A Landon Dozen

So! This guy turned 12 last Monday!

A dozen years ago we had a skinny baby with chicken legs and bruises all over his chest and head, still hanging out in the NICU trying to decide when he was going to commit to a lifetime of regular breathing, instead of remembering just 90% of the time. Baby Landon came home with us another week from now, which seems crazy now that I've had two babies who left the hospital at the same time we did. He was an adorable and exceedingly difficult baby, turned adorable and exceedingly easy toddler, enormously enthusiastic big kid and big brother, and an emotionally volcanic pre-tween.

He remains smart, sociable, athletic, and enthusiastic about most everything, and we are enjoying the year 12 very much.

On his birthday (a Monday morning, which is a little rough, but the traditions pulled us through), he woke up to our decorated table, the promise of an early morning donut run with dad, and his presents.

Donuts procured, we moved on to gifts, where he is always the most joyful of receivers.

From us he got his climbing bag monogrammed (he got the bag at the end of last season when the team made them, but it was always an early birthday gift), a new chalk bucket (as opposed to chalk bag; the difference is both important and somewhat unclear to me, and a certificate for a new pair of climbing shoes (his coach had told me he needed the next level of shoes to do the harder routes he's ready for, but they are PRICEY and so he has waited since May). He was VERY EXCITED about all of these things.

My parents got him a new Kindle (also very exciting; his old one was a first generation Fire and so slow I hated having to load new movies on it for our car trips, not that his gift is about me) and case, and my grandparents gave him money he used to buy some new books at the Rocky Mountain National Park book store, a drone at Target, with a few dollars left to agonize over how best to spend.

It was a great morning.

(Card from Claire:
Hey Siri, who is the best big brother in the whole world?
One result found: Landon Fike)

His day was spent at climbing camp and his chosen birthday dinner was smoked turkey sausage, "the mac and cheese in the blue box with the big noodles and squishy cheese in the packet," and raw orange bell pepper. Dessert was cookies from Great American Cookie company. And tiny animals holding birthday candles, of course.

His party was this past Saturday and he invited about a dozen friends to come over for swimming, games, terrible snacks (i'm looking at you neon orange, chemically-laden, esophagus-burning "Sticks"), and ice cream cake.

As always the kids take their games very seriously and it cracks me up.

We did a coin toss in the pool and it's the best game because it is very very quiet.

Landon picked out a very enthusiastic candle that his friend Zoe was 100% there for him in trying to blow it out.

Zoe was the first kid we met in Fort Worth when Landon ran up to her at the playground at the age of 5 and started jabbering away. Her mom is now one of my best friends.

I love these kiddos.

After the party James and I took a MUCH NEEDED date night to a favorite restaurant down the street and, for the first time in 12 years, did not hire a sitter! I'd texted several of our regulars, but when they were all unavailable I remembered that I used to babysit at 12! For other people even! Landon could surely "babysit" his two sisters for 90 minutes in broad summer daylight while his dad and I grabbed dinner less than 10 minutes away. He was cool with it and off we went. They watched a movie and I'm not entirely sure they realized we were gone for most of it.

I was giddy about the whole thing. No babysitting fees = extra drinks and dessert! It's a looooong tunnel, but lo the end of it is bright when you get there.

We ended the date playing Memory with the girls because we were back an hour before bedtime and Landon went to a sleepover at a friend's house. Maggie was on everyone's team.

But back to Landon. I gave him a quiz to capture him at 12 and recorded his answers word for word:

Favorite color: Orange, green, grey.

Favorite food: Pizza, with very little cheese.

Favorite drink: Dr. Pepper, water, Gatorade

Favorite dessert: Chocolate chip cookies

Favorite candy: Skittles

Favorite restaurant: Mellow Mushroom pizza, Chick-Fil-A, Pizza Snob

Favorite TV show: Johnny Test

Favorite book: Unbroken, Spy School (whole series)

Favorite movie: Avengers Endgame, for sure. [Me: But you haven't seen it yet!] I know! But I know it's going to be my favorite! Okay but also Captain America and Indiana Jones and I have seen those!

Favorite song: High Hopes by Panic at the Disco

Favorite animal: Chameleon

Favorite sport: Swimming

Favorite activity: Playing with my friends

Favorite game: Video game? [Me: I guess] Okay, Fortnite [laughs because he knows I hate it...] hee hee hee and more Fortnite! Except I never get to play it as much as I want to.

Favorite subject in school: Math

Best friends: Caden, Santino... I have a lot of them, can I say them all? [Me: You can answer whatever you want.] Okay good, then also Neil, Owen, Blaine, August.

What do you want to be when you grow up? I have no idea. I want my work to be fun. And with animals.

What is your favorite memory? Hm, I have LOTS of favorite memories. This is just one of them. I guess the plane ride to Jamaica. [Me: not the whole trip?] Oh, well that too, but also just the plane ride.

What was your favorite vacation? Jamaica. And Costa Rica too. And Arches National Park.

If you could go anywhere where would you go? That place that you're going with the tiny houses on the water. [Me: Bora Bora. (Side note: James and I are planning our first kid-free vacation there for our 15th anniversary next year and the kids cannot comprehend us going on a trip without them.)] Yes! We should ALL go!