Stuff from August, 2018
This is the archive of tumbledry happenings that occurred on August, 2018.
Reading
That’s Pancakes for Breakfast by Tomie dePaola.
This is the archive of tumbledry happenings that occurred on August, 2018.
Last night, there was time enough to go see Eighth Grade with Mykala. Time enough to go home and take the tire off the bike, drive it to the store, and buy its replacement. Time enough to put it on. Time enough to pedal through the dense, warm evening to pick-up Ess from my parent’s. Time enough to visit once I got there. Time enough to pedal us home, singing “This Land Is Your Land” most of the way.
Ok, I’m about to start posting an 11-month backlog of pictures and videos. By way of explanation: I usually am off by about three months, maximum, on posting stuff we have captured with our phones. But, last fall everything came together for us to invest in a Synology DS1517+, a network-attached file server. It took me months to set the entire thing up to my liking, including storing our Photos and iTunes libraries on sparse bundles. In the meantime, posting here was on hold as those libraries were in flux.
That’s Pancakes for Breakfast by Tomie dePaola.
Ess went through a very brief phase where she was fascinated by mannequins. I love her expression.
Had to clean up those feet, but they were ticklish.
We went to the historic Alexander Ramsey house for my mom’s birthday. Essie was DEFINITELY not yet ready for house tours. Occupied her away from the tour.
Mykala made Ess this hat, since Ess was really enjoying watching “The Conductor” on Dinosaur Train.
Ess made a model of Stillwater, using her blocks. She really captured Main Street.
This flamingo ended up named “Inspector Flamingo” — actually was a costume hat. Ess had a lot of fun with it for a few months in the autumn/winter.
Ess is dressed up in some of her conductor Halloween costume.
Ess was convinced that Band-Aids repaired all injuries. Her tending to Mykala here is so very sweet.
When it isn’t even November, but your three-year-old wants you to play Jingle Bells so she can dance to it, that’s what you do.
This is Mykala’s traditional Halloween dish. “I will make it every Halloween, forever.” says Mykala. Yep.
This was Essie’s first Halloween out trick-or-treating. She’s dressed as the conductor from Dinosaur Train and she was so so excited. This was one of those nights you’ll never forget.
One of my favorite pictures, ever.
One of Essie’s favorite games used to be “Dada Burned the Food” wherein Mama leaves the house, and Dada must prepare a meal (usually mac and cheese, a.k.a. “Bunny Noodles”). The stove always catches on fire, and the game is to figure out how to put out said fire.
Notice Inspector Flamingo, all tucked in in the corner.
Essie brought her hammer and screwdriver to help me put together her Ikea stool.
I love this picture.
Mykala brought her Naturally Dyed Goods to the Christmas market in Saint Anthony Park. Mykala had been working on them for some time at that point, developing her color palate, making local connections, and this was one of her first opportunities to get her stuff in front of other people. She met some great people, sold some items, and Ess and I visited her. Then, Ess threw an enormous tantrum on the way home because she was so confused about why we would leave and Mykala didn’t come with us right away. After about 45 minutes, Ess finally calmed down. I think you can see the tantrum coming on in this picture. We all survived.
Mykala took this stunning portrait of our daughter at Essie’s request — Mykala had been taking pictures of her Naturally Dyed Goods in this nice even light through the sheer curtain, and Ess stopped by and wanted in. We’re very lucky she did.
Heading out for the office Christmas party.
Essie recites The Night Before Christmas based on her memory of our reading it to her.
Hard to get Ess to take a non-silly photo sometimes.
So we went to Target and we had this great idea: everyone could pick out an ornament. We didn’t realize Ess would find the scariest-looking, oddest thing we’ve ever seen. Now, of course, this will be an important part of our tree for every Christmas to come.
This is Sally. Sally is a mallard duck. Ess asked for Sally for Christmas. We love Sally.
For a while, Ess was setting everyone up, making sure they all had a hand to hold.
It is fun to compare this picture to one taken nine months before it.
Essie sings it “We wish you could Merry Christmas” and it is perfect.
This sled… did not work.
Ess has since outgrown it, but she used to always want to sit on my lap down the slide.
“I’m tinier than a pinky nail. I’m so tiny tiny tiny in your hand. Wow.”
This is Ess “reading” from her Bones book, one of her favorite books she has ever checked out from the library. The full title: Book of Bones: 10 Record-Breaking Animals written by Gabrielle Balkan and illustrated by Sam Brewster.
Ess wanted to dress up with this scarf, in preparation for going to The Rainforest Café.
I have a few old Sylvanians that Ess found at my parent’s house, and this is one of the owl family. Mykala made this wedding dress for the mama owl, at Essie’s request.
If you don’t start playing at the playground as early as possible in the season, you won’t maximize your playground days!
I used to carry Ess around on my shoulders. She doesn’t like that much, anymore.
The treehouse innovation on the right side was Mykala, but otherwise this is all Ess.
Mykala and I made this rabbit “cage” out of my old shelf-parts from college. Ess is a big fan.
Setting up the new Naturally Dyed Goods space!
Ess checks on the stone ducks (formerly “tone ducks”) every year.
This is Essie, backing up into a bush the way that Katie from Horton Hears a Who did.
Ess decorated this chair for me on my birthday.
Holding a mouse Mykala sewed for her.
Best part of this video: “I’m not eating your tongue, that’s just how we shake hands!”
It is sort of interesting: the tags on this site don’t change, but our names for stuffed animals do. “Marge the Monkey” has changed to “Monkey Mao” to just Mao. The dragon in this video “Dante Fiero” changed to Dante but mostly just “Beela” because he would chase Ess and say “blah! blahblah!”
Before seeing Moana outside at the park. We got to do this a few times: bike over and enjoy the festivities before the movie began, and then bike home in the dark for bedtime. One time, Ess and I rode through a bunch of fireflies on a ride back; if that’s not magical, I don’t know what is.
“Hold it like a plate.”
Ok I could not get over this. By using some string and pipecleaners to make a broom and cat (!), and re-arranging Pink Lady’s hair, Mykala made such a great Kiki for Ess.
This is Essie’s version of Mike and Sulley from Monsters, Inc.
So we thought we’d have to cover these in stickers to get Ess to wear them, but she loved them immediately: they’re for loud situations like wedding receptions or Fourth of July fireworks.
The snake Ess really wanted to hold is off-camera.
Watching the fireworks.
Dressed up for cousin Jane’s wedding.
Mykala and I aren’t exactly… at our best in this photo. But it is the one where Ess is looking at the camera!
“The duckies like us because we just gave them food up close.”
Mykala dictated letters, and Ess wrote this! We were very pleased.
Hot, humid summer weather + dreams = Ess waking up drenched in sweat.
Chuck goes with Sally. They’re both mallards.
“Oh dear!!” is one of my favorite things Ess says.
