18 months, really?

It's hard to believe that my little boy is already a year and a half old?! He is growing like crazy. Doing new things, saying new words, and looking and acting more and more like a toddler. Everett is becoming quite attached to his mama. I guess that was bound to happen when I'm with him all day long. Let's be honest- I don't mind. He's always happy to see me and wants me to be around, so I'm going to milk that for all it's worth. Everett likes to dance. We have dance parties at least twice a day. Aaron and I laugh out loud at his goofy little dance. I need to video it so you can laugh with us. As of today, Everett still takes two naps, but it looks like he'll be transitioning to one here soon. Bummer, but I guess it's time. Everett loves animals. The dogs are his best buddies. He loves horses and makes clicking noises every time he sees them because that's what he does to get the horses to come see him at Grammy's.  Everett has been quite the water bug this summer. He LOVES anything to do with water... the beach, swimming pool, sprinklers, even washing his hands.  We also have a new found love of parks and playgrounds. Swings and slides = entertainment for hours.  Everett is fearless. When he's about to do something he yells "GO!" and takes off. At least he gives me some warning. He jumps off the steps, the diving board, off the side of the pool. He goes down slides, floats by himself and doesn't want us to touch him while he's "swimming." He even laid his head down on one of the horses foreheads while out at the farm. He's my wild child, full of energy. This summer was so much fun. We've had so many adventures together and I'm loving being at home with him. My little Everett man, you are pure joy. I am so thankful for the last 18 months and look forward to plenty of adventures to come.

have i said lately how much i love this little boy?

Endless summer

Today I should be going to work. I should be going back to a slew of technology meetings and back to school stuff. I should be looking at student lists, counting books and taking them to my different classrooms, and getting things copied. I should be dreading today...should be, but I'm not. Instead, I'm on vacation. I'm in Hilton Head with Aaron, Everett, and our friends the Lusbys. I'm swimming and relaxing and enjoying my family. Today is the official start of my new career. June 17th was bittersweet, but today is just sweet.

contagious joy

We love to laugh around here. Life is just more fun that way. My husband makes me laugh all the time and I love that about him. Aaron makes Everett laugh daily too--- I love hearing Everett just laugh. The sound of it is just contagious joy for me. The sound of daddy and son laughing with each other is good for my soul. 

Last night, Aaron was playing with Everett while I ran into Target to grab a few things. I came out to Aaron sitting with him in the back seat and both of them laughing. Aaron videoed it because it was so cute. Everett was laughing those deep belly laughs. The kind that make you incredibly happy and full of joy yourself because he is just so happy in that moment.  I live in these moments. Like little snapshots to keep for a rainy Monday like today. Reminders of what joy looks like.

loose lips

Everett loves to kiss. He does this adorable little pout where he sticks out his bottom lip a little bit and leans in for a smooch.

He's mastered the closed mouth kiss (thank goodness) but he's been cutting teeth for the last month so they're usually wet, sloppy smooches. He humors me when I say I want another one, and another one, and another one. He tries to kiss Aunt Erika through the computer when we skype. He sticks out his pouty lip and lets the dogs kiss him. His favorite smoocher is daddy though.

I love it. He is so sweet and cute when he leans in to kiss me; however, he hasn't quite figured out that you don't kiss just anyone. He tried to kiss the waiter at Victory and the cute girls sitting at the next table, he attempted to kiss a woman at Lowe's last night, and has offered his kisses to more than one kid at church. haha. We're working on it, but either way, I'm loving those loose little lips.

lifevest = don't love it

Inspired by my (P)photographer friend Katie, I entered this picture of Everett in Paper Mama photo contest. This week the contest is "whatever" ... I think Everett nailed it. Either way- it was fun to mess around on picnik and look at the different photo editing options. I still use the free version, but the $24 premium package is looking mighty tempting!

sidewalk chalk

Best $1.29 I ever spent. Okay, maybe not, but it was still fun. I randomly saw it at Riteaid and figured, why not? We tried it out today and I only had to fish 2 pieces out of Everett's mouth. I call that success. He drew some, but didn't really seem to understand what he was supposed to do with the chalk. He was more interested in taking the pieces in and out of the box. I'm fine with that. Not to self- next time buy the thick stuff. The skinny chalk was too thin for his chubby little fingers.

Everett randoms

---Everett is really into using utensils. So much so, he will not eat a banana without a fork. Seriously. I have to slice up the banana so he can stab at it with his little fork. For a while, he was doing the same with blueberries... glad he kicked that habit. Breakfast was taking foreeeeever.

---Everett has started to recognize the packaging/containers with his favorite foods. When I pull something out that he likes he gleefully yells  "OOOOOO!"

---Everett loves the water. We were boating at a local lake on Sunday that had a beach. Everett (with water wings on) would yell GO! and throw himself into the water... face and all. I'm not exactly sure how he figured it out, but he is holding his breath? Aaron claims he'll be "swimming" by the end of the summer.

---Everett has started kissing to get his way. No lie. When I give him something and ask him to say thank you, he tries to kiss me instead. He sometimes does the same with please. I'm all about those sweet little kisses, but then I make him say please or thank you too. Kids need manners, right?!

---Everett has started paying more and more attention to what the dogs bark at. They bark furiously and run to the door when Aaron gets home. Everett now equates that with Aaron getting home from work and yells "Daddy!" multiple times a day thinking that the barking dogs are alerting him to Aaron's arrival.

---Not that I'm an advocate for toddler tv watching, but it'd be nice if Everett watched more than 3 minutes of a show so that I could get stuff done! The closest we've gotten is "The Backyardigans" and he will only watch during the opening credits because it's a song. He shoulder shakes and dances around and then as soon as the music stops, he's off to do something else. 

---Everett has started to climb onto everything. Last night, Aaron said he ran in the other room and within minutes was on a dining room chair playing with my half drank mug of then cold coffee.  This morning I look over and he climbed on my kitchen step stool, onto a cooler, and was playing with my kitchen utensils. Eek-I can't take my eyes off this kid!

---Everett has this crazy, hard throw. I try to warn people when the want to play catch with him that he throws really hard. I don't think they believe me until he's thrown a ball at their chest or face. Aaron is banking on this being his way into professional sports... I guess he can dream.

So there you have it, all of the random stuff Everett is up to at 16 months old. He's definitely all boy and a wild and adventurous one at that!

eternity moments

A few months ago when we were out visiting my parents, my dad told me he had an "eternity moment" with Everett. I wasn't exactly sure what he meant until he explained it. He said when he went in and picked Everett up from his crib, Everett wrapped his arms around my dad and just hugged him for a few minutes. Dad said it was one of those moments that he could live in for an eternity, that he could stay in forever. I loved it and his description, and that he loves my son so much.

Today I found myself having my very own eternity moment. It was a perfect day full of fun moments and crazy water adventures with Everett. Toward the end of the day, we headed out for a ride around the lake. I was riding in the front of the boat with Everett. The wind in our faces, sun shining, and Everett leaning into me hugging me with his sweet little hands. He held my hand and lay back on my chest and it just hit me- I could do this forever. Just simply live in this moment on repeat. I am so thankful for that moment today, thankful for my little boy, and so very thankful for those eternity moments.

i love this little face

what a perfect start to my day ♥

ahh summer, how i love thee

buddies

Everett and Nolan. Nolan and Everett. These boys love each other, partially because they've been subjected to hanging out regularly because their parents want to! As they've grown, the boys have started playing and interacting and loving each other.  It's so fun to watch!  Saturday we were hanging out with the Lusby's at my in-laws pool. We got a one year update pic to compare to our pictures from last year. It's crazy how quickly these two have grown from tiny babies to crazy toddlers. Yeay for great friends and especially for great friends with a great kid! 

sometimes you just have to stop and play in the puddles

Sometimes I have to stop myself --- stop myself from saying no Everett, you'll get dirty. Sometimes it'd just be easier to tell him no because I don't want to clean up the mess afterwards. But, at the end of the day, I want to be a mom who seized those opportunities, a mom who played and laughed and got dirty with my kid, a mom who took the time to enjoy these fleeting moments. So we did. We got dirty and wet, but it was well worth the smile on his face and his squeals of laughter. It's a good reminder for me that in the busyness of life sometimes you just have to stop and play in the puddles.

mothers day- take 2

A year ago I had a tiny little two month old. This year I have a running, laughing, wild 14 month old. It's crazy how much has changed about Everett--- his looks and all the things he can do and eat, and yet there's so much that remains the same... his sweet smile, his happy attitude, and the JOY and the fullness he brings to my heart. There are so many blessings in life, but one of the greatest is being this little boys mom!