Tag Archives: Maggie

Andrew, Maggie, Photo

Maggie’s First “Yes Day”

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I can’t remember if we’ve ever posted about this idea before, but “Yes Day” is a special day where we let one of the children come up with the agenda. Our response to any proposal, within reasonable logistical and budgetary parameters, will be an enthusiastic “Yes!” It’s one way that we try to mix things up a bit, give the kids more agency, and avoid surrounding a fun event with adult-oriented errands (“Yes! Like I said, we’re going to the zoo after we get the groceries, mail grandpa’s package, and water Penelope’s plants!”). Griffin has enjoyed a couple of these over the past few years. Now that Maggie is a big six, she is entitled to her first one. She’s been looking forward to for months (since her birthday… or maybe since her prior birthday).

This summer, it was my turn with Maggie while Sarah will be taking Griffin on his special day next week. Maggie considered many possibilities over the past weeks: going to the pool, going out to eat, seeing a movie, playing games, etc. She finally settled on two activities: shopping and a water park. 

The shopping trip was all about finding an emoji pillow that she worships. Not just any emoji: a poop emoji.

Why is this Maggie’s top desire in the world? Who can say?

In preparation for our quest, I did some research. It looked like Walmart was going to be our best bet. I have never actually shopped at a Walmart in the Twin Cities before, so we located one near our next destination and headed out after a delicious waffle breakfast.

Alas, Walmart failed us! There were no poop emoji pillows. Indeed, they didn’t have any emoji pillows at all. A sales rep said that they used to have them, but plush disney pillows have replaced them. Our inquiry, however, produced my favorite response from a retailer in a long time. After I indicated that we were specifically searching for a poop emoji, the young rep turned to Maggie and said, deadpan, “What d’ya want a crappy pillow for?”

Maggie and I consulted. We could either scour the Twin Cities for the pillow, possibly missing out on the water park, or we could try to order it online later. Maggie decided that the water park was the top priority. Phew!

Not far from the Walmart in Eagan is Cascade Bay, a modest sized waterpark with a large shallow pool, a smaller deep pool, a bunch of slides, a lazy river, and a miniature golf course. One advantage: Maggie was over the height limit so she could try any of the slides. The last time we came, in 2014, Maggie was only allowed on the mini-slide in the zero entry pool (see our post from that visit).

Cascade Bay
rest break
nutritious meal

We were there pretty much from when it opened until dinnertime. I was exhausted by the end of it, but glad to have had so much focused fun with Maggie. As for Maggie, she didn’t seem tired at all, but once we got in the car, she fell promptly to sleep.

After returning home, Sarah helped Maggie order her pillow. It has gotten much love, already.

bliss

Griffin, Maggie

Career Thoughts, Summer 2018

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Unprompted, Griffin announced in the car tonight that he wants to grow up to be either a musician or an illustrator. (I’ll include a post soon with some of the pictures he’s drawn in his new notebook; he’s very excited about it.)

Maggie proceeded to announce that she wants to be one of three things: a dolphin trainer, a singer, or a dancer.

(For comparison, see what Griffin said in 2013 and both of them in 2016.)

Andrew, Griffin, Maggie, Photo

Dungeon of Doom

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Earlier this week, Griffin and Maggie created a four-level dungeon on my dry erase hex tiles. They were so excited about it that they wanted me to play in it, so Griffin volunteered to be the game master. It was his first time running a game and his first original adventure. When I asked what it was called, he replied, “The Dungeon of Doom.”

It was remarkably fun playing this game with the kids. Griffin was creative and clever, and I found myself not just playing with my children, but getting into the game. See below for a few pictures of the wild map. Beneath the pictures are some highlights from the session, written mostly for other tabletop gamers.

The Dungeon Master

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level Four

Gaming Highlights
  • In one of our first encounters, we needed to use serious tactics just to survive. Ten enemy soldiers nearly surrounded us, but we were able to retreat into a narrow passageway where we could defend ourselves more easily. The passage was filled with water, though, which slowed everybody down and made for treacherous footing. As we continued retreating, we eventually discovered a trap behind us (some sort of “laser-like” forcefield) which made us hold our ground, duking it out in the muck.
  • There were numerous traps, illusions, and original magic items. A favorite item of mine was the “rock of heating” that becomes hot enough to start fires if it is in contact with organic matter. If it touches metal, however, it instantly cools into an inert, black rock. We’re currently using a helmet from one of our foes to keep it safely cool.
  • The dungeon included some “realistic” touches, like beds for the soldiers and barrels of preserved food (the soldiers lived on a balanced diet of “grain, meat, and vegetables.”
  • Griffin responded creatively to our ideas and questions. For example, we used the barrel of meat to lure a flesh-dissolving-slime monster closer to the lava pit for immolation.
  • Griffin was on top of the logistics, too, making sure that Maggie (playing an archer/scout named “Moon”) marked off her arrows every time she fired one.
  • We were playing the Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game (powered by GURPS) which is more mathematically complex than straight Dungeons and Dragons. Griffin is completely on top of the math, easily managing damage resistance, injury types, armor divisors on bodkin point arrows, damage thresholds, negative hit points, and other fiddly bits. He also has a good grasp of the odds on a 3d6 bell curve.
Griffin, Maggie, Oliver, Photo

Last Days of School

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Big transitions are afoot. Today is the last day of school for Griffin and Maggie at Cornerstone, and it is Andrew’s last work day at SPA. Not only are we all transitioning into summer mode, but Griffin and Maggie will be moving into new classrooms with new teachers next year. While this sounds entirely normal to those of us who attended regular schools, in the Montessori model, students work with the same teacher for three years.

Griffin has been in the same classroom since first grade, beginning as a neophyte being mentored by older students and ending, this year, as one of the third-grade leaders. Although Maggie first enrolled this year as a kindergartner, she was part of the top cohort in her classroom, working with younger pre-k students. In the fall, both of them, as fourth- and first-graders, will be entering a new world where they will grow for the next three years.

Maggie has been very excited about the transition, eagerly looking forward to her “Fly Up!” ceremony and the dance her class has been practicing. Griffin has more mixed feelings, leading to some conversations about the term “bittersweet.” He’s excited to continue learning and doing new work (in Montessori parlance), but he loved his teacher and will miss his many younger friends that he’s leaving behind.

The bus stop crew.
Maggie with her mentor at the “Fly Up!” ceremony.
Maggie with her mentor at the “Fly Up!” ceremony.
Maggie with her mentor at the “Fly Up!” ceremony.
No transition for this guy, but he celebrated at dinner.

Maggie

Close Reading

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While reading the chapter on the battle of Helm’s Deep in the Lord of the Rings last night, Maggie exclaimed, “Whoa! The walls are 20 feet tall!”

“I know! That’s almost as tall as our house,” I replied, thrilled at her level of engagement.

“Yeah. . . . Did you know that dogs eat their own poop? And rabbits do too?”

Griffin, Maggie, Photo

Joint Birthday Party

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Griffin and Maggie fondly recalled their joint birthday party in 2016 and decided to merge their parties again this year. Because we all love having parties outside, the endless winter of 2018 stymied our attempts to schedule it between their birthdays. We settled on the final weekend of the month, but even then our first two choices of parks weren’t open yet. We eventually settled on the Como playground near the Como Town mini-amusement park.

After all the weather hassles, the day was gorgeous. Breezy and warm in the sun and cool in the shade—perfect weather for a few hours rampaging around a playground. Sarah made two batches of cupcakes: Griffin had red velvet with cream cheese frosting; Maggie had vanilla with blue frosting. Griffin and Maggie (and Oliver, too) were exhausted and happy at the end of the festivities.

We weren’t trying to photograph the event, but I captured a few shots on my phone:

And two short videos of the celebratory songs:

Andrew, Griffin, Maggie, Oliver, Photo, Sarah

Igloo

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Ever since building our modest Ice Castle four years ago, we’ve wanted to build a more proper ice-brick igloo. We’ve steadily filled the garage with half-gallon and quart cartons in the intervening years. This winter, with plenty of arctic chill, seemed like the perfect time to tackle the project. Despite some pictures of me working on the project, this was spearheaded by Sarah, who did the lion’s share of the work with some help from Griffin and Maggie. (Oliver was an active observer.) The color in the blocks comes from some drops of food coloring added while we poured the water into the molds.

Proud builders
Early courses
Griffin was engaged throughout the process.
The mortar is a snow/water slurry.
Injuries on the job: note Oliver’s goose egg from when he tried to smash an ice brick with his forehead.
After a snowstorm.
An arch formed the basis of the final roofing.
It is complete!
The ceiling from within
Wall from inside
Igloo entrance
Igloo backlit

 

 

Maggie

Hurry Up!

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This morning I’m thinking about how the end of my pregnancy with Maggie is a metaphor for the way she moves about in the world. Pretty much every morning, no matter how much time I give her and prep her for the fact that the bus is indeed coming at 8:14am, just like every other morning, she waits and waits and waits and waits until the very last minute to get ready. No amount of gentle cajoling or reminders gets her to budge. Then she just acts like, “What the hell is your problem? I’m coming!” when I’m anxious and yelling about getting her out the door on time. Just like her birth. She waited and waited and waited and waited until the last possible moment at 42 weeks when they were requiring me to be induced, and then she arrived the night before induction, in less than 20 minutes at the hospital, like, “What the hell is your problem? I was coming!” And she always gets there. There’s a lesson for me in there somewhere about how to help her and myself move through the world. Not sure I’ve grasped the practical realities of it yet.