This morning Lewis nodded his head for the first time!! He pushed a
stool over to the counter and climbed up, pulled a bag of bread to
himself and whimpered. I asked him if he wanted some bread and he did
the Full Body Nod, a head nod that seems to require effort from nearly
every muscle group to produce. Yeah Lewis!!

Last night Arthur saw his first fireworks, and it was entirely thrilling for him. Rarely does he stay up past 8:30, and even rarer does he take a CAR RIDE IN HIS PAJAMAS WITH HIS PAPA IN THE DARK TO SEE FIREWORKS! He stayed up late watching a nature show, then and 9:30 we went over the Powderhorn Park, the same park Jess and Emily watched fireworks when they were kids. As we were walking a couple blocks to the park Art started asking all sort of questions, including the recurring one, “Will the fireworks hit my head?”

The park was total chaos. Kids and cops and families all over. Men breathing fire (see above), and fireworks being lit in every direction. I remember seeing someone just to my left holding a roman candle shooting colored fire in the air. Random bursts of light and sound and smoke in all directions. There was alot of energy. As I held Art’s spindly little body I could feel him trembling as he clung tightly to my neck. He was literally shaking from the sheer excitement of it all. In the dark. Past his bedtime. Seeing FIREWORKS!

We found a spot near the lake to see the show. I had planned to take some photos of the fireworks, us watching them, etc. But my fingers were immediately employed as earplugs and if I moved them the tiniest bit I’d get a complaint. “Papa, Papa! Too loud!” Art is sensitive to loud sounds, but I realized he’s mostly sensitive to surprise sounds. He was OK with the loud cracks and fizzes of the fireworks, and he sat there entranced for most of the show. Towards the end he started getting overwhelmed and we walked further away to see the grand finale.

I had more fun imagining Art’s perspective then experiencing my own last night. I remember once as a kid my parents woke me up around 10pm to go to some sort of carnival. I’ll never forget the sense of amazement I felt at seeing what the world looked like when I was supposed to be sleeping. I think Art had the same feeling last night.

Ok, I know there is a video of me after Art was born lamenting that he is growing up so fast because he was two days old and the next day he wasn't going to be two days old anymore.  I know I said that, and I meant it!  But I really do love to see my children adopt certain tasks as their own.  Lewis is gaining more and more communication skills, minor as they mights seem.  He will shake his head no when he doesn't want something, he will lift his empty glass up for more of what was in it, he will walk over to his high chair and even start to pull it over to the table when he's hungry.  I love that!!!  And Art going up to his room, pulling up his own covers and taking a nap.  Doesn't happen everyday but today he said he was going to take a "break" and when I went up there much later he was all snuggled in for a nap.  Or when he wanted frozen blueberries, got himself a bowl from the tupperware shelf, went into the freezer and poured his own.  Or how he'll go into Lewis's room and pull his crib away from the wall so he can get the gackoos that fell behind it.  Ironic?  Showing independence while also still being a pacifier addict?  Sure, but I still think it's great.

Pokey-pine.

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

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.