6 Things I LOVE Most About Landon

I had promised myself I would write a blog post like this on each of my son’s birthdays, however, I’ve been about as consistent about doing this as I have been about writing in their baby books. So far I’ve done it once for Landon when he turned 4 and once for Liam when he turned 2. This is much more for me (and them) then it is for you, but those of you know my boys, personally and or virtually, will probably enjoy this . . . or if you’re a mom it might hit home too.

Landon John (my oldest) turns six-years-old today. It does not seem possible. All I can say is I’m very thankful there is another baby on the way because my first baby is growing up way too fast . . . that said, he will always be my first baby. There are so many wonderful things about Landon, and I could just repeat all the qualities I blogged about on his fourth birthday (or you can just read them HERE), but instead I’m going to share the six qualities that resonate the most with me right now – my favorites as of today, March 21, 2017.

1.  Landon is amazingly helpful.

I’ve been asked a lot lately if I’m freaking out about baby #3 or if I’m going to get some outside help. To be honest, it’s something I hadn’t even thought about and I think that has a lot to do with Landon. He’s what I imagine a “mother’s helper” is like – assisting me with household projects and playing with Liam. In fact, lately, I’ve been realizing I rely on him probably a little too much and have been worried that my expectations of him are sometimes too high. After all, he is only just six and sometimes that means not cleaning up a mess or ignoring your mom when you’re having too much fun playing with your friends, right? All that said, if Landon wasn’t Landon we may not have considered having a third child. Because of his helpfulness, he makes my job as a mom easier in so many ways. (Thank you, Buddy!) 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BNuiHmrl3VO/

2. Landon is always 100% in.

You know how you always want that person on your team who is focused, dedicated and just 100% in the game? That’s Landon. No matter how good he is at something, whether it’s sports, art, cooking, school, he always jumps in head first and doesn’t look back. It’s probably a lot of the reason he excels at the things he really loves. He reminds me a lot of my husband in that aspect. I’m always a little more tentative and nervous about the consequences, but they both just try things without any  hesitation of failure. (I just admitted that I wish I could be a little bit more like my six-year-old, didn’t I?)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BOprukLApgf/?taken-by=sarahaleyfit

3.   Landon is super creative.

Landon is always creating things from objects I wouldn’t even think of using (or sometimes didn’t even know I had in my house). From popsicle stick swords to plastic water bottle boats to his daily drawings, his mind never stops. It’s no surprise that his favorite extra-curricular class at school is engineering. (By the way, for those of you who don’t know, my husband is a former engineer, so again – shocker.) If you’ve seen my Instagram posts, you also know he’s pretty creative when it comes to choreography as well (Click the picture below to see what I’m talking about). LOL

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQ3JCmXlglQ/?taken-by=sarahaleyfit

4. Landon is a good friend.

He does remind me of myself in this aspect. I’ve never been someone who needs tons and tons of “best friends,” but (as some of you know) I’m incredibly dedicated to those who I do consider my good friends. Landon is the same way. He loves his close friends like he loves his brother. I hope he never loses this quality, and moreover, I hope he holds on to his childhood friends forever. Those relationships, when savored, can be some of the best.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BI-2-QtDveG/?taken-by=sarahaleylife

5. Landon is motivated by competition.

This might sound like a strange one to put on the list, but it’s something that I don’t think is teachable, which is why I’m impressed by it. I think it’s just in you, and I am excited for him that it is. To so many, especially as kids, we can be discouraged by competition. For Landon, it seems to motivate him. I remember before he learned to ride a two-wheel bike, he hadn’t been too interested. Then I showed him a video of one of his good friends riding without training wheels and boom! The next day he was all over it. It’s obviously helpful in things like sports too. He played on a basketball team for the first time this winter, and although his confidence wasn’t as high in the beginning as it is with soccer and baseball, he was super motivated by his team who had played before and improved drastically over the season. The best part about his determination is that he still has fun with it. You can see what I mean in this video where he is competing with me for the most burpees.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLyvoTVAOtm/?taken-by=sarahaleyfit

6. Landon has incredible dance moves.

Would you have thought otherwise? LOL I’ve always been a sucker for a good dancer, and Landon’s moves always bring a smile to my face. I remember when people used to ask me if my hubby was a good dancer and I’d laugh because I can’t imagine being with someone who didn’t like to dance. Landon is no different and I’m so glad. I hope he never loses this inhibition, rhythm, and style. Here’s one of my favorite dance sessions that our friend Steph caught on tape:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BI6oQdoBIXP/?tagged=landonbro

So here’s to many more years and hopefully more reminiscing. Thanks for letting me brag about my son – I try not to do it more than once or year (or if my lack of consistency continues) every couple of years. Happy birthday, Landon!