Weekly favorites (...or scenes from my birthday)

I'm a couple of days late posting favorites this week, which I'm quite certain has thrown off your whole weekend, but I've been surprisingly busy, and besides, there is really only one favorite this week:

1. MY BIRTHDAY!!  -
My birthday has always been my favorite holiday (don't even try to tell me it isn't considered a holiday).
Sure, I like Christmas and all that goes along with it just as much as the next guy, and Easter candy is the best of all the holiday candies, but ever since I was a tot I've looked forward to March 21st more than any other day of the year.

My childhood birthdays were full of original and colorful cakes, streamers and party hats, Miss America pageant slumber parties, and loads of fun and special surprises (thanks, mama). And because my birthday is always right before (or during) my kids' spring break, as an adult I've been lucky enough to celebrate my birthday in places like Disneyworld, Grand Cayman Island and Maui.

While it's true that as we get older, things like anniversaries and birthdays kind of just become 'days' on the calendar, I still anxiously count down and await the first day of spring when the birds begin to sing, the trees begin to bud, and the flowers begin to bloom - all because it is my birthday.

2 years old and ever so happy it is my birthday. (Don't worry. I've gotten that left eye taken care of.)

And my ever-suffering family, because they are wonderful and because they know what is good for them, didn't disappoint this year.

I had a lovely day that started off with breakfast in bed courtesy of my sweet and thoughtful 10 year old who managed to carry a tray holding a bowl of cereal, a full-sized plate with one little miniature bagel on it, a giant tumbler full of OJ and the entire gallon of milk up the stairs without incident (I'd have been so pissed at her if she'd dropped it and ruined my birthday).

Since I'd refused to perform any of my jobs (taken the day off from work, if you will), my husband was in charge of the morning routine.  I'm quite certain the girls' breakfast consisted of a few Thin Mints and they had only potato chips and Oreos for lunch.

Husband then took me on a shopping spree (translation - he hadn't gotten me anything yet) which went a little something like this:

Scene 1: 

Macy's Department store - interior - handbags

ME (zeroing in on 'The Sak' display):

"Oh! Look at these cute bags!" said with surprised delight as if I hadn't spent an hour searching the inter-webs the previous week and already knew the exact style and color I was probably going to buy myself anyway.

HUSBAND (happy to have something to get me):

"You should get it!"

ME (alternating between modeling the green one and the yellow one on my shoulder in front of the mirror):

"Which color do you like better?" said genuinely as if I hadn't already chosen the yellow but wisely giving him a feeling of participation.

HUSBAND (already bored with this process but acting interested):

"The yellow is a better color for summer." said with surprising intuitiveness.

ME (tilting head repeatedly in direction of large "30% off sign"):

"Oh, I have enough purses. And this is too much." said with concern and hesitation and just a touch of passive aggressiveness.

HUSBAND:

"Don't be silly - it's your birthday! And you deserve it!" said with complete sincerity because 1. he is wonderful to me and 2. because he really wanted to not be shopping for handbags.

ME (said to myself):

"Sucker."

aaaand scene.

Scene 2:

Apple Store - interior - iPad table

HUSBAND continues his sales pitch to ME about the wonders of the new iPad (he has an iPad 2 and seriously sleeps with it next to his head) and how the new one is even better and how even though I'm hesitant and don't really feel a desire to have my own (because I don't even use the apps on my phone and because I still occasionally like to read real books) I will certainly and quickly wonder how I lived life without it. 

Okay, okay. I'll take an iPad. Geez. 

I named it Pearl. And damn if he wasn't right, we are quickly becoming good friends.

As we leave the mall, HUSBAND says:

"Let's go eat lunch and drink wine."

God, I love that man.

The rest of the day was spent sleeping off the bottle of wine from our fabulous lunch, playing with Pearl, stuffing myself silly with my mama's delicious Mexican Salad (my favorite birthday dinner since I was little) and opening a few more fun birthday goodies.  I may be getting older, but being the Birthday Girl never does.

And even though I can't tell you my wish, I can say that as I was about to blow out the 2 candles (we take what we can find in the junk drawer) on my birthday angel food cake (a definite favorite thing), I was full of love for my amazing family who continue to indulge my birthday narcissism, gratitude for all of our blessings, and hope for all that lies ahead.

And then as I was drifting off to sleep, the cat peed in our dresser drawer.