Celebrating Mommy's Birthday

My birthday was last Sunday, and the girls were so very sweet in helping me celebrate all day long.

I stayed in bed for an extra minute or two, and they came bounding down the stairs and pounced on my bed to tell me HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

It was a big surprise when I got up to find that Daddy had gotten up super-duper early to get donuts for us.  Before we could dig in, though, the girls insisted I open my birthday present.  Daddy had gotten me a long-awaited family-size waffle iron, and the girls made the sweetest cards.

Several times during the day...before breakfast, before lunch, before birthday cake, and then again before dinner...I saw Baby A whispering in Hubby's ear.  Each time they conspired to sing HAPPY BIRTHDAY to me.  And the sweetest part was how much joy the girls got from doing so.

The best part of the day was when the girls helped me make my favorite chocolate chip cookie pizza for my birthday dessert.

I took quite a few pictures, but this one just cracks me up!

And after we mixed the dough, we had to pat it into the pan.  (I didn't even get hive with how messy their hands got!)

It had been a beautiful day on Saturday, and Sunday opened up, looking much the same.  I told the girls we'd go to the park to play that afternoon.  Unfortunately, we got tricked!  By Sunday afternoon, it turned cloudy and windy and COLD.  We only braved the park for about 20 minutes...but at least we decided to treat ourselves to an impromptu dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant.  The girls thought it was grand that I was serenaded, AND that we got a yummy flan dessert.

And I just have to capture what Baby A was working on for me.  Several days before my birthday, she was working at the table, asking me how to spell different words.  I answered her without too much thought as to what she was doing.  Later that day she presented me with this list...a list of things she wanted to go shopping with Daddy to buy me for my birthday.

As my birthday approached, she kept showing the list to Hubby, saying they needed to go shopping.  Hahaha!  Gotta love her thoughtfulness!!!

Happy birthday to me!!!  So thankful to have celebrated it with my baby girls and their daddy!

A Bit About Me, August Edition

My birthday is February 23, so on the 23rd of each month, I share a couple of random things about myself.  

I am a reformed picky eater.

When I was growing up, I remember being super picky about crust on my bread, the amount of milk in my oatmeal, and no dressing on my salad.  I remember my mom bargaining with me about drinking milk, and I remember sitting at the table – for what felt like HOURS – because my mom told me I couldn’t get up until I ate three Brussels sprouts.

I don’t know what happened…maybe I just grew up.  There are very few things I won’t eat, meatloaf being the only thing that comes to mind.

And I don’t know what prompted my pickiness in the first place, either.  I don’t know how much of that is “normal” for some kids, and how much was maybe a part of me being an only child, that my mom catered to me.

Whatever the case, I’m thankful now for my love of Brussels sprouts, spicy Mexican food, raw sushi, and everything in between.  And I’m even more thankful that the girls are following my current footsteps, not my old ones!

I used to love amusement park rides…

…but now I have to be careful on the swings at the park.

I used to love any and every amusement park ride.  Living in a small town, the yearly county fair was where I enjoyed most of my experiences growing up.  I have great memories of the likes of the Tilt-a-Whirl and the Scrambler and the Octopus…the more bone-jarring…the more twists and spins…the better.

Once again, I don’t know what happened…maybe I’m just getting old…but I can’t really look at the merry-go-round at the park too intently, before I start feeling a little bit ill.

Fortunately I’m OK on the carousel at the mall, and fortunately that’s still a huge thrill for the girls.  I’ll hang onto that for as long as I can…and hope Husband doesn’t suffer the same fate as I have.  Someone needs to be brave to ride with the girls one day!

A Bit About Me, June (Anniversary) Edition

My birthday is February 23, so on the 23rd of each month, I post a couple of random things about me.  My wedding anniversary is June 22, so I usually dedicate June's randomness to something couple-related.

We’ve had some pretty hectic anniversaries.

Not less than a week before our first anniversary, we’d just made our first move, from Alabama to Mississippi.  We were in a tiny rental house while we searched for a house to buy.  We were living out of boxes and trying to find where we’d packed our drinking glasses.  We had to ask a neighbor we’d just met to recommend a nice restaurant. 

Our next two anniversaries were relatively uneventful, but we had another “just moved” celebration for Year #4.  Ten years ago, we moved into our current house, and we again dusted ourselves off the best we could to treat ourselves to an anniversary dinner.

This year, I’d REALLY hoped to mark another “just moved” celebration with the move into our new house, which was originally scheduled for June 20.  The completion date has been moved back a few weeks, though, so we had a relatively uneventful (in a good way!) celebration instead.

We don’t look to make these anniversaries so helter-skelter, I promise…but maybe it speaks to marriage…home is where your family is…and it doesn’t have to be picture-perfect to be good.

I love sushi.

This is no secret, but we haven’t had sushi in quite a long time.  Our favorite restaurant is one the girls like, too, but it becomes really pricey, really quick, so we don’t take them there often. 

Last night, after the girls were soundly in bed, Miss Jenny came over to monitor-sit.  Hubby and I scored “our” table (Table 5) at “our” restaurant, and lucked out with the owner’s daughter waiting on us.  It was a little surreal, as we haven’t sat there – one of the few two-tops in the restaurant – in a really long time.  We savored our favorite rolls and some yummy sake, and then were surprised with Japanese ice cream for dessert.

Yes, I love sushi…and I loved sharing the evening with my hubby, enjoying some of our favorite things, together.

A Bit About Me, May Edition

My birthday is February 23.  On the 23rd of each month, I share a couple of random facts about myself.  So, for the month of May...here 'tis!

I have a long history with ironing boards.

I’m not one to iron very frequently.  My work clothes always went to the cleaners, and I have few opportunities to wear anything that requires ironing these days.  Once upon a time, I ironed Hubby’s shirts and pants…until, that is, I discovered the wonders of wrinkle-free fabric.  He’s a teacher and a coach, I rationalize: he doesn’t have to be dressed to the nines.

Over the past five years, I’ve ironed more than I did the previous five years, although that’s not saying much.  Still, I find myself ironing a few of the girls’ outfits for pictures and special occasions.

[I should note I’m using the same ironing board my dad bought me when I moved into my first apartment, as well as the same travel iron I got before I went to college.  I’m guessing technology has improved in the last 20 years...perhaps I should consider investing in a new iron?]

It dawned on me a couple of days ago, as the girls were pretending to iron the carpet (I had stashed the iron in my closet over the weekend and hadn’t put it away)…I used to have a tiny little ironing board and pretend iron when I was a kiddo.  I saw my mom ironing all the time (I remember she’d iron and watch some soap opera during the middle of the day), and I guess I loved imitating her.

That just strikes me as funny.  The girls have a ton of pretend kitchen stuff…pots and pans and all sorts of food…but nothing so utilitarian.

It’s not that I mind ironing so much these days…it’s kinda fun to press those itty-bitty outfits for the girls…but it’s not exactly something I’d enjoy pretending in my spare time. 

I love to jump.

I saw this e-card a couple of days ago…coincidentally just hours after I’d been jumping with the girls.

A year ago, I went in the bounce houses with the girls primarily as a safety precaution.  I wanted to make sure they weren’t running into each other, and that other kids weren’t running into them.  I climbed up the gigantic slide ladder behind them to make sure they didn’t slip back down.

These days, they’re pretty proficient jumpers and climbers.  As long as it’s not crowded, they can handle their own around each other and other kids.

Yet, I still jump and climb and slide.  It’s a great workout…the girls love to show me their tricks…and it’s FUN!!!  Continue to stare, fellow mamas…I know my toe-touches are something to envy.  Bwahahaha!  But I'm getting a front row seat to my girls' shining eyes and contagious laughter.

A Bit About Me, April Edition

My birthday is on February 23.  On the 23rd of each month, I share a couple of random things about myself.  For the month of April, here 'tis!

I had “twins” for extra credit in science class one time.

In the seventh or eighth grade, we had the opportunity to carry around a blown-out eggshell “baby” for extra credit.  It seems like we had to keep a diary of the egg’s whereabouts, and I distinctly remember having to find a “sitter” during PE class.  I hadn’t thought about it in eons, but I recently recalled that I made not one, but TWO, eggshell babies for the project.  I didn’t get double the credit…but they did look super sweet, sitting side-by-side.  Feels kinda prophetic...although I should note that I have never shoved my actual babies into a locker.

I don’t enjoy gardening.

I love having pretty flowers around the house, but I just don’t like planting them.  I don’t enjoy the bending…the weeding…the digging…it’s just.not.me.  It’s one of those things I feel like I should enjoy, but I don’t.  Once upon a time, I did enjoy watering, but now even that is a chore I relegate as best I can.  You might guess we have mostly greenery and perennials at our house.

For the sake of the girls, though, I try to fake it here and there...I orchestrated them planting petunias last year, and they did look awfully cute in their gardening gloves.  Hmmm...maybe if THEY like to garden, I just might have those pretty annuals one day!

A Bit About Me, March Edition

My birthday is February 23^rd, and on the 23^rd of each month, I post a couple of random facts about myself.  So here’s the randomness for the month of March…

I didn’t get my first pair of jeans until I was about six.

My mom thought that little girls should be dressed in frills.  I think I had some corduroy pants, and I know I had shorts in the summer, but she didn’t like the idea of jeans.  I finally asked for some for my birthday one year, and I got Gloria Vanderbilt jeans from my grandparents.

I have to laugh about that now.  My girls got their first pair of jeans when they were about seven months old, and jeans are a huge wardrobe staple at our house.  I may pair the girls’ jeans with cutesy buttons and bows, but I’ve gotta have my denim!

I wonder if my palate is maturing a bit.

Don’t get me wrong…I COULD eat several entire bags of jelly beans during the time between Valentine’s Day and Easter…but I haven’t CRAVED them this year like I did in the past.  To date, I’ve consumed part of one bag, and I’m not even sure if I’ll have any more.  I don’t mean to jinx myself, but I wonder if my taste buds might actually be growing up???  It's probably not a bad thing.

There it is!  Until next month...

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

Today is my birthday!

On the 23^rd of each month, I share a couple of random thoughts about myself.  Here’s the birthday edition…

Although I wrote yesterday about the ills of consumer culture as relates to our children, I had quite the affinity for a few characters in my day.

When I was growing up, I loved the Smurfs, Strawberry Shortcake, and Garfield.  One of my most prized possessions was a Strawberry Shortcake sleeping bag, and I loved my stuffed Garfield and Odie.  I vividly remember having birthday cakes with those characters on them…but it always cracked me up…I usually shared a family celebration with my Uncle Tommy, whose birthday is February 19^th.  I know he didn’t mind, but I thought it was all kinds of funny that he would have his name on a Smurf cake.

Birthday candles kinda gross me out.

And that traces back to my childhood, too.  I remember having been sick as a kid, not long before my birthday.  We were getting together for our family birthday celebration, and I asked my mom, “Are you sure you want me to blow out candles on a cake that everyone is going to eat?”  Good point, huh?  I love the idea of candles…making a wish…past, present, and future…but I prefer to stick them in a single-serve cupcake.  

Happy birthday to me!  It’s been a FANTASTIC couple of days so far…filled with some incredibly thoughtful friends.  And the girlies (and Hubby) are already spoiling me this morning.  L-O-V-E!!!