Bye Bye, Lankey!

Today was a bit bittersweet. It was Laney's last day with her sitter. We have been lucky enough to have her staying with her godmother for most of the last 4 1/2 months. But, Kayla recently got a wonderful job and won't be able to watch her anymore.
She's spent her days with her partner in crime, fellow monkey, etc, Andrew, who is TWO. They had a rough start, (Andrew wasn't sure he wanted to share his Mommy) but now they light up when they see each other. When she first started staying at his house, he called her "Baby", but now he calls her "Lankey".

My little girl has been seeing an older man these past 4 1/2 months. This is Brian. Laney seemed to look forward to when he would get home from school and they really enjoyed each other's company.

On the plus side, Elena starts at a wonderful daycare full time on Monday. She's been going there off and on for a day or two when Kayla isn't available. It's a great Christian daycare and I am really impressed by the caregivers and the program and the teacher student ratio. Laney seems to have fun too. She smiles when she sees her teachers and friends. And we'll see Kayla and family most Sundays at church and at LIFE group, where we first became friends.

On another note, Laney is getting more mobile every day. Today while I was taking these pictures, she was scooting and military crawling across the floor to grab toys and get to people she wanted to see.

Most creative way of telling the world

I love this - my friends, who are named Cooper, used a cake with a mini-Cooper on it to announce their pregnancy. Fabulous! Check it out:

The new 2007 model is due in October or November.

Congrats to the Coopers!

Just a quick one . . .

Wishing a very happy anniversary to Granddaddy and Nana Jackie. Hope you have many more.

Love, Rob, Heather, Kathryn & Elena

Hello from Cowtown!

Which is actually Fort Worth, but hey, it's rodeo time down here! Yesterday we went out to the Livestock show and Rodeo. We didn't see the rodeo, for many reasons (a) expensive (b) long and (c) the tickets include the cost of concert, which yesterday was Brooks & Dunn and Rob is none too fond of country music. Elena pets a bunny at the Agriculture exhibit. Some of the highschool kids that entered their rabbits in the competition will sit with them and let the visitors pet them. They all did real well, considering that Elena doesn't really pet, she pulls fur.
Kathryn gets up close and personal with Elsie the Cow at the Borden display. Amoungst the new facts learned yesterday, their has been a Elsie the Cow travelling the U.S. making appearances since 1939!
We caught the pig races. (Nascar sign, just for you Tara) They seemed to be fixed, pig #3 won everytime, whether it was Brittney Spareribs, Yao Pig or Hillary RodHAM.

Laney is styling in Mommy's sunglasses. It was a beautiful sunny day and some of us even got a little too much sun. It has been way too gray in these parts to remember what sunscreen is for! We may not be Cowtown, but we are Space City. This is from the NASA exhibit.
Laney and Kathryn at the Bandera, Texas booth. Cute little cowgirls ain't they?

Elena pets a Llama in one of the 3 petting zoos and some girl whose Momma didn't raise her right jumps into my picture. She'll get cut out when I develop these pictures!

My happy cowboy and girls. They're happy because we're going to go get funnel cake and then go home. We were tired!

And on a side note from that, I learned something this week about Laney and these big days. She doesn't sleep well after them! Last night she needed to eat twice, at midnight and 3:30, normally she makes it from 9 PM to 6 AM. For the near future, all outings will be in the morning with wind down time allowed in the afternoon. It's gonna be a while before we go anywhere, anyways. I have to work next Saturday, or I will lose my mind, and Elena and Dad have a big day of computer gaming and Quentin Tarantino films planned. Then Kat may have UIL competition on the following Saturday, if she doesn't we're going to watch movies and the most exciting thing we'll do is mow the lawn. We are going to my parents for Easter and we'll see how Elena's first stay away from home goes. I fully expect some sleep problems, but getting to see where Mama Janie and Daddy Ron live will be worth it. That and it is a trial run for a much bigger trip in June - Aunt Katy & Uncle Derrick, Uncle Mike & Aunt Tara, Granddaddy & Nana Jackie, and Great-Grandma, here we come!

Why are we wearing this toy on our heads?

Because it's St. Patty's Day!

First, Laney ties one on with some green formula.*

Then we all exhibit our St. Patty's day spirit by wearing the green (there is a bit of green in Laney's dress) and a Leprechaun Head Bopper. Well, most of us. I have been asked to type the following on behalf of our other four-legged inhabitants: "We the cats of the household do not hold with the wearing of anything upon our heads. It is undignified. In fact, if it weren't for the fact that the Friskies are served regularly and the boxes are kept clean, we'd be so out of here. Sincerely, Ebony and Scooter". Cats, can't live with 'em, can't throw 'em out on their fuzzy behinds or the SPCA will be after you! :) I'm kidding we love the aloof little devils.

*No actual green formula was consumed. This formula was rejected at the early morning feeding and had expired, so I dyed it green for a photo. Mama Janie reads the blog and she might worry. :P

My first born

Here you go mommies - a different kind of survey for a change - it's all about your first born!

1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED? Yes
2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME? Yes
3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS? Excited,
4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU? After 5 years of waiting, no way!
5. HOW OLD WERE YOU? 28, I turned 29 before she was born
6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT? home test
7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST? Rob, then my supervisor
8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX? Yes
9. DUE DATE? Sept 4, then Sept 7, 2006
10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS? Naseau, yes, actual sick, no
11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE? Spicy Mexican food and fruit
12. WHO IRRITATED YOU THE MOST? People who wouldn't believe I was really due in 2 weeks, because I "just wasn't showing that much "
WHERE DID QUESTION 13 GO?
14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING? no, but I was hoping boy until the ultrasound
15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY? less than 20, I'm not sure
16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER? Yes, two
17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW? I knew, one was at my house and one was on my birthday
18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY? A hormone diffency in the 1st trimester that caused a miscarriage scare
19. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH? Christus St. Catherine
20. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR? 11? I think they broke my water around 7 PM, and she got here after 6 AM
21. WHO DROVE YOU THE THE HOSPITAL? Me, I was going in for a test, not to have a baby
22. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH? Rob and the usual nurses and doctor
23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION? Natural, with the help of induction
24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN? By IV and epidural
27. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH?? 7 lbs 5 oz
28. DID YOUR CHILD HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS?? true knot in her cord. This meant more to me than her. I lost the rights to get up and wander during the first portion of labor
29. WHAT DAY WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN ON? August 30, 2006
30. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER? Elena
31. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY? 6 months + a few days

We made it!

Despite a conspiracy on the part of a couple of fronts and the meterologists to keep us away from the zoo, we made it anyways. It rained all night and this morning, but by 10:30 all we had was clouds and wet pavement, so off we went to the zoo! It turned out to be great day for the zoo. If it had been as pretty as it was last week, it probably would have been more crowded, considering how many districts are on Spring Break this week. It was cool enough that the big cats were somewhat active (the lions were still pretty lazy, but the tigers were up and active), but warm enough that the lizards were active too. My brother and his fiancee met us there. They're on Spring Break from college this week and were looking for some relatively inexpensive entertainment. A day with the nieces fit the bill.

We saw just about everything, except the primates. By the time we got to them, we were tired. Here's Kat, Lauren and Ronny with the giraffes. There were two baby giraffes and a baby elephant born last year and we saw them all.

Kathryn tries to hatch an eagle egg in the children's zoo.
Kathryn also had a close encounter of the prairie dog kind. (She moved a second after this shot and scared the poor little guy pretty good.) The children's zoo has a wonderful set of animals native to Texas. Racoons are cute when they're not turning over your garbage.

This is Lauren and Elena petting a goat in the petting zoo. Laney wasn't as excited as I thought she would be. She loves to pet our dog, so I thought she'd love the petting zoo. She was pretty hungry at this point, so that may have decreased her interest.

After a bottle for Laney and some Cheetos for the rest of us, Kathryn, Laney and I rode the Wildlife Carousel while Ronny and Lauren took pictures. Elena loved the carousel, which was good, because as it was starting I had a sudden worry that it would scare her. Kathryn got to ride exactly the animal she wanted, too.

We wrapped up at the gift shop - a snow globe for Kathryn and a magnet for me as per usual. Laney got a souvenir too- we kept the plate, but not the visor.

Back to the grind tomorrow, but the 3-day Easter weekend isn't far away . . .

Warm Wishes!

Happy 3 month birthday, Evan!

You've grown so much and we love every picture we've seen.

We can't wait to meet you this summer.

Our Saturday

Not a bad day overall. Started out good - Elena slept in. She slept until 7:30 this morning. I enjoyed the sleep, but it got me started out later than I planned. I went in to work. Saturdays have the advantage that you can get more work done in half the time, with no phone and no e-mail and fewer co-workers to chat with. I did what might have taken me a whole day in 3 1/2 hours. I got a few things done that I might not have on a normal day.

Meanwhile, my wonderful hubby did chores. Cleaned the bathroom, went to the vet for dog food, and attempted to vacumn the floor. Thus he discovered that Elena is afraid of the vacumn cleaner and that came to a quick stop.

After I got home, we had lunch on the patio and enjoyed the lovely weather. Check out our azaleas, we're having a bumper crop this year!

A short nap in front of the TV for me and Rob and in the crib for Laney later and then we were off to the YAMs Game Night at Church. The YAMs is the Young Adult Ministry, meant for those too old for the youth ministry and too young for the St. C Seniors. It was nice we met with a few other couples and some folks there without their spouses, and some of the other babies. We had 4 baby girls born in 6 months last year and 3 were at church tonight.

This is Elena (6 months), Elise (1 year), and Halina (10 months). They did pretty well together.

Toward the end of the evening, Elena and Halina (the names sound alike and that makes it a little crazy) were getting along great. Until Elena pulled Halina's hair. Then it was time for the sleepy babies to go home.

Laney's evening ended with green beans (1/2 a jar this time, yea!), cereal and a bottle. Then she and Dad curled up with a good book.

Good day.

Is Whoville missing a Who?

To make up for my previous post - cute baby pics! Rob plays with Laney's hair when he's shampooing it. I think Laney looks like a Who from "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" in these pics:

Prayer Works

Pardon me as I step up on my honey coated nutbar soap box (that's a Studio 60 term for Christian, I wear my honey coating with pride, thanks.) Oh and I apologize for referencing streets that most of you have no clue about, but it's easier this way.

I had the commute from you know where today. I left the house at 20 til 7, thinking I could drop the baby at day care and get into work 20 minutes or so earlier. Then it takes me 20 minutes to go as far as I got in 7 yesterday, and I know it's not good. Turns out there was an accident on Wirt Rd causing back up to Greenhouse, about 15 miles away. So I exit and take a back road, forgetting that Memorial Drive is the most winding road that does climb a mountain. I got to the daycare about the time I'm supposed to get to work normally. I hurry through the drop off and head for work.

There's construction on Chimney Rock and I know this, so I am slowly down, preparing for the merge from two lane to one when a LARGE black pickup starts flashing its lights at me. At first, I think, no way this is trick of the sun. Nope, he does it again. Then he blares his horn. So I stick my Saturn into a hole in traffic about 2 feet bigger than me and let buddy boy go blaring on up (I swear he hit the accelerator and was going about 50 on a 30 MPH street) to the construction barrels 50 feet up where he has to come to a screeching halt. Small amount of justice. The bitter part of me wishes that some nice soul hadn't let him in. But the schmuck and I ended up at all the same red lights until he turned off. Hope that extra 10 seconds helped him out.

So back to the title. I know that this kind of a morning is not going to help my day. I was already expecting it to be hard. We are swamped at work, the entire department. So even little old part time me has way too many cases. I've been doing okay, but this week I started to panic. Clients and attorneys are getting impatient, which is fair, you should expect your paperwork to get done quickly. But it's hard when you've got about twice work as much as normal. Thus the getting up at beastly hours and trying to squeeze in a little OT. This is not making Laney's Mommy happy. So here I am driving down Chimney Rock praying - "help me let this go, please, let me have a good productive day. " And I did. Finally, work got done, I didn't feel like more was coming in than going out. I needed that.

I also need that day off I am taking on Monday. I am taking the girls to the zoo. If all goes well, my brother and Laney's buddy, Andrew and his older brother, Scott will join us. Sounds fabulous.

Laney's 1st trip to the park

Today was gorgeous, if a little cool. It's been gray up until the last few days and then the sun came out. The high today was in the low 60s, so that made it a bit cool. (I look on the bright side, Laney is actually get to wear the cool weather clothes she has in the 6-9 month size.) Anyway, we decided to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and go to the park. My brother, Ronny, Kat, Laney and I all headed to War Memorial Park in Bear Creek.

They have a mini-zoo,

ducks (who actually weren't interested in eating our bread) and a play ground.

Kathryn climbed the rope pyramid

Elena tried out the swings, with and without Mommy

and the slide, we're not sure if she liked that one.

Happy February 30th

Yesterday was February 30th! Anybody who told you it was March 2nd was selling something. :) Otherwise Laney wouldn't have a half birthday! It is very important that a girl turn 6 months. Especially one who has worked so hard to learn to sit up and eat solids.

Yup, that's her with the rice cereal up the nose and sweet potatos on her bib. Someday she'll forgive for posting these pics.

I hope Tara's reading today . . .

Wait, let's try that again -