Dear Everett,

Happy Birthday my love! I cannot believe how much you’ve grown and changed in the last year, and it is a delight to celebrate you and your third birthday.

This year has been a strange one. We started the year in quarantine, due to the Coronavirus, and we’re still in quarantine. It has been wild to be at home for an entire year with two toddlers. You and Denver have been troopers, happy to play in the backyard, fish at Harlinsdale Farm, and splash in the creek at Eliington Ag Center, but we are all ready to get back into society soon. Dad and I actually got our first vaccines for the virus on your birthday, so we’re getting close to getting back out there!

This year we’ve spent a lot of time scootering around our neighborhood. You are so smooth and polished on your scooter, and it’s adorable to watch such a little guy ride up and down hills with such speed and ease. The irony is that when we scoot around the neighborhood, you are a so fast. When we walk around the neighborhood, you couldn’t be slower. Dad and I have nicknamed you the Pokey Little Puppy.

You have developed a love for puzzles, and you are really quite brilliant at putting them together. You mastered the baby puzzles, blew through the toddler puzzles, and moved onto 60 piece puzzles that you can work all on your own. It’s amazing to watch your mind work, and you are clearly gifted in this area.

You still love Paw Patrol, the color purple, and Chick-fil-A. Your new favorites include Pete the Cat, superheroes, hippos, and R2D2. You sleep with a little stuffed hippo, named “Hippo Everett,” and you requested a Star Wars themed birthday party. You’ve never even seen Star Wars, but you have action figures that you play with each day. You like Dad and me to be the bad guys, and you and R2D2 fight us. You’ve made up a song and sing, “grown ups be bad guys, kids be good guys.” It’s hilarious.

Everett, you are emotional. This year has been full of big feelings and lots of screaming. We moved you and Denver into the same bedroom, and you dropped your nap much earlier than planned. You wake up at 6am each day and have the hardest time staying awake until bedtime at 7pm. Dinners are rough and full of meltdowns since you’re constantly overtired. I’m hoping that the big feelings get better soon, because it has truly been tricky to navigate.

On the bright side, you and Denver are best friends and love sharing a room together. You love your bunk beds and often make forts on the lower bunk. The two of you play together all day, get into all sorts of trouble, and laugh at all your inside jokes. What a gift to have a brother so close in age, and I pray that you will remain great friends as you both start school this next year.

Speaking of siblings, Savannah arrived halfway through the year, and you are a big brother now! You love your sister and are often found snuggling her and brushing her hair. You are so sweet, have nicknamed her Savannee, and get excited whenever she learns something new. I’m so proud of you and how well you’ve adjusted to being a big brother.

Regarding nicknames, you continually remind me that you are “just Everett.” I had so many nicknames for you, and you want nothing to do with them! You sing your name song, “E-V-R-E-T-T,” skipping a letter each time, and reminding me that you are an independent little guy with a very determined personality. I love that about you.

Right before your third birthday, you visited the ER for the third time. You were running through the house right before dinnertime and fell in the kitchen, hitting your forehead on the bench. Six stitches later, Dad and I are so grateful that it wasn’t worse, but it was one of the scariest evenings of my life. You are really good about wearing hats when we are outside now, and we have to keep your head out of the sun for the next year.

Sweet Everett Isaac Sledge, you are so loved by so many. Thanks for being the perfect middle child in our family. Dad and I love you to the moon and back, and we’re thankful for you each day.

Love,

Mom

Dear Everett,

Happy Birthday big boy! I am so excited to celebrate your second birthday and the sweetness that you bring to our family.

You are a talker, and it amazes me how many sentences you put together. You absolutely love to sing, and can often be found in the kitchen singing “Go, Tell It On the Mountain” and “Paw Patrol Theme.” You always say “thank you,” ask to “play outside,” and remind everyone continually that you like to do things “myself.”

Seriously, you’re very independent, and insist on picking out and putting on your own clothes. You change clothes about every half hour, so it’s a good thing you want to do it by yourself. You are great at independent play. Dad and I often find you in your room reading books, rocking on the couch with a Hotwheels car, or playing with your Elmo and Cookie Monster numbers and letters. You do enjoying playing with us outside, especially being pushed on the new swing set Dad built you.

Still a Daddy’s boy, whenever you see Dad, you ask him to “snuggle blanket,” and he’s always happy to oblige. You have a very considerate side, asking people if they are “ok” and making sure that if you have a toy to play with, so does everyone else in the room. You also like to feed Presley breakfast and give him treats. I love watching you care for others.

Ev, you are a picky eater lately, and it is a struggle. We make you eggs for breakfast, because it’s one of the few things you will definitely eat. You prefer snacks, such a fig bars, goldfish, and chips. Dinnertime in particular is a struggle because you refuse to sit in a high chair anymore, and kept climbing out. Dad has to sit between you and Denver for meals, to minimize the antics and help you stay seated.

Speaking of antics, you and Denver get into all sorts of trouble together now. You make holes in the walls, tell poop jokes, and find out how to make activities as dangerous as possible. I am constantly riding a fine line between encouraging bonding and being seriously concerned for your safety, but I am grateful that you two are best friends.

For Halloween this year, you were the cutest little ghost! You love running around the house yelling “boo,” so I figured you’d love your costume as well. It took a little bit of getting used to, but you finally got the hang of trick-or-treating, and I think you were the cutest little ghost in the entire neighborhood on Halloween night.

We traveled to Virginia Beach for Christmas this year, and we drove the entire way – 12 hours there and back. Everett, you did so great sleeping in new places, riding in the car, and being flexible. I was super impressed and hope to take many more trips in the future. We had a fun time playing with family, and I was especially delighted to watch your relationship grow with Great Grandpa. You would yell “Pa” anytime he left the room and snuggle in his lap. This was his last Christmas with family on this side of heaven, and I’m so thankful for the time we were all able to spend together.

The world is pretty much shut down right now, thanks to a pandemic known as the Coronavirus. It stinks, because we’re hunkered down without contact from friends and family. That being said, we decided to go ahead and potty train you while in quarantine. You did a great job with it, watched a lot of “Baby Shark” during the learning process, and I’m so proud of you!

Because of the quarantine, your birthday party was small this year, just the four of us! We made sure you had a blast, though, and filled the day with all your favorite things: Paw Patrol decorations, a purple Mater and Paw Patrol cake, and lots of fun new toys to play with. I’m pretty sure that your favorite part of the days was cake time, and you ate two pieces! One of your favorite games to play is to ask me to make silly faces, and I was more than happy to play and watch you laugh on your special day.

Everett, my hippo-loving, dancing machine, you are so loved. Dad and I praise God every day for you. You have the sweetest and sassiest personality, and it’s so fun to watch you learn and grow each day. Happy two years, little buddy.

Love,

Mama

Dear Everett,

Happy 18 months, Evie bear! The last six months have flown by, and I cannot believe that you are a toddler now. I am loving this season, because you are smart, sassy and showing off new abilities each day. You are such a sweet and gentle soul, and I look forward to seeing your smile each morning.

You have a big personality, Everett. When you are happy, you let everyone know it. You give sweet hugs and open mouth kisses, and you sing and dance all over the house.

When you are not happy, you also let everyone know it. Good grief, Ev, you are a screamer and world class tantrum thrower. One of your biggest fits was at your first hair cut. Right before 18 months, we took you to the salon, and you cried and wrestled the hair stylist so much that your hair looked worse after the cut than it did before. The haircut was so bad that Dad took clippers to it when we got home. Here’s to more smiles and fewer fits in the next six months. Please and thanks.

Speaking of thanks, you say many words now, including “thank you,” “blue,” “bye,” “bath night” and “cheese.” When I ask you to say “cheese,” you stop whatever you’re doing and give the biggest, cheesiest smile. It’s ridiculously cute. You also love saying animal sounds, and reading time is especially fun when you act out the animals.

Many of your favorite activities at 18 months involve water. You love baths, swimming in the pool, bubbles, playing in the water table, and splashing in puddles. The amount of dirty water you drink is truly disgusting, but I enjoy encouraging your love of water because it’s one of the few activities you’ll enjoy for more than a few minutes.

I hinted at it before, but I’ll elaborate now. You flit from one activity to the next every minute or so. It’s tricky, because I cannot take my eyes off of you. Why, you may ask? Because when you’re not playing with water, you’re typically climbing. You, my love, are a climbing machine. There is nothing you will not climb. Kitchen tables, chairs, stairs, into the bathroom sink to turn on water, you get the picture. As a result, your poor baby body has taken a beating over the last six months. You’ve had a number of goose eggs as well as a broken collar bone. That’s right, on July 27th, you rolled off an ottoman at just the right angle, and broke your collar bone. I will say, because you fall so frequently and get back on your feet again, it was easy for Dad and me to know that something was wrong because you wouldn’t calm down. After a trip to the ER, we had the x-ray proof. The injuries have calmed over the last few weeks, and I’m hoping your newfound stability is here to last. Now if only you’d stop climbing everything in sight.

Your brother started preschool a month ago, and you and I have been enjoying one on one time together! We go to the library for story time and Pinkerton Park to play. Sometimes we even take walks around the neighborhood so that you can wander wherever you want. This time is so special to me, and I look forward to it every week.

When Denver is not at school, you two are inseparable. You chase each other around the house, pretend to be bears, dance to the “Paw Patrol Theme Song,” and get into all the mischief manageable. Watching your friendship grow is one of the best parts of my days, and I hope that your bond will continue to grow as you get more words and can interact even more closely.

You love your Dad and miss him when he’s at work. You often stare at pictures of him on the walls, point, and say “Dad.” When he comes home, you run to greet him, and I know he loves it.

We took another trip to the Chattanooga Aquarium in September, and you loved running all around and yelling “fish.” I think Dad and I spent more time chasing you and Denver than actually looking at the animals! It was definitely a fun family day, though. Pappy also came to visit, over the summer, and took you out to catch fish. While you are still a bit too young to do the actual fishing, you were brave and touched a fish! You were so happy at the pond, and I look forward to taking you back again soon.

Everett Isaac, you are such a happy and handsome boy. Dad, Denver, and I all love you and are so grateful that you are part of our family. You fill the days with laughter, and you certainly keep us on our toes. Happy 18 months, Everett.

Love,

Mama

Dear Everett,

Happy first birthday my darling baby boy! I cannot believe that it’s been a year since I first held you in my arms. I remember the first moments snuggling with you on my chest as if it were yesterday, and I am so very thankful for this past year.

The last month has been full of surprises because you have learned so many new skills. For instance, you now dance standing up. When you do, it looks like you are completing mini squats over and over again. You also wave and blow kisses, but you will only blow kisses to me! I secretly don’t mind, but I think Dad would be delighted if you’d send him some kisses soon. You also think it’s hilarious to laugh, and you tilt your head back laughing louder and louder as I laugh with you. It’s hilarious to watch!

This month, you also cut two more teeth, for a total of six in your first year! You definitely have some big teeth like your mama, and your smile lights up any room you’re in. Keep smiling, little buddy, and keep getting those teeth!

You’d think with only six teeth, you would have trouble chewing table food, but no, you’re officially weaned from baby food and loving life! We’ve discovered that you have an incredible appetite. For breakfast, you are the only one at the table who gets cereal, fruit, cheese, and eggs, and it’s because you will eat it all! I was unsurprised to see that you grew so much at your one year checkup, because the calories had to be going somewhere!

Speaking of checkups, you have got to be more careful. Little Evs, you are constantly getting head injuries. Now that you’re comfortable walking, you are going faster and faster, running into everything and toppling over at higher speeds. You’ve also developed a penchant for stairs and are unaware that you can fall down them. Good grief!

While I haven’t enjoyed the injuries, I have enjoyed watching you learn to coordinate your movements well enough to kick a soccer ball. You’re always observing Denver at play, and you pick up on things that are well before your time! You seriously found a ball and kicked the ball across the yard, all on your own, and it was impressive. Good work, little buddy!

You finished the year with five words: mama, dad, book, ball and neigh! Not only can you say the words, but if I ask you to find a ball or a book, you know where to go and get them! You can also point to the fan when I ask you where it is! Such a smarty.

We traveled to Virginia this month for Aunt Hannah and Uncle Paul’s wedding! I’m not going to lie: it was challenging. You are a tricky age for travel right now. You were not happy sleeping in a pack in play, you missed all of your toys at home, and to top it off, you were sick. I am glad we got to see the family, but I am also glad we’re back home now. Here’s to hoping traveling is a bit easier next time around.

We finished up your 12th month with a goldfish themed birthday bash! It was so much fun. You enjoyed playing with all your new gifts, trying cake for the first time, and flirting with all your aunts. I’ve always loved birthdays, even more so now that I get to celebrate the births of my sweet boys.

I love you so much little Evs! Your Dad, Denver, and I are so very thankful that you are in our family. You have added so much sweetness and laughter to our home. Happy 12 months!

Love,

Mama

Dear Everett,

You are one month away from the big one and I cannot believe it! As we near your birthday, I feel all the emotions. I’m so thankful for each day with you, somewhat relieved that the baby year is coming to a close, and also missing the days when you were so little that you’d fall asleep in the crook of my arm as I walked you around the house.

This month has been a bit rough because everyone has been sick again. You and I both got a particularly mean stomach bug, and Dad stayed home from work to take care of us. I’m so thankful that we’re on the mend now.

On a brighter note, it’s getting warmer outside, and you are loving exploring the outdoors. You especially love our backyard, full of sticks, mud, and toys that you’re enjoying for the first time. It’s so nice to play outside with you, and I am excited for spring and summer which are just around the corner.

You’ve learned some new tricks this month, such as playing peekaboo and neighing like a horse. Additionally, when you hear music, you sit on the ground and rock back and forth with your feet kicking to the beat. It is ridiculously adorable. I love seeing you get excited when you master new skills, and I’m enjoying the intentional interaction.

In anticipation of your first birthday, Dad and I have been making a list of your favorite things. It includes: toilet paper, the dog water bowl, goldfish crackers, refried beans, and the book Goodnight Gorilla. Dad reads the book to you every night before bed, and you laugh hysterically. Your laughter brings our family such joy, and it’s a very peaceful way to end the days.

Your favorite thing is probably bath time, when you splash, drink water, and giggle with Denver. Dad has been decorating you with letters which you don’t seem to mind.

Lastly, you enjoy wrestling! If anyone is laying on the ground, you come over to tackle them. Denver is your favorite to wrestle, but you sure make the effort with Dad and me whenever you see an opportunity.

Happy 11 months my sweet, growing baby boy. I’m excited to celebrate your first year next month!

Love,

Mama

Dear Everett,

Happy 10 months to my littlest walker! I cannot believe it. A few days ago you started taking steps, and now you are walking halfway across rooms! WHAT IN THE WORLD?!! It’s hilarious, because you are so little and yet so determined. You use anything around you to pull up, and then you take off, typically with a dangerous object in your mouth. I thought this month would be about cruising and learning to steer walkers around corners, which you’ve become quite good at, but you took things a whole step further! Congrats on this walking milestone, Ev. You rock, and your dad and I are so proud of you.

Speaking of your dad, you said “Dad” for the first time this month! He was delighted to hear it, and we’re both hoping you start saying it more consistently soon.

Denver is also pretty excited about your walking. He keeps wanting you to walk towards him, and he cheers you on! Your crawling is especially great now, and the two of you have such fun chasing each other around the house and giggling. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, watching your friendship grow brings me such joy, and I pray that you will continue to become best friends.

I decided at the start of the new year that I wanted to get back into shape, so I signed up for the YMCA. We’ve been going a few times a week, sometimes so that I can run, and other times so that we can all swim together. Since the separation anxiety is still going strong, you do not love playing while I exercise. You do, however, love swimming. You splash and drink water and float calmly, and it’s really a fun way to pass time this winter!

We also finally celebrated your baby dedication at church! You looked so handsome in your yellow shirt and gray jacket, and you were ridiculously calm while up on the stage. When the pastor asked your Dad and me to promise to raise you up as a believer, you shook your head, “No,” and it was hilarious timing. I laughed so hard and was once again reminded how well your middle name suits you.

Everett Isaac, my sweet little boy, Happy 10 months! Your snuggles and laughter and independent personality are a joy, and I delight in being your mom.

Love,

Mama

Dear Everett,

Happy 9 months Evie Bear! This month was full of adventure and new experiences, and you loved every minute of it.

To begin with, you got your two top teeth! You have been a teething machine, chewing on anything and everything and grossing me out! I wasn’t sure if the teeth would make it, but they did, the second showing up on the last day of the month! I am loving your big, toothy smile!

You are now cruising and using anything in your path as a walker, including your walker, little piano, boxes, rocket, and step stool. Seriously, anything that you can move you will move. It’s pretty impressive to watch. You go where you want, and are quite graceful, moving with purpose. It’s interesting to watch you think through behaviors now, and I love your independence.

Speaking of independence, you play so well on your own at home. You love exploring all of the toys in the playroom, particularly when Denver is sleeping, and you move from one object to the next intentionally. You will happily play on your own for long periods of time, come over for a hug, and then go back to playing. It is astounding to me that you are so content to play on your own.

That being said, you have some serious separation anxiety in public. You want to be held close and especially do not like to be left in the church nursery. You cry when I drop you off, cry when I’m gone, and have a complete meltdown when I pick you up. Once you’re in my arms, though, you snuggle in tightly. I am hoping that you grow out of this faze soon, but I do love knowing that you love me so much.

Aunt Los took a vacation day from work and joined us for a day trip to the Chattanooga Aquarium. You slept the entire way to the aquarium and most of the ride home! I couldn’t believe how well you did in the car, particularly since you rarely nap that well at home. At the aquarium, you enjoyed seeing the big fish, and you especially loved the crocodiles. Since it was a rainy day, we had a picnic in the car before heading home, which was really sweet even if a bit cramped. The trip was a fun break from routine, and an exciting adventure for sure.

Speaking of adventures, your Dad scored tickets to a Titans game, and we all went! It was a blast. You were not so sure about the baby headphones, and you were especially not sure about the loud cheering, but it was a fun first half, and you made the cutest little Titans fan.

At the end of the month, we celebrated your first Christmas! You looked so snuggly in your Christmas pajamas. You were a bit too young to enjoy opening gifts, but we all had a fun day at home as a family. Your first Christmas is the first Christmas we’ve spent at home in a long time, and it was a welcome change.

I love you so much, little Ev! Happy 9 months!

Love,

Mama

Dear Everett,

Hello my happy little 8 month old! This month was full of excitement as we celebrated your first Halloween and Thanksgiving and also your new ability to crawl!

So happy in your hat

Let’s start with the holidays. For Halloween, Denver dressed up as The Man with the Yellow Hat which meant that you dressed up as Curious George! You were so completely adorable, even if you were not super excited about the hat part of the costume. The best part was your banana teether, which I did not plan at all to coordinate with your outfit. I literally gave it to you to chew on as we were walking out the door. So hilarious and perfect!

Curious George

For Thanksgiving, we journeyed to your grandparents house. You were a bit tired because teething has caused some very short naps, but you had fun hanging out with everyone right up until nap time. You were also the cutest little turkey I’ve ever seen. I made you a little hat with your handprints, and you actually wore it!

You look so sleepy.

Dad took off work the entire week of Thanksgiving, which was perfect timing because it’s when you learned to crawl! Den was napping downstairs, and Dad and I were playing with you upstairs. You’d been rocking back and forth on all fours but not committing to forward motion. All of a sudden, you took off with a clever little knee and foot crawl! It was like you’d been waiting until you absolutely knew you could do it, and then you were full steam ahead. You now use one knee and one foot and hobble all around the house. You are ridiculously adorable, and Dad and I are delighted about your new skill!

Perched and ready

Along with your mobility, you are so happy now! The crankiness dissipated the day you became mobile and was replaced with laughter and smiling. What a relief, and what good timing. You have needed this happier disposition to help with the sicknesses you’ve been battling for the better part of the month. Early on you had a virus, and when that started to clear up, you came down with Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease. You have been so sick, with a fever and sores and a cough, but you’re making it through. I am hopeful that you’ll heal up soon.

You are so sick and done with the day.

Along with mobility, you’re making strides in communication. You now say “mama.” At first, I thought you were just babbling, but now I’m convinced that you’re actually saying my name. You consistently say “mama” when I am around and you want to be picked up. So, it might mean “mama come get me,” but I’ll take it! Mama is an excellent first word, little man. You also mimic breathing in and out of your nose and clicking your tongue against the roof of your mouth. The imitation game is really fun, and everyone, including Denver, enjoys making sounds with you.

Telling me about something.

Speaking of Denver, you two are continuing to grow into best friends. He lays next to you and asks for pictures with “bro.” He showed you how to splash water in the bath tub, and you splash with him and make squealing noises. He holds your hand and asks me to say prayers, and he makes you laugh when we’re in the car and you’re ready to get out of your seat. What a joy it is to watch your friendship get stronger each day.

Best friends

Happy 8 months my sweet baby Everett! You are such a lovely baby, and I’m so thankful that you’re part of our family!

Love,

Mama

Dear Everett,

Happy seven months, to my sweet little brunette baby! Your hair still sticks straight up on top, and it’s adorable.

So precious

The fussiness continues! This is the third month in a row I’ve written about it. It’s the strangest thing. You are such a sweet, happy, cuddly buddy. You love playing with toys, and you even play independently quite well. When you are happy, you are so very happy. When you are unhappy, though, a switch flips, and you cry and wail until I pick you up. Then, when I pick you up, you try to catapult out of my arms. What in the world?! I thought that once your second tooth came in, the fussiness would abate, but it was replaced with serious separation anxiety. It’s been rough, little dude.

Happy because we’re together!

So rough, in fact, that Dad decided to night wean you all by himself. You were waking up every hour or two all night long, and you kept waking earlier, like 11pm, 10pm, and 9pm. Finally, I hit a bit of a wall, and Dad stayed home from work one morning to let me sleep. Then, he set up the air mattress and told me to sleep upstairs for a few nights. With Dad on duty, you started sleeping much longer stretches. Some nights you’d sleep eleven hours straight. Other nights, you’d cry for up to two hours somewhere in the middle. It took about two-three weeks, but your nights are now consistently 10.5-11 hours, and we are both getting long stretches of sleep again.

Riding on the red rocket

Now for some happier news. You are sturdy when you stand up! You love playing with your activity table and will stand and play well for a few minutes at a time. You are also finally rolling both ways. If given the chance, you will roll across the bedroom floors. It’s fun to watch you with this new freedom.

Standing up!

You also love eating, now, with three meals a day! You eat oatmeal for breakfast, fruit and veggies for dinner, and you can eat 4-5 tbs in 3-5 minutes. It’s impressive. You’ve even expressed an interest in apple splices, but you mostly like to teeth on them and then spit them out.

Chewing on an apple

Chewing on a block

I love you, little Ev, fussiness and all. I love reading with you, snuggling with you, and carrying you all around. Keep growing, little man, and stay sweet forever.

Reading together

Love,

Mama

P.S. Here is a family picture from church!

Dear Everett,

Happy half-birthday, little buddy! I cannot believe how fast the last six months have flown by. I still vividly remember holding you on my chest moments after you were born. I remember walking around the house and you falling asleep as I carried you in the crook of my arm. It seems like I blinked, and you’re six months old!

Handsome little six month old!

Fall is finally here, and we’ve been taking full advantage of the cooler days. You are big enough for the double stroller now, so we take walks in the afternoons. We also drove to a playground, and you enjoyed your first ride in a swing! You were the tiniest little swinger I’ve ever seen! It was precious, and we’ll get back to the playground soon.

First time in double stroller! You look so tiny.

Trying out the fall decorations.

First time in a swing

Since you enjoy riding in the stroller, I thought you would also enjoy riding in a grocery cart. I was so wrong! You wobble all around and eventually start crying. I took some cute pics while the fun lasted, but you are still in the baby carrier during most of our excursions. I think you need a few more pounds and inches before you fit snuggly in carts.

This casual pose is hilarious.

This was another fussy month, little dude, but the fussing seems to have paid off. You have your first tooth! I wasn’t sure if it would make it this month, but it literally cut through on the last day. You are working hard on your second, and I can’t wait to see your toothy grin.

Playing with your tag blanket, aka teething toy

Recently you started smacking your lips around lunch and dinnertime when the entire family was eating without you. So we stared you on solids, oatmeal and veggies. Things got off to a rough start, but once you discovered squash, you became the happiest little eater.

First time trying oatmeal

Much happier with sweet potatoes

I love you, little Evie. I love watching you each day. I love your smile. I love your contagious smile. I love watching you laugh at your brother, play with new toys, and observe the world around you. Thanks for being such a wonderful addition to our family. You are incredibly loved.

Reading a book

Trying out the piano

Snuggling with Denver

Happy six months!

Love,

Mama