Are you as interested in Day in the Life posts as I am? There’s something about getting a peak into someone’s everyday life that satisfies the same piece of me that adores reality TV. (Yes….I know reality TV isn’t actually real. But I love it all the same.) So how about I take you along for a typical spring Saturday with the Lanes?
This might be my favorite post of the month. They’re the most fun to go back and read, it’s a little bit of food, a little bit of my Timehop addiction, reading, watching, all wrapped up in one post.
As always, I’m linking up with Shay and Sheaffer to share with you what’s going on in our life!
1: WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK:
We did steaks over the weekend, Tikka Masala, and Chicken Pot Pie!
2: WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT:
When we moved into our house. We bought our home several months before our wedding. We had been house searching for close to a year when we finally found our little home. It was such a big overwhelming decision, and I wondered then if we’d love it as much as I thought we would…
Sharing what one might call a ”photo dump” on the gram…but all in one blog post. Things I didn’t post, forgot to post, and little pieces of life I want to hold on to forever.
Life looks a hectic running around after this little one…
Jonathan is in full blown destructor mode. His favorite toys are objects around the house and our master bathtub’s water. He has his usual go-to kitchen drawers. I find this particularly fascinating, because they are not the same kitchen drawers that Harrison used to like. Harrison was more of a measuring cup drawer fan. Jonathan enjoys dad’s grill tools and loaf and muffin tins drawers.
A couple of weeks ago, Nathan and Harrison headed out to drive across the state of Kansas to Colorado for their very first ski trip. I packed them a lunch to eat in the car, and they were off for the mountains! Harrison was a level 12 out of 10 excited for this trip. All of the good one-on-one time with his Dad and beautiful setting was a perfect father/son trip.
After a couple of days, Jonathan and I packed up and flew out to Denver to meet the boys back in the city and spend a couple of days with Nathan’s parents, the boys’ Gigi and Pops.
The boys rented a small studio apartment in the village at Breckenridge. Harrison was SO EXCITED to get fitted his first day of ski school.
Happy 18 months, little guy! Your Daddy and I were talking the other day about you. After spending two weeks at home with you, and we’ve decided that your ‘Terrible Two’s’ have officially started. Harrison calls you “the Destructor,” which is truly the most appropriate pseudonym for you currently. You take in the situation in a room, and go straight for where you can cause the most damage. No pantry shelf is safe. No baby gate need stop you. You are climbing, poking, throwing, and pushing every single boundary right now. All with a Cheshire Cat grin when your parents tell you, yet again, “No!!!”
You’re my tender hearted little one. Both simultaneously the second child, in your mostly laid back demeanor, and at the same time, the most dramatic little boy. You’re so determined that you’re not easily re-directed from danger or things you aren’t supposed to do, and it routinely ends with big tears.
You bring our family so much joy, little guy. Watching you come into your own as your own little person is my favorite. Watching you, it feels like I can see your little mind grow with each new discovery. Your dancing and swaying is some of my favorite when you hear your favorite songs come on. The way you reach up for me constantly, wanting to be held by your mama. You are my mama’s boy. Safe in my arms from anything. I’ll always be a safe place for you, little boy.
I love you so much, my little Baby J. I hope and pray that there’s never a day that goes by that you wonder how much you are loved. It is beyond measure.
Love always,
Mommy
These prompts each month give me the most joy to go back and read. It’s a little peek into everything we’re doing in life right now. A monthly re-cap! And I just have so much fun writing them and reading them.
As always, I’m linking up with Shay and Sheaffer to share with you what’s going on in our life!
1: WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK: Sunday football means PIZZA! Other than that, we’re keeping it easy this week with slow-cooker carne asada tacos. (Seriously, they are sooo good!). Going to try a creamy broccoli cheddar soup recipe as well this week!
2: WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT:
About a year ago, Jonathan got his helmet to correct a flat spot on the back of his head. The condition is called plagiocephaly, and I remember thinking then, while I felt devastated at the time and really down, that I would look back at those pictures a year from now and realize how fast it seemed, and how quickly they change.
Happy New Year, friends! I hope you all had a joyful and restful holiday season. I always find the time between Christmas and New Year to truly be a time of relaxation with so many people off work, and finally feeling like I can truly unplug from work email and tasks.
We had a really wonderful Christmas. Harrison’s excitement this year for all things Santa and Christmas Day was palpable and contagious. We had so much fun opening gifts from Santa on Christmas morning, enjoying a slow brunch with just our family and opening presents. It was so nice out on Christmas, that we actually got to play outside a bit. Then we had my parents over for Christmas dinner later that evening.
I wanted to share some of the photos from the day all in one place.
I feel myself getting caught up this time of year in trying to have the perfect Christmas. Mostly ideas of peaceful cookie decorating, picturesque holiday movie watching on the couch with the whole family and a fire going, and doing all of the festive things like visiting Santa, looking at lights. And then there are little things too, for me, like wrapping each present perfectly. And I can find myself, if I don’t catch it early enough, with these high expectations of what this time looks like for our little family.
The holidays, and pretty much all special events, are better when I lower my expectations. When it doesn’t go perfectly, I don’t want my kids remembering a mom that was flustered and upset. I want them to remember these special celebrations as moments of joy strung together.
So as we head into this holiday week, I pray for you, friend, a week where we let go of the reigns a little bit. We lower the expectations of our children’s reactions and actions, the perfect picturesque holiday scenes we have in our minds, and remember that the best thing we can give our kids is a happy, joyful mom in the chaos and mess of it all. (And then let’s just all plan to have a virtual glass of wine together at the end of the night. ☺️)
Happy Friday, friends. And Merry Christmas week! ~Lauren
We went and visited Santa a couple weeks ago. I wasn’t sure how this would go, honestly. I was prepared for tears. Harrison hadn’t visited Santa since he was 1, and obviously has no memory of it.
I see it happening right before my eyes. This tiny little baby that was once so helpless, and just happy to be held is off exploring his world, is forming opinions about what he likes and doesn’t, and finding his way! I wish I could say I embrace the chaos of the toddler years, but my Type A personality walks a fine line between completely enamored with this new, independent guy that is emerging and letting go of my anxiety around the sheer mess of it all as he explores EVERYTHING. But our little guy’s personality does make me smile constantly. A few quick takes about our littlest gentleman, Baby Jonathan Brooksie, as Harrison calls him.
-1- He’s my reader. The first thing he wants in the morning when he wakes up is a book to read. He walks around with a book at all times, and will shove it up to any adult that will sit and read to him, backing his little booty up to sit down in your lap.
-2- When you ask for a hug right now, he lays his head down on your shoulder. And there’s no better feeling in the world than your kid’s head on your shoulder, as though you’re the most important person in the world.
-3- Harrison can always make him laugh. In fact, listening to the two of them laugh at breakfast, egging each other on, is one of the best sounds in the world.
-4- He’s got a sweet spot for his puppy, Sawyer. Giving her pets and hugs each morning. She obliges, mostly. Until it becomes a fistful grab of fur.
-5- Everybody calls him “Baby J.” All of his family AND his daycare, and Harrison’s classmates. When we walk into Harrison’s classroom to pick him up at the end of the day, his classmates will yell, “HI BABY J!!!” Will he ever not be Baby J? I guess that remains to be seen.
-6- He has a certain fondness for the water table in the toilet. And it’s definitely my LEAST favorite “phase” thus far. 🤢
-7- Everyone comments how relaxed he is. And he really is. Happy to go along for the ride and do whatever. But, oh man, is he my dramatic child when it comes to food. You’d think he went hungry before, because he will throw his body around and wail until food is presented on his tray to his satisfaction.
Our boys are three and one. They look like this right now:
And
And I think the 1.5 to 2.5 year age group is particularly hard to shop for gifts. They’re active, they want to be big kids, but aren’t quite ready for it yet, and have the attention span of gnat.