Eight, eight, eight
Last week, Gabriel turned eight. EIGHT years old.
My first baby came four days early. My second baby came four days early. When, at 36 weeks, the doctor proclaimed me to be "4 centimeters and ready to go at any minute!", I foolishly listened. I heard the same report at 37 weeks. 38 weeks. 39, 40, 41. Finally, at 42 weeks one day, he was helped out. When it finally began, the entire labor was five hours, start to finish.
Gabriel was the pudgiest baby I've ever seen. Now, he's short and skinny, with the pudgiest CHEEKS I've ever seen. Witness the reincarnation of Sir Dizzy Gillespie: 
He's a wickedly funny, very bright boy who could care less about neat handwriting, clean bedrooms, or keeping a bathroom pristine for the family. He loves Legos and K'Nex, and reads bigger chapter books than most kids his ages. He loves to be goofy - case in point: we went to dinner and the waiter came to sing "Happy Birthday" to him. The waiter got down on one knee, slung his arm around Gabe and began to sing in an amazingly deep operatic baritone, worthy of the Three Tenors. My son responded by lifting two fingers behind the man's head. Bunny ears all the way.
He used his birthday money to buy a Master Secret Spy book, and has already written me two codes in lemon juice, one in milk and a rubber band note. He is determined that, one day, he will crack the code that I'm using to talk to his dad about him. (?) He never walks when he can run, makes motor boat noises with his mouth and is super aware of his food allergies. He reminds everyone, "No peanuts, tree nuts, coconut, dogs or cats", rattling them off as if we truly eat dogs and cats. I've been letting him read his own food labels this year (and I check after him), and he hasn't missed one yet.
When we had his party, I made no plans. Everyone asked, "What's the theme?" I replied, "Uh, come over and run around?" Also known as the Gabriel has a lazy, cheap mom theme. I tossed ten kids in the back yard, added my own, and brought them back in an hour later, tired from a ping pong table, a pool table, a swingset, two soccer nets, and a bucket of soccer balls, baseballs, bats, and tennis rackets. We had cupcakes and ice cream. He wanted cupcakes with swirly icing, because he can't have the ones in the store. I was happy to oblige. Except I had every number of candle in the drawer except EIGHT, and he wouldn't accept that a SEVEN plus a ONE was the same thing. One quick trip to the store later, and he was happy. He's easy like that.
He hates all meat except hot dogs, loves apples and almost all other fruits and veg. Current food kick? Multi Grain cheerios. He's a good kid. I think we'll keep him.
Happy birthday, Little Man.
Happy Birthday Gabriel, and just to be sure he is right. In birthday candle speak 1+7= 17....
Posted by: Nobody | October 29, 2007 at 08:25 PM
Oh what a sweet post. What an awesome little man. And I think his party sounds fabulous. Who really needs a theme beyond "fun"?
Posted by: Not The Mama | October 29, 2007 at 08:49 PM
A wonderful tribute to your wonderful year old.
Posted by: Stephanie C. | October 29, 2007 at 10:28 PM
Oops, there was supposed to be an "8" in there.
Posted by: Stephanie C. | October 29, 2007 at 10:29 PM
Funny! Great minds think alike (and great kids are alike?).
Happy Birthday, Gabriel. The party sounds wicked good.
Posted by: FishyGirl | October 29, 2007 at 11:23 PM
Happy Birthday Gabriel!!!!
Posted by: Tammy/Photography for Fun | October 29, 2007 at 11:48 PM
Sounds like my kind of party! Happy Birthday Gabriel!
Posted by: tracey | October 30, 2007 at 12:22 AM
What lucky kiddos to have a mom that can capture everything about them so effortlessly.
He sounds like a wonderful little man.
His party sounds not unlike Luke's 5 yo party...except we had a pirate theme some cheapo swords for them to potentially whack eachother with as they ran around the yard.
I love lazy mom parties! They are the best!
Posted by: amy | October 30, 2007 at 08:10 AM
What an awesome tribute to an awesome kid!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GABRIEL! PARTY LIKE BIG 8 YEAR OLD.
Posted by: deborah | October 30, 2007 at 09:47 AM
I am all about the lazy mom party! We did something similar for Ryan's birthday this year.
Happy Birthday Gabriel! You sound like an awesome kid.
Posted by: Elizabeth | October 30, 2007 at 09:50 AM
what a cutie -- happy birthday!!
Posted by: Bonny | October 30, 2007 at 10:29 AM
Happy Birthday Gabriel! I love multi-grain Cheerios too.
Posted by: Katie | October 30, 2007 at 11:15 AM
Happy birthday Gabriel and mom!
Posted by: patois | October 30, 2007 at 12:09 PM
Was his day on the 24th? Or the 20th? Those were our most recent b-days! The party for the newly 6yo will be a jumper-cake and mayhem will ensue. My 7 turns 8 next month, more mayhem to follow...
Happy 8 to Gabriel!
Posted by: Kendra | October 30, 2007 at 12:29 PM
He sounds a lot like my 8 year-old -- the only boy in a crowded house full of girls -- Happy Birthday, Gabriel!
Posted by: Liz | October 30, 2007 at 12:51 PM
Happy Birthday, Dizzy! Many Years!
Posted by: Mimi | October 30, 2007 at 01:14 PM
Happy Birthday Gabriel! What a cutie you are!
Posted by: Les~ | October 30, 2007 at 01:37 PM
Happy, happy birthday! Have you gotten him a copy of the Dangerous Book for Boys? He'd eat it up (no allergens, don't worry).
Posted by: Liz in Seattle | October 30, 2007 at 03:42 PM
Happy Birthday Gabriel! Sounds like you had a blast.
I wonder how you would market a "fun" theme. I think that is my favorite so far!
Posted by: Moogie | October 30, 2007 at 04:29 PM
Love the picture! Totally Dizzy Gillespie.
Posted by: Daisy | October 30, 2007 at 05:40 PM
Love the theme! I do the same thing. Happy Birthday, Gabriel! He is so cute.
Posted by: Lela | October 30, 2007 at 08:37 PM