My Birthday Week

As you may have deduced by now, I'm a bit high maintenance. That is probably a huge shock to many of you but it's true, I am but at least I own it! Never is this more apparent than near my birthday. I don't just celebrate (and force others to honor) just the day I was born, oh no, I declare it my birthday month, week, etc. Then with Mother's Day thrown in for good measure, let's just say it's a trying time for GI Joe. And by May 15th if he hears "but it's my BIRTHDAY week, month, etc" one more time he may or may not have a mental breakdown.

This year in light of the recent economy, budget cuts, etc I decided to downsize from birthday month to birthday week. I'm a real giver like that. I worked like crazy the first weekend in May so that the following weekend (my birthday weekend) I could just kick back and be pampered.

I coasted thru Monday thru Thursday of my birthday week with only the occasional mention of my birthday. But Friday, it was officially my birthday weekend and time to start wearing my birthday princess crown. Friday night, we celebrated with friends by eating chips and salsa, playing laser tag, and singing karaoke. It was awesome. Also of note, I BEAT McDreamy in laser tag like by a lot. So what if GI Joe, Annette, and Cindy beat me? The important thing here is that I BEAT McDreamy and I rubbed it in...a lot. Then Annette and I sang "Hangin' Tough" complete w/ dance moves and the evening was complete. Admittedly, it didn't sound QUITE as good as it does in the car but whatev, people LOVED it. Well, except for everyone we were with, but they're just jealous. Speaking of New Kids, Doug gave me one of the best presents EVER. A shirt that has a picture of my beloved Jordan Knight and says Boyfriend on it. I heart this shirt. In fact I changed into it right away even though my earrings and shoes didn't match (OH THE TRAVESTY!!!). Isn't it cute?

No, you can't borrow it.

Since Mother's Day fell within my birthday weekend, we had to do some Mother's Day celebrating as well. Let it be known that GI Joe has been made well aware that under NO circumstances is my birthday to be lumped in w/ Mother's Day, unless preapproval is granted..ex: he books a cruise as my Mother's Day/birthday present=ok, otherwise NOT ok.

Saturday morning, Dakota and I enjoyed some nice girl time, breakfast, and shopping with my mother in law and my friend Trisha and her mother in law. Good food, good times. After that the crazy hit. Fun fact about me: Since my mom died in 1999, I really REALLY dislike Mother's Day and typically at some point have a bit of a meltdown. Now, don't go telling me I should still enjoy Mother's Day since I have children of my own and blah blah blah because as much as I love them and am thankful to be their mom, it doesn't erase what I'm missing. Mother's Day is like salt in a partially healed wound, just reopens it and makes it hurt all the more. Thanks world, for reminding me that I don't have a Mom to buy a card for or to take on a Mother/Daughter outing, I had totally forgotten (not). Don't get me wrong, I have an amazing mother in law and stepmom who love me like I'm their own but it's just not the same you know? Hopefully, you don't know and never have to know but trust me on this one it SUCKS. OK, wow sorry that got a little heavy I'm just keeping it real here. Anyway, the meltdown occurred Saturday afternoon and all I can say is I have the best husband in the world. While we were out gallavanting on the town, he and the boys were home doing 10 loads of laundry and cleaning the house from top to bottom. And when I came home suffering from my minor meltdown he didn't try to fix it or tell me to suck it up, even though it was quite obvious his wife had lost her marbles. Instead he hugged me and then said, "I'm just gonna go back to mopping now!" Ummm how awesome is that?!? :) The giant chocolate dipped strawberries that he had ordered and had delivered to me on Saturday (for Mother's Day) didn't hurt either. I got over my meltdown and we were able to resume life as normal, whatever that is around here. Oh wait, did I mention my lamb died on Saturday? Yeah it did, our 3 day old lamb that I was madly in love with. Do you see why I was prone to a meltdown?!?

Sunday, the dreaded Mother's Day came and I have to say it was actually a really, really good day. And for the first time in a long time I wasn't a mess on Mother's Day. Glad I got that out of the way on Saturday! GI Joe and the kids showered me with cards and presents and then GI Joe prepared a Mother's DAy feast for his mom and I, well and the rest of our family too. He's pretty much a Renaissance man.

Then I woke up on Monday, 32 years old!! How did that happen? It was a great day in which I ate a Reese's for breakfast, sushi w/ my husband for lunch, and then we prepared a gourmet meal for dinner and I got to do NOTHING all night. It was delightful. The icing on the cake was, well the icing FROM the cake. A whole bowl full of it complete with candle. I'm not much of a cake person, I much prefer the frosting, especially homemade with (gasp!) CRISCO, so it was perfect and PINK.
And now I'm off to wrap up my birthday week with a Girls Weekend w/ Dakota, all 4 of my sisters, and my stepmom in St. Louis. They are so excited that they too get to pamper me and bestow all of their attention on me.

I think 32 has humbled me considerably.