Further Fete-d Man

Julie Saliba created this amazing photobook for Hudson's 2nd birthday.

Hudson's Memorial Day...

turf

Hudson has a bustling social schedule - Memorial Day weekend no exception.
The full scope of parties/pretty girls/visiting Grandpop/cannonballs into pools are here in Michael and Janelle's album.

surf

night trippin'

Thank you to all participating partiers and recorders and sending much love to all, everywhere, from the namesake town...
C - in Hudson

3 cupcakes

Very VERY cute pictures of Hudson's shared birthday party - with girlfriends and fellow Aries Cecilia, and Sibley care of Julie.

Happy-making pictures

fishing man

Fishing at the ranch, May 2008

Of the many revelations (some reportable, others not) of the cousin ranch weekend, was the wholesome/welcome discovery that that Hudson's Dad, is a gifted fisherman. Brilliant and, contrasted with cousin Andrew, practically divine. One-hand-tied/bait-no-bait - Chad's touch was sure and Hudson, Honor and Will were enthralled.





Clearly, Hudson will inherit this uncanny knack. We see a quiet confidence, a beguiling sort of semi-crouch stance, one hand holding rod firm while the other does something clearly technical with the line...

So - fish of the world fair warning: Another Brown man will be pond-side again soon.

Love + fish tales.

c

Burma - help

The news from Burma, what little can get out, is appalling - it is now estimated that over 100,000 have died due to the cyclone. Rangoon is without power, many regions remain - days since the cyclone - still submerged, there isn't adequate drinking water and petrol is in short supply. Despite this, Rangoon's airport sits practically empty - most relief teams have not been issued permits and planes filled with disaster-relief experts and desperately needed supplies remain grounded, the Burmese government will not allow them to land.

Sarah Newhall (my step-mother) runs PACT - a global community building, aid organizing and community-level impacting organization of enormous reach and integrity. PACT also happens to have been working in Burma for over a decade, with a number of development projects already flourishing including HIV/AIDS prevention and micro-lending programs specifically in the delta areas hit hardest by the cyclone. While the access of most organizations remains, for the time being, blocked by the military government, PACT is in place and so uniquely positioned to truly effect change and implement the aid immediately.

Please contribute what you can to PACT's initiative and pass this post along to friends and colleagues so that they may do the same. (For PACT's tracking purposes, please mention this blog.)




(In Burma in 1997, I trekked outside government boundaries into Shan State; I spent time in a Palong village. The Burmese were to a man/woman/child: kind, hopeful, resourceful – they stole my heart. The tragedies they've known, perpetrated by their own people - ignored by the world, have wrought a nation of all-too-human souls. Demanding aid without implementers, the Burmese government has essentially charged us as global citizens to get step in. The Burmese people must know the world cares deeply, and right the wrongs of our historical inaction.)

Big sky ranch weekend, spawn gather

What an amazing and too short time it was...

I hope I'll have time to give a chatty report but for now, these albums will tell a good chunk of the story.

Annie's Album
Erin's Album
Ten's Album
My album

Hudson "don Juanitito" Brown

I wasn't in Portugal but Annie captured some magic moments with a paparazzi's instinct. Very grateful.

This is the first I'm seeing the move but Hudson's nonchalance + calm expression, indicates that, perhaps, this is not a first conquest.



Love + kudos to Portuguese lady slayer.

c

happy birthday dear hudson, happy second to you

Hudson in Portugal, March 2008 (Taylor behind)
Photos c/o Annie's amazing album.

Same time, last year, we gathered in a chilly but very festive Tietze Park to ring in the little man's 1st Birthday and christen the toddler park in Lindsey's name. I recorded some of that day here.

Today, Hudson and Chad are joined by family for a smaller celebration, but I imagine he's being remembered, and milk-toasted, everywhere.

I am wishing him another year of love, play, travel (H having logged more air miles than larger men with far bigger vocabs. His recent trip to Portugal, to visit Ambassador Uncle Tommy, being most recent...), haircuts, kisses, naps, cousins, bananas, blueberries and beaches. For starters at least. He can make it up as he goes along - lots of room for improvisation I wish for him, that he always feel free to call it as he sees it.

And happy second year to his remarkable dad Chad. Behind every well behaved and charming small man, you'll find a extraordinary father.

Love to both - raise your sippy cup.

c

Lindsey's 35th

March 30th - Linds' birth launched spring.

She left when she was 33, two weeks after that birthday, so it's two years gone. Linds and I were a year and 10 months apart, which means (quick math) I was almost 35 when Linds died.

Which feels then like some strange circle closing.

Which means?

What I gather from the circle described by two sisters turning 35, is simply that she's still here, out there, and as constant as she ever was. Her own birth constellation of Breach Candy Hospital, Ward ___, March 30th 1973 (our constellations are neighboring, in the born-in-Bombay-in-the-early-70's celestial district) remains part of the universal memory, no more or less fixed than mine and eternal. And in a way I hadn’t expected, Lindsey is growing up with me now and we're in step except she keeps pace on a cosmic scale, her perspective vaster and so she's watching over us as she grows in lightness.

In this photo (a visit to Oyster Bay and Mimi) Linds has a sureness and a calmness I like. I imagine what more years would have brought. I think that if I listen maybe I can hear, maybe Hudson hears.

Happy happy birthday Linds. Don't fall asleep in the cake.

Love
ctp

Lindsey's Song

Ashlin Halfnight, Chad and Lindsey's great friend (and Hudson's too) has written a song for Linds with composer John Mitchell.

It's beautiful, I'm humming it still.
(Thank you guys.)

You can play and download it here: http://jahalfnight.googlepages.com/

(note to folks who don't think they can figure out how to do this "download music thing" - you can, it's that easy, double click and you're off.)

Download, share, listen and hum. With the song, Linds' spirit goes out.

Love
c

Chad's report

Chad + Hudson, Taylor + Honor + Will
Photo from Hudson's recent trip to the west coast cousins/Chad's birthday celebration, are from Annie's excellent album. More to come from of it but it's worth a long browse.

Here's a snippet of Chad's (frank ; )) report on H:

Hudson is doing really great as he approaches his 2 year birthday in April. He is starting to say the alphabet and sing songs. I am proud to be his dad, except sometimes he's lazy and sleeps too much on Sundays (see photo).

I am doing great and looking forward to a fun 2008 -- a few fun plans with family on the horizon in Spring and Summer.

Chad's card

Most of the blog ink goes to Hudson, for obvious reasons. Hudson's accomplishments take center stage, as they ought.

But this photo, of the little fellow and his Dad, is from Chad's Holiday card this year and demonstrates, by existing at all and then by landing in my mailbox, that the accomplishments of the Dad are pretty remarkable too.

In a year that included a 1st birthday attended by masses, a dedication too, unbelievable travels to - truly - the earth's far corners and the mad day-to-day of raising a fine little man - Chad's exhibited enormous spirit, never once called Uncle.

Then he goes and manages to get out a card, on top of all of that - holiday cards being as good an indicator of organization as we have.

So here's to the father, growing and shining right along side his son.

Wishing them both a year of nice naps and sweet dreams.

With love

c

Tenley's Report

We're LOVING having Hudson here!

He started calling for Dad when he saw John, but I think he'll be fine.
He's having so much fun playing with the kids and esp. Will's train table.
Will and Hudson ended sleeping in the same room because Will chickened out of sleeping in HOnor's bunk bed. The boys woke up a little before 5, but we got Hudson in our bed, and they went back to sleep. Hudson was sad when Tia left for work this morning, but like I said, we have great distractions here.
It's just like we always pictured
-- all the cousins' kids playing together. If only
Chad and Hudson lived closer . . . :)

Safe travels Chad, and love to you all!

T

Annie's Report

I can not tell you all what a JOY it was to travel with Hudson yesterday!
I burst into tears when I landed in SF and saw Tenley and Honor waiting for us at the gate because Hudson had been so easy, I just felt like little Linds was somewhere making sure that I had an easy trip :)

We avoided a tearful good-bye with Chad, as he just kind of walked away, which was hard for us adults who knew what was going on.
Then Hudson and I made it smoothly thru security and onto the plane where we had TWO SEATS in the bulkhead! At one point a man came and sat down, forcing me to put Hudson on my lap, but I asked him to move 5 minutes later--
there was NO WAY that was going to work : )

We played with his trains and cars and "wri, wri" - that's writing, Hudson style-
had some snacks and watched about 10 minutes of Happy Feet ("peh, peh") and then Hudson drifted off to sleep. I was so thankful!
Then he woke up with about 10 minutes before landing, and Tenley and Honor were waiting for us at the gate.

Hudson had a BIG old time playing with Honor and Will, and as Tenley mentioned, is OBSESSESED with all of Will's trains.
He is such a little pipsqueak compared to Will, and it is such a crack-up to watch them all play together. They had a bath together last night, and Honor and Will were wrestling each other to be able to sit closest to Hudson.

No surprise, but I can't stop getting emotional (tearing up as I write this of course) because it is so incredibly bittersweet to watch Hudson play with his cousins, knowing we all did the same thing when we were little with our cousins,
and how Linds had always talked about wanting to move back to the Bay Area some day so that the new generation of cousins could all play together.

Hudson is such an incredible little soul.

I took lots of pics while I was in Dallas and will get those uploaded as soon as I get home tonight. We had a great time at Chad's birthday party, and I really enjoyed my time alone with Hudson at Tietze Park.

Lots of love to all of you. I'll be back with the kids on Weds night and will give another report- Ten's got her hands fill with three kids this week, so leave the updates to me : )

xoxo
Tia

Pep's Report

We just returned from a cousin's outing to Chuckie Cheese.
We were each assigned a child - Marty had Will, Tenley had Honor
and I had Hudson.
They all loved it.
Hudson seemed to take a liking to Chuckie Cheeze himself
and to the simulated roller coaster ride.

We are now back at Ten's making dinner and watching the 3 playing together.

Pep

Meanwhile, he travels

mr h, by the sea, Thanksgiving 2007

I am so behind
and the little man keeps moving forward
and logging miles
and celebrating his 2nd Christmas on this earth
with his loving dad.

Yesterday, Hudson - accompanied by round-trip flying aunt* Annie - arrived in California and is now happily settling in amidst cousins* Will and Honor.

The reports follow (and photos I assume).

Love and HAPPY NEW YEAR to all.

Aunt C

* We're just going to call all relatives by the titles that best suit their roles, no second/removed/steps here.

h at the beach

..
I'm there soon but this man returns to his strip of white sand in a few hours (flying into Tampa with Lynn this Sunday afternoon).

I'll be reporting live, Hudson-side in St. Pete's in a few days but think this is an excellent tease in meantime...

Love from a colder place

c

Like lobsters to merry men

Hudson's a wiggling lobster in '06

And because we're now working with a proper archive, I'll direct the nostalgic back to this time last year and the really wonderful Hudson's-a-lobster outfit here.

Actual costume

May be a merry man, may be a scarecrow - it's clearly a huge hit with Hudson himself and should put to rest suspicions (c/o previous post) that Hudson was costume-less in 2007.

With that and the last of the candy, Halloween's a wrap - check back same time next year for Hudson's Halloween III (he talks).

Hudson impromptu Halloween

Hudson wasn't a naked bath-punk for Halloween -
he was in Florida with grandparents Lynn + Bill
(and briefly Grandparents Dad too) and he was
A (the?) Scarecrow.

Very cute with floppy hat - actually maybe he was a Robin Hood posse-member now that I'm thinking about it - but anyway, I couldn't save the photo but will have that up soon and these struck me as scarier.

As scary as Hudson gets.



I am RICH in recent photos of the little man and way way behind. I really do appreciate all the great ones that have been coming in and promise to get many more up in the next few days.

These fantastic bath shots are from Pep + Marty's visit, more of their album here.

Hudson's evening-wear

I don't know the back story on Hudson's new sleepwear but I am impressed by it, and by the obvious swagger he brings to the striped sleepwear.

(If you were the giver of the pajamas - thank you. Fantastic wardrobe additions and great training for a little man to launch into a lifetime of well-attired nights. No nasty fruit of the loom t's and remaindered boxers for H.)



Chad's posted the Hudson fashion spread here.

C - (who really really missed the little man and hopes to hug him in his pjs very soon)

man, girl and pumpkin

Hudson-the-tousled seated beside Mark + Kelly's very cute, and very much just-1-year-old, Lindsey (after dear Linds).

Companionably lost in thought, there amidst the pumpkins...

(Happy fall)

Love c

Hudson goes to school

Presenting one of the cutest little series to arrive in my inbox in some time: Hudson's first day at school as documented by dad Chad.



Calm anticipation -->



Barely, but bravely, held-back tears on separation -->



Mature resignation to the ignobility of being strapped into a kiddie-buggy.


There's something in the way Hudson's eyes address the camera and frankly ask that you appreciate his fortitude...He a lovable little man and I hope his school buddies are half as cool as he is.

C

Hudson at the game

Chad send this very latest of our little man H at the Texas A+M Game - Hudson's very first college football game.

Which all seems straightforward, a milestone in a man's life to be sure and especially at his parent's alma mater, except that Chad referred to an "Aggie" football game and had me baffled.

Aggie = Texas A+M, am waiting for Chad to explain why.

or, if I wait a little longer, maybe Hudson will volunteer an explanation? - he on the cusp of conversation...

With love to all.

C

Blueberries for Hudson

So that supermarket blueberries will always leave him cold, Hudson was taught young - and by his own expert grandfather - to seek and savor Maine's own, hard-won, fruits.

(we picked, he savored).

More of Hudson's Maine tour here.

Sand in our...

I have a million lame + involved reasons for why I haven't updated.
They're tiresome.
This is better.

A genuinely GOOD reason, accompanied by an excellent illustrative photo.

Was in Maine
Hudson was too
We had a picnic...

Many more to come as we chronicle Hudson's first, post-baptismal, walking+nearly-talking visit to Seal Harbor.

Hudson's summer of love + water

These came last week from Grandma Lynn - 5 very cute glimpses of a grandparent's summer with mr. h, his summer of water.

Lynn's photos.

Water Man

No order to these, just a whole lot of them to drive home the point that:

OUR BOY LIKES WATER

A lot, Give hudson a hose, a small pool, a fountain and the man is happy.

(H of simple pleasures.)

C

Cousin onslaught

Annie, Marty and Peppie also visited Hudson last week. I managed, via very very poor, scheduling, to miss them by minutes

But Annie recorded their stay so I have some idea...

Annie Photos here

C - visiting cousins number..

Two men

They have routines, they have understandings and they listen to eachother.

I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship...

C - milk-toasting

camel and phone

Yvonne is pictured here "doing the camel" - Hudson can't get enough of this.

While Chad's away (earning diaper money), Hudson's in the remarkable hands of Yvonne - the relationship's magic.



When Yvonne has a call to make, Hudson gets on the line.

They also: putter, do laundry, read, dance, communicate in Spanish, do errands, play with anything to do with water, eat, giggle...

C - thanking Yvonne for being a part of Hudson and our lives, and for doing the camel

Report

This is not Hudson after my visit last week. I did not actually manage to wear the little one out - that would take a birthday party attended by cast of thousands.

But I did manage to watch the little man at play, at eat, at sandbox...
and he was remarkable.

Everything dad said was true +
Hudson clearly understands absolutely everything - his murmurs and outbursts are words inches from being spoken.
He has a well-developed if a little silly sense of humor - knocking down blocks killed him, over and over and...
He plays well all by himself - busy with water bottles in the sandbox (he pours and, i think, measures), quietly with his food, calmly with toys.
Hudson loves Chad like no body's business. He adores Chad and the father/son bond is something to see. Chad is the sun of his life, Hudson will follow this man anywhere.
And Yvonne is his loving constant through the day. She and Hudson have an evolved buddy relationship - buddy pastimes and buddy secret signs...

In short: Hudson is thriving.

C - witness to a happy household

More of desert man

I'm so sorry these have been a trickle rather than the deluge they deserve to be (life and house guests stood in their way).

The biggest news besides how cute the 5-some is was that my father uploaded all of the photos, with very catchy titles, BY HIMSELF to Kodakgallery here.



What does that tell us?

That a certain 1+ year old boy has inspired/is teaching his grandfather brand new tricks...

Have a look at the slide show and I'll continue to post highlights.)

Love c

The cheeks have it

That you thought the man was not adored, my father now refers to first grandchild as: Little Master Hudson.

And describes the sort of fellow - not precious in the slightest - who you'd want to hang out wading-pool-side with:

He is fun and funny - an amazing sense of humor which pretty incredible considering that he can't speak. But he understands almost everything and is a terrific pointer out of things.





He loves the book with all sorts of little animals that he's getting better everyday recognizing. You can see him growing intellectually before your very eyes.

We took a 9-hour trip up through the majestic Sadona area today and he was terrific the entire way.

He charms everyone he meets.

He's a good waver - both as a greeting as well as a goodbye. Trying to teach him to blow kisses but that may take awhile.

C - reporteing him as they see him