margethemonkey
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Ess and Two Monkeys
You are viewing stuff tagged with margethemonkey.
And there I am on the busy playground, looking up at my daughter with her two stuffed monkeys as she is about to put them down the slide. It is still a little cool out, winter into spring, and the clouds blot the sun, making it easy to see her clearly.
Down the slide goes one monkey, this one not quite as precious to Ess, this one the emissary into the world, spiraling down towards the ground. And up the slide charges someone new, one taller and bigger and stronger than my daughter. I had anticipated this: aware that these stuffed toys, so obviously having only spent time indoors, away from rain and dirt and vicissitudes, would attract all kinds of attention.
Ess is taking good care of her favorite friend monkey.
Ess arranged mama monkey (left) tucking in Marge the monkey (a.k.a. Monkey-Mao) before bed.
Ess decided that Marge the monkey was only going to be able to sleep if Ess arranged every single one of the available towels and washclothes in a tasteful melange about the outside of the crib. Lately, Ess also takes a stuffed animal, puts it down for its nap, and then piles layer after layer of blankets on them. She takes very good care of her charges.
“Hey Essie, can you come sit on my lap to read the book?”
“No, I have to see it from far away.”
“Essie, what color is Dada’s hair?”
“Brown, like a moose!”
“Essie, tell Monkey Marge to say goodnight to Dada.”
“Goodnight, Dada. … ooh ooh aah aah.”
Mykala MADE these masks. MADE them. Ok, Esmé’s was store-bought, but the other three, she made. This seems to be a theme with my posts — check out what Mykala made (as Ess would say, with her one-two mama meow paws).
Ess: Katerina Kitty Cat
Mykala: Mama Meow
Dada: Dada Owl
Marge: Supporting Cat (Unnamed)
Ess likes to watch a movie called Curious George Swings into Spring, but she asks for it by saying something like “watch… maow… ping… and balloons UP and UP” or some other kind of variation on her summary of the plot. To translate: her stuffed monkey’s name is Marge, nicknamed Mow, so monkeys get called Mows; there are hot air balloons in the movie in many shapes, and sometimes we have only the barest hint of a guess which movie she’s referring to. There’s also ‘Crinkas Pooh’ (Christmas Pooh), ‘Pump pump Mow’ (Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest), and ‘Ringinal Pooh’ (The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, which we sometimes call Original Pooh).
This book is called I Know a Monkey and it is about Ess’ stuffed monkey Marge. In the book, it calls the monkey “he” but we change it to “she”.
It’s a sunny 42° outside and Mykala graciously extended what was already a long week of parenting through this morning so I could go workout at Lifetime. I came back and jumped into the unfolding morning: Marge had juice spilled on her and Mykala had already washed her; she was damp and drying. Ess had dismantled a few areas of the house, and was ready to play more. Mykala had to leave. With the cutest little repetition of “bye” you could possibly imagine, Essie wished Mykala well, and then it was the two of us.
This is Marge the monkey, from Katy.