Family Archives - Page 14 of 19

Category: Family

Harrison’s Second Birthday

Posted on April 15, 2020April 14, 2020 by Lauren Lane

Well, like a lot of things these days, birthdays don’t look the same. We had high hopes for a party with our families. Time spent playing outside, opening presents, and eating cake. Harrison turned 2 on Monday, and while Easter here was rainy, cold, and we were stuck inside the whole day, I was determined to have a more positive outlook to celebrate Harrison’s second birthday.

I woke Harrison up in the morning, and we had breakfast together. He chose pancakes and yogurt. Lots of yogurt. And then he got to pick out his birthday outfit, so, of course, it had to be his “Sharp Tooth” shirt.

Dear Harrison, (v. IV)

Posted on April 13, 2020April 13, 2020 by Lauren Lane

Happy birthday, sweet boy! Two whole years of Harrison wonderful-ness in our lives. You are energy and fire. You are a sweet smile, and sheer happiness about life. I see you developing this sweet, tender heart that cares for people, which makes my mama-heart soar. And you’re without a doubt the most persistent and fearless little kid I’ve ever met, never lacking in confidence and a can-do attitude, which makes your Dad so proud.

You love the outdoors, your sister, Soy Soy, and soccer. And you’re quick to offer a hug and kiss when asked. I can’t begin to express how much of my heart just swells with love for you, little boy. You remind us to praise our Creator, for all of the good there is in the world, and are a continuous reminder that the simplest things are the greatest blessings in life.

While you don’t let me rock you to sleep anymore, you do give me a hug before being tucked into bed. And I hold you tight against my chest, and whisper to you every night, “I love you, little one. There’s nothing in the world that your Daddy or I wouldn’t do for you, and I’m always going to be here for you. No matter what.” And then I lay you down, and you shout at me, “NIGHT NIGHT, MOMMY!” And in that moment, little boy, whatever happened that day: good, bad, hard, seems right for an infinite minute.

And as I sit here writing this to you, tears streaming down my face, I want you to know, you changed everything in our world. And we are better for it.

Happy birthday, my sweet little one.

Love, Mommy

Let’s Look At…Easter at Our House

Posted on April 8, 2020April 6, 2020 by Lauren Lane

Once a month, I link up with two of my favorite blogs (Shay @ Mix and Match Mama and Erika @ A Little Bit of Everything), to share a “look” into some little aspect of our life.

In January, we looked at our bedside table
In February, we looked at our winter wardrobe
In March, we looked at what’s inside our purse

This month, we’re talking about how we do Easter at Our House.

We haven’t gotten into a good “Easter” tradition at our house for several reasons. One is that Harrison’s birthday is April 13th. And he didn’t have his first Easter until last year, when he was just over one. The year he was born, Easter was really early at the end of March, so he missed it completely! All of that is to say, our only “normal” Easter with Harrison was last year. Historically, we go to Easter morning church service, and brunch with family. We didn’t do much with the Easter bunny last year, so it wasn’t really a set-up for what I think our Easters will be like in the future.

A Typical Day During COVID-19 Quarantine

Posted on April 7, 2020April 6, 2020 by Lauren Lane

I’ve done a couple of typical day posts over the past year. You can go back and read them HERE and HERE. With the changes that quarantine has brought, though, I wanted to document this very different period of our lives. Nathan and I are both working full-time jobs at home, and we have Harrison here as well. It’s made for quite the change in our typical routine, so last Monday, I decided to document our full day from wake up to go to sleep. Here’s how we’re making quarantine work so far…

I still get up at 4:50 in the morning, and get a work out in before the rest of the house is up and moving.

I walk all the way to our living room to do my work out. 🙂

A Double Surprise

Posted on April 1, 2020March 29, 2020 by Lauren Lane

I’m going to take you back. Way back to the winter, to Christmas Eve. We were over at my sister’s house with her husband and daughter, Evie, sharing an impromptu Christmas Eve meal together. Nathan and I were keeping a big secret that we had planned on sharing with the whole family the next day on Christmas, that we were pregnant and Harrison was going to be a big brother. And then, Evie walked down the stairs from her nap wearing a shirt that said, “Promoted to Big Sister.”

And I stopped. And stared. After a long pregnant pause, I asked Spencer, “Is that shirt hers?”

“Um. Yup,” he replied.

And then the excitement and screaming, and yelling at Nathan to get over here and look at Evie’s shirt ensued. So much so that it scared Evie to have her aunt jumping up and down when she had no idea what her shirt said.

Letters to Harrison

Posted on March 31, 2020March 31, 2020 by Lauren Lane

I first wrote a letter to Harrison about a month before he was born. I wrote a letter to him every month of his first year of life, which I shared on my Instagram. I’ve written several letters to him here on this blog. And sometimes, I write letters to him just on my phone as I’m about to drift off to sleep at night.

Some I’ve never shared publicly, and most of those, I never intend to do that. But I started writing to Harrison in hopes that one day that he could look back at them and have some tangible piece of his mother’s thoughts.

Sometimes, the letter is written as a prayer for him. Sometimes they are hopes and dreams for him, for the man that he will grow up to be. Some are urgings to take the high road, and have an immense amount of respect and empathy for others. Some are just memories of happy things that bring a smile to my face, and usually tears to my eyes.

They are a virtual quilt of my love for him. For the wonderful things he’s taught me about life, and is teaching me right now in the midst of this uncertainty in our world.

I hope he treasures them someday as a gift. That he goes back to read them when he is uncertain of himself, or feels unloved. That he reads them and remembers a happy childhood, and most importantly, a mother who loves him with all of her heart. No matter what.

Friday Favorites {03.28.20}

Posted on March 27, 2020March 26, 2020 by Lauren Lane

Wow. Fridays sure feel different right now. I used to look forward to them with all of my being. I’d look forward to and plan a trip to the park with Harrison or the garden center, before it would get super crowded on the weekend. And man, I appreciate the uninterrupted time with little guy, but the go-go-go person in me is struggling with not having some things to do. Every day is a practice in mindfulness, trying to be comfortable in the slow-ness of life right now, and, of course, unbelievable thankfulness for my family’s health. I know a couple of people now who are struggling with COVID-19, both in KC and on the east coast. It’s amazing to me the difference in their symptoms and severity of them.

We are one full week into our quarantine with Harrison at home. KC is on a stay-at-home order until at least April 24th, so that means, there’s only four more weeks to go!

How are you all doing with self-quarantine? I feel like I pray every day that our country starts to see the fruits of all of us staying at home.

My Friday Favorites are pretty simplistic and ordinary, because that’s what life is right now. Have a good weekend, friends!

I don’t think I’ve ever gotten to spend this much time at home with both Harrison and Nathan. And it does have me realizing how much I love this little family of ours. The fact that this little boy is blissfully unaware of the chaos and anxiety that fills the world outside of our four walls right now. He’s perfectly happy in getting to hang with Mom, Dad, and Soy Soy for days on end.

What’s Up Wednesday {03.25.20}

Posted on March 25, 2020March 24, 2020 by Lauren Lane

What feels like a lifetime ago, my last What’s Up Wednesday, I was so excited for spring on the horizon, and my Fridays at home with Harrison. I was looking forward to all of the things that I love about this season. Being outside, gardening again, and getting to enjoy the good weather. And now that we sit here almost two weeks into self-quarantine, while none of the things has been completely taken away from me, it certainly feels different and more complicated.

I’m linking up with Shay and Sheaffer to share with you what’s going on in our life lately!

1: WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK:

Sunday: Leftover homemade pizza
Monday: Tacos
Tuesday: Leftovers
Wednesday: Sausage Vodka Pasta
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: TBD

2: WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT:

What turned out to be the good old days. When you could run to Target, and be assured cleaning supplies. That you could have birthday parties and book club with your friends. That you didn’t worry about your friends who were now scrambling to wonder how they would make money for rent, and friends who worked in the medical profession that are now putting their lives at much higher risk for us every single day. Life before quarantine. Life with extended family and friends mostly. Life that looked like this:

Self-Quarantine & Broken Legs

Posted on March 24, 2020March 24, 2020 by Lauren Lane

Friday night turned out to be a lot more than we had bargained for this weekend. While our family was planning a movie date and some pasta for dinner, it ended with a trip to the hospital for our little guy.

It all started in the afternoon, trying to get out the door to pick up an order from my favorite bird store. Harrison ran off down the hall, refusing to put on his shoes and jacket. When I walked into our bedroom, he rolled his ankle slightly over a blanket that was laying on the floor. He kind of winced, and said it hurt, and I shrugged it off and told him we needed to get going so we could get home for nap.

He winced again, which was odd for him. I’ve seen him take many bad falls. Run into furniture and walls, and bounce back without so much as an “Ouch.” I asked him where it hurt, and he pointed to his toes. I asked him to move his toes, which he did with no problem. I figured again that he just would walk off the pain. Maybe at the worst, he had bruised something.

A Note to My Low-Risk Friends About COVID-19

Posted on March 17, 2020March 17, 2020 by Lauren Lane

I had plans today to talk about my visions for Harrison’s new big boy room. The plans I’ve been making for theme, colors, and decor. But I feel compelled to change that given the national upheaval and fear that the coronavirus has taken over in many Americans’ lives. Let me start by saying, I am not an expert, and I do not purport to be an expert of any sort. I’m just a mom to a little one year old boy. A daughter to parents who are over the age of 65. A granddaughter to a grandpa who lives in a senior assisted care facility many, many miles away from me that is currently on lockdown. A sister-in-law to a sibling with an auto-immune disorder. And I myself, am 21 weeks pregnant with our second little boy. This is just one tiny voice among millions in my little corner of the internet world.

The entire nation seems to be at one pregnant pause right now. Waiting to exhale collectively…I stood in line on Thursday evening buying provisions in an attempt to provide us food for several weeks to be able to avoid the grocery store. And as I picked up each item off the shelf, I wondered if the person who had placed that box there had been sick, and unable to stay home until they were healthy.