Wayne and Rebecca Madsen

The climax of the week happened Friday evening after dinner. Wayne and Aderyn had already headed outside because of the heat while Paela and I finished clearing the table. Paela and I went to join them, but Paela turned to go downstairs (where she thought they had gone) and turned too fast when I told her they were actually the other way, outside. This meant she lost her balance and took a tumble down the stairs. The whole flight, minus the first step. It was a terrible thing to watch. Head over heels backwards.  read more »

Rebecca had visiting teach on Monday, which meant that she took Aderyn with her and I stayed home with Paela. Because Rebecca's visiting teaching companion has a four-year old, she came over to play with Paela. We've done this arrangement in the past and it worked out fine, but this was the first time that I have seen Paela become more reactive and interactive with her playmates. In the past, she will play with her 'friends' in a similar way as she would play with her baby sister: she brings them toys and runs around talking at them, instead of talking with them and responding to their interests. On Monday, there was a change.  read more »

It was a pretty slow week. Paela and Aderyn both got pretty sick, making sleep difficult to come by -- for us and for Aderyn. This, of course, is the story of Aderyn's life so far.

Paela woke up with a crusty eye a couple of days in a row, in addition to her cold, so she had the privilege of going to see the doctor. Conjunctivitis, was the verdict. Eye drops, the treatment. Ever try to get a toddler to let you put eye drops in her eye? Ever try to get her to let you put eye drops in a second or third or fifteenth time? If you wonder just how physically strong your toddler is, just try putting an eye drop in several times a day. You will learn. You will learn that you are not as strong as the toddler is. You will learn that two grown adults are almost not as strong as the toddler is.  read more »

Classes are on their last week. Over the past year, I have learned a few things that I wish to incorporate into next year's classes, such as minimizing the number of "projects" and have more in-class assignments which will develop skills leading to those primary projects. While I have gone into these multimedia courses with the belief that the majority of students at college age have familiarity with basic internet and multimedia skills, I believe this to be a false pretense that has caused friction with coursework at NECC. However, I am also shocked to learn at how many colleges still do not incorporate internet learning and researching into their coursework; this is a key ingredient to how the world functions today and so it shouldn't be looked on as a pariah to be avoided in academia.  read more »

"Going to work" has been our explanation to Paela for disappearance of her mom or her dad for ages now. Even when it's just down to the basement that Wayne or I went to go work in isolation. She now practices this herself, going off to our bedroom and shutting the door behind me, explaining that she is going to work and will miss me. And then she "reads" her books to herself. I think. I hope.

Aderyn started blowing raspberries and spitting bubbles in the last few days. She thinks she is awfully cute, especially when she entices me to vibrate my lips or tongue with her. She is. I am probably not quite so cute. She smiles anyway. 

We have had warm enough days for sidewalk chalk and parks, and for just plain running around in the back yard. In fact, we're tempted to bring our window air conditioner upstairs this week since it's supposed to be 80 most of the week. 80 is really actually quite hot for Boston. Humidity, oh, what joy you are.  read more »

"It may be difficult for parents of postcolicky infants after four months of age to eliminate frequent night wakings and lengthen sleep durations. If a child fails to learn to fall asleep unassisted, the result is sleep fragmentation or sleep deprivation driven by intermittent positive parental reinforcement. This causes fatigue-driven fussiness long after the colic has resolved, which ultimately creates an overtired family."

Pyre wakes about once every hour or two at night.

I had some really positive interviews this week. The flights were good and I felt the interviews went really well. I got along well with the faculty and would love to hear back from them soon. Hopefully an offer will be in the future.  read more »

This week sped by. Weather was in a pleasant upper-50s/lower-60s much of the week. I feel like I'm betraying my Texan roots by claiming that is "pleasant", but I suppose that is what a winter in Boston will do to a girl!

The nice weather got us outside quite a bit for walks and a trip to Drumlin Farm on Wednesday with Camilla and Victor. And then it rained the last couple of days (no surprise) but our basement is staying dry this time (we check frequently). We crossed our fingers and put our furniture away downstairs (instead of piled on our tarp).

We were also a little bit social. We went to Peter and Cami's house Friday evening and had a great time. Paela enjoyed herself as well and was sad when we declared it time to go home. And last night we enjoyed celebrating Cameron's birthday. What a fun one-year old.  read more »

We took a trip down to North Carolina. Rebecca's family had an Easter weekend family reunion planned and Paela enjoyed seeing all her cousins. I taught classes on Thursday morning and we left for the airport right afterwards.

With two children, we only take direct flights now, where possible. The potential of dealing with a toddler and an infant on a layover is too horrifying for us. It was really kind of Rebecca's brother and sister-in-law to host everyone at their home.  read more »

"I'm a frog!" Paela shouted this morning. She crouched down and stood up and took a short hop. She did this again and continued, "I'm being a frog!"

She then slithered on the ground (picture a snake) and declared herself a turtle, stood on one leg calling herself a flamingo, went on to be a fish, and then asked me to be a duck with her. What a fun game she created.

And if my attention moved to Aderyn a bit, she would shout "Look at me! Look at me now!"

"Look, Paela! It's a worm!" I said to Paela.

(P briefly admires the worm I pointed at and takes a turn on the slide.)

(She comes back to look again, and quickly pokes the worm.)

"I did it! I touched the squirm!" exclaimed Paela.