Winging It

Sam is super cute. And smart. And funny. Generally, he's a lot of fun to be around.

Those are the things I try to remember every time Sam hits or bites his dad. Which is fairly frequently these days. This morning was the worst of it. After giving him the "hands are not for hitting" lecture a couple of times, Sam gave it some thought, wound up, and punched Dave square in the jaw.

"That's it!" I said. "You are going to your room!"

I carried him in there kicking and screaming, put him down on the rug, closed the door, and listened to him cry for three minutes. He didn't even try to get out.

This was Sam's very first version of a time-out. He's not really a time-out kind of kid and we're not really time-out parents, but something had to be done. Mostly for my sake. Showing who's boss. That sort of thing.

We made it through the morning without a third round of hitting. I'm calling it a minor success.

The Reveal

Would you believe that I've had BLOG on my to-do list for six weeks now? So much for that.

Basically, I went back to working full-time in June and July and it wiped me out. That and the fatigue of pregnancy have pretty much killed blogging around here, but I vow to make a come-back. Oh, yeah. I'm pregnant! 19 weeks along. So there's that to write about from now on. 

This isn't much for a come-back entry, but it counts for something. And now I'm off to bed.

Lutsen 2013

We took our first vacation as a family this past weekend. It was a short and simple trip to the North Country of Minnesota where (lo and behold!) the sun was shining bright and warm. Our days were the perfect combination of adventure and lazy. Buffet breakfasts at Lutsen Lodge followed by morning hikes and waterfall sightings. Lunch and naps (yes, all three of us) back at the cabin. Late afternoons at the pool pretending to be a shark and Sam clinging to dad's neck. Then throwing rocks into the big lake before dinner, a bonfire, and some acoustic music. Not bad. Not bad at all.

I learned a few things on the trip, too.

1. Sam loves maps. He needed one at every stop.
2. The most dangerous thing you will find in the wild is a human. Total disregard for nature is abundant. One must be prepared to perform a citizen's arrest at a moment's notice. 
3. It's okay to go to sleep when the sun is still shining.
4. An unsolicited "I love you" from a toddler is the world's greatest joy.
5. And if you take all of the pictures, you'll later be angry that there's no proof that you were even on the trip.

What Will I Do Next Week?

Working on the defense talk is almost as hard as writing the dissertation. So far it's a mess, but I think I can make it work before Friday. My parents arrive tomorrow, and I walk in the graduation ceremony the next day, so it will be the kind of making-it-work that happens last minute. Luckily I've had a lot of practice in that particular kind.

Just Like Old Times

I'm having a hard time concentrating. I should be putting together my defense talk. Instead I'm hopping around on the Internet and checking on the possibility of rain. The answer is maybe. Maybe not. I haven't resorted to online shopping yet, so there's still hope I will get some work done today. One way or another, I'll be done with this fiasco next week.

The Conference

AERA 2013 is all a-buzz. The theme of this year's conference is Education and Poverty, but it's so crowded that the theme feels more like "I'm Sorry. I Didn't Mean To Touch You There." The elevator in the main conference hotel buzzes when it reaches the weight limit. This has happened on every elevator I've been on. It's very intimate. 

And yet. I'm sitting here in the lobby waiting for someone I know to pass by and so far, nothing. All these people and I don't know a single one. The man standing next to me has flagged down four people he knows, which suggests to me that I should make some friends. 

The talk is mostly ready. It's my first attempt to share data from the diss at a major conference. I'm looking forward to it and dreading it at the same time. The usual feelings there. 

I'm off to stand in line for the elevator now. Yes. There's a line for the elevator. I don't think I'll be participating in AERA 2014. 

There's More to Explore

Sam is watching Curious George right now. Sometimes I feel bad about allowing this 30 minutes of screen time each morning while he eats breakfast. Well. He sort of eats breakfast. I have to pause the show and prod him to do it because he's basically catatonic while George is on. But most days I feel good about checking my email, making coffee, and organizing the day. We're better off for it, I say.

Lately, though, Sam insists on "more" George and gets a little cranky when I shut things down. I'm trying to think of this fight as a teachable moment. You know. A lesson about how good things must come to an end. Or something like that. Of course, I'm the one feeding his growing addition each morning. So there's that.

I have about twenty more minutes of freedom. Time for a second cup of coffee.

Never Ending Winter

I think we can all agree that this spring (can I even say that?) has been crazy. From the many toddler illnesses to the travel here and there to the elective surgery that I still can't believe I agreed to and, of course, to finally finishing a dissertation. It has been over. the. top.

I am thrilled to report, however, that things seem to be settling down. Sure. I still have to revise the draft and defend. But it seems doable.

If only the sun would shine.