Gabe's Birthday!

Yes, we are a little behind. Here's the montage of Gabe's 2nd birthday which was almost a month ago. We had a lot of fun --I think Ethan was more excited about it all than Gabe was, and we all got pretty worn out. We rode the bus (a real novelty for the kids) to meet Richard on campus and walked to the zoo and spent a couple hours there. On the way back home, I missed our stop and had to walk back a couple blocks with the kids. Ugh. They let us off near an empty lot full of rocks and the kids thought I had done it on purpose just for them --they love rocks. After naps we went to a park and had pizza, then came home for cake and ice cream. I love Gabe's face as soon as we start singing the birthday song. Ethan was so excited to give Gabe his presents and couldn't even eat his cake. He sat there waiting for Gabe to finish his ice cream, ready at any moment to take his bowl and put it in the fridge to save it for later. He was really actually pretty good about understanding that they were all for Gabe --of course hoping that he also might get a chance to play with them as well.

Just a word about Gabe:

Gabe is a very sympathetic soul. Where Ethan is stealing toys from other kids, Gabe is right there to kiss them better and offer a new toy. He is very verbal and talks more than a normal two year old I think. He is extremely coordinated, and I think that has something to do with having to keep up with an older brother, but also I think our trampoline and the cuddlesac have helped. He is also super cute, and he knows it. I have to admit he sometimes gets away with things that Ethan doesn't simply because when I get mad at them, Ethan gets mad back, but Gabe's very quick to say "I sorry", or his latest "I be good" --even though I know very well he's going to do it again. He's got a little naughty streak in him I'm afraid. The other day he pushed a chair up to the counter and told me to go away. I asked him "Why? Are you going to get into trouble?" and he said, "Yes." Well, at least he's still honest. I can't help laugh at his indignant pose, with his arms crossed and glaring from under his eyebrows, but he can't keep a straight face when he does it either so he usually turns his back on me to hide it. Although Gabe's a classic two year old, wanting to do things himself and throwing tantrums and such, I love this sympathetic, cuddly, curious, independent, fun stage he's in. We love him and couldn't imagine our family without him.