Angela Stanford edges a shot ahead - Franklin American Mortgage Championship 2006

"I was just so tired. I was exhausted having a baby and being on tour, trying to play competitive golf and trying to spend some quality time with the child. It took me a while to really kind of figure it out. I'm starting to be able to see things a little bit more clearly."

The Frenchwoman tied her season low with a 6-under 66 Friday for a two-round total of 133 that has her a stroke behind Angela Stanford (67-132) at the Franklin American Mortgage Championship.

Sophie Gustafson, who carded a career-low 63, was at 134. Karrie Webb (68), Karin Sjodin (64) and Wendy Ward (66) were tied at 135. Cristie Kerr (69) was among four at 136, and Lorena Ochoa (71) and Grace Park (72) were six strokes back.

Meunier-Lebouc joined the LPGA Tour in 2001 and won her first title in 2002, then won the Kraft Nabisco Championship in 2003. She gave birth to Phildine on Feb. 9, 2004, before returning in May with her best finish a tie for fourth.

Then came 2005.

Even with her husband, Antoine, working as her caddie to help with family time, she missed eight cuts in 19 tournaments and couldn't finish better than a tie for 22nd. She broke 70 in only five of her 57 rounds.

"I'm starting to know where I stand, what I want," Meunier-Lebouc said. "I'm learning about being able to switch from the baby to golf and get out of there and be with her. I just kind of try to stay patient and just go for it now."

Grouped with Gustafson, they nearly matched each other birdie for birdie. Gustafson rolled the ball well after giving her new putter to an autograph seeker following an opening 71, and she made three putts of 18 feet and a 30-footer among her nine birdies with her old putter.

After Thursday, Gustafson spent time on the practice greens working with an old putter and her coach, Cindy Green.

"The other one was absolutely rubbish," Gustafson said.

Meunier-Lebouc was just as aggressive, throwing shots onto greens made even softer by morning rains.

"It was like easy. We make birdies everywhere," Meunier-Lebouc said. "That doesn't happen very often, though. It was fun. You have to enjoy every moment because it (does) not happen every day."

Meunier-Lebouc finished with six birdies with no bogeys with her best hole on the par-4, 396-yard No. 6 when she holed out a chip from 27 feet. She also set up birdies on two par 5s, Nos. 7 and 18, by chipping to 9 and 3 feet.

The strong start to her eighth tournament is a nice change for Meunier-Lebouc. She tied for ninth at Safeway in March but had carded only five rounds in the 60s out of 24 before this week.

So she wasn't concentrating on who might pass her on the leaderboard, only her own game.

"I've been up and down so far in the season, so I'm working on that really. So far I'm fine, so I'm going to work on keep going and being able to maintain a certain level of steadiness to the end. That's what I'm looking forward to," she said.

"Now you have to play maybe four rounds of golf to look good at the end."