Illyse Lane

Little White Lies

Weâve entered a new realm in my house. We are now in the âHonest Eraâ. Funny thing, I never realized we were living in the âDishonest Eraâ. Thankfully, Big Guy brought it to our attention. All those years, I thought I was being completely honest with my kids, I wasnât. Those times I thought I was instilling confidence, I was telling stories. Using a commonly known…

Posted 5 hrs. ago.

Jack of No Trades, Master of One

I am a mom. Therefore, I multitask. And I am good at it. Or at least I was. In the beginning, it came naturally. I quickly figured out how to fix a warm bottle while holding a crying infant. Simple things like grabbing a diaper while making sure Big Guy didnât roll off his changing tale. When Little Guy came along, my abilities quickly grew. I could open a car door while holding a baby …

Posted 1 week ago.

Selective Amnesia

Sometimes, when I am without my children, I forget how old I am. And that is OK, for at that moment in time, my age is insignificant.Â It doesnât matter how old I actually am when I stroll the frozen food section.Â Buy a book of stamps.Â Pick up my Retin-A prescription (like all smart women who forget their age). Â If you caught me at this moment in time, I may hesitate when you a…

Posted 2 weeks ago.

The Rules of Summer Play

When summer rolls in, the rules of play change. School year playdates are easy, mandated by a designated start time and end time. Summer playdates are different. They go on. And on. Especially if itâs with kids in your neighborhood. As is the case with Big Guy and his best friend, who happens to be my best friendâs son. When no official mother transportation is required, these soir…

Posted 3 weeks ago.

The Sibling Factor

When Little Guy was born, I stared at his pasty white skin and orange hair. If I hadnât just delivered him, I would have figured theyâd made a mistake. It was the middle of a quiet, cold January night and all I could think of was how we would be able to take him to the beach in the summer. I made a mental note to buy stock in Coppertone. For months, he was the mellow, content baby. The…

Posted 4 weeks ago.

Our Choice Cup Runneth Over

A few weekends ago, Big Guy played his last soccer game with his team.Â It was a bittersweet moment.Â Many of these boys have been together since they were four.Â Most will be sticking together, progressing to the next level next season.Â But not Big Guy.

Posted 1 mon. ago.

The Memory Bank

I grew up in a small town on the outskirts of NYC, surrounded by the Long Island Sound.Â In the 80s.Â Can you hear the Bon Jovi playing in the background? We could see the skyline from our tiny beaches.Â Being on the brink of that big city, every cheesy, regretful trend hit us.Â Hard. It was big hair and big fun.Â As teenagers, many a weekend was spent trolling the quiet, dark stree…

Posted 1 mon. ago.

The Long, Hot Days of Summer

Here we sit, in the midst of summer. As I unpack the pool bag for what seems to be the hundredth time, I reflect on the past six weeks.

Posted 1 mon. ago.

What's Your Crazy?

We all have a little bit of crazy in us. It manifests in different ways. Some monitor every bite they eat. Some shop excessively. Some exercise till they drop. Some, like me, worry. What do I worry about? My kids getting hurt. Really hurt. Bloody, hospital worthy injuries. Iâm one of THOSE moms. I hold my breath when Big Guy gets knocked off his skates during a hockey game. I look …

Posted 1 mon. ago.

Four Letter Words

When I became a mom, I was filled with hope. And although over the years I have also been filled with happiness, love, anger, sadness, frustration, joy, worry and excitement, that hope sustains me. Itâs why I get up every morning thankful the argument I had with Big Guy for talking back and rolling his eyes is a memory. That the time Little Guy spent in his room for whining and crying durin…

Posted 2 mon. ago.

about this blog

Illyse Lane

Illyse is a TriangleMom2Mom featured blogger, appearing every Thursday.

She is currently a stay-at-home mom. She resides in Raleigh with her husband and two sons, ages 7 and 9. Originally from New York, Illyse fled the cold to attend Florida State University. After a brief return to life in the city, she relocated to Raleigh to work for GE Capital and has never looked back. Illyse is sure that as long as all the boys in her home continue to speak, she will have plenty of material to write about.