So about those birthday

My original plan for the last post was to recount some of my favorite birthday gatherings, but I simply got swept away in telling you all about what I did for this birthday. Apparently I did a lot because that was a long post. However, I had already gathered my thoughts regarding my parties of the past....and no one likes wasted thoughts, so I am delighted to offer 2 posts in the span of two days.

And in no certain order--my favorite birthday parties:

1. I really can't remember the exact number, but I think it must have been when I was in Kindergarten. I had about 8 girls and we went to a hair salon and all had our hair done. I am not talking cute child hair. I am talking va-va-voom sex kitten hair. I loved it. Afterwards we came back to my house and our mothers did our make-up and we got dressed in old prom and cocktail dresses. I thought I was the snazziest little things this side of the Mississipi. And damn it, I didn't just think it, I was. We then had a tea party, complete with cookie and juice. The party did go down hill from there thanks to Abby trying to steal my spotlight, my protest of such and some snarky comments from a party-crash (that ultimately took me about 8 years to forgive)....but I wont get into that. Now you see why I love birthdays? Mine were totally cool from the get-go.

2. In grade school my parents used to make me invite my whole grade to my birthday parties. Bonus to that concept is you have find a place big enough to house all of those houligans. IN about 3rd or 4th grade, my parents rented out the Sheridan for my party. For those of you non-SwK-ers, it is a facility with a gym/basketball courts and an indoor pool. I was the coolest kid in grade school.

For some reason I am drawing a blank for the parties occurring during my middle and high school years. Not sure why that is about middle school....but for high school I am sure there is a reason for my non-memory...mainly a red-colored liquid with a tiger on the label.

College birthdays, on the other hand, are burnt into my memory. Maybe because they were not that long ago, but I think it was because they were so fun.

3. My 21st birthday was great fun. Unlike a lot of people, I actually remember mine. I had a lot of family in town to celebrate. I know I have mentioned this before, but I have the best family. See, look:

Jessi made me a great shot book. We started out the night at the boys' house at 1000 Leavenworth. You know its going to be a good night when you say "We started out at 1000 Leavenworth..." Debbie bought me a bunch of mini liquor bottles. That Debbie, she always has the perfect gifts. We then hit up all the bars in Aggieville. I completed more than 21 of my requisite shots (sounds crazy now...) and came home, wherein I kicked Cole's door clean of the hinges because I thought he was locked in. Turns out he was just sleeping.

4. For my 22nd birthday, I hosted an 80's party. I. LOVED. THAT. PARTY. I made a cd mixer of 80s music as the invitations. Jess and I splatter painted a large piece of fabric and covered my living room furniture. We decked ourselves out in 80s garb, complete with terrible hair and awesomely bad make-up. My cousins Kalli and Katie joined in on the action and my friends from high school showed up in the most hilarious (aka hideous) old prom dresses I had ever seen. Here is one:

The party was so spectacular that an impromptu dance party/contest broke out in my living room. Yep, it was that cool.

I have had some pretty kick-ass birthdays, this year being no exception. Hmm....what should I plan for next year.....

Happy birthday to.....ME

I adore birthdays. And not just my birthday. I don't discriminate. It is equal opportunities birthdays around here. I will like yours too. But it just so happened to be mine last week and I like it best.

Overall number 26 was a pretty fantastic one. My dad and becky came up the weekend before. My dad started the trip out wonderfully by leaving his wallet and phone at home. Luckily he just got a new car and it comes with a telephone number (kids and their gadgets these days...). I can call it and be broadcast over the car speakers like voice of God. Pretty powerful stuff. Any way. Becky has never been to St Louis, so we did the tourist thing Saturday, which was fun...because even though I have lived here 3 years, I still consider myself a tourist. We rode the egg of death up to the top of the arch and back. Becky is terrified of heights. And apparently a masochist. But it was fun. For my birthday Becky took me to get new makeup. I had a 40+ year old woman with purple, green and yellow sparkly eye shadow do my eyes. It was a scary process, but I didnt care because I was being pampered. And even if it looked like I had been punched in the eye after I got finished, it was totally worth it because, like I said, I was being pampered. THEN I got to pick out new make-up (squeeeeeeeel!) and my dad and becky took us out for my birthday dinner at Mosaic....a trendy tapas restaurant. Oh. My. Lord. Delish. And super uber trendy. Pretty sure my cool points increased the moment I walked in the door. After a great weekend, I was so sad to see them leave Sunday morning. I swear, the clock moved double time that weekend. Uncool.

My actual birthday day was pretty uneventful. Well actually it was full of events, just not ones I wanted to do (i.e. finishing Rileigh's science fair project....7-year-old +glue gun = bad). But Justin redeemed the day by bringing home Chipotle. Quick word of wisdom. A burrito the size of a newborn baby makes any day the best day. Justin had already given me my present about 3 weeks prior (new video camera....holla!)

The weekend following my birthday, Abby flew in for a girls weekend. I took her to my school, ate a chili dog and made her fold my laundry. She said she is going to come back every weekend. That night we went out for sushi followed by a comedy club. Sitting at dinner, I felt a tap on my shoulder, followed by a "hey." I had a momentary panic attack trying to rack my brains as to who in the world I would actually know in St Louis. Not only know, but someone who could recognize me from behind. That was a total of no one, so I was prepared to turn around and have an awkward "i have no idea who you are" conversation and was shocked to turn around and see Jessi standing there. WTF. How did she even get here? Turns out those two concocted a plan to surprise me....which is impossible because I am Nancy Drew and I find out everything. Serious. They totally got me. So we stuffed ourselves with sushi and all headed to the comedy club. I love those things. People are so much funnier in person. The next day after a delish breakfast prepared by my loving hubs, we shopped til we dropped...and I mean that literally, not figuratively.

That evening we went to....wait for it......wait for it.....ROLLER DERBY. Yep, I am serious. It was....interesting. Jessi said that you could group the crowd into 3 categories: People who belonged in porns, People who look like they could be on Beetlejuice, and normal folks. I am hoping for the latter category, but I think the jury is still out. After roller derby, we rallied and headed to a local bar, where I realized kids these days are skank-tastic and old men are creepy. Sunday I had to drop off both at the airport. I had an amazing weekend and was bummed to see them go. Have I mentioned that I have the best family ever?

So to recap #26 entailed using the voice of God, riding in an egg , letting miss mardi gras have her way with my eyes and eating small plates of goodness--followed by unprecedented surprise, raw fish, no tabasco on cupcakes, a million miles at the mall, women on wheels and creeping people at a bar. YAHOO! it was a success! Thanks to all for making my bday so special!

The misadventures of miss addie

Sunday we busied ourselves with Super Bowl preparations. In the kitchen, I was working like a well oiled machine, whipping up some killer dishes. Justin was completing his standard floor cleaning duties. Addison sweetly asked her dad to let her go outside. Everyone knows that with one bat of Addie's lashes, Dad is putty in her hand. Our backyard is fenced and secure, so Justin bundled her up and let her roam around solo. There I was, elbows-deep (well, not really) in mozzarella, alfredo and cream cheese when it happened--Justin screams at me--

"SHE'S GOT A SQUIRREL!"

On motherly instinct, I barrel out the door, full speed, ready to fight to the death with a rabid squirrel that may or may not be clawing my toddler's eyes out. I don't stop to ponder how in the world a two-year-old blessed with my genes could be fast enough to trap a squirrel. I just charge ahead at Addison, flailing my arms and screaming "Drop the Squirrel! DROP the squirrel." Addison turns to me, wide-eyed. She has the squirrel tucked up under her arm, like a stuffed animal she might lug around the house. Upon seeing her mother come at her like a freight train, she whips the squirrel out from under her arm and chucks its lifeless body to the side. That's right, folks. My daughter was toting around a squirrel carcass.

I rush her inside. Luckily she was wearing gloves and her overstuffed coat. Justin strips her and attempts to sanitize, in case any squirrel germs somehow leaked through her layers of clothing.

The rest of the day I am checking for symptoms of the bubonic plague. When I pick her up from the sitter's yesterday, her sitter comments on how strangely she was behaving. I tell her my plague theory and we brainstorm about possible other problems that said squirrel could have transfered to my daughter. She convinces me that its all in my head and Addie is just probably tired.

Later that night, our sitter calls. "Do you think Addie might have licked the squirrel?" Oh, shit. What do I do now? I wonder what will happen when the doctor reads 'Reason for Visit: My child may or may not have licked a squirrel carcass...." Yep, thats going to go well.