Just another day in paradise...

Life has been busy and wonderful around the Taylor home as of late. School has started, Sean is a teaching assistant for an "Intro to Biochemistry" course, is also teaching 4 lectures for a "Macromolecular Stucture and Biophysical Analysis" class, submitting a paper to Molecular Cell, collaborating with a physics lab to do some "single molecule" experiements (try "wikipedia"-ing that!) and doing his own research too. Whew, it's crazy! I'm also busy but in a different way. I'm in school two days per week--one is spent at the Yale Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes Clinic and one is spent in class. I'm loving my time at the Endocrinology practice. It's exactly what I want to do. I also am working one night a week (4p-8p) and about every other Saturday at a Pediatricians office as an RN. I really like the office and it is nice that I can work part-time. And last but certainly not least (!), I'm busy being a full-time mom (that's the best part). Annie started going to day care a few weeks ago and is doing GREAT. She loves the kids, has tons of fun making crafts, playing outside, reading books, and seems to not have any transitioning problems. I'm relieved about that. We searched long and hard for a good daycare and found a parent coop daycare that has only 12 kids. For any of you mom's who work, you know how stressful this can be. I cried my eyes out the first day I left her (note: of course Annie was as happy as a clam. When I left, she gave me a kiss and then went off to play, no crying at all.) and of course, felt incredibly guilty for leaving her but I'm feeling much better now since she geniunely is excited to be there.

Annie is growing up by leaps and bounds. Well, developmentally that is. She's still skinny as a rail (just like Mom and Dad) but is learning things so quickly. The latest thing to report is that yesterday she learned how to operate a DVD player by herself!!! Annie was done dinner and insisted on getting down from the table. Sean and I relented and next thing we knew, we heard the TV on and a movie playing. She had taken the old DVD out of the DVD player, put it into it's case, pulled on "The Emperor's New Groove", put it in the DVD player and pressed play. Oh my goodness!!! She cracks me up (and scares me too! She's growing up too fast!) Her newest words are: car, cat, hat, hot, dog (the "d" sound is a bit hard for her), yeah, hi, bye-bye, da-da, mama (neah-neah is actualy how it sounds). She gives kisses freely, waves to everyone and is very independent (would you expect anything else?). I have so much fun being her mom.

Other developments are: 1. I canned 14 bottles of peaches and 17 bottles of tomatoes in the last week. We are really working on getting out food storage built up and this is one way to accomplish that. 2. I also interviewed for a job last week up in Worchester, MA at the Pediatric Endocrinology Clinic at U Mass. It was a good interview but I'm not sure if we will take it--I'm still rooting for moving back west after we are finished school. 3. We ordered a new front door, storm door and new windows for the upstairs yesterday. I'm excited since I think it will help alot with heat loss and also will look alot better. 4. My master's praxis (the equivilant of a thesis essentially) was approved! It's going to the printer this week!

I haven't taken too many photos lately but this is a cute video. Enjoy!