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This week’s artwork from School

Here’s some of the stuff Art has made in school. There are 15 kids in his class with just two teachers. It sounds like a recipe for chaos to me, but I think the group mentality takes hold because what little I’ve witnessed looks nothing like chaos. Looks pretty orderly, in fact. But still free. Anyway…

They do at least two art projects a day. The kids don’t have to do them – they can always just play with something else – but there are opportunities. The first one is from Monday. The projectd had something to do with pasting figures and painting something, or at leats that’s what a lot of other kids were bringing home. But Art(ie) decided to paint with brown that day. I really like it!

The next two are from Wednesday. They did Japanese fish stamping with big rubber fish and “wax relief” with crayons and watercolors. Apparently Art(ie) had drawn a duck, bird and dragon which were considerately labeled by the teacher.


Art has also learned some serious skills there at school, which have popped up spontaneously at home. He proudly showed me how he can put his pants on by himself. I have not been able get him interested in dressing himself, but apparently Veronica did. Then tonight he made a poo in the potty! Big deal for us. I wondered, though… “Have you pooped in the potty at school?” I asked, suspicious. “Yeah,” he said, smiling. “You did? Who helped you?” “Veronica,” he answered with a big grin. It’s so weird because he’s there for 3 1/2 hours but there are so many kids that there’s no way we can find out what he was doing all that time, so little bits and pieces get discovered over time. Kind of fun and strange for a mom who’s used to being there ALL THe TIME.

Meanwhile, in Lewis’ world, we have two teeth working their way through. Poor guy. What a drag! He’s awfully close to being able to sit up, too. He likes the new perspective. And he is ticklish. Like, bust-a-gut-laughing ticklish.

That’s enough. More pictures soon…

– Jess

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Momcation in Milwaukee with the Husband and Wife team, Em and Michael!

I just got back from a three day Momcation today.  I went to my cousin Sarah's wedding in Milwaukee sans children and sans Ben.  I missed them all, periodically, but I have to admit that I had a GREAT TIME!  I shopped a little bit, went on the Lakefront Brewery tour, went swimming with my sister, Emily, and her husband, Mike (also my suitemates at the awesome Doubletree Hotel, which gives out warm cookies upon check-in, or, apparently, whenever else you ask for one since we asked for some at 2am after the wedding and the concierge just said, "Sure.  How many?" to which Mike said, "I'm telling all my friends that Doubletree kicks ass!") danced for hours, literally, and jogged three miles with the bride, her mom and sister and Emily (on the morning of the wedding.  My sister did the same thing on her wedding day.  Is this a common custom?)  My legs are sore and I have a screaming blister on my pinky toe but, man, it was a good time. 

When I got home Art got super excited to see me and jumped and screamed through the front door.  That was really fun because I don't usually get such a reception, never really being out of his world for more than a half day or so at a time. Then he saw Mike.  He had to open the door so he could yell, "Hi Michael!  HI MICHAEL!"  Then he roped Michael into playing in the sandbox by saying, "I have something to show you, Michael!  It's outside."  When Mike and Em went home Art cried and said he wanted to go to his room to have a lot of gackoos and wait until Mike and Em came back to our house.  I had a great time with you guys, too, Em and Mike.  Here's one excerpt of my weekend with the ever witty, yet never pretentious Em and Mike:

Scene: Lazing in bed at awesome Doubletree
Mike:  Dude, you are so warm.  You're exothermic.  It's like you're radiating heat… Or maybe you're endothermic.
Em: (in perfect deadpan)  Then I would be cold on the outside.

That was a gooooooooooooooood time.  Thank you to all who made this weekend possible, including my mom, who entertained Lewis while Ben was at work, Josh and Ashley, who entertained Art that same day, Ben, who entertained the kids all the rest of the time so I could take this Momcation, and Em and Mike, who entertained me.