Happy Happy-Old Friends!

Something happily unexpected is that Vermillion is situated somewhere in the middle of To and Fro in the Midwest. We got to see the Jamison's over lunch, while they were traveling from Wendy's family in Iowa to Rapid City.

Westin and Hannah-banana Jamison

The Kleba-Furhman's stayed with us overnight on their way to Betsy's family in Wisconsin from their happy home in Salt Lake. 

Westin learning to *share* colors and books with Avi and Asher.

These visits were so very special to us. Wendy, Betsy and I were all post-docs in Ted Hackstadt's lab. We all saw our families start from their very wee beginnings and now look at how they have grown! My heart is happy! It was so great catching up with everyone--and hope to see you guys again Soon!

Spirit Mound

Going to Spirit Mound was one of the non-schlepping-related adventures that we had, whilst G-pops and D were in town.

For those of your not familiar, Vermillion is flat. Really flat. I mean think South Alabama or Charleston and then go flatter. Really, I mean it. Then, out of nowhere rises this crazy mound. When Lewis and Clark came through, they heard stories of this hill where little people with poisonous arrows lived. Of course they investigated and much to their surprise (ahem!) no member of their party was shot by little people with poisonous arrows---talk about an anticlimactic ending. However, the oddness of this mound was not lost on Lewis or Clark and eventually this landmark became a protected historic site. Now, I don't know for sure if this was ever a burial ground or if the earth has special powers, but I can report feeling oddly peaceful and calm during our walk here.

Spirit Mound indeed! (Incidentally, Dalen and I looked at a house situated very close to Spirit Mound. If I have ever been in an honest Haunted House-that was it! Creepy creepy pants!! And it wasn't just because the kitchen would have been a complete nightmare to work in.)

It was one of those perfect days that are helping us to believe, that yes, yes we can actually live here! :)

Aunt Shannon does this remind you of the opening credits of Little House on the Prairie?

The Big Schlep

Westin will argue that the best thing that arrived with G-pops and D was Frog Ball.

For the record, this is the college furniture. All except the fun antique chair Westin is sitting in.

We now have proper furniture in the dining room! That means YOU, yes you, can now come and sit at a table that I did not have since I was a sophomore in college. Better yet, 8 of you or More can sit at the same time and eat food and have plenty of elbow room to do so. Brilliant! A big thanks to G-pops and D for schlepping all the way from Birmingham (some furniture came all the way from New Orleans!). Of course I have no pictures of the finished rooms.

Yes, Westin is totally staring at that really cute little boy staring back from the wine cabinet.

Please, that would make things too easy. Instead I have many pictures of Westin, us walking on the River walk in town,

 

CopperDog did not eat for a day when G-pops left. So sad.

Westin at the mall in Sioux Falls,

Shop til you drop. Little Boy is sporting some new kicks-which must be pretty cool, because what other reason would he have to take off his Thomas the Train Boots?

and more Westin.....I know, trade-offs.....

 

Catching UP-lightening round!

The past month has flown by! A week after celebrating spring, we got 4 inches of slushy snow and Dalen was packing his truck for a much needed fishing trip in Montana. Ugh (to the snow, not Dalen's trip).

Thankfully, Noni came to help out with Westin. It was very special for her to have that one-on-one time with Monkey while I was at work. Westin is becoming his own little person, and it is amazing evolution. Elmo is his new favorite friend, with Thomas the Train being a close second, and Curious George (thank you Grandma Moore) is becoming very fascinating.

He still prefers his babulary over actual words, but he understands so much and is scary clever. He loves using his hands and putting together puzzles.

 

His new trick is climbing the stairs (all by himself, of course)...I am hoping to get a video soon. He is giving great hugs and loves to play with his CopperDog. Westin LOVES to brush his teeth--we are thankful since he has a mouthful. (In fact, as I was getting ready this morning, he came into the bathroom and reached for his toothbrush.) We celebrated a fantastic Mother's Day, I flew to Bethesda and back, headed up to Sioux Falls for a day...and now I am sitting back taking a deep breathe. Hope that you guys enjoy the pictures!!

Good bye Winter! Hello Spring!

This week featured a lot of outside time! And for you guys..a lot of pictures! Dalen and Westin explored a boat launch on the Missouri.It's good to start scouting this stuff early and often. When the winds are calm, float we will!

Dada took Monkey to the park, and Westin LOVES to swing!

In other news, Monkey is starting to question his elders. 

Both Dalen and I don't know what to think of it, other than, Wow, dinnertime is starting to become a struggle:

  

Veggies? We don't need no stinkin' veggies!

SciMom

It is fitting that I write this post from my office at work. I am in to start an experiment. I am missing Monkey's bedtime tonight, but I will miss little else throughout the week. Also, importantly, this particular experiment will end on Friday, not Saturday, which would be tricky tricky with Dalen headed out of town to his much needed and anticipated fishing trip. There was a movement started this week on Twitter for all science moms to get on their blogs, personal and otherwise, and blog about it. So here I am, sharing my story (albeit unofficial contribution) with the faithful reader's of Westin's blog. There is this perception that being a working scientist mom is tough, a perception that won't be disputed here. But I will argue that it is most certainly doable and me being a woman does NOT put me at a disadvantage. Yes, I work in a male dominated field. Yes, there are some people that wonder if I have lost my edge since having my baby (the edge being the willingness to work 16 hour days OR schedule ridiculous experiments at all hours). Yes, there are some people who eye me suspiciously because I might 'pop out' another child at any moment (honestly, is there ever really 'popping out' when it comes to childbirth?). Yes, there are scientists who don't think that I belong, because of my pedigree or gender or the fact that I really like to wear green. To all of this, I have to say: WHO FREAKIN' CARES?.

For a long time, I did. For a long time, I thought that I wouldn't get married, I wouldn't have kids, all in the name of Science; all to prove that yet another Woman could be a successful scientist so that the next generation of women wouldn't have to prove so damn much or work so damn hard. Newsflash: You will always have to work hard; you will always have a lot to prove. Well, I turned out not to be a very good martyr--and yet, shockingly, I am still here doing science, in exactly the job I wanted. Seriously. I am 8 months into my tenure track faculty position. I don't have all the answers. I don't know how to 'balance' a damn thing. And you know what the craziest part is? It's okay. Really. I am so freakin' lucky! I have a wonderful husband who stays at home with our son. It's great! We live close to work, so my hefty commute is about a 6 block walk. We have a wonderful house. Yes, I (we) am (are) still struggling on how to keep the house clean*, balance our little budget, get exercise, have quality adult time, eat good home cooked food--this happens not as a side show, but, concurrently with the Job. At work, I have a K22 grant--somehow in this crazy economic climate I got a job on the first try and a grant on the second. Kismet? Maybe. I have some experiments planned that will give me some pubs and preliminary data for the next grant. I am protected from teaching to make all of this happen and a healthy start-up to boot. I try not to come home too tired so that I don't ruin all of Dalen's hard work with some stupid parenting decision. (Westin is already learning when to strike Mama when she is weak.). I try not to stress or worry about things in the future that are beyond my control. You see, I want to build a LIFE, not a career so much, as a life. That means I want to do good science, teach the next generation well, be a good wife and a good mother. Is all the struggle worth it? Yes, yes, a thousand times, yes. But I will say this, I can have my family without the science, I can not do the science without my family. Do I want it all? Damn straight! Is it doable? I don't know. Like I said, I don't have all of the answers, and if you will excuse me, I do have some cells to infect.....

*Dalen and I divide household chores. For the record, I am the only one who struggles to keep my checklist checked. If it weren't for the valiant efforts of Dalen, we would totally be on that Hoarders show....

Catching Up....

  March has flown by! Its been incredibly busy and, I have been exhausted-and hence not blogging. Fans of Westin, I apologize..AGAIN! This month has seen Monkey's hair growing back in (although I really do fancy the bald-look; he has a very cute head!). Fans of the mohawk will be pleased, because in the next few weeks it will be back in full effect. Westin's walk is now more of a wobbly run. He is learning how lids screw on and off. How to hide things in kitchen cabinets, and he is working on his 'powers of persuasion' (ie temper tantrums).

 

We started the month celebrating Dalen's birthday-quite a lovely way to start a month! Monkey is starting to color too (okay, Westin mostly eats the crayons, but we are working on that).

There are no new videos, because everytime the camera turns on, Westin stops whatever cool thing he is doing and runs towards it..so you have a long video of something like this.....

Westin helped Dada brew beer (we bottled the first batch, and Dalen is now on his 2nd!). He got very excited about brewing beer and accessorizes accordingly.

Happily, most of our snow is gone! So Westin gets to ride in his wagon outside (and not just around the first floor of our house). It is still chilly and we saw snow this past weekend, but nothing significant and bulbs are starting to peek out. Spring is almost here! At long last! Which means that Monkey and Dada can come meet me for the walk home-which is much more fun with company! :)