Maybe it has something to do with being one of five kids. Maybe it has something to do with being a Leo and their need to be the center of attention. Maybe I'd just be something of a diva no matter what time of year I was born. Whatever the underlying reason, birthdays are very important to me. I start counting down to my next birthday the day after I celebrate this year's. (No joke.) In the past, I have had some totally over the top parties that took way too much effort and money to plan, but were totally worth it. One year it was a full on fiesta, and the next it was a progressive party starting with renting canoes and ending with bowling and drinks just to follow up a few years later with a full on outdoor movie in my backyard. It took WEEKS to get that yard in shape!
Oh and the presents! I haven't even mentioned how much I love presents!! As a kid, all I dreamed about was a new Barbie, then it was a Debbie Gibson tape followed by something sexy cowboy related (still like those cowboys). But it wasn't until college, when I just asked for money to help pay for all those late night pizzas and beer runs that I realized that it isn't the thing inside the packaging that I really cared about, it was the package itself. I love to receive a wrapped package, to wonder what might be inside it, the feel of the paper under my fingers, the ripping off of the ribbons, slowly opening the box and looking inside to see what someone found that they thought would be just perfect for me.
Sometimes those things inside the box are way off the mark, but even that doesn't matter because there is something inside the box, the giver took the time to find something for me, they didn't just pick up a gift card. Now, gift cards certainly have their place. I love that my mom always wants to go out and pick something out with me. We make a whole day of it. But this year, it just wasn't going to work out for her to come up here or me to drive down there for our day together. Not wanting me to wake up on my birthday morning without something from her, Mom sent me a card with money in it. I love that she just couldn't wait for a time when we could do our usual. (My mom is awesome.)
But in the last few years, my birthdays haven't exactly lived up to the birthdays of yore. It began when my eldest son was born. His birthday is exactly two weeks before mine, and because I love birthdays, I go way overboard for his birthdays too. By the time his birthday comes and goes, I am so exhausted and over birthday parties that there is no way I want to start working right away on another one even if it is for myself. So I ask my husband to do something for it. And birthdays aren't terribly important to him. So not much if anything gets done. And my birthday comes and goes and I get really sad. Not this year! This year promised to be another ehh kind of birthday due to a week long family reunion planned for the week of my birthday. But that hubs of mine, probably because of the Oscar winning performance I put on last year, began the day by hanging hand cut letters from the ceiling of our dining room spelling out "Happy Birthday". Later that night he took me out to my favorite Mexican restaurant (and I pretended I wasn't on Weight Watchers). I think every person I've ever met sent me a birthday greeting either through Facebook, via text, or *gasp* in a telephone call. It was actually overwhelming.
And now tonight, we are having my party. It isn't anything like my past extravaganzas, we actually just took a page out of an antisocial friend's party planning book and invited friends to meet us at a local taphouse for dinner and drinks. But I am just excited to have a night without kids thanks to the in-laws, the prospect of good food and conversation with loved ones, and maybe a present or two. Now I need to go shopping. This girl needs a new pair of party shoes.
Oh and the presents! I haven't even mentioned how much I love presents!! As a kid, all I dreamed about was a new Barbie, then it was a Debbie Gibson tape followed by something sexy cowboy related (still like those cowboys). But it wasn't until college, when I just asked for money to help pay for all those late night pizzas and beer runs that I realized that it isn't the thing inside the packaging that I really cared about, it was the package itself. I love to receive a wrapped package, to wonder what might be inside it, the feel of the paper under my fingers, the ripping off of the ribbons, slowly opening the box and looking inside to see what someone found that they thought would be just perfect for me.
Sometimes those things inside the box are way off the mark, but even that doesn't matter because there is something inside the box, the giver took the time to find something for me, they didn't just pick up a gift card. Now, gift cards certainly have their place. I love that my mom always wants to go out and pick something out with me. We make a whole day of it. But this year, it just wasn't going to work out for her to come up here or me to drive down there for our day together. Not wanting me to wake up on my birthday morning without something from her, Mom sent me a card with money in it. I love that she just couldn't wait for a time when we could do our usual. (My mom is awesome.)
But in the last few years, my birthdays haven't exactly lived up to the birthdays of yore. It began when my eldest son was born. His birthday is exactly two weeks before mine, and because I love birthdays, I go way overboard for his birthdays too. By the time his birthday comes and goes, I am so exhausted and over birthday parties that there is no way I want to start working right away on another one even if it is for myself. So I ask my husband to do something for it. And birthdays aren't terribly important to him. So not much if anything gets done. And my birthday comes and goes and I get really sad. Not this year! This year promised to be another ehh kind of birthday due to a week long family reunion planned for the week of my birthday. But that hubs of mine, probably because of the Oscar winning performance I put on last year, began the day by hanging hand cut letters from the ceiling of our dining room spelling out "Happy Birthday". Later that night he took me out to my favorite Mexican restaurant (and I pretended I wasn't on Weight Watchers). I think every person I've ever met sent me a birthday greeting either through Facebook, via text, or *gasp* in a telephone call. It was actually overwhelming.
And now tonight, we are having my party. It isn't anything like my past extravaganzas, we actually just took a page out of an antisocial friend's party planning book and invited friends to meet us at a local taphouse for dinner and drinks. But I am just excited to have a night without kids thanks to the in-laws, the prospect of good food and conversation with loved ones, and maybe a present or two. Now I need to go shopping. This girl needs a new pair of party shoes.
