Maggiesville

We're home and our long weekend at the beach house was wonderful. We feel so lucky to know so many good, kind people and this weekend we added two more to the list (hi Jessica and Marni).

I was pretty lax with the picture-taking but I expect some photo galleries to be popping up soon.

I should add that while the bulk of the weekend was fantastic, we did experience our first parenting trauma. On Saturday night Maggie woke up in hysterics and was entirely inconsolable. It wasn't at all the usual wimper but unbearable, horrible sobbing. We knew something was wrong but it took one full hour of crying to finally figure that the poor girl's tummy must hurt after not having a b.m. for two days. Not knowing how to help, I called my mom and dad who offered the most terrifying advice: a "soap stick". (Yikes!) Without getting too graphic it involved a bar of Ivory Soap from Eric, Ryan's pocket knife, some whittling from Jason, and Graham and I at the helm. I know it sounds crazy but in the middle of the night your options are a bit limited and this certainly was not going to take care of itself. I also must say that as unpleasant as it was, it did produce the desired result. It still took a good bit of time for Maggie to settle but the soap stick combined with a warm bath and lots of tlc finally brought the little girl (and everyone else) some peace.

The whole ordeal was rather dramatic but our friends complimented us for being so "amazingly calm". What they don't know is that after the dust settled and Maggie and I laid down to sleep, I finally let out my own little tears.