Me: Maggie, you and me and Oliver are going to smash the patriarchy!
Maggie: No we’re not!
Me: Do you know what the patriarchy is?
Maggie: No
Me: It’s when boys are only in charge and tell girls they can’t do anything they want.
Maggie: Oh. We can smash that.
All posts by Sarah
Baby Names
Maggie has been keeping a running list of baby names. So far we have:
- Steve
- Pumpkin
- Avocado
- Elizabeth
- Winter
- August
PS: We write this on the eve of Thanksgiving, five days past the due date. Hoping we get to meet Steve (or whoever) soon!
Body Bubble
Overheard today as Maggie had a friend over:
“There’s a bubble in your body that holds your pee and if it pops, you die. So I make sure to take care of my body by going pee on the potty so it doesn’t pop. I do that so I’m still alive. You don’t want it to pop!”
So part of me wants to assure her that her bladder will not pop, but the part of me that’s winning currently is the part that is enjoying the fact that we have not had ONE FIGHT today about the bathroom, as well as the fact that I haven’t had to help her change out of any wet undies.
Maggie’s Birthday Bike
Maggie started showing interest in her balance bike at the end of February, and by the time her birthday loomed near at the beginning of April, it was clear she would probably be ready for a bike with pedals this summer! She’s much smaller than Griffin was when he started on a pedal bike, so I hunted down a smaller version and we gave it to her on Sunday for her birthday. She was beyond excited to try it! However, it was raining pretty hard all day that day, and even into the morning on Monday. She begged me to let her try it, but knowing there would inevitably be some spills, I told her we needed to wait until it stopped raining.
Well, Monday afternoon it stopped raining, and she was raring to go! I wasn’t sure how it would go for her, but low and behold, on one of her first tries, she took off! I pulled my phone out and grabbed some video. We spent the rest of the day touring the neighborhood with her practicing her new pedal bike. She’s hooked and asks to ride it at every opportunity now! It’s pretty amazing, and such a testament to the balance bike.
I hope you enjoy these short videos of her first rides!
https://youtu.be/VHzvlUPWVV0 https://youtu.be/F5PubCaf5CARules
Maggie: I’m just too tired to put my puzzles away….Can I help with making pancakes?
Daddy: If you’re too tired for puzzles, you’re too tired for helping with pancakes.
Maggie: But I’m just so so so tired for puzzles, Daddy.
Daddy: If you’re too tired to put your things away, you’re too tired to help me.
Maggie: But see, I have different rules than you guys do!
Blasted clothes
Maggie: “Mama, if we go close to that will it shoot my clothes off?”
It took me a minute to understand why she was asking that question…
Maggie’s First Clay Sculpture
Apparently this is me trying to lick a dolphin (for real). But seriously, I can’t say enough about our art classes at Art with Ellen! Ellen is an amazing teacher with attention to detail specific to the age group she’s working with. Maggie is a reluctant artist in the sense that she often feels like she’s “doing it wrong.” Ellen brings so much enthusiasm and positive guidance, Maggie has been flourishing. Thank you to Grummy for this gift of classes! We’ve both been thoroughly enjoying them.
Presidential Politics
I had a presidential politics discussion with Griffin this morning, prompted by a question about what the covers of these magazines mean. I explained the idea of a spectrum of beliefs (exemplified by stances on candy consumption, of course, which was well received and understood). Our conversation culminated in Griffin’s written commentary on the big T as a “bad guy” and questions of whether our personal political views are closer to “no candy ever” or “candy all the time,” to which I responded, “it’s complicated.”
Maggie Round-Up
I had just made Moscow Mules for the adults, and virgin versions for the kids. Maggie said, as she handed Griffin his cup, “Here you go, Griffin! There’s no alcohol in here, but it tastes like there is!” Griffin’s response: “You don’t even know what alcohol tastes like!”
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Me: “Maggie, why haven’t you brushed your teeth yet? I even got your toothbrush ready for you!”
Maggie: “I was just so busy laying on the floor…”
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Maggie: “BOO!!!”
Me: “Oh my! You surprised me!”
Maggie <leaning on the couch on her elbow>: “You see, I’m a hider. YEP! I hide REALLY well!”
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Andrew overheard Maggie singing “Over the Rainbow” to the tune of the Star Wars theme song. Pretty awesome.
Pronunciation
<scene: Griffin, Maggie, and friend, Zoe, sitting at the little kid table having snack. I had just handed Zoe some tea>
Zoe: Thank you, Madame!
Griffin: Madame! Damn! Dammit!
Zoe: It’s DARNit.
Maggie: No, it’s dammit.