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My mother is back in town to help us with the kids. It's been wonderful and has given me and especially Jessica a chance to spend more time with Bubbe. Here's Nanna on the porch with her new rocking chair.

I don't post very often anymore because I am too busy being an awesome parent, as this photo documents. The boys were particularly at each other this particular evening and Art said he did NOT want Lewis in the bath with him, he wanted Lewis to have to wait for his bath, but Lewis was already getting undressed. I said I would out a "barrier" between them and envisioned policing them to stay on their own sides. The barrier was an instant hit. As soon as I started stringing it up Art said, "We can put our animals on it!" Notice the use of the word "we". And they continued to have a long bath together with their animals and without incident. I was so proud of myself I took a picture of the barrier, which actually took several minutes of tinkering to make strong enough for animals. It seems that with the addition of each child and each new challenge I have come to greater clarity in times of "crisis", if squabbling siblings during dinner p...

For nature day on Monday we went on a walk, all six of us, through the Robert bird sanctuary again near Lake Harriett. This was the place that last year we followed a deer and the the deer followed us . But we've never seen an owl! Art and Jessica both brought their bird books to identify birds along with some binoculars. As were were walking through a trail a nice birder fellow walked with us for a while so he could point out where a great horned owl was sitting on her nest. You can't see it in this photo but there we babies, or at least little balls of fluff that we suspected were them. It was excited to see such a big beautiful bird sort of up close.

Jessica was standing in the bedroom nursing a baby this morning. She looked down lovingly and said, "You know, sometimes it's nice to just nurse one baby."

Today we had over family for no other reason than because we could and because it fun. Lots of coffee, lots of babies, lots of laughing. At one point I lost track of my camera and found this gem as I was downloading photos. I still don't know who took this. That bottle was full before Deb gave it to Bailey... Hannah donates her glasses to a baby. Adria (Bubbe) was coaxed out of her house and ended up having a 'lovely time' and eating quite a bit. Hooray! She even let us roll her to the park on a walk. Look how big and pregnant Cait is. OMFG. Charlotte, left, Netta and Bailey duke it out for the best toy. We went on a large Easter 'parade'--a walk to the park. Brian and Art. Lewis gives Paul a lift. Brian. Bob show's Lewis a trick. Charlotte and her mama. Netta and Deb. Bailey and Uncle Dick.

This morning Jessica and I were in the kitchen arguing about all sorts of dumb stuff. And then Art appears out of nowhere and announces, "Look, I'm nursing a baby!" Jess and I had nice big barrel laugh and were jolted out of our silly argument. Thank you for nursing that baby Arthur!

Arthur and Lewis often wake up around the same time, 7am. They often chit chat in their room just laying there, Art in his top bunk, Lewis right below him. This morning Art asked Lewis, "Lewis, do you want me to snuggle with you in your bed?" "Uh huh," said Lewis in sort of a pouty of-course-I-do voice. So Art crawled in and a few moments later I heard Art ask "Lewis, can I count your teeth?" And then I hear Art say methodically, "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, fifteen, sixteen, eighteen, nineteen." And then Lewis said, "Art, can I count your teeth?" "Sure." "One, two, three, four, five six, seven, eight,  nine, ten, eleven, thirteen, fourteen, sixteen." They were just laying there all snuggled up side by side with their mouths stretched super wide waiting patiently as their brother counted their teeth.

We found out a couple weeks ago which school Arthur is going to next year-- Clara Barton Open School . In Minneapolis you can choose which school you want to go to, or at least request it. Some schools are very tough to get into and others, like your neighborhood school, are guaranteed. Unfortunatley our neighborhood school is not so good (I wish is was and hate to think about how some public schools are so bad and others so good). Anyway, we visited many many schools and labored over our decision. Whichever school Arthur goes to is the one Lewis, Netta and Bailey will, too (siblings get priority enrollement). So it's a really big deal for our family. In fact, the child of our neighbor got on the waiting list for a couple schools so they're actually putting their house on the market and moving this summer. I hate to think of it but we may have considered the same had we not gotten into Barton. It's a lottery system, so it's total luck of the draw. And for some reason, w...

Nettas are left, Baileys right (made with a slick feature in Picasa).

This just in from arts preschool teacher. --sent from my handheld device-- ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: "Jen Boss" Date: Apr 20, 2011 10:40 AM Subject: Art lost his tooth. Everyone is in a dither!! -Jen

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW2uxUUgA9A?rel=0]

Today was the resumption of a family tradition. Morning bike ride to the May Day Cafe and then a couple hours of lazy play at Powderhorn Park. Amazingly all SIX of us rode bikes to the cafe. Figure that one out... I wish we had gotten a photo. Here's how: Me on my bike, Art behind on one of those trail-a-bike things (that I just bought off craiglist) and then attached to the trail-a-bike was the bike trailer carrying Netta and Bailey. Then, Jessica on her bike with Lewis squished into the bike seat on her bike rack. I had wondered if it would be possible to form a train of sorts with my bike, the trail-a-bike and the trailer. And it actually works really well and will prove to be a useful way to all bike somewhere as a family. Anyway, Powderhorn is such a lovely park and the people are often so friendly. I brought a tiny piece of bread to feed the fish and we quickly ran out (as Lewis often throws HUGE chunks or ALL chunks at one time). There was a couple feeding the ducks and they...

We stopped by Bubbe's house on a bike ride today (she's doing alot better with more energy--just regular old Bubbe except tethered). After we left her house Art said, "Papa, I remember when I was little I used to go on walks with Bubbe and look for flowers."

Yesterday Art was invited to a birthday party at Chucky Cheese for his friend Benji. Si, Art's very best friend, also went and his papa Jeff kindly offered to take the two of them. Art had never been to the place and, when he saw Jessica and I, enthusiastically tried to explain all sorts of unexplainable stuff. Something about roller coaster that's not really roller coaster. It's just a TV. If your turning you go Ahhhh! And something with a propeller that you sit in an goes to the ceiling. Art often talks more when his body than his mouth, using every appendage to make clear what he's talking about. It actually really fun to listen to him try to describe something he doesn't quite have the words for. Here are two hilarious photos Jeff sent me from the day. Si, left, and Art.

Arthur and Lewis have never been to a movie theater. They've lived sheltered and simple lives of theatrical deprivation. So today, on a whim, I made up for the glaring deficit in one fell swoop, by taking them to see a show in 3-D(!) on the enormous IMAX theater at the zoo. We watched ' Born to be Wild ', a beautiful 45-minute film about orphaned orangutans and elephants. It was really spectacular. A few times I'd notice the kids reaching forward trying to grab an elephant's trunk or something. The footage was just incredible, flying airplanes over mountains, wrestling with a baby elephant in beautiful afternoon light, all with Morgan Freeman's deep soothing voice. Art and Lew barely moved. As Jess and I like to say, they were on 'record' mode, just soaking it all in. After the movie we walked through the zoo's tropical area.

Art and his best friend Si search for tastiness.

She takes it everywhere with her!

Netta Bailey