The Story of "Four"

Once upon a time, there was a little boy who turned four years old.
He had eagerly anticipated his birthday for several months, particularly the "pweasant" aspect of celebration. So he was thrilled to receive his very own stack of pweasants....
but not so thrilled by Baby's excitement and desire to help.

There were tears...
That were only mollified by the joy of getting to peel the Walmart stickers off of big Brother's "pants wif stwipes".
Gabriel also busily opened a book about Winnie the Pooh, a Babe video...and then...
A FOOTBALL OUTFIT WITH HIS VEWY OWN JERSEY, PANTS, SHOULDER PADS, AND HELMET!!!!!! OH, MAN.
Could life really get much better than this???

(Actually, he informed me that it could, in fact be better, if perhaps he had a Rams helmet, or a Buccaneer's helmet. "But, Gabe," says Mommy, "You are always using the "tiger helmet" when you play [XBox] football."

"Yes," says Gabe, but I use the tiger and the Wam's [Rams] helmets!!"

At this point I informed him that it was the "tiger helmet" or no helmet. He decided the tiger one would do. :))

Then the little tiger was out the door.
Large helmet and all.
In fact, he was so busy that he could not be bothered by lunch. He ate later while perusing his new Babe video...
...in full regalia until he started to get hot. As football outfits can make a boy.

Babe was a mite advanced for the four year old, so then he "helped", per request, to make his birfday cake. The cake had been a highly anticipated aspect of "birfday" for quite some time. He was a very eager batter licker...
and specifically requested the following picture of him licking out the bowl. :)
All in a day's work, see.

After the other adorable little munchkin in residence woke up from his nap...
and Daddy came home, we headed off to the park. The football player was back in business, Graco car seat and all.
(He fell asleep before we got there.)

The four year old thoroughly enjoyed his picnic supper of turkey and cheese sandwiches, Doritos, carrots, apples, and strawberry Kool-Aid, although truthfully he could hardly get any food down because he was so busy running off hither and yon.
(If you think this sounds like a rather pitiful birthday supper, you may be correct, but I didn't really care...and he loved the fact that we had a picnic basket with plates and cups. His mommy spent more guilty-feeling time on the fact that none of his little fwiends were along, as all afternoon the four year old kept asking "who else" would be at the park. She had entertained some party plans...but...maybe next year??? Too much activity of late.)

But all activity and food was a prelude to...THE CAKE.
With CANDLES.
Little boy huffed and he puffed until he blew them all out, and then happily, finally, finally, finally gobbled down his very own piece of birfday cake.

Daddy and boys went to the slide and down to throw some rocks and sticks in the river...
and then it was time to go home. Little Four Year Old Boy rolled and tackled his way to the car.

He was thrilled to receive, as we drove in the lane, two birthday cards, one with MONEY in it, from his Great Grandma Heatwole.
(He got MORE MONEY!!! the next day, in cards from his Great Grandpa and Grandma Yoder and Menno and Dorothy Chupp.)

After his bath, guess what he requested to wear to bed? Hmm? Yes indeedy. His football outfit went BACK ON, and he settled down with his helmet by his pillow. (Mommy drew the line at also allowing the football in his bedroom.) And guess what he wore the next day? Hmmm? Yes indeedy. Jersey and all. At the end of the day, Mommy informed him that it was time to wash the sweaty nasties. :)

Gabriel said that he had a good birthday, and that his favorite part was getting to blow out the candles.

What a sugar pot. I sure do love him!!!!

Happy Fourth Birthday, Gabriel Timothy!!!

Gabe:

-only occasionally naps, but still gets tired in the afternoon sometimes.
-loves to "play" XBox football.
-loves to play with his toy footballs, too.
-likes Winnie the Pooh at lot.
-usually sleeps from about 10 PM to 9 AM
-not much of an eater
-doesn't say his "l"'s, but substitutes with a "y"
-doesn't say his "th's", but substitutes with a "d"
-enjoys reading books
-loves the story of David and Goliath
-good with animals; is very gentle with them
- recently started to request food items of his own thinking (ie. mac and cheese)
-most effective items to take away to punish him are - candy, cookies, and football, in that order.
-very social, loves to play with other kids
-loves to go places, like to the store, or wherever else you might go
-loves presents