Out-takes from a Birthday

Ideally, my family will look back on these golden years and say Oh man…mom sure knew how to do a birthday right.  When it was your birthday, it was your BIRTHDAY.  In reality, I’m still working on it.  Even for my husband I want it to feel like his birthday from the moment he wakes up until he lays his head on his pillow that night…but that didn’t exactly happen.  I’m pretty sure it didn’t feel like his birthday until 11am when he finally got a birthday phone call from a certain 2 year old… albeit his favorite 2 year old on the planet.

But I was determined to salvage the afternoon with an effortless yet distinct birthday vibe.  Fringy streamers, a homemade chocolate cake, a birthday banner, small surprise gifts*, and a clean home were whipped up in mere hours.  I forget how much effort effortless takes.

 Of course these two were on hand for the most important event–the frosting of the cake.

An when this….

gave way to this… I didn’t even flinch.

If you think I’m one of those chillax moms who never worries when her kids and messes collide, you’d be wrong.  I know…I seem so laid back on the surface, but I can be pretty up-tight.  It’s rare for me to completely throw caution to the wind and just let them engulf themselves in dirt/mud/food… but I did.  I might even do it more often.  Perhaps this doesn’t look that messy, but c’mon! she doesn’t have the long arms/hands your kid has OK?  

Eventually that mess gave way to this…a nakey baby on the table trying to bust into the birthday cake.

While I may not have done the best birthday day, I did sit down and spend some time on the card.  That’s one thing we do well…we write long letters to each other for birthdays, Christmas, Valentines and our Anniversary.  I enjoy taking the time to really think about my husband and how so much of the good in my life and the things I enjoy are a direct result of marrying him.  I don’t know why I don’t blog brag about him more often–because I could.  He’s smart, funny, playful, serviceable, kind and good looking.  In fact last week, one of the sweet old ladies at church told me that she thought my husband was handsome, I smiled and agreed … but then as I watched her face and the wry little smile stayed put I realized, Oh…she really thinks he’s handsome.  Like she definitely has an old lady crush on him.  And I can see why.  Being almost 4 years his senior I guess you could say I have an old lady crush on him too.  

Anyway, the birthdays are a work in progress but the man we celebrated on Monday is pretty much the complete package.  But hands off old ladies…he’s mine.  

*Since he bought his own birthday gift a few weeks early and was rather generous with himself (as he should be) some small so-I-still-have-something-to-open-on-my-birthday gifts were in order.