I am teaching a summer course here on campus about Gender & Work and we were talking about gender stereotypes. One of the students said that "people don't really want to see men cry..." I replied I would have been very hurt if my DH had not cried on one or two occasions in our life together. Our marriage and February 20, 2006 when a woman from the orphanage placed our darling girl in our arms for the first time. There were plenty of tears to go around - Mamas and Babas! I was thinking also that there were at least two occasions I could think of in my lifetime where I had seen groups of men crying openly in the street. One I have seen in film since I was less that a year old and the other well... I think there were plenty of people of whatever gender crying where ever they were. It would have seemed somehow too inappropriate to not cry on that terrible day.

It is weird to think I will someday have to explain 9-11 to my daughter just as my own mother explained JFK's assasination to me. To think that this is now a part of our collective history and as such EFP will need to understand that point in time - hard to imagine since I still do not really understand it either. I got to thinking because last night after putting her to bed for the night I turned on the TV and was stunned to see a scene quite reminiscent of 9-11. NYC was ablaze with sirens, flashing lights and regular broadcasting was interrupted. Thankfully - it was a steam pipe explosion and though there were casualties they were relatively few. The city is all in an uproar and on top of that it had already been a very bad day for many. The torrential rain and thunder/lightening brought traffic to a complete standstill and many people never made it to work, cars were flooded and I know for a fact that there was not a rental car available for 100 miles anywhere near NYC.

Not far from where we live a tornado touched down. Hmph! It is all too easy to forget the precarious nature of human life. How seemingly small events or large can impact us in ways we are not prepared. Counting myslef lucky to have merely been a bystander in the annals of history seems quite enough for me. I can handle brushing with greatness from a safe distance.

Life goes on here much as usual. My car is fixed and back at home. We are still struggling some with separation anxiety at daycare drop off and yesterday EFP declared "I no like school" but then ran up the path and happily shared snack with her two favorite friends J & K. We had one more nasty bite incident and while I do feel sorry for the child who is the biter - I am not going to allow my child to be victimized by another. We had stated in no uncertain terms that our child is not be be put at risk for another bite/scratch from this kid. I know that toddlers are physical and that EFP can get pushy - so when she is in it with any other child it is not a problem and they do teach good skills for dealing with this. No, this is simply a child who will get up from playing, walk across the room and try to bite a chunk out of my daughter for no earthly reason. The child in question is now on one-on-one restriction and the next step is out the door. I am by no means the sort of mother who will swear that her child is never at fault or that it is impossible for her to misbehave... quite the contrary!! I do see that she needs limits and discipline with frustration. She has hit a kitty and received an immediate time out. I mean we only have three big rules... no hitting, no throwing (except balls) and no meaness to kitties. That is it for now. EFP and her friend J are like sibs already they are always at each other with toys or activities - but they are just as likely to hug and kiss as push and shove. This other situation is nothing like that. I am still rather furious.

On other fronts things continue much the same. We are getting excited about our upcoming vacation and looking forward to some much needed rest and relaxation. Hope everyone is enjoying their summer and getting the chance to recreate and recuperate.

WAAAAHHH!!!

I am writing tonight from my hotel room in Austin Texas. I miss my little one so much it is a physical ache. Who knew this would happen? She and her daddy are doing great - so far she asks for me but is able to be distracted. Daycare says she is doing great - had a little melt down when another Mommy arrived and I guess she realized that I had not dropped her off.. it is so hard to be so far away!

I heard a speaker today who introduced herself by saying she had 7 children!! And oddly everyone clapped for her.. me loudest of all because I have one and it is hard to manage being a professional and Mom. She has a successful career and apparently 7 wonderful children and 2 granchildren. Mom is definitely the harder job. In some ways my feminist side says... why do they have to mention the children when presenting a professional women do they routinely do that when introducing impressive men? No - but then I realize that it is a major accomplishment to have both and we all know that many Moms who work do the lion's share of the child and home care so it takes a really amazing woman to do it well and succeed at either. Someday I hope someone introduces me and remembers that I am a Mom... as well as a professional.

But I can't write more - I miss my baby too much. Can not wait to get home and see her little face - give her big hugs. I hope she is not like the cats who prefer to just ignore me when I get home from a trip of this length. Tomorrow I will have a break so I can get a little shopping in.. the shop here at the Hyatt has a ton of Hello K*tty things so I may dive into that. I am trying not to succumb to whatever it is that is kicking me - I skipped the entertainment this evening so I could rest up a bit. What a whimp. But I do not want to get home to just collaps in a heap!!
So that is all the news.. continue to enjoy the pics til I can post some more - I am hoping for some first real haircut pics soon!!