Birthday Celebrations

We started celebrating Gabriella's birthday early with lots of fun, special events and treats. I kept asking her "Gabi, do you think we can do even MORE special things for your birthday?!" And she kept saying yes. So we did.

Nana and Zayde helped watch Ethan, so we could have a special Mommy-Daddy-Gabi date at a restaurant and take the birthday girl to her VERY first movie theater!


Gabi brought cupcakes to school to celebrate with her friends there.

Pre-festivities continued the night before her real birthday with a banana cake Gabi helped make:

THEN - Not only did Gabi's actual birthday arrive, but we had some special family visitors arrive with it! Nana, Zayde, Aunt Sandi, Jacob, and Mira traveled in to help us celebrate. And of course, our favorite Austin family joined in all the celebrations too!

We got to work right away opening some special presents:

birthday bear from Grandma/Grandpa

Duplo train set (not new, but still fun)

new ice cream matching game

Big cousins Mira and Jacob help Gabi play with our new Marble Run from Gigi.

birthday pancake breakfast

Someone just can't disconnect from the office.

boys time and girls time

How does your family get ready to leave the house?

In the van, Gabi becomes Queen of the Back Seat with her brand new, big girl car seat!

We head to "Texas Wildlife Day" at the Texas Memorial Museum where there seems to be something for everyone. We explored petrified wood, fossils, animal bones and fur, etc etc etc and even saw a bat pup!

Jacob and Mira are very helpful with Joey and Ethan so they too can access the exhibits.

Gotta get a LITTLE more energy out...

SUCCESS!

On the night of Gabi's birthday, the family goes to Phil's Ice House for a yummy birthday party.



The birthday party isn't complete without ice cream from Amy's next door. 

She wanted the ice cream; she did not want the singing.

After an exhausting and fun birthday, big cousins beautifully help read to little cousins before bedtime.

The next morning, Gabi dons her new yellow flower bow from her cousins in Boston, and she's ready for the day!

We head to Birthday Girl's current favorite playground, Trailhead Park, and we enjoy another lovely morning with family!



Today's rendition of the 'Happy Birthday' song went better than the night before.

Cousin cupcake time!

Joey enjoyed his cupcake so much, he wanted to make sure Aunt Debbie shared in his delight.

We are so grateful to all of our family that helped us celebrate the weekend. Onto the gymnastics party!