We're alive! The conference was fantastic! We've weaned (and it was sooooo easy!)! We're speaking in sentences and singing songs! Life is good! I apologize for the long absence, and I'm not sure it's going to get better soon. I'm in 100% paper-writing mode, and I will be until the end of the year so that I can get a permanent job. I've been preparing a MS for Science (!!!), which is now finished except for the cover letter, and I even feel guilty taking time to write this blog post now because I should be working on that. Also, husband is in Brazil for the next 3 weeks (he left last weekend), so I'm also solo parenting. Day care hours are like rare gems, and I have to use them wisely because I'm on 100% parenting duty outside of them. That said, Maya and I are having a blast with our "girls only" time. I ordered a bunch of art supplies for some weekend fun, we've got some zoo and museum trips planned, and we're eating a...