Happy Birthday, Dammit.

My husband and I were an exercise in opposites attract. Where he hated birthday celebrations, I will always celebrate my birthday. I have more reasons to celebrate than he ever had reasons not to, which is why we always celebrated his, too!

christmas 2007

Too soon!

Although one month and one day after Christmas, most are worried with credit card bills of too much spent during the holidays, first of the year blues and colds…not I. I am ready to celebrate! Why?

Raspberry cheesecake

First and foremost, I survived another year!

With a shoeful of children, my own businesses, a menagerie, being a widowed momma and a few more grey hairs, I make it through another year. I see it not as a race to prove my mortality, but as a triumph! What better reason is there to have a party?

Next, I am still alive.

This may seem redundant, but truly it is not. My health issues, and my good fortune not to have as severe ones as my siblings or my late husband, make the survival from one birthday to the next worthy of celebration.

Then, I am grateful.

My parents were willing to bring me into a huge family with a matching sized heart, albeit with memories of Swiss cheese. The cards and emails I receive arrive in streaming fashion as one of my nine siblings remembers my birthday has just passed and forwards the “y didn’t u remind me? o.O” text message around.

English: Gift ideas for men - wrapping paper e...

Image via Wikipedia

Where’s the box?

After that, a package from my mother arrives, perfectly on time, ten days after my birthday. The box is filled with presents for my children which I will enjoy with them. After all, birthdays are about family bonding.

We are having a Christmas Party after church t...

Blue, black, rasp...get with the berries already! Image via Wikipedia

Get With the Grub!

Ah, the cheesecake! The night of my birthday, I want cheesecake, not some layered confection with an overdose of icing molded into roses, blech. Yes, candles in the cheesecake. Watching the children dig through the drawer to find the right numbered candles is fun. Usually, someone whips out a calculator to see how old I really am.

Relax!

With the giant cheesecake gone and a few pants unbuttoned, it is time to sprawl on the floor and play. Little ones go to bed with visions of their upcoming birthdays in their heads. Big ones lie on the floor to play (get beaten at) board games with me.

When the house is all quiet, and I snuggle alone into bed, I send the Big Guy a prayer. I quietly tell him, “Thank you for one more year.

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How do you celebrate your birthday? And if not, why not?!

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(c) Ann Marie Dwyer 2011
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19 Comments

  1. James Parsons

     /  November 29, 2011

    Usually with my family and friends. Candles, cake, ice cream, you know the works which I enjoy every much. What I don’t like is knowing I turned one year older. Nice one Red.

    Reply
  2. I will turn 50 in January. I find it a strange thought because inside I feel like a kid. I really don’t think the numbers matter much and my birthday these days is just another reason to get the family and friends all together in one place so I can let them know how much I love them. The only gift I want or need is t see them all safe, well and happy. Knowing they are all there because they love me is just a bonus. I do think a cheesecake like that one would make me very happy too. Happy Birthday and it is nice to see you happy too : )

    Reply
    • Still a bit before mine rolls around. But I feel quite certain there will be plenty in the pack here who will remember to stop by and say hello with at least the punctuality of my siblings! Hope you are having a great night! Red.

      Reply
  3. Angela Young

     /  November 30, 2011

    🙂 My birthday is sort of celebrated. Usually whoever is around will take me out to dinner, either on the day or close to. I get a call from the kids that aren’t here. My husband occasionally gets me a card. For me – this is wonderful. I don’t need the big birthday bash. I’d rather throw them for people who are younger and still need that attention.

    I remember my first birthday that was not celebrated. I was 18 and my parents were out of town. It was awful! Parent’s brought back a couple gifts, but it was not the same. I was officially an adult. Now I like a little recognition from those I love, but otherwise, I’m content to make it a day much like any other. It probably helps that I was born on my parent’s first wedding anniversary, so my name was mentioned from the pulpit every year (dad’s a preacher)… Now mom is gone, and I just want to be comfortable and spend my time thanking God for all the blessings He’s given me throughout the year.

    Reply
    • That sounds thoroughly enjoyable. I still love that Momma calls on my birthday to sing Happy Birthday. Even if it on voice mail. And being grateful is its own present 😉

      Reply
  4. Bear

     /  November 30, 2011

    Birthdays are important,no doubt it is a celebration of the day you arrived to bring your love and imagination to the world.Birthdays should be celebrated!

    Reply
    • I am very surprised by the comments on this one. So many people do not celebrate their birthdays for this reason or that excuse. I truly believe every birthday should be celebrated!

      Reply
  5. You had me at cheesecake. ANY excuse to eat cheesecake. Om nom nom.

    Reply
    • Oh, I know, right!? I had to tell my daughter last night she and her brother had to finish the cake and the pie before I would make cheesecake…she is dying for it! I promise, cheesecake is genetic. Do not be surprised when B is wanting some in between feedings! Red.

      Reply
  6. What a lovely treat I could just eat some of that cheesecake, actually I will have a really large spoon now because I am still burning the candle at both ends and I will be needing some match sticks to keep my eyes open later 🙂 Just kidding…

    I really like your posting and not just because of those delightful treats on offer, and I always like a nice treat on my birthday 🙂 Well I like treats all the time actually but then I am a tad wicked 🙂 lol

    Have a ghoulishly exquisite Thursday Red 🙂

    Androgoth XXx

    Reply
    • I happen to think Thursday is a good time for a celebration! Especially with cheesecake. So delightfully sticky.

      If you shan’t rest, do be careful. Isn’t it nigh on 0430 there?

      Reply
  7. I like relatively quite birthdays now, but there has to be cake. And ice cream. The proper number of candles was given up some time ago as they tend to become a fire hazard. I want cake, not a flaming ball of icing.
    Binky recently posted..Out WombiedMy Profile

    Reply
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