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Jessica went to a workout class yesterday and was all sporty and redfaced when she returned.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hJEKSFIN6g&hl=en&fs=1&&w=480&h=385] I took Arthur to the indoor climbing thing at Burger King the other day. "Papa, let's go to the french fry climbing place!" He made a friend there.

Oh! It is REALLY fun to have a baby around. Especially Lewis. He is great fun! First of all, he is achingly cute. Sometimes I just have to keep looking at him. Second of all, he is hilarious! Because he's a baby (well, he's technically a toddler) he's doing all sorts of funny things while he learns about the world. Reclining chair? Then I will recline. And this thing he does with costumes... He'll walk up to one of us with a costume making an urgent sound, so we'll put it over his head (even if it's the body part, like in the picture below) and he's immediately start walking around making "oooh oooh eeee ooooh" sounds. And he has a need to climb on everything to discover its possibilities. Sometimes safe (see tricycle). Sometimes not so much (chair). What a treat! -Jessica

After a morning of meltdowns and feeling doom as parents of our sensitive, combustible little Art a great afternoon was had.  We mowed the backyard.  Art would take a turn and then me.  It's a push mower so he can totally manage it and I would say he did about 1/3 of the humble backyard.  Then Lew woke up and we all bumbled around on beds for a while.  Then we went down for some ravioli.  While Lewis was eating Art was hiding behind the dining room door making noises.  Lewis thought that was really funny and I said, "Is that Arthur?" and Lewis pointed to the door!  I asked him again, "Where is Arthur?" and he pointed at the door again!  So Lewis definitely knowns Art's name.  And he knows how to answer Where is... Then I shoved the boys in the car so we could go get a birthday present for Art's school friend.  We went to Michael's craft store to get art supplies (Miles likes to draw) and Art did pretty well waiting patiently.  Of course, I had also ...

Bubbe chose and excellent night to stop by on her way home from work last night. It was pizza night, and Jessica had made an especially tasty one (homemade crust, fresh mozzarella). I saw her in the kitchen tossing a crust into the air and pretending to sing some funny Italian tune. Lewis eats and eats and eats. Art gives Bubbe a cheek pat on her way out.

The other night it was real hot, so Arthur slept in our room with the AC. We asked if he wanted to sleep in our bed, and his face lit up, he was so excited. I actually moved the sleepy toddler into his own bed later in the night (with a fan)--he's so big and spindly there was hardly room for the three of us.

A funny video of Josh playing the harmonica (right click to download, or just click on it and wait for a bit): www.bengarvin.com/harmonica.mov Devontae was quite proud of this airborne horse shoe photo. mmm, a chili dog. Devontae caught a number of fish, including the two largest. About 10% as tasty as they look here. We built a swing while we were there. Super high, super fun. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yfb03F_aPsc&hl=en&fs=1&&w=640&h=385] EXTREME SWINGING! This nest was right next to the screen on the porch.

Lewis on his back, as if he fell out of a tree or something.  Art on the floor.  He keep putzing after I leave him for his nap and putzes himself to sleep on the floor and I have to move him into bed.

Ben went to the cottage with Josh and Devonte to have a "special time" and Art, Lewis and I had a special time at the zoo. We really did have a good time! I was trying to snag my sister or mom or another friend to join us but it actually worked out well this way. Art doesn't have a lot of patience for animal watching at the zoo - he's only 3 1/2 for God's sake! So we could move on quickly. And Lewis could keep trudging ahead. Art was great at running after Lewis and trying to keep him from escaping. Lewis was great at walking really fast and getting away from us. He walked/ran through the whole Tropics Trail. We also saw the brown bear in the Grizzly Trail (he was sleeping) and some otters and we went through the butterfuly tent. We got our picture taken by another single parent out there (a dad with a anti-stroller toddler) and hung out at the fountains for a while (see blown-out-but-lovely-moment picture below.) We also spent a good deal of time going ...

Since Art doesn't watch a whole lot of T.V., and has never really seen commercials or anything but public television, he only knows his superheros from his friends. I'm actually excited to watch Superman with him some day. He saw a little bit of it several months ago and he was fascinated by how the Caped Crusader could fly. Anyway, Art has invented his own superhero - Amazing Man! Amazing Man can do anything wants because he's amazing! That's what Art said. And the villian in Art's scenerios? The Bad Man. The Bad Man does only things that are bad, because he's The Bad Man. And that's how it goes. You should see the show sometime. It's really exciting.

Well, my mom thought that last post was the saddest thing she ever read but fear not!!!! Art is not a sad case. He just had a sad moment. Today we had a lovely time doing "projects". Art loves doing anything with glue or scissors. He likes to use tools. So he made a... something with pom poms and googly eyes and lots of glue. yesterday he did spun art with the salad spinner. I love to see Art do amy art since it's so rate fir him. I just love to see what he decides to create- where he chooses to place things,what colors he uses. While he was gluing the pom poms I decided to see what he would do with something representational. I cut out a monster type shape and said he could give it some eyes and hair, maybe a mouth.... He gave it two eyes! And a LOT of hair. And then he got distracted by stickers and just started focusing on peeling backings off and stacking them. But it was a nice little moment of art with Art. Meanwhile Lewis was stabbing a sheet of paper with crayo...

Today I brought Art to a "ballet" class at one of our local parks. I thought it might be a fun thing, and it's just another opportunity for Art to realize he can have fun without me. Anyway, it was not smooth sailing. At first he had his usual shyness, which was no big deal. He didn't follow me out or anything, but as soon as the kids were asked about their favorite animals Art started to cry. They made some animal sounds and it got kind of loud. Art doesn't too well with loud sounds, especially when he's feeling stressed. That happened a couple more times. The room would get just a little loud and I could see his shoulders pull up and his cheeks turn red (I was watching from the door and his back was to me.) I tell you, the other kids looked really confused and the teacher tried to pat his knee or rub his back to calm him down. Then they all got up to do something and I don't remember what it was but he crumbled again, and this time he just chan...

So much Art and Tsundi activity lately, poor second-child Lewis has been getting the major Blog-shaft.  But there is a lot to say about Lewis lately.  He's been a busy boy.  He totally has a first word with "Hi!" Uses it in it's appropriate context all the time.  He especially loves to hide behind a door frame or a newspaper and suddenly show his face with a loud, "HI!"  And he is loving pouring water from one container to another.  That's all he does in the bathtub these days.  He can do accept a toast.  Just say, "Cheers!" and he will bring whatever is in his hand up to whatever is in your hand.  Turning into a little person more and more.  Those costumes we got have been fun.  Art was a monkey for two days straight and would walk around making monkey sounds.  He did it so much when I put any hat on Lewis - monkey, giraffe or even a sunhat, he started to make monkey sounds.   Ben and I actually had trouble telling the difference between Art a...

For those who may not know, Art says goodbye to people by patting their cheek.

Lewis slept terribly last night. After Jess let me sleep in, I whisked the kids off to one of the best parks in Minneapolis, Brackett Field , so Jess could get a nice loooong nap. Brackett Field has the best playground equipment and it's in a neighborhood we love and hope to move to someday. Anyway, we spent most of our time in the woods nearby exploring and then giving eachother 'haircuts' under a pine tree. There's a video of it below. Art gives himself a haircut. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbWflyyKKQU&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00&border=1&w=660&h=525]

Jess and kids stopped by to deliver my forgotten lunch today and we walked for a bit in the skyways.

At around 9:45 tonight, while I was winding down for bed, I heard Art fidgeting.  He was sitting up and ready to go to the bathroom.  I brought him in and while he was still sitting on the loo he said, gravelly voiced, "I love you, Mama." I told him, "I love you, too.  Art.  I love you a lot."

so, we bought this costume at the zoo yesterday. And ever since Jessica and I have had the song from this hilarious SNL skit in our brains. GIRAFFES! http://www.hulu.com/embed/QWUKX5m5yAlzMDELr0jlrQ

Tsundi arrived while Art was sleeping. I started him off with some play dough which he really enjoyed. He made a lot of 'pizza' and while I tinkered about the house he kept asking, "What doing!?" Everything Tsundi says is in a sort of yelling, screaming sort of way. When I ask him to be quiet he whispers in a screaming sort of way. The intensity is always the same: INTENSE! [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvkdzeG2eV8&hl=en&fs=1&&w=425&h=344] When Art woke up we played in the front yard, the back yard and inside. Somehow we ended up inside drawing with markers on construction paper. That was fun and quiet. So weird for Art and Tsundi. Then Art decided he wanted to draw on his foot. Tsundi took his socks off and Art drew on Tsundi's foot. Then the two of them were busy coloring Tsundi's shins for a while until Art got refocused on himself. Then Art wanted to take off his shirt and color his chest. Naturally, Tsundi wanted...