Super Gabriel's 4th Birthday!

Pow! Wam! Boom! Hey!

It's Gabriel's 4th Birthday!

As soon as Gabriel's 3rd Cars birthday past, he was ready to plan his next party.  "Tomorrow..." "You mean next year... (most definitely not tomorrow)" "Next year, I want to have a Chick Hicks birthday party!" Confused look from me.  "Really?"  Let me explain, Chick Hicks is a mean character in the first Cars movie.  First of all, why would we have a party dedicated to him?  Secondly, where would I find anything party related for such a random character?  Thirdly, Cars again, really?  Without crushing his "great" idea, I suggested that we think about other themes.  His next idea was a Dinaco birthday.  Yet another random character from the first Cars movie, but at least he's a good guy.  Back to the idea board...  After almost a complete year of talking about Chick and Dinaco birthdays, Gabriel finally lost a little interest in Cars characters and decided that he wanted to have a superhero birthday.  Other than a set of Superman and Batman pajamas, we don't own any toys or movies related to superheros.  Nevertheless, I was ready to run with this truly great idea.  It was far better than the previous two.  So here we go... I present to you Gabriel's Superhero Birthday Bash!

Plates, napkins, & straws from Amazon, paper goods, cupcake toppers, & masks from Etsy, capes from Target $1 section (thanks to Mimi..no Targets around here)!

 The kids first completed a superhero obstacle course before receiving their own cape and mask!

6 Moroccan kids and 6 American kids joined The Musa boys to help save the world!

  Voila!  Super Abey!
This unwavering serious face/alter ego relentlessly appears with cape and mask!

We had a large coloring wall (above), where Tera displayed her gift of coloring superheros, and small coloring sheets (below) the kids could take home.

 Jamil was a SUPER sport as he played the villain in our skit.  He bombed the superheros with blue balloons (thought they were black before blown up), all of which the kids had to diffuse by sitting or stomping them out (much harder than it sounds).  The superheros ultimately defeated the villian by spraying him with silly string.  He asked for our forgiveness, and we invited him to join us for cake.
Superhero Party Script

Hero Trainer:  Thank you all for coming to Gabriel’s Superhero birthday party!  I’m so glad you could make it today.  I’ve heard there’s an evil villain close by who likes to try to ruin birthday parties.

Evil laugh as villain runs through the party dropping “bomb” balloons

Villain: No one ever invited me to birthday parties when I was little, so I’ve dedicated my life to destroying birthday parties. These bombs should do the trick.  I think they’ll be a BLAST!

Hero Trainer: Oh no! Okay, it’s a good thing you’re all here.  There's only one way to defuse the bombs.  Everyone sit on them!  Everyone hurry, defuse all the bombs by sitting on them until they pop!

Hero Trainer:  Great job everyone!  You are true superheros!

Another evil laugh as Villian runs thought the party area.

Villain:  I don’t care if you have superhero underwear, I destroy birthday parties and that’s what I’m going to do, and none of you will stop me! You can’t have a birthday party without a birthday cake.  I have something especially evil in mind for that, you’ll see!

Evil laugh as Villain exits party area.

Hero Trainer:  Not the cake!  Okay superheros I was afraid something like this might happen, but not to worry, Superheros are always prepared!

Pass out Silly String.

Hero Trainer:  This is superhero String, similar to Spiderman’s webs.  It will protect the cake.  When the Villain returns, you’ll need to spray him with the superhero string to stop him from steeling the cake and ruining the party!  Now we’ll have to practice first.  This is how we use the superhero string.  Okay, are we ready?

Villain;  I told you I’d ruin this birthday party!  Now where’s that birthday cake?

Hero Trainer:  Now Superheros!

Defeat Evil Villain and lead children in the celebration of high 5’s and cheers. 

Hero trainer:  Okay Villain, I will offer you one chance to turn from your evil ways.  If you promise to be a good guy.  You will be so much happier, and you can have some birthday cake with us.

Villain:  I always wanted to have good friends who would share with me.  I promise to be a good guy and turn from my evil ways.

We were so happy that Mimi and Mamaw could join us to celebrate all the way from Texas!

 Our attempt at a group shot...

 After the party Gabriel opened gifts from family, and we jumped around the couch in our new spiderman get ups!

Gabriel's First Bicycle!  Does he look happy, or what?

Gabriel,

You are a deep thinker and a dreamer, a lover and a fighter, a poet and a warrior!  You just have it all and with such intensity.  High Energy, All Boy, and Spirited are just a few of the ways you're often described.  However, it's difficult to truly capture your spirit in words or fantasize about where that spirit will take you in the future, but I know that big plans will be greeting you as you grow.  You have plenty of time to discover and develop your passions.  Until then, and even after then, don't let labels and other people's ideas (even my own) limit the possibilities that can grow from your beautiful imagination!

Your colorful pictures of outerspace, impressive outfit selections, make-believe stories about the Big Bad Wolf, affectionate nature, and desire to learn bring so much color into our lives and help me rethink my priorities.  How do you melt my heart and make steam shoot out of my ears all at the same time?  I find comfort in learning that your behavior is quite normal for a four year old, and is nothing that any parent of boys years ahead of me hasn't already dealt with, but boy do I sometimes feel like I've taken a crazy pill.  Thank you for being patient with me through my many failures and few successes as I learn how to be a parent.  We're in this together, and I'm so happy to have your little hand to hold.

 I find myself pulled in two directions; most of me desires to watch you grow (what an honor), but a small part of me morns the passing of each year.  You want to be big and strong and you often announce your dreams with the opening statement, "When I'm 25, I'll....".  Where you got 25, I have no idea.  I confidently confirm your ability to conquer these dreams while gently reminding you to enjoy being a kid.  "Don't be in a hurry to grow up, you hear?"

I pray that you embrace childhood and grow to be a strong man of God; strong in your mind, your body, your heart, and your spirit!

I Love You,
Mommy