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.

22 months

Easton Michael is now 22 months old. Two months away from being a two year old!  This little guy just oozes sweetness.

I know I said it last month, but Easton's language skills have totally blown me away (again) this month, even more so than last month. When I call him to me, he comes running saying, "yes, Mommy!"  When he receives something he requested, he always thanks you for it, "thank you, Mommy wa-wa".  He says, "my turn" very often and is stringing together longer and longer phrases. "Mommy, please read Eee-nee book. I want George."  And he basically repeats anything he hears. Tonight G was talking about blue whales so the next thing we knew, Easton was desperately trying to get daddy's attention and repeating, "Daddy blue whale" over and over again. 

Easton likes the little tricycle we got him last month, and he is really into playing with the water table out front. He is a coloring machine and a total animal lover. 

I realized this month that Easton has memorized many of the books we read him. If I pause mid sentence, he immediately fills in the blank.  His favorites are Curious George and any animal book he can get his hands on. Easton loves to pretend he is pulling the animals' tails in our books and yells, "ouch!" when he does. 

He kisses his own owies, reaches out to touch the moon, and yells his name and points when he sees his shadow. If you ask Easton how much he loves you he will stretch out his arms and say, "deees much!"

Just this month we discovered that Easton can, in fact, sleep through the night without nursing frequently. He now goes to sleep for naps and the night without Mama's milk. I do still nurse him once in the mornings. This is a huge deal for us. 

He also willingly sits on the potty but hasn't really done much on there other than roar his terrible roars and gnash his terrible teeth.  I bought him some big boy undies and let him try them on last night. When it was time to change to a diaper, Easton cried, "no undies off!" So we will see what happens. 

Easton is a good sport about homeschooling and keeps himself busy in the mornings by coloring, reading books, playing with money, and taking things off the shelves.

Whenever I tell him we can't do something or refuse his requests, Easton's response is always, "WHY????"

20 months old and 21 months old too

So Easton turned 20 and the 21 months old. This has been two months of insane language development for him. In June, he started calling both his aunties and uncles  Annu. Now he calls any nice lady I am talking to Annu. It must be so confusing with all the aunties he has, lucky guy. 

Easton also started calling all dogs Abby. We met two dogs with that name so it just stick for him. 

At 20 months, Easton told me one day, "Hey Mommy, that mine!" And his other most frequently used phrase is iwannmore.  this was the month that Easton started repeating just about anything we said,  giraffe, nice, yes, hippo, octopus. And he started calling Gabriela aye-yah-yah. 

If we knew what Easton was talking about last month, he would clearly say yes. Like this:

E: bah-bo, bah-Bo! (On the way to Costco)

Me: are you saying Costco????

E: yesssssss 

This month it is full on sentences. 

Mama, Iwannmore milk peeese 

I want mama back!!!

I touch mama!

He also says his name now. Easton calls himself , "eeny" it is so cute!

The sentences include telling on Gabriela, much to her dismay:

Aye-yah-yah! Owl shoes back!

He even talks in his sleep sometimes! He other night, Easton said, "no! My peach!"

Easton is constantly stringing words together. 

Blue sky

Baby owl

Eeny nice

I watch 

And he knows and properly names things that are the colors blue, brown, orange, yellow, green, purple, pink, and black. 

Some of his signs have been replaced with words, but he still signs where, popcorn, and sorry and cold, maybe a few others. 

This language development business is fascinating. 

Easton loves to drive the car. So much that for a while, every time we entered the car there was a fit because he really (really, really, really) wanted a turn driving.  

19 months old

So, I didn't post right when Easton turned 19 months old.  It's been busy around here (I feel like I am always giving that excuse). Easton loves to do the laundry.  He will put an entire load of laundry in the washing machine.  It's not nearly as fast as when I do it, because his style involves only one article of clothing at a time, and there are sometimes numerous attempts before it actually goes in the washing machine.  But after each sock or shirt, he runs back to the clothes, asking for more.  I love having a little helper!

 

Easton wants to be a big boy so he tries swinging in the big boy swing now.

His hair is getting so long!   Easton knows how to rock a mullet and some wild bed-head.  It's almost time for a haircut.  I just know he will look so different so I am procrastinating as long as possible before getting the big boy haircut.

Easton loves playing in the water. He is often caught leaning precariously on the edge of the toilet to wash his hands or brush his teeth.  The tooth brushing thing is a little ironic, because while he adores brushing his own teeth, Easton thinks having someone else brush his teeth is an act of torture.  Gabriela was like this too.  I am hoping he will come around soon. 

18 months old

It seems like Easton started truly trying to talk the day after turning 17 months old. Before then, he said just a couple words, but mostly signed a lot. In the last month, Easton started saying more, cheese, ball, book, moon, hot, auntie, apple, please, keys, I love you, and Gabriela. Although it sounds like "Allah". It is so precious watching him say her name or call out to her. Easton will say mama and dada over again when he wants our attention. And he doesn't stop until we respond appropriately. Usually, I hear  him from the other room on repeat, when I go check on him, he is pointing to a picture in a book and eagerly waiting for me to name the object for him. 

We haven't really taught Easton more signs this month, apart from strawberry, which he uses often. Easton did make up two new signs this month. One is for sneeze or nose blowing. He puts his hand to his nose and scrunches up his nose and forehead. The other is hug. Easton folds his arms and squeezes them close to his chest. 

Another new thing for Easton this month is that he is constantly reenacting things with sound effects to tell us what is going on. So my whole life is basically a long game of charades, or better yet soundstage from Cranium. Like after the garbage truck leaves,  Easton quickly jerks his hands up high overheard with a dramatic grunt and then brings them down again with a different sound effects. 

Easton's newest thing is spotting interesting vehicles on the road. Gabriela helps point out the garbage trucks, street sweepers, school buses, deliver trucks and other exciting vehicles. When Easton sees them, he gets a big grin and asks for more. He says Mama or Allah over and over again until he sees the next one.

I am glad about this distraction, because earlier this month Easton figured out how to unbuckle his car seat buckle and he just wouldn't stop. He isn't really doing that anymore now, but he loves to fasten and unfasten his high chair buckles and any others he can get his hands on. 

Easton still loves basketball and will point out any hoop he spots, but that's not his only sport. Easton is a football fan too! He really has quite an arm and can throw things to with excellent aim. Not only that, he's a pro at catching the football as well.

It makes me so happy to see Easton excited about spending time with other family members.  He leans over to his uncles and aunties, ready for them to hold him and play with him when we are together.  Lately, Easton is so excited for Daddy to come home at the end of the day. He sometimes stands in front of the window yelling Dada! Dada!  And then when Lane arrives, he immediately wants Lane to chase him through the house and give him pony rides.  

This month, I've started trying not to nurse Easton at bedtime.  So Daddy has been putting him down for the night.  It's not nearly as easy as Mommy putting him to bed, but we are trying to ease up on a little of the nursing, starting with that feeding.

Easton still isn't really much of an eater.  He just isn't interested.  So when he does feel like eating, I will just keep giving him food until he's done because I don't know when he will eat next.

Easton also recognizes when people are hurt, does his hurt sign, and offers kisses to make the owies better.  Sometimes, he is the one doing scratching.  He will stop, reenact the scratching, sign gentle, and give a kiss.

We love our growing baby boy so much and can't believe today he is one and a half!  Happy Half Birthday, Easton Michael.  We love you bunches!

17 months old

Well, I have been getting behind schedule. 

Easton's new signs last month were elephant, complete with sound effects, gorilla, caterpillar, butterfly, eggs, train, hurt and throw - a made up sign, complete with grunting as he completes his throwing action.  He also made up another sign for outside. He puts his arm straight up in the air and says "Ahh!" Easton does this and walks straight to the front door anytime he wants to enjoy the outdoors.

Easton quickly learned the signs for caterpillar and butterfly over the last month while we had our butterfly habitat and watched the complete transformation.

This little guy loves coloring.   He is always doing his color sign and will sit and concentrate for a very long time coloring at the table.  Easton also learned how to draw circles this month.  He will hold his pencil and draw circles, proudly display his drawings to us, flip the paper over to the other side and start all over again.

He also adores reading books.  Easton's favorites right now are Goodnight Gorilla, Little Gorilla, and From Head to Toe, which has a picture of a gorilla on the front.  I think this our baby boy loves his apes.

This month Easton started doing his "yikes" and "surprise" faces.  I adore when he makes these faces.  He picked up the yikes face all on his own and started making it whenever he'd drop something.  He soon learned his surprise face, and both come in very handy while he is reading Goodnight Gorilla.

And, he will drop everything for a ball.  All bets are off if there is a basketball involved.  Easton loves basketball, and will drop everything at the playground and boldy go up to anyone playing basketball, doing his "please" sign, politely requesting that they immediately turn over the ball to him.  He will stand in front of the hoop, and with all his might (and some sound effects), try to thrust the ball up into the air. It usually goes about an inch or so, but he sure is trying hard. 

This month Easton started jumping.  They are very low jumps when he is on flat ground, but the kid is fearless and will jump off of anything - parts of the playground, cement steps, you name it. He is our little daredevil.

15 months old

Wow, it really feels like so much has happened with Easton over the last month.  For starters, he doesn't want to be carried anywhere.  He sometimes gets very upset when I won't let him just walk/run around exploring the world.  Easton even fusses when we go inside, because he just wants to be outdoors.  It's a little tricky managing his exploration - the little guy is fast and doesn't always want to stay on the sidewalk. But he has got to learn somehow.

It feels like he understands us so much more this month, or maybe he is just able to show it more.  He shakes his head no when we ask him to do something he doesn't want to do. If I ask him to hold my hand, he stops and opens his to grab mine, if I ask if he wants to walk, he starts reaching his legs down (all the time).  As a result, I haven't really bothered to teach him many more signs this month. He still has a few: Carrot, Alligator, Baby

Words: Easton signs a ton, gets by with head nodding and shaking, and yelling when he really, really, really wants something.  So he doesn't say too many words.  Ones that he does say (some are old, some are new) include Dada, Mama, Nana, on, up, door, dog.  I think I caught him saying goat and ball this week, but I'm not positive.

I have been showing him our family photos and naming everyone in them. When I do, Easton asks for more and so we do it over and over again. The other day as Lane carried him by the photo, Easton stopped, pointed, and clearly said, "Nana!" I, of course, immediately called my mom to let her know.

We think he called Gabriela "Baba" the other day.  Immediately, Gabriela smiled and said, "it's okay if he calls me Baba".  It was the sweetest moment, and I am pretty sure I got a little teary eyed.

Easton buzzes like a bee, barks like a dog, moos like a cow, neighs like a horse, and makes the cutest meow sound this side of the Mississippi. Easton also made up a little clicking sound for birds, which he always does now when he sees one.

He points to his ears, hair, nose, fingers, belly, and toes, and sticks his tongue out when you ask where it is. I am amazed to think that he didn't do these things last month. 


Easton signs for Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and starts signing "up" right when we sing "Up above the world so high"

He constantly brings us books to read, and his favorites are always books with photos of animals.

We have also had a rough patch recently. Easton cut four of his incisor teeth this month.  FOUR! The bottom two are clearly through and the top two just barely have the pointy part showing through. No doubt about it, these four teeth have been the hardest for Easton. They are so sharp! Hyland's Teething Tablets are my new best friend.  And apparently, Easton's too. At first, Easton would scream and cry and try to pull them out of his mouth. He has had a change of heart though, and now pops them into his own mouth, immediately signing for more.

 I hope to post some updated photos soon, but first I have to take them. I have been horrible with the camera this month.

14 months old

Okay, so I got a little behind schedule this last month.

Easton is now 14 months old.  He has just a few new signs this month including where, tree, hot, and night-night. 

I told him that all I wanted for Christmas was for him to say Mama, and he finally does. At first I didn't believe he was actually talking about me, but now I know he is, and it's the sweetest thing ever!

Here he is, putting an ornament on the tree. He had so much fun taking them off and trying really hard to put the ornaments back on the tree. 

Every day, I am more and more thankful that he can use his signs to communicate with us. The other evening, much earlier than I usually put him to bed, Easton started doing the night-night sign and pointing to the bed. I nursed him in the bed and the little guy went right to sleep until the next day.

That's right, we haven't given up on the nursing yet. I used to nurse Easton all the time. The doctor said I should try to keep it to regular times (morning, night, and before rest times) because she thinks that his frequent nursing might be causing him to not feel hungry.  They are a little worried about how skinny he is, but Lane and I are his parents, so this is to be expected. 

Easton is getting to be very vocal about when something happens that he doesn't like. I used to know from his certain cry that Gabriela was doing something he didn't like (like picking him up) and that was dangerous for him. Now that cry basically means, "give me what you have and hand it over now!"

Easton loves music and markers, but I don't let him hold onto markers very much these days since he learned how to take the tops off of them. One of his favorite things to do lately is the dishes.  He will cry and fuss and try as hard as he can to get his step stool in front of the sink.  In effort to help him enjoy his dishes and me to actually be productive, I lay a towel down on the kitchen floor next to me and give Easton a nice sized bowl with some suds and a few extra dishes. He will happily play like that long enough for me to make a nice dent in the dish washing.  Easton also loves to help cook.  Any time we are near the stove he does his "hot" sign and says "Hot!!" This doesn't stop him from begging to have a turn with the wooden spoon with the pots and pans on said hot stove. I love that he has so much fun in the kitchen with me.

Easton is really enjoying one of his new Christmas presents - a kid sized dust broom and dust pan!  About once a day (one of the many times) while I am sweeping the floor, Easton will rush into the other room and come back excitedly carrying his cleaning tools and try to help me. He usually just makes a bigger mess, but he is so thrilled to help me.  

13 months old

 Easton is finished with his yogurt. 

obviously.

One of the biggest difference this month is that Easton is actively walking and sometimes running everywhere.  I can't believe how quickly he went from taking a few hesitant steps to walking quickly and sometimes even running!!  But the fanciest thing he does is walk around carrying the step stool, putting it down and climbing up onto it when he finds something he wants to get into.  I really have to keep an eye on him; I have even caught him putting the step stool on top of another step stool. 

Every month Easton is signing more and more.  These are the new signs he's started doing in the last month: thank you, help, hat, all done, banana, and potty.  He also has started a hello wave, which is different from his bye-bye wave.  

The other day, while I was cooking Easton came up to me and signed, "please help!"  He wanted to help cook. How sweet is that???


Easton loves fitting blocks into his shape sorter and is actually getting the hang of which shape goes where.  If he cant figure it out, he does his help sign and I give him some pointers. He also pulls his little wooden alligator behind him all the time, taking him for little walks.

Easton had a busy month. When he wasn't busy learning how to walk, signing new stuff, and getting his forehead sewn up, he managed to cut four molars.  It also looks like he has two other teeth trying to creep through. This has caused him to be a little fussy this month. 

Our little baby pays attention to everything.  He brings me hair ties when he sees me brushing Gabriela's hair.  He has been enjoying our trips to museums this month too - actually exploring and figuring things out instead of just being attached to me in the carrier.

12 months old

Easton is one! Our sweet baby boy turned one. I can't believe it.  He has nine teeth, including one molar.  And, today he was a little fussy because he's working on pushing another molar out. 

Easton's airplane sign

He is still signing away.  Easton's new signs this month are car, bird (it finally looks different than the milk sign), book, hat, and his new favorite sign, by far, is the please sign. He totally made up his own sign for please and he does it all the time he wants something.  Easton signs please when we remind him, but he also just does it independently when he really wants something.  It is the cutest thing ever.  I am pretty sure I saw him do the "thank you" sign the other day, but I have only seen him sign that once.  He is even stringing signs together like, "eat more please".  The other day Easton really wanted a clementine. So he signed "eat" and then pointed to the clementine peel and signed "Please" after that.


He is getting more and more confident about taking steps. In fact, the night before Easton's birthday party, he started taking the most steps at a time that he ever has.  Of course, his preferred mode of transportation is speed crawling, but we keep catching Easton deciding to stand up without being supported by anything and taking steps on his own.  He also is a fabulous cruiser.  My favorite part though is that when he falls, he assumes the "let's do a somersault" pose as if to say, "I totally meant to fall on the floor just now".

Easton gives the sweetest kisses. I love how he assumes the position and just waits for someone to turn him over so he can complete his somersaults. His blonde hair just kills me, especially when a breeze blows it all over. He does this adorable milk giggle when he knows I'm about to start nursing him.
Easton's heart melts for dogs - statues of dogs, books with dogs, and of course, the real deal. He also loves the Little People Playhouse, and plays with it every single day.

Today we celebrated his birthday by going to the zoo.  He loved cruising along the exhibits in the amphibian and reptile house, pointing out all the brightly colored frogs.  Easton learned how to brush goats, and then when we were done, we took him to the carousel. The instant he saw it, he frantically signed "please" over and over again.  He had pomegranate seeds and pozole for dinner -two of his favorites, and then we ended the night with another round of happy birthday singing and cupcakes.

Easton Michael, we are so lucky you are in our sweet little family. Happy birthday, baby boy.