The Queen Mum
Ill be the first to admit it.
I am totally just an overgrown kid when it comes to birthdays.
Birthdays were a HUGE deal in my family growing up. Im not talking about extravagant gifts or necessarily elaborate parties, but birthdays always meant you were queen for the day. A breakfast date with daddy was a tradition. He’d then take me to Valerie’s (a small boutique flower shop) and hand pick an arrangement for me. More than one year, I remember Mother had made a new birthday dress. Upon returning home, she would have streamers, balloons and photos of every birthday displayed. For a day, the world revolved around me. There were always tea trays at bedtime. Surprise visitors. Picnics with petti-fours. A day packed with surprises. Dinner of choice. A friend or two to spend the night. I think that birthday-princess-syndrome is just something I never really grew out of.
Maybe thats why Im a little guilty of overdoing it with my own kids birthdays. I want each one to be memorable. I want their memories to be as fond as mine.
Poor C! More than one of our first holidays together ended with me in tears because celebrations weren’t the over-the-top-red-carpet-events I envisioned. He has made such an effort to understand what speaks love to me and totally out-did himself this year. The day far exceeded my expectations (which is saying a lot for someone who is prone to over-anticipation and idealized expectations at times:)
My cup runneth over!!
A morning-long torrential thunderstorm gave me license to stay in my pj’s until an hour that I will not disclose here. Suffice to say, Im glad I had no surprise visitors before lunchtime!!
***please allow me to insert a disclaimer here that no, SAHM’s do not do this on a daily basis!*** 🙂
C served me breakfast before leaving for a meeting. The little girls and I then indulged in a candlelit tea party complete with cake and cookies. (dont mind if I do!) He returned home and sent me out with a dear friend for a pedicure, then made arrangements to take me to dinner at my favorite restaurant. My precious in-laws offered to keep the 5 older ones to make it a “real” date. What a gift! We concluded with cake and ice cream with the extended family. A perfect end to a perfect day. There were crinkled paper pictures and smeary painted presents that I treasure more than expensive gifts. Chocolate kisses and 31 candles blown out by this beautiful bunch.
Birthdays just keep getting sweeter. How is that possible?
And the up-side about my birthday being over….only 4 more days until we get to celebrate BRITAINS!!!
Yes, I know Im perpetuating the problem and perhaps setting my poor future-son-in-laws up for trouble. I cant help myself.
I love birthdays!
Time to put on my party-planning hat!
Glad you had a special day. Oh my word! Gigi is getting so big. I love the rolls on her little legs. Give her some extra kisses from me.
I was going to say the same – can’t believe how big the baby is getting 🙂
So glad you enjoyed a special day with your family!
Happy birthday!!! I can’t believe Gigi has gotten so big!
yeah for September birthdays!! 🙂 Love you! Glad I get to share your month!