4 Celebrations for a 4 Year Old

We celebrated the birth of this kiddo four times.

Once, it was even on his own. Seriously.

On his actual BD he woke up yelling, "Today is my birthday! Where is my cake?"
It was 8 a.m.
I was not prepared. Note: we were doing his bd celebration the following day, which I was prepared for.
So....at noon he and I baked a cake together. That is always an experience, he and I in the kitchen.
Soon, Papa Dan showed up with a balloon and gum.
Later, Grandma Carol showed up with a balloon and gum.

I should back track by explaining something about our family.
One time when KK was little, she asked to chew gum. She was 2 at the time.
Not prepared for that request, I quickly made up the rule, "You can have gum when you're 4."
The rule has stuck for all three kiddos and even my nephews.
No real theory there but it's worked for over 10 years.

So, this year was his BUBBLE GUM year.
Every morning, and I mean every morning, when J leaves for work B hugs, kisses and cries for him. He's been known to run down the street after him also.
Currently, the method of bribery is, "B, take this gum inside and you can chew it on your birthday."

On my counter now are six sticks of gum.
He's been 4 for over a week and none have been chewed.
For some reason, he's afraid to chew it although he'd talked about it for months.
(Maybe it was my continual speech on not swallowing)

So, back to birthday celebrations.
The birthday cake he and I made together had pink frosting.
Pink...like bubble gum.

He also had birthday candles on his dessert at my sisters for lunch that day.

For our family birthday celebration, I'd made a chocolate cake, per his request.
Grandparents were coming over, cake was to be eaten and gifts were to be opened.
We'd just walked in the door from school when the phone rang.
I was chatting away when I heard B singing "Happy Birthday" in the distance.
I'd quickly walked into the dining room to find B singing to himself because he was ready for cake.
OF COURSE he was because he'd just finished opening his gifts...by himself!

He asked me to help him sing, so I lit his candles and he and I sang alone.
He was so happy to finally celebrate, with or without the rest of his family.

Lastly, we celebrated his birthday with his friends/cousins.
Appropriately, it was Bubble Gum themed.

Or so I thought.
He's eight days into being four years old and not a stick of gum yet.