The Story of the Bullfrog

EDIT: Here's my attempt at a transcript, for anyone who might have trouble following the action:

One day, there was a little boy named James. And he was at the arboretum. With his daddy. And they were walking around, and James and daddy decided to go and get the sticks. And they decided to walk around and then they were going to find some frogs. And this time, James and daddy saw a BULLFROG, saying “ribbit, ribbit, ribbit, ribbit, ribbit. What are you doing in my puddle?” And James and daddy fell in the puddle. And they looked for a bullfrog. But they didn’t found one. Until they [indecipherable] and then ran down and climbed down there until they were down. And then a BIG bullfrog came out of the BIG puddle, and said, and stayed in the puddle and said, “ribbit, ribbit, ribbit!” But the bullfrog jumped away. And the bullfrog jumped away. And the bullfrog was very, very sneaky. So it jumped, jumped, and jumped, jumped, right into a puddle. And he jumped over a rock. Until they bumped into a rock, and they bumped into a rock, and then they fell. And then the bullfrog... ? And James and daddy tried to get the bullfrog, but he jumped away. And then they were walking around, and they decided to go off the path again [to get the bullfrog?]. And then they got a stick, and then they were trying to look for some frogs, and then the bullfrog came out of the puddle, and then jumped into the kitchen. And jumped-jumped-jumped-jumped. [Indecipherable.] And they caught the frog!

preparing for a life in the circus

Lets just say that Eliot has a very strong desire to climb. I found him like this (and of course grabbed the camera, isn't that what all people do when they happen upon their children doing extremely frightening and dangerous feats?)


set him on the ground, turned my back and found him 5 feet off the ground scaling the OUTSIDE of the stair banister.


I put him across the room, and he climbed up the chair. He has been fighting me all day, letting me know how cruel I am not allowing him to stay at the elevation he so desperately wants to reach. I think we are off to let him scale some playground equipment.

James' birthday party

I will be thw first to admit that I am lame. We got a cake (vegan chocolate), had over his friend Seth (and parents), and went to play at the arboretum. The highlights of the trip were 1. catching a toad 2. somersaults in the grass 3. throwing stones down a grate and 4. throwing grass at each other yelling "ACH-OO!". What can I say, children are strange. Here are a few pictures of James, Seth, and one of my dad.