the plans up my sleeve...

I'll admit that being a stay at home mom is completely rewarding and I love it! Now, of course you are waiting for the "but...." and yes there is one, BUT being at home all day, everyday takes its toll. I don't get to have any adult conversation, shows that are usually going are (the everplaying tunes in my head here lately)...SpongeBob, Team Umizoomi, Dora, Diego...no Tristan doesn't watch any of these shows. I am absolutely aware that he probably doesn't pay any attention to it at all, but why not have kid friendly tunes playing through the house anyway, right? Doesn't hurt I say.

I know you might say, it's busy, hard work staying at home. Here lately I try to keep up with the house as much as I can. Tristan gets in an hour to 2 hours worth of a nap. I do what I can around the house, but my mind needs freedom. I need to be able to escape even for just that ONE HOUR or 2...(if I'm lucky 3...RARELY), to release my creativity that is literally about to burst out of my head!!! I have so many things I want to do and learn!!! As I talked to Jay about everything these last few days (and more so last night), he seemed to understand now, more than ever where I was coming from. I was so thankful! He *gets* to step away from being a parent every day (and I say *gets* but I don't hold that lightly, because I realize and understand he is at work!!! not a complete escape, but kind of....). He can step away from being a parent to regather his thoughts and come to...so when he comes home he gets that I MISSED YOU feeling. Tristan doesn't experience that with me. He seems everyday. There has not been ONE day in his life that he hasn't seen me. I think he's like OH THAT LADY...THAT MOM PERSON I ALWAYS SEE!!!!!!

So Jay, in all understanding, is completely on board with allowing me to do the things I love and let me get me get my couped up creativity out!!!!!!!!! I am sooo ready and so excited!!!!!!

Have a great weekend!!

life lately...

This whole sleep training business that seemed to be all consuming these last few weeks...IT'S PAID OFF!!!!! Jay and I had forgotten what sleep felt like, we no longer just lay there in anticipation of the ever longing, timely scheduled burst of cries! Tristan has been going to bed every night between 8 and 9. It has been wonderful! Jay and I are able to have our quiet time together...something we haven't had in so long! It has been wonderful! Tristan went to bed last night at 845 and was up at 830 this morning...I know right?! It is sort of one of those things I hit myself with, because I wish we had done this a lot sooner! It will definently be done earlier with our next child!!

HOUSE UPDATE! So, we (and by we...JAY!) decided we should wait for a house. He doesn't want to move into a house and stay there for 5-7 years and pick back up and move again! Which I had a hard time coming to grips with, since 5-7 years seemed like a decent time to stay in a home before upgrading. I would of been opposed to it if it were more of a move in and move straight back out...but it wasn't the case. I can't say I was happy with that decision at all, but I could understand and respect where he was coming from. We were having a hard time finding the right place for us. Prayers and prayers....I knew God was saying, "not right now...". That is the hardest answer to hear, but after finding sooo many houses we liked, they all had contracts on them before we could even say WRITE UP A CONTRACT, foundation needs desprite repair. Needs a new a/c unit and new roof. Sellers aren't willing to come down on price at all! Oh this is a foreclosure and it could take up to months to close if they even decide to accept your offer. NEEDS MAJOR TLC. Awful layouts....I was beginning to just come to the realization that I shouldn't get attached to any properties, because my downfall had been (literally) visualizing our stuff in this house...to become our home! So disappointment after disappointment I sort of mentally gave up. I knew God's answer and I am okay with it. I have to be. I would rather be places where He wants us, than to place ourselves in house where we shouldn't be. All for a home tax credit, which would of been wonderful! Jay kept saying, "Just get that out of your head. We aren't buying a house solely on the basis of 8 grand being in our pockets...I won't let us make a commitment to something like that if it's not the right timing or the right place for us...." Made me so mad, but he was so right (how could I let him actually know he was right!? I couldn't do that!!! hahaha) SOOOOO, now (and I will admit, I like this idea a lot more) we are going to keep our eye out on land! We want to build a cute little 3 bed, 2.5 bath house on 10-12 acres of land. I love that idea!!!!! Jay had a layout he showed me, I thought it was precious! I told him my concerns and wants in that house and he made some changes to it that he thought were great. He said I have complete reign on decorating it...with a few minor details lol but over all...We are looking for the perfect land...NOTHING is out there right now within our budget. So we are keeping an eye out and in the meantime, we can keep saving our money and get all of our odds and ends together. I am soooo excited! We hope to have land before the end of the year is up (and of course a GO on building)! Prayers prayers prayers!! The great thing about us building on our land of 10-12 acres is in the future...we can just add on to our house...renovate and remodel to stay up with our needs. So essentially a lifetime property!

Tristan is down for a mid morning nap. My house is soooo clean and fresh looking. Shampoo'ed the carpet, vaccuumed about 10 times in 1 day! Dusted. Mopped....sooo nice! Spring cleaning too! It's been great!

Have a happy Monday (it's so nice outside!)

Crazy life never ends

I know I have been completely absent in OVER A WEEK!! Tristan is down for a nap and the sound of silence never sounded so sweet. We are trying naps in his bed now...he's getting alittle big for his swing, so we are trying to make a transition from naps in his swing, to naps in his bed. He is a bear!

Life is nutty around here...AS USUAL! We are still in the process of sleep training Tristan...he has done sooo well. In fact, I dont even recall him waking up at all last night!!!!! He got to bed a little later than we would of liked, but we had to grab a few things at the grocery store and it took forever to get out of there. So we rushed home and got that kid in the bathtub, scarfed down some delicious green beans (his favorite), a bottle and down for bed at 930!! Meanwhile, Jay and I started dinner for ourselves; at 1104 my head hits the pillow and I am out until about 3am....Jay *cough cough cough....* then immediately goes into SNORE mode...I give a little nudge here...SNORE...nudge there....FINALLY he stops.

We went out of town last weekend to see Jay's granny (Tristan's GreatGranny); it's an 8 hour round trip for us. Naturally we stayed in a hotel so it could give us and EVEN MORE SO, Tristan a break from the monotonous ride. 4 hours in a car seat one way is exhausting. It took him days to recover from this trip!!! On our way back home, we were 1 hour from our house and Tristan decided he had enough of the stupid car. Enough of the stupid carseat. Enough of our 20th rendition of "twinkle twinkle little star" and "the abc's" (which by the way I sang in every genre...jazz, reggae, rap, country lol)....he was ready to be out and essentially run a marathon!! He had no time in his day to be wasting it riding in the darn carseat.

My house is a mess and I need to clean, but with my husband still not home from work, the dogs asleep outside, my baby boy taking a nap....how can I pass up the blissful sound of peace???? A time where I can write, be at one and at peace with my thoughts (WHICH NEVER HAPPENS!!!!!!). I wish I had that perfect bathroom with the biggest bathtub in it, so I can take a bubble bath and relax; escape the caos that usually comes from the moment my foot steps through the doorway. Energetic dogs, nutty cat, a crazy husband, an ever so learning baby, a tiny little house...dinner, cleanup, laundry, animals, this that up down.....aghhhhhh hahaha

So until I can steal some time away, have a wonderfullllll weekend!!!!

No we aren't driving (pics down below), just one of a few stops we needed to take to change diapers, feed him and let him stretch his poor little legs). (Pic to the right >>>>>) At the hotel...happy little baby!!

6 Months old...ALREADY!

Fighting his bedtime...

A sweet Easter nap with his daddy!!

My handsome happy baby boy!!!!!!

Baby boy, you need to stop growing soo fast!!

*sigh*

*BIGGER SIGH* might a take one more breath and release my stress!! The Shepherd house has been WILD these last few weeks! Tristan now has 2 teeth coming in. I firmly believe a 3rd one is about to show his grimey little face in the next few days. I miss you sleep! For some reason, when I had a baby, the thought of teething never crossed my mind! My mind was full of poopy diapers, crying and restless nights feeding. TEETH??? What are these things you speak of?! I FORGOT THEY GET TEETH!!! hahaha that's how NUTS I am.

Since the first two have come in, Tristan no longer sleeps through the night. I miss the 8-9 hours of peaceful sleep. I literally blocked out the first few months of waking up every 2-3 hours a night to feed him. So when he started sleeping through the night...I got spoiled. Now I am trying to come to grips with this whole teething business. Teething tablets have been wonderful!! I know he hurts and its miserable. I have patience and (try to) hug away his pain.

He is rolling over everywhere now....hes getting his little knees up under him now...ANY DAY NOW HE WILL BE TOTALLY MOBILE! Am I ready for this?!!?

Well I am going to try to rest a little bit before my little tike wakes up with a furry for food and a dry diaper!!!