Tweet-Tweets and More

Tristan,herein known as"T," went to the zoo today. No worries, Kris, GG, Grandude and I were all there as well. I can only imagine what was going through his sweet little mind. All of the animals from Brown Bear, Brown Bear look and smell significantly different in person.

By the time we actually made it to the zoo, we only had three hours until closing time, which turned out to be just about perfect for our little man. We started in flamingo land and immediately realized that our little angel really wanted to be on the other side of the fence with his new pink buddies. with his new pink buddies. He tried the climb over the fence method first which failed him. Then he thought about squeezing through a small opening in the fence which failed him as well because he has that big head.

Fortunately, daddy came to the rescue and negotiated a half in/half out of the fence deal.

So, the Ft. Worth Zoo has a dinosaur theme throughout the park. Maybe that is awesome for a kiddo who understands that:

1. Dinosaurs are extinct, and

2. The dinosaurs that look crazy real, are not real.

For T - who is only 18 months old - the dinosaurs were not very awesome. In fact, we saw multiple children who also felt that the dinosaurs were not so

awesome. I'm sure when T is into dinos, I will be super excited to encourage him to stick his hand in the T-Rex's mouth, but for us today is was a major fail.

Gorillas, which are real, completely weird me out. This particular gorilla just stared.

The only time he didn't just stare was when he probably taught my son how to pick his nose (looking back, it probably could have been way worse). T didn't hesitate to walk up to the window and point at Mr. Gorilla. It was adorable for a minute, but Mr. Gorilla will probably make an appearance in my dreams tonight because YouTube enabled me to see a gorilla walking like a man, and I can't get that image out of my head.

The birds, better known by T as Tweet-Tweets, were great. Moments after a major mom fail (I accidently bonked T in the head with my camera), we arrived at the bird cage. Fortunately, the tears ceased and the giggles began. You can get a little stick with bird seed on the end to feed the birds. T loved it! He may or may not have smacked a few of the Tweet-Tweets, but it was out of pure joy. Sometimes he expresses his love with a little tap...

T's love for the outdoors and a beautiful spring day was a perfect combination. He/We had a wonderful time at the zoo, and cannot wait to go again when Aunt Stephy visits!

Happy Birthday, Tristan!

On one hand it feels like Tristan was born yesterday, and on the other hand I can't remember life without him.

Tristan's first birthday was such a success. With a little man there are a lot of variables that could ruin a birthday bash, but runny nose and all, we had a great time!

The cake was an adventure. Tristan had is very own cake so he would not have to share with anyone on his big day. I wanted him to go face first, but he wasn't too sure about the whole cake thing. Once he has a small taste of icing, he kind of liked it, but was more concerned with the balloons awaiting him back inside. At least he was able to smear blue on several of his party guests between the high chair and the kitchen sink!

Now present time was fun to watch. I had envisioned Tristan opening each present one at a time, then turning to me with a knowing look. It kind of happened that way in my mind, but after looking at the pictures, it was all about the tissue paper and the balloons. Tristan is set for quite some time with the most stylish clothes and most cutting-edge toys. His favorite toy-from my perspective-was the box that contained his new wheels. When Matt combined the box with a few balloons...well, let's just say, that is was a success!

After cake, presents, bubbles and more, the remaining party-goers took Tristan's new ride for a spin. It was a great end to a perfect evening. Tristan went to bed smiling and woke up the same way the next day. I can't wait to do it all over again next year! I am thinking petting zoo and jumpy jump!

The last 9 months

Since my last post I went from being the mother of a very still, calm, and quiet baby to being the mother of a mobile, vocal, curious toddler. In the word only my sweet sister would truly understand..."How is possible?"

Monumental moments missed due to my lack of interest in blogging include, but are not necessarily limited to, rolling over, smiling, laughing, crawling (a one-legged crawl that he has mastered - I won't tell him it makes it look like only one leg is capable of mobility), cruising (for all non-moms, this means pulling up and scooting along anything in grabbing range), walking, falling, and a better attempt at walking.


Please note that T smiles with his entire face...irresistible!



T got to experience swimming for the first time. In anticipation of many afternoons at Uncle Matt and Aunt Shayna's pool, we started swim classes at 6 months. I didn't realize that maybe Matt needed lessons as well. He arguably saved Tristan's life by his cat-like reflexes and seriously impressive dog-paddling skills, but is it really a heroic event when Tristan's life wouldn't have needed saving if...well, take a look for yourself:



The most significant event was on Father's Day which doubled as T's Dedication at our church. We actually had the majority of our family here. I get a little weepy just thinking about what an incredibly important day that was for our little man. T looked adorable and it may have been his first official day of wearing shoes. The whole shoe thing hasn't worked out for us too well, but I probably wouldn't wear shoes either if I didn't know how to tie them .

Shots

So, last week Tristan got his first round of immunizations. I thought I would be able to handle it because I survived when they had to draw blood from his heel (which, by the way, is harder on mom than on baby). Fortunately, we had a fabulous nurse that was able to give him four separate shots in about 8 seconds. Tristan liked the nurse but hated the shots! I made an effort not to watch the actual needle insert his little thigh, but I knew by the expression on his face what was happening. His bottom lip stuck out so far it broke my heart! It took some time for him to calm down, but he really did great. I'm glad Tristan can't understand me yet because I promised him we would never go back there again...and I lied. Overall, I was prepared, and we survived!

The aftermath is what I was not prepared for. T clearly wasn't feeling well at all, so I gave him some infant Tylenol. I think that helped for a little bit...or at least it made me feel like I was doing something to help the situation. Later that night when I was getting him ready for bed, I removed his adorable Taz band aids and he had little whelps where he had gotten the shots. I'm not sure why I thought it would be a good idea to touch it, but I did...not a good idea. The little guy let out a major scream, and again I am glad he can't remember some things.

The next few days were a little interesting. I felt like I was dealing with a different baby, and the only thing I had to blame it on was the immunizations. T didn't have much of an appetite at all. He was fussy and cranky which is very unusual for him. I gave him a little more Tylenol and put warm towels on his whelps, but frustration was beginning to overtake me. This is the point where it is really nice to have a great hubby who can put things in perspective. Kris' favorite phrase may be, "Honey, he cries because he is a baby..."

The Good News: Today (5 days post shots) I finally feel like T is back to normal. He woke up with a smile on his face, and it hasn't gone away yet! He is eating like a champ and seems very normal! I learned a valuable lesson this past week...Shots Stink!

Bumbo

The Bumbo chair is fascinating! For those of you who are not familiar with the Bumbo chair, prepare to be amazed (spoken like a true mother). This chair assists are little six week old in sitting on his own. A few weeks ago we started putting him in the chair to help him build his neck and back muscles and now we have a new favorite pass time. Tristan will be walking on his own soon...shortly followed by long division!

If you are wondering, yes, I tried to sit in the chair, and, no, I do not fit!

Irresistable

Tristan has made so many new friends so far. It is impossible to resist his cute face, so anyone who meets him, immediately falls in love.

Our puppies, Chloe and Bubba, have had interesting reactions to Tristan. Chloe, our lab, doesn't seem to notice the new baby around the house. She still wants to play ball all day long as if nothing has changed. Now Bubba, our Pomeranian, is a different story. We were afraid he wouldn't like the baby because he is territorial of Kris and me; however, that has not been the case. Bubba loves the new baby! Any chance he gets, he tries to give Tristan a kiss on the foot or hand. Plus, if Tristan is crying in the other room, Bubba will go to him and then come to me and cry himself...kind of like Lassie!

The Dirty Diaper

Ok, so at what point will the dirty diapers slow down? At any given point in the day, I can open Tristan's diaper and find it dirty. In fact, I am convinced that he hates clean diapers, and everytime I put one on him, he works extremely hard to get it dirty again. The books say to change the diaper anytime you suspect it to be dirty because it will help with potty training down the road. Well, if I change his diaper everytime I suspect anything, I will never leave the changing table!

I have read too many "helpful" books about how to raise a baby. I say "helpful" because they all contradict one another. For instance, I am trying to figure out the healthiest sleeping habits for Tristan, and I have read so many differing opinions. One book says to put them in their cribs no later than two weeks so they do not become dependant on sleeping in the same room as mom and dad. A different book says that putting a baby in their own room too early causes separation anxiety. A third book says that the family bed, letting the baby sleep in your bed, is the only way a baby will truly feel loved...Ok, I am a reasonable person, but really?!? I think I'm going to write a book on how reading the helpful books might not be so helpful.

Needless to say, when Kris told me to quit reading all the books and just do what works for us, that was the greatest advice I've gotten so far!