Happy Birthday Hudson

Beautiful boy, I can't believe that you are two.

Every day you astound us with your cuteness.

You are incredibly sweet.  Undeniably strong willed.  Athletic.  Smart.  Fast.  Strong.  Brave.

That combination gets you into an awful lot of trouble because any terrible thing you think to do you can actually physically accomplish it.

It's laughable when we think of how different the house becomes the moment after your bedtime.

You are so loved, little one.  We're incredibly grateful for you and all the millions of things you teach us every day.

For such a small child, God has used you in large ways to teach us about His love.  Before you, I could read in the Bible that God adopts us as His own, that we are just as much His children as Jesus.  I could read that we're brought into God's family, invited to call Him daddy and are considered God's children forever and always.  I could read that I was chosen by God.  Invited to call Him Father.  I could read that God loves us, that he adores us, delights in us and not because we're perfect, but simply because we're His.  Your life sweet boy has taken all those words and turned them into something I can hold, squeeze and cuddle.  You cause me to sit and marvel at God's love for mankind.

How do you thank God enough for someone who has been used to teach you so much?

We do not deserve you little one, but we're so glad you are ours.

I pray you feel celebrated today.  You are dearly loved by your parents, your brothers, your family, your birth family, and by a gracious, sovereign God who knit you in your first mother's womb and then knit you into our home and our hearts.  What a marvelous plan God has for your life.  A perfect plan that He's had in His mind from the beginning of time.

______________________________________________

Oh how this child loves "cake."  Anything sweet is labeled "cake."

I saw these cupcakes-in-a-jar on Kaylene's blog.  Thought they were adorable, and could immediately imagine Hudson's cute little hands digging out his cupcake from a mason jar.  We have no shortage of jelly jars around here, so that sealed the deal.

 
I modified this recipe a little.  Instead of red food coloring, I added more cocoa so the cake was brown instead of red.

I also added chocolate chips in the center and on top.  HEB carries fair trade chocolate chips for the same price as non-fair trade chocolate chips.  Totally made my day!

I used Paula Dean's cream cheese icing recipe.  Um...yum.  Could have eaten it with a spoon.  Okay.  Fine.  I did. Does anyone else day dream about Paula Dean being their grandmother?  I do, and when I do I'm about 30 pounds heavier in my daydreams.

Put half the cupcake on the bottom.  Squirt in a layer of cream cheese icing. Throw in a few chocolate chips. Add the top of the muffin.  Top with more icing and more chocolate chips.   This looks all nice and super neat in the pictures.  Oh the joy of blogging.  In reality, this was a mess...but a yummy mess.

Lynsey made some cute little labels.

I whipped out my Creative Memories circle cutter.

I was shocked I still knew how to use it.

Scrapbooking was a part of my life when four kids were not a part of it.

We tied the spoons on with twine.  Adorable.

And of course, this dessert was extra sweet because Lynsey was making it with me.

Ready to celebrate our little man.

Happy Birthday Hudson!