I’ve never liked my birthdays. 

Growing up all I wanted was a birthday party with friends at a roller rink. I’ll be honest, a birthday party with friends anywhere, would have been nice.

What I got year after year was a family birthday party with photo ops in front of an ice cream birthday cake with flowers on it.  Some years, my sister and I would fight over who would get the pink rose from the cake.  That kind of birthday celebration got dull, pretty quickly.

At one point, I told my mother I didn’t like cake so she would stop her humdrum version of a celebration. Looking back, I think my birthday experiences are the reason why I’ve been over the top for my kidlets’ birthdays -- so they always have fun memories. 

Because memories like the one I have of me turning 20 -- physically becoming ill from the idea of no longer being a teen and having to go home early from work – are not fun. Sure I returned to work the next day to a desk full of cute toys and cards from coworkers which made me smile but I didn’t forget I was no longer a teen.

Birthdays are just not my thing.

Over the years, I’ve spent birthdays moving into my new office or having dinner at home because I was pregnant and couldn’t go out and drink. There hadn’t been anything memorable since turning 20.

So last year, I planned a birthday to make up for all the lack of memorable birthdays I had. The rain came down and ruined part of the birthday but I will never forget dressing up in a Betsey Johnson dress only a teen should wear and going out to dinner and dancing followed by an early morning stop at a diner.  

If I never celebrate a birthday like that again, I will at least be able to say I truly celebrated my birthday once.

I reminded myself of that this morning when I woke up because today is my birthday. Of course my birthday falls on a Monday. I’m not surprised. This is the birthday which I turn O-L-D.  So I’m going to take it easy today. And just relax while I sign up for my AARP card. ;)
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