I love taking pictures of Everett while he is talking because I really capture some of his characteristic faces. Today I did just that, which coincides perfectly with the fact that I have been meaning to post some things that are typical of Everett right now (since we just celebrated his birthday and all). This way I won't forget them later and hopefully we'll all be able to look back and have a good laugh.
Translation: skip if you don't want to be bored or if you are not related to Everett. If you are related, you will be quizzed on this later (graphing calculators not permitted).
Catch Phrases:
"I can't know!" (in place of "I don't know")
"It will be/is so totally crazy!"
"I not like that"
"Let's not talk about it right now!"
"Not I do!" (If you ask him something like: Who wants to go to bed early?)
1. Everett loves to tell stories. When he tells about something that happened to him, he always joins his sentences with an "and next. . .", and he always uses plenty of actions and sound effects. Never have I seen him tell a story with only his mouth; he always involved his entire body and the floor in a five foot radius.
2. Everett loves games. He gets frustrated very easily when he is losing, but he is easily excitable and seems to really enjoy the thrill of not knowing what will happen. So far his favorites have been: Guess Who, Yahtzee jr., and of course Memory. Yes, he usually beats me.
3. Everett is a dreamer. He loves imagining what will happen. If you ask him a question that prompts him to figure out an answer, you will find him looking like he does in this picture as he enjoys thinking about his answer.
4. Everett has a great sense of humor and loves to be silly. He went through a phase during Primary where he would dash over and turn the lights off. The first time he did it, all the kids laughed. That was enough for him and it took him quite a while to get over the thrill of that particular joke. Often Everett will feed me specific made-up lines so he can set me up to have some sort of humorous dialogue with him. "Now you say this, Mom, and I say that" he says.
5. Everett loves rules. It sounds funny to say, but he really does. He is always careful to abide by the rules when he understands what is expected of him, and he makes sure that the people around him do, too. We had a talk a few weeks ago about littering and how it can harm the animals and the environment. Not once has he put trash anywhere but the trash can since that talk. If he sees garbage where it isn't supposed to be, like the parking lot or the grass, he will shake his head and usually run to put it in the nearest trash can. He reminds the neighborhood kids to take care of their trash as well.
Last week we went to McDonald's with some friends. I was mean and did not get my kids a happy meal, but when Everett saw the toy (a robot bug) he was very sad. I explained to him that he could not have one, especially not one that belonged to the kids we were with. Unbeknownst to me, one of the moms offered an extra robot bug to Everett. I'm sure it was hard for him but he refused the toy. "It's not my toy," he explained. I told him later that it was okay and he was thrilled.
6. Everett still gets very shy in new situations. I took the kids to the Library's bilingual story time this week, and Everett almost had a complete melt-down before we went in the room. He laid on the carpet and refused to go in. What triggered his intense emotions? Seeing all the new people in a new environment. I could tell that he was very scared, but he came in with me and ended up enjoying it even though he didn't talk to (or make eye contact with) anyone for a while.
7. Everett has a great thirst for knowledge. He requested that I check out a book on sharks from the library this week. After reading it to him one time, he could tell me an interesting fact about almost every shark. (His favorite fact is that a small car can fit inside the mouth of a whale shark. Who knew? Definitely not me.)
8. Everett is a great help to me with William. I have explained that William cannot have items of a certain size, and that he definitely cannot have anything he can bite apart. I have assigned Everett to help me watch what William is putting in his mouth. All day long, Everett reports to me the instant William puts something contraband in his mouth. I think it makes Everett feel special and important to be helping me out.
9. Everett loves to draw. He spends time drawing every single day. I think he would miss his markers the most out of all his toys if we took them away. He is getting to be very good and has started requesting that I help him spell words. He loves making thank-you cards for people and feels very proud when he gets to put them in the mailbox.
10. Everett is starting to really understand the value of trying hard and practicing skills. I was terrible at practicing and studying when I was younger and I think deep down I worry that my kids are going to be the same. If you ask Everett how he got so good at drawing (or anything else), he will tell you matter-of-factly, "It's because I practiced very hard." I want him to feel the satisfaction of putting in a lot of work for something. I think he is beginning to get it.
11. Everett loves praise. He tells me often of the good things he does, and when I praise him, he gives me a giant hug. If Ashley misbehaves, Everett is quick to point out that he did not. Every time I pick him up from preschool, he tells me proudly that he did not have an accident in his pants.
12. Everett has a great capacity to love. He accepts everyone without question, no matter their differences. I visit teach a wonderful woman who I have had the opportunity to help a few times, and the most recent time she called, Everett was very disappointed that I told him "no" when he asked to speak with her on the phone. Every night Everett prays for someone else in his personal prayers.
Most often, the beneficiaries of this love are us--the members of his family. I feel loved by him every single day and I am so grateful that Heavenly Father it fit to send him to our family. It was no accident, and I pray that I can live up to the task of raising this wonderful child of God.
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