Hello Summer Break!

Well, I have survived another year of graduate school. I am halfway through my doctoral program--and almost halfway through my pregnancy!! I survived the first half of grad school with one baby, and now I am going to survive the second half with a toddler and baby. I must be crazy.

All of the boring and mundane updates. I am taking an online class in the nursing department on women's health, doing an independent study this summer, and teaching a 6 week public speaking class. And of course through in two papers for publication and working on the course I am teaching in the fall. AHH!! On a positive note, I am very close to a dissertation topic (ie-getting into my box and closing the lid). Everything that I have experienced as a mother and through my research this semester really inspired me to continue to study motherhood and the role that technology plays in shaping what we see as a "good" mother. Stay tuned...it could be interesting (especially since we know I did not win the Mother of the Year Award).


I decided to save my money and keep Emily out of daycare. I know she likes school, but I am selfish and want time with her. This is probably going to make my work schedule ugly, but I think I can do it. And more importantly, I want to do it! I miss being able to spend my break with her...I confess, I am much more attached to her than she is to me!! :) And of course, the entertaining reason that follows in the next paragraph.

As someone recently told me, the reason that she is not potty trained is because on my days off I work all day long and don't spend the time working with her on it. Yeah, because I can REALLY write and research and leave my toddler to destroy the house. And second--come on, really? She isn't even two yet!! I realized that I am hitting that judgmental part of motherhood. The epic question: "how is potty training going?" Since I know my thousands of followers are curious, it is not. Is that because I am a bad mom who ignores her daughter all day? Nope. It is simply because...GASP...she is not ready. She shows no physiological signs of being prepared (holding it, concerned about diapers, dropping hints). The closest we get is modeling (she sits on it when I go, or her doll does). I am not pushing it. Call me a bad mom, but that is my approach. Sheesh! Betweent that and getting pulled over by the pregnancy police for eating mayo, it has been an interesting week! ;)