Holiday Birthday

So today is my birthday!!!!  It is the 11th anniversary of my 25th birthday.  (You can do the math.)  It is my most favorite day of the year.  It is the one and only day where I can do what I want and hopefully get away with it.  You have to be nice to me and treat me like a princess.  (Of course if you ask my Mom, she would tell you this is also goes for every other day of the year.)

Would you like to hear my birth story?  Well there was an IU basketball on December 28, 1979.  Mom and Dad were up late watching.  Mom's water broke.  Went to the hospital and I was born the next afternoon.  Dad had to go home after I was born and finish painting my room.  It wasn't done because I was 2 weeks early.  (Mom has been trying to catch up with me ever since.)  The nurses sent me home in a Christmas stocking and so my little life began.  Mom and Dad got a surprise tax break in 1979.

I thought I would share with you my top 10 complaints (and maybe a few good points) of having a holiday birthday.  I have very strict rules and regulations for my family and friends.  (And thank you so much for following them.)  Lee asked me the other day why I get so bent out of shape over my birthday.  Well I just do.  I expect the very best on that day.  Plain and simple.  (Dramatic, much?!  Moi?  No way!)

Before I go on my rant, just remember I've had 36 years of birthdays.  I've got a lot of pent up anger.  Believe you me, my family knows the rules.  They try very, very hard to follow them.

1.  Your birthday gets forgotten.  Friends forget.  Co-workers forget.  The cashier at Target forgets.  I mean really?!  Is it too hard to ask for the red carpet to be rolled out for me?  (Of course not my immediate family.  They know better!)

2.  Your gifts get wrapped in Christmas paper.  My grandmother made this fatal mistake one year.  And gave me a special 'holiday' birthday card, too.  Let's just say she NEVER made that mistake again.  (Sorry Grams.  Don't strike me dead for telling that story.)

3.  Your gifts get combined.  I'll just buy you one gift and we will call it Christmas/Birthday.  Unless I give you permission to do that, then no.  Do I combine your Christmas gift with your birthday in June?  I don't think so!

4.  Hard to have a party or get together.  Everyone is busy with the holidays.  Growing up I never got to have a party with my friends on the actual day.  I always had to have it in January when things calmed down and people were home from visiting family.  It just wasn't the same.  Never got the chance to have a school party either.

My 20th birthday.  This was a great birthday.  A ton of friends and family went out to dinner and of course their was cake afterwards!  December 29, 2000.

5.  People are so burnt out from Christmas, they just don't have time for your birthday or really care.  They are still recovering from the holiday.  Did I not make an effort to come to your birthday dinner in August?  Did I not make you a cake?

My 30th (GASP) birthday.  I had a really, really nice dinner out with my 2 BFFs.  We had a really nice evening together.

6.  Birthdays are special to me.  Not just my birthday but I like to make my family and friends feel special on their big days, too.  Keep that momentum going from Christmas!  Let's have fun on the December 29!

Another great birthday!!!  I won a trip to Orlando through work to go see Purdue play in the Champs Bowl.  My brother and I went and had a really good time.  Florida for my birthday.....doesn't get any better than that!!!!!  December 29, 2006.

7.  I will always want a cake for my birthday.  I don't care if we still have Christmas leftovers.  I still want a pretty, non-holiday cake.  Period.  No exceptions.

It was my golden 29th birthday.  We only had a 2 and 6 candle.  I say close enough!

8. Since I'm so negative I have to end on a few high notes.  One being, I never had to go to school on my birthday.  That is a good thing.  I think I have only had to work once on my big day.  That is a win in my book.  (Not sure how I managed that.)

9.  For the longest time I didn't know my actual birth date.  Just that it was 4 days after Christmas.  It is what I heard my parents say.  Of course once I understood the calendar system, I learned the date.  Sometimes my birthday is still 4 days after Christmas when you ask.  Old habits.  I learned a new one this year.  I'm 4 days younger than Baby Jesus.  I heard/read somewhere someone talking about their birthday on Dec. 23.  They were joking and saying they were 2 days older than Jesus.  So I'm going with the I'm 4 days younger thing.

10.  Sometimes I get to spend my birthday with my relatives that live far away.  Either because they are coming and going or I am traveling to and from.  If my grandmother wasn't with us for Christmas, I always knew I would have her for my birthday.  Sometimes I get to see my cousins and aunt/uncle as they are traveling through Indianapolis.  So that is an extra bonus getting to celebrate a little with them, too.  They always make me feel special.

December 29, 2012.  A little cutie helping me blow out my candles.

BONUS:  I do share this birthday with some cool people.  One being my very good friend from high school Dawn.  One year we even had a joint birthday party, which was a lot of fun!!!!  Another is Chrystal who is a dear family friend.  She was born on my 5th birthday and we had some joint celebrations as well.  (Even have the home video to prove it.)  So if you ladies are reading this.............HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!

Me and Dawn on our 18th birthday.  1997.

Me and Dawn at our high school reunion in 2010

***It should be noted that these rants are not aimed at anyone.  This post is all in good fun.  I know I sound like a spoiled brat.  (Take that one up with my Mom and Dad.)  Hopefully if nothing else, this post made you laugh.

****It should be noted I originally wrote this post for December 29, 2014.  I guess I wasn't brave enough to post.  Being a sassy 36 I'm not afraid anymore.