Tristan's Story

Land of Lights (Athens, TX)

2009-12-20T21:59:00.003-06:00

We took Tristan to a drive-through Christmas park and he had a BLAST! =)

Sweet words

2009-08-04T12:30:00.000-05:00

Tristan has been talking more and more lately. His language exploded after he turned 18 months old, and he's been saying dozens of new words every day. He's started putting them into short sentences ("All done", "Let's go") and uses them in the right context. It's SO incredible to watch.

Anyway, today, I was standing in front of the mirror, trying to decide if my new shirt looked decent. Tristan was behind me, watching Ice Age 2 on tv, so I never thought anything of it. All of a sudden, I felt a little pat, pat on my back -- and Tristan said "Mama cute. Cute, mama." I said "What?? Did you say mama looks cute?" He looked right at me and said "Cute mama" and then threw his little arms around my neck.

This is what it's all about. He is such a sweet baby, my big boy now, and I *love* these moments.

Haircut

2009-06-12T09:54:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, Tristan had his very first haircut. I didn't want to cut much off of it; he's still my baby and I'm not ready for him to look like a big boy just yet! But it was starting to hang over his ears, and the back was long enough that his curls were getting pretty unruly.

I wanted to take him somewhere that I knew they would do what I wanted, so I let my godmother's friend Cathy have the honors. She is a former beautician-turned-nurse, so she knows what she's doing. And Tristan has known her since he was born, so it wasn't like taking him to a totally new place and letting a stranger cut his hair.

He did great! He sat up in the chair and never cried or anything. He wasn't great at sitting still, but with a little coaxing he did excellent for a one-year old. She didn't cut much off, but it's enough that you can tell the difference. Especially when he first wakes up!

Fishing

2009-06-07T21:10:00.002-05:00

Tristan went on his first-ever fishing trip today. I took him to the Mill Creek Reservoir here in Canton to meet up with his dad and grandpa. We had already bought him a Mickey Mouse fishing pole and a little red life jacket for just such an occasion. His daddy has been wanting to take him fishing since before he was born, so this was a huge day for them. I put on lots of sunscreen and dressed him appropriately - Crocs, blue jean shorts and his "Future Bass Fisherman" t-shirt that, of course, his dad bought.

He did great! He really enjoyed it for over an hour, which is much longer than I thought he would last. And he caught 3 fish! He was in awe of the fish, and even touched it - which is more than his mommy would ever do! :) I'm so proud of my little fisherman, and I know his dad and grandpa were SO excited to have today!

iHeartFaces Giveaway

2009-05-24T12:30:00.001-05:00

iHeartFaces has teamed with allPopArt for a great canvas wrap giveaway! Go to http://iheartfaces.blogspot.com/2009/05/allpopartcom-canvas-art-giveaway.html for more information!

Favorite Faces

2009-05-16T22:08:00.004-05:00

This week I am entering my first-ever contest at I ♥ Faces. The contest is to display your favorite close-up photo of all-time (that you've taken). I am posting my entry a couple of days early, mostly because I have never entered a contest there before and I want to make sure I do it right. I'm obviously entering the Amateur category - maybe someday I can call myself a pro! After much searching, I finally decided on this photo:

This is a picture of my sweet baby when he was just 3 months old. I think it really captures the innocence of his infancy, while still holding true to his personality. You can just see that twinkle of mischief in his eye already. I love this photo!

If you're one of my regular readers, feel free to stop by I ♥ Faces (www.iheartfaces.blogspot.com) for more information on their photo contests!

Please note: I am submitting this photo into the www.iheartfaces.com Blurb Book photo contest. I am granting I ♥ Faces permission to use my photo in a printed version of a book for commercial use and possibly advertising of a photo book on both the Blurb and I ♥ Faces web sites.

DSP & Quesa-dillas

2009-05-16T21:51:00.002-05:00

Today, Brandon and I took Tristan to the Discovery Science Place in Tyler. It's a small science museum that we both remember visiting in elementary school. It was a little bit of a disappointment to us, but Tristan seemed to love it. He ran through the cave, experienced an "earthquake", steered the ship, rode the Magic School Bus, toured an ambulance, worked in construction and much more. He was exhausted - and starving - by the time we got finished!

After the museum, we headed to On The Border for an early dinner. Tristan was so cute - he was winking and waving at all the waitresses while we waited for our food. He had everyone there laughing and talking to him! He also spent a lot of time picking the cheese out of his quesadilla - I joked that next time we should order a quesadilla, hold the dilla. =) He also enjoyed the chips/salsa/queso -- he ate so much of it that his eyes and nose were watering! On the way out, all the waitresses told him bye and waved... he was so excited to be getting that much attention.

We realized later that we had forgotten his pacifier at the restaurant, but luckily we found a spare in my purse. After settling down with his new binky, we got back on the road and I happened to look in the rearview mirror - Tristan was sitting in his car seat with his blankie over his head, just grinning and waiting for us to see him and laugh. Once he got the reaction he wanted, he quickly fell asleep. He never ceases to amaze me! =)

Nuggets

2009-05-15T21:13:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, Nana and I took Tristan on his first-ever trip to McDonald's to celebrate his 16 month birthday. He enjoyed some chicken nuggets and orange soda before tackling the nice, new indoor playground. He even went down the slide on his own, for the very first time!!

Today, we found out that they moved him to the next room at daycare. He's now in with the 18 month olds, even though he's a little younger than them. We will really miss his old teacher, but hopefully things will go well in this new room.

16 months old

2009-05-14T14:16:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday, sweet baby Tristan!

My little one is officially 16 months old today. And while I don't always celebrate these occasions, I'm feel somewhat nostalgic about this one. I can't believe how big (and my smart) my kiddo is getting!

He says over 30 words: doggy, mama, daddy, nana, nena, annie, go, bye, teeth, eye, zebra, lion, monkey, penguin, elmo, mickey, no, uh-huh, bubbles, balloons, turtle, elephant, gator, juice, eat, fish, ball, car, truck, gunner, apple, banana, cookie, beaver, peacock, and probably a LOT more that I can't remember right now.

He has 9 teeth and is cutting 2 more molars.

And he just amazes us every day with all the new things he learns!

Update

2009-05-12T08:44:00.001-05:00

I'm working at Tristan's daycare now. He still can't quite figure out why I would come to his school during the day and stay there, instead of picking him up and going home. On Thursday and Friday, I worked in the Pre-K room, but yesterday, I was with Tristan in the infant room. He loved being with mommy, but wasn't too sure about sharing me. Either way, it was nice to see my sweet boy 'in his element' at school and it's nice to have a job this summer, of course!

Thoughts of a Tired Mommy

2009-04-14T22:27:00.003-05:00

I've been thinking a lot lately, how becoming a mommy has made me a different person, a better person. My sweet baby boy turned 15 months old today. And not a day goes by that he doesn't absolutely amaze me. He already has so much more personality than I will ever have -- he has an amazing sense of humor and can make all the girls smile. He dances like a professional and has this crazy, infectious laugh that will brighten your whole day. He's learning so much these days... he can point to all of his most obvious body parts and calls all of his favorite people by name. He has 9 teeth, and a full head of gorgeous (but thin) curly hair. He loves to cuddle with his "doggy", Gunner. His favorite toys are his Little People farm animals and any book that he can get his hands on. I know that these are the days I need to hold near to my heart, that I need to remember forever. His sweet baby hugs that can make you cry, and his slobbery kisses that make you laugh.

I've been reading this blog: http://www.remembermaddie.com - and it has made me realize, again, just how incredibly blessed I am. I have a happy, healthy, smart, sweet baby boy and I take him for granted all too often. I know that my busy schedule is necessary - I'm trying to give him a better life. But I just hope that I don't forget to live this one, in the meantime.

I know that being a mother can happen to anyone. But being a *mommy* is special. And it changes your life.

Tubes

2009-02-23T17:35:00.001-06:00

Tristan had an appointment with his new ENT, Dr. Keech, this afternoon. As of today, Tristan will be getting tubes in his ears on March 16th. He has a lot of fluid in both ears, and it's causing the the back-to-back ear infections. Hopefully, this will take care of that problem and he won't be in so much pain all the time!

Hives

2009-02-12T21:08:00.002-06:00

Today was Tristan's last day of his latest round of antibiotics... he woke up with splotches on his face. As the morning went on and we started getting ready for school, they turned darker and spread all over his neck, tummy and back. =-0

Annie came home from work to look at them, and then his dad came back so that I could head off to school. I was so worried about my sweet boy! Brandon took him to the doctor at 10:30 and she confirmed that it was hives - he has a sulfa allergy, apparently. So we're discontinuing the antibiotics and giving Benadryl until his rash goes away. My sweet boy is itching and scratching and miserable, but it does seem to be getting a little better with each Benadryl dose.

He got a referral to the ENT, so we should be having that appointment soon... Hopefully we can come up with something that will keep him from having an ear infection all the time.

Sick again

2009-02-02T13:30:00.001-06:00

Tristan was up all night last night... he would just wake up screaming. I brought him to bed with me, but he just tossed and turned. I gave him some Tylenol this morning so that he could rest and it seemed to help a lot. I still really just thought that he was teething, since he hasn't had any fever or congestion.

Much to my _____, I took him to daycare this morning. I thought the change of scenery would do him some good and really, I needed a break. When I got home, I called and made him a doctor's appointment.

I went back a couple of hours later and picked him up (they said he did great). As it turns out, he still has a double inner ear infection. His chest is clear this time, at least. He had another really painful shot of Rocephin and they gave him a new prescription and some ear drops. She said that if this doesn't clear up, or if it recurs again in the near future, then he's headed to an ENT, to possibly get tubes in his ears. I would hate for him to have to do that, but he just can't seem to get rid of these ear infections. :(

He's asleep now, with his nana. Hopefully he'll feel better soon!

Playing catch-up

2009-01-30T22:38:00.004-06:00

I do realize that Tristan's birthday party was over 10 days ago and that I never came back with an update. I'm a horrible mommy. Being a full-time mom and student is getting to be a little harder than I imagined. Though I just spent the better part of 36 hours reading this blog: Matt Logelin and that makes it seem like I have such a simple job.

Tristan is doing great... he had his 12-month check-up and shots, which broke my heart. He's older now so all the emotions just seem more real. Also, as of 1/27, he moved up to the "big kid" (12-18 mos) room at daycare. He now only takes 1 nap a day, goes to recess, does art activities and is just generally growing up right before my eyes.

On all other fronts, he's doing great. He now has seven teeth (for the most part). He can walk, run, climb and a number of other special maneuvers. He LOVES to read his (huge array of) books and now divides his time between reading, riding his 4-wheeler and sweeping/mopping. He's going to make some girl a wonderful husband some day. ;0)

I'm adding some pictures from his birthday and party, to make up for the belated update.

Happy Birthday, Tristan!

2009-01-14T11:44:00.001-06:00

Happy 1st Birthday to my sweet baby boy!

I can't believe how fast this year has gone by! It seems like just yesterday, I was holding my beautiful baby for the very first time.

We had a WIC appointment this morning and he is now at 23 pounds and 28 inches. When he was born, he weighed 8 lbs. 15 oz. and was 21 inches long. What a difference a year makes! He's now walking/running and talking and eating table foods and working on getting rid of his formula/bottles. Before we know it, he'll be off to kindergarten!

Remembering when

2009-01-12T21:29:00.003-06:00

A year ago today, I was at the hospital, having contractions. This was right about the time when I got there, too. We stayed there for about four hours, seeing if my labor was going to progress or not. When it didn't, we started home... tired, a little bit disappointed, a lot anxious. I got a few hours of sleep and then at 5am on January 13th, I woke up with really strong contractions. I let Brandon sleep a while longer, then started getting ready and we headed for the hospital. I was admitted at noon and labored throughout that Sunday and then, finally, at 3:57 am on Monday, January 14, 2008, my beautiful, sweet baby boy came into the world.

It's sad, thinking of how fast this year has gone by, and all of the moments I will never have back. But as my sweet angel baby sleeps in the next room, I am so thankful for all of those moments, and for all the moments to come. My baby is handsome and sweet and smart, more than any mom could want. He's growing and learning every day and I can't wait to see the amazing person that he is becoming. :)

Tristan's 1st Christmas!

2008-12-26T10:19:00.004-06:00

Just a little photo recap of Tristan's very first Christmas. :) We opened presents here at home on Christmas morning and then visited Aunt Lori's house later in the afternoon. We also went to Nanny & Papa's for the Posey family Christmas, but we didn't get any pictures there. :( Baby Tristan was SO spoiled this year!!

When he opened his Pound Puppy, he looked at it and said "Thank you!" It was sooo cute! I think his little Leap Frog was probably his favorite gift, because it sings and talks and he loooves to dance to it!

Christmas Eve

2008-12-24T21:34:00.003-06:00

As per tradition, Tristan and Gunner each got to open a gift tonight. Tristan liked Gunner's best, so he stole it for a while until we managed to get it back. Then Tristan realized he really loves his new puzzle - and Gunner carried his new toy around all night to make sure that Tristan didn't get it again!

Visit with Mrs. Claus

2008-12-23T16:15:00.004-06:00

Tristan never got to see Santa this year, it just didn't work out. But apparently he saw Mrs. Claus at daycare! (It's actually Ms. Ashley, one of his teachers. :)

Sweet baby (11 months, 1 week)

2008-12-21T21:23:00.001-06:00

I've had an earache for several days now and today, it got really bad. I was in quite a bit of pain and so I was complaining to my godmother, an RN, and asking her if she had any suggestions. I guess I was whining a bit more than I realized because I suddenly noticed that Tristan (who I was holding in my arms) was just staring at me with a really concerned look on his face. I turned to him and said "Tristan, mommy feels really bad today. Her ear hurts a whole lot. Does your ear ever hurt?" He looked at me for a second, like he was taking in what I had said, and then he jumped up and put his arms around me for a HUGE hug. I told him thank you and how much I appreciated it, and then asked if I could have a baby kiss - and he gave me one!! I am so proud of and thankful for, my sweet baby boy.

Thoughts about a Boy

2008-12-16T16:54:00.003-06:00

Tristan is so incredible, he brings countless smiles to my face each and every day. In case you can't tell by his pictures, he's such a little ball of comedic energy... he must get that from his dad and his papa (my dad) because I certainly don't have that kind of charm. I have loved him since the moment I found out he existed, but this last few months it's gone from loving him as my son to absolutely loving the little person that he is becoming each day. He has a wonderful personality and such an insight... it's so great to be able to know him!

Example: Today after I picked Tristan up for daycare, we came into my bedroom. I put the baby gate up in the doorway (because he can open doors now) and put his big toy box in the floor. I was letting him explore while I did a little housekeeping. I saw him go over to his dad's desk and pull on a xbox controller, but it wasn't going to hurt it, so I let him. On the way down, an opened package of pop tarts fell to the ground as well. I was distracted for a moment by Oprah and when I looked back, I laughed out loud at what I saw: my tiny little boy had pulled out a pop tart and was walking around munching on it. There was already a big bite missing and telltale crumbs on his chin. So cute! I went over to give him a hug at the cuteness and he handed it to me - I guess he thought he was in trouble. I scooped him up and let him sit in my lap and watch Arthur while he enjoyed the rest of his midafternoon snack. ;)

Our latest news..

2008-12-12T22:31:00.004-06:00

Just some of the antics that Tristan has been up to lately. :)

Hugs!

2008-11-16T17:05:00.001-06:00

Tristan turned 10 months old two days ago and yesterday, he gave me his first 'real' hug.

I was sad, talking about how big he's getting and how he's almost a year old. I was holding him, because we were getting ready to go out. I guess he could tell I was sad because he looked up at me, then put one arm on each side of my neck, laid his head on my shoulder, and gave me a big sweet baby hug. I almost cried it was so sweet!!

I love my handsome boy. :)

Babes & Kids Review: November Giveaway

2008-11-02T22:13:00.001-06:00

Tiff over at B&K Review is having her November Giveaway.

Leave her a comment and get an entry to win a pair of girls' or boys' soft-soled shoes from The Children's Place. Post a link to her blog on YOUR blog and get a second entry in the giveaway.

She has a TON of great info so remember to check back often!

http://babesandkids.blogspot.com/2008/11/november-giveaway-childrens-place.html

1st Zoo Trip!

2008-11-02T22:05:00.005-06:00

We took Tristan to the Caldwell Zoo in Tyler today. It was his first-ever zoo trip - a long-awaited trip for his dad and I. :)

He was a little baffled by it all at first, but then he really loved to see all of the animals. The ducks, penguins, giraffes and leopard were his favorites. He also, surprisingly, really liked to see the snakes and turtles in their glass cages!

Pep Rally

2008-10-25T13:27:00.001-05:00

Tristan went to his first-ever pep rally yesterday. It was at Canton High School in anticipation of the football game against Mineola.

He LOVED it! When the cheerleaders did their cheers, he would jump up and down. When the band played, he yelled and clapped his hands, or snapped his fingers during the slow parts. And then during the dance competition, a hip-hop song came on and he put his "hands in the air" and yelled right along with the crowd. Hilarious and WAY cute! He got the attention of everyone in the stands!

Later, at the football game, he did the same thing.... clapped and yelled when the crowd did, and snapped his fingers to the band. Our little man is so smart! :)

9 Month Well-Baby Appt

2008-10-20T14:22:00.002-05:00

Tristan had his 9 month well-baby visit today with Dr. Norris. It was his first regular check-up with his new doctor and we really liked her!! She got down in the floor to play with Tristan and talked to him the whole time. He loves her!

As for him... he is at 20.1 lbs, which puts him in the 75th percentile. A little big for his age, but he started out big for his age! haha. He's still only at 27.5 inches, which is about the 25th percentile, so he's a little on the short side, but that's okay. His head circumference is 19 in., which is the 98th percentile. Again, he's always been ahead of the game on that one, lol.

His eyes and ears and everything look great and she was really impressed that he's so active and already walking. She was also surprised that he also says words and knows their meaning, like calling me 'mama' and Brandon 'dada' and not confusing the two.

He didn't get his HIB and flu shots today, they still haven't been able to get his records from his old doctor. But they're going to call as soon as they get them so we can go in and get him caught up.

Sleeping Milestone?

2008-10-19T09:26:00.003-05:00

Despite my great plans during pregnancy, Tristan has been cosleeping with Brandon and I (and Gunner @@) since the day we brought him home from the hospital. There were a couple of nights when I tried to get him to sleep in his bassinet or his crib, but it never lasted more than a couple of hours.

Well, he's 9 months old now. He tosses and turns all night, not getting any sleep and keeping us up. Plus, he's started trying to dive headfirst off the bed every time he wakes up.

So, on Thursday, I changed him into his PJs, read him a few stories, gave him a bottle and rocked him to sleep. Then I laid him in his crib with his blankie and his paci and his ducky... and walked away. That night, he slept alone for about six hours. When he woke up at five, I got him up and gave him a bottle and let him come to bed with us for the last hour before school.

Friday night, I did the same routine, but he woke up at three.

Last night, I put him in his bed at about 11:00 (he had fallen asleep with me on the couch) and he stayed there until.... ::drumroll:: Eight o'clock this morning!! I woke up several times during the night and checked on him (even though we have monitors) but he was always sound asleep. He got up at eight, took a bottle, and started his day.

Hopefully this new routine sticks! :)

First steps!

2008-10-14T22:05:00.001-05:00

Tristan took his first step today! It also happens to be his 9-month birthday.

He tried to take a step this morning - on the bed, of all places - but he fell before he really went anywhere. This afternoon after school, though, he took two steps to get him from his toy box to the coffee table. And then tonight, he took another two steps to get to me. My baby boy is walking! :(

Milestones

2008-10-11T09:19:00.002-05:00

As of this week, Tristan is officially cruising. While he's been pulling up for some time now, he's had no real interested in getting anywhere that way. But yesterday, he held on to his toy box and walked around it and today, he did the same with the table. So he's moving on his feet now!

He can also stand up now without any help. He goes from a squatting or crawling position directly to a standing position, without holding on to anything. He'll be walking soon, I'm afraid! :)

Teeth!

2008-10-05T09:38:00.002-05:00

Tristan has two teeth now. Actually, it's more like 1 1/2. ;0) He got one front tooth last Monday (9/29... or thereabout) and then another one popped up this weekend. He has both of his bottom front teeth now!

My tiny baby is definitely not so tiny anymore. :'(

Great Review Site

2008-09-08T17:25:00.001-05:00

A fellow mom in my January '08 Snowdrops group has started a blog dedicated to reviewing baby and children's products. She's putting in all the time/effort/research, all you have to do is read and shop wisely! :0)

This week, she's reviewing sippy cups and is even having a sippy cup giveaway. Be sure to check out her blog at this address: http://babesandkids.blogspot.com/

Sick baby :(

2008-08-31T11:42:00.001-05:00

Tristan has his first-ever cold. :'( I guess for being 7 1/2 months old, that's pretty good, but I still feel so bad for him.

He woke up yesterday (Saturday) with a runny nose and sneezing. By the afternoon, he had a low-grade fever and by night, he was completely congested. We're using Vicks Baby to clear up his congestion, and Baby Tylenol to keep his fever down, but he's just miserable.

I hope my little guy feels better soon!

Seven Months Old

2008-08-15T09:53:00.004-05:00

Here's a story from yesterday (8-14-08) which was Tristan's 7 month 'birthday'

Tristan has a little stuffed duck that he loves to play with... so the other night, I was telling him DUCK, that's a DUCK over and over... and he started repeating it back to me. Which we all went crazy over, but he was just imitating me.
Well , we were in Wal-Mart and Tristan was sitting in the buggy and all of a sudden, he said DUCK DUCK! I wasn't paying attention really but I happened to turn the way he was facing -- and there was a big toy duck sitting on the shelf. It looked NOTHING ilke the one that Tristan has, except that it was yellow and had an orange bill, lol.
Anyway, he recognized the duck and called it by its name... I was so proud, I just had to brag! :D

And here's a picture of my handsome boy:

Reflections

2008-08-08T21:43:00.002-05:00

It's amazing what a difference a baby can make. I know it's cliche, but he is such a joy and brings so much light into our everyday lives.

Today, he watched me hide a toy in the laundry hamper and not only did he pull himself up to standing, but he he then reached for the lid to try to get inside so he could retrieve his lost toy. He's so smart!

Then this evening when his dad came home from work, he was playing with my cell phone while we caught up on our day. Brandon's phone started ringing, so he handed me the baby and then started laughing - his caller ID said that *I* was calling. Tristan had called his dad on my cell phone! It was an accident, of course, but he was so excited to hear his dad on the other end! ;)

He also learned how to open the kitchen cabinets today, so it's off to the store I go and the baby-proofing officially begins!

Learning so many things....

2008-08-06T14:13:00.002-05:00

Tristan is learning and doing so many new things every day now, it's just amazing to watch him grow.

He can now sit up independently, crawl, pull himself up into a standing position... He picks up anything and everything he wants. He loves to watch his dog play and run and I know that it won't be too long before he starts joining in.

He now eats 2 meals a day, plus table food snacks in between. Yesterday he got his first taste of a pickle - and loved it!

I got him on the waiting list for Lil' Ones Academy several weeks ago, but it looks like they might not have a spot for him before I start back to school, so on Monday, the husband and I are going to tour Pecan Ridge School. They have individualized curriculum, internet cameras, and lots of other things that I'm really interested in. They teach the babies sign language along with all the basic concepts you would expect. It's a little more pricey, but it's worth it to get him into a quality center where the staff will really care about him. :)

Playdate

2008-08-02T10:52:00.001-05:00

Tristan had his second playdate yesterday.

I met Alena through CafeMom when Tristan was first born; she lives about 15 minutes away in the next town over, and has a son that is just 2 months older than Tristan. Back in May, we met at the city park and let the boys swing, but Tristan was really too young to do much interacting with other babies.

Yesterday, we went to Alena's house and Tristan and Russ got to play together. They're both crawling now, though Russ is almost ready to start walking! They didn't really understand the concept of sharing (of course!), but I think they did great to be as young as they are.

We look forward to having lots more playdates when them in the future!

2008-07-30T13:59:00.002-05:00

Tristan is napping at the moment... he finally got some relief from his teething tablets and was able to rest a little. The poor baby screams in agony sometimes, his gums hurt so bad. :( I ordered him an amber teething necklace. When we were in Killeen, I heard lots of good things about them, so hopefully it wasn't a waste of my money. :)

Yesterday, Tristan stood straight up on the bed, put his arms above his head, and growled. He's growing up so fast.... Of course, he can't *stay* standing up for very long, but it's cute just the same. He also rode in his 'big boy stroller' for the first time yesterday, when we tagged along to Brandon's VA appointment. He loved it, but we need to find a toy bar or something to keep him entertained.

Trying

2008-07-28T17:13:00.003-05:00

I'm trying desperately to get in the habit of posting regularly, but Tristan is 6 1/2 months old today and it just hasn't happened yet.

The baby is cranky and grumpy most of the time now. He's teething, and miserable, and so are the rest of us. But he's started cuddling and saying words and he's so sweet that it's pretty hard to hold it against him.

He crawls now, in his own special way... he would much rather use his feet than his knees and if he could just work out that balance thing, he would be walking instead. He can pull up, too, but the same principles apply.

He's eating solid foods... he has oatmeal with fruit every morning for breakfast (his favorites are bananas and peaches) and then a veggie for dinner (likes: green beans and sweet potatoes, hates: peas). I've snuck him a taste of a few table foods, but nothing too serious.

We're still waiting on news of his daycare arrangements for the fall. I'm really looking forward to finishing my degree, but I know that after the first hour or so, I'll be missing my little boy.

6 Month Appointment Update

2008-07-23T17:19:00.001-05:00

Little Monkey is six months + 1 week now... today was his well-baby check-up with Nurse Rossell.

He now weighs 17 pounds, 9 oz. and is 27 inches long. He's five ounces shy of being double his birth weight and has grown by half a foot! =-0

He got 3 shots, with another due at his next visit (they were out of the vaccine). He's already eating fruits and veggies, but he got 'permission' to eat soft table foods and he can have meats at 8-9 months.

I can't believe my little man is already half a year old!

Fourth of July (5 months + 3 weeks)

2008-07-05T10:36:00.002-05:00

We took Tristan to see the Canton fireworks show last night to celebrate his first-ever Fourth of July. While we were waiting for the show to start, he held on to his blankie and loved just watching all the people go by. He climbed all over us so he could see what all he could see. ;0)

When he heard that first boom, he jumped... but then he looked up at the sky and his eyes just lit up. He was so mesmerized by all the bright colors. He really enjoyed them for several minutes, but then the noise started hurting his ears and he wouldn't let us cover them for him. He got a little fussy, but by that time, the wind had shifted and debris was falling right on us, so we all got back in the car. We watched the rest of the show from there and he was craning his neck to see the fireworks through the window. =)

4-month Well-Baby Visit

2008-05-20T19:39:00.003-05:00

Today was Tristan's four month check-up.

He now weighs 15 pounds, 3 oz. and is 26 inches long. He got 3 shots with 5 vaccines and is *super* cranky, but other than that he is doing okay. His dr gave the go-ahead for him to start baby foods when his cereal isn't filling enough for him, but he could take or leave the cereal right now, so I think it will still be quite a while before he moves on to veggies.

Happy 4 months!

2008-05-14T11:07:00.004-05:00

Today, Tristan is four months old.

I can't believe that it's been a year (tomorrow) since we found out that I was pregnant. So many things have happened since then, and I'm so blessed to have my sweet baby boy with me now.

He's growing incredibly fast... and is such a smart, sweet boy! On Monday, we took him to the school's band concert. He sat in my lap for over 2 hours listening to the music and watching everything around him. He danced and laughed and finally fell asleep to the sounds of the marimba. Everyone who saw him was amazed at how well-behaved he was for being so young -- and it was way past his bedtime, too!

He's now rolling over from front to back quite regularly. I feel like he'll be rolling in both directions pretty soon. He can sit and stand (both with support) and tries to scoot across the floor already.

Yesterday, he watched me operate a toy just once and then he tried to do it himself. Such a fast learner!!

So Happy 4 month Birthday, Tristan!! :D

Here are some photos from yesterday:

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T22:11:00.002-05:00

Today was my first-ever Mother's Day. Last year, we found out that I was pregnant the morning after Mother's Day... so I didn't get to celebrate that one. :)

Today, I woke up to a smiling baby and my wonderful husband. The boys gave me really sweet cards plus a lovely black & white diamond bracelet. I love it!!

My mom and godmother gave me some spending money plus a Boyd's Bear baby figurine.

We got dressed and took Tristan and Gunner to the lake for a little family time. It was fun, but hot, and I got sunburned. Brandon & I went grocery shopping for a while, then we took Tristan to see his Gma Gwen for Mother's Day.

**While we were there, Tristan rolled over for the first time!! He went from front to back and couldn't figure it out in the other direction, but still that was quite a milestone!!

Tonight, Brandon and I cooked dinner together and the baby is already fast asleep.

I can't believe that my little one is getting so big so fast... but I'm so proud of him for figuring out how to roll over! :)

Here are some pics of Tristan giving me "his" gift:

What a week!

2008-04-27T18:01:00.003-05:00

Tristan has had quite a week... He has started holding his toys, loving his Exersaucer and laughing SO much more! He's also continuing to eat a little bit of cereal every day, and being such a big boy. Here are some pictures to prove it. :)

First Cereal (3 months, 6 days)

2008-04-21T12:10:00.006-05:00

Doodlebug had his first cereal tonight! And he did sooo well -- Mommy is proud! :D

Happy Birthday, Tristan!!

2008-04-14T20:38:00.002-05:00

Tristan is 3 months old today. The time has flown by!! My little Doodlebug is getting sooo big already.

Today was also his daddy's 23rd birthday -- Happy Birthday, Brandon!

I have pictures, but it's Doodle's bedtime, so I'll post them tomorrow. :)

*ETA Pics*

Random Pictures (12 weeks old)

2008-04-09T14:39:00.002-05:00

Holding on...

2008-04-07T18:46:00.003-05:00

Tristan has started really (intentionally) holding on to things. He loves to cuddle with his blankies, bibs, and burp cloths. And now he's started holding on to his toys, too. It's adorable!

Here are a couple pics of his new skill:

First Laughs (11 weeks, 3 days)

2008-04-03T19:01:00.002-05:00

Late last night and then a few times today, Tristan laughed out loud for the first time. He's been squealing and cooing for weeks now, but he's just now starting to laugh like a 'big boy'. Soooo cute!! :D

Photos and Such...

2008-04-01T19:06:00.002-05:00

We got our newborn photographs back on Friday. They're so beautiful! Thanks to the lovely Brooke at "Memories by Brooke" in Canton. They were well worth the wait!! I found some frames from storage, so we finally have our beautiful baby boy's picture on our walls here at my mom's house. Hopefully they'll be gracing our *own* walls sometime soon.

In other news, Tristan is finally starting to like his swing. This morning, he played and sang along to the music and then fell asleep... he was there over an hour before he decided he'd had enough. Then this evening, he was fussy so we put him back in it, and he fell right to sleep... He slept and swung for a good 30-45 minutes. I'm so glad he's found a way to entertain himself - and that we're getting some use out of our baby gear!

I'll update with pictures soon. :)

Tristan's 2 month Appt (10wks, 1 day)

2008-03-25T13:22:00.002-05:00

Tristan had his 2-month well-baby visit today.

His appointment was at 10 am, so unfortunately, I had to wake him up from his nap to take him, and he was pretty fussy the whole time we were there. He weights 11 lbs., 9 oz. now (up almost 3 pounds from birth) and is 23 inches long (up 2 from birth). He had to get 5 vaccinations in 3 shots, poor baby.

I gave him Tylenol before we went, and again after we got back, and he's been doing pretty great ever since. No fever or redness, knock on wood. What a strong little guy I have! :0)

Happy Easter! (9 weeks, 6 days old)

2008-03-24T16:55:00.008-05:00

I'm a day late, Easter was yesterday. But we had a pretty busy day and got home late, so please forgive me. :0)

Yesterday was Tristan's first major holiday. YAY! Here's what the Easter bunny brought him:

In case you can't tell, that's a race car basket with Cars plastic eggs, a "My 1st Easter" stuffed bunny, a book, a "Chicks Dig Me" onesie, a duck wrist rattle, and a plastic ball. Plus, a card, of course, for his scrapbook. ;0)

After he got his goodies, we loaded up and drove to Bedford for Easter lunch at Aunt Monica's house. Also there were Uncle Todd, Aunt Libby & Uncle Roy, Stefany & Specer with Mallorie and Makenzie, Grandpa & Melissa, G-Gma, and TJ. It was nice for Tristan to finally get to meet his extended family! There was an Easter egg hunt, plus GGma gave him a big stuffed rabbit, and Aunt M had a cozy blanket and some burp cloths. Thanks everyone!

That evening, we stopped at Aunt Lori and Uncle Steve's house to visit. Tristan just loves to play with his cousin, Ashley. They had already given him his Easter gift -a cute stuffed duck that makes noises. We had Easter dinner there, and got in lots of play time and then headed home.

Tristan was exhausted and easily slept all night once he got settled in!

Here are a couple of pics from our time at Aunt Lori's house:

Time for an update....

2008-03-13T09:45:00.007-05:00

Tristan is 8 weeks old now, so it's obviously been a while since I've updated.

Things are going great. I'm sooo in love with my "Super Baby", as my niece calls him. He's soo active and alert, and has been for weeks. His new favorite thing to do is jump up and down - and then he laughs out loud and gets this HUGE grin on his face, which of course just melts my heart. :0)

Yesterday was my postpartum appointment. We showed Tristan off to all the nurses, of course. ;) Everything was good with me, so that's the last time we'll be there for a while. I'm kind of sad - I really liked my OB, lol.

Oh, and we went and picked up the baby's birth certificate while we were in Tyler. I'm so disappointed - they typed it up while we were there and it totally looks like a fake. It only has our names and his birthdate on it. What the heck?? It doesn't look at all like all the ones I've ever seen. Not sure what the deal is with that.

This past weekend, we took Tristan on his first-ever road trip. The Hoodies threw a "Welcome Baby" shower for us, and it was tons of fun. It was soo nice to get to see everyone again - plus, the baby got lots of cute new outfits and a great blanket that Esther made for him.

Here are some pics from this weekend:

Now leave some comments so I can be inspired to post more! ;)

One Month

2008-02-14T21:47:00.005-06:00

Tristan is one month old today! It was also his first holiday (Valentine's Day!) so here are some pictures to commemorate the special day :0)

Tristan's First Week

2008-01-22T16:27:00.001-06:00

Tristan's first week was a pretty eventful one.

We got home from the hospital on Wednesday afternoon. We had a few visitors and then just enjoyed our first night at home.

On Thursday morning, he had his first appointment with our family practitioner. He had developed jaundice overnight! =-0 He was also down to 8 lbs., 3 oz. - 12 ounces down from his birth weight. The average loss is usually less than 10 ounces. So, we started pushing fluids and had to feed every 2 hours. He did good for a while, but that night, he started refusing to breastfeed. We had to start supplementing formula to make sure he was getting enough calories.

On Friday, I stopped breastfeeding altogether and started alternating between formula and expressed breast milk. He started eating much better, and his color started to improve. We continued that all weekend.

On Monday, he turned one week old. :0) We took him back to the doctor and his weight was up to 8 lbs., 13 oz.! He had gained 10 ounces over the weekend, so that's a wonderful improvement. His jaundice was also much better, so she said we could start spacing out his feedings. His umbilical cord was starting to get a little infected, so we were told to increase the cleanings with alcohol to every diaper change.

Today, he's eight days old and his jaundice is all but gone. His umbilical cord fell off today... which is worrisome to me, but we called the nurse and she said to keep cleaning it and he should be okay. We've got another appointment tomorrow to get his PKU follow-up, so we can check everything else out then, too.

And now, pictures from his "One Week Birthday":

Tristan's Birth Story

2008-01-18T16:31:00.001-06:00

Short Story: Tristan Colbie was born on Monday, January 14th at 3:57 am weighing 8 lbs, 15 oz. with a length of 21 inches. And no, I didn't get the unmedicated birth that I wanted.

Long Story: I started having contractions at around 4pm on Saturday (the 12th). I went to Labor & Delivery but was only at 2cm with no progress, so they sent me home. We got home at 1 am and I got a few hours of sleep before waking up at 5am on Sunday (the 13th) with strong contractions that were about 7-8 minutes apart. I tried to rest, but couldn't, and finally got up at around 7 am. I took a bath, got dressed, and started timing the contractions. After they had been 5 minutes apart for about 2 hours, I told Brandon I thought it was time to go to the hospital. I wasn't in horrible pain, but at that point I could no longer easily walk through the contractions.
We go to the hospital at around 12:30 pm and I went to L&D triage... I was 90% effaced, and dilated to 4 cm, but barely, so my OB suggested that I walk around for an hour and get checked again. She didn't want me getting admitted prematurely. So Brandon and I walked the hospital grounds... up and down the stairs of the parking garage and all around inside. When they checked me again, I was almost to 5 cm, 100% effaced, and my bag of waters was bulging, so they decided to admit me.

We got to our room and the contractions were about 3 minutes apart, and mostly in my back, but still bearable. I tried doing my relaxation breathing, tried different positions, used my birthing ball, etc. When my OB came in to check on me, she said I looked amazing and that if I wanted to go unmed, that was fine with her. But... she decided to break my water since it was still bulging.

After that, the contractions immediately got more intense and much closer together. I was having a hard back labo and I started finding it hard to relax, but I did the best I could, because I was so intent on having an unmedicated birth. The next three or four hours are kind of a blur for me. I remember being checked and being at 6 cm. I was frustrated, but continued to breathe through the contractions. Then I started feeling a lot of pressure but was only at 7 cm. Almost two hours later, I was still at 7. My labor had stalled.

They wanted to use pitocin, but I hesitated, and kept trying to breathe through the now VERY intense contractions. I agreed to a small dosage of IV Stadol so that I could try to focus more. The Stadol only made me drowsy, and I was pretty out of it, but all of a sudden, the nurses started rushing around and I didn't understand what was going on. Finally, one of them told me that they couldn't find the baby's heartbeat and that they were going to attach the internal fetal monitor. When they did so, they checked me again and my cervix had started to swell b/c I was unable to control my strong urge to push. They now said that they pitocin was necessary in order to keep my cervix from swelling closed.

At that point, I gave in and said I would get the epidural. My labor had stopped, the baby was in danger, my body was in danger, and I was getting closer to a C-section by the minute. So at around 8pm, I got the epidural.

Admittedly, things got much better. I was finally able to be free of the horrible back pains that came with each contraction, and could relax and tell jokes with Brandon. I was also able to get a little bit of rest. By midnight, my cervix had recovered and I was fully dilated.

At 1:30am, my nurse told me to start pushing. The baby's head was still very high, and he was posterior (which was causing my back labor), plus as we had been told, he was a very large baby. At one point, I overheard a nurse say that I might need a C-Section b/c of the size of his head, but another said that I had worked too hard for too long. Thank goodness for her!! She's my angel! :) I ended up pushing for 2 1/2 hours. I got very nauseous and vomited several times. By 3:30am, my OB had came in for good and we got down to business.

At the last minute, Tristan rotated so that he was anterior and his head could fit more easily through the pelvis. He ended up being born without forceps or any other intervention. Once his head was in place, the rest was smooth sailing. Finally, at 3:57 am, almost 36 hours exactly since my first contraction, my beautiful baby boy entered the world. He had a small sore on the top of his head from my pelvis, and I got a 2nd degree tear, but otherwise we both came through just fine.

He was perfect and healthy and scored 9's on both of his Apgars. He was incredibly alert and has been ever since. And of course, he's the center of our world. :0)

All through labor, I felt like quite a failure that I was unable to get my unmed birth. But, he was posterior, and almost 9 pounds, and under the circumstances, there was just no way to go through with it. Everyone told me that I did wonderfully and had an incredibly hard job and eventually, I let myself believe it. I know I did what was best for my son, and that is truly all that matters. :)

38w3d Appt Update

2008-01-07T13:48:00.001-06:00

Today was my follow-up ultrasound. The baby's head was measuring 3 weeks ahead last time, so they wanted an update. It's still measuring ahead, but so is the rest of him, so it looks like he'll be a normal - but big - baby. :0) The ultrasound estimated that he weighs 9 lbs., 4 oz. at this point - but it can be off by as much as 2 pounds. By the look of things, the tech thinks that he should be arriving pretty soon.

After the ultrasound, I had my usual appointment with Dr. Carl. I've officially gained 40 pounds this pregnancy. :( But I'm trying to stay confident that I'll be able to lose it. Blood pressure was fine. I was also negative for Group B Strep, which is a relief. Now I don't have to worry about getting antibiotics during labor.

I'm up to 2cm now - not sure about the effacement, since she didn't mention it. She seems to think that the baby is closer to weighing eight pounds than nine, and she thinks I shouldn't have a problem delivering him the natural way. I'm scheduled for an appointment with her next Monday, but she said that there's a chance I won't make it that far (yay!). So feel free to send labor vibes my way! ;)

38 Weeks

2008-01-04T11:31:00.001-06:00

Wow! As of today, I am 38 weeks pregnant. I can't believe it! It seems like just a few weeks ago, Brandon and I were back in Killeen and found out that we were going to have a baby. So much has happened since then, but it's all gone by so fast! I'm really, really ready to meet my beautiful baby boy, but things have gone just as planned thus far, so I think we might have a few more weeks to wait. I just want him to be healthy and happy, but I do wish he would hurry just a little. ;)

37 weeks, 2 days (Dec. 30th)

2008-01-02T11:31:00.002-06:00

36w5d OB Appt Update

2007-12-26T19:07:00.001-06:00

Today was my 36 week OB appointment.

I hadn't gained any weight, which is great news. :) Blood pressure was normal. I had my Group B Strep test today, and should have the results next week. Hopefully it comes back negative, it would be nice to not have to worry about getting antibiotics during labor. She also did the first cervical check - I'm 1cm dilated and 50% effaced - yay!! That doesn't really mean anything, she still expects me to go to my due date, but at least it's progress. :) The baby's head is also engaged, so we shouldn't have to worry about him flipping back over into a breech position. Next appointment is at 38 weeks, and I'll have a sonogram to check his size.

We also went to the hospital today to meet with the patient care planner and get my birth plan put in my chart. That went really well, I thought. The hospital already does pretty much everything I was concerned about. After initial monitoring, I'm free to move about as I want. They won't separate Brandon from me after that time, either. It's no big deal if I don't want an epidural, but it's available if I change my mind. Once the baby is born, they encourage skin-to-skin contact and immediate breastfeeding. They'll footprint him and put his prints on anything we want. Then, his first bath takes place in the room with me, and Brandon can participate. They'll put a sign on the door from the very beginning saying that we don't want visitors, which leaves it up to us to ask for people if we want them to come in. Brandon can go to the nursery with the baby anytime he goes after that, but he'll really only go for his hearing test and circumcision. A lactation consultant will be on hand to help me out anytime I need the help, and they have a great security system in place. Overall, I was really happy with their policies and feel much better about the whole process. :)

Week 36 Pictures

2007-12-22T10:59:00.002-06:00

34 week appointment update

2007-12-12T19:12:00.001-06:00

I'm 34 weeks, 5 days as of today. And it was time for my bi-monthly OB appointment.

Blood pressure was good, as usual. I gained 4 pounds, which isn't great, but Dr. Carl didn't say that she was concerned about it, so that's good. Tristan's heartbeat was a strong 150,.. he was a little more active this afternoon than he usually is when I have appointments. :) He's also still head-down, which is great. I'm still measuring right-on for my dates, so it looks like we just have a little over 5 weeks to go now.

My next appointment is in 2 weeks, and then they're weekly after that. So we're in the final countdown now! :)

I didn't take pictures this week, things keep coming up. But I'll try to add one this weekend. :)

32 week appt update

2007-11-28T19:38:00.001-06:00

Today was my 32-week appointment. Can anyone believe that? =-0

First, I only gained 2 pounds this time. YAY! My OB said that everyone had been really upset with their weight gain this last week or so (blame Thanksgiving) but that she was proud of me for gaining exactly what I was supposed to. :D

I'm measuring right on for my dates, so that's great news. And the baby's heartbeat was strong, in the 130s. That's a little lower than usual, but he's also getting bigger. :)

At my last appt, the receptionist mentioned that my dr is taking vacation the first week of January, so today I asked her about it. She said that she'll be gone, but she had no idea that the receptionist was just skipping that week of appointments. Instead, she scheduled me an appt with her nurse practioner so I can have my weekly appt and she'll take care of anything I might need that week. Which works for me, b/c I didn't want to get stuck with one of the other [male] doctors in her practice.

I think that's all. :) I tried to do a little too much today, so I'm going to go put my feet up and try to relax for a little while before bed. Next appointment is in two weeks. =)

32 Weeks

2007-11-23T19:21:00.001-06:00

I'm 32 weeks (8 months) as of today, so here are some pics:

30 week update

2007-11-12T22:31:00.001-06:00

Today was my 30 week appointment, and I got lots of info this time. :D

First, I had my follow-up sonogram, since they couldn't get all of the required shots at the 18 week one. Tristan is looking good, and is just as cute as ever. ;0) She got a good look at all of his anatomy and everything is looking just like it should. He's measuring right on target for his age.
His weight is right around 4 lbs. 1 oz. -- my OB said that's in the 69th percentile for his gestational age, which is g.reat.

As for me,... I only gained 4 pounds this week, so that was a relief. Also, no signs of preterm labor which is good, of course. I tested slightly anemic at my last appointment, but haven't been able to tolerate my over-the-counter iron supplements, so she gave me a prescription and hopefully these will work better.

Other than that... my appointments are now every 2 weeks. =-0 I can't believe we're that far along!! They went ahead and scheduled me all the way through my due date, so we're definitely counting down now!!

3D Pictures

2007-11-12T22:26:00.001-06:00

In case you haven't seen them... Here's baby Tristan in 3D at 28 weeks and 1 day (October 27, 2008).

The nursery

2007-11-12T21:59:00.002-06:00

Here are some pictures of the baby's nursery. The pictures were taken a few weeks ago - I've done some rearranging and things are a little more organized in there now. But these give you a pretty good idea of what it looks like. :)

Welcome

2007-11-12T21:22:00.001-06:00

Welcome to Tristan's blog! :)

I (Jayme) decided to make this blog so that Brandon & I can share all of the exciting details of baby Tristan with our family and friends, as he grows. For now, I'll keep you updated on his growth and the progress of his nursery. Then in January, I'll get to update with lots of pictures and stories about our new baby boy. Please leave lots of comments so we know that you're enjoying our blog!