Evangeline turns 3 (Part 2): Super Heroes!

For Evangeline's birthday we had a great party at Stephen's Lake Park, which is one of the big parks here in CoMo. We invited friends and family to come and celebrate with us. The kiddos had an excellent time as did the parents. It was a wonderful celebration of our Little Miss P.

Aunt Edge making decorations to hang.

Daddy and his super girls.

Super baby and grandma.

Getting some beverage with Ms. Ariel's help.

Margery and second cousin Nate.

Grandparents and Margery.

Decorating Super Hero masks.

Super hero girls decorating masks.

Super family.

Cousin Charlie, Evangeline and Margery.

Super Aunt and Super Baby.

Evangeline Turns 3 (part 1): St. Louis, the Zoo and Mizzou Homecoming

Last week we celebrated our first little girl's third birthday. Evangeline is growing so tall she is 31.5 lbs and 36 inches tall. She wears size 8 shoes and 3T clothes. She doesn't eat a lot of diverse foods but she gradually is adding food. She can write her own name and knows all her colors. She also knows about 30 words in French. She loves people, and is very helpful. She loves dinosaurs, princesses and super heroes. But most of all she loves her little sister.

At Chesterfield Central Park with James.

Roger and Margery.

Hide and seek in the sculptures.

Her birthday began with a celebration with our friends the McCommis Family who live in St. Louis. We miss them here in Columbia, but try to see them every other month when we head to St. Louis. First we went to a park in Chesterfield, MO for a play date, and then headed back to the McCommis' house. Evangeline and James blew out candles together.

Brenda and I met in our birth class and James and Evangeline are three days apart in age. We also introduced Margery to James's little brother Roger. Roger was born in February he's 8 months old but was early so he am Margery are pretty close in size. Roger loved this. We had a delicious dinner and cupcakes that Kyle, James's daddy made.

All the kiddos rolling on the ground.

The 3-year-olds and their cupcakes.

Playing with James.

Instant Friends.

The Perreault girls and the McCommis boys.

We picked my parents up at the St. Louis Airport and headed to a Starbucks for a little snack before heading to the St. Louis Zoo. Brenda, James and Roger met us for part of our time there. It was Margery's first zoo trip.

St. Louis Zoo with Grandma and Grandpa Wiggins.

Over the bridge, walking to the zoo.

Trying to look for ducks.

Margery and Grandpa.

Margery and Mama.                                                    Our little River Otter.

 Friday Evangeline had cupcakes at school for her birthday. She insisted on wearing her cupcake dress. Grandma and Grandpa took her to ride the carousel at the mall.

Saturday we got up early and all went the University of Missouri Homecoming Parade. Evangeline hung out with her friends Siri and Eliot. We were also joined by some of her friends from La Petite Ecole. The kids loved the parade, as well as the candy, beads and footballs they collected from the people in the parade.

Waiting for the parade.

Margery's first Parade with her daddy. She thought the drums were a little too loud.

Collecting candy in Elsa bags.

Evangeline is Turning 3

Hooray, Pourray for Mommy, Disseration here I come...

Today is the first day I have not been over-stressed in almost six months. I can finally call myself a PhD candidate. It is an amazing feeling, relief and accomplishment. All that stands between me being labeled "Dr. Mimi" is a dissertation. While that's a challenge in itself, I am definitely excited about the research process.

I read an article on Vitae from the Chronicle of Higher Education today. It is written by a woman who works at South Dakota State University in the Journalism. I felt that a lot of what she said was true, but what I noticed is that she did not have a good support structure. Regardless of what career you are in, being a single mom is difficult. I don't have to do what I do alone, and I know that is a privilege and beyond that a gift. That said I understand that academic "motherhood" is a challenge, as is academic "fatherhood."

I am so glad to have a husband who supports me. Our marriage makes any goal easier to take on because we plan for our goals together. However, I can relate to her work-ethic arguments and gender challenges. Despite these challenges, I believe we are making progress in the world of academia. I hope I am an example of what can happen when women and men support female academics and families of academics. Thank you to our Mizzou PhD family for all you have done to support Greg and me in our academic "parenthood."

As I continue on this journey, my children make my accomplishments mean so much more. I know they do not understand the significance of what I am doing right now, but I know our lives will be so much different because of the path we chose to take. With the support of each other, our parents, siblings and friends so much more is possible. We can't do it alone, and we would not want to. Thank you.