Homeschool Fieldtrip

A couple weeks ago we went on a field trip with one of our homeschool groups to this working farm called Sienna Ranch.  The kids had loads of fun, meeting and learning about the animals.  They got to meet some ponies and pet them.  Then they brushed and played with the goats.

 We visited the sheep, heard a story about how sheep's wool became a farmer's coat and then the kids had a chance to card their own wool and spin it into a bracelet.

 We then went to the bunny house where we learned that this bunny, named Peter likes to be swaddled.  She feels safer all cozy in the blankie. 

 They had a chance to hold the bunny, and my favorite was when Easton got to hold the bunny.  She twitched her little nose right onto Easton and he sweetly and gently cuddled that bunny rabbit.  He was in love.

 At the chicken coop, the kids gathered eggs from the nests and then learned about the roosters and hens. Then they got to go inside the coop and catch the chickens.

Harvest Festival at the East Bay Waldorf School

So in October, Lane's parents joined us at the East Bay Waldorf School's Harvest Festival.  The school is just down the street from us in El Sobrante.  It's a little ironic, because I used to drive so far to bring Gabriela to this school for a parent child class when she was only two years old. Now we are down the street, at least we are enjoying their family fun days.

The Harvest Festival was a wonderful experience. I am so happy we went.  There were carnival-type games for the kids, but in true Waldorf style, all the games were handmade and the prizes were too.  Sweet little needle felted baby chicks and porcupines made out of tiny pine cones.  I wanted to play the games so I could get some prizes!

 

 Grandpa pushed Easton on the swing , which he loved.

 The kids used apple corers to peel and core their own apples, then sprinkled them with cinnamon for a tasty healthy treat.

 Grandpa and Easton did the cake walk.  Unfortunately, they didn't win. But we went to a classroom that had been transformed into a little dessert shop with people playing their fiddles.

 We grabbed some lunch there - it was all homemade organic deliciousness.  But then there were the vendors and the fairyhouses.  Oh my!  The fairy houses were my favorite!

 We stopped at the petting zoo and the kids thought it was hilarious to put the chickens on top of the donkey.  I mean, who wouldn't??  We ran into some of Gabriela's homeschool buddies there. She was pretty excited.

There was also autumn crafts, a pumpkin patch, carriage rides, so many things that we didn't get to.  I can't wait to go back next year!

Months 23 and 24

 Easton happily got his first haircut at 23 months.  He was totally distracted by the movie, the red car chair and the lollipop that he didn't even fuss for his hair cut.  I can't believe how different my baby looks now. He is so grown up!

 For a while, like ever since I found out I was pregnant, Easton was nursing once a day only in the mornings.  Then, he didn't ask for milk a couple days in a row.  We went back to once a day nursing, when he asked for more, and shortly after that, he just stopped asking for milk.  Now, every once in a while you can tell he's thinking about it because he will say out of nowhere, "Mommy's milk all done" and then give me a big hug.  I'm so proud of my big boy, and relieved that this was a natural, painless process for us both.  I had tried cutting down on the nursing earlier than that because of his chipped tooth, but neither of us were really ready for it. 

Easton has three out of four back molars.  He has been working on that last one.  I usually remember that he is teething when I am wondering what in the heck happened to my sweet even tempered baby.  Then I realize his mouth is hurting him and we take care of that problem with a little teething gel.

Some of my favorite things that Easton says are:
 "AAAHHH!" which means ice cream, or more appropriately, I scream. 
"Eenie" for Easton.  He has recently started calling himself "Ee-ton" once in a while, and has even said Easton a couple times.  I kind of want him to say Eenie forever.
"My Eenie" which means I.  as in "ha, ha, My Eeenie waff"  when something is funny.  I laugh.
He says his full name like this, "Eenie Minoh Gwober"  for Easton Michael Grover.
"whizpopper" when he farts.  We read the BFG and that's what the BFG calls them.  All of a sudden Easton started doing the same. It was really funny, because he did it on his own.  We never actually taught him this. I think it's a much cuter word anyway ;)

Easton knows when he does something that he isn't supposed to, because he will come up to us and apologize. He says "soddy" and does his "I'm sorry" sign.  I love that he mostly does this unprompted.

Easton loves when Daddy comes home from work.  The second he hears a noise from outside, he exclaims, "MY DADDY HOME!!!!!!" and runs to the door to greet Lane with a giant hug.

Easton

wakes up from his nap and calls for his sister to come help him out of bed, "e-yah-yah!"

He has been using the potty on and off, and has even done a little poo-poo in the potty, but nothing regularly. It will happen in time.

Easton recognizes the letter E out and about on signs and says, "My E, Eenie!" He can make lower case Es also and exclaims when he does, 'My make E, Eenie!"

He loves to help Daddy with chores. The other day, Easton helped Lane by carrying a log for the fire inside the house.  The whole time, he said, "My Eenie help Daddy make fire, so heavy!!!" Then he went out in the garage with Lane and sat on his lap while Lane split some wood for kindling.

Easton kind of freaks out about spiders, flies, spider webs, and any tiny fleck of anything that is not supposed to be in the tub.Other than that, he is a sweet, happy, agreeable big two year old. 

We love our Easton Michael to pieces.

Los Grovers, the Expanded Edition

Okay, so I have a lot of catch up work to do on this blog.

Our latest and greatest news is that we are expecting Baby Grover #3 in April, and we couldn't be happier. I am now 17 weeks pregnant with Baby Girl Grover.  I am pretty sure that I am starting to feel her moving around, but only infrequent gentle movements.  It will be a few more weeks before a certain very excited big sister will be able to feel some high fives from Baby Sister.

Gabriela is absolutely over the moon about having a baby sister.  She asks to talk about her all the time and what things will be like when her sister arrives - what her sister will be able to do, what Gabriela will be able to do. Can she hold the baby? Will we give Baby Sister tummy time? Can we keep the baby in the homeschool room while she does school?  Gabriela is excited to share her baby clothes with a sister.

Easton is so sweet.  He says "Baby dih-ter" and pulls up my shirt to cuddle with and hug my belly.  It couldn't be sweeter.  I am not sure how much he really understands about Baby Sister, but he sure is acting like he gets it.

I am very happy to report that, as usual, I have had a super easy pregnancy.  No morning sickness, or other symptoms.  I am a little tired, but I am pretty sure that with homeschooling and two kiddos, I would be tired even without being pregnant! The only thing that is bothering me is that my hips are already sore, so it's a little tricky to find a comfortable sleeping spot at night.  My giant pregnancy pillow is helping though. Ever since the midwife told Gabriela that the baby grows when Mommy is sleeping, she's been better about letting me catch a short rest while putting Easton down for a nap in the afternoons.

My belly is growing and quickly. April will be here before we know it. I can't believe we will have a sweet new baby girl in our family just in time for spring.

We can't wait to meet her!