Recap Happy 2 Month Birthday February 17th!!!

Happy 2 month birthday Lacey Ruth on February 17th!! Gosh my love for you is indescribable!!! I wish mommy had done better keeping up with things this month, but since I am still playing catch up on the blog I am writing this by recall. We have had another month that has made our life better. You have been a different baby since Mommy learned to lay you down awake and kinda follow a "Babywise" routine. Life has been much calmer. I started this at the 5 week mark, but the last month also brought many travels so kinda hard to stick to the "routine". We had our first trip to Birmingham to meet your Honey's family. We had our first trip back to Mommy and Daddy's home town to meet your Sasha and TBonz's family and other friends. You are such a good traveler.

--You have not had as many visitors at home this month, you have been going to see lots of them though!! You have also made your debut at Daddy's ballgames several times!!

--You love your carseat, we can put you in it and you will just grin! You travel great as long as you are not hungry! Sometimes when I am getting ready to go somewhere shortly I will just put the carseat on the bed with you in it and let you stare at the fan until you fall asleep. When I am ready we will all go to the car!

Lacey and her Aunt Missy to be!!

Lacey looking up grinning at her Uncle Anthony!

--By the end of month one you were balled except the hair line at the back bottom of your neck had quite a bit! You don't have any hair on your back any more and just a little on your ears. I can see how new hair is sprouting up top and it looks pretty dark!

--I am still so addicted to your smell!!! I just give me chills to think and imagine the smell if we are not together.

--You only take your passy when it is time to go down or when you get up and a little fussy and I am trying to postpone eating. Once you are asleep the passy gets spit out!

--One of my favorite things as I continue to have many favorites is after I feed you during night or say early early morning you want take your passy. I swaddle you and you seal your lips shut like you are playing a game and you make these precious little noises and then just smile so big!!! It never fails this has happened so many times!

--Now that you are becoming more alert you seem to like your bouncy seat and swing more. When mommy has to shower and it is "waketime" I just move the bouncy seat in the bathroom and let you play.

--You still sneeze often and get the hiccups so much!! I have tried Gripe Water for the hiccups, but it only works at times.

--Your finger nails still grow like weeds!!!

--You have definitely found your hands and suck on them often!!

--You are alot happier during diaper and clothes changes.

--My favorite times are the mornings when you have your random smiles. You are so alert at this time. Our morning usually starts for good around 7 or so.

--You are sleeping about 5-6 hours straight most nights. With a few nights only about 3-4. This may be the growth spurt days.

--You are eating every 3 hours still during the day. You nurse for 5 mins on each side and you are done and content for another 3 hours. Man you are a fast eater! I love this bonding experience too!! I could not imagine having to give this up right now and am pretty emotional about it. I thank God he has allowed breastfeeding to work for us.

-- You are still loving bath time, we have moved you from just the little foam cushion, to the baby bathtub with the cushion down in it. If I was not worried about you gettting chilled I would let you stay in there forever!!

--The fan and light still grab your attention alot. You will just stare and make all kinds of faces. When basketball is on the big TV it never fails to grab your attention. Your daddy loves that!! I guess it is all the colors and fast action, the news doesn't catch your attention like that.

-- You still have episodes of gas and we will give you the Mylicon often. However, since mommy figured out how to tell the difference between a cry for sleep, a cry for food, and a cry for pain or dirty diaper...I have used the Mylicon alot less! Sasha has taught me to play with your legs and push them gently towards your belly and hold to help you "poot". It is pretty comical.

-- Your nap is about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Your average cry when I lay you down is from no cry to about 6-10min cry. Sometimes you are asleep in my arms before I can get you to your basket.

-- You love to be swaddled, arms and all!! It is a precious site. Mommy has learned that when waketime is up, swaddle you, pat your bottom, sing a little, and walk towards the basket.

-- You are still little and wearing newborn diapers and clothes...don't want to rush it, but can't wait for you to wear some of your cute outfits!!

Her First few times at the Church House!

Lacey got to go to church the first time at our home church on Valentines day!  FBC Milan is very special to Garrett and I!  We both accepted Jesus as our Savior there , we met there, we went through youth there, and we married there.  Our families have gone there and held positions there for years.  Garrett’s family has just left the past 2 years for his dad to take a new position in Alabama.  We enjoyed this Sunday, getting to see many friends for the first time since our “Little Lacey” was born.  I love sitting in church with family, it was a special time for her first church experience!

Here is our Little Valentine on her first Sunday at church!

The next Sunday we got to take Lacey to our church we have joined here in Nashville.  Grace Baptist Church, it is the 2nd church we have been a part of since moving here .  We were invited there by some friends we have gotten close to in the neighborhood.  We love the Sunday School class and the other people we have gotten to know.  Everyone is so supportive of our new addition!!

Mommy and Lacey on Sunday morning

Our Family on the first Sunday at Grace Baptist Church

 

One of my best friends Lauren with Lacey, we met a couple years ago at Summit.  We are neighbors and have grown to be very close friends.  I am so blessed how God has placed her in my life and will cherish our friendship forever!!!

Daddy and Lacey on Sunday morning!

Another Sunday at church!

Her first time to wear her booties! Still in Newborn!

Mommy and Lacey

On the way to the Church House!

  We got to be spontaneous one Sunday and meet Donna and DC my cousins for lunch at Septembers it was wonderful.  The visit and the food!!! LOL!

One Special Lunch

02/11 Well, I never knew when the phone calls were made to meet at Picasso for lunch how special this time would someday real soon mean to me. While we were back home Lacey and I got to meet our cousins Donna, Denice(Nicey), and her daughter Kelley for lunch while Sasha was getting her hair done. Just a normal day and a normal fun talking lunch, while they loved on Lacey. Donna and Nicey were more like my mom's sisters and my aunts. We were all really close when we were growing up and now. We had a great time and so thankful for all the pictures we were able to take. Congratulations were in order for Kelley, her and Jacob got engaged!! Until later that night I had never met him, but he seemed precious. Days later when I am writing this, the family has grown to love him even more. Their date is October 16th, so excited God has placed Jacob in Kelley's life and she is getting to experience such an exciting time. One week after this lunch, Nicey's heart suddenly stopped one night at home, to make a long emotional prayer filled week for the family short, she went to be with Jesus about a week later, a little over 2 weeks from today. This was very sudden and shocking, but we are all having to trust it is God's will and give Him glory for who she touched during her life. Also giving Him glory for what He will do in the coming days in people's life that are familiar with the story. My heart aches and she will be missed, but my heart aches even more for the people hurting that was part of her daily life. Her husband Bill, kids Jason and Kelley, and sister Donna. I continue to lift them up in prayer that God's peace and comfort will overwhelm them. Please if you read this blog, lift them up as well. The bottom line is enjoy every moment!!!! Act now, share your feelings now, tell them you love them now!!! I would have never thought it would have been our last conversation, our last hug, her last time to see Lacey, the last time to see her smile until we meet in heaven one day!! Enjoy the pics I will treasure them forever!!!

First Trip Back Home with Family and Friends!!

We took our first trip to Medina and got to see lots of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends...here is a glimpse of our visit with some descriptions of each picture. We had so much fun and love each one and wish we could see more of them.

Our Couples Party!!!

We are blessed to have such wonderful friends!! When Lacey was 6 weeks old we had our first trip back to our home town. Many of our friends had not been able to meet Lacey yet. Garrett's family is in different directions at this time, because of several things so they were not able to be there, we went to birmingham the week before to visit them. My parents were willing to cook and have all of our "couple" friends over for dinner on February 13th. We were so excited it worked out so well. Everyone got to come except for two couples. We missed Brittany and Joseph, and Jason and Lyndsey, but so glad to see the ones that could come. It was such a great time of fellowship! We love each one of them, and pray for them often as they go through out their daily life and we share concerns and praises with one another. We miss them and get togethers alot; however, God has also blessed us with great couples in Nashville!!

Back the First of February

Just some pics from February.  Not much to explain, I am doing that in other posts…just some pics in between our trips etc.

 

She is definitely “filling” out!!!

My friend Danielle came over this is her little girl “Addie Jo”, isn’t she adorable!!! She was about 6 months here.  Wish we were with them more, I hope as Lacey gets bigger and they can interact we can take advantage of the opportunities!

Danielle and Lacey

Our Visit with Brittany and Ellie Grace!

02/11 One of my most precious friends Brittany found out she was pregnant about a month after we did. I was so excited to be going through such a special time with such a special friend. My due date was December 19th and her due date was January 13th. Well on our first visit back to our home town we made arrangements to visit Britt and Ellie Grace. Both of our moms were able to visit with us and Britt’s Nana. We had so much fun, it was so crazy when I am not used to comparing babies to see the individual characteristics each of them had, I guess growing up I thought all babies looked just alike, LOL! It was so funny we laughed and smiled so much my cheeks were so sore. When one was happy the other was fussy, and when one was awake the other was asleep. We got some pictures we will cherish forever. I have enjoyed having a friend who we are on the same timeline and can discuss the current happenings, feelings etc. Suzanne Britt’s mom brought Lacey the matching outfit that Ellie Grace was wearing…see pics below, exact same size so funny how it fits so different with just over 3 weeks between them. Britt and Ellie Grace we can’t wait until our next play date!!!

Our First Trip to Birmingham!!

From the moment we began to discuss trying to get pregnant, I envisioned "Delivery Day" and who all would be present. I am such a family relationship kinda gal and wanted everybody there that circumstances would allow. Very high on the list of wants was Garrett's grandparents. His precious Grandmother Edith, I kinda already knew would not make it due to health issues (sight,strength, etc), which she already had when we got pregnant. However, since then she has been struggling with other things and is in the nursing home. So still to this day she and Lacey have not been able to meet...but we have sent pictures and we talk about "Grandmother Edith" to Lacey. It is so hard at this stage to watch our grandparents age. Garrett's other grandparents, his mom's parents had all intentions to come up until the day before delivery. That day they had to evaluate "GaGa or Ralphie's " health and what all it was gonna take for them to get to us (driving, traffic, etc). So we got the call the day before Lacey was scheduled to arrive that they were gonna sit tight in Birmingham, AL and wait for pics. I was sad but understood and did not want to stress their feelings and bodies just to have them there. Since Lacey was born until February 6th weekend we had just been sending pictures, but then it was time to take our first trip to BHam! Another thing that brought us there was Garrett's mom, Teresa also called "Honey" just had double knee replacement at an AL hospital, so of course we were going to visit her also. We were so excited to get to visit all the family.

Garrett's grandparents are always standing in the driveway as we arrive unless it is in the middle of the night, but I made them stay inside so I could video their first time meeting Lacey.

This is "Grandmother Shirley" talking to Lacey for the first time

Garrett's cousin Madison came by for a visit, she is a Senior in high school, what an exciting time in her life.

Garrett's cousin Tracy and her husband Mark came for a visit

Pops (Garrett's Dad) getting his hands on Lacey for the first time in about a month

Lacey and GaGa (Garrett's mom's dad) holding hands, so precious!!

Our precious girl!

Mommy and Lacey, she wasn't a happy camper.

Pops and Lacey

Grandmother Shirley and Lacey

Garrett's cousin Elizabeth and her family(minus Alex) and her boyfriend came over for Jim N Nicks Barbeque. We enjoyed our visit and them getting to see Lacey for the first time. We got several presents while we were down there, I love every one and appreciate it so much!

Listening to GaGa

Precious, talking with her Great-Grandparents

Lacey and her "Lovie" with her Great-Grandparents

Getting ready to head back to Middle TN

Saying bye!!

Lacey with her Daddy and Grandparents

We had a wonderful trip, wish so bad we could have had Honey at their house with us, but we visited her in Rehab(physical therapy for her knees). I am so thankful for the relationship we have been blessed to have with GaGa and Grandmother Shirley. They have treated me as their own since our first meeting. We look forward to our next visit so much!!!!