Happy Birthday, Gabe!

We can hardly believe that our Gabey Baby is now five years old!  Last week he turned five.  On his last day of pre-school, they celebrated all the summer birthdays and so he got a birthday crown.  He is also studying a map, because he loves maps.

In preparation for his birthday, we made cupcakes.  Per his request, he wanted green cupcakes with orange frosting.  No surprise there.  We added green food coloring to the yellow cake batter.  The result were cupcakes with a lime green color, sort of resembling the ogre Shrek.

We also made brigadeiros, which is a Brazilian dessert.  They are similar to fudge; but you roll them into little balls with your hands and cover them in sprinkles.  Gabe helped out.

And what to do with all the sprinkles that stick to your hands?

On his birthday, we opened some presents at home before the party...

And he got a Paw Patrol pajama set.  He loves them.

Later than day, we went to the local elementary school to have the party.  He wanted to have a bicycle party, which meant that all the kids brought their bikes with them and rode around some.

Then it was time for the piñata.  

All the kids took turns...from the smallest to the tallest.  Eventually the piñata burst and the kids dove in.

And then it was cupcake time!  

 

And then it was time to eat.  We're not sure why Gabe didn't get comfortable and actually sit down.

And then it was time to open presents...Gabriel got a fishing pole, which is what he was asking for.

And he also got a tackle box, orange of course.  With some green and orange PowerBait.

And that evening, Gabe requested/declared that the next morning, he wanted to be served breakfast in bed!  (That's our tradition for Mother's Day and apparently Gabe thinks that he is worthy of the same treatment.)  So here he is eating his breakfast of waffles with strawberries!!!

What else has this little boy been up to recently?  He constructed a drum set using cardboard blocks.  And then started banging away!

He likes watching videos, of course, but is very sensitive to parts that can be even a little bit intense.  When that happens, he hides his face in his blankies.  And I guess also drapes them over his head just in case.

As far as his eating, he still loves artichokes.  He can eat a whole large artichoke if we let him.

And he is still making concoctions.  For desert, he decided to melt marshmallows with Hershey's chocolate in the microwave.

The result?  A super duper gooey sticky chocolatey dessert that actually probably tasted pretty good!

So that's our Gabey!  He is growing up real fast and before we know it, will be a young man!