The Lanums Lately

this little light of mine

Dear Chase,

Today you are 15 months old! Time has gotten away from me and I figured I'd better write some of this down or I'd forget it all!

You are unlike any other kid I've met...you have just have the sweetest, most loving personality. You're a great eater, a great sleeper, have a penchant for all animals, eat and breathe all things basketball, and give amazingly sloppy kisses. You're everything I could ever ask for in a little boy!

This month you got your first haircut...I had to have Domenic cut the "mullet" off the back of your head. We left your spikes alone- it's kind of your signature 'do these days, though we've seen it laying down recently and it almost makes me sad! Your hair is soft, fine, and poker-straight! Don't worry, Mommy's hair was exactly the same when she was your age.

You are SO into basketball, and just last week started saying "backaball"!!! It is so cute, you dribble, shoot, and throw SO well! You always want Reece to bring the hoop from his room into the living room so you can play. You love watching sports on tv (all sports are backaball) and chasing high-bounce balls all over the house. We could make a million jokes about you and your "balls"....

You have said quite a few words now, including: ball, moo, quack, woof, roar, basketball, no no, mama, juice, more, num num, yum, dog, dada, and Reece! You also nod your head yes and no and like to say "mmm hummm" if we ask you a question! You are learning baby sign language at school and we're trying to enforce it at home, but I think you'd rather just try and say the word!

You and Reece were both pretty sick this month with conjunctivitis in your eyes, bronchitis, and a sinus infection. Just as you got healthy, you started cutting all kinds of teeth! You have one bottom tooth and have cut your front top two and another two on the bottom! I feel so bad that they're coming all at once, but why did you wait so long to get these guys?!

You want to do everything that your big brother does and play with everything he plays with, too. This kind of ticks Reece off a little bit, but he's working on it! You've started climbing up on couches, beds, lego bins, and laundry baskets. We have to watch you because you're quite the little dare devil! You love the slide at the park and go down by yourself. Reece usually stands at the bottom to catch you and you LOVE it! I just know you two are going to be the best of friends after you figure out how to share your toys with each other!

Chase, you are such a little love. Although it stunk that you were sick, I loved the extra one on one time I got to spend with you. We snuggled and ran errands together, read books, and ate ice cream. I think you liked the quiet time, too! I know that these days of snuggling are fleeting, and soon you'll be out playing basketball and will want nothing to do with me...and that'll crush me....but always remember that I was your first kiss, your first love, and your first best friend.

I love you!

Love,

Mommy

Lately

Lately we've...
Started school
Started Gymnastics
Gotten Chase his first haircut
Started pulling Chase off the bed because he's climbed up there
Been eating Popsicles trying to stay cool
Busy with photo shoots
Started writing our own name
Been interested in Police and Firefighters
Been peach, ketchup, and sausage fiends
Tried two new foods (and gagged on one of them)
Been loving life!

So Proud

We parused the dollar spot at Target today and found a dry-erase board for learning letters. Reece was thrilled and got to work as soon as we returned home. I realize he's THREE, but I thought maybe we'd get an early start on letters and numbers.

I should interject here that Reece has shown little to NO interest in art (he likes it, but doesn't really care what his finished product looks like). Today he busts out with "dot, dot, smiley. Arm arm leg leg"--- I quickly glanced to see what he was working on. HOLY SMOKES! A "recognizable" figure!

He's continued with these people alllll day and I just love them! We've got a lot of work to do, but there is just something so raw about these first drawings that are so special!

random musings with a 3 year old

Reece is at this awesome age where he says the funniest things, and I figured I'd better start writing some of these things down:

The other morning I was steaming the floor and putting the dishes away he said "you're cleaning because someone is coming over? Right Mommy?" Yes, Reece, because I only clean when guests come. At all other times we live in a constant state of filth. Sheesh.

Recently the father of a friend of mine passed away and Reece told me that "Jesus came and picked up Aunt Lisa's daddy". I've never really discussed death with him before, aside from "killing" an ant, so I said "yes, yes He did." Then he asked me how Jesus got here and I said he flew down from Heaven to pick him up. He said "mommy! Jesus doesn't fly! He drives a sleigh like Santa!" How do you even try to correct THAT?!

If we're driving and someone slams on their brakes in front of me, Reece will yell out "uuuuuugh! That is so annoying!" yeah, I think it's annoying that people can't drive, too!

Going grocery shopping is a hoot-- if there is something he wants (usually, the most expensive thing in the store: Naked Juice, fruit and cheese platters, organic potato chips...) he'll say "look, we can get this! It's buy one get one!" Guess I've been couponing a bit too much lately...!

I also love how he equates BIG things to being "asspensive"...BIG toy trucks are asspensive. Little Matchbox cars are not. This must mean that little diamonds are not asspensive.... I will make note of that!

Lastly, we recently went to the YMCA waterpark for the day. Our day was shortened, however, because someone decided to let one loose in the pool. "Whyyyyyyy would someone DO that? Does this even LOOK like a potty? Thats ass-gusting!"

I love this age!

milk bottle cookies

Chase's birthday theme this year was "Milk and Cookies" (I'll put up a whole birthday post later!) but as soon as I posted this picture on Facebook, I was getting messages left and right on how to make them. So, I suppose I won't hold out on my secret creations any longer :)

First of all, I wanted to carry the theme through and couldn't find any containers I liked. Mason jars were a bit too big. These containers are actually Starbucks' Frappuccino bottles, emptied out and cleaned out! There, the secret is out!

Inside I layered the following:

1/3 cup flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp white sugar
4 tbsp quick-cook oats
3 tbsp chocolate chips
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar packed

For the tops, I used some natural muslin and jute to hang the recipe tag. It read:

Cookies for ONE (or two!)

Combine contents plus

one egg and

one tsp vanilla.

Bake at 350 and enjoy!

The custom labels were made by Michelle at Etsy shop MTipsy and I just loved them! I printed them on clear sheets of sticker paper (Avary sticker sheets). I believe the size is 2 1/2" x 2 1/2".

I just adore how they turned out and I may recycle the idea again for Christmas!

a love letter to my little love

my dear chase,

happy birthday! today you are one year old. time sure has passed quickly, and as i reminisce, i just cannot remember what life was like before you were in it. i can attest that our house was a little bit cleaner, our produce bill was a (lot) less, diapers and wipes remained in their respective packaging, and the poor dogs could sleep a little more soundly without being poked or prodded. it has been quite a year, and it has been amazing seeing you change from a wobbly newborn into a toddling, talking, smiley one-year old!

you are nothing short of amazing. you have these electric eyes and amazing smile that light up your face...and the room that you're in. some of the time i cherish most is when i pick you up, you put your thumb in your mouth and lay your head on my shoulder. i know those days are fleeting, so i hold tight to them now and take them as i get them. i love how you stare at me when you're having your night-time bottle, and how you reach up to stroke my face. i love how you coyly look up from doing something "naughty" and flash us a (still) gummy smile. that smile is going to keep you out of a lot of trouble, and you know it!

when you were little i would carry you in the baby bjorn and would rub my cheeks on your bald head. now you have this awesome tuft of spiky hair on the top of your head that everyone wants to touch and rub! you are just SO kissable. your calm demeanor and intense stare juxtapose your wild hair quite nicely!

chase, you have completed our family. we know you were meant for us; you were meant to be our son and you were meant to be reece's little brother. we are so lucky to have a little love like you in our lives.

i love you more than all the fishes in the sea...

love, mommy

it was a dark and stormy night...

...but we managed to get some fun in outside before the storm came! (this was before he tasted the chalk).
Reece was drawing a ball for Chase!

Just dying to be like his brother on his bike!