Barefoot in the Clover

We Three Sjolseths spent some time on a picnic this past Sunday. Across from our townhome is a field that posed just the right spot to sit and soak in the beautiful weather. Twiggy, our cat, decided to join us (she often joins us on our walks).

After a few moments snoozing in the sun alongside us, she discovered that the "dogs" were returning and sprinted to hide behind a tree.

Do you see her?

She sure hopes not.




She stayed there until she could see the dogs walking on that side of the tree and beelined it to the other side of the field. What a strategist.

Old and young enjoyed the food.

Yup, Everett is talking in this one.

And in These:




Besides enjoying the weather, we are also working on our minuscule yard that takes us hours to replant and trim (we replanted 150 daffodil bulbs, my gluts are aching today). After several spring seasons in our home we know what the squirrels will eat and what they won't. Though, they still dig everything up looking for the peanuts they buried. (our neighbor, kind soul, gives them the peanuts, sigh . . .)


And, we'll probably take some pictures of it all soon . . . you think?

Everett at 0.5 Years

STATS

Weight: 20 pounds exactly, 90th percentile

Height: 27 inches, 75th percentile

Head Circumference: Off the charts

Here is the story on his big head . . . he got it from his mom, Sheila. Yep, the doctor needed to determine if the very large melon size was due to genetics, and Sheila's head size is off the charts. (The pediatrician measured it right there.) Erik is just banking that nugget of info to use at a later date. As far as Sheila is concerned, it was always her hair that kept her from fitting into baseball caps--and she is sticking to that story.

At the end of the exam, Everett cried for about 20 seconds after getting his shots and then turned to the nurse and gave her a big SMILE! He didn't start the squalling until after the first shot. (He seemed a bit shocked that he got more than one.)

Comments from the 6 month physical:

• "He kicks so much . . . I bet he'll be a swimmer," said the pediatrician.
• "My! What a strong boy!" exclaimed the nurse while trying to give him his shots.
• "What a CUTIE!" declared every nurse and office clerk. He really lapped that up, smiling at them, and being the coy flirter that he is.
• "What a big baby . . ." muttered one mom in the waiting room.

What does Evy look like *without* his hands in his mouth?

Oh, yeah, that's right:

Duckie is the fave toy right now.

Today we were playingwith Duckie when "Turkey Love Song" came on, lauding the beauties of a duck.

"I love your wings.

I love your bill.

You do those things.

They're such a thrill."

Everett giggled hysterically because of the beat and the great duck sounds from Dad. I thought the concidence of the accompanying song was the funny part. (Well, I guess you had to be there. )

_____________________________________________________

Everett isn't sitting just, yet. Actually, whenever we try to practice sitting, he enjoys the throwing his body to the side more . . . because, well, in trying to keep him from being scared about falling to the side, I tried to make a game of whenever he tumped over, and that backfired. He enjoys throwing himself to the side and laughing about it more than practicing the "sitting" part. Go, Mom.

Look at me fall this way!

I can fall that way, too!

(Like he's stuck in a Seuss book.)

Caught upright for just a few seconds!

"So THAT'S what the floor looks like!"

View from his nursery:

Hosted a Birthday Party

Last week we helped put on a 1st Birthday Party for a Baby Buddy of Everett's.

The theme was airplanes, and we wanted to share with you how our house was transformed. The weather was beautiful, and we had a smashingly fun time.

Check out the runway . . . it goes all the way to the cake!

Everett has to show off how he fits into the theme . . . complete with sunglasses.

It gets mighty bright flying up in the wild blue yonder. (loving those chunky baby legs!!)

Our very own dogfight reenactment. Of course, the good guys won.

This is what happend to Sheila's hands after working with the icing for the cake.

Caught RED handed. hehehe

Week Filled with Firsts

What a busy week for all of us, especially Everett!

This week Everett took his first trip to the library and checked out his first library books. The book he chose was “I Stink” by Kate McMullan and Jim McMullan.

“Know what I do at night? Eat your trash, that's what! See those bags? I smell breakfast!"

This truck has got it all. His job? Eating garbage and loving every stinky second! And you thought nighttime was for sleeping.

Interesting choice, kid.

We also charmed the neighborhood during several walks, flirting with fellow walkers, joggers, and squirrels alike. During one walk, Everett saw his first Cardinal, first three-legged dog, and his first HAWK. The hawk was pretty cool.

'tude! You want 'tude, I've got 'tude!

For the past two weeks, Everett has been busy working on his first TEETH! He now has both of his bottom central incisors. To the lay dental person, please refer to the following chart to see which ones have arrived.







Yay! I have teeth.

Does this mean I can have cookies now?

"Old Man Face I Make While Playing with My New Teeth"

He is still pretty fussy and has mastered the "6 finger-sucking" trick . . . so, we have decided he is already working on his next set of teeth.

Everett is now in his "big boy" car seat and he loves it! Those seats are more plush than the regular seats big people sit in . . . and any lazy-boy armchair, we would wager.

He also had his first fruit, bananas. He started crying when he was finished because even though the bananas ran out, he wanted more! And, he had dinner for the first time (he's been eating solid food for lunch for awhile now). Actually, it was for his first dinner that he had bananas.

Happy Birthday, Erik!

Erik's birthday had a muted celebration last week as he was afflicted with some cold he caught on a Boy Scout camping trip. Many of you had the opportunity to hear his raspy voice as you called to wish him happy b-day. You will be relieved to know that he is feeling better.

Through the week, we celebrated by letting him choose what he wanted for lunch and dinner and finally had a birthday dinner for him Sunday. Yesterday, upon finally returning to work, he brought his coworkers banana and pineapple cupcakes to celebrate.

Happy Birthday, Erik!

(and Sheila is relieved that he is again the land of the "living and productive" . . . being a single parent is hard work)

Happy Easter

Question:

What do parents of a 5 month old do when the baby wakes up

at 5:30 in the morning?

Answer: Help him open his Easter basket, of course!

Popcorn Popping on the Cherry Trees

2007 Cherry Blossom Festival

We visited the Tidal Basin for this year's showing of the cherry blossoms. The weather was chilly, and Everett was interested in all the goings on around us. You'll see from the pictures that we just weren't entertaining enough ourselves to keep his attention for many shots.

http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/ (check out the cherry blossom web cam under "bloom watch")

After the photo shoot, we treated ourselves to lunch at an Indian restaurant in Chinatown, Mehak Restaurant--one of the few places that serves Peshwari Naan. YUM!

We'll caption this one, "I don't appreciate being woken up from a metro induced sleep to fulfill your snap happy motives." It is a rather nice shot of Sheila, though.

So, Everett was a bit more appreciative of the views by this point.

What was Everett looking at in the rest of the shots . . .

"Popeye the Baby" Spotted In Real Life

Recent tabloid headlines deliver the exciting news that

"Popeye the Baby" might have been found.

The sighting started with one witness spotting the famed anchor tattooed forearms.

"I mean, I just couldn't believe what I saw," Jenny Crush gushed as she explained her experience in realizing who she saw at the local Cosco grocery store. Jenny further commented as she smacked her Juicy Red fruit gum, "When I first walked by him, I just sensed that there was something special about that boy. It wasn't until I saw that he was wearing a sailor suit that I put two and two together. . . . Are you going to quote me on that?"

Other witnesses stated that they recognized him right off from his "I yam what I yam and that's all that I yam!" chatter and bulging forearms.

"There was no mistaking that kid," Roger Rhodes a mechanic from 'Mike's You Flat We Inflate' tire shop said. "I mean, who wouldn't recognize him. By the way, do you think he can give me an autograph?"

Though there was always debate about just how many of Popeye's forearms had the distinct tattoo, it is certain that this is not Swee'Pea the orphaned baby.

When reporters questioned "Popeye the Baby" about his identity, the resulting high pitched squeal didn't give much of a clue. When they asked him about Popeye's Chicken and Biscuits, the irritated look he gave may give clue as to how Popeye might have felt about this particular branding of his identity.

When further questioned about his plans for the future and if he would be a sailor, he pushed out of his reclining basket with such amazing force, they wondered where he had hid the spinach.

As reporters ponder the future of this potentially superhero world saving boy, the only thing clear is that Mom and Dad won't have to search hard for this year's Halloween costume.

I'm Popeye the Sailor Baby,
I live in a garbage can, maybe,
I eat all the worms and spit out the germs,
I'm Popeye the Sailor Baby,
Toot, toot!