doing something wrong.) As I'm singing and silently praying, a new hymn comes to mind to sing next, I Will Follow God's Plan.

My life is a gift; my life has a plan. 

My life has a purpose; in heaven it began. 

My choice was to come to this lovely home on earth 

And seek for God's light to direct me from birth. 

I will follow God's plan for me, 

holding fast to His word and His love.

I will work, and I will pray;

I will always walk in His way.

Then I will be happy on earth

and in my home above. 

    [[Background: This hymn was an answer to my prayer because it's what I would sing to myself during my pregnancy, when times felt hard. It helped me get through feeling huge, and uncomfortable; or when I couldn't sleep because my body ached or just simply, when my attitude about being pregnant was low.]] This hymn raised my spirits and reminded me that Heavenly Father is here for me and I am participating in His plan. I am follow His plan, by bringing one of His sweet spirits into this world. It taught me that being a mother is my great role in His wondrous Plan and that He will bless and help me as I follow His commandments, especially His commandment of being a mother. 

    As you can imagine, my frustration dissolved and I was left with the comfort that I can do this. And as I looked down at my sweet boy, Hudson, I knew this was my calling and that His spirit needed me, at all times; even when I'm frustrated and feel helpless and lost as a mother. It was simple: I will work, and I will pray and I will walk in His way, and then I will be happy on earth. Simple, but not easy.

    To all mothers who feel the sleepless nights will never end or they'll never get their child to sleep in his crib or through the night, the opposite will happen. It hasn't for me, yet and being a mom is hard, but it will. It will because that's the work. And we have pray and the Spirit is with us, to direct our path. This hymn explains it (our life's journey) all. I hope I can remember always that my life is a gift; its from Heavenly Father. And He has given me and Jordan another life gift, and that's Hudson. It's all a part of His plan, and within His plan is help and comfort from HIM.