Farts

So our house is now obsessed with bodily functions. Burps, farts, gurgles, poopies, wet diapers...they are the center of attention. And each of these is met with excitement and a rub of the belly.

Last night when I was changing his diaper and referred to him as a "peeing machine", I was told by Trina that I was not to say anything derogatory about any of his bodily functions--only praise, so as not to cause him emotional distress with his body and its functions.

Funny thing though, last night in bed I let a little toot slip, but did I get a cooing "good job" and a rub of the belly? No! More of a "That's gross!" and a disdainful roll away from me to the other side of the bed. What about my emotional distress? :)

Aug 6

OMG!!! We went an entire day without taking a picture of Tristan!!! (I suppose it was bound to happen sometime :)

Last night was a bit of a step backward since Tristan decided that eating should resemble grazing...dragging on and on into the third hour with bits of un-wakable sleep in between little snacks. Perhaps it is good for him, but not so much for mom.

A bit emotional with Grandma Trotter leaving this morning, but we survived with two great meals brought by from church members, a chance for mom to catch up with friends at a La Leche League meeting, and a picnic of former coworkers for Trina to show 'the cuteness'.

Most important were two brief, but important naps!

Tristan has been in deep, non-stop sleep all day, so that doesn't bode well for tonight though...

The third night home was a dream!

Oh my goodness!!! Is that what sleep feels like?

In the third night home we actually had some. Mom figures that she had almost 7 hours of sleep in a 9-10 hour period. In the morning we actually felt something that resembled human. Sleep is still a relative term, and the interruptions from feeding and changing diapers make it something different than pre-Tristan sleep, but compared to the first two nights...

Mom thinks that at 3am was when she really fell in love with the new human in the house. Being up in the middle of the night gives one time to study little toes, fingers, and ears...

We also could have a little bit of a conflict on our hands. Grandma Trotter is leaving tomorrow, and she keeps threatening to take Tristan with her. Last night when Mom and Dad went on a walk, we had to go alone, because Grandma wouldn't give him up. :)

I think she is coping by making sure his head will be warm this winter. He will have many, many hats, in a wide variety of colors.

Day 5 (Aug 4)

The second night home was better than the first. Several spells of sleep--until 3am when dad spent much of the rest of the night walking around the house with a fussy baby, and mom felt like a non-stop milk machine.

The day included our first visit to the pediatrician--mom and dad are much relieved that his collarbone, although indeed broken, is fine, and all the other creaks and crunches are completely normal.

WARNING: ALL PHOTOS MAY DISAPPEAR AND GO TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. When dad took a trip to change health insurance he heard on the radio that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt just got $40 million for tabloid photos of their new twins. Here we have been giving it all away for free! Tristan is not a twin, so I figure we couldn't get more than $20 million. Dad is no Brad Pitt either, so maybe even less than that. But I bet if we held out for awhile, at least Grandma Nussbaum in Oregon would spring for a few paparazzi photos.

Included below are the many faces of Tristan.


OK--so many of them are almost the same, but can you tell that his parents are infatuated yet?

Day 4 (Aug 3)

After a long first night, Tristan had a pretty good day. Grandma Trotter gave us a rest in the morning so we could sleep. (Thank goodness!)

Pastor Ross and Cathy stopped by for a visit, and we ended the day with our first outing--a walk down the street to visit our doula*, Linell. She had not seen him since he was about 15 minutes old. Linell made the birthing experience--dare we say--enjoyable. Well, maybe not "enjoyable", but manageable and meaningful. Thanks Linell!!



*Doula - a woman who assists women during labor and after childbirth.

First Night Home

This will be known as the night of oodles of poopie diapers (I lost count after 5--in one night!), 10,000 tears (both Tristan and parents), and only 20 winks.

This video was actually taken on his first day--we only wish his irritation was still this mellow. :)


...new vocalization that was discovered in the night is a high pitched, squeal that starts low and ends high...not too pleasant at 3am! (It reminds me of the Aaliyah song with the baby-noise in the background--but Tristan's squeal is is not nearly so joyful!)

We think Tristan must be part Italian because he prefers his meals to be long, drawn-out affairs that include loud arguments. Eat for 5 min, sleep for 5 min stretched out from 90 min. to 2 1/2 hours with lots of tears in between is his preferred nocturnal schedule. Not the best way for his chef and waiter though...

We weren't always sure, but we did survive the night.

In the morning Tristan looked better-off than his parents.
Tristan shown below--(parents refused to be photographed until they recovered)

August 2

What a day!



We came home from the hospital.





Jon and Meredith are practicing...










Shortly after arriving home we had a poopie diaper….soon followed by frustrated crying indicating another poopie diaper….which turned into a Bellagio-style peeing fountain while on the changing table.

One outfit, one changing table pad, two blankets, four washcloths, a couple of q-tips, more frustrated crying during a full body bath, and two slightly overwhelmed parents later, everything was all good again.

And to look at him just a moment later you would never know anything was wrong. If only his parents settled so quickly…



That episode was really quite funny though. Later his parents had a bit of a meltdown. It was a bit traumatic when the pediatrician told us this morning that he has a broken collarbone (from delivery), as well as "some clicks" in his hips. Suddenly we are here at home without the army of doctors and nurses. Every click and crinkle that his new little body makes is traumatic for us! (noises that all new babies make as their cartilage gets into place.) Tristan doesn't seem to mind though.

Thank goodness Trotter Grandparents are here.

August 1

Proud daddy moment: When I was holding him while standing and rocking slightly from side to side, he must have been focused on something across the room because he was turning his neck to keep it in his view. Strong neck already!

Also--a picture of his huge paws, first bath, some shameless advertising by the midwives who delivered him, and two of his uncles.

July 31

Tristan's first day included a visit from his 'twin' Rylan (and mom Tracy). Tracy and Mom were in a birthing class together and delivered on the same day!!

In his first 24 hours he had lots of visitors, including Uncle Aaron, very proud Grandparents, Uncle Jon, and cousin April.

July 30, 2008

11:16pm
9 lbs 6.6 oz.
21 ½ inches long
(What a big boy!)

Tristan Ray Trotter Nussbaum was born just in time to share a birthday with his late Great-Grandfather Thut (it would have been his 99th). This also allowed him to share a birthday with his new friend Rylan (Trina & Tracy were in the same birth class).