- This is my Powerpoint-esque version of our summer. Â I hate the idea of minimizing huge life events to small bullet points, but hey—when you’re short on time, it’s not a bad strategy.
- We went on a trip to MD in June. Â It was a whirlwind. Â We saw lots of people. Â I didn’t see any one of them for nearly long enough. Â I could have spent a week catching up with each person. Â It was great, but also sad because of how limited our time was. Â While in MD, we went to my 10-year college reunion, the aquarium, Port Discovery, and visited many friends and family members.
- My folks came up to visit for Holden’s 2nd birthday. Â It was fun. Â Also, a very short visit, which also made me feel sad.
- We took Holden on his very first kayaking trip. Â It was my first time in a kayak since I was 8 months pregnant. Â Holden loved it, and I am SO happy to be able to grab 20 minutes again to do something I used to really enjoy. Â Could I be getting parts of my former life back, 20 minutes at a time??
- We went to North Conway, NH this past weekend to see Thomas the Tank Engine. Â It was fun, despite the rain. Â We drove through the White Mountains, and pulled off the road to take a spontaneous hike and check out the beautiful waterfalls. Â It was spectacular.
- This coming weekend is Holden’s first camping trip. Â I haven’t been camping in YEARS. Â I can’t wait!
- Holden is going to daycare one day each week so I can dedicate the day to course prep. Â I start back to work in mid-August. Â Just a few more weeks. Â I am excited, but also sad that my summer with Holden is drawing to a close.
- Holden is finally (mostly) sleeping through the night. Â It’s everything I thought it could be (and more).
- We re-finished the deck. Â The project should have taken a weekend, but ended up taking a month and a half. Â We are so glad it’s over, although we aren’t terribly pleased with the results.
- Today is our 9-year wedding anniversary. Â We are actually getting a babysitter (this is where working with undergrads comes in handy!) and we are going out for a nice dinner. Â I want to plan a special trip for our 10-year anniversary next summer, but I feel really overwhelmed every time I think of it. Â I haven’t traveled much (and I have never been out of the country), and I just get agitated when I think about planning a trip. Â We’ve thought about a trip to Hawaii, a trip to the southwest (renting a classic convertible) and driving off into the sunset at 80 mph, or a trip to Portugal. Â I want to go somewhere with good food, nice weather, and opportunities for hiking. Â I’m not really into museums. Â I’m mostly into eating, drinking, kayaking, and hiking. Â That’s what I want to do. Â We never had a honeymoon, so I’d like our 10-year anniversary to be super special. Â Plus, I have not really traveled anywhere. Â It’s getting embarrassing to work with students who have traveled more extensively and seen more than I have.
- I’m thinking about updating this blog with less frequency, and starting up an education blog instead. Â I am really excited about my new job, and I have lots of ideas I want to explore related to education. Â I think this job is a really good fit for me, and a wonderful opportunity. Â I had my benefits orientation a couple weeks ago. Â I get REAL benefits for the first time in nearly 10 years! Â It’s great. Â And the people at my new job are AMAZING. Â They actually care. Â I don’t think I realized how damaging the environment was at my old job, until I was able to compare it with an environment that is inviting, efficient, and supportive. Â What a difference!
- I am in the midst of writing another manuscript. Â It’s supposed to get submitted in late August or early September. Â Don’t know if I’ll make it, but I have to try. Â It might be one of my last papers, now that I am out of the research loop:(
- I challenged myself with gluten for a few days at the end of June. Â I got sick after 3 days of eating bagels, pretzels, toast, etc. Â I cut gluten out again, and was better within a week. Â I guess the gluten is a major contributor to my sinus and ear problems. Â I went for allergy testing a couple weeks ago, and the doctor refused to do food allergy testing, saying he didn’t believe that food was causing my problems. Â They tested me for environmental allergens instead, and the ONLY thing that came up was dust mites. Â (Kind of explains why I broke out into hives when I tore up all the nasty carpet in our old house in central VT!) Â It’s a little irritating that the doctor wouldn’t listen to me about the food, but also kind of satisfying that I figured out what the problem was on my own. Â I really don’t like doctors when they make you feel like you are making everything up and don’t have a legitimate problem.
- Strawberry picking FTW
- Pictures of (most) bullet points above are forthcoming.
This is a post that I started the day before H turned two. Â I am just now getting around to posting it. Â I am too busy having fun with my little guy:
Holden is two years old today.
My favorite things that Holden is currently doing:
1) Â In the morning, Holden will say very tenderly “I wove you” as he wraps his little arms around me and rests his head against my shoulder. Â He repeats it over and over, because he knows I love to hear it.
2) Â Talking to himself. Â Holden has a constant narrative going while he plays with his toys. Â Sometimes, we hear phrases that we have repeated to him over and over again, such as “go downstairs carefully,” “car coming– stay in the driveway, ” etc. Â Other phrases are ones that Holden seems to have constructed himself. Â He attributes human qualities to his trains, his bulldozer, and his vast array of school buses. Â His vehicles interact like sentient beings, and exhibit dramatic displays when their feelings have been hurt.
3) Â Obsessions with road signs. Â Holden loves them. Â He has little wooden road signs for pedestrian crosswalks, stop signs, yield signs, bike paths, railroad crossings, no U-turns, one way roads, etc. Â He is also obsessed with red and green arrows. Â In the car, we’ll be sitting at a red arrow, and Holden will comment “Red arrow means stop.” Â He says this very matter-of-factly, as if he were my instructor in a driver’s education course. Â During more daring moments, he will yell at me to go when we have a red light. Â You should have heard him on our plane coming back from MD last week. Â We sat on the runway for about an hour before we finally took off. Â At one point, Holden shouted (quite loudly) Â “GO!!! Â TAKE…..OFF!!!!” Â I hope the pilot heard him.
4) Â Language. Â I never realized how specialized our language is until Holden started using vocabulary in the wrong context. Â He will sometimes point at my clothes, and call it “laundry.” Â I feel stupid explaining that laundry refers to clothes only when they are in a laundry basket or in the washer/dryer. Â It seems a little silly to have a separate word for that. Â Yet, it also seems silly to say “I am wearing laundry.” Â Relatedly, Holden will point to the branches on a tree and call them “sticks.” Â Again, I have to explain that they are only sticks after they have fallen to the ground. Â After all, no one would say “That tree has some beautiful foliage on its upper sticks.”
Also, Holden seems to be developing vocabulary before syntax. Â Holden has a lot of words—he uses some in complete sentences, but mostly he uses phrases. Â He clearly has mastered vocabulary before syntax. Â Funny phrases he has said lately:
“My big building is unstable,” to refer to the fact that his Lego building was about to topple over.
“Mommy take a shower, very gross,” to refer to the fact that the 98 degree heat in our non-air conditioned house was making me stink.
“Mommy turn around, go wrong way again,” to refer to the embarrassing fact that I made approximately three wrong turns on the way to a nature trail that I had been to many times before.
5) Â Being silly. Â Holden has an amazing sense of humor. Â He laughs, giggles, and enjoys being outlandish and entertaining others. Â I think he is going to grow up to be a funny adult who keeps people doubled over in laughter.
6) Â Pretending. Â Holden is starting to engage in imaginative play. Â He has built a “garage” out of an end table with a blanket thrown over the top. Â When the garage door “opens,” he simply lifts the blanket up. Â Holden also pretends to have little “people” inside of his buses and trains. Â I think he is on the verge of creating an imaginary friend.
7) Â Holden can count to 15. Â He can sing his ABCs. Â And he can identify a subset of written letters. Â He loves being read to—it remains a special activity for all 3 of us when we tuck Holden into bed at night. He thrusts a cherished book into my face and demands “Read……READ!” Â When the book is over, he says “Read again. Â One more time.” Â We read it one more time, then he requests the same book again. Â And AGAIN. Â We experience lots of repetition at bedtime.
8) Â Holden is a horrible toothbrusher. Â He claims it tickles. Â We try to do it for him, but he screams and struggles, and locks his mouth shut. Â We do as best we can, but boy….I worry about cavities sometimes.
9) Holden has learned how to complain about things. Â It seems everything is “Too tight,” Â or “too hot,” Â whether or not they actually are. Â He uses “too tight” as an excuse to not wear certain articles of “laundry”. Â He uses “too hot” as an excuse to not eat certain foods.
10) Â Holden weighs in at a hefty 30 lbs and is 37 inches tall. Â Not quite the giant he used to be, but still a pretty big boy (my arms should be far buffer than they are, given all of the heavy lifting I do!)
Holden has been a super fun little person with whom to spend my summer. Â Today on his special birthday, we went to the park briefly, and when he wakes from his nap, we will likely go swimming at the pool. Â This weekend we are having a cookout at the house with friends and family. Â It’s so hard to believe Holden is two already!
June 22, 2008:
June 22, 2009:
June 22, 2010