Our No-No in 2011

Noah Baine, Booger Bear, Stinker, Turkey #4, El Stinkito, No-No, #2...He's our child of nicknames. It seems like we can come up with a new one for him daily. He's just the kid who needs a nickname because he is so full of personality. Life with him is much easier than it used to be. He has grown up and isn't nearly the work that he was a year ago (his sister seems to be filling those shoes). However, I'm still very drawn to his energy, and he still brings out a million smiles from me. Here's our Noah in 2011 :

• Noah loves school and is doing very well. I peeked in on his class one day when he didn't know, and I enjoyed watching him quickly raise his hand to answer the teacher's questions.
• Noah worships Landon. Not long after we get home from school, he starts asking how much longer until Landon's bus is coming. They get along fairly well, and Noah thinks Landon hung the moon.
• Noah will be playing T-ball this spring for the first time. It should be interesting...
• He has learned so much in the past year. It's fun to watch him learn new things and realize that he can. He doesn't have quite the drive that Landon does when it come to knowledge, but I think that's because he doesn't think he can. He believes Landon knows all, and he's okay with letting him be that guy. However, when we work on stuff, and he realizes how much he does know, he fills with pride. I like that.
• He likes rock music--Janes Addiction, Guns-n-Roses, Green Day. He's a rocker.
• Noah is Mommy's boy. You don't mess with his mom. You don't mess with Lilah either. No one messes with his girls. No one.
• Noah still has the best laugh. It comes from deep in his belly and guarantees a giggle from those around him.
• As I said before, Noah has grown up so much this year. I forgot how quickly it happens. I feel bad for him sometimes, though. It's like he's stuck between two places--a 4 year old who plays with much older kids outside and a 4 year old who likes to play the same things as his little sister. A boy who will watch 'Bakugan' with his older brother but shares a favorite show ('Dinosaur Train') with his sister.
• Noah is our most consistent child. His siblings have more dramatic ups and downs. He is pretty easy to predict, and I don't catch myself worrying about things that might set him off.
• Noah has the love of "electronics" like his brother. Luckily, he likes to be outside just as much.

Oh, my Noah. I love that kid. He still makes me feel full of life, and like a year ago, I'm drawn to him. He loves me so much, and it makes those tough times worth it. I like watching him grow, and I can't wait to see what he becomes.

No-No, Turkey #4, El Stinkito, Booger Bear, Stinker, Noah Baine Seabolt---you are loved, my baby boy. You are loved.

Here is Noah's "interview" for 2011:

As most of you know, last week at Target, Noah loudly announced to me "you know Mom, there's a muscle in a penis". Wow, thanks for the information, big guy. I thought I should include it in his post. I'll need to remind him of it later in life. I've always said he's the color in our black and white world. Lots and lots of color....

Some cookie lovin'

Last Friday (fondly called pajama party day for Noah and I), we decided to put our love into some Valentine's Day cookies. Noah grabbed his apron, I got the ingredients and mixer out, and we started baking some of our favorite sugar cookies. They were yummy! Yes, I said "were". We ate them all up over the weekend--except for the special big heart cookies that I made especially for my babies. Those were saved for today to let them know they fill my heart.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Noah did a lot of the mixing by himself.

The best part of baking...
Lilah watching the cookies bake in the oven. Lovin' the crack action.

LCS 2011

I didn't forget my annual update of the kids. I've just had on my thinking cap--trying to remember the past year, what's changed, what's the same, and how to do this. I really didn't think I would be able to start with Landon this year. The age of 7 hasn't been that kind to this household. Like my mom always told us, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Soooooo--I thought I would have to move on to the other two. However, we had a fantastic day today, and I was able to clear my head and remember that my boy is always in that body--he seems like he leaves here and there, but overall, my boy is there. And that boy--he's good. He's really good.


Our Landon in 2011:

• He's a kid now. Not a little kid. Not a 'big boy'. A kid.
• A couple of months ago, he got glasses. He doesn't wear them all of the time but seems to have them on most of the time at school and when he watches TV.

• He likes school and everything that goes with it.
• *Bragging alert* He's a pretty smart kid. He's gotten all "E"s (as in excellent) all year and is a first grader reading at a third grade level. He was recently asked to test for the gifted program. I'm very proud of him. Very, very proud. His mind amazes us often.
• He is like his dad when it comes to watching TV or reading or whatever it is--he is a master at tuning out the world. I didn't really need another one in the house. ;)
• Overall, he's good to his brother and sister. I'm always amazed at how well he and Noah play together even though there is three years difference between them.
• A seven year old can throw a much worse temper tantrum than a two or three year old. It's the issues we've been having with him, and there are times he's left me defeated and deflated.
• Luckily, he seems to keep that nastiness at home. I hear only good things from his teachers.
• For the first time since he was 4, Landon will not be playing soccer this season. Instead he joined the Tiger Trackers at his school. It's a running club, and I'm very curious to see how he likes it. At the end of April, he will participate in a 1.5 mile fun run or a 5K. I've promised to join him on the run and am looking forward to it.
• He is obsessed with playing football in the fall. Mom isn't too excited about this. It's the most expensive sport he can get into, and let's face it, there are some crazy football parents. We've agreed to let him play, and we're very anxious to see how it all goes. Anyone want to give us a loan???
• Landon loves the Atlanta Falcons. It's been fun to see him pick his own team. He likes UGA, but the Falcons are his team.
• We gave him Jason's old ipod, and he loves listening to music with his earphones. I think he's convinced he's pretty cool. I don't want to break his spirit even though one of his favorite songs is "Shadows of the Night" by Pat Benatar.
• Landon says one of his favorite things is electronics. He likes his DS and Wii.
• The kid's imagination is awesome.
• Landon is our independent child. Jason and I often joke that if we left him alone for a few hours, he probably wouldn't even notice. He needs us, but only for the basics-food, shelter, clothing. I tell Jason that when Landon is an adult, he'll call and visit, but only because he's supposed to. He'll do the minimal amount just to get by and do what he feels still makes him a good child. Noah and Lilah will come home because they want to, Landon will because he feels like he has to. I don't mean this negatively. It's just Landon.
• Through the past year, Landon has continued to teach me how to be a mom. Every new stage for him is a new stage for me. We work through it--not always gracefully, but we do it together. He's brought to light that each of my babies are different, and I can't control their thoughts and actions. All I can do is guide them to the best of my ability, and let them know that I love them. I know it sounds kind of silly, but this is something that I've struggled with this year. I've watched Landon become his own person more and more over the last several months, and it's really hit home that he's growing. Not just physically growing-he's growing into the man that he will become. As a mother, you're worried that he won't make the right decisions or say the right things or become the person you want him to be. But what I'm slowly realizing that although it's my job to set a good foundation, it's really up to him to decide who he is. I'm not the best at not being in control of a situation, and this is a situation like no other. I have to slowly let go. Seems kind of funny to say that about a 7 year old, but that's what I discovered. It starts this young, and it's not easy on a mommy. But as always, Landon is teaching me how. Always teaching me.
• Tonight Landon and I were talking about how it made me a little sad that Lilah called me "mom" a few times today instead of "mommy". Landon asked me why that would upset me, and I told him it was just another reminder that he and his siblings were growing up, and one day, they would leave and start their own lives. He looked up at me and said "But Mom, I'll always leave a big place for you in my heart". That, my friends, is what keeps me going...

I love you, LCS.

This year I decided to add a short interview of my sweet little subject. I've been thinking that we don't see the every day life in our videos much. Time goes so quickly...we need to remember.

Here is Landon Charles Seabolt...



Bonus video: a little guitar action at Christmas. Accompanying him is his wonderful cousin, Hannah.