my child’s imagination

You've no <a href="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/blog/2007/03/04/a-note-from-little-j-6/">doubt </a>seen or <a href="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/blog/2007/03/22/362-days-old/">heard </a>about <a href="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/blog/2008/08/29/first-again/">Lucy </a>before. She is Julianna's prized possession - one she would have a little bit of trouble living without.

Well, Jonathan had Julianna last night for a couple of hours while I went to a friend's house. They went a few places and then came home for bath and bed. After I got home he told me that as they turned onto our street Jules started calling out, "Julianna? Julianna?" and he asked her what she was talking about. She told him that Lucy was calling her. He said, "She is?" and she replied with, "We're almost home, Lucy!" So they proceeded to drive the rest of the way up the hill saying together, "Lucy! We're coming!"

I need some advice

<div class="TWIIGSPOLL"> <div class="TWIIGSPOLLpollcontainer" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border-style: none; clear: none; display: block; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; margin-left: 0; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 0; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal;"> <div class="TWIIGSPOLLpoll" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border-style: none; clear: none; display: block; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-left: 5px; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 0; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal;"> <div class="TWIIGSPOLLquestion" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border-style: none; clear: none; display: block; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 0; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal; font-weight: bold;"> <a class="TWIIGSPOLLquestionlink" href="http://www.twiigs.com/poll/Recreation/20197" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border-style: none; clear: none; display: inline; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; margin-left: 0; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 0; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal;">We could get a puppy, but my husband says we could only keep it outside. And an invisible fence runs about $200 (money we really don't have right now). Should we get it anyway?</a> </div> <div id="TWIIGSPOLL20197" class="TWIIGSPOLLresponse" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border-style: none; clear: none; display: block; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; margin-left: 0; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 0; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal;"> <form method="POST" name="twiigsformpollvote20197" action="http://www.twiigs.com/vote" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border-style: none; clear: none; display: block; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; margin-left: 0; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 0; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal;"> <input type="hidden" name="pview" value=""/> <input type="hidden" name="pid" value="20197"/> <input type="hidden" name="ptype" value="1"/> <input type="hidden" name="pmultiple" value="0"/> <input type="hidden" name="results" value="1"/> <div class="TWIIGSPOLLanswers" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border-style: none; clear: none; display: block; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 0; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal;"> <ul class="TWIIGSPOLLanswerselection" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border-style: none; clear: none; display: block; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; margin-left: 0; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 0; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal;"> <li class="TWIIGSPOLLanswerselectionitem" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border-style: none; clear: none; display: list-item; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 4px; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 0; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-image: none; *margin-bottom: 2px;"> <input class="TWIIGSPOLLanswerradio" type="radio" name="paid" value="1" style="clear: none; display: inline; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; margin-left: 0; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 0; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal;"/> Yes, puppies are totally worth all the money and headaches </li> <li class="TWIIGSPOLLanswerselectionitem" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border-style: none; clear: none; display: list-item; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 4px; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 0; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-image: none; *margin-bottom: 2px;"> <input class="TWIIGSPOLLanswerradio" type="radio" name="paid" value="2" style="clear: none; display: inline; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; margin-left: 0; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 0; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal;"/> No, what's the point in having a dog if you're only going to leave it outside? </li> <li class="TWIIGSPOLLanswerselectionitem" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border-style: none; clear: none; display: list-item; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 4px; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 0; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-image: none; *margin-bottom: 2px;"> <input class="TWIIGSPOLLanswerradio" type="radio" name="paid" value="3" style="clear: none; display: inline; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; margin-left: 0; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 0; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal;"/> It depends (please leave an explantation in the comments) </li> </ul> </div> <div class="TWIIGSPOLLpostinfo" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border-style: none; clear: none; display: none; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 0; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: right; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal;"> Created on Nov 9, 2008 </div> <div class="TWIIGSPOLLvote" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border-style: none; clear: none; display: block; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; 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word-spacing: normal;"> <input class="TWIIGSPOLLsubmit" type="submit" name="vsubmit" value="Vote" style="clear: none; display: inline; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; margin-left: 0; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 4px; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 4px; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal;"/> </p> <p class="TWIIGSPOLLdisplayresults" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border-style: none; clear: none; display: block; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 0; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal;"> <a class="TWIIGSPOLLlink" href="http://www.twiigs.com/poll/Recreation/20197?results=1" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border-style: none; clear: none; display: inline; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; margin-left: 0; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 0; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal;">View Results</a> </p> </div> </form> </div> </div> </div> <img src="http://www.twiigs.com/pixel.png?pid=20197" width="1" height="1" style="border-style: none; clear: none; display: inline; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; line-height: normal; margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; margin-left: 0; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 0; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal;"/> <div class="TWIIGSPOLLpolllink" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border-style: none; clear: none; display: block; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; margin-left: 0; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 0; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: right; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal;"> <a class="TWIIGSPOLLmorelink" href="http://www.twiigs.com/" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border-style: none; clear: none; display: inline; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; margin-left: 0; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 0; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal; font-weight: bold;">poll by twiigs.com</a> </div> </div>

Note to Self

Just a minute ago Julianna was eating yogurt and watching TV while I put some laundry in the washer. When I popped my head in the room she said, "I want you to put some earrings in my ears."

Which means she has to have holes in her ears. Which means she has to get her ears pierced. Which I swore would not happen until she was at least 6 or 7. Let's just say, I've made a note of it and leave it at that.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween has always been such a fun holiday for me. We're doing the usual tonight and hosting the neighborhood hot dog and marshmallow roast. I hope you all enjoy the time spent with your family today! Yay for candy! :)

<a href="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/dsc06013-copy.jpg"><img src="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/dsc06013edit.jpg" alt="she's a sassy little witch" /></a>

<a href="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/dsc06038-copy.jpg"><img src="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/dsc06038edit.jpg" alt="goofing off with Pap" /></a>

<a href="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/dsc06042-copy.jpg"><img src="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/dsc06042edit.jpg" alt="in the Pumpkin Patch at "The Pumpkin Church"" /></a>

<a href="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/dsc06047-copy.jpg"><img src="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/dsc06047edit.jpg" alt="Maple Springs UMC - The Pumpkin Church" /></a>

<a href="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/dsc06057-copy.jpg"><img src="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/dsc06057edit.jpg" alt="Jules trying to sit on a big pumpkin" /></a>

<a href="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/dsc06059-copy.jpg"><img src="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/dsc06059edit.jpg" alt="silly girl sitting on a pumpkin" /></a>

<a href="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/dsc06064-copy.jpg"><img src="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/dsc06064edit.jpg" alt="sitting in time out for biting Pap" /></a>

stories

Chapter 1:

The other night we heard Julianna moving around a lot in bed shortly after Jonathan put her down, but we knew she wasn't out of bed so we just thought she might be trying harder than usual to get comfy. Then when we went upstairs ourselves Jonathan went in to check on her as usual. Turns out she had taken off her pajamas and laid them beside her and he found her soun asleep and naked except for her pull-up with the covers tucked gently under her arms. It was so precious, yet enough-to-hurt-your-side-funny at the same time.


Chapter 2:

Jules, like a hundred and fifty thousand million other little girls, is going to dress up like Cinderella for Halloween this year. Jonathan's mother sent her one of those singing cards the other day and it's a Cinderella Halloween card that sings Bippity Boppity Boo when yopu open it. Well, she's carried that thing with her everywhere since. Anyway, on the way home today she had it in the car and was playing it over and over again and then she started recounting the events of the entire movie to me.

At one point she asked, "Why that big black cat chase those mouses?" and I told her that that's just what cats like to do. She of course followed that up with another, "Why?" I said, "Cats like to eat mice, just like that horse we saw the other day likes to eat carrots. And you know how we were talking about how bears like to eat honey? Well, cats just like to eat mice." Without missing a beat she answered with, "And people like to eat hamburgers."


Chapter 3:

Because we all like to eat so many hamburgers around here, we went to McDonald's the other day for lunch. We sat down to eat our Happy Meals and Jules and I sat on the same side of the booth looking out into the rest of the restaurant. There were several Hispanic men sitting across from us at another booth and one of them had a bandana on his head. Julianna caught his eye and pointed at him. Then she took a deep breath and said really loudly, "Look Mommy! It's a pirate!" Fortunately, he (and the rest of the people in the building who overheard) just smiled kindly.

thirty one months

<img src="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/dsc06090-copy.jpg" alt="1" />

Dear Julianna,

My big, beautiful, brown-eyed girl. Another month has gone by and you're another month closer to turning three. This year you've said you want to have a dog on your cake so I guess a dog it will be.

The other day at school your class went to what they call "Storybook Theater." The actors there were doing a preschool rendition of Beauty and the Beast. I wasn't there but when I picked you up your teacher said you'd had a bad day. She expained how terrified you were of the Beast and how badly you wanted to leave. She said that she was able to convince you to sit on her lap in the back of the room. It hurt my heart to hear how afraid you were. It broke my heart even more that I wasn't there to comfort you - but I know this was just one of the many times you'll be scared in your life and you'll eventually learn to deal with fear.

As I write the first draft of this letter you're sitting in time out because you hit M (one of the little boys I keep each day). You've been pretty good dealing with quickly going from an only child to one of three but you do have your moments and you certainly struggle with sharing.

<img src="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/dsc06099-copy.jpg" alt="2" />

Today your Aunt Whitney is getting married and Uncle Seth will officially become your Uncle Seth. You're going to be such a beautiful little flower girl and I'm sure I'll have pictures to prove it. You seem to have a good understanding of what you're supposed to do - whether or not you'll do it remains to be seen.

This month you've ridden a horse for the first time. You rode a train for the first time and you rode the rides at the fair for the first time. As you get older, I'm suprised to see that the firsts really don't end as I thought they would; they just change a little in nature and that's fun too.

<img src="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/dsc06101-copy.jpg" alt="3" />

You're hair has gotten so long. Even so, it is still blonde and we still get the same question all the time: "Where does she get her blonde hair?" I'm sure it will change since mine had already started changing by the time I was two, but it hasn't yet.

These days you love to show people your "Chucks" and you're starting to want to pick out your own clothes. I dread the day where we fight over what to wear every morning. You also love to talk about the train table that Santa is bringing you for Christmas. It's so funny how I simply suggested that you ask Santa to bring you one (a train table) one day when you were asking me for one at your house and somehow you solidified the idea in your head that he was most certainly giving you one this year. Somehow I won't be able to deny that.

<img src="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/dsc06103-copy.jpg" alt="4" />

I ran a 5k earlier this month and you were supposed to stay with Nanna but instead you insisted on coming. You rode in the jogger, but you wanted so badly to get out and run with me. It was FREEZING! You kept saying, "I a big girl! I want to run with you!" I hope you do run with me some day, but please note that the next time you're riding in the jogger as I kill myself trying to get up one more dadblame hill, I WILL let go of it and send you off without me if you say one more time, "I tired Mama."

Jules, you still LOVE to sing. You will entertain yourself for a good while by just singing song after song. The funniest is when you decide to entertain us (usually when we have company over) and you get up on the fireplace and sing whatever song comes to mind. You sing it loudly until you get a laugh. If only you can stay so confident for the rest of your life.

You are such a smartie; you regularly read letters you see on the TV and in books. You're learning the lowercase letters now as you've known all the big ones fo quite some time. It won't be long before you are learning the words too.

Doodle, after all the fun and running around we've done this month I can only imagine what the next couple of months will bring. I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store for us next. Be good.

Love,
Mama

<img src="http://www.aisforbeautiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/dsc06094-copy.jpg" alt="5" />

rain, rain go away

We've been getting ready for wedding festivities tonight and tomorrow and we just paused to take a lunch break and a little rest on the couch for a bit before trying to get more done. Jules is sitting beside me and she just picked up some of the Christmas catalogs that have started coming in the mail. She is so adorable just looking through them and ohhhhh-ing and aahhhhhh-ing at all the toys. She keeps pointing out ones she wants and ones that she knows other people already have. It's the first time she's been so aware of the materialistic nature of our society's Christmas and while it's super annoying, it's also great fun to watch her be so excited.

So anyway, I'm sorry I've been so MIA over the past month or so. Hopefully after tomorrow I will have a life again and will return to the blog more regularly. In the meantime, cross your fingers that it stops raining here soon and just for fun, go pick out some Christmas presents like a child again!