7!

Today is Gaby's 7th birthday and she has grown into SUCH a great girl.

I came across my Facebook "memories" from today and they brought me back to this day 7 years ago when I was frantically broadcasting my labor and then happily announced the arrival of our second daughter, the one we also thought would be our LAST child (ha!). She was so tiny and cute and she resembled her older sister; some people went as far as saying they looked like "twins". 

But even as a baby, Gaby was SO unique; she displayed her very own and funky personality from the start and even though she has matured and evolved with the years, the core of her spunkiness hasn't changed much!

Gaby is our "toughest" child; she is stubborn and has more self awareness than

 any adult.  She is self reliant and incredibly independent in every aspect of her life. She isn't afraid to be herself and her genuineness is amazing... I really love the fact that she is her own person even at the young age of 7! 

In the past year she has developed a bit of a "middle child syndrome", which even though usually carries a negative connotation, it's actually a good thing.  According to research, middle children tend to be more cooperative and trusting in their friendships; they are more independent and outside-the-box thinkers. Research also supports the idea that middle children are true leaders and more empathetic towards others; all of these are qualities that Gaby definitely possesses and I am glad she's so mature that she has been able to use her environment to her advantage. 

At 7, Gaby is into Legos, Barbies, fashion accessories (especially cat ears!), Shopkins and cat print clothes and pajamas. She enjoys music and singing and loves spending time with her friends and family. Gaby also loves swimming, math, reading and eating sweets...she is funny, she is creative, she is inquisitive and most of all she is HAPPY!

I am so proud to be Gaby's mom and I can only hope she stays so sweet through the years!

Happy 7th Birthday, Gaby! We love you!!!

Here's a little collage of Gaby through the years!