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Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Lucky 7 for a lucky little man


Always the baby?
London, ON, July 2007 [Click all images to make him grow up]


Before we tucked Noah in last night, he excitedly asked if he would be seven years-old when he woke up the next morning. Yes, we assured him, he would be. So with a big smile and even bigger hugs, he pulled his Buzz Lightyear comforter tightly around his wiggling form and drifted off to sleep.

At 1 a.m., he meandered into our room, expertly tunneled his way between us and the no-longer-sleeping dog, and pulled out his loose tooth. He slept there, quietly, before bounding downstairs at first light, waiting for his big brother and big sister to join him for what promised to be an eventful day.

Such is life for our youngest, a never-ending series of happy moments. Perhaps more than any other child I've ever known, he manages to find a reason to smile no matter where he is or what he's doing. He sings to himself while he plays, and often runs over to us and gives us hugs and kisses, or simply thanks us, just because. Sometimes, I sit off to the side and watch him go through his day, amazed at the goodness that seems to come out of his every pore. Yes, I'm his dad and I'm supposed to be biased. But there's something about him that stands out. I want to be more like him when I grow up.

As far as birthdays go, this one seemed conventional on the surface. We had mommy-made chocolate chip pancakes and birthday cake for breakfast before his grandparents headed back home. We saw a movie. We ate junk food. He told Debbie that this was his best birthday ever. And yet it isn't over: He'll have a party with his friends at a local indoor jungle gym this weekend. In short, all the little things that a little boy does on this important day.

So busy was his big day that he fell asleep on the living room floor, right in the middle of playing with the dog. Debbie carried him upstairs, pausing so that I could kiss his foot, another silly little tradition of ours. With time, he gets heavier and the foot gets bigger and stinkier. But we hold onto this one because we don't know how much longer either one of us will be able to carry him. He may no longer be a baby, but he'll always be our baby, and I'll be one sad dad when I can no longer carry our littlest guy to bed.

May all your milestones be sweet, may all your days be happy, and may everyone around you always be infected by your smile, my little Sunshine Boy.

Your turn: One of the advantages of keeping a blog going for a few years is you get to revisit days like this. If you feel like going back in time, please click on the links for Noah's 4th, 5th and 6th birthday entries. How do you celebrate a birthday?

About today's pictures...
#1 - Taken just before dropoff at day camp earlier this month.
#2 - The last picture ever taken of him as a 6-year-old, at tuck-in last night.
#3 - Tonight, all tuckered out after his big day.

One more thing: My wife wrote about Noah's big day on her blog (click here). She's a lovely read. And a lovely person, too. Otherwise how does one explain a child like him?

38 comments:

  1. Happy birthday Noah! I tend to believe that children that well-adjusted and filled with joy are the product of parents who are madly, truly, deeply in-love with their children, with each other and with life.

    By the way, am I wrong or does the birthday boy bear strong resemblence to his father?

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  2. What a sweet post! Happy Birthday to Noah. I hope he retains his joy for life as the years go by.

    I had a blog kept up from 2003 that I abandoned a couple months ago, but it wasn't a family type blog, so I feel no loss there. All my posts are still accessible should I want to revisit.

    I try to celebrate all birthdays with a fabulous cake and am totally on board with the breakfast cake idea. But if the birthday person prefers ice cream or whatever, I will go along with that, though just between us it doesn't really feel like a birthday celebration unless frosting is involved.

    I'm off to visit your wife's blog now. :)

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  3. happy birthday noah! Sounds like a great day ....starting with chocolate chip pancakes! We might have to try those this Sunday.

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  4. Oh my goodness. Could he look more like his Dad? Such a cutie. And how awesome is it that he lost a tooth on his birthday. I loved when one of my teeth would come out. Today, it is not something I wish to happen though.

    It sounds like he had a perfect birthday, conventional or not.

    What a great family you have, Carmi :-)

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  5. Carmi....that was so beautifully written. Noah is a treasure. Your description of his big day and your feelings.....made me smile through some tears. I have a little one who seems to do the same thing to my heart. A couple of years older than Noah (and much more difficult to carry off to bed, though we still try) my son Max is spontaneously open with his feelings and will often throughout a typical day search me out to tell me he loves me. Tonight, he hit a double in his baseball game and when he reached second base, he looked right at me with the biggest grin on his face pleased with himself, but also pleased that I was there to see it happen. I know his cuddling will eventually evaporate....but I refuse to dwell there.

    lovely...........

    ps. Max's seventh birthday remains his favourite so far.....

    happy birthday Noah.

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  6. OOOOH, what big eyes you have, birthday boy!!

    He's handsome, carmi, and you had something to do with that (as well as Debbie)!

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  7. If he's 7, that means I have been reading your blog for just about exactly a year. Time flies in the 'sphere.

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  8. It truly was a perfect day. I love how you captured him. He truly is a happy soul.

    I loved how after the movie, he came to thank us for taking him to the movie.

    I agree this was the best birthday. I look forward to all the more wonderful times we will share as a family!

    Love ya!

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  9. What a sweetie, and he looks exactly like your wife...and a little like you too.

    Congrat on bringing your littlest to 7 with such happiness.

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  10. What a lovely post.

    Happy birthday to Noah! Welcome to year number seven!

    Wishing you the happiest of days.

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  11. How wonderful Carmi, that you see something special in your dear "baby" beyond the normal pride one has in a child...He sounds like such a very special spirit. So, dear Noah, I say HAPPY 7th BIRTHDAY TO YOU, one day after!

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  12. Oh, and I forgot to say...Come see the Hummingbirds in all their glory! I'm having the best time capturing their comings and goings. I think you will truly enjoy these last two posts of mine...!

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  13. Hi Carmi
    Just wanted to say how much i love the way you write - i have found what i was searching for a blog written by a man who can voice his feeling - and once again you ahve not disapointed...
    I am floored by the love REAL love you have for your family - when reading the entry on your wife i cried... and a little later sent it to my husband, this was his response...
    "It’s beautiful… because it makes me think of me and you, and then I got chocked up with the tears that you are mine and I’m forever yours. Even when it’s weird, hard and not fun, but in the end to see ur smile and my son naught look when he sees me and yes I can see anything before us….. love you my Munchkin!"
    Which made me cry even more!!
    Thank you for your honesty and openess!!

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  14. Happy Birthday to Noah.

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  15. It's been a long time since my last visit, Carmi, but it's good to see you're still going strong. And as usual, wonderful post. I'm always struck by how much you love your kids - it's truly beautiful.

    Happy (slightly belated) birthday to Noah! And many more! :)

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  16. The way you write, you want to make me be a better parent. :)

    A touching post; loved it!

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  17. I just don't think you could start a day out better than with chocolate chip pancakes. Noah's mom rocks! Happy Birthday to the little guy, he sure is a cutey.

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  18. Carmi, i love how completely sincere you are when talking about your lovely wife, and your sweet kids. well, actually i have found you to be completely sincere when talking about anything but....

    i hope Noah remembers his birthday with fondness.

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  19. I'm so glad that Blogger and my computer permitted me to comment today. I'm sitting here, reading and writing through my tears. What a lovely little boy. How special!

    Stop by and see my lovely granddaughter Ella, who is getting ready to celebrate her FIRST birthday!

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  20. Happy birthday, sweet Noah! What a beautiful tribute to a beautiful boy. You two have done an incredible job with him, methinks. Your post brought tears to my eyes, but only in the happiest of ways.

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  21. My son is old enough that I don't post the things he does, even on birthday, because of the whole privacy issue, but dang i wish I had the freedom to share him the way you share your little ones.

    And yeah, they don't stay little long enough. Before you know it you're looking up at them, marveling at the facial hair and teenage scowl.

    When he was little we took him out to dinner on his birthday, his pick. And gifts could not be opened until *after* dinner...both of those are still tradition, except now he's more vocal about the unfairness of having to wait all day--but we have dinner at 3 pm on his birthday now LOL

    We might get one more with him (missed 2 when we were in Ohio...) and then we have to let go of the traditions. Bummer.

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  22. Happy birthday, Noah! I've got #1 facing 7 years old at the end of the month. Gonna be fun...

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  23. A very touching and loving post. And, yes, this journal will be invaluable to you in years to come. I suggest you begin to print out the special posts, because you never know what buggy gremlin will make everything disappear!

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  24. A very happy birthday to Noah! I love to read your posts about your family - they express such joy and marvel that you are somehow related to these people...they wouldn't be the wonderful people they are if you were not such a great role model...

    One can sense the love you have for your family...and it is so refreshing...

    (PS) I read your wife's post, too - it was really neat...please let her know...i didn't leave a comment)

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  25. Happy Birthday, Noah

    Hey Carmi
    Sometimes you have so much joy that it's almost disgusting. Hehe

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  26. You're a dad to treasure, too, Carmi. A dad who can express his love like that - an absolute treasure.

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  27. hi there! mike commented on a blog of mine and recommended your blog as a great photo site. you do a lot of amazing work with textures, which i think is something many of my photos lack. i'll be visiting more in the future. :)

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  28. Carmi, he's your spitting image. Aren't children just overwhelming in the sweetest, deepest, and most important part of our hearts? You two are parents who get it. Priceless.
    Thank you for the kind remarks on my blog. Times are tough, but they're looking up. As soon as I have the energy to update, I will. Thank you so much for your prayers - they are invaluable.

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  29. These photos leave me speechless... they are so lovely.

    Happy Birthday indeed.

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  30. Hey Noah, belated happy b'day..hope u continue to shine and smile and laugh and bring joy to your parents and others forever :)

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  31. And Carmi , the first pic of Noah reminds me of you in the profile pic....the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, eh!!! :)

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  32. Aww and what a cute 7 year old he is! He shares the birthdate with my mom. :) I also see an awful lot of dad in his picture.

    Hugs,
    Holly

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  33. How lovely, Carmi! I hope that Skibo's 3rd birthday next weekend is as nice:-) And how nice that he can find such joy in everything!

    Visiting from Michele's this evening!
    N.

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  34. Happy 7th Birthday Noah! What a great post Carmi and the shots are wonderful! :)

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  35. belatedly
    Happy Birthday Noah, a beautiful post .. some children, some people just seem happy - I know what you mean about wanting to be more like someone when you grow up - feel the same about our daughter...

    will pop over to your wife's blog again when I finish reading here...

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  36. Happy birthday to Noah he is abeautiful gift to you both enjoy him, for you Carmi I thank you for great job in your writting you made me read every thing you wrote and I felt it's from your heart , I agree with every thing the others said well done , I love your blog it is amazing I learn so much today in my first day , thank you for inviting me to face book , please say hi to Noah, his brother, sister , and mom .

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  37. I had missed this out last week because of modem problems. No wonder michele sent me back again.

    Belated happy birthday to him. He looks such a swwet boy. You are lucky to have him. Children are worth everything under this earth.

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