2 Months

Lane turned two months old on December 13th. It has been a busy month for him. He went on his first long road trip to Waco for Thanksgiving and his first trip to a restaurant (the steakhouse in Gatesville on the way to Waco). He did great in the car; he slept the whole way. He started trying to hold his head up at five weeks and he started smiling a little bit. He is pretty good at holding up his head now, but I may be a little biased. His two month appointment went well....Mommy had to leave right before he got his shots. Daddy stepped in and toughed it out with the little guy. Bless his heart!! He weighs 9 pounds, one ounce now and he is 22 inches. Lane came to work with Mommy when he was six weeks old. Mommy didn't get a lot done, but it was so nice to have him close. At 7 weeks he started daycare and he has done great there. I love the teachers and the staff. He is a sweet boy and we are so blessed to have him. He also got to meet his Uncle Kevin, Cousin Emma, and Cousin Will this month. Happy 2 months, buddy!

Monster Buck

Leland shot a great buck on Saturday evening. It is the best buck he has ever shot. It came in to the feeder around 10 AM and he quickly got a shot off because he thought he might run away. The shot grazed the fence and took a little flesh off the deer and broke one of his legs, but there was no blood trail so he got away. Later that evening Leland went to the stand and saw him again and took a shot at 250 yards. The buck went about 20 yards and dropped. We named him 'El Jefe'. We took El Jefe to Eldorado to be processsed and the owner of the shop mentioned to Leland that he should enter him in the Schleicher County Big Buck contest, so he did. The guy that runs the contest said that the buck is the best he's seen this season. We're hopeful! El Jefe scored 141 1/8 and is currently in first place.

1 month

Lane turned one month old on November 13th. It is already going by so fast. Being a mother has been unbelievable. I feel like I have discovered my life's purpose. Ahhh....so sweet. Lane has been a good baby. Of course, Daddy is still calling him 'Catfish'. I don't know if it will stick or not. There is a form for the daycare that lets you put down a nickname and we have discussed whether or not to write down 'Catfish'. We decided it will be on the form, but I AM NOT going to ask the daycare workers to call my child 'Catfish'!! Lane has been sleeping for 3 to 4 hours at night. He takes about an hour to fall asleep after most feedings. He had a little trouble latching on from birth to two weeks, but he is a nursing champ now. We have been so blessed to have lots of visitors, cards, flowers, and meals. Thank you for the outpouring of love. We couldn't have made it through the first month without all of you.

Bath Time

Catfish loves his baths. Leland has already mastered calming him down by drizzling warm water over him. It works very well!

Fox

Leland shot a fox at the ranch last weekend. It was a great shot -- 250 yards with the fox on the run. It was Catfish's first trip to the ranch and his first trip out of town. Of course, he slept all the way there in the truck. I didn't bring enough diapers so I had to drive 40 miles round-trip to Eldorado to buy highly overpriced diapers at the Super S grocery store. It should be called Super R-O (Super Rip-Off). It was $14 for 32 diapers. Yowza! I will NEVER underestimate the number of diapers we need again! Here are some pics of the fox.

Catfish Skeleton

Catfish dressed up as a skeleton for Halloween. Thanks Stacy for the hand-me-down costume! Here are some pics of Lane with his Nana. Lefty didn't wear a costume this year. It didn't go so well last year. She wore a pumpkin bandana instead. Happy Halloween everyone!

Lane Scott Lacy

Lane is here! Leland and I are so excited to announce the birth of our son, Lane Scott Lacy on 10/13/11 at 11:08 AM, 6 pounds, 9.9 ounces, 19''. The labor and delivery went well. I went into labor at 12:45 AM on 10/13 and we headed to the hospital around 3:45 AM. I was admitted and went to a labor and delivery room. We listened to music and labored with our doulas, Pam and Evelyn, and tried to relax and wait for the right time to push. I decided to go forward with an epidural and received one around 6AM. I was scared that the needle would hurt, but it wasn't as painful as I thought it would be. I was surprised at how completely numb the epidural made me feel. I guess I didn't know what to expect. I began pushing around 10 AM and Lane made his appearance at 11:08 AM. He was perfect to me the first minute I saw him and of course, we cried and thanked God for our little pumpkin. Our parents were all there in the waiting room and got to meet him after we got to spend a little time with him. Aunt Haley and Uncle Harv came later to meet Lane. We were so fortunate to spend two nights in the hospital. Our fabulous doctor, Dr. Hajovsky, likes her first time mommies to spend two nights in the hospital. We were so thankful! The WONDERFUL staff and nurses took such good care of me, Leland, and Lane. They were truly exceptional. We were discharged from the hospital around noon on 10/15. I felt a whirlwind of emotion upon discharge. My hormones were going crazy! I was a little nervous about going home. It was a little overwhelming. Lane's first night at home was not as smooth as we had hoped. He cried all night long! We are hoping and PRAYING for a better night tonight. Thank you for all the prayers, phone calls, flowers, visits, emails, and FB posts. We hope to post new pics soon.

39 Weeks

It's almost here! 'Catfish' will be here soon and we are thrilled. I am FINALLY getting things wrapped up at work and feeling like I could really be ready if it happened today. Isn't it funny the way we talk about our plans when it's really in God's hands? I know it will happen when HE is ready and when HE thinks Catfish is ready to be born. Ahh!! What a miracle. We went to the ranch this weekend and saw a new baby calf. It is Catfish's brother from another mother! Kent and Nevie sold their cows because of the drought, but one renegade mama cow got away. So, now her and her calf have the whole ranch to themselves. I am feeling great although my ankles and feet have swelled up to disgusting levels. It's only cosmetic though. I can deal with it. We went to the OB today. BP and baby's heartbeat are good. I have progressed a little in the past week. However, we got news from the doc that she'll be out of town this weekend, so we want the baby to come Friday afternoon at the latest...or next week. Pray for us!

38 Weeks

It's getting close to D-day (delivery day)! We are so exited. I am still sleeping 'ok'. I wouldn't say I am sleeping great, but I don't want to complain and jinx my labor and delivery. :) I am retaining water now, so my feet and ankles are swollen. My bp and the baby's heartbeat are good. I am still working a little. I plan to start scaling back work this week. I am getting too big to measure houses now. Squeezing between a house and bushes is not fun. I have one last appraisal to do on Thursday and that may be the last one for awhile. We'll keep you all posted. Thanks for all your support and phone calls.

37 weeks

Nothing new here. I just wanted to check in. I saw the OB today. She said everything looks great and baby's heartbeat is good at 135 beats per minute. My bp is good too. She hasn't said anything negative about my weight, so I assume that is fine as well. Whew! She said I could have the baby any day now....or it may still be weeks. Hmph! I am feeling good, huge, but good. I am getting loose ends at work tied up, the house cleaned, and the freezer stocked. I have never felt so ready and so unprepared at the same time! Wow. I am sure the rest of the year is just going to be a blur from here. Thankfully, I have already started Christmas shopping and planning. I was at Walmart with Leland on Sunday, and you guessed it, they were starting to put out the Christmas stuff. Seriously?? It was 106 degrees in San Angelo on Sunday and here they are putting up Christmas trees and lights on display? What the heck? Also, congrats to Linda and Carlos who welcomed their first child into the world today. Happy day of birth, Carlos Junior!

36 Weeks

Things are getting interesting! I went to the doctor this morning and was hoping to get the green light from Dr. H. to go to Corpus Christi with Leland for a seminar/babymoon and we got a red light! She said I was 2 centimeters dilated and 50% effaced. I was disappointed that I couldn't travel. We even had the car packed up and ready to go, but alas, this was not God's plan for my day. We are bummed we can't go to Corpus, but so excited that we'll meet our little boy soon. Everything else is great...blood pressure and baby's heart rate are good. The doc said we could deliver today or it may be 3 weeks from now. There is no way to know. So, in the mean time, we have things to do! We have to install the car seat bases, pick up a swing from cousin Kristie, and get other things in order. I guess I better get to it.

Maternity pics with Leland

Here are some of my favorites that Nevie took this morning. Thanks for your help Nevie.

10 Years Ago Today

On the 10th anniversary of 9/11, I pause to remember what I was doing on that day. I was a Junior at SFA in Nacogdoches. I woke up early (well, it was early for a college student) because it was Student Government Election Day and I was running for Junior Class Representative. I stopped by the post office at approximately 8 AM to mail some letters and I heard some of the first reports that a plane had hit one of the towers. It was a short blurb and of course, they didn't realize the severity of the situation at the time. I went to campus to campaign and people were talking about it outside the buildings. I went to my 9:15 AM Business Communication class with Dr. Betty Johnson and we had class as normal but got out about 10 minutes early. She never let us out early. She said she wanted us to be able to go home and watch TV and find out what was going on. I went home to my apartment and watched the events unfold on TV with my roommate, Megan Conner. I remember feeling shock and uncertainty, but I felt safe in Nacogdoches, TX. I can't remember what we did that evening. I think we stayed in for the night. I thank God every day for our 'unsung' heros, especially firefighters and policemen. I thank God that I live in a country where I am free and protected by the world's best military. I thank God for my family and friends. God bless the USA!

35 Weeks

Greetings! I am officially 'over' being pregnant. I am having trouble getting around now and bending over makes me feel like an 80-year old! I am so blessed to have this little boy in my tummy, but man, this pregnancy thing is not for the weak! Things are going well though, so I am so appreciative of that. My blood pressure, weight, and the baby's heartbeat are all good. I feel so bad for women with tough pregnancies. The worst symptom I have had so far is lower back pain and that has only been for the past 2 months or so. I start seeing the OB weekly now, but I am ok with that. I like getting the reassurance that everything is ok and it's a lot of fun to hear the baby's heartbeat. No more sonos unless something is wrong...I miss sonograms. They are the best part about going to the OB. Have a quick question for you mommies. We bought a diaper genie last week. Can you put wipes in the Diaper Genie or just diapers?? Please let me know. I am too lazy to read the manual. Have a great week and remember to say your prayers for the families of victims of 9/11 on the 10th anniversary today. God bless America!

34 Weeks

Things are still rocking right along. I start going to the OB weekly now. Thankfully, I got the first appointment of the day for the next 3 weeks so I won't spend AS much time in the waiting room. Last time I went, I waited over an hour and a half before I got to go in. Not fun. We got all the baby clothes washed. It was fun to look at all the cute outfits again. Now I have to decide what he'll wear home from the hospital. We also need to buy a camcorder. Does anyone have any recommendations for a good brand or model? We don't want to spend a fortune. Let me know! Have a great Labor Day.

Charleston

We traveled to Charleston, SC in July for a quick family vaca. My brother, mom, dad, the hubs, and I all went for 4 days. We stayed at a historic hotel called the Francis Marion (built in the 1920's, I believe) downtown. It was so convenient to stay within walking distance of the attractions and restaurants. We had a great time. We took a general tour the first day that was called the 'Gone with the Wind' tour. The tour guide never mentioned the movie once! The name of the tour is a misnomer. The tour includes all of downtown, Charleston University, the Battery, Rainbow Row, and lots of historic homes. It was a good way to start the trip. We ate lunch at Magnolia's, a famous restaurant that many of our friends and family recommended. We spent the afternoon at the public market and walked back to the hotel. We drove to Magnolia Plantation, which was beautiful. We split up the group and Mom went to tour the plantation home while the rest of us went on the tram tour to see the swamp. We saw herons, small alligators, ducks, and other birds. It was a nice tour. We spent the second day in Savannah. It's a neat city. We took a trolley tour that was pretty comprehensive. We ate lunch at Paula Deen's restaurant, The Lady and Sons. I have to warn you...the restaurant is a total tourist trap. They have a buffet that is decent, but Luby's is probably just as good. They have a limited menu that you can order off of too. The food wasn't bad, but I was expecting it to be fabulous. Maybe I should lower my expectations! On the way back to Charleston we stopped at Hilton Head to check it out. It is definitely an upscale community. We had a cocktail on the beach and headed back to the hotel .On the third day, we got on a ferry to take the Fort Sumter tour. This was the site where the Civil War began. It is a well-preserved fort. I would recommend the tour. The Fort is operated by the National Park Service so the tour guides know their stuff. That afternoon we went to visit the Hunley submarine, which sank in the mid 1800's and the crew did not survive. It was a tiny sub. They just discovered the site about 10 years ago, so the preservation is ongoing. The sub is now in a huge metal building in a bath of some liquid that preserves it. They are very strict about what you wear when you are near the sub. You can't have sunglasses on your head or a cap on. They are afraid it will fall in the liquid. The last night we ate at a fabulous gourmet restaurant and we actually left the restaurant without paying the bill on accident. They called my cell phone about 11:30 PM to tell us that we forgot to pay. My dad handled it. It was a great vaca and I enjoyed the time with my fam and my great husband.

33 Weeks

I hate to say this...knock on wood, but I have had a super easy pregnancy thus far. I hope it continues! Things are rocking right along and I am feeling good. I am having a little lower back pain in the evenings now, but I had a little of that before the pregnancy too. It is really hot here in San Angelo, so that has been a challenge, but I haven't had any swelling yet. The only way the heat has affected me is through my work schedule. I do all my home inspections for my appraisal work in the mornings now and that has helped. The nursery is all ready now. We have the bedding in place, the curtains are hung, and the super cute artwork that Nevie painted is hanging. I will post pics soon. I feel like we are a little ahead of schedule. I am going to relish in that thought....it will probably be the last time I feel like I am ahead of the game for awhile....years maybe. Many thanks and hugs to all my wonderful friends for the sweet baby showers you have thrown us. I will blog more about those later. I still have to get all the pics organized.

Congratulations

I'm a little behind on my blogging! Congrats are in order to Leland's cousin Lacy and her husband Jon on the arrival of their third little boy, Brogan Louis! He was born July 6, 6:55 AM, 8 pounds, 10 ounces, 21.5''. Also, congratulations to Kristen, my Bunco buddy, and her husband Ross on the birth of John Hardin on July 15th. We are so happy for you guys. Enjoy this special time.

Meet our son

We had a 3D/4D sonogram this morning and it was absolutely incredible. Leland, Kent, and Nevie were all there. It was such a special time. We got a 'souvenir' DVD to go along with it. He is 2 pounds, 8 ounces, and everything looks great. His heartbeat is 150 beats per minute. In the picture above, it shows his face. The thing to the left of his face is either umbilical cord or placenta; I can't remember which. I am doing well, despite the heat. I haven't had any swelling...yet!! I have made it to the third trimester. I am 28 weeks. Only 12 to go. I am sure it will fly by!

My New Hobby

As cliche as this may be....I love watching my belly! It is my new hobby. 'Catfish' loves to roll, punch, kick, stretch, and move! He is one active guy. I didn't think I would be able to see the movement from the outside of my belly this early in the pregnancy. It has been a nice surprise. Leland loves to watch too. 'Catfish' is the size of a papaya now, approximately 2 pounds and around 14 inches. I heard that the record was broken recently in Texas for the largest newborn. A little boy was born in TX on 7.11.11 weighing in at 16 pounds, 1 ounce with a full head of hair and a 17 inch chest. He was 24 inches long! Please comment to this post with your birth weight and length. I think it's interesting. I came into this world at 8 pounds, 6 ounces or around there and Leland was a 7-pound and some change baby. I think I was about 20 inches. Leland's Uncle Lance claims to have been a 24 inch baby and he grew up to be tall. I think I'll reserve the right to not believe it until I see the birth certificate!!

Travis and Meghan's Wedding

We drove to Austin in June for Travis and Meghan's wedding at Lake Travis. It was beautiful, but a little hot! The bride and groom were glowing though. Travis and Lance and Harvey and I grew up together on Brooks Drive. We lived 1 house away from each other. We would be over at Travis' house all the time growing up. I was always the odd 'man' out b/c I was a girl so I didn't participate much in the baseball games. I didn't let them run me down on the trampoline though. I broke my arm at their house when I was 7 when Travis and I decided to push the tramp up against the neighbor's garage and jump off the garage roof onto the trampoline below. It didn't work out so well for me. I had to have surgery and get a pin inserted into my arm. My poor mother tried to make me into a lady. I was even wearing a sun dress when this whole thing went down. :) Much to my chagrin, they cut the dress off me in the E.R. to examine my arm. I loved that dress!! Back to their wedding. It was a great night. They had a live band and good food. We got to watch the sunset on Lake Travis...although it was a little depressing to see how far down the lake level had gotten. Haley watched Lefty during the wedding at her condo near Zilker Park. Of course, Lefty bonded with Haley almost instantly and almost wore herself out chasing Haley up and down the stairs at her townhouse. It was a great weekend. Congrats and best wishes to Travis and Meghan!!

Crystal's Bridal Shower

I helped throw a shower for my sweet friend, Crystal Carter, in June. I have known Crystal since she moved to Waco when we were 13. We became close in high school our sophomore year when we were the only sophomores on the varsity cheerleading squad (I was one of the mascots, she was a cheerleader). We have so many memories together. The other hostesses were Genny, Whitney, Jennifer, and Rachel. It was a nice brunch-time affair complete with two kinds of breakfast casserole (one was vegetarian b/c Crystal is a vegetarian) and mimosas. I have to give Leland credit for helping with the shower. He saved the day and carved a huge watermelon for me into a watermelon bowl...thank you Mr. Martha Stewart! Crystal looked beautiful in a white dress--very bridal! It was so good to see her. She lives in L.A. now, so we don't see her very often. Crystal is marrying Kevin Abad in September. They actually got engaged on the same beach in Costa Rica where Leland and I honeymooned. :) Congrats Crystal! We love you.