Gabe's Birthday

Yesterday, I overheard Gabe discussing with Lydia and trying to decide if he felt older or not.  Eleven?!  "Yeah, I feel older."  Today he claims he is nine.  That sounds about right to me.  These pictures show me that he is getting older, a maturing face with his same animated and mischievous looks.

I fixed him apple-pear crisp with sour cream for breakfast.

Rhody, our first laying pullet, laid Gabe an egg for his birthday morning, giving us the 12th egg needed for the birthday cake!  Way to go, Rhody!

Coconut flour, coconut cake needed a topper.  We picked a few calendula blossoms from the garden at Gabe's suggestion of a flower.  Lydia ran out to tell us that she found the birth flower guide from the baby name book.  Guess what Gabe's October birthday flower is?  Calendula.  Got that right.

Gabe decided that his birthday theme colors were blue and white.

Rebecca has a birthday dress, ready for a party, thanks to Aunt Janelle's pre-birthday gift to Lydia.

Gabe coincidentally counted 11 presents.  He must be eleven!

What do they call him?  A tween?

Opening Lydia's gift to him.  They were both excited.

"Whoa!  Cool watch.  Just what I wanted."

Lydia lights the candles.

Actually took three to do the honors.

Gabe decided on a long, drawn out, blowing out of the candles in stages.  Marshal finally told him to hurry up with it before the cake was covered in wax.  He was extending the life of his birthday I guess.  That must be why he unwrapped his gifts so slowly and meticulously, each one with self-contained excitement, until we were almost ripping at the wrappings ourselves!

I love that smile.

Cake cutting anticipation.

"Looks about right, Dad."

Birthday boy has cake and eats it too!