Lately Everett thinks he's pretty cool. Or maybe I should change that up. Lately Everett is pretty cool. Last night we were at the dinner table and he nonchalantly flips on two pairs of sunglasses and says, "I'm so cool my shades wear shades!" James and I looked at each other like what in heaven's name just happened and then we both couldn't hold back the giggles. I mean, anyone witty enough to plan and execute that baby monologue is legit cool in my book, that's for sure.
He is full of one-liners these days, and they tend to make me simultaneously roll my eyes and fall for the little charmer. Last time he got in trouble for being a bug to his brother he smiled and said, "I'm naughty...but I'm handsome!" He's not wrong. And when I got home from my long run last Saturday he said, "I'm proud of you for running...(starts flexing)...but mostly I'm proud of me for having such a great Mom!" The fact that he turned my run into his pat on the back still makes me chuckle, now that's some self love! A few days ago he was walking around the living room saying, "I'm a lawyer, I'm going to steal your house" in his best Chicago mobster accent and when James asked him about it Ev simply answered, "What, isn't that what lawyer's do?" So, yeah, he's got a lot of respect for the profession that keeps him housed and fed!
This year Everett has found his place on the playground. His brother had warned him of ball-hogs on the lunch-time soccer and football fields since he's now with an older group of kids but Ev quickly made a name for himself and comes home daily talking about his touchdowns and goals. He's aggressive and works hard and considering just a year or two ago he would cry at the mere mention of competition this transformation astounds me. A while back I walked by the school at lunchtime and sure enough, there was Everett Knight, flags attached at his waist and a football in his hand. Oh, I can't wait for the fall and another soccer season. Watching him play is a real treat.
He's also maturing in other remarkable ways that make me so proud. For example, there are so many nights I find him on Quinny's bed reading the girls their bedtime story without even being asked. He's so nurturing with them, calling them sweetheart and tucking them in and it's really heart-warming to watch. His reading in general is just amazing. That kid is devouring books lately and gets lost in the adventures. Before so much as a hello after school on Monday he's inside doing his "Monday jobs" because he's old enough to just know what to do--and boy does he know how to clean a sink and organize the shoe bin! He only wants to wear full suits to church now (preferably with a pocket square) and comes home from Sunday services really grasping difficult gospel truths and sharing his knowledge and testimony with us. That kid comes off as care-free but there's a depth to him that I'm recently getting to know and it's wonderful. He's wonderful.
But he's still seven and seven is still small and I am soaking it all in before my baby boy is big. His tall socks, the hat he inevitably throws on when I say it's time to brush his hair, his obsession with the song "I'm Blue" and the way he plays Beatles anthems on the piano are all things that I love about him right now, as a 7 and 5/6 year old. Sure he rarely ties his shoes and he's a weasel with either sibling directly linked to him but he's fun and sweet and has a smile and twinkling eyes that make me melt. Serious puddle status. He will always be my baby boy and I will always feel like the luckiest Mom for belonging to him.
Rach snapped this really fast at Descanso a few weeks ago and I adore it. It's been way too long since I had a one on one picture with my Ever Knight.
You have not seen a stink-face until you've watched Everett play dodgeball on a Friday night. Oh. My. Goodness. That was entertaining!
These are his shades of choice lately, and of course a hat! He was so proud of his Science Slam lego car, and I'm endlessly proud of him.
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