#athena choate

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

It's worth noting that Magnus slept until 8:45 this morning -- easily a lifetime personal best.

We hit the zoo by mid-morning, but lost steam quickly after lunch, so we bounced out to the Science Center. At one point, Mom and Gus went off on their own and Magnus hung with me and Yiayia. Here they are after keeping an eye on the chickens.

We had dinner at a Thai place downtown. Gus shared a salmon skin roll with me, but he mostly wanted to eat Magnus's California roll. I'm proud of you both for eating outside your comfort zones, which is something that's important to Mom and me.

Dad.

St. Louis, Missouri. 5.6.2023 - 2.51pm.

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

I took the day off in recognition of Veterans Day. I met up with Cody for our annual lunch and spent most of the rest of the day writing -- I've been working on some historical fiction, but it's really hard for me. I'll probably abandon soon and go back to some nonfiction. But for now, I'm enjoying the exercise.

Yiayia came over tonight to stay with you so that Mom and I could go to a UA-Little Rock alumni happy hour and then we watched from the Development Suite as the Lady Trojans blew a huge lead to the Lady Razorbacks. But it was a fun night just the same.

Dad.

Little Rock, Arkansas. 11.11.2024 - 5.14pm.

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

Yiayia & Errol came over just before the street closed to see you two in your costumes -- and they distributed fangs to the family. Grandpa & Tutu set up shop behind our candy table -- Tutu to pass out candy, Grandpa to sit very still in his mask and scare the bejeezus out of children. I had fun blowing my whistle and throwing flags on people for various things as we walked up and down the street. At one point, Mom told me she was going to take the whistle away from me. Nene joined us as well. Gus had fun running wild with his friends. Magnus had fun with everything.

A good Halloween. We ran out of candy -- 600 pieces -- around 7.30, which was earlier than usual. When I walked Nene to her car around 8, there were some junior high kids in half-assed costumes who just read the Jacksons' sign saying they were out of candy and I overheard a girl say, "How you got this big-ass house and cain't afford enough candy?" I said, "Thanks for coming!"

Dad.

Little Rock, Arkansas. 10.31.2024 - 4.52pm.

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

Gus had a sleepover at Rhett's last night. We picked him up around 3.15 and headed to Yiayia's house for dinner. Lily has been visiting for the past week, but she flies back to NYC tomorrow. It took a few tries to get a photo where you two could pass as normal children.

Dad.

North Little Rock, Arkansas. 8.24.2024 - 6.45pm.

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

Yiayia, Nene, and Rick joined us for cheeseburgers to mark the end of the summer for Gus. Magnus has the week off of school, but Gus will begin second grade in tomorrow morning.

Dad.

Little Rock, Arkansas. 8.11.2024 - 6.56pm.

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

Mom worked today, so it was Choate Boy day at Yiayia's house. We played, I did the crossword puzzle, we got the pool out on the back porch, Gus went with me to our house so I could pack a bag for my trip to Wichita tomorrow, we played Civilization IV, and we had another sleepover.

Dad.

North Little Rock, Arkansas. 7.14.2024 - 8.39am.

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

Mags had his three-year checkup today. He's healthy, proportional, and growing -- somewhere around the 30th percentile. Yiayia came over to hang out for most of the day. Errol brought over Taj Mahal for dinner -- you two ate Indian chicken nuggets and French fries. After dinner, the three of you played a Cat in the Hat matching game that Nancy gave us this week when she was cleaning out the toy collection she mostly just kept for her grandchildren, who are grown up now.

Dad.

Little Rock, Arkansas. 6.25.2024 - 6.59pm.

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

Yiayia came home from Big Yiayia's house in Las Vegas yesterday. She joined us for dinner and gave you your birthday presents early -- portable DVD players/tablets for our upcoming road trip to Arizona to see Grandpa & Tutu and back. Mom and I have lifted restrictions on screen-time for the trip because we realize we're asking a lot of you to spend three days in the car each way. But even if it's going to be a long trip, we're all excited about it. Stops planned at Cadillac Ranch, Sandia Peak Tramway, Grand Canyon, White Sands, Legoland, Meow Wolf.

Dad.

Little Rock, Arkansas. 6.6.2024 - 5.17pm.

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

Gus had his last soccer game of the season this morning. Things got crazy when the opposing coach kicked the ball as hard as he could -- basically into the woods -- to stop the game when his kid got hurt. I don't know if he was mad that the game did stop before or if he was mad at his kid for being a crybaby (because he kinda was). Anyway, after that all the parents got really invested in what was previously a chill game. We got the tie, which made for an undefeated season. There's one more game, but we're hosting the Choate side of the family next Saturday, so Gus won't make it. Here's a photo of the team after today's game.

Errol and the Yiayias came over tonight and joined us for tacos on the back porch. (Little) Yiayia asked Gus to take their picture and he kept doing weird things with the camera instead of just taking a regular photo, so they held the pose forever. It was hilarious to watch, but also excruciating. I finally walked over and took the photo.

Dad.

Little Rock, Arkansas. 5.4.2024 - 7.08pm.

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

Mom and I went to breakfast this morning at The Bagel Shop, then drove across the river to pick you two up. We ended up hanging out all day. Yiayia said everyone had a good night.

We took Big Yiayia and Magnus to Home Depot so we could get a pressure washer and some other things. I put a dent in a couple of the crosswords that Yiayia's been saving for me. Gus earned a quarter per baby oak tree that he pulled from the yard. Magnus played restaurant and helped cook dinner. We all took a family walk to the end of the street and back. A good day. But it is worth noting that Magnus won't stop saying "poo-poo" and "pee-pee" in response to everything.

Dad.

North Little Rock, Arkansas. 4.21.2024 - 10.30am.

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

Big Yiayia is visiting. Mom told me she and Yiayia were taking her to Raduno and Loblolly for lunch. I ate at my desk, but decided at the last minute to ride my bike over and join them for Loblolly. They ended up getting tira misu at Raduno, but they saved me a few bites, so I was satisfied.

After dinner, we went to Cate's school to watch her in the NYC ensemble of Annie Jr. She looked so grown up. And the musical was solid for a high school production. Magnus sat in Nene's lap the whole time and refused to let go of her when I put him in the car afterward.

Dad.

Little Rock, Arkansas. 4.12.2024 - 1.20pm.

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

Yiayia & Errol came over this morning to hang out with you two so Mom and I could go to Oaklawn. This photo is the moment after I said, "Look who's here..." After spotting Yiayia, you both ran out to meet them on the front porch.

I bet $10 on the #1 horse across the board in every race. I did not make money, but it was a fun day.

Dad.

Little Rock, Arkansas. 3.23.2024 - 9.32am.

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

Yiayia spent the night with us after going with you two and Mom to the zoo today. Magnus and I took Suki for a walk when I got home. Mom made chicken and asparagus for dinner, then you both had strawberries for dessert.

At bath time, Magnus told me he needed to get out and go poo-poo, which is already a huge win, but then after I moved him to the toilet, he actually went poo-poo after sitting there for a good 15 minutes. Progress.

Dad.

Little Rock, Arkansas. 3.20.2024 - 7.13pm.

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

I met Mom and Yiayia for lunch today at Bread Cheese Wine to discuss the three of us investing in piece of real estate. I've been actively looking for the right opportunity for a few years now and I think I've found it. Stay tuned.

Dad.

Little Rock, Arkansas. 2.2.2024 - 12.35pm.

UPDATE: We made an offer that the seller's realtor hinted would get the job done, but someone else outbid us. Drats. Back on the hunt.

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

We went to Yiayia's house tonight for dinner. You two have been out of school all week for weather and our outgoing pipes are still frozen and we're all so thankful to be out of the house for a little bit.

Dad.

North Little Rock, Arkansas. 1.19.2024 - 7.44pm.

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

We made it to St. Louis. You two did pretty good in the car, though Magnus refused to take his nap. We stopped for lunch in Pocahontas at a Wendy's. (We mapped a local eatery, but when we got there it didn't exist.) After checking into the hotel, Gus wanted pizza, of course, so we went to a place called The Foundry, which is a food hall in the style that has become trendy. It was a great place for us all to get what we wanted and you two could run around without bothering any other patrons.

Dad.

St. Louis, Missouri. 5.5.2023 - 6.25pm.