It’s Hudson’s third birthday today!

A few weeks ago, shortly after the Christmas craziness, we started asking Hudson what theme he wanted for his birthday this year: Paw Patrol, trains, cars… he could pretty much pick whatever he wanted (especially since all we do is hang up some color-themed balloons and a “Happy Birthday” banner).

His response? “Papa-themed. Where everyone has beards and a tractor.”

Done and done.

I crocheted beards for everyone (except Allen, who has one built-in already), we ordered a tractor birthday banner and some cow print balloons, and voila: a Papa-themed birthday. Hudson has been wearing his beard hat everywhere lately and every time I see him in it, I just want to laugh and squeal at the same time.

This boy, from the very beginning, has been such a delight. I don’t know how many times in the last three years I have exclaimed, “I’m so glad God have us Hudson. He knew our family needed him.”

Hudson is goofy. He loves telling the silliest jokes, playing “Guess the Animal” at meal times, making silly faces, and finding ways to lighten the mood and make everyone laugh.

But he’s also so sweet. He wraps his arms around people for the tightest hugs and loves to hold my hand still. He patiently ensures affection from his sisters.

Hudson is determined and active. He loves trying new things, finds a million different ways to arrange and climb on the chairs, and enjoys being thrown in the snow outside. He would rather run up down a hill than sled it, will often wander off to explore on his own (always staying within eyesight), and doesn’t give up when things get hard. When he makes up his mind about something, he just does it.

Hudson is creative and is constantly finding new ways to arrange his wooden train tracks and build things with LEGOs. He asks to play with PlayDoh every single day and lately has been putting his trains and dinosaurs in the PlayDoh.

There’s so much more we could share about this sweet boy. When Hudson is in a good mood or when he hears a good beat, he starts dancing. He will sit on our laps for hours reading books if he could and will often just sit by himself on his own bed doing just that. He finds Waldo faster than we can sometimes. He talks often about his “boomers” (fists) and wanting to “boom the bad guys” (knock them out).

Hudson Budson James Batts, we love you. Happy birthday!!