HapPy BiRThdAy, LaNDoN!!!

I cannot believe that my baby is 5 years old today! I remember sitting in the hospital, holding him on the day he was born. As any mother does, I was contemplating the jouney ahead. I already knew how fast he would grow up, and I was determined to savor every moment. I remember thinking that kindergarten in five years seemed so far away, and yet it would come so very quickly. And here it is. Not kindergarten yet, but almost. I can scarcely believe how quickly he has changed from a roly-poly, 8 pound, ball of baby to a running, jumping, 40+ pound, ball of boy!
Landon's original due date was Christmas day. I had purchased a non-gender specific Christmas sleeper (since his sex was a surprise), and was absolutely determined he would arrive prior to the big day so he could wear it! It was a close one, but he did get to wear it. I still have the sleeper, and I marvel how tiny it is. Did he ever fit in it? Now, we would be pushing it to fit it over his foot!
Landon did everything early. He began walking running at 8 1/2 months, and has been running ever since! He talked like a champ from a very young age. He has always been articulate, and Will and I believe that our biggest challenge as parents in raising him, is convincing him that we are smarter, and thus wiser than he is. He thinks that he can run things better than we can, and were it possible for him to drive, I believe he would take on the challenge.

Here are 10 facts about Landon.

1. Landon attends preschool twice a week. They have a pretty intense program. He even has homework! They have to memorize a letter poem each week, and I can literally read it to him once or twice, and he has it down! He even tries to teach the rhymes to Tristan. His teacher has introduced simple addition as enrichment to some of the children, and Landon loves it! He does not like to be told to slow down and do his best work, and he does not love to color or cut in or around the lines. Tedious tasks bore him.
2. He has the best sense of humor. Like his Dad, he finds humor in almost anything. He loves to ham it up and make people laugh, especially Avery! He has countless ways to make her laugh in her carseat, which is such a blessing to me. Avery hates her carseat, but as long as Landon is there to entertain her, we can enjoy a relatively peaceful ride.

3. Landon is a good friend. Within the first five minutes of moving to Snowflake, he met and made friends with a little boy across the street named Caleb. They get together and play almost every day. He still remembers his Cottonwood friends, and asks about them often. He loves to watch me check others' blogs so he can see pictures of his old friends. If you put him in the middle of a group of strange kids, he will make friends, and organize a game to include them all.
4. He is a negotiator extraordinaire! He convinced his primary teacher that he was a year older than he really is so that he could be in Caleb's class.
5. Landon does not like to sleep. He exudes vast amounts of energy each evening, convincing his father and I to extend the bedtime hour. He is always the first to wake up each morning, and he pops out of bed like a poptart, raring to go.
6. Landon loves to build "inventions" out of legos. He brings them to me, explaining each component of his symmetrical creation. Unfortunately for him, Tristan, and now Avery, love to wreck these precious creations, forcing him to build new ones over and over.
7. He loves to watch TV. We have a satellite which is operated by a complicated remote. He deftly navigates the programing, changing, pausing, and recording the desired channels to suit himself. He has been know to cancel his Dad's favorite show in lui of Chowder, The Fairly Odd Parents, or Skunk Fu. I spend a good part of my day trying to keep him away from the boobtube.
8. He is my biggest helper. He makes his bed, fetches diapers, checks the mail, picks up toys, helps with dishes, throws stuff away, and sets the table with very little resistance. If I want something done right, I can always depend on Landon.
9. Landon loves to play superheros. He entertains Tristan for hours with ninja moves and superhero talents. He understands that no one has to be the bad guy, and he and Tristan spend a lot of time saving family members from imminent doom.

10. Landon is the best big brother! Tristan is shy and has a hard time fitting into a group of kids. Landon always makes sure he is included. Before we moved, they were eating pizza with some of Landon's friends. I took off Tristan's shirt to avoid a pizza sauce mess. Some of the kids started laughing and yelling that he was naked. Tristan's face fell. Landon stood up and said, "Hey, that's my bother, and he doesn't like you to say that!" The kids listened, and Landon saved the day. He is also wonderful with Avery. If she cries, he is the first to figure out what she wants. He hauls her around like an expert, and she loves it. I am always grateful that he is such a good example to his little brother and sister. They follow his lead, and we enjoy relative peace in our home as a result.

So happy 5th birthday, Landon! We are so proud of the little person you are becoming. We are excited to see what life has in store for you, and we know that you will not take a passive role in whatever path you take.