Arts top two teeth have now broken through! Thank god! He had a fever on and off for a couple days, was waking up at night inconsolable, and wasn’t eating too great, but it’s all over! The teeth are in and ready to razor off any finger that enters his mouth. Pictures to come once the things are visible.

Art at the zoo looking at jellyfish – man, he wanted to touch them! Art playing on his cousin Joey (what is Ben’s cousin to Art? Once removed? 2nd cousin?) Some Gibbons, Ben’s favorite animal at the zoo (well, that’s a gibbon, if you ask me.) Some fun times in Wabash.

Here’s some pictures of Art with his Yarnelle relatives, including his Grandma Nan (aka Nanna), her parents Peg and Joe, her sister and brother and their progeny.

Annette, Brian, and their son Danny, my (step) aunt, uncle, and cousin, were in town today and we all had breakfast together. Here’s Art meeting his family!

Art sleeps in his mama’s lap in an airplane en route to visit his family in Indiana (more photos soon!). 

well, yesterday our neighborhood had a block party as part of national night out. Art was held (and fed grapes and cantelope) by many neighbors, including Donna who lives a few houses down.

OK. So, I know people always say, “Just you wait, when he’s mobil it’s all over!” Some people have a need to focus on the downside of babycare all the time. Well, busy as it keeps me, I actually love that Art can get around. Just now I plopped him in the middle of the living room and snuck away to have some lunch. He saw his small toy piano (he has a big one too) in his toy basket accross the room and crawled over to it. He pulled it out of the basket and played it for a while. Then he decided he wanted to stand up so he moved over to the Exersaucer and pulled himself up on it. I love to see him able to get where he wants to go.

I know, I know. Now people are saying, “Oh, but when he starts walking…” There’s always someone who has to think of the next thing he’ll learn to do and make it sound like a horrible thing. And maybe it will be. But for now, seeing him gain some independence makes me really happy for him. And chasing after him is just part of my job. So I’ll chase him!

I don’t have a lot of time! He’s on his way over here right now! Crawling fast, getting up on anything he wants and “cruising” along furniture like a pro. He’s started to clank toys together, one in each hand, and has started banging pots with a utensil. Phew, Ben distracted him and now he’s back over by his toys, busy busy busy. He’s got a block in one hand and he’s opening and closing the doors on a farm toy with the other. Lately it’s very important that he play by himself without seeing or hearing me. He’s got the old “separation anxiety”. He’s fine playing alone as long as he doesn’t know I’m around, but once he notices me he usually gets upset and insists on being near me. So I’m keeping it on the down-low right now.

Oh dear, Ben just asked me a question and Art heard me answer. Now he’s on his way over again. Now he’s a few feet away. Now he’s pulled himself up on my skirt. Now he just undid one side of his diaper cover. Diaper is half on, half off. Must go now. Hope everyone is welL!