Wedding photos

Well, it's official. Butterbean is obsessed with weddings. Brides, veils, flowers, The Wedding March, and the first dance.
Princess Ariel and Prince Eric are the key players in this drama.
Guess which one I have to play?

Who can I turn to? 867-5309

I suppose that every working mother has a fear of missing out on something in her child's life due to her career. I know that I do. It was much worse in the beginning . . . believe it or not it gets better once your child can actually communicate what happened during her day.

i.e. Me: Annika how was your day at school?

Butterbean: Atticus screamed at me, and I pushed Atticus down because I had the Weeble Wobbles first! We went to library too, Mommy.

Nice summarizing skills, huh?

These days, the biggest reason that I feel less guilt about leaving my precious little girl every Monday through Friday is Jenni.

Jenni is the owner of Urban Explorers Preschool, and we are fortunate that she is also Annika's teacher. I first met Jenni at a community parent event. She was there advertising her soon-to-be-opened daycare in a bordering neighborhood. She was passionate, fun, and excited about her new endeavor. It just so happened that I had just received a new job and had three weeks to find a new daycare. We reserved the second to last spot the next week!

Why do I adore Jenni? She does this every single day:

(This is one of her 2008 journal entries.)

And she documented when my toddler made a pattern on her own a couple of weeks ago...

. . . and last week she saved this for me. Annika's first drawing of a person is in the top right corner.

Do I often wish I could spend every day playing, creating, imagining, drawing, singing, reading, and dancing with my sweet little Butterbean?

Of course!

But in the meantime, I'm sure glad that we have Jenni.

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.