Spring Is Here!

I'm glad to say that spring is finally here! At least I think it is (watch we'll get a snowfall tomorrow and I'll have to eat my words) . Recently, just getting out and enjoying the scenery(and nice weather) has been such a treat. As I drive to the gym everyday, I pass the most amazing fields of yellow flowers. It reminds me of the Provencal fields that are filled with lavender.
For some reason, one day as I was driving past the fields they reminded me of the field of poppies in The Wizard of Oz (in my head I could hear the Wicked Witch of the West saying "poppies, poppies"-you know what I'm talking about-in that drawn out way...). Maybe I was delirious when this thought came to me. Are poppies even yellow? Do they even grow like this? Please let me know, and don't worry-you wont offend me if (or when) you inform me that I'm totally off my rocker.

Since spring is here and the weather has been beautiful, I have been out walking and exploring more than ever. Tristan is a real sport as he is perfectly content being in his little carrier for a good portion of the afternoon. Our little town has so many cute little shops and is genuinely one of the nicer towns around here. My favorite place to frequent is a florist shop just minutes from our house that is owned by a husband and wife, whom are always helpful and also speak excellent English. My favorite days are the ones when I pick up flowers. I have found that I absolutely love to have fresh flowers in the house and would sacrifice numerous things just to have fresh flowers on a daily basis. My neighbor was shocked that my husband "allows" me to buy flowers on such a regular basis. Thanks Paul, I really appreciate it-it definitely makes me a happy woman to have such beautiful things around. The picture below is of the bouquet I most recently purchased. I'm always a sucker for tulips, they're my favorite!

The most recent development on the baby front is that Tristan has discovered his toes. This has become his favorite position, and he'll stay this way until he rolls over and his face is buried into the carpet or whatever it may be he's laying on. I always get a kick out of him doing this.

The view from the front. You can see he is on his way to pulling off his socks.

He does it everywhere-the bouncer, the swing, the floor, the bed...

This picture has no specific significance, I just liked the fact that he's showing off his wide eyed stare.

He's still sucking his thumb, and doing it int the oddest places!

One last picture to show that Tristan is just as excited about spring as I am!

What We've Been Up To

Let's be honest, I haven't been up to much at all (the same old routine of working out, shopping, hanging out with the boy...) but the little one-WOW how he's growing. This first picture shows how Tristan is becoming more and more vocal. This should come as no surprise (look who his parents are), but boy is it funny. He is ever talking or trying to talk, and occasionally he lets out a little shout. Last night on several occasions as I was preoccupied talking to my next door neighbor, he let out several little shouts as to say "Hey Mom, stop talking and look over here at me!"


Besides cooing (or rather shouting) Tristan has been preoccupied with his hands. He has discovered his thumb and as awful as this sounds, I'm kind of happy about it. Let me explain: As Tristan becomes tired he needs to suck on something to put him to sleep(I'm sure this is somewhat normal), but unfortunately for us too often he can't keep that blasted pacifier in his mouth and I find myself constantly looking for the pacifier and then putting it back in his mouth. Well with him discovering his hands, I'm hoping that he will be able to lull himself into sweet slumber and say goodbye to his past problems that came with the pacifier.

Here's a picture of what happens most times-he can't actually find his thumb and he jams his whole fist in his mouth. Its real attractive, the boy looks like he's famished and is about to snarf down one of his limbs.

This picture just shows how big he's getting. Oh how I love these "fat and happy" pictures. For more on the "fat and happy" pictures, see the overflow blog (I can never fit all the pictures I want in one posting-if you know how to do this, please let me know).

This picture is a little dark, but it displayed the last aspect of Tristan that is changing-his hair! This little guy still has the duck fuzz hair, but it is growing straight up and often looks like he's got a little buzz cut. It's so funny and often I'm tempted to indulge myself and accentuate his spikes with a little gel. Don't worry Paul I have plenty of self control!

The Overflow

the overflow : (meaning the pictures I couldn't fit on the first posting, but these first two pictures could also be linked with another kind of overflow...) This first pictures will forever remind me of Tristan's enormous accident in the IKEA parking lot. This little white (karate looking) outfit was in Tristan's diaper bag since he has been born(I know, I know-it would have been HUGE on him way back when he was born)-as the emergency outfit. Well, this past week it sure came in handy when Tristan woke up from his long nap and was ravenous with hunger. As I fed him in the IKEA parking lot(don't worry I haven't assimilated to European culture that fast-I fed him in the car), I heard and felt a little explosion. I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about. Well to say the least the aftermath of the explosion/bombing was enough to require a whole new outfit (if we were at home a bath would have been necessary as well). So here is the happy boy in his fresh new outfit. I look at that happy face and like to imagine he's thinking something like "Aw (sigh of relief), clean buns. There's nothing like it!"

This isn't the clearest picture, but another picture reminiscent of an overflow incident-or another little bombing. I love this little outfit. I call it his monkey suit, for the fact that this full body sweater made him look like just that-a little monkey. I realized that he was quickly growing out of it and so I wanted to get one last use out of it. Unfortunately, yesterday just as I donned the full body sweater, he let it rip and stopped my momentary gladness right in its tracks. By the time the little monkey suit comes out of the wash, I'm sure it will be too small(it was already on its way out)-too bad his last time wearing it, it was only on him for a few minutes!

This is simply a picture of the boy in the morning at his chubbiest. This is always my favorite time-when Tristan is "fat and happy". Tristan often is in the "fat and happy" state when he wakes up because he has feasted all night long (in the day he tends to snack and then at night he really goes to town). I really love how huge his face gets, check out that bulging belly as well!

Another picture of this little guy and his big eyes.

This last picture I had to put in for the simple fact that it reminded me soo much of his dad. When I look at this picture all I can see is Paul. It's funny how I can picture Paul making this same face. What do you think? Can you see it?

Rub A Dub Dub...

Can you tell I enjoy bath time? This time I enjoyed giving Tristan a full head of hair and a full suit (made of bubbles of course). He's such a sport about the whole thing.
Before putting him in the tub (or the sink rather), he donned his little towel and I couldn't help but think he looked as if he was going to a toga party. Granted he doesn't look as good as Adam (Holmes) because well...Tristan's is blue (not too authentic), but I got a good laugh out of it.

I don't want you to get the wrong impression. Tristan is NOT scared. He's just a man of many faces, and this one is just one he makes in the tub sometimes. This is actually the "your hands are too cold to be washing me down there" look.

This is the full body shot. Next toga party, this guy is ready!

This is the last of the bath pictures. Everyone always says "what big eyes he has!" well they never see him in the tub. Too bad it looks like I'm giving him a rectal exam.

What a Little Thug!

I want to thank my sister Emily and her husband Anibal for making this whole look possible. Little Tristan couldn't look more like a thug, with his Timberland shirt, hoodie and very stylish jeans. Tristan donned the gangsta threads and embraced his thug-ness!

In this next picture the little guy is just realizing how stylish he has become. He looks down to his shirt as to say "wow, look at me, I'm really cool!".

"Hey people, give me some love!" He's sticking his little fist out, to get some "poundage" from all the fans out there.

In the next two pictures you can see Tristan as he proceeded to rap. That's right, he did this without urging (he's quite advanced).

It's almost as if the clothes took over and he couldn't stop. Little Tris (or should I call him Little T) went on rapping for hours. Thanks Emily and Anibal!

Thank Goodness For Friends

Today Leslie (a new friend from the ward) was able to take some beautiful pictures of Tristan. I am so happy with the results and feel blessed that she was able to help me out. Tristan was a real champ for letting us play with him for so long (except for that soiled sheet and pillow, sorry Leslie!). I hope you like them!

Here's a picture of our little blue eyed guy (I guess you can't see them when the picture is black and white, but I still think they look pretty cool).

Who says boys can't wear bows? Certainly not me! He's the best gift I've ever received-hence the bow.

I had to stick a picture of him laughing in there, because well he wouldn't be my boy if he wasn't silly.

I'm sure Paul will think I'm unjustly exposing our child, but I couldn't resist the bum shot!

I didn't plan on being photographed today, but I'm hoping that the onlooker will be more focused on the little guy (please no scrutinizing) and not notice that I don't look quite as picture worthy as him.

He's a Bruiser!

Today Tristan had his two month check up (a little late), and surprise surprise...he has almost doubled his birth weight! He is a whopping 12 pounds and 5 ounces, and has grown three inches (currently he's 23 inches). More significant than the little guys impressive weight gain, was the fact that I successfully made it to the base for his doctors appointment. This is significant because up until Paul left he had done the bulk of our driving over here and I was oblivious as to how I should get most places. Despite this, today I can say I feel comfortable on the autobahn and can find my way around pretty well.

I have to say I'm somewhat embarrassed about having these diaper shots on the blog, only because it looks like he needs to be changed. I promise I'm not the neglectful type!

Here's a shot of my child's rippling biceps. This clearly shows his Domm genes coming through, either that or he's on his way to being the next Heman.

This picture isn't the clearest but definitely one of my favorites. What a happy boy he is!

Here's one last picture of the guy with his characteristic scowl (it seams he scowls just as much as he smiles).