Horvath Happenings: Birthday Madness

So this past weekend was Gabe's "birthday weekend". Gabe doesn't celebrate his birth"day" like the rest of us...but rather his Birthday Weekend or, some years, his Birthday Week. This can involve up to 7 days of using his birthday in combination with a flashing grin to get me to do all sorts of things for him such as granting the privilege of going out multiple nights in a row to sitting quietly through sporting event after sporting event on television...the list goes on and on. Fortunately, this year, his actual birthday was on a Monday, so we only celebrated the Birthday Weekend. And, for once, I was more into it than Gabe. Maybe because he's getting older now? (Thirty-one, people. Thirty-one.)

Friday night started off the festivities, at the last minute I decided to have a "birthday party dinner"--mostly because I needed something to distract the ever-whiny G3, a balloons seemed the way to go. We decorated with a few balloons and birthday napkins, and after dinner presents were given and a gluten-free carrot cake adorned with candles was presented. It wasn't much, but it was fun and I think perhaps a tradition has been started?? It should be noted that Gabe's gift from G3 was probably the first gift I've EVER purchased for him that (1) surprised him and (2) genuinely pleased him. We got him a tuner/metronome. Don't worry, I don't know what it is either. I also gave him a coupon for a whole weekend free of early a.m. baby duty. I know, I'm a dork. But--Gabe was also pleased with this little homemade gift.

Blowing out the candles on a gluten-free carrot cake...

On Saturday, we packed up G3 and headed to Maylath Farms--in anticipation of pumpkins, farm animals, hayrides and more. Last year we'd attended with a 3 mo old G3 and done the corn maze in the blazing heat--this year the weather was more fall-like, and I dressed G3 accordingly, hoping for some stellar photographs. I mean really--fall, blue skies, baby, pumpkin? It just didn't happen though, since someone refused to smile or look at the camera, and someone else took a lot of pictures of other people's kids and other people's asses. I'll let you guess which Gabe goes with which offense. G3 did get to sit on his first pony, and was completely and utterly unimpressed. Highlight of the day would be G3 screaming at the top of his lungs to all the farm animals, "MICKEY!!" So cute.

That night Grammy Sharon came over to babysit and Gabe and I hit the sushi bar at the casino in Wilkes-Barre. I know it might seem like we're professional gamblers, seeing as we've been there 4 times in the last 4 months, but I promise you--I don't have any of those cards that slip into the machines, I haven't gone in the daytime, and I definitely haven't worn sweatpants there (three contributing factors to my definition of a professional gambler.) The sushi was great, we threw away a bunch of hard-earned money, and called it a night.

Sunday we rose and got on the road to Selinsgrove by 7:30am. This is another amazing feat--I don't think Gabe has ever actually gotten up on time to leave at an early hour for an elective trip (i.e. not one that ends in something dependant on time, such as the airport, or work.) We were heading to my parents in effort to see Kellie one last time before she headed off to North Carolina for a 5-week rotation. We made it with 1/2 hour to spare, and after saying good-byes, embarked on a fun filled day of lazing around reading our vampire novels (Mom and me), napping (G3), fishing (Guess Who?) and painting windows (Dad.)

Surprisingly good picture for being so early...

New GPS so Aunt Kellie doesn't get lost!

Gabe, Mom and I went out to eat for lunch and hit Gabe's alma mater SU for some t-shirt purchases at the bookstore. We then took G3 to my parent's friend Connie's farm to see the animals. Here we got to see and touch ponies, horses, donkeys, cats, goats, puppies and deer. G3 had a great time, and again Gabe surprised me by walking through fields of loose animals with us and not running screaming when some billy goats tried to sniff him. Again, must be the turning-31 thing. At the farm G3 once again bellowed to each and every animal, "MICKEY!!"