Sleep is good

D: I am so close to being done with this quarter! I have one more assignment to turn in, then we can enjoy Christmas break.

The real reason I wanted to write this post is because Everett has been doing something odd lately. He's been going to bed at night without a fuss. In the 12 and a half months of his life this has never happened. Bedtime was a battle, and the nights he only screamed for 5 minutes we said to each other, "He must have been really tired!" Lately he'll cuddle up to us as we're reading and singing to him, and I've found myself often just sitting there...

A: Not wanting to move and end the cuteness?

D: Exactly. What's been even weirder about all of this is that his going to bed better at night has coincided with him being weaned. Alicia's down to nursing him only once per day. We don't dare try to completely stop knowing that we're going on a two and a half week vacation starting on Monday.

So, altogether he sleeps about 11-12 hours at night, and he takes at least two one hour naps during the day.

We recently had his 12 month doctor appointment and first dentist appointment for his eight teeth! Here are his stats:
21 pounds, 14 ounces    30th percentile
30 1/4 inches     62nd percentile
head circumference: 18 1/2 inches     66th percentile

The nurse was pretty sure the nurse who measured him last time, who was in training, messed up on his head measurement. She's pretty sure his head did not grow an inch in circumference in a month.

A: He's healthy!

I found a neurologist that's in the same building as Everett's pediatrician, so we can coordinate appointments. Makes life a lot easier. I had a nasty wave of migraines over Thanksgiving. The neurologist is increasing one of my preventative medications. He warned that one of the side effects I may experience is difficulty thinking of the right word. Aside from being a random side effect, I have enough issues thinking of the right word to express what I mean! Ugh. At least now I can blame it on the medicine.

We are very excited about Christmas. If we don't get to see you sometime this December, have a merry Christmas!

Into Drawer, Helping Mommy, Trombonist

Everett has discovered step stools. Be it me, Dallin's book bag, the printer, or his recent favorite - the trombone case, he uses them to climb up onto and into things or just to have a better reach. 

Today I moved the trombone case away from the desk so that this couldn't happen again. Though I'm sure he could find a way.

 

Everett pushing the broom forwards and backwards- what a helper

 (An improvement upon his usual attempts to eat from the swept-up pile, gross)

So he actually did okay at blowing into the mouth piece, before I started filming. Oh well, it is still pretty cute, even if only because I just love watching Dallin and Everett play together.

smiles, haven, stripping, tractor

 Because you can never have too many baby smiles. And look at all his teeth!

He stacked three jars and they stayed!

Okay, so I know I said last post that we've put limits on his cupboard interaction, but this morning he got in another cupboard too quickly for me to intervene. It appears to be a peaceful place for him to go and reflect.

Somehow Everett came out of his pants on his own. This is after taking off his socks.

While I was trying to quickly finish up this post, I was sitting next to the couch. Everett climbed up me and onto the couch! Next thing I know, the computer I am using has pulled up a new window and letters are being typed onto the screen without me doing anything. It took me a second to realize that he had our bluetooth keyboard. And I thought I had put such devices out of his reach!

Everett is one!, 1st Haircut, etc.

His current favorites: 

eating- especially apples, grapes, bananas, crackers, and cheese

 (He pulled the Triscuit box off the shelf and pulled out the bag and dumped out the crackers.)

Scribbling. 

He drew all over this box from the day it arrived until he was allowed to open it on his birthday. (I helped a tiny bit so if you see a heart or face, those were me, the rest was him) 

Speaking of scribbling, he likes pens. He carries them around with him. He is actually really good at only drawing on allotted surfaces. And he is quite good at holding the pen semi-properly.  

This picture also shows an example of how he likes to get into small spaces behind and between furniture.

 He likes to babble, explore, drum on surfaces, and laugh. He wants any electronic device he sees us using or that is in reach. He loves to play with toys and whatever else he decides is a toy. He likes to stack, pretend to eat, push buttons, push objects around the floor, play catch, take off his socks, hit things with sticks, open/close/turn/lift/slide/twist and otherwise manipulate objects often using other objects. 

He is close to being weaned, close to standing on his own, making progress towards walking.

I just love him and am so grateful to be his momma.

He got this adorable outfit from Great Grandma and Grandpa Marr and Aunt Julie.

 Everett and I joined the Joel and Staci Marr family for a trip to the mall and Spokane falls. Everett sat on Santa's lap at the mall. He reached out for me but didn't cry. So he wasn't quite traumatized.

He succumbed. 

 First Haircut!

Everett's hair was getting too long around the ears and in the back so we had Staci trim it up. Joel would attempt to hold his attention in the direction she needed him to face, and she somehow managed to only snip hair.  Thank you Staci!

He made this face for the camera! I don't remember him ever smiling on cue like this.

You know that cat that Everett wasn't a huge fan of. It likes us, and our car.

We have since put more limits on where Everett is allowed to roam and what he is allowed to get out of cupboards. But isn't he too cute! He looks like Winnie the Pooh.

Oh, and he's a model