one thousand eight hundred and twenty-five days

Gabriel, how old are you?

I’m bore! (he says emphatically, while holding up four fingers)

Just as we’ve finally got that down pat, he’s gotta go and have another birthday.

Today he is five!

This year has come with some progress:

• working on talking.
• becoming more independent minded. “I try” is said a thousand times daily.
• counts to 10, recognizes the letters of the alphabet, knows his colors and shapes.
• becoming familiar with the bathroom (still trying).
• going to school all day, every day.
• swims like a ‘lil fish (video to come soon).

More than all these things, he’s a lover. This boy spreads his love around abundantly. To everyone. Friends, family, bus drivers, strangers at the store. One of my favorite things is to watch him greet people at the door. As soon as the door chimes alerting us to a visitor’s arrival, Gabriel stops whatever he’s doing, runs to the door, and proclaims the visitor’s name. “Daddy!” “Taylor!” “Paige!” Should the person exit and return momentarily, it’s as though they had been gone for a long stretch of time, and Gabriel will still exclaim their name a second time with as much enthusiasm as the first.

We love our Gabriel right back and wish him a very very Happy 5th Birthday!