Gabriel

Gabriel is eight years old and our earliest riser. Gabriel wakes up happy and spreads cheer wherever he goes. He loves to sneak downstairs before the crack of dawn to catch his parents unawares and watch us jump out of our skin. Dad hates this game and has forbidden Gabriel from making him the target, but Mom enjoys hearing Gabriel’s laughter more than she dislikes being startled, so she allows him one boo a day.

Gabriel enjoys cooking and is an excellent egg scrambler and smoothie maker. Like Dad, cooking breakfast is Gabbers’ specialty, although he eschews bacon in favor of egg and/or peanut butter dishes.

Gabriel is as hardcore a vegetarian as you will find in this family, which makes mealtimes a bit of a challenge for the cook. But as long as there is a meatless version of whatever we’re eating, he’s not picky — which is why Mom usually serves spaghetti with meat sauce on the side and fills at least two or three taco shells with nothing but lettuce and cheese on Taco Tuesdays.

Gabriel adores his brother Sam and plans to follow in his footsteps and become a doctor. Either that, or an archaeologist. He still vacillates a little when it comes to vocations.