Comps Results, The Big 3-0, and a Soon-to-be Two Year Old

So, I haven't updated the blog in forever.  My life has been running wild lately! I find that being the working parent and having domestic duties plus the demands of a dissertation proposal don't leave much time for anything else!  Anyway, I passed my PhD qualifying exams and can now (theoretically) work on dissertation.  I also turned thirty last month (scary), and am finally getting my weight under control since stopping breastfeeding (I've lost 15 lbs since my birthday).  Sam is loving being a stay-at-home dad, and I love not having to worry about Dagney while I'm at work.  I no longer have that all-day, back-of-the-mind nagging fear of the phone ringing and someone saying that she's been bitten, has a fever, or is on the way to the hospital.

Speaking of Dagney, our little monster will be two next week!  Where has the time gone?  She is growing up so fast!  Her potty-training is coming along well.  Her limp from having broken her leg is completely gone.  She knows a ton of words, but is still not really stringing them together much.  My favorite thing is how she says her name.  We've been trying to get her to say, "Dagney Tanner," but when she says it, it sounds like "Nani Turtle."  It is the most adorable thing!  She is starting to count and dance and try to snap her fingers to music.  We've been trying to socialize her some since she isn't in daycare, so we take her to the park pretty often.  Yesterday we signed her up for ballet classes in Homewood (starting in June).  She loves music and "twirling," so we figured we may as well cultivate it; besides, dance is the only organized activity she's old enough to try right now!  Maybe later we'll try Soccer!

Meanwhile, she is quite aware that her birthday is approaching.  When asked how old she is, she holds up her fingers and says, "twooo."  She also knows that she can start dance class when she's two, although we've already bought the leotards and she sports them around the house, twirling.  She has an Olivia the Pig dress for her birthday party, and she loves it!  When she tried it on, she ran to get her Olivia books and point out that she looks like the "piiiiggg."  She got a practice run of blowing out candles (on my birthday), so I'm wondering how that will go at her party next weekend.  Party updates to come!