Snowbound Herpetologist

Fantastic news all around -  we had an excellent and productive trip to the Amazon, I got the promotion to tenure track (still in the negotiation phase, but the offer is official - YAAAAAAY!), and my masters student successfully defended.  It took a couple weeks, but Maya has completely forgiven us for our long absence (she was pretty mad about it), and I've headstarted two whole flats of seeds for my garden this year, including a bunch of aji amarillo peppers so that I can make the Peruvian delicacy huancaina upon harvest :)  Life in our household is happy and vibrant! However, there are two things that weigh on my mind: 1) the insane increase in productivity/efficiency that I'll need to shoot for if I'm to get tenure here, and 2) the decision about whether or not to have another child.  Make no mistake, the first child didn't seem like a choice (in a good way).  If I couldn't both be a professor and have one child, then I didn't want to be a professor. ...

Just so everyone doesn't think we're dead.... I have been inexcusably incommunicado lately, but there's a reason - well, several reasons, actually!  Husband and I (and a field crew of 8 additional people) are headed to the Peruvian Amazon in exactly one week (Maya is going to her grandparents' house).  We will be gone for a month, followed immediately by a job interview for me to be promoted to a tenure track position, which will be HUGE if I get it.  Cross your fingers that I don't come home with half my face eaten off from leishmaniasis, which would make for one hell of a memorable job interview :)  Thus, I am simultaneously trying to prepare for a brand new field research program with all brand new equipment (that I don't know how to work well yet) *and* prepare a job application, which is due before I leave.  Oh, and I have to organize everything with the house, the child, and the cat to be without my attention for a month.  Even the little things are...

We are so proud of our sassy snarkball :) The big day consisted of a trip to our local museum (and a turn as a fireman), opening of the loot, more cupcakes (she's a pro at blowing out candles), and some exhaustion with the kitty kitty at the end of it all :) Also, for her birthday, I got her a trampoline.  In a not-so-uncommon reversal of gender roles in my marriage, husband reacted like I bought her a Molotov cocktail kit or something due to perceived potential for injury :)  I think she loves it, and it will help get a bunch of the wiggles out over another long winter! Now if only our basement were finally finished (they're getting close...) so she had a real space to use it!

This morning, we had our 2 year well child checkup - all looks good!  Maya's stats are: Weight: 27 lbs, 7 oz (with her diaper on) Length: 35 inches Head circumference: 19.25 in I don't have time to update further as I have one of my grad students showing up for a meeting in exactly 5 minutes, but all is well here.  She's excited about Christmas and her birthday, she hauls stuffed animals around everywhere, and is otherwise a joy to be around.  An opinionated joy, but a joy nonetheless! Here's my favorite photo of the year: my fierce baby :)

"I have rooibos tea, you have Ceylon tea. That's right! Rooibos tea. Rooibos tea is yucky." Sluuuuuurp. "Yeeeeeeeeeuck." Click click. "I want another washcloth. With the bath toys. I want a bottle. Put it in the laundry. Just like mothball. Beep beep boop boop. That's beep beep like Nolan. Mama, I made your pajamas wet. Mountain lion! Watermelon mountain lion! I need some shaving cream." Scratches butt. "I need to go pee pee in the potty." Rush out to potty. "Uh oh, no pee pee!"

...of recent life :) In brief: It's fall, we went to a special event at our local hands-on museum where they had a MOUNTAIN LION (although the warthog was her fav) and gave her a salamander tattoo, we drink a lot of wine (I'm *totally obsessed* with Argentinian malbecs) and practice Danish hygge. Good stuff! :)