I can't believe we are only 4 weeks away from Anderson's due date! I continue to be very fortunate to have what some would consider an "easy" pregnancy. I still haven't had any morning sickness (some people say it comes back in the 3rd trimester!) I just starting getting back pain last night, but I'm pretty sure it is the baby sitting on a nerve - the pain isn't constant, rather unpredictable and feels like a shooting pain in my lower back. I do have several signs of preterm labor, but I'm sure you all do not want those details.
Wes and I have placed bets on when we think baby Anderson will arrive. My guess is in two weeks and he thinks 4 weeks. (Easy for him to easy, he isn't carrying the baby!)
As far as weight gain goes, I am still in the healthy zone of 25 - 35 lbs, but I'm definitely closer to 35 than 25. However, I have started to lose weight, so maybe that will continue.
Wes and I are both very anxious and excited to meet Anderson. It feels like 9 months has went by so fast, but so slow at the same time.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
25 Rules for Mothers and Sons
**Note I found this on the internet and cannot take credit!**
I loved reading this article, it makes really excited for Anderson's arrival.
25 Rules for Moms with Sons
I loved reading this article, it makes really excited for Anderson's arrival.
25 Rules for Moms with Sons
1. Teach him the words for how he feels.
Your son will scream out of frustration and hide out of embarrassment. He'll cry from fear and bite out of excitement. Let his body move by the emotion, but also explain to him what the emotion is and the appropriate response to that emotion for future reference. Point out other people who are feeling the same thing and compare how they are showing that emotion. Talk him through your emotions so that someday when he is grown, he will know the difference between angry and embarrassed; between disappointment and grief.
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There is no doubt that you are the loudest person in the stands at his t-ball games. There is no doubt that he will tell you to "stop, mom" when you sing along to his garage band's lyrics. There is no doubt that he will get red-faced when you show his prom date his pictures from boy scouts. There is no doubt that he is not telling his prom date about your blog where you've been bragging about his life from his first time on the potty to the citizenship award he won in ninth grade. He will tell you to stop. He will say he's embarrassed. But he will know that there is at least one person that is always rooting for him.
..and load the dishwasher, and iron a shirt. He may not always choose to do it. He may not ever have to do it. But someday his wife will thank you.
4. Read to him and read with him.
Emilie Buchwald said, "Children become readers on the laps of their parents." Offer your son the opportunity to learn new things, believe in pretend places, and imagine bigger possibilities through books. Let him see you reading...reading the paper, reading novels, reading magazine articles. Help him understand that writing words down is a way to be present forever. Writers are the transcribers of history and memories. They keep a record of how we lived at that time; what we thought was interesting; how we spoke to each other; what was important. And Readers help preserve and pass along those memories.
5. Encourage him to dance.
Dance, rhythm, and music are cultural universals. No matter where you go, no matter who you meet - they have some form of the three. It doesn't have to be good. Just encourage your son that when he feels it, it's perfectly fine to go ahead and bust a move.
The examples of men with big muscles and a uniform (like Batman and LaMarr Woodley) will surround your son from birth. But make sure he also knows about men who kick a$s because of their brains (Albert Einstein), and their pen (Mark Twain), and their words (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.), and their determination (Team Hoyt), and their ideas (The Wright Brothers), and their integrity (Officer Frank Shankwitz), and fearlessness (Neil Armstrong), and their ability to keep their mouths closed when everyone else is screaming (Jackie Robinson).
The examples of traditionally beautiful women (like Daphne Blake, Princess Jasmine, and Britney Spears) will surround your son from birth. But make sure he knows about women who are beautiful from the inside out because of their brains (Madame Marie Curie), and their pen (Harper Lee), and their words (Eleanor Roosevelt), and their determination (Anne Sullivan), and their ideas (Oprah Winfrey), and their integrity (Miep Gies), and fearlessness (Ameila Earhart), and their ability to open their mouths and take a stand when everyone else is silent (Aung San Suu Kyi).
You already are all of those things. If you ever fear that you are somehow incapable of doing anything - remember this: If you have done any of the following: a) grew life b) impossibly and inconceivably got it out of your body c) taken care of a newborn d) made a pain go away with a kiss e) taught someone to read f) taught a toddler to eat with a utensil g) cleaned up diarrhea without gagging h) loved a child enough to be willing to give your life for them (regardless if they are your own) or i) found a way to be strong when that child is suffering...you are a superhero. do not doubt yourself for one second. Seriously.
9. Teach him to have manners
because its nice. and it will make the world a little better of a place.
10. Give him something to believe in
Because someday he will be afraid, or nervous, or heartbroken, or lost, or just need you, and you won't be able to be there. Give him something to turn to when it feels like he is alone, so that he knows that he will never be alone; never, never, never.
11. Teach him that there are times when you need to be gentle
like with babies, and flowers, and animals, and other people's feelings.
12. Let him ruin his clothes
Resolve to be cool about dirty and ruined clothes. You'll be fighting a losing battle if you get upset every time he ruins another piece of clothing. Don't waste your energy being angry about something inevitable. Boys tend to learn by destroying, jumping, spilling, falling, and making impossible messes. Dirty, ruined clothes are just par for the course.
13. Learn how to throw a football
or how to use a hockey stick, or read music, or draw panda bears (or in my case alpacas), or the names of different train engines, or learn to speak Elvish, or recognize the difference between Gryffindor and Slytherin, or the lyrics to his favorite song. Be in his life, not as an observer but as an active participant.
14. Go outside with him
turn off the television, unplug the video games, put your cellphone on the charger, even put your camera away. Just go outside and follow him around. Watch his face, explore his world, and let him ask questions. It's like magic.
Losing sucks. Everybody isn't always a winner. Even if you want to say, "You're a winner because you tried," don't. He doesn't feel like a winner, he feels sad and crappy and disappointed. And that's a good thing, because sometimes life also sucks, no matter how hard (as moms) we try to make it not suck for our kids. This practice will do him good later when he loses again (and again, and again, and again, and again.....) Instead make sure he understands that - sometimes you win - sometimes you lose. But that doesn't mean you ever give up.
16. Give him opportunities to help others
There is a big difference in giving someone the opportunity to help and forcing someone to help. Giving the opportunity lights a flame in the heart and once the help is done the flame shines brighter and asks for more opportunities. Be an example of helping others in your own actions and the way your family helps each other and helps others together.
17. Remind him that practice makes perfect.
This doesn't just apply to performance-based activities (like sports and music) but also applies to everything in life. You become a better writer by writing. You become a better listener by listening. You become better speaker by speaking. Show your son this when he is just young enough to understand (that means from birth, folks - they are making sense of the world as soon as they arrive), practice trick-or-treating at your own front door before the real thing. Practice how you will walk through airport security before a trip. Practice how you order your own food from the fast food cashier. Practice, practice, practice.
Answer him, or search for the answer together. Show him the places to look for the answers (like his dad, or grandparents, or his aunts/uncles, or his books, or valid internet searches). Pose the question to him so he can begin thinking about answers himself. Someday, when he needs to ask questions he's too embarrassed to ask you - he'll know where to go to find the right answers.
19. Always carry band-aids and wipes on you.
especially the wipes.
20. Let his dad teach him how to do things
...without interrupting about how to do it the 'right way.' If you let his dad show and teach and discover with your son while he is growing up, some day down the road (after a short period of your son believing his dad knows nothing), he will come to the realization that his dad knows everything. You will always be his mother, but in his grown-up man heart and mind, his dad will know the answers. And this will be how, when your son is too busy with life to call and chat with his mom, you will stay connected to what is happening in his life. Because he will call his dad for answers, and his dad will secretly come and ask you.
21. Give him something to release his energy
drums, a pen, a punching bag, wide open space, water, a dog. Give him something to go crazy with - or he will use your stuff. and then you'll sorry.
22. Build him forts
Forts have the ability to make everyday normal stuff into magic. Throw the couch cushions, a couple blankets, and some clothespins and you can transform your living room into the cave of wonders. For the rest of his life, he'll be grateful to know that everyday normal stuff has the potential to be magical.
23. Take him to new places
Because it will make his brain and his heart open up wider, and the ideas and questions and memories will rush in.
24. Kiss him
Any mother of sons will tell you that little boys are so loving and sweet. They can be harsh and wild and destructive during most of the day. But there are these moments when they are so kind and sensitive and tender. So much so that it can cause you to look around at the inward, reserved grown men in your life and think, 'what happens in between that made you lose that?' Let's try to stop the cycle by kissing them when they're loving and kissing them even more when they're wild. Kissing them when they're 2 months and kissing them when they're 16 years old. You're the mom - you can go ahead and kiss him no matter how big he gets - and make sure he knows it. p.s. (this one is just as important for dad's too).
25. Be home base
You are home to him. When he learns to walk, he will wobble a few feet away from you and then come back, then wobble away a little farther and then come back. When he tries something new, he will look for your proud smile. When he learns to read, he will repeat the same book to you twenty times in a row, because you're the only one who will listen that many times. When he plays his sport, he will search for your face in the stands. When he is sick, he will call you. When he really messes up, he will call you. When he is grown and strong and tough and big and he feels like crying, he will come to you; because a man can cry in front of his mother without feeling self-conscious. Even when he grows up and has a new woman in his life and gets a new home, you are still his mother; home base, the ever constant, like the sun. Know that in your heart and everything else will fall into place.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
27 weeks!
Today marks: 27 weeks, 2 days - I am 5 days away from the 3rd trimester
How much weight gained so far (optional): 20-21 pounds....(as I sit on my couch eating Harry & David's Moose Munch at 9am!)
How I'm feeling these days: I feel pretty good! No back pain yet! I do have to use the restroom A LOT during the night, so I'm not getting a lot of sleep. I better get used to it, right?
Exciting News/Milestones: I received a phone call on Thursday that our Nursery furniture has arrived!!! Wes and I have plans to drive to Tampa after Christmas to pick it up! It was a great Christmas present from Trish & Larry! (Now we just need to paint the nursery before then!)
-Make reindeer & Santa pancakes
-Lie in bed watching Christmas movies
-Make a ham dinner with all the fixings
-Go see the new Sherlock Holmes movie
Sounds nice, right!
According to The Bump, Anderson is experiencing these changes during week 27:
Baby's lungs are going through some major developments these days, which (combined with the opening of previously plugged nostrils) means he's now able to practice inhaling and exhaling. The lack of air in your womb means every "breath" is filled with amniotic fluid, but hey -- it's progress.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Week 25....almost
I know, I know, I have been horrible about updating people on my pregnancy! I promise to be better! I do not have any recent pictures to share, but, hopefully, I can get some from my mom that she took over Thanksgiving.
Quick update on Thanksgiving, then we can get to the good stuff! I'm SO glad we decided to go home last week instead of Christmas, because the car ride home was pretty uncomfortable for me. My growing belly makes my hips go numb when I sleep on my side (or sit too long). This causes me to constantly toss and turn and lose precious time I could be sleeping. We did have a great time while home and enjoyed seeing our families. We were hoping Nikki would have her baby while we were home, but Mason decided he wasn't done baking yet.
Pregnancy Update:
Quick update on Thanksgiving, then we can get to the good stuff! I'm SO glad we decided to go home last week instead of Christmas, because the car ride home was pretty uncomfortable for me. My growing belly makes my hips go numb when I sleep on my side (or sit too long). This causes me to constantly toss and turn and lose precious time I could be sleeping. We did have a great time while home and enjoyed seeing our families. We were hoping Nikki would have her baby while we were home, but Mason decided he wasn't done baking yet.
Pregnancy Update:
Maternity Clothes? Yes! I think I have mentioned this before, but I LOVE leggins! I think I have 5 pairs now!
Stretch Marks? Still don't have any! :)
Sleep? Could be better! I might be investing in a maternity pillow soon.
Movement? This little guy is very active! Some days more than others, but he is definitely kicking, punching and doing somersaults in my tummy.
Mood Swings? Every now and then. I will be fine and then one little thing happens and I lose it. Poor Wes! However, he is pretty good about it.
Cravings? Everything bad for me. I feel like it is so hard to eat healthy. French fries & Coke anyone?
Gender? All Boy
Labor Signs? Not yet! :)
Belly Button? Still an innie, but might not be for long.
What I Miss? Taking really hot baths, especially now that it is getting cold.
What I’m Looking Forward To? Getting our nursery furniture!! Going home in January for my baby showers!
What I’m Looking Forward To? Getting our nursery furniture!! Going home in January for my baby showers!
What I’m nervous about? Labor! Some times I stop and think, oh yeah, this baby has to get out of me some how.
Weekly Wisdom? Rest! Enjoy time just the two of you before the baby comes!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Baby Frevert's Name Will Be.....
Anderson Frederick Frevert!!!
It took Wes and I forever to decide on the baby's name, but we finally figured it out! It feels great to have this little nugget named! By the way, Anderson means strong and manly.
We also decided how we are going to decorate Anderson's nursery. I don't really like nurseries that have a strong theme. There isn't anything wrong with themed nurseries, it's just not my style. So, of course it took forever to figure out what we wanted to do. There is this amazing site, projectnursery.com that I visit almost daily to get my creative juices flowing. Well, I finally found a room (that I know I will half copy-cat) I LOVE, click here to see pictures. I love the owls, the tree, the little birds, the bright colors, and mix of dark and white furniture. I'm not real crazy about the airplanes, and will probably do something different. I'm also not a big fan of the Spanish numbers, but I love that idea. Maybe I'll find English ones!
It feels great that things are finally coming together. I'm, slowly but surely, starting to order items for the nursery, so it will be complete for Anderson's March arrival.
It took Wes and I forever to decide on the baby's name, but we finally figured it out! It feels great to have this little nugget named! By the way, Anderson means strong and manly.
We also decided how we are going to decorate Anderson's nursery. I don't really like nurseries that have a strong theme. There isn't anything wrong with themed nurseries, it's just not my style. So, of course it took forever to figure out what we wanted to do. There is this amazing site, projectnursery.com that I visit almost daily to get my creative juices flowing. Well, I finally found a room (that I know I will half copy-cat) I LOVE, click here to see pictures. I love the owls, the tree, the little birds, the bright colors, and mix of dark and white furniture. I'm not real crazy about the airplanes, and will probably do something different. I'm also not a big fan of the Spanish numbers, but I love that idea. Maybe I'll find English ones!
It feels great that things are finally coming together. I'm, slowly but surely, starting to order items for the nursery, so it will be complete for Anderson's March arrival.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
It's a BOY!
A couple weeks ago when Wes and I were in Kansas City, we found out we are having a boy! We had the sex confirmed last week at our doctor's appointment here in Gainesville. I'm not sure I will know what to do with a boy (my brother is 11.5 years younger than me, so he was starting 1st grade when I left for College), but I'm sure I will learn fast. I feel like things are really starting to fall in place, except we can't agree on a baby name. You may think you have your names picked out, but just wait. When it becomes REAL, you really start second guessing yourself.
My friend, Sara Jaeger, posted these questions to keep everyone updated on her pregnancy and I loved reading them! Therefore, I am going to copy her! :)
19 Weeks!
Maternity Clothes?
Yes, I am definitely wearing maternity clothes! I have discovered I prefer the full panel over the demi.
Stretch Marks?
No, thank goodness! My mom didn't have any, so I hope that gene got passed down to me! :)
Sleep?
Sleep is starting to get uncomfortable. I need to find a good, firm pillow to put in between my legs. If I don't use a pillow, my hips starts to go numb.
Best Moment (or laugh) of the Week:
Getting to see our baby in 3D. Wes and I weren't planning on doing 3D, so it was a nice surprise that our hospital just happened to be testing the new machine out on us! :)
Movement?
Yes! I love it! If I put my hand on my belly, he will start kicking! (However, some times it takes a while.)
Mood Swings?
Not really. I feel like I had bad mood swings in the 1st trimester, but not so much anymore.
Food Cravings?
Not really. I will have cravings every now and then, but it isn't any different than it was before I was pregnant.
Gender?
All BOY!
Labor Signs?
Not yet.
Belly Button In or Out?
I still got an innie!
What I miss?
Being able to eat whatever I want. There are so many things you can't eat while pregnant...like deli meat, soft serve ice cream, soft cheese, etc.
What I’m Looking Forward To:
Decorating the nursery! Wes has the week of Thanksgiving off and we plan on tackling the room then.
Weekly Wisdom?
Don't stress out! It isn't worth it.
Milestones?
People can finally tell I am pregnant! I had a lot of people ask me this past weekend when I am due! :)
My friend, Sara Jaeger, posted these questions to keep everyone updated on her pregnancy and I loved reading them! Therefore, I am going to copy her! :)
19 Weeks!
Maternity Clothes?
Yes, I am definitely wearing maternity clothes! I have discovered I prefer the full panel over the demi.
Stretch Marks?
No, thank goodness! My mom didn't have any, so I hope that gene got passed down to me! :)
Sleep?
Sleep is starting to get uncomfortable. I need to find a good, firm pillow to put in between my legs. If I don't use a pillow, my hips starts to go numb.
Best Moment (or laugh) of the Week:
Getting to see our baby in 3D. Wes and I weren't planning on doing 3D, so it was a nice surprise that our hospital just happened to be testing the new machine out on us! :)
Movement?
Yes! I love it! If I put my hand on my belly, he will start kicking! (However, some times it takes a while.)
Mood Swings?
Not really. I feel like I had bad mood swings in the 1st trimester, but not so much anymore.
Food Cravings?
Not really. I will have cravings every now and then, but it isn't any different than it was before I was pregnant.
Gender?
All BOY!
Labor Signs?
Not yet.
Belly Button In or Out?
I still got an innie!
What I miss?
Being able to eat whatever I want. There are so many things you can't eat while pregnant...like deli meat, soft serve ice cream, soft cheese, etc.
What I’m Looking Forward To:
Decorating the nursery! Wes has the week of Thanksgiving off and we plan on tackling the room then.
Weekly Wisdom?
Don't stress out! It isn't worth it.
Milestones?
People can finally tell I am pregnant! I had a lot of people ask me this past weekend when I am due! :)
Monday, October 10, 2011
Strengths Quest
My boss likes to managed to people's strengths - wonderful approach - so she had me complete a Strengths Quest today. I don't think this is 100% accurate, I don't enjoy written communication, however, it kind of hit the nail on the head.
Of the 34 themes measured, these are my "top five."
Communication
You like to explain, to describe, to host, to speak in public, and to write. This is your Communication theme at work. Ideas are a dry beginning. Events are static. You feel a need to bring them to life, to energize them, to make them exciting and vivid. And so you turn events into stories and practice telling them. You take the dry idea and enliven it with images and examples and metaphors. You believe that most people have a very short attention span. They are bombarded by information, but very little of it survives. You want your information—whether an idea, an event, a product’s features and benefits, a discovery, or a lesson—to survive. You want to divert their attention toward you and then capture it, lock it in. This is what drives your hunt for the perfect phrase. This is what draws you toward dramatic words and powerful word combinations. This is why people like to listen to you. Your word pictures pique their interest, sharpen their world, and inspire them to act.
Restorative
You love to solve problems. Whereas some are dismayed when they encounter yet another breakdown, you can be energized by it. You enjoy the challenge of analyzing the symptoms, identifying what is wrong, and finding the solution. You may prefer practical problems or conceptual ones or personal ones. You may seek out specific kinds of problems that you have met many times before and that you are confident you can fix. Or you may feel the greatest push when faced with complex and unfamiliar problems. Your exact preferences are determined by your other themes and experiences. But what is certain is that you enjoy bringing things back to life. It is a wonderful feeling to identify the undermining factor(s), eradicate them, and restore something to its true glory. Intuitively, you know that without your intervention, this thing—this machine, this technique, this person, this company—might have ceased to function. You fixed it, resuscitated it, rekindled its vitality. Phrasing it the way you might, you saved it.
Empathy
You can sense the emotions of those around you. You can feel what they are feeling as though their feelings are your own. Intuitively, you are able to see the world through their eyes and share their perspective. You do not necessarily agree with each person’s perspective. You do not necessarily feel pity for each person’s predicament—this would be sympathy, not Empathy. You do not necessarily condone the choices each person makes, but you do understand. This instinctive ability to understand is powerful. You hear the unvoiced questions. You anticipate the need. Where others grapple for words, you seem to find the right words and the right tone. You help people find the right phrases to express their feelings—to themselves as well as to others. You help them give voice to their emotional life. For all these reasons other people are drawn to you.
Strategic
The Strategic theme enables you to sort through the clutter and find the best route. It is not a skill that can be taught. It is a distinct way of thinking, a special perspective on the world at large. This perspective allows you to see patterns where others simply see complexity. Mindful of these patterns, you play out alternative scenarios, always asking, “What if this happened? Okay, well what if this happened?” This recurring question helps you see around the next corner. There you can evaluate accurately the potential obstacles. Guided by where you see each path leading, you start to make selections. You discard the paths that lead nowhere. You discard the paths that lead straight into resistance. You discard the paths that lead into a fog of confusion. You cull and make selections until you arrive at the chosen path—your strategy. Armed with your strategy, you strike forward. This is your Strategic theme at work: “What if?”
Individualization
Your Individualization theme leads you to be intrigued by the unique qualities of each person. You are impatient with generalizations or “types” because you don’t want to obscure what is special and distinct about each person. Instead, you focus on the differences between individuals. You instinctively observe each person’s style, each person’s motivation, how each thinks, and how each builds relationships. You hear the one-of-a-kind stories in each person’s life. This theme explains why you pick your friends just the right birthday gift, why you know that one person prefers praise in public and another detests it, and why you tailor your teaching style to accommodate one person’s need to be shown and another’s desire to “figure it out as I go.” Because you are such a keen observer of other people’s strengths, you can draw out the best in each person. This Individualization theme also helps you build productive teams. While some search around for the perfect team “structure” or “process,” you know instinctively that the secret to great teams is casting by individual strengths so that everyone can do a lot of what they do well.
Of the 34 themes measured, these are my "top five."
Communication
You like to explain, to describe, to host, to speak in public, and to write. This is your Communication theme at work. Ideas are a dry beginning. Events are static. You feel a need to bring them to life, to energize them, to make them exciting and vivid. And so you turn events into stories and practice telling them. You take the dry idea and enliven it with images and examples and metaphors. You believe that most people have a very short attention span. They are bombarded by information, but very little of it survives. You want your information—whether an idea, an event, a product’s features and benefits, a discovery, or a lesson—to survive. You want to divert their attention toward you and then capture it, lock it in. This is what drives your hunt for the perfect phrase. This is what draws you toward dramatic words and powerful word combinations. This is why people like to listen to you. Your word pictures pique their interest, sharpen their world, and inspire them to act.
Restorative
You love to solve problems. Whereas some are dismayed when they encounter yet another breakdown, you can be energized by it. You enjoy the challenge of analyzing the symptoms, identifying what is wrong, and finding the solution. You may prefer practical problems or conceptual ones or personal ones. You may seek out specific kinds of problems that you have met many times before and that you are confident you can fix. Or you may feel the greatest push when faced with complex and unfamiliar problems. Your exact preferences are determined by your other themes and experiences. But what is certain is that you enjoy bringing things back to life. It is a wonderful feeling to identify the undermining factor(s), eradicate them, and restore something to its true glory. Intuitively, you know that without your intervention, this thing—this machine, this technique, this person, this company—might have ceased to function. You fixed it, resuscitated it, rekindled its vitality. Phrasing it the way you might, you saved it.
Empathy
You can sense the emotions of those around you. You can feel what they are feeling as though their feelings are your own. Intuitively, you are able to see the world through their eyes and share their perspective. You do not necessarily agree with each person’s perspective. You do not necessarily feel pity for each person’s predicament—this would be sympathy, not Empathy. You do not necessarily condone the choices each person makes, but you do understand. This instinctive ability to understand is powerful. You hear the unvoiced questions. You anticipate the need. Where others grapple for words, you seem to find the right words and the right tone. You help people find the right phrases to express their feelings—to themselves as well as to others. You help them give voice to their emotional life. For all these reasons other people are drawn to you.
Strategic
The Strategic theme enables you to sort through the clutter and find the best route. It is not a skill that can be taught. It is a distinct way of thinking, a special perspective on the world at large. This perspective allows you to see patterns where others simply see complexity. Mindful of these patterns, you play out alternative scenarios, always asking, “What if this happened? Okay, well what if this happened?” This recurring question helps you see around the next corner. There you can evaluate accurately the potential obstacles. Guided by where you see each path leading, you start to make selections. You discard the paths that lead nowhere. You discard the paths that lead straight into resistance. You discard the paths that lead into a fog of confusion. You cull and make selections until you arrive at the chosen path—your strategy. Armed with your strategy, you strike forward. This is your Strategic theme at work: “What if?”
Individualization
Your Individualization theme leads you to be intrigued by the unique qualities of each person. You are impatient with generalizations or “types” because you don’t want to obscure what is special and distinct about each person. Instead, you focus on the differences between individuals. You instinctively observe each person’s style, each person’s motivation, how each thinks, and how each builds relationships. You hear the one-of-a-kind stories in each person’s life. This theme explains why you pick your friends just the right birthday gift, why you know that one person prefers praise in public and another detests it, and why you tailor your teaching style to accommodate one person’s need to be shown and another’s desire to “figure it out as I go.” Because you are such a keen observer of other people’s strengths, you can draw out the best in each person. This Individualization theme also helps you build productive teams. While some search around for the perfect team “structure” or “process,” you know instinctively that the secret to great teams is casting by individual strengths so that everyone can do a lot of what they do well.
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