DESTINATION: PROCRASTINATION--PLUS STILETTO ADVICE NEEDED

I don't think it's a coincidence that the word nation figures prominently in procrastination. There's probably an undiscovered continent out there full of procrastinators. I should really be working, but here I am...procrastination's finest citizen.

The laptop is still here, feebly carrying on. I will pack it up, I swear, sometime before Thursday.

The babeola is cute as always. She's talking so much now. So many words and sentences. One of which is 'Oh shit' which is hilarious because a) none of us say 'oh shit' so I have no idea where it came from. My potty mouth is much too dirty to settle for a mere 'oh shit' and b) she lisps when she says it so it sounds like 'oh thit'. My husband has given me orders to cover. As in, when he taught her 'Sucker' he morphed it into soccer ball and she now happily natters on about the soccer ball. So I guess I must now try to get the babeola to go along with 'sit'.

I am also amazed that the babeola listens to me. Why should she listen to me? No one listens to me. I am the person who has the great idea that no one listens to until someone else champions it (and then steals the credit). But the babeola actually does listen to me and my discipline approach seems to be working. I'm stunned. She has been such a prickly pear and nothing has ever been easy on this parenting gig so I can't believe I carry any weight.

Yet she's responding to my warnings of 'if you persist in shrieking like a pterodactyl/throwing your toys, I think you need to take a break in your crib.' I purposely avoid the phrase time out because that's not what I'm doing. Taking a break isn't punitive, it's a reset button. She gets a cuddle, an explanation of what is and is not appropriate, her lovey, a paci, some books and some quiet time. When she comes back, she's in a better mood and things go much more smoothly. Sometimes she even moderates her behavior and avoids the break altogether.

I'm flabbergasted. My daughter. She listens. I might even be a competent parent. Who saw that coming? Not me.

Now, internets, please advise how one goes about walking in stilettos after 2+ years of no heels. Because there's a wedding this week and I'm trying to avoid buying new shoes, leaving me with 3" stilettos. I've been trying to wear them off and on during the day, but I totter like a drunk log roller. Thoughts?

P.S. Check out this article on how to decorate baby rooms for some awesome inspiration. If you checked out the boy's room I linked to a while back and loved it as much as I did, this article is for you. Great tips on how to design modern baby nurseries.