Buttonwoods Farms

Last week was field trip #2 - to Buttonwoods Farms. They have glorious ice cream. If you live in this area - or have traveled through this area - you've heard of Buttonwoods Farms, for 1 of 2 reasons: the ice cream or the sunflowers. Have I mentioned the ice cream? If not, let me mention the ice cream...

Sorry - had to wipe the drool off the keyboard.

Seeing as it's October, we didn't get to enjoy an up-close and personal tour of the sunflowers. Instead, we get to go on a hay ride into the pastures. It was a pretty chilly day - but the sun was out, and it was a gorgeous fall day. Our trip started with a hayride into the pastures. You can see the boys' eyes frozen open! Jake absolutely LOVED the hayride - once he got past the initial bumps and thumps, he was all smiles. After a few minutes behind the tractor, we stopped in the middle of the pasture to feed the cows. The floor of the trailer we were on was covered in green hay - plenty of snacks for the kids to give to the cows. I think they were used to the visitors - as soon as the sounds of the tractor came near, the cows started gathering around us. They came so close to the trailer we could pet them!The kids loved feeding the cows - and were mesmerized by a few of the calves asserting their position with some head-butting. Unfortunately, they seemed the most interested in the "output" of the cows than anything else!

After the hayride, the kids were let loose in a pumpkin patch to select the biggest and best to take home with them. Jake went right to a monster of a pumpkin, while Justin was a bit more deliberate.And it goes without saying - one cannot go to Buttonwoods without getting ice cream. Even on that chilly day, each and every kid had a big old dish or cone in their frozen hands! I let Jake have his pick - he could have had cotton candy, or bubble gum - but he went with good old vanilla. Ate every bite. Except for what landed on his jacket... and his face...and hands... and sleeves...

Jake's first Field Trip!

Last week, I was lucky enough to join Jake and his preschool class on their first field trip of the year. Since the fall foliage is just about peak, his teacher took them on a "hike" of the nature trail behind the Griswold School Complex. I had never been on the trail, so I was excited to see it - and Jake was thrilled that mommy was coming along.

It was a BEAUTIFUL day - warm enough for shorts, but with a cool breeze that made one want a sweatshirt. The sun was so bright, and the sky was perfectly clear. The kids had a great time exploring the forest - Jake's teacher, Miss Lisee, would stop every so often and challenge the kids to find a leaf that matched hers. Each child had a bag to collect leaves and other items they found along the way - the items were then used in an art project (I have yet to see...) It was great for me to see Miss Lisee in action - although I knew she was going to be a great match for Jake, it was refreshing to actually see it for myself.

So here are a few of the pics I managed to snap before my camera batteries died!

Jake proudly displaying his bag o' itemsLooking up into the treesMiss Lisee asking the kids to find a yellow leafFollowing the leader across the bridgeTomorrow we're going to Buttonwoods Farms for a tour - plus a hayride, ice cream treat, and pumpkin picking! It's supposed to be chilly but clear... can't wait!

Spoke too soon!

So remember when I thought Justin's tummy troubles were due to the rotovirus? NOPE. His reflux is back! AHH!! Apparently the trials with milk did a number on him - and irritated his reflux to the point where he's back on meds and special formula. I'm glad that he's FINALLY back to his normal, cantankerous little Pork Chop self, but it really is a bummer that he's back suffering again. I've been lucky enough to get samples of the Nutramigen from the pediatrician - so at least we aren't going broke on that. But the Prevacid tabs aren't cheap, and even though I get the generic, 3 adult-strength Tums every day add up! Since we can't get in to see the GI at CCMC until December, the pediatrician is sending us for allergy testing. Now THAT is going to be fun... NOT!!!!

Revenge of the rotovirus

We've been hit! Well, actually, Justin has been hit. And hit hard. I thought he might have been reacting to the milk that I re-intorduced on Monday - Tuesday morning he started getting sick, and it seemed to be just like the last time I tried milk with him. By Wendnesday, nothing was settling well in his tummy - and when he hadn't been able to keep anything in, I took him to the pediatrician on Thursday. Welcome to the Cohoon house, Mr. Rotovirus!

Well, here we are - Saturday - and our wee Pork Chop seems to have returned to normal. He really wanted to eat today, so I started him off light with some toast and dilluted apple juice. By dinnertime, he was chowing down on apple slices, rice, and some banana! And I'm sure it won't surprise anyone that he was obviously feeling well enough to jump, climb, and bounce his way through the house. I'm interested to see how much he weighs now, since he had already lost a pound as of Thursday. I'm sure it's more by now.

I know this is just the beginning of the lovely cooties to come through the house this season, but I had hoped it would have missed Justin!

Fair Winnings

Every year, I look at the registration book for the Four Town Fair and say, "I'm going to enter my goodies into the contests and see what I get." And every year I get all geared up. And every year, I get busy, the registration deadline passes, and I end up wandering the fair looking at all the prize-winning entries that could have been mine.

Well, this year, I finally entered. I didn't enter as much as I wanted to, but something is better than nothing, right? And I'm so glad I did!

Second Place in quilted wallhangings! This is my "Four Seasons" set - winter, spring, summer, and fall. The quilting is actually the pattern on the backing fabric, which is reflective of the season.

First Place in the snapshot contests: Second Place:Third Place:

I'm really proud of the pictures - I don't have any fancy camera, and I have yet to install Photoshop (so any editing is done right on the camera). I haven't been doing this for long - but to have my first shot at a competition turn out so successful has really energized me!

Jacob in review

Jake has been a busy boy this summer. Mostly, it's been spent trying to guard his prized posessions from his crazy little brother - but he's also been trying to learn as much as he can. Believe it or not - but this kid LOVES to learn! He got some books from Mercy next door that she had outgrown - dot-to-dots, mazes, numbers and letters - and they've all been done. Every page - completed. And for a kid who did them with no guidance, they were completed almost perfectly! Any chance he got, he'd want to learn - he'd ask me to write words for him, and he'd copy them. We'd count out money into his bank. He'd even come to me, asking for things in Spanish! (Gotta love Dora the Explorer!!) Now that he's back in school, I hope his quest for learning continues. He's had some adjustment to the new schedule (he goes 4 days a week in the afternoons) - but seeing as he's never been one to adapt well to large changes, I think he's dong great. He seems to really like his teacher - and has already made a good friend (also named Jake!)

In any case... Here's Jacob in review!

Typical summer activity - playing outside in the water.

With one of his best friends, Josephine, at his preschool class trip.Testing the waters on Father's Day at Misquamicut (it was pretty chilly!!)Preschool graduation with his friends Ella and Josephine (notice the lovely food stain on the shirt!) Collecting shells at Easton's Beach in Newport - I hope to turn some of them into Christmas presents!
Checking out the flowers at Harkness Park in Waterford.
"Yeah... I'm cool..."
Who says sidewalk paint is only for sidewalks?
Swingin' on the swing at the Navy park in Stonington, CT
Playing with his boat on Nana and Buppa's deckThe summer smile - smiley eyes in the water. He's such a little fishie!"Look Buppa! I can drive better than Mommy!!""I dunno why Buppa thinks this working deal is so hard..."Taking Justin for a stroll in Arbor ParkHelping Mercy with the Optimus Prime pinata at his birthday party (with Ella and Spencer in the background).

Justin in review

So in case ya'll don't know, Justin is a spirited little boy. (That's putting it mildly). Our wee pork chop has been dubbed Evel Kenevel, spider monkey, and wild boy. He is into EVERYTHING he sees - and most of what he can't see as well! But he's doing so well. He's still not speaking a whole heck of a lot, although it is getting better. He manages to get his wants across, so it's not much of a detriment to him yet. We've managed to get him almost completely off the special formula and onto milk - I bet our insurance company is happy for that! And if you thought Jacob was a fearless adventurer, Justin is three times that. His latest feat has been to climb out of his crib - ALL THE TIME. What's worse, is that he does it in such a way that he is almost completely noiseless when he hits the floor. Imagine being greeted by his cute little mug at 4am, tugging your arm, saying, "mama baba mama baba" - and you are dead convinced you did not take him out of the crib!!

Here is Justin... in review...

"Hooray for ribbies!" - his first taste of ribs from BT Lanes - devoured them!

Justin's birthday gift to daddy - his first haircut! Before:

And after! He did SO well - sat in daddy's lap and barely moved!
At Misquamicut with daddy on Father's DayEvel Kenevel - Connecticut edition (climbing at Mohegan Park)Standing on the chair in Buppa's office His favorite hobby - climbing... E V E R Y T H I N G


"OH LOOK! Something shiny! And I bet I'm not supposed to touch it!"
Driving Buppa's lawnmower - wait till he can reach the pedals!

CHOPZILLA!!

"I've heard ladies go for guys with beautiful eyes..."
Despite the red tide, Justin LOVED the water at Easton's Beach in Newport, RI."MOM! Who turned the lights out?!?"Chillin' on a mushroom at Roger Williams Zoo in RI.Enjoying a rocking rocket at the Navy park in Stonington.