Breakfast time at the Banks house. David enjoys bananas and the muffins made from them. They’re good for you, and they give you a new outlook on life. Yes, that’s right — six minutes of eating two banana muffins. You must love the source material enough to enjoy this movie all the way until David walks off screen.

David eats the banana muffins he made with Mommy the day before.

David eats the banana muffins he made with Mommy the day before. – 22-May-2010

Filmed on May 22, but good any time of the year. Must’ve been a chilly morning. Check out Joe’s pajamas.

Future left-handed Indians pitcher in training!

Future left-handed Indians pitcher in training! – 16-Jun-2010

Video: David and Daddy in the backyard, trying out a new, fun set of Velcro mitts and ball. Can’t you see the potential?

Select image to watch video.

David the artist in the studio. What technique!

David the artist in the studio. What technique! – 05-Jun-2010

David shows off his painting prowess. Sometimes, it’s more about the technique (and the play of it) than the final product. Right? (Select picture to view video.)

Happy Birthday to You! (David’s 4th Birthday Party)

Happy Birthday to You! (David’s 4th Birthday Party) – 27-Feb-2010

Select image to play video.

A smaller gathering of David’s friends, plus their tag-along parents, ventured to the Banks abode on a day with snow (but no blizzard) for David’s latest birthday.

Photo Highlights

Kids and parents. – 27-Feb-2010	Mmmmm, cake. – 27-Feb-2010	Neighbor Naimah. – 27-Feb-2010
Rachel! – 27-Feb-2010	Skating lesson classmate Rachel and school classmate Ellie. – 27-Feb-2010	Jane, Owen, Naimah – 27-Feb-2010

More Video

– 27-Feb-2010

Time for cake! – 27-Feb-2010

Playtime. No one wanted to pin the tail on the Donkeysaur (yet). – 27-Feb-2010

David demonstrates his version of how to show his muscles, plus we show that Doonesbury is funny, even to children. Select image to view video.

How David Demostrates How Strong He Is (Flexes muscles)

How David Demostrates How Strong He Is (Flexes muscles) – 21-Feb-2010

David thinks Doonesbury is funny! (Sunday, February 21, 2010)

David thinks Doonesbury is funny! (Sunday, February 21, 2010) – 21-Feb-2010

What a great way to cure the winter claustrophobia, especially by the time February promises many more weeks of cloudy, gray skies. David’s been taking skating lessons at the local community center, and he loves it, especially when he works to try to keep up with good friend Rachel.

David (and parents!) have also enjoyed watching the high school ice hockey games afterwards. See photo and videos below from one indoor session. David’s in the red jacket.

Skating Lessons Feb 2010

Skating Lessons Feb 2010 – 13-Feb-2010

Video

Skating Lessons Feb 2010 – 13-Feb-2010	Skating Lessons Feb 2010 – 13-Feb-2010
Skating Lessons Feb 2010 – 13-Feb-2010	Skating Lessons Feb 2010 – 13-Feb-2010

– 03-May-2009

In May, the Banks Family went on two train-filled activities, the first at Lake Metroparks Farm Park for their annual “Railroads in the Parks,” as well as the miniature steam-powered engines that you can ride through the woods at nearby Penitentiary Glen Reservation. At Lake Farm Park, various gauges of model trains were on display in the main building, but we still had time for David’s first pony ride.

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Two weeks later, we couldn’t miss “Day Out with Thomas” at the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad. David had a spring cold and touch of fever that weekend, but enjoyed it nonetheless, a big fan of Thomas and friends (lately, Hank is his engine du jour). Sheryl and I thought the event was a little too commercial, and we’d probably prefer to ride the train here when Thomas is away.

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– 16-May-2009

Note to parents: Tickets are for the train ride; you can simply bask in the commercial glow of Thomas merchandise and other activities for free. On board the train, most of the kids we saw were impatient with looking out the window and at each other after about 10 minutes — an experience like being trapped in a large car with a huge family. Maybe the Polar Express event is more interesting.

Featured Videos

Trouble on the Tracks

Sometime this month, we pulled out all the wheeled toys out of the garage, drew train tracks on the driveway with chalk, and played Thomas outdoors. As always, there was trouble on the tracks. Luckily, no one was hurt. Quickly edited by Daddy, with a nudge and wink for the background soundtrack.

Trouble on the Tracks, May 10, 2009

Trouble on the Tracks, May 10, 2009 – 03-Jul-2010

Day Out with Thomas

This is followed by the video of Thomas the Tank Engine pulling in, with David smiling, but that’s about as exciting as it gets. No strollers allowed on board, thank you.

– 17-May-2009

– 06-Mar-2009

Sorry it’s been a while since we’ve last been here to post. You’ll see the date stamp as the day after David’s birthday, but it’s actually spring as I write this, if you can believe the weather. Being a family is more enjoyable than writing about it, so that’s always our excuse.

Thanks to everyone who made it over for David’s birthday party. This year was a smaller gathering with only family and next door neighbors, thank goodness. Parties are still a little overwhelming, as you’ll see from the video. David even requested that we NOT sing the Birthday Song, but Daddy wasn’t fully listening, evidently.

After a great day at the orchestra last Sunday with David and Aunt Susie (“Chillin’ Cello,” the last installment of the Cleveland Orchestra’s Musical Rainbows series), which David really enjoyed, the Banks Family is now looking forward to seeing Thomas the Train via the “Day Out with Thomas Series” in the upcoming weeks.

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Hey, we always want to hear from you!  Write a comment below or send us an email through this site.

– 12-Jul-2008

1. Sheryl and I have been giving David all sorts of advice to help with potty training (especially with improving one’s aim) and with manners in general. Who knew that this advice might come back at us later out of context?

• One morning, David and Daddy were eating breakfast at the table, and David audibly passed gas.
• Daddy asked him, “Now David, what do you say?”
• To which David replied, “I use my penis like a hose!”

2. At bath time one evening, Daddy shaped David’s shampooed hair into a big unicorn-like horn and said, “Look, David, you have a horn!” David looked into the bathtub mirror, touched the “horn” repeatedly and exclaimed with a grin, “Beep beeeep!”

3. Evidently in response to what everyone who’s ever changed David’s diapers on a regular basis has asked, David attempted to pull down Mommy’s pants one morning and then asked, “Momma, do you have poop in there?”

4. Snack time conversation:

• Daddy: “David, would you like a cup of crackers?
• David: “Nooo.”
• Daddy: “OK, how about a cup of chips?”
• David: “Noooo.”
• Daddy: “OK, how about a cup of frogs?”
• David: “No, Dadda, I don’t like frogs. They’re dirty.”

5. Dinner time conversation, all three of us in the kitchen:

• Mommy: “OK, it’s time to eat, David!”
• Daddy (playing a joke on punctuation): “It’s time to eat David?”
• David: “No, Dadda, don’t eat me. I’m not food.”

Although David’s received plenty of trims at home, it was time for a new style — a.k.a. the official haircut outside Chez Banks — and why not at the affordable and hip Fast Eddy’s Chop Shop in Coventry?

David’s first haircut! – 05-Jul-2008	David’s first haircut! – 05-Jul-2008	David’s first haircut! – 05-Jul-2008
David’s first haircut! – 05-Jul-2008	David’s first haircut! – 05-Jul-2008	David’s first haircut! – 05-Jul-2008
David’s first haircut! – 05-Jul-2008	David’s first haircut! – 05-Jul-2008	David’s first haircut! – 05-Jul-2008
David’s first haircut! – 05-Jul-2008	David’s first haircut! – 05-Jul-2008

As you can see via these cellphone photos, we’ll be recommending his stylist, named Rockie (apparently working her way towards/through medical school), who carefully cropped the locks. David may seem a little distraught in one of the photos (more from hair in the eyes), but he was quite content to sit in Sheryl’s lap and watch Rockie work.

David loved the small chopper motorcycle propped in the middle of the salon (we would have included the photo of David riding it, but he was too excited to sit still), while Joe enjoyed nostalgia via the music paraphernalia adorning the walls, including old Alternative Press magazine posters. Which felt uncanny, since Joe started working at the magazine way back when it was located right around the corner on Mayfield Road.

Afterwards, the Banks Family had lunch at Tommy’s, stopped off at the “beeeg playground” at Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Park, and then went for a nice walk home on this beautiful Cleveland day.

Speaking of motorcycles, before godparents Lisa and Frank joined us for an evening in the Banks Backyard, a shiny Honda Shadow (not pictured here) parked on the street in front of our house. Daddy suggested to pass the time (and since this was a no-nap day) that he and David go relax on the tree lawn and take a look.

– 05-Jul-2008

After a quick talk about internal combustion (“little explosions in engine go boom-boom-bo-boom to make it go”), David was so fascinated, he sat there for over an hour, talking with Daddy, then Mommy (we took shifts) about how he would ride it. He loves to go into detail about any vehicle he’s seen recently (cars, trucks, diggers, rollers) how he will sit in the front seat and Momma in the back seat, and he’ll “put the key in.” Now a motorcycle is part of this repertoire. (A note to those concerned: No motorcycle riding until he’s 75!)