Man, I really love him.
-ben

After I changed Art’s diaper this morning I decided to let his bum air out for a while. I put a clean diaper over him and hung out making faces and talking to him. Then he got a big broad smile and shot pee accross the bed! I thought he was probably done, so I left him un-diapered and kept playing around. Then – another big smile and more pee! At least I know one way to get him to smile. It’s messy, but it seems to work!

Art has been especially talkative these last couple days, saying things like “Gah”, “Goo”, “Coo”, “Cah-ow!”, “Gai” and even “Boo”. I discovered yesterday that he has horrible manners because he talks a lot while I read to him. Here’s a poem that Ben and I especially like:

Woodpecker

Woodpecker is rubber-necked
But has a nose of steel.
He bangs his head against the wall
And cannot even feel.

When Woodpecker’s jack-hammer head
Starts up its dreadful din
Knocking the dead bough double dead
How do his eyes stay in?

Pity the poor dead oak that cries
In terrors and in pains.
But pity more Woodpecker’s eyes
And bouncing rubber brains.

–Ted Hughes

(Thanks Em and Mike for giving Art the wonderful poetry book!)

This is a little smiley Art. Jessica was baking chocolate chip cookies, maybe it was the smell? All he gets is milk, it’s just so sad! 

Jessica tries to give Art some ‘quality time’ in his crib. She’s trying to train him that crib=happiness! For us and him.

Yep, he’s in there. We took him to Target. He’s under that jacket in his ubiquitous sling.