Landon Matthew Stoker was born on Feb. 11 in Japan. So I can't help thinking, "It was Feb. 10 in America, and now he lives in America. What's his real birthday?" I love birthday drama. We can discuss this fun dilemma every year on his special day.
I travelled 18 hours to meet this little sweetie, and it was worth it.
I remember that he was very well mannered on our outings. We politely asked the hostess if she could sequester us away from the other patrons as we had a brand-new baby that might need some care. We were the only ones upstairs in a huge booth and he never even peeped.
He did peep at night a bit, but I think he was just trying to prepare for his move to America. There was a slight problem with that. Other than the fact that no adults wanted to be awake at night, the persnickety passport people said he had to have his eyes open on his passport picture, but they weren't interested in a 2:00 am appointment. We took him for the required photo shoot in the day, and the wittle boy was so tiwed. He yawned and stretched a little, but just couldn't open his wee little eyes. We finally took his clothes off (the nerve!) and he woke up to the flashing camera in his face. What price international travel?
In July we got to be together again. Landon and his family were moving to their new location in Savannah, GA., a convenient 3.5 hr. drive from his Grandma Stoker's house. I'm pretty sure he remembered me from February.
Well, maybe not, but he's very brave. He let all of us hold him and only objected slightly when one of his parents walked by. One day, his momma and daddy had to go to some boring meetings and he stayed at his gramma's just like a big boy.
On 4th of July his momma dressed him in red, white, and blue and we celebrated freedom at the Peachtree City Parade.. It was hot, but his big brother Caleb was teaching him how to run and grab candy off the street. There were so many golf carts and clowns and loud parade watchers yelling crazy things to the parade walkers with different political views that Landon stayed entertained the whole time.
Landon sets a dietary example for all of us. His momma says to his older brother, "Keep trying foods, your tastebuds might change." Landon likes a lot of foods, but he likes the food in his mouth a little more than the food on his face. Eating can be challeging when Daddy feeds him. Actually, he looks kind of like that when Grandma feeds him too.
He has lots of foods he feeds himself. He loves chicken, cheese and nerf darts.
The most inspiring characteristic that I've observed in Landon to date, is his low crying/complaining quotient. If he has a problem, he's solving it, he's not crying about it. If he can't get somewhere, he'll hitch a ride with one of his adoring fans who is flattered to be chosen to serve. At Christmas we planned a photo shoot on possibly the windiest, bitter-coldest day of the season. We had a rule, "Everyone has to be happier than the baby." There we were, lake's edge, teeth chattering, bodies aching from chill, but we couldn't say a word, because Landon was happy as a clam. When I grow up, I'm going to be like you, Landon.
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