Hudson skates

Hockey lessons start back up for Connor this weekend. Hudson is finally old enough to start skating lessons. He has begun roller blading so we took him out on the ice on Father's Day and he surprised us by skating without holding on. Hopefully he will have confidence for his first lesson. Go Hudson!!

Connor is ready to go!

Holly

When I was growing up my best friend and probably the closest I ever got to a little sister was my cousin Holly. Actually we are kinda second cousins, once removed, or something like that. But, if you are Italian, then you understand that is just as good as being first cousins. Actually, if you are Italian your parents best friends are your "aunt & uncle" and you don't find out until you are an adult that you are not actually related. Her parents are my God parents and my parents are hers. We spent just about every weekend, vacation and free moment together for our first five years of life. She is 6 months younger than me. We played and fought like sisters. As we got older our parents grew apart, but we stayed pretty close and still did a ton of stuff together. When we were about 13 or 14 our parents kinda stopped talking and there were other outside forces that also came between us. My family moved upstate. Her parents got divorced. There was another adult in our lives that when I look back manipulated me into thinking Holly was a bad person so I would be friends with her daughter instead. So much was out of our control. We just stopped talking. Over the years she has been on my mind. About 2 years ago I decided to look for her. I tracked her down enough to find out that she had gone to medical school and was doing a residency for OB/GYN at Boston Medical Center. But that is where it ended. I figured she must have got married and her name changed. I found another mutual friend from our childhood on face book and we made a deal that if either of us found her we would let the other know. Then a couple of weeks ago she found me! Turns out she is an OB/GYN in California. She has a 1 month old named after her grandfather, Benjamin. I have such wonderful memories of her grandparents. I was so happy to hear that Ben's name would be carried on. We spoke on the phone for an hour saying "remember when we did this.....". We decided that what is past is past and we were now adults and in control of our friendship. We are going to try to make plans to get together later this year. We have each driven our husbands crazy with old stories of all the fun we had together as children. I am so excited to get to know Holly all over again!

karate

We signed Connor up for karate lessons. We did this more for his self esteem issues than for him to learn karate. The instructor is great. He has a thick accent from Brazil, so Connor gets a little nervous when he can't understand what the instructor is saying. Other than that he really enjoys the class. We can already see it helping with his self image. It is an expensive hobby, but we both really felt like Connor needed a little extra help in this department. The gear to go along with the class is ridiculously expensive. i have been scouring eBay for some used stuff. I came across a mother who had 2 daughters who had out grown their gear. I got the sets for about one- tenth the price of the new stuff. Hudson is having fun sparring with his brother as well. We may sign Hudson up next year as well. He does not need any help in the self esteem department. Hudson would benefit from the discipline taught in the class. Actually he already does. Now when I tell them to do something around the house they both say "Yes maim, set!". Not a bad side effect from the class!

VBS

Last week Brandon and I both taught a class at our church's Vacation Bible School. Brandon taught Kindergarten and I had Hudson's 3 year old class. Before VBS started there was a little confusion. The director came up to me months ago and asked me if i would like to volunteer and i said no since I had no interest in putting Hudson in a nursery for 3 1/2 hours. She said great there is a new 3 year old class for him and I think you would be great to teach it. I was nervous, but excited for Hudson to have a chance to go to VBS. So, I said yes. Then during orientation it became very clear to me that they intended for the 3 year olds to be in a nursery and just give me the lesson book. They were not scheduled for music, outside play, chapel or any of the special activities. Well, lets just say that I am not very good at keeping my mouth shut when I feel like someone has done me wrong. I immediately told the directors that I felt like I had been tricked and this is not what I signed up for. When I spoke up and said these kids can handle the activities one of the directors actually said "not all children are like Hudson". To which I replied "I am so tired of people telling kids what they can not handle!". This is the same lady who lets her 3 year old tell her what he feels like doing....to which I say.....REALLY? I know it is hard to make our kids step out of their comfort zone, but most of the time it is totally worth it for the new experience they will have. Think about how hard it is to make your kids take swim lessons when they are screaming and crying and begging to get out of the water. But, by the end of the summer they are having a blast swimming with their friends. I kept thinking back to that first day of music class when Hudson fell to the floor in protest. He was punished, made to apologize to the teacher and sent back next week. Eventually he loved music class. I can't imagine what a little brat he would turn out to be if I let him get his way every time. Or, if I let him back out of activities just because he said he didn't want to go. Wow...I have really digressed!

ANYWAY...back to VBS. I knew I was going to have to take it into my own hands to turn this nursery into a class. That's just what I did. I started to make phone calls. I got the music teacher to agree to give up her break time and teach a class for us. I got us permission to go to chapel and playground time. I kept the kids on a strict schedule (kids always thrive on a schedule). I had a great craft teacher and Amelia was my team helper. Together we made sure the kids had a great time and learned some important lessons. Kids are always the most fun to teach about God. They get so excited about the bible stories. Especially when we act them out. They all want a chance to be God!

The last day of class one of the directors came up to me and said that they were going to implement the changes I made and we had proven that 3 year olds can handle a class. Duh! They handle Sunday School just fine. They handle pre-school fine.

By the end of VBS Brandon, Connor, Hudson and I were all beat! I went to bed before 9 on Friday night. What a wonderful week of family, friends, fun & faith!!

This years theme was camping. Brandon and I decorated our rooms really cute. Hudson loved the tent!

Happy Father's Day!

Dear Brandon,

Last year I wrote a post about what a great Dad you are and I didn't want to just do a repeat of last year. So, I figured I would steal from my idea of writing the boys a yearly birthday letter and write you a yearly Father's Day letter.

Let me start by saying Thank You! Thank you for all you do. I don't even know if I could write it all down. I really want you to know that I appreciate the devotion you have to our family. I can't imagine where you get the energy for all you do. I appreciate that you work so hard every day so I can enjoy the gift that is being a stay-at-home mother. I am so happy that it is just as important to you that one of us is home with the boys. I also appreciate that you see the need for me to escape them sometimes! When you are home you are truly plugged in. This is a rare trait with some men.

This past year I have had the pleasure of watching you teach a class of 3 and 4 year olds about God. I knew you were a gifted teacher from our experience with the middle school and high school kids at church. But teaching the little ones is where you really shine. Who would have guessed that a room full of preschoolers could tell you the story of Moses? While most people think small children can't do things, you always believe in them.

In the past year you have taught Hudson to ride his bike without training wheels and got him started roller blading. You have taught Connor how to roller blade better than I do! (not sure if that is saying much) You have also taught Connor how to read. Your patience is unreal.

I feel truly blessed that I get to be the mother of YOUR children. And what lucky children they are. Thank you for being an amazing father and husband to us everyday!

I love you.

lene

swimming fun

The next Team USA synchronized swimming team!Cannonball!!Yep...he's 3!

We are loving having a pool! It is amazing how good the boys are swimming now that they can practice every day. Plus, we always have something to do! I don't see us ever owning a house without a pool. This has been a real treat. Swim lessons start next week and I don't think we will have any crying this year. (said with my fingers crossed)

Thank you cards

The boys made this cute Thank You card for the Rogers. I love that they worked together!

The Front...pics of all the things they did. Connor did the cutting and Hudson did the gluing.

The Inside. Hudson's hand and Connor's note.

The back...Connor had to add one more picture!

Connor's pics

I gave Connor our old camera to play around with and he had so much fun. He started out by taking pictures of everything around him. Then he moved onto Hudson and I as his subjects. Finally he figured out how to take self portraits. What a fun way to keep him busy for an hour! Here are some of my favorites...

I love that his feet are in this picture

He kept telling Hudson and I "now give me a big smile!"I have no idea how, but he got the camera into black & white mode for a few shotsThen he said, "Mommy come sit in the shade and I will take your picture". He was so cute!Self Portraits

Weekend full of friends!

Last weekend we spent Saturday with BERO. They left for California on Sunday for 2 weeks. I KNOW! That is way too long! We were going to go out on the boat, but the weather had other ideas. So, the kids swam in between the rain drops and then we took all of the kids to see UP. 2 minutes into the movie Hudson was asleep. Great, a $7 nap! The kids were all great in the movie, but WOW movies are expensive. I think we will be waiting for the DVD's from now on.

Then on Sunday we had Maxwell, Mindy, Sherry, Victor & all of their kids over for a BBQ after church. Sherry & Victor's son, Nolan, is on Connor's soccer team. He is the kid who always has the sun glasses on in the soccer pics. They are joining our church next week! I didn't have a camera in my hand all weekend. Luckily Mindy did, or you might have missed this....

This would be way cooler if I knew how to dive...oh and didn't have to hold my nose!

We had a great 2 days with friends, but I think this weekend I am ready for some Woods' only family time. Last night we took the boys to Sweet Tomatoes for dinner and they ate great and behaved even better. Connor keeps saying "I like this Mashed Potatoes place". So cute!

language fun

This week Connor has made me laugh with some new words and quotes

1) We walked by some Spider Man toys and Connor said: "Wicked" (no idea where he learned that!

2) Connor: "Mom can you make the best lunch ever?"

Me: What is the best lunch ever?

Connor: "Mac & cheese, chicken nuggets, plums, raspberries, cherries, corn and mashed potatoes"

3)Twice this week he has told me "suit yourself!"

Bero & the Boat...do over!

With the boat repaired we tried again the next day and the kids really had a blast! All the parents got a try on the tube as well!much faster!Hudson & Olivia continue to dazzle us with their cuteness!

Hudson had to pee. Mr. Brett showed him a new trick!

FUN!

Bero & The Boat

Last Saturday we took BERO out on the boat. FYI, we have named it "The Boat. If you know us very well then you know this name is very fitting! We were all set for a fun day but we had one minor problem. The thing (now I'm gonna get technical, so pay attention) on the boat that makes the motor go up and down wasn't working so the motor was stuck all the way up. We had to drive VERY slow. The kids had fun anyway, but Brandon was not impressed!

Proof that I was there:BEROOlivia thought she could steer from the front of the boat The best picture of the day. Connor driving, Ryan watching, Hudson & Olivia on the tube. Where are the parents?Fun on the new tubeBrandon trying to fix the boatHe had it fixed within one hour of getting home. He's good like that!

3 Years Ago....

3 years ago I sent this e-mail out to all our friends and family. Doesn't even seem possible now knowing what a strong kid Hudson is. I just came across this e-mail and what a wonderful reminder of how we should cherish our children. All of this happened on June 7, 2006

Hi everybody,

I just wanted to let everyone know what has been going on over the past few days. Now, let me start this by saying everyone is fine. Now that I’ve said that you’re all worried. Anytime someone starts a sentence with were fine, it’s not good. Let me also say that we haven’t called anyone until now because we didn’t know anything and I really didn’t want to tell this story 100 times. Ok, so here goes:

Wednesday night Brandon got home around 5:45. I was washing dishes & cooking dinner. Connor was playing & Hudson was in his bouncy seat on the kitchen table. Hudson had been very tired all day. He slept until 6:30 am from 8pm the night before. Then he ate & fell back asleep. I woke him up at 10:40 to feed him. We went out to see Brandon for lunch, then when we got home he went back down for a nap at 1:30. He woke up at 3:30 to eat. At 4:30 I put him on his play gym. He usually plays for about 15 minutes & then fusses. This time, he fell asleep. I put him on the kitchen table around 5:30…thank GOD!

When Brandon walked in the door I asked him to start the grill & I was going to feed Hudson while he grilled steak. I put the bottle in his mouth & he just didn’t look right. He was pale. I picked him up and carried him into the bedroom & told Brandon “I think Hudson’s sick”. He was now cold & clammy, he was white. You all know what beautiful tan skin the boys have & he was WHITE. Then he started to gag & puked all over me. He started to gag again & I turned him on his tummy & he got it all out. He suddenly looked asleep. He couldn’t hold himself up. I said, “I’m going to the hospital,” Brandon said “Don’t be stupid, just call 911” (thanks to our friend Judy… she told Brandon once, if there is ever a question. ALWAYS call 911) I talked to the 911 operator while Brandon held Hudson up to his ear to listen to his breathing. He was having a hard time breathing & may have even stopped for a couple of seconds. Brandon held him up & screamed in his face to wake up. No response. To their credit, the ambulance arrived & had Hudson & I strapped in within 3 minutes of the call. Thank you so much to the Apopka ambulance guys. They took me very seriously. On the way to the hospital I kept pinching him with no response. He would open his eyes every once in a while, but he couldn’t focus on me. It was as if he was looking through me. We got to the hospital & their triage nurse SUCKED. He checked Hudson & then sent us to the waiting room. WHAT????? At this point Hudson started to shiver (at least that was what I thought) I asked for a blanket, they all looked at me like I was crazy, so Brandon & I made a scene & that worked. They got us into the ER & as soon as I laid him down the nurse called the Dr. in & the Dr. said, “this baby’s having a seizure. We looked at each other & time froze. Brandon could barely stand. They made him sit down so they didn’t have 2 patients on their hands. I have never seen him this way. He couldn’t control himself. This is the man who didn’t cry at our wedding, didn’t cry when his kids were born & now he couldn’t stop. Suddenly I was the strong one. I never thought that would happen, but I had no choice. The nurses started an IV & within 1 minute of the drip Hudson’s eyes popped open. He looked up at us as if nothing had happened.

We spent the next 12 hours in the ER waiting for a bed at the big hospital in downtown Orlando. Luckily we have our pediatricians cell phone #, & we used it. He personally called the pediatrician at the other hospital & had us admitted. He even called within 1 hour of us arriving to check on us.

While we were at the Apopka hospital, they tested his blood and urine. They did a cat scan & a chest x-ray. All were normal.

We arrived at the big hospital downtown at 7am. The nurses there we amazing. They were caring & they all fell in love with Hudson & his cheeks. One nurse even prayed for him right there in front of us. On Thursday they did an EEG & an upper GI. Hudson did great during all of his tests, as if he knew what was going on. He even slept during his upper GI. We had to wait until Fri morning for the results of the EEG. They made Brandon go home on Thursday night, as only one parent can stay. So, on Friday morning, I was alone with Hudson, and finally I broke down. I was terrified & I didn’t want to call Brandon because I knew he was driving & couldn't handle it. So, I called Paul, our good friend & minister. He talked to me until I calmed down & then as Paul always does when a child in our church is in the hospital he came to see us. He waited with us until the pediatric neurologist came in with the results of the EEG. So, the result is….. All tests were normal. The Upper GI showed trace reflux, but nothing major. All his neurological tests were normal. Great news, but why did he have a seizure? That is what is scary. They don’t really know. They say he could have been dehydrated, but he eats every 2-3 hours. They say reflux caused him to puke, which caused the seizure, but he hardly ever spits up. So, we don’t know what happened.

So, what now? They sent us home with an apnea monitor, which straps around his chest while he sleeps, or rides in the car, or whenever I just want t put it on him. It sounds a very loud alarm if his heart rate drops or raises or if he doesn’t take a breath for 20 seconds. We actually slept last night. Knowing that the monitor was on was a great relief. It went off due to a cable coming out at 4am, but that was fine, at least I know it works.

What was Connor doing during all of this? Well, he was with us in the hospital during the seizure. I wish one of the nurses had taken him for a walk or something, but no one offered. After that Brandon called our friends Julie & Geoff & they were at the hospital in minutes to pick up Connor. They got him fed & Julie spent the night with him. Brandon’s Dad came by in the morning to get him. He got to spend the day at Grammy & Pops’ house with his 10-month-old cousin Rebekah. Brandon’s brother, Damon, his wife Kim, & their kids Tucker (6) & Rebekah (10 months) are in town from Texas. Damon, Kim & Tucker were at Universal for the day. When they got home Tucker played with Connor until bedtime. Brandon went to his parent’s house Thursday night & he & Connor shared a room. Then on Friday, Grammy & Pops took Tucker & Connor to a bounce house pay zone to play & them out to lunch & more play. They kept him all day, so he had a blast with Tucker.

Sorry to get so detailed, but I really didn’t want to have to rehash this story over and over on the phone. We are ok. Tired and scared, but ok. Right now we just want everyone to pray for our little guy. And I want to thank the great paramedics who picked him up, Julie & Geoff for taking Connor, Brandon’s parents for keeping him, Tucker for entertaining him, the paramedics who transported him to the big hospital, the nurses & doctors who gave him great care and Paul for being a great friend.


Thanks for listening.

Love,
Ilene

Rogers Wonderland!

Last Friday night Bruce, Kathy & Tara offered to watch Connor, Hudson, Ryan & Olivia so we could go out with Brett & Erin. How cool is that? We were saying something in church about how we have only ever been to dinner twice with just the 4 of us and Bruce said "we'll watch them all!". This was about a month ago and they have offered more than once so it was nice to know they we just as happy to watch the kids as we were to get a night away with just the grown-ups! So here is how the night went for the kids:

First they had pizza for dinner!

They got to hang out with super cool baby sitter Tara!

They got to go fishing! They got to have Ice Cream!Then it was back to our house for some swimming and a surprise.. The Rogers got them remote control speed boats!! And the best part was that each family got to KEEP a boat at the end of the evening.

Brett, Erin, Brandon & I went to the Melting Pot. It is a fondue restaurant and takes a long time so we figured it would be the perfect place. We had a blast as usual and were able to relax knowing the kids were in GOOD hands! We are so blessed!