My road is paved with good intentions

I recently came across this website at work. There is a definition of each problem behavior that you may come across in a school setting. I got really upset that the someone had obviously been following me around taking notes!

Discipline Help: You Can Handle Them All:


"The Procrastinator Behavior: Specific attitudes and actions of this child at home and/or at school.
Long on talk and enthusiasm but short on work and success.

Always puts things off.

Has no sense of urgency.

Usually 'talks a good game,' but accomplishes little. To hear this student talk, one would think he/she couldn't wait to get to work, or to put into practice what he/she has learned.

Often the first to volunteer for a task. Says, 'Oh, I'll do it.' Unfortunately, never says when.

Never gets anything done; is always 'going to get it done tomorrow.'

Does seem to have a need to please and usually does want to get the job done."


Did this sound familiar?


Oh, boy, did it ever! I have intended to update my blog for several weeks now. It is only fair to tell you that I saved the draft of this post three weeks ago! But I'm turning over a new leaf.

Butterbean is also turning over a new leaf. . . to wear a dress and tutu everywhere she goes. She has already begun to follow through with her promise.

Enough said . . .

Sugar and Spice

Don't get me wrong . . .

boys are great.

In fact, we spent Thursday afternoon with my dear friend Lori and her three precious boys. You couldn't ask for a more thoughtful boy than Knox. He was so patient and kind to Annika. Banks is the best at wearing construction hats and getting down and dirty with some trucks and Lincoln Logs. And that precious, new Gaines is so yummy that I wanted to inhale him.

So again, I will say. . .

boys are great.

Snakes and snails, puppy dog tails and all.

But, alas, I have no boys.

Just one strong-willed little girl.

I love the pigtails, the pure need to wear a tutu for days on end, the purses full of tiny babies and pretend make-up, the bows in the hair that are pulled out as soon as we are out the front door, the gobs of necklaces, and the love of all things pink.

It's everything nice.

Hurt feelings

Thursday morning Annika hurt my feelings.

I was leaving for work and she was eating her breakfast while her daddy was in the shower.

I said, "Goodbye Butterbean. Have a good day. I love you!"

She was supposed to say (as is the official routine), "Goodbye Mommy. Have a good day. I love you too!"

Instead she said, "I'm not Butterbean. I'm Akka. You not call me Butterbean anymore."

So I said (in my sweetest mommy tone), "But I've called you Butterbean since you were a little baby."

She replied, "I not a baby anymore Mommy."

I cried a single tear and left for work.

She's pretty callous for a toddler.

Traditions passed down from Lynda

On Halloween night, I'll be a spook, scary as can be.

"Who's that spook?" people will ask.

It's just me behind my mask. Boo!

My mother, Lynda, sang this with me every year at Halloween. We would dig out the paper plate pumpkin mask that I created in preschool and recite the poem in a sing-song voice.

Annika says, "I'll be a pook, scary as can be." Just exactly like my mom says I always did.

The Fallen Fairy aka Butterbean says, "Boo" to you and yours.

Not just a Sunday drive

When I was in college, I owned a 1990 convertible Mustang. It looked similar to this picture, except the body was baby blue. I have never been into cars, nor have I been since this baby was totaled on a beautiful October afternoon in 1994.

I loved that car. My dad bought it, washed it, hid it in my great grandparents' carport, and surprised me on Christmas morning. He was more pleased than I was to see me drive off in my robe with my pajama-clad brother Jud as my first passenger. (Shhh. . .is it still too early to tell that Jud actually told me about my surprise on Christmas Eve?)

In college, I thought my life was overwhelming a lot of the time. (Wow. . .if I only knew, huh?) My classes, quizzes, social events, boy troubles, Pi Phi t-shirt choices, being late for the Campus Bus, and blind date fiascos (Have you ever been dumped at a social for the picture girl? Ugh!)just totally put me over the edge sometimes. When those days came (and they came quite a lot, now that I think about it) I got in that car named Rhoda, and I drove. (Please tell me that you watched Rhoda!)

I rolled the windows down, pushed back the ragtop, and drove through Watkinsville, Bishop, Farmington, and into Madison, Georgia. I cruised through "downtown" Madison until I located my friend and landscaper, Tate. When I found him at the local McDonald's spreading mulch, I parked my car and got out to put my hands in the dirt and forget about everything else.

Though the landscaping, socializing, and manual labor were all very therapeutic, it was the drive that was always my favorite part.

This evening I am wishing for a ragtop, a scarf in my hair, an old country road, and cool air pockets as I stretch my hand out the window and let it all go.

Lucky me

My husband is quiet, laid back, neat, shy, and (sometimes painfully) honest.

I, on the other hand, am gregarious, intense, a self-proclaimed "stacker of stuff", and (sometimes painfully) a white liar. (You know, just enough to protect people's feelings!!!)

I would be (white) lying if I didn't say that the aforementioned qualities of my dear husband don't drive me crazy. For instance, last Sunday I got out two boxes of fall/winter clothes from the attic to switch out my closet. Monday morning they had already been placed back in the attic beore I had the chance to switch the clothes. Now, that's really being obsessively neat, right???

And sometimes, when we're at parties, I get annoyed if I see him checking soccer scores instead of engaging in conversation with strangers.

He was so shy on our first (blind) date that he avoided looking at me for the first 20 or so minutes.

And if you want an honest opinion if your butt looks big in that skirt, then he's your man.

This weekend, my parents are keeping Annika so that Geoff and I could attend Cindy's Big Birthday Bash last night. Over the past 24 hours, I have been reminded of all of his endearing qualities that made me fall in love with him after that first (blind) date.

He is a very sharp dresser. Really, you should have seen him last night.

He prepares a four course meal every weekend for the two of us after Butterbean goes to bed.

He is (sometimes painfully) honest about all of the things that other men avoid discussing.

He makes really good friends over time.

He is the funniest, if sometimes inappropriate, man I know.

I'm one lucky gal.

All things birthday

Annika turned two last weekend. I can't believe that this precious, tiny baby in the picture above can now talk, sing, dance, run, laugh hysterically, feed the dogs, and help me cook.

She delights us every single day!

We celebrated with a party last weekend. When asked what she wanted at her party, she yelled, "Cupcakes!" So, we started with this invitation from Paperlicious:

We then made cupcakes from a recipe in I Like You by Amy Sedaris.

We used the homemade cupcakes for our cupcake tree and the boxed "Funfetti" ones for the Decorate your own Cupcake station.



My mother-in-law, Lily, made these adorable cupcake decorations from toddler socks. They were the perfect addition!

Banks, Knox, and Annika fit a lot of sprinkles on their cupcakes!

The guests' bags were decorated with cupcake stickers.

We played "Stick the Candles on the Cupcake" for entertainment.

And of course, Annika's favorite part, opening presents. I am proud to say that she said thank you after opening every single one!

Daddy, Annika, and Mommy on a sugar high!

Labor Day . . . KRAP style!

KRAP: Kulp, Rutland, Adamo People

(Mike, I think this will really catch on just in time for our t-shirts next year!)

This year marked our third family vacation to North Carolina.

(We missed you Jud, Pam, Julia, Sam, Bobby, Debbie, and Geoff!)

I always look forward to this trip: the cool air, the beautiful view, the funny stories, the gross-live-but-tasty-dead fish, the golf cart rides, the Christmas trees, the morning dew, the weak coffee, the Fowler hospitality, the curvy roads, the quiet mornings, watching college football, playing with the kids, the inside jokes, Mancala tournaments, the glory of God, and the yummy biscuits are just a few of the reasons.

Pictured below are a few more.

Annika with her first catch! A nice trout, huh?

Sweeeeet Caroline (duh, duh, duh) and Annika

Okay, so this is my FAVORITE part of the weekend-Family Worship.
It usually occurs on Sunday morning, but this year we promised to go to church with the Fowlers. We had it on Saturday night instead.

Mike and Jack (Clapton)

Does it get any better than listening to father and son play their guitars while praising HIM?

Barbie and Caroline

and mother and daughter beaming with pride?

I know that God looks forward to this part of our weekend every year, too. Our hearts belong to Him, and it is a wonderful feeling to know where your dearest loved ones will spend eternity.

We have decided to make ourselves fools for Him.

Unconcerned with dignity, He made us free. That's proof enough for us!

(Thanks for the inspiration, Nichole Nordeman!)

Misunderstood

Pictures speak louder than words.

Save the drama for your mama!

Oh . . . she did.

Kitchen sink friends

Sometimes I am jealous of people who have the gift of musical ability (Pam). At other times I covet the gifts of the financially focused (April) or those who seem to exercise EVERY single time they say they will (Lori).

But lately, I have dreamed of being a dishwasher.

Do you have dishwashing friends? You know, those friends who are content to clean up the mess in the back while you relish in the company of visitors.

I am a little embarrassed to admit that I have never been this friend. I quite enjoy being right in the middle of the activity. In fact, I hate to leave the room until everyone else has departed.

What if something exciting or fun happened after I left?

Lately I have realized just how grateful I am to my dishwashing friends. There's Laura and Melanie at church, Carrie at Book Club, Brenda at work, Ingrid, Paul, and Thora in Norway,

and then there's Cindy throughout it all.

These people are the spine of the Body of Christ.

I am praying that even though I'm not a dishwasher, I will raise a part-timer at least.

**Please don't misinterpret this email. God blessed me with other gifts for which I am very grateful. But I will never need a pair of yellow rubber gloves.

Um, Daddy. . .

do you think I'm growing up too fast?

Edit: For those of you who dig the shoes . . . www.shopplasticland.com. They were on sale!!!

Letting go . . .

Butterbean has been napping at daycare without a pacifier for about three months now. I had casually mentioned to her teacher, Jenni, that I was going to wean her from the "paci" before she turned two in September. Two days later, Jenni informed me that Annika no longer used it at school. I told myself that I would follow suit at home.

First it was that Annika said she "needed" it. Then it was the excuse of her staying at my mom's house and being in a different environment. Next it was Geoff and I discussing that we needed the comfort of the paci on the cross-Atlantic flight to Norway.

Today, when I picked up my precious baby girl from school. She informed me that she went tee-tee on the potty after her nap.

As I praised her, hugged her, and let her call the grandparents, I realized the true reason I haven't weaned her from her paci . . .

I wasn't ready to let go of my baby.

Tonight after our normal bedtime routine, I placed her in her crib and told her I loved her. She said, "I need my paci, Mommy."

I replied, "No you don't. We don't have any more pacis, but this cute pink moose can sleep with you!"

She whispered, "Night, night. I love you, Mommy."

And she's been asleep ever since.

Dance Party

**Please pardon the video kick, but I just recently figured out how to post them correctly. . . thus, I'm addicted.

When Geoff is out of town on business, Annika and I keep ourselves occupied with "dance parties". Today, when she asked for one, I had to oblige. She dances without inhibition, just like I always dreamed of doing myself. She hears shouts of encouragement and lots of hand-clapping from me. We've been partaking in these DPs for a few months now, and until today I simply viewed them as a fun ritual.

However, please note that my daughter places her hands up in the air, looks toward our heavenly father, and says, "Praise you!" several times. It moved me, so I had to share it with you all.

(The song is Mary Mary's "Shackles", which is an absolute favorite in our household.)

Fifteen seconds (maybe a little more) of Fame

This is for all of you long-distance Butterbean fans! Annika has become a bit of a drama queen, so I thought she needed even more encouragement in that department. Enjoy!

This is her rendition of "Simon says I must stare at the lamp."

. . . and this one is Annika mocking her daddy's dancing techniques.

How does your garden grow?

The hard work of my green-thumbed hubby and offspring has finally paid off!

2009 First Fruits of the Harvest

The joys of living ITP (Inside the Perimeter)

Today was T-shirt Sunday at Martha Brown United Methodist Church. We have attended MB since waking up late one Sunday morning four and a half years ago. (It was the only church we could make it to in just five short minutes before the 11:00 a.m. service.) We love it for lots of reasons. . .the people, the historical building, its love for the community, the special services, the best pastor in the history of churches, and of course, the convenience of it only being slightly less than a mile from our house.

This morning was t-shirt Sunday, so Annika and I got up early, dressed in our t-shirts and jeans, and walked/rode to Sunday School. We have this Jeep Stroller that totally rocks our world! Annika loves it , it's perfect for running, and it plays our iPod through its speakers! This was a purchase that I had to talk Geoff into since we already had a "perfectly good stroller". However, it has more than paid for itself since we bought it. We use it to haul Butterbean, along with toys, bags, and even our drycleaning to and from the village.

(Ours is orange.)

Anyway, this morning as Annika and I strolled to church and greeted our fellow neighborhood early risers, I was reminded of how much I love living in a community where I can enjoy a leisurely walk to church with my chatty Butterbean.

(For the record, Geoff skipped Sunday school, but he drove and joined us at church!)

Blog Edit** We just topped off the perfect EAV day by taking a family walk to Holy Taco to enjoy the yummy guacamole!

East Atlanta Village life is for me!

Travels

He's back! Geoff finally returned from his two week trip to Puerto Rico last night. Annika was thrilled to see him, even in her sleepy stupor. She was even more excited when she realized he was still here this morning! She caught up on a lot of hugs, giggles, and snuggles.

Daddy's empty suitcase provided a lot of entertainment this morning, too. As you can see, she is ready to travel!

We hope she stays this excited for the looooong plane ride we'll have in July when we travel to Norway!

Marathon Mommy

All of the time, effort, training, blisters, and Saturday mornings resulted in success!

26.2 MILES

Grace, Robin and I finished the race and lived to tell about it.

The most difficult task I've ever tackled.

(Yes, that includes giving birth. But then again, I had a C-section.)

The first part of the race was terrific, but miles 13-20 nearly killed me. In the end, during those last six (don't forget the point two) miles, it came down to Mary Mary songs playing on the iPod while I praised God for the lessons he had taught me about commitment over the past few months.

It was a very humbling experience, indeed.

His Grace abounds, even on a hot and sweaty Nashville afternoon.

My Little Girlie Girl

Ever since Annika was a newborn, she's been mistaken for a boy. Part of it was our fault because we didn't find out her gender before she was born. (Until a PA let it slip the day before she was born, I kid you not!) Therefore, she wore a lot of green and yellow and cream until she was few months old due to all the great gender-neutral clothes we received as gifts. However, since then she is usually dressed in head to toe pink with ruffles and bows and definitely girlie shoes. It doesn't matter, people assume that she's a boy all of the time. I never take offense, after all, what do I care, as long as the strangers deem her an adorable little boy?!?

The funniest thing is that she is such a girlie-girl. She loves shoes and has even been known to sleep in new pairs. She adores bows, baby dolls, and mothering our dogs. I'm not attempting to push her in this direction, I swear! I have even bought her some trucks to play with. She seems to prefer a tiara, a pretty pair of pink shoes, and a mop. Oh well!

. . .and while we're on the subject. Here are a few of my favorite girlie-girl shopping sites.

Paper fun

Linen fun

Jewelry fun

Firsts

Before I became a parent, my biggest fear was missing a "first" with my child. You know, first smile, first laugh, first baby food, first wave, first word, first step, the list goes on and on.

As a working mother, I even went as far as to inform Annika's first caregivers not to tell me if she crawled or picked up a toy, unless I told them about it first.

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to join Geoff in Puerto Rico for a few days. He was there for two weeks mapping the island for work.

While I looked forward to relaxing with my husband on the beaches of San Juan, I worried about leaving my precious Butterbean for more than 24 hours. Though I knew she was in great hands with my parents, aka Nanny and Pop, leaving her was tough.

I called a few times a day, spoke with her on the phone, asked lots of questions, and missed her like crazy. However, I really enjoyed my days with Geoff in a place I had never visited before.
Upon my return, I learned that Annika said her first sentence while I was gone. "That's my daddy," she said as she pointed to a picture of Geoff and me. When my mother told me this, I have to admit that a small pang of jealousy shot through me, but only for a second.
After that brief moment, I realized how incredible it is that my mom got to witness this event. In fact, she also was present when Annika said her first word and her first steps.
I've never asked my mother if she was present for all of my firsts, and as a mother who worked full time, I bet she missed a few.

Frankly, it doesn't matter.

The day to day small moments are what truly make up my relationship with Annika, just like they have built a trusting relationship with my mother.
I'm not going to feel guilty for having a career that I love, time to myself when I run, or date nights or weekends away with my husband.


What matters most is that when I'm with Annika, I give her my love, affection, and attention.

All the rest, as they say, comes out in the wash.

And, by the way, I was by her side when she couldn't decide which was more important-eating or sleeping.