No, I am not turning 29 again.

Remember when you were little, and you couldn't WAIT for your birthday? As some people get older, they tend to "fudge" over their birthdays a bit. Or, perhaps you celebrate, but don't really look forward to it with the same glee. I do. I always have.

I used to count down the days till my birthday regularly... and then inform any and ALL close relatives, friends, random strangers, until my voice was gone. You know what? I still do.

Jessica (Queenie on this site) has always been there. Literally, I have known her my WHOLE life, so she has been a permanent fixture at my birthdays for... well, always. She never fails to try to plan something special for me. One year, it was a whole collection of small gifts, cards, poems, etc. One for every year of my life. One year, a high tea at The Pelican Inn, and a ferry ride to San Francisco. Last year, a ride on BART into the city, and a bike ride that included just about everything, plus tea at a fun, Alice-in-Wonderland-like place. Oh, and crazy hats she handmade. Oy the hats.

This year, an awesome Day-Long-Twilight-Saga-Movie-Marathon-Extravaganza-with-homemade-luncheon-of-awesomeness!

No, I am not turning 12.

Yes, I REALLY am quite unnaturally excited about this! I have even invited a few people to take part! Despite the fact that they may figure out what a dork I am.

Yes, my husband knows, and walked away shaking his head, sighing audibly. Hi Sweetie!

The bottom line is, I LOVE my birthday! I love getting older. I don't worry about sagging skin, or wrinkles. Not that I have any yet! *cough* To me, growing old really is a wonderful part of life. I think it is pointless to fight it, and frankly, who has the time? I am not talking about letting myself go, or not being concerned with common sense things like skin cancer, FOR GOD'S SAKE PUT SOME SPF ON THAT!!! But, why should I spend the best years of my life... trying to relive years that have gone by?

Every day, I see the effects of aging. My son, Zachary, had his first visit from the Tooth Fairy the other night. Jackson says SO MANY words right now, and will parrot ANYTHING you say. Zach just got his 2nd Kindergarten report card, indicating that he is 1/3 of the year away from being a 1st grader!! Jackson is close to outgrowing his crib (and let's face it, EVERYTHING else... Christ that kid is gigantic!) They both eat sushi like old pro's, even ordering off the menu for themselves.

Woohoo!

I have so many great years to look forward too, why regret each one arriving? I am so blessed. Blessed to be alive. Blessed to have my husband, my son's, my family... even the dogs (although the Farf is ON MY LIST TODAY!)

So celebrate April 3rd with me! Let's drool over some vampire, and were-boy! Let's eat tasty things! And let's feel AMAZING while doing it!

This year, and EVERY year God blesses me with.

"I lick the glass because I LOVE you..."

Party till the cows come home...

Do you remember the unabridged fun of birthday parties as a child? You were in some NEW house, with NEW toys, BALLOONS (OMG!!!!!!!), games, other kids, and CAKE! Throw in a pinata and maybe some hotdogs, and you were a MADE kid!

Lately, we have been experiencing the birthday parties of my memory. Zachary was invited to a birthday party recently for a boy in his kindergarten class. Originally, I put off RSVP-ing because I dreaded the mass "invite-everyone in your class" parties that I knew were inevitably coming. But eventually, I sent our response, that we would be there. Holy cow.

Turns out that only a few children from his class were attending, and they were doing a "Jedi Training Academy" party. Right up Zach's alley. Zach and I headed over to the party at the designated time, unsure of what to expect. I was probably just as apprehensive, since I didn't REALLY know these parents. Was I supposed to drop Zach off? Stay? As we entered into the child's backyard, his mother greeted us, and invited me to stay. This family had gone all out. They had set up a huge obstacle course in their backyard for the "Jedi" to train on. Zachary immediately started playing with the kids and fit right in. I recognized more of the children from his class, than the parents. Surprising to me, every other parent there was... a father!

After running through the obstacle course to train and hone their skills, the boys then had a surprise. They were going in search of "evil"... the neighbor helping to run the party was pretty vague, and "the dads" and I were looking a little skeptical. Finally, they handed each kid a light up generic light-saber and let them run to the front yard 2 by 2 searching for "evil". The kids run off, and we hear screeching and laughing, screaming, and yelling. We head up to the front to find that the birthday boy's dad has dressed in a Darth Vader outfit, and wielding a light saber is fighting off 9 blood-thirsty 5 year olds. They are having the time of their life. Some of those boys weren't playing around! I heard some pretty solid whacks, but the laughing never stopped. When all the Jedi had finally melted onto the lawn in wheezing, giggling, puddles of exhaustion...and "evil" had been officially vanquished (mostly due to his bad shoulder...) it was cake time! AWESOME! Cake, presents, play, and DONE! We got to keep the light saber. Zach was thrilled.

Awww! Look how calm they all look!

If you look in the corner, you can see Darth Vader's legs...

surrounded by little piranhas... I mean boys!

I was left in awe at the bravery of those parents. I think there is an unspoken rule somewhere that you try to keep weapons and numbers of small boys down to less than a handful... but their bravery was commendable. We both had a blast.

Yesterday, I took the boys up to Sacramento for a friend's kids' birthday party. Both her children celebrate together since their birthdays are close. It was party heaven again for the boys. Playing with someone else's toys, riding someone else's big-wheel, cake, presents, pinata, jumping, laughing, aaaaaaannnnnddd scene! On the way home, both boys were asleep within minutes, Version 2.0 clutching, proudly, his baby-blue My Pretty Pony birthday balloon.

Party pooped. With a My Little Pony balloon.

I have memories of parties like this as a child. Both my own, and others. I hope that my children can keep these memories in their small heads, and remember the fun they had. What glorious, worry-free time it is, as a child.

I need to get me some more of that!