1 Year Old

Everett is a year old today! I can't believe how fast time flies. I probably sound like a broken record, but it's true. He's gone from this little baby:

to this little boy:

He's gotten so big and has accomplished so much in a year. It amazes me how fast kids pick up on things. This little more will mimic anything. Here are some of the things he has done this past month:

Is now an avid walker. He loves to walk and is so proud of himself.
He'll pick up a cell phone and immediately put it up to his ear and start saying "hi". Well in his words hi! It's more like he yells in the phone which is probably something he got from his mother if you ask his dad!:)
Knows exactly where keys go. He'll stand at our front door, or my filing cabinets, and try to stick the keys in the slot.
When you ask him to close something like the front door, or dishwasher, he closes it.

This past year has been amazing. Despite times where I've felt completely inadequate to be a mother, Everett always finds a way to give me that reassurance. Usually just from his cute little smile my negative thoughts can change to positive. We love this little guy more than I could ever explain. Heavenly Father has truly blessed Todd and I with letting us have him in our lives.

Getting the Hang of it

Last Friday night Todd and I were hangin out when we were caught by surprise. Everett let go of the computer chair and walked. By walk, I mean he took like 5 or 6 steps. Which at the time was more than he has ever tried doing. He hadn't showed any interest in walking. He'd take a step or two here or there, but didn't want anything to do with it. Until last Friday.

The past week he has really gotten the hang of walking. When he first started he looked like a little drunk man. He'd keep his hands up in the air to keep his balance. When he'd get real excited he'd get faster and faster and then fall. After a few days he started realizing how to slow down and stop to get his balance. Now he's able to walk further and further. It's been pretty fun watching him and seeing his excitement!

Playing Catch Up

The past few weeks have been a little crazy around our household. Things are finally calmed down are we're settling back in. During the weekend of July 24th we were able to go to the St. Anthony Pioneer Day Parade. I was pretty excited. The last time we went it was just me and Todd. The parade was pretty cool, but I was excited to take Everett and see how he'd react. Much to my dismay he didn't really care. I should have know that! I thought he'd react to the firetrucks and the loud noises, but nothing. He just watched. That weekend were also able to hang out with our good friends the Bates. They had a wedding to attend so we were lucky enough to have them stay with us and hang out.

Unfortunately the 24th wasn't just filled with fun and laughter. On the 22nd of July we found out that Todd's Grandpa Kile was given only a few days to live. After contemplating for awhile we decided we'd try to move into our new place and then head out to Denver in hopes of being able to see him one last time. Sadly though he passed away on the 24th. We finished moving and cleaning and on the 27th we headed out to Denver to be with family and friends and attend Grandpa Kile's funeral.

Despite the reason for our visit we had a really good time being able to see family and friends and remembering Todd's Grandpa. On Wednesday, the 28th, and Thursday, the 29th, we attended the viewing and funeral. They had a really nice service and a little luncheon where able to visit with Todd's extended family. The rest of those days were spent catching up and hanging out at the Wilson's home. When we first got to Todd's parents Everett found his new favorite toy. A baby swing. He got in it and was able to get it to move back and forth. He was lovin it.

On Friday the family gathered up and went to the Science Museum in Denver. Everett was a mess when we first got there. I'd never seen him act like that before. I knew he was tired but he would not stop screaming for the life of me. I found a little corner and was trying to get him to calm down, but much to my avail nothing worked. Finally after about 10 minutes of frustration I had this prompting to take his shoes off. The minute the second shoe came off he laid his head down on my shoulder and fell asleep. I guess he really did not like those shoes! After waking up he really enjoyed the museum.

At one exhibit we were in they had a little landing that had a button you could push to learn more information. Those buttons were at the right height for Everett. When Todd would stroll up he'd just start pushing.

Outside the museum they had a little splash park sort of thing to run through. So after walking through all the kids got ready to go out and cool down. When we first got our there Everett would just stare. I tried taking him so we'd just get splashed a little. He'd stand there but didn't show much emotion. When Grandma Wilson got out there she took Everett right into the water. When they were first going she was hitting it just right so they really wouldn't get wet. Well after a little bit a huge burst of water came up and got the. Everett was not too pleased!!

He loves water and loves taking baths,but for some reason he did not like that. He would much rather be a bystander on the side.

Saturday morning we had a girls morning. We went and saw Charlie St. Cloud and left all the kids with the boys. After we headed back and got ready for Jace's baby blessing and Todd's birthday dinner. Todd's 27th birthday was on the 28th, but with everything else we decided to wait and celebrate that Saturday. He's mom made him his favorite lasagna and chocolate cake. We sang, ate, and had a good time.

(everett and josh trying to figure out how to get up the stairs)


singing happy birthday


blowing out the candles.

After a week of fun we made our way back to Idaho. This time to Rigby rather than Rexburg. We're now in our new place and have pretty everything up and put away. Everett is loving the extra space to crawl around in. We're slowly getting use to it here and are pretty happy with the decision we made to move. After packing, moving, unpacking, traveling, and more unpacking, we finally have the time settle in and make this our new home for the next few years:)

11 Months

Everett's 11 month old today! I can't believe our little boy is going to be a year soon. Where has the time gone?!! He's been super active as of late. He is surely becoming his own person. Little personality traits are starting to show. Some I hope are only a phase:) He can be one stubborn little boy. Especially when it comes to getting what he wants. Here are some of his little accomplishments this past month:

When we tell him we're saying a prayer he'll fold his arms. He does this best at home. For some reason at church it's a whole different story. A couple Sunday's ago we'd say "Everett Prayer" every time it was time to pray. Well by the last prayer of the day he had had it. As we were ending Relief Society I go "Everett Prayer". He starts yelling and arching his back. Needless to say he felt as though he'd prayed enough that day! I thought it was a little humorous!

He's been taking a few steps here and there. Mostly when he doesn't realize it. He does NOT like having us help him walk or having him stand up, at all! He hates it. He loves standing and walking around furniture, but when we go to help him walk he automatically sits.



He can make a fishy face and does it constantly now.

Honestly he is pretty good at mimicking. Except when it comes to trying to get him to suck out of a sippy cup. That is one thing he does not want to copy. Then he mimics stuff that I wish he rather wouldn't. A week, or so, ago he started shaking his head and we didn't understand where he got it from. Well, one day he was trying to get into something so I told him no and shook my head. He got the biggest smile on his face and just started shaking his head. So now every time we tell him no that's what he does.

Looking back at even just the past couple months it amazes me how much babies pick up on and how fast they grow. He knows things now. He knows when we go into his room and it's dark he's going to bed. Sometimes he just cries, but most times he'll lay his head on my shoulder and whimper a little. He knows when we're upset with him or when he shouldn't have something. I wish when he knew this he'd give me the remote, but instead he tucks it under his arm and tries to crawl off with it. He knows when the microwave is going he is most likely getting something to eat. He gets pretty excited and starts pointing. The other day Todd said something along the lines that he can be frustrating sometimes, but he is one cute kid. And that he truly is. There have been a few times I wish he'd go back to being a few months old and not all over the place, but then he starts laughing and smiling and it makes me realize that I enjoy those laughs and smiles so much more. We love this kid more than I ever thought imaginable and are excited for everyday when he learns something new!

Fire in the Sky

This past week there was a grass fire in SouthEast Idaho. I'm not quite sure how far it was from Rexburg, but it created quite the effect in the sky. Around 5:00 pm I as leaving my neighbors house and we noticed all this gray right above us. You could look to the south and just see blue sky. It was honestly kinda freaky. It created this eerie orange hue. For a moment it felt like we were in one of those end of the world movies. When you looked to the west it looked like storm clouds, but later on we found out that there was a grass fire by the INL. Around 7:00 pm this is what we saw out our window:

Wilson Family Reunion

Over the 4th of July weekend we had the opportunity to attend Todd's family reunion down in Utah. It was quite the weekend! We were able to start our little vacation by staying the night with our friends, The Bates, down in Provo. It was great being able to see them and catch up a little. Kaitlyn has gotten so big. They left about a year ago and she was just a little bit younger than Everett is now. She was so cute though. The minute we walked in she started saying "Everett". It was so fun to see them together. We had a good time eating ribs, talking, and playing some good old Mario Bros. For some reason I never take pictures when we're with them so I have to borrow Jessica's. So once again here's a picture she took of Everett and Kaitlyn. Everett looks a little out of it,but Kaitlyn looks pretty cute!!

The next morning we continued our drive to the reunion. It was just another hour or so from Provo. We were able to drive through the Provo Canyon. It was so pretty. Were we ended up was a dry rocky area, but still had this neatness to it. If that make sense. The view was just pretty it I thought.

Our first night there we were able to catch up with family, set up tent, watch a fun slide show of all the old photos they had of the original 8 Wilson siblings, and hang out. Everett had a ball while Todd and Troy were putting up the tent. He just wanted to get involved. He wasn't quite fond of meeting a whole bunch of new people. Todd's family is rather larger. I think there was around 120 or so people there. He also wasn't feeling the greatest either which didn't help. But he did pretty good. He'd let people hold him, but then he'd want to go right back to me or Todd.

Sunday was a pretty relaxed day. Looking back at the pictures it looks as though we pretty much slept the whole time!

Our first night of camping was a little rough. Since Everett hadn't been feeling too hot he didn't do the greatest. Well he actually slept really well until we went to bed and woke him up. He fell right back to sleep, but then kept waking up coughing. So Sunday morning we ended up passing out. When I woke up I went to find Todd. I couldn't find him anywhere until his sister, Tara, said she saw him last in our car. Well, low and behold he had gone to study for Biology and fell asleep. The rest of the day we were able to celebrate Grandma Wilson's 80th Birthday and have the big family birthday party.

The rest of the night we hung out around the camp fire. Roasted some marshmellows, starbursts, and some delicious dough boys!

Monday morning we had to head out and go home. We were able to take some family pictures and say our good byes. We had a good time camping and seeing family and can't wait till the next reunion.