this e-mail just arrived from Jessica and it's worth posting for the harder core Art/Lew followers:

Josh stopped by on the way to the hardware store around 11 and he and Art walked down to 48th and back.  Then Art played in the backyard knocking "pins" down, but this time he would set two of the toddler chairs on the top of the back steps, walk around to the back of the steps and kick them down.  He was "devastating" them.  Then he starting playing "baseball" by throwing the blue bowling ball into the plants.  I asked him not to do that so he started to roll down the tipped wheelbarrow, which he then said was making "thunder".  Then we came in to eat a little bit.  I said, "It's time for your nap," and he said, "Yeah, it's time for my nap," (!).  We went upstairs, I tucked him in and sang a song.  He asked for the door closed.  I was downstairs starting up Colbert and trying to lull Lew to sleep when I heard a faint, "Mama?" and then all of a sudden Art's voice was at the top of the stairs.  "Mama – I dropped my gackoo outside.  It got all dirty!"  He apparently had gone to look out his window, opened it and his blue gackoo fell out.  That was sort of funny.

His sunflower is TWICE as tall as it was yesterday.  WOW!

Devontae, Art, and I went to Minnehaha Falls a couple days ago. Devontae took the photos. And then afterwards Art and Devontae mowed the front lawn together.

Art and I had a wonderful day.  In the morning we got together with Evva and her baby brother, Oscar and mom Erin and we played and ate dinner with our neighbors, Becca, Alma and McClain.  At bedtime, after a few books and many songs (I kept doing "one more" because we were having such a lovely time) I turned out the light and told him that I had a lot of fun with him today.      

          Anyway, this went on for a few minutes and finally I said it was time to go to sleep.  And he said, "No!  I want to talk to Mama!  I want to talk about Evva!"  I thought that was really funny and I think he knew that he was stalling his sleeptime.  We laughed with our faces really close and I eventually pulled myself away. 
         We had such a lovely time.  I wish I could bottle it and have it again and again.

1:48p and both bugs are still awake.  Lewis is peaceful but not asleep.  Art has learned that he can get out of bed if he doesn't want to sleep and is exercising that ability right now.  I told him that if he doesn't stay in bed I will close his door.  So now he is in his room, mumbling and bumbling about who knows what but at least he's in there and if Lewis cooperates, I could maybe steal 15 minutes nap while Art entertains himself in there.

Here's some funny stuff he was saying to me before I locked him up.  He called to me from his bed and I would respond, kinda laughing, every time.

Thanks… for singing… Reading Rainbow, Mama.
You're welcome, Arthur.
Thanks for… reading… Stone Soup, Mama.
You're welcome, Arthur.
Thanks for… eating… eating a… Veggie Burger, Mama.
You're welcome, Arthur.

This is our neighbor Tenzien holding Lewis. Her little boy is one day younger than Art and has been living with relatives in India for the past year. He’s coming back this summer for good and she (and we) are excited. He won’t be speaking English (yet), but we hope that won’t get in the way of play time in the sandbox.

Today Art and Devontae and I went to a fancy park near Lake of the Isles and then had Ice Cream at Sebastian Joe’s afterwards. Devontae is so fun to watch with Art. He totally appreciates Art’s desire to do things over and over a million times.