I Love Birthdays!

I will admit it; I love having a birthday each year. I don't care that it marks me as another year older. These things happen, whether you celebrate your birthday or not. But for me my birthday is the day to do just about anything I want. No cooking, no cleaning and calories most definitely do not count!

This year was a particularly good year. It started early with the arrival of a card from my folks. Dad picked out the funniest card ever! It's got a baboon in a birthday hat on the front (cause baboons with hats, who doesn't love them?) saying '29? Oh come on...' and on the inside it says 'I've flung a lot of crap in my time, but this takes the cake!'. I was laughing so hard when I read this, it really made my day. The very generous gift inside will be put to good use on some lovely yarn from Stitches I'm sure. Or maybe a new bathing suit for Tahoe. Thanks Dad and Mom!!!

I received some very sentimental and lovely cards from my other Mom and Dad G., my grandparents and my Grandma B. (ok, she's technically Grant's grandma, but I think of her as mine too). All are happily on display at the house. Thanks all!

Grant treated me to Starbucks for breakfast and since carbs don't count on your birthday I had the new cinnamon dolce latte and a chocolate croissant. Wow, that is some sweet coffee! Though awfully tasty.

After that it was on to work. Yes, I had to work yesterday. No playing hooky for me. But my team wished me a happy birthday and we're doing the group winter birthday lunch next week (three out of five of us in my department are born in Jan/Feb).

Escaping from the office it was home to meet up with some friends, B. and M., for dinner. They were wonderful enough to take time out midweek and come celebrate with us. Much wine, good food and excellent conversation was had at Kincaids. The very nice waitress brought out a creme brule type dish with a candle and everyone sang to me. After dessert #1 at the restaurant it was back to the house for dessert #2, the birthday cake.

Here is where my dear husband really started to shine (not that he isn't always fabulous and I don't always love him, but really, wow, he super outdid himself this year). He got me an ice cream cake! I LOVE ice cream cake. Seriously. Cake is good, but I generally prefer pie, unless it's ice cream cake. Ice cream cake is the best of all the goodies! And what an ice cream cake it was! Cold Stone cheesecake ice cream with black cherries, yellow cake (my favorite) and graham cracker crumbles. It was cheesecake meets ice cream meets cake all coated with black cherries (also a favorite fruit). YUM!!!

However, the best came last. He was WAY TOO GENEROUS with gifts this year. As if buying me a slanket wasn't wonderful enough (it's red and it's coming to me soon - can't wait to be able to knit on the couch and not freeze) he also bought me a very full day at the spa. I feel relaxed just thinking about it. Which is good, because I've had a very high bar set for his birthday (which is coming in just 9 more days). The downside to having the first birthday, the niggling guilt to make his birthday every bit as good. Here's hoping I can pull it off...

Thanks babe, you rock!