Birthdays

We make a big deal over holidays in our house.  Like a BIG deal.

Christmas is a month long celebration; we have more Halloween decorations than some craft stores, and I’m already planning this year’s July Fourth decorations.

But in terms of all out celebrating, nothing compares to birthdays.

Sentimentally, the day before each of my girls’ birthdays always gets to me.  It brings me back in time to exactly where I was on the days I went into labor with them.

With Magoo, it was a bright Tuesday morning right after Memorial Day.  With the Goose, it was a Friday night – pleasantly chilly as TJ, Magoo, and I played outside in our last hours as a family of three.  And with Mae, it was a chilly Wednesday afternoon.  No snow, but clearly winter.

I spend the day before their birthdays reminiscing.  Remembering the magic and the anticipation as I labored in a hospital room, waiting to first lay eyes on their beautiful little faces.

And then on the day, we start early and go all day.

And let me tell you — it is exhausting.

I think it’s actually harder to make birthdays special when kids are really young because they don’t really understand the significance, so in order to make it extra special, I run on full blown excitement the entire day, trying to exude enough celebratory spirit for her to catch on to just how important both she and this day are.

Wishing her Happy Birthday a million times.

Reminding her how old she is.

Talking about presents and cake and parties.

Taking her to the zoo.

Having special ice cream bars.

Decorating the entire house.

Yea, we go all out.

And it ties in perfectly with today’s blog a day theme of “what are you most afraid of.”

And the answer is these days.  I’m most afraid that I am going to miss an opportunity to make their childhoods spectacular in the ways they should be.  In these days of Pinterest and Facebook and blogs, we see all everyone else does, and it is incredibly easy to feel subpar.  It’s always the day I throw cereal in a bowl for breakfast and spend the morning watching movies that I see others post Micky Mouse pancakes and pony rides.

I want to do right by these girls.  I want to do right by them so bad that it practically consumes me.

And I pray that I won’t wake up twenty years from now wondering why I plundered all the opportunities.  And even more, I pray they don’t wake up and wonder why their mom just didn’t have it in her.

I don’t think that will happen.  I think they will have fond memories.  I might break my back doing it, but going all out for them on their birthdays is one way I have of showing them just how special they are.

It’s a day made just to celebrate them and the wonderful moment I first held them in my arms.

And best of all — it’s a day I can be as cheesy and corny as I want because if they get annoyed, I can always remind them of the trouble it took me to get them into this world.  It’s a mama’s prerogative.