Gavin's party in the park

The weather was perfect. Our friends came to celebrate your life and shower you with birthday gifts. Many of our friends brought you Home Depot gift cards, since Dad and I suggested that people could help us buy the materials for a sand box for your birthday. I don't think you'll get much fall or winter use out of this sand box, but come next summer, I think you'll love having a sandbox right here in your own yard! You spend lots of time at your birthday with Aunt Jessica and Grant. You don't see them much since they live in San Francisco. You also got plenty of Grandparent time. Like Oliver and Sophia (who had birthday parties the weekends before and after you), you had a number of friends at your party.
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My favorite moments at your party were three.
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First, you were playing with the extra supplies under the food table, and Sophia came to join you. (She is your partner in crime, I think. You and Oliver are pretty well-behaved, but you get into trouble when you play with Sophia!) You looked like you were holding out the water bottle for Sophia, when you hit her on the head with it. Sophia was completely upset, and screamed and cried. You did the funniest thing: you looked down at your lap and then you looked around you, acting like you didn't know what the fuss was over. Only, you didn't actually look innocent. Gavin, what you really seemed was guilty and evasive, while nonchalant. I think I could practically hear you say, “Who? Me?” If you could whistle, I think you would've picked that moment to. You amaze me and I laugh at something funny that you do every single day.
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Next, when it was cake time, we changed you into a junky t-shirt, so that you could just dive right into your cake without ruining your super cute birthday shirt. You reached out to touch the baseball in the middle of your cake, so I cut you an 8” x 8” square of it. I put it directly on your high chair tray, and the whole party put their eyes to you. The kids that came to celebrate, like Lincoln, Samuel and Joy, were watching your every move. At first, you picked at it and then wondered what was on your skin. I think you liked the feel of the cake. I spoon fed you some frosting and cake to get the ball rolling... and you ate just about every square inch of that silly Costco cake. The frosting colors were mixing together into a green-y grey color, and that it was absolutely coating your face and shirt. You had cake in your hair, on your skin up to your shoulders, and all over your lap. I didn't really know how I was going to get you out of the high chair, to be honest, without ruining my shirt as well. (That shirt you wore is pretty much out of circulation, now, by the way. It didn't really survive the cake...) You kept feeling around the tray for more cake, couldn't find any, and slowly lowered your face down to the tray. You just layed your head there for a moment. I don't know if you were mourning the end of the cake, or if you were just searching for more. Or shoot, maybe you were trying to lick the tray clean but your tummy was too full to allow it. But you just stayed low on the tray for a moment, maybe a little offering of thanks to the cake gods. It was a riot!
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My final favorite moment of your birthday party was when we were opening gifts and you crawled around under the picnic tables while I finished opening your gifts. You see, you know what a party is all about! Who cares about gifts and cards when there are pieces of furniture to move; aunts, uncles, and friends to visit; and exploring to be done! I thought it might be fun to open your presents in front of friends and family, but you reminded me what a birthday party is all about.