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Apparently breastmilk is so perfectly designed for human digestion that a breastfed baby can go several days without making a big stinky ("Garvin" for bowel movement). We have recently witnessed this phenomenon. Art made a big stinky today, Tuesday, and his last big stinky was last Thursday! By the way, have you noticed how big his thighs are getting?

Here's a link to where you can watch a little video we took this morning of Arthur smiling while I sing Itsy Bitsy Spider. Look at that beautiful baby interacting! (It will take a little while to load, but it's worth it.) http://www.bengarvin.com/itsybitsy.WMV

This picture was taken on Friday, January 27th. Look at those cheeks! The blubber keeps him warm in the Minnesota winter.

Art had his two month check-up today! He's 23 1/2 inches and 13lbs 5oz. That means he has grown 2 1/2 inches since his birthday and gained over five pounds since he left the hospital! Like a weed. Everything looks good and normal. He took his shots like a man - he cried but was able to pull himself together once he saw my boob and have a snack - and impressed the nurses with his alertness and good nature. What a good baby. Just look at the chub -

Well, just in time, when I was about to get burned out, Art smiled AT ME! Not a random, spontaneous smile, but a reactive smile when I smiled at him. He did it twice! And then I did Itsy Bitsy Spider with him and Ben saw him smile during the song! So he is evolving from Blob stage. This is a great day for us, his parents, and especially me. I was starting to consider pulling my hair out being servant to a blob.

Here's a link to gallery of photos from Art's first two months! http://www.bengarvin.com/artsfirst2months/

Sister-in-law Ashley thinks Art looks much older and more expressive in the pictures we have posted. --this is Ben, and I'm hijacking this post. A slave, a blob! Wholly moley. Jessica is working on 5-hrs sleep and lots of baby care. She's laughing as I type since the title and mood of her post are so ridiculous. not without merit for sure. She's been working hard hard and can't put the baby down.-- >>>>Art being snapped up by his Grandpa>>>

Well, the first several weeks we slept with Art in our bed and that was quite convenient, what with him waking so often and all, but it was starting to get old. Now Art sleeps in his own crib, thanks to Ben, King of Getting Art to Sleep in His Crib! He was able to woo Art into feeling safe and comfortable in the crib without any tears! That's right! Art never had to cry himself to sleep, nor did he need a pacifier or excessive "lulling". King Ben simply worked his secret magic using auras or some sort of magnetic device (I don't really know because I was sleeping in the guest room the first fateful night of this miracle). Now it's a few days later and Art is clearly content with the new arrangement and is sleeping longer, too. Yeah for everyone!!!

 

Here's a couple pic's from this morning when Tim came to town. My Mom got over here for breakfast while Tim and Ben were on the way from the airport and she actually smiled for the camera! She was hoping that Art would stay awake until Tim got here, but he fell asleep.

But then Art woke up when Tim got here a few minutes later. We didn't get a picture from when they first met, but Art was staring right at Tim for a long time. Mezmorized by his beard, no doubt. And his Grandpapa voice.

Man, I really love him. -ben

After I changed Art's diaper this morning I decided to let his bum air out for a while. I put a clean diaper over him and hung out making faces and talking to him. Then he got a big broad smile and shot pee accross the bed! I thought he was probably done, so I left him un-diapered and kept playing around. Then - another big smile and more pee! At least I know one way to get him to smile. It's messy, but it seems to work!

Art has been especially talkative these last couple days, saying things like "Gah", "Goo", "Coo", "Cah-ow!", "Gai" and even "Boo". I discovered yesterday that he has horrible manners because he talks a lot while I read to him. Here's a poem that Ben and I especially like: Woodpecker Woodpecker is rubber-necked But has a nose of steel. He bangs his head against the wall And cannot even feel. When Woodpecker's jack-hammer head Starts up its dreadful din Knocking the dead bough double dead How do his eyes stay in? Pity the poor dead oak that cries In terrors and in pains. But pity more Woodpecker's eyes And bouncing rubber brains. - Ted Hughes (Thanks Em and Mike for giving Art the wonderful poetry book!)

This is a little smiley Art. Jessica was baking chocolate chip cookies, maybe it was the smell? All he gets is milk, it's just so sad!  

Jessica tries to give Art some 'quality time' in his crib. She's trying to train him that crib=happiness! For us and him.