Soccer Ball

I have known Everett is attached to his soccer ball for some time now--whenever we go outside he is always happy to take it with him, and sometimes he even carries it while running around the apartment and shouting "ball!" "ball!"

Today Joel and I were going to run an errand and we didn't give Everett very much notice for when we were leaving. When we got his shoes on and went to the door, Joel told him that we were leaving and asked if he wanted to go ride in the car.

All of a sudden Everett got a panicked, frantic look on his face and started running all over everywhere, obviously looking for something. I tried to pick him up so we could go (he has never insisted on taking anything with him to run errands before, and I didn't think he would start now), but amid his fierce protestations I put him right back down and watched as he resumed his frazzled searching.

Then, I asked Everett, "What are you looking for?".

What was his reply?

"My Ball! My Ball!"

Of course. So I helped him find his ball, and then as though a switch was flipped he was as eager to leave as he usually is.

Fortunately he is happy to leave the ball in the car instead of taking it into the store, but now I'm beginning to wonder if that will last. At least it isn't something huge.

(As a side note, this is the first time Everett has said a real "phrase"--however simple--rather than a single word. It was a proud mommy moment for me. I almost positive he's used them before but this was the first obvious one that I've been able to pick up on. Pronunciation and Enunciation are not his strengths.)