Fun Photos

A few weeks before Tacy was born I decided to have the Tool Man take a few pictures of me and my pregnant belly.  I was a little uncomfortable being the center of attention.  I’m not that into having my picture taken, especially when I’m packing a few extra pounds.  But I really did want to capture that special time of carrying my precious baby girl.

These pictures were made just in the nick of time.  Tacy was born two weeks after this shoot.

You didn’t think we’d take any pictures around here without including the monkeys, did you?

After getting a couple of serious pictures, the monkeys were dying to, well, for lack of a better word, act like monkeys.

Our mad faces…

Our pirate faces…

Holding our bellies…

No photo shoot would be complete without a ballerina pose.

I admit I’m not usually one to goof off, but it was fun letting loose with the monkeys.

Lindsey

Tacy Mae–Two Months

FYI I’ve only been working on this post for about 2 weeks, so I’m thrilled today to finally be able to publish it!

Tacy Mae is just over two months old now.  Those first few weeks of sleepless nights are all but a memory now.  (Praise the Lord!  She started sleeping through the night at 6 weeks.) And my tiny, 7 lb. 4 oz. bundle of joy has almost doubled in weight.  Already wearing size 6-9 months, Tacy’s got rolls in places I didn’t think was possible…on the sides of her calves, on the back of her neck.  And we won’t even try to count how many chins she has.

As adorable as all of those fat rolls are, it’s usually Tacy’s hair that takes center stage.  No, I don’t try to make her hair stand on end.  It does that all on it’s own.  In fact, I can’t even make her hair lie down.  I’ve just decided to embrace the volume, and I usually style it into a faux-hawk.

As you can see Miss Lucy had to jump right in the middle of things, and she insisted that we spell out their names.  It is a pretty cute picture isn’t it?

Besides all of the physical growth, I can really tell that Tacy is changing developmentally.  She is so much more alert now.  She is quickly becoming aware of all the activity that goes on around her – turning her head to follow objects or looking around when she hears noises.  One of the most wonderful changes in her is that she is smiling a lot more now.  Tacy loves for people to talk to her, and she rewards them with the prettiest, one-sided grin.  Melt your heart!  She’s also started cooing and babbling some.

Those pudgy little hands have been busy too.  They’ve found their way to her mouth, and her fingers have learned to grab and hold on to her blankie, clothes, or…my hair.  Ouch!

One other thing about Miss Tacy Mae…she’s developed quite an attachment to her mama.  This is a new experience for me.  I never would have qualified Ty or Lucy as either a mama’s or daddy’s baby.  Tacy on the other hand…well, let’s just say I’m her main squeeze.  But that’s totally OK with me.  I consider it my greatest honor!

Lindsey

More of Miss Tacy

I’ve been going back through pictures from Tacy’s first few days.  My, how she has grown!  Tacy is only two months old now, but I can hardly remember her being as small as she looks in these pictures.

Here are a few pictures of Tacy’s homecoming.  What a happy day!  The Tool Man and I were talking the other day about what it was like to bring home our first two babies.  With Ty, we both remember thinking, “Now what?”  We had no idea what we were doing.  That first night home with that sweet baby boy was a nightmare.  No one had told me that I’d never sleep again.  Ha ha.

We were a little more prepared for Lucy.  At least we knew what to expect.

So with Tacy Mae it was old hat.  “We got this!”

I still can’t get over all the hair Tacy has.  Nowadays it’s a bit unruly.  Think finger in a light socket.

Time to get dressed to go home.  It always takes me to some time to get used to dressing babies.  I have to get over the fact that they won’t break.

Both Lucy and I wore this bonnet home from the hospital.

Tacy rode rather well in her car seat.  Newborns never look comfortable in those things.  (Remember the good ol’ days when kids used to ride on the “hump” in the front seat of the car?  How times have changed!)

The big monkeys were just dying to get their hands on the new addition.  Big brother got to go first.

While she was waiting her turn, Lucy made do with a teddy bear, swaddling it up…

…and giving it a bath.

Now it’s Lucy’s turn with Tacy. 

Oh, how Lucy loves Tacy! 

What’s not to love about this pretty little girl?  We were all so glad to finally have her home.

Lindsey

Tacy’s Birthday Story

Quite a lengthy post I have for y’all today – all about Tacy’s birthday.  I want to record as many details as possible, and I decided the easiest way for me to do so would be to use a timeline format.  There’s so much to tell; I want to get it all down before I forget.  Hope y’all enjoy!

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

4:00 am….

I wake up, again, for a bathroom break.  (That’s just one of the many perks of being pregnant – frequent bathroom trips.)  But I feel nothing out of the ordinary, and soon I’m back to sleep.

5:00 am….

Once more I am awake, but this time for different reasons.  I’m feeling the slightest bit of discomfort.  The thought briefly crosses my mind that it could be baby related.  Stranger things have happened.  After all, I am 39 weeks pregnant and already at 5 cm.  But before I can finish the thought, the feeling passes, and I dismiss the idea.

5:15 am…

There it is again – that teeny, tiny twinge of pain.  It’s at this point that I decide to start watching the clock, you know, just in case.  And what do you know, I’m feeling something about every 15 minutes.

6:00 am…

I finally decide to get out of bed.  I don’t want to wake up the Tool Man, however, because I’m still not convinced that there’s anything going on.

6:25 am…

Now these feelings are starting to change from discomfort to pain.  And they are happening more frequently – about every 10 minutes.

7:00 am….

I’m beginning to think that today is the day.  I’ve heard the Tool Man stirring in the bathroom, so I decide to share the news with him.  I believe my exact words were, “I may or may not be feeling something.”  Ha ha.  I was terrified of sounding a false alarm.

The contractions (I’m officially calling them that now) are coming about every 8 minutes.  So the Tool Man and I prepare to head to the hospital – tidying up the house, loading the car, and getting the monkeys up and dressed.  As the minutes tick by, it is getting increasingly more difficult for me to move around or talk during the contractions.  Yes, today is definitely the day!

8:00 am….

Now I’m getting nervous.  I really don’t want to have a baby in the car on the side of the interstate.  We load up kids and head to town to drop them off with their Pappaw.  One last picture with Mama, then it’s off to the hospital.

9:00 am….

The Tool Man and I arrive at the hospital, and wouldn’t you know, every bed in Labor & Delivery is full.  I get a bed in the triage unit with nothing but a sheet between me and the next bed.

Things change, however, once the nurse checks me and discovers that I am already at 7 cm.  Suddenly it becomes a priority to find me a room and get me some drugs.

10:00 am….

Now that I have a real room, the anesthesiologist arrives and gives me the epidural.  Finally, some relief!

11:00 am….

The entourage arrives!  Nothing like a couple of monkeys to liven up a hospital room.  My mom, dad, and brother and Tim’s dad are there too.  The waiting game has begun.

12:00 pm….

The monkeys are getting a bit restless, so their grandparents take them down to the cafeteria for some lunch.  Meanwhile, since the epidural, my labor has slowed to a standstill.  My doctor decides to try to get things moving again with some medication.

1:00 pm…

Ty and Lucy have returned with full bellies, anxious to meet their new baby sister.

The nurse starts the IV, and says she will check back with me in an hour to see how things are going.

1:15 pm…

Turns out, I’m not going to make it another hour.  The doctor is called, the room is cleared, and bim, bam, boom……

1:42 pm…

Tacy Mae is here!

I am in shock over that head full of hair!

Hospital policy has changed so much since Lucy was born just 4 years ago.  As soon as things were tidy, our family was allowed to come in for a visit.  The monkeys came in first to get some special time alone with Tacy Mae.  Lucy was intrigued by her black hair and tiny, blue feet.

Technology…

Everyone was on the phone snapping pictures and sending messages.

Our first portrait as a family of five…

I got to hold the baby over an hour before they took her to weigh and measure her. 

7 pounds 4 ounces,  19.5 inches long – my biggest baby.

Finally, Daddy gets a piece of her.

After getting to spend some time with Tacy, I am moved to a room where I am greeted by my monkeys.  I’ve prepared a little surprise for them.  They deserve it; they’ve had a long day too.

About 5:30 the nurses bring Tacy down to my room.  She’s been bathed and dressed, and I can’t wait to get my hands on her.

How sweet is that tiny face!

One of my new favorite pictures…

When Ty first learned that he was getting a new sister, he was none too happy about being the only boy in the family.  It didn’t take long for him to change his mind, though.  He soon admitted that this little thing was pretty sweet.

Wow! What a day!  After waiting 9 long months, it seemed like this day would never come.  Now I can hardly believe it’s over.  I am so thankful that everything went so smoothly with no complications or concerns.  Mostly I am thankful for that perfectly healthy, beautiful baby girl.  I love you, Tacy Mae.  Welcome to our world!

Lindsey