Tag: Motherhood

Growing Into a Boy Mom

Posted on by Lauren Lane

Almost three years ago, Nathan and I were in New York just the two of us. I was pregnant, and it was on that trip we had planned for Nathan and I to find out whether baby #1 was going to be a boy or a girl. I had imagined this moment in my mind so many times. I had seen so many pictures and videos of gender reveals: the excitement and joy! I kept wondering what was wrong with me, though. I had this sense of dread at finding out the gender of our baby. That somehow that would make it even more real. And even more so than that, if we got right down to the core of it, I was terrified that I was going to have a boy.

We opened the little envelope alone together in our hotel room. And a little blue ribbon fell out. Nathan said something like, “You’re going to be a boy mom!” And that’s when I looked away, and the tears started. Like the tears streamed down my face, and my mind went into a panic.

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What I’m Buying for Baby #2

Posted on by Lauren Lane

The good part about baby #2 is that generally, you don’t have to buy all of the STUFF that comes with having the first baby. The stuff alone is daunting: crib, bassinet, bottle warmers, how many contraptions to get for your home to put baby down in, swaddles, sling, wrap or carrier, car seat, stroller. The list goes on and on!

The bad news for us was that we borrowed almost ALL of the baby essentials from my sister when we had Harrison. And when we found out that baby #2 for each of us was going to arrive within a week of each other this summer, we turned to our friends to borrow a lot of the things that we absolutely needed. But there were a few things on my list that I didn’t have the first time around or wanted more of, that I’m buying for baby #2, and I wanted to share those with you!

The Baby Bjorn bouncer.

We had a Baby Bjorn bouncer for Harrison, and it was my single most favorite thing to put him down in while I needed my hands free in a room. I’d pick it up and move it from one room to the next. Harrison loved it, particularly when he figured out he could bounce it himself, and we even took it to South Dakota us twice to my parents’ cabin. Aside from the pack and play, it was the only baby gear I brought with me that first year to visit them. That’s how much I loved it. And given that my sister also LOVED it, I knew I was going to be buying a second one for our new little guy.

Aw…Look at Baby Harrison in the bouncer.

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What’s Up Wednesday {05.27.20}

Posted on by Lauren Lane

The days of May seemed to move faster and faster. At the beginning of this pandemic, days seemed soooo slow. And now, maybe we’ve gotten used to it a bit more – our new routine, spending time outside, or the impending countdown to baby, but May seems to have flown by.

Here’s what our calendar has looked like this May…

It could most aptly be characterized as “didn’t even bother to fill it out.” 🙂

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: Cheesy Baked Ziti
  • Monday: Leftovers
  • Tuesday: Pork Chile verde enchiladas
  • Wednesday: Leftovers
  • Thursday: Italian sausages & peppers
  • Friday: Leftovers

2: WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT:

I feel like most of my reminiscing these days is thinking back to what was life was like at this time last year. The simplicity of being able to go and do everything that we wanted to do!

We’re missing our Splashin’ and Smokin’ Saturdays with Cousin Evie in particular.

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Let’s Look At…Your Weekend

Posted on 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. Before we get to this month, here’s a peak back at what we’ve “looked” at so far this year:

And today we’re looking at our weekend! I imagine when these topics were picked at the end of last year, the thought was that Mother’s Day weekend would look very different than most of the world’s current realities. But that doesn’t mean that we didn’t have fun around the house!

Fridays start our weekends, because I’m off of work on Fridays to hang out with Harrison. We spent the morning playing in Harrison’s playroom variations of soccer, kitchen, and puzzles. Harrison thinks it’s hilarious to cover Sawyer up with the couch throw pillows and then ask where Sawyer is.

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7 Quick Takes (v. III)

Posted on by Lauren Lane

If you’re new around here, every once awhile I like to round up seven quick things that I’m loving and finding amusing about Harrison. It’s my way of memorializing these small little bits of his personality that he will likely outgrow in hopes that someday I look back at them and remind myself what Harrison was like growing up. Harrison is 2 now, and he’s on his sixth week at home with Nathan and I during full time quarantine. That means I’ve got loads of material watching, playing, and hanging out with our little man so much!

-1- The number of times a day I ask him, “Harrison – are your listening ears turned on?” As he points to his ears to show me – “yup – heard you, Mom. Just choosing to do my own 2 year old thing. K-Bye.”

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What’s Up Wednesday {04.29.20}

Posted on by Lauren Lane

I remember so vividly writing my last What’s Up Wednesday at the end of March, and just having no clue how this April would unfold with the virus. There was so much uncertainty and anxiety, and while things don’t seem that different in the sense that we’re all still at home, and there’s still this crazy virus out there, somehow living a month plus of this has led me to a bit of acceptance and less fear. I don’t know how you all are hanging in there. I’d love to hear in the comments what’s been going on for you guys this past month!

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 Italian sausages and brats
  • Monday: Pot roast in the slow cooker
  • Tuesday: Leftovers
  • Wednesday: Cheesy Gnocchi Florentine
  • Thursday: Leftovers
  • Friday: Take out from a local restaurant!

I’ve blogged about this before, but right now, we’re very blessed that we are both still fully employed, so we’ve been trying to get take out from one of our favorite local restaurants at least once a week to do some small part in helping all of these amazing places that we love stay afloat during this time. It may seem small and petty, but it’s a great treat for us and we’re hoping that it’s some small part in keeping restaurants afloat.

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A Double Surprise

Posted on 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.

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Letters to Harrison

Posted on 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.

We’re Expecting a…

Posted on by Lauren Lane

First off, I just wanted to thank you for the patience and understanding with needing a quick break! I had one of my clients file on Friday. I left work at noon and got a pedicure to celebrate. It felt like the first true exhale and promise that spring was close at home.

I wanted to share about our gender reveal today!

A few weekends ago, Nathan’s family and my family gathered at my parents house for our big gender reveal. Leading up to the day, I had no time to think about ideas of how we would do the reveal. I had originally planned on hosting everyone at our house for chili, but the weeks leading up to that day turned into a blur of stress, deadlines, and Nathan working super long hours that left me feeling completely depleted emotionally. So my parents volunteered to host instead. And I sheepishly and guiltily accepted because I just couldn’t add another thing to my plate.

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Pregnancy: The First Trimester

Posted on by Lauren Lane

How We Found Out:  For a very strange reason, both Nathan and I felt like I was probably pregnant. So, we just decided to take the test to just see what it said. Not expecting anything, and sure enough, there it was.  Two pink lines.  As soon as Harrison got up, we told him he was going to be a big brother. He looked at us not really sure what we were saying, and then asked, “Elmo? Elmo?” while pointing to the TV.  Can’t come between Harrison and his Saturday morning Sesame Street.

And so began our journey to baby #2…

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