We were watching the Olympics (men's downhill) and I noticed that the underside of one man's Rosignol skiis had a black silhouette of a woman set against a fire-orange pattern.
G: (to Matthew) The bottom of that guy's skiis are trashy!
M: Man, I think so too.
A: Yeah, me too.
M: Abby, what do you think is trashy about his skiis?
A: The fire.
I'm glad she still has no idea what we were talking about.
February 16, 2006
February 12, 2006
olympic hopeful
Abby starts her gymnastics classes this week. We're not sure if it will inspire MORE jumping on (and off) of furniture or if it will tire her out.
they have no idea
I got an email today from one of my undergrad students. It began:
Hey Mrs.Pearson,
I hope your weekend is going well and that you are able to enjoy the sun
while I have to sit here and write this paper inside. hahah.
What in the world do they think graduate students DO? This isn't the first comment of its kind, and I only wish they had half a clue. I'd like to switch places with them for, say, 48 hours and see how they fare. This guy is writing a 4 page paper for me, while I have two seminar papers (20+ pages each) AND a Master's thesis (35 pgs) to hand in over the next month-- not to mention a 4 year old, a husband, an awful flu bug (yes, I caught it from Abby), stacks of papers to grade, classes to teach, research to do-- I could go on! I wonder if my students actually think I'll feel sorry for them for having to stay in on a weekend to write a short paper. Crazy thing is I realize there are people whose lives are even more challenging than mine (and much less full of happiness).
OK, done ranting. Back to work.
Hey Mrs.Pearson,
I hope your weekend is going well and that you are able to enjoy the sun
while I have to sit here and write this paper inside. hahah.
What in the world do they think graduate students DO? This isn't the first comment of its kind, and I only wish they had half a clue. I'd like to switch places with them for, say, 48 hours and see how they fare. This guy is writing a 4 page paper for me, while I have two seminar papers (20+ pages each) AND a Master's thesis (35 pgs) to hand in over the next month-- not to mention a 4 year old, a husband, an awful flu bug (yes, I caught it from Abby), stacks of papers to grade, classes to teach, research to do-- I could go on! I wonder if my students actually think I'll feel sorry for them for having to stay in on a weekend to write a short paper. Crazy thing is I realize there are people whose lives are even more challenging than mine (and much less full of happiness).
OK, done ranting. Back to work.
home is where the heart is
A: I want to move.
M: Where do you want to move to?
A: San Diego.
M: What do you like about San Diego?
A: Mia.
(Mia is her grandmother)
M: Where do you want to move to?
A: San Diego.
M: What do you like about San Diego?
A: Mia.
(Mia is her grandmother)
February 10, 2006
all better
Abby is feeling MUCH better after taking antibiotics. She's actually driving us pretty crazy. Last night was the first time in a week that she was fever-free, so getting her to slow down and go to bed was nearly impossible (we felt bad for her since she had slept all day and had been so sick for so long!). At 12:30 a.m. Matthew heard her call out: "I need help." The monkey was upside-down, hands on the ground and feet hanging on to our bed frame. We told her she could read a book until she got tired. Finally around 1:30 a.m. when we finished the laundry, we peeked in her room to find her asleep on the floor-- no blanket, surrounded by books, light on-- she must have just run out of steam and fallen asleep while reading. Tonight she has been a handful for Matthew and I. It is like someone gave her an espresso and let her loose. We're glad she's getting better, but she is bored and we are wiped out. Phew.
February 8, 2006
fevers and such
Abby has had a fever since last Friday (that's 5 full days now, going on 6 this evening). The poor girl has tried to keep her chin up, but this is a long time to feel so awful. We're taking her back to the doc today to see if perhaps her flu has inspired an ear infection. Anyway, keep her in your prayers (and Matty and I too-- we haven't fallen ill yet, but it will be a real struggle to make it through the rest of the quarter if we do!). On the bright side, once this bout of sickness is over, we should be done with flu season BEFORE spring break. I'm glad for that!
Update: Abby does have an ear infection and should be getting better soon, now that she's taking antibiotics.
Update: Abby does have an ear infection and should be getting better soon, now that she's taking antibiotics.
February 3, 2006
cupboard doors
Matthew has this habit of leaving cupboard doors open. He says it's because they are too loud when they close. Well, he has knocked his head into the doors AT LEAST four times this week alone. We laugh about it, but seriously, you'd think he would have an incentive to close the doors. I'm too short to bump into them, but I feel sorry for the guy when he does it. Sort of.
G: the MA candidate
I've officially filed for candidacy for my Master's Degree in English! (We in the English dept. here call it the "MA on the way"--on the way to the PhD, that is). I'll hand in a draft of my thesis in a couple of weeks and will await my committee's response. Then I'll revise, polish and submit my thesis to my committee next quarter, and if all goes well, I'll submit it to the graduate studies folks with a bunch of signatures saying it passes muster. Then I get to graduate in June! Now, before we all get overly excited about this, I must say that I reserve the right to postpone until September if I simply can't get the thesis done on top of my regular class and teaching load. I'm also trying to not let this accomplishment take my attention too much away from the fact that as soon as Spring quarter ends, I will be turning my attention to studying for my preliminary exam (coming in December 2006), which is the gateway to officially being in dissertation writing mode. The PhD is a ways off yet but is looking more like a distant reality than a mirage as I finally get through the arduous years of coursework.
February 2, 2006
4th year check-up
An update on Abby's 4th year physical:
As you know, Abby had some questions for the doc. She got them answered today. So that we all know, our bodies make blood in our bones, our spleen gets rid of the old blood, and our bones grow at the growth plates (isn't that so cool? ). There was more detail than that, but that is about what I can remember at the moment.
Last night Abby had a rough time going to sleep; she was afraid of getting a shot from Dr. O. Matthew said that Dr. O wouldn't give her the shot-- the "mean, nasty nurse" would do it. There was a slight rebuke for putting it quite that way, and apparently Abby noticed:
(Later tonight while I was away at class)
A: Daddy, did you say that nurses are mean and nasty?
M: Yes.
A: What means nasty?
M: Well, it's kind of like "mean."
A: That's not very nice.
M: Yeah, I know, I was joking; I said it to be funny.
A: Momma didn't think it was funny. (pause) I didn't think it was funny.
M: I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that.
So anyway, Abby had one shot and was fine. She's 3' 4.75" (71st percentile!) and 38lb. (72nd percentile). She's gloating over Dr.O's prediction that she will be taller than her momma...I know, BIG surprise. Her vision is 20/40 in both eyes (normal for her age) and she hears very well. Just like her mom.
As you know, Abby had some questions for the doc. She got them answered today. So that we all know, our bodies make blood in our bones, our spleen gets rid of the old blood, and our bones grow at the growth plates (isn't that so cool? ). There was more detail than that, but that is about what I can remember at the moment.
Last night Abby had a rough time going to sleep; she was afraid of getting a shot from Dr. O. Matthew said that Dr. O wouldn't give her the shot-- the "mean, nasty nurse" would do it. There was a slight rebuke for putting it quite that way, and apparently Abby noticed:
(Later tonight while I was away at class)
A: Daddy, did you say that nurses are mean and nasty?
M: Yes.
A: What means nasty?
M: Well, it's kind of like "mean."
A: That's not very nice.
M: Yeah, I know, I was joking; I said it to be funny.
A: Momma didn't think it was funny. (pause) I didn't think it was funny.
M: I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that.
So anyway, Abby had one shot and was fine. She's 3' 4.75" (71st percentile!) and 38lb. (72nd percentile). She's gloating over Dr.O's prediction that she will be taller than her momma...I know, BIG surprise. Her vision is 20/40 in both eyes (normal for her age) and she hears very well. Just like her mom.
January 28, 2006
Later Aligator, uh, I mean, fish
Funny and Rain are alive and well-- and back at Wal Mart. It turns out (after several trips to Pet Co.) that Abby thinks fish are stinky and not very exciting. I think she's right. That was a very quick, remarkably painless, first pet experience. We're not going to try pets again until Abby is older.
January 27, 2006
Warmness
This morning as Abby snuggled next to me (her usual routine after waking up in her room), she put her sweet little hands on my face and said quietly, "Momma, I love your warmness." She warms my heart more than she'll ever know.
Questions for the doc.
This morning as Abby got ready for school, she and I talked about how her daddy was going to his check-up at the doctor. She always wonders about getting shots, but I explained that daddy wouldn't be getting a shot; he would be having a little blood drawn for routine tests. The following conversation ensued:
A: Will they put the blood back?
G: No, daddy's body will make more.
A: How?
G: I don't know exactly how. I bet Dr. O would know. (Dr. O is her pediatric doc.)
A: When I get my four year old check-up, I'm gonna ask Dr. O how you make more blood. And how do my bones grow?
G: Those are great questions.
I walked down the hall and about 10 seconds later Abby calls out to me:
A: Momma, I'm gonna forget my questions. Will you tell me them when we get to Dr. O's? Tell me in the elevator when we're going up. DON'T tell me when we're already in the door.
I think Abby wants to make sure SHE asks the questions and that Dr. O KNOWS they are not her momma's questions.
A: Will they put the blood back?
G: No, daddy's body will make more.
A: How?
G: I don't know exactly how. I bet Dr. O would know. (Dr. O is her pediatric doc.)
A: When I get my four year old check-up, I'm gonna ask Dr. O how you make more blood. And how do my bones grow?
G: Those are great questions.
I walked down the hall and about 10 seconds later Abby calls out to me:
A: Momma, I'm gonna forget my questions. Will you tell me them when we get to Dr. O's? Tell me in the elevator when we're going up. DON'T tell me when we're already in the door.
I think Abby wants to make sure SHE asks the questions and that Dr. O KNOWS they are not her momma's questions.
January 26, 2006
Funny and Rain
Abby came home with two lovely goldfish last night-- her first pets! She named them Funny and Rain. She has decided that Funny (all orange) is a boy, and Rain (white with orange dots, including "lipstick" markings) is a girl. I'd include a picture, but I've exceeded my uploading limit for the month on Flickr. Abby wanted to bring a drawing of her fish to school today, so I drew a picture. It did not meet her approval:
A: Mom, those look like mad fish.
G: Look, they have smiles.
A: But they look like angry smiles. That fish is angry following the other one.
Seriously, I don't know what she was talking about. They seemed like happy looking fish, poorly drawn, yes, but happy. Matthew gave it a try and was successful. He is a fine artist-- even with discriminating, picky, (dare I say it) fickle judges.
A: Mom, those look like mad fish.
G: Look, they have smiles.
A: But they look like angry smiles. That fish is angry following the other one.
Seriously, I don't know what she was talking about. They seemed like happy looking fish, poorly drawn, yes, but happy. Matthew gave it a try and was successful. He is a fine artist-- even with discriminating, picky, (dare I say it) fickle judges.
January 22, 2006
Abby sailing!
Abby's first sailing adventure was eventful. The winds were up-- 25-35 mph-- and that made for some hefty waves. I felt fairly comfortable, but Matthew and Abby were turning green. Finally, Abby looked up at me and said: "Momma, I'm going to frow up." She meant it. I told her to hold it until we found her a bowl. Looking back, I see how ridiculous a request this was; holding it is not something most adults could have done in this situation. Well, my obedient girl held it until the precise moment we procured a bowl. Dad's cereal bowl. Sorry Pop.
Our second sailing trip was much more calm, and Abby had no seasickness at all.
Our second sailing trip was much more calm, and Abby had no seasickness at all.
To Hawaii and Back Again
I hardly know how to catch up on our adventures after three weeks or so. We went to Honolulu for 6 wonderful, WARM days! I presented my first conference paper, which went swimmingly. Actually, Abby did swim while I gave my talk, but the talk was well received and I had fun giving it. Matthew and my dad were there to cheer me on (along with a friend of mine, Tiffany, from Davis). While in Hawaii we visited Kailua Beach, Pearl Harbor (and the "Mighty MO", a.k.a. the U.S.S. Missouri), the North Shore, and the Polynesian Cultural Center. We went sailing twice, walked around downtown, saw lots of fish and other lovely creatures, and ate the most amazing food. Our tour guides/hosts, dad and Claudia, spoiled us rotten. We had mai tais at the Chart House, scallops, ahi, steak, shrimp, calamari, and more at several wonderful restaurants (and on board dad and Claudia's boat, "Maluhia"). Abby stayed the night on the boat one night and LOVED it; however, I'm afraid Claudia didn't get a wink of sleep. You see, Abby kicks and sleeps stretched out like a starfish.We flew home to California on Abby's 4th birthday (Jan 16th). We are buried in work again, but we have very fond memories and some delicious Kona coffee to keep us going in the dreary Davis rainy season.
January 7, 2006
a hallmark moment?
While visiting at my mom's house over Christmas, Abby got it into her head to lick me-- a fairly normal thing for a kid to do, I guess.
A: I licked mommy!
Mia (Gen's mom): Really, what does she taste like?
Abby looks at me, licks my arm to find out the answer and exclaims:
A: FUR!
A: I licked mommy!
Mia (Gen's mom): Really, what does she taste like?
Abby looks at me, licks my arm to find out the answer and exclaims:
A: FUR!
mental haze
It is Friday night, 11:07 to be exact. My eyes are so tired from reading for hours, but moreover, from trying to wade through and decode pages and pages of literary criticism. Abby is having a hard time sleeping tonight. She's singing cheerfully: "You better not cry, you better not pout...Santa Claus is watching..oh for goodness, goodness sake" (to the tune of S.Claus is coming to town). Now, you try hearing that over and over on a loop while attempting to absorb phrases like this one: "I suggest that tropological language clothes, and therefore makes physical, a body that does not signify outside the realm of rhetorical interpellation" (Madhavi Menon, from "Wanton Words: Rhetoric and Sexuality on English Renaissance Drama" p.23). Whatever happened to going to the movies on a Friday night? Why am I doing this grad school thing again? Catch me in the morning after 5 hours of sleep and some coffee, and I'll be able to answer that question for you. I think.
January 6, 2006
jobs
Great news: Matthew was offered a research assistantship for this Winter! He will be working for renowned economic historian, Peter Lindert. Funny enough, Matthew will be able to use some of his German language skills as some of the data is in German. I can report that he will be running regressions and analyzing data. Don't ask me how that is done; I have no idea. Anyway, the job offer is a welcome and encouraging one. I'm so proud! Meanwhile, I am teaching Expository Writing (again). I'll pretty much be teaching the same class for the rest of the year (and probably next year too). This quarter's bunch of students seems very enthusiastic.
January 4, 2006
A New Year
I can't say that I am sorry to see 2005 end. There were many wonderful joys, but this year also brought stunningly painful times. We said goodbye to Genna's Grandma Mildred (dad's mom) and Uncle Steve (dad's brother), and we prayed with our dear friends the Maynors as Brian fought cancer and finally went home to be with the Lord. I still lose my breath and cry when I read updates on the boys and Brian's wife, Susan. Within a small circle of close friends and family there have been weddings and divorces, births and miscarriages. After such a starkly ambivalent year, we are longing for peace, for tender quiet moments in which to wipe away tears and be reassured of our firm foundation.
Welcome, 2006. I know the numbers mean nothing, but it still feels nice to be reminded of renewal and fresh starts. I'm realizing more and more how strangely present the past feels, or perhaps, how we are such works in progress (as Rev. Scott Bridges reminded Matthew and I moments before prouncing us man and wife). I feel hopeful that no matter how "happy" this new year is (or isn't), we will learn, grow, change, and live each day knowing that we are loved and provided for.
Welcome, 2006. I know the numbers mean nothing, but it still feels nice to be reminded of renewal and fresh starts. I'm realizing more and more how strangely present the past feels, or perhaps, how we are such works in progress (as Rev. Scott Bridges reminded Matthew and I moments before prouncing us man and wife). I feel hopeful that no matter how "happy" this new year is (or isn't), we will learn, grow, change, and live each day knowing that we are loved and provided for.
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