Birthdays

I've been thinking a lot lately. Reminiscing about my pregnancy, the birth of my first baby, and how fast the first year has gone. My son, my baby, my first born, will be turning one year old on Friday. I can't believe it. The time has gone so fast.

When he was first born, I'd hold him and sleep with him on my chest, and soak up each and every second. Always thinking about how these days would be gone before I knew it. And they were. In the blink of an eye, Josh was eating baby cereal, cutting a tooth, saying his first word and walking.

I took the day off from work on Friday so I can celebrate with my little man. I was always so excited when my mom got to stay with us on our birthdays. It just made the day so much more special. That statement made me think. She took the day off work so she could spend time with me. That means the day must have been special for her, too. Why wouldn't it? She carried me around for nine months, gave birth to me, raised me... Of course this day is special for her.

Our attitudes toward birthdays are so self-centered. "It's my day!" As a mother, I'm totally re-thinking that statement. My birthday is not all about me. Yes, I was born and the world changed forever... haha, but the most important factor was the fact that as the first born, my birth created a family. My parents' love for eachother, created a family. That's such an astounding thought that I could only understand after becoming a parent.

This year, more than ever, I want to spend my birthday with my parents. The ones who brought me into this world. The people who fed me when I was hungry and taught me the importance of the "Clean Plate Club." The people who grounded me because "it worked" and didn't ground my younger sister because she needed "different" discipline - grounding "didn't work." The people who put up with my shinanigans as a teenager (and as an adult).

Now that I'm a mom, there's nothing in the world more important than being with my baby on his birthday. I still remember my 16th birthday. The teenybopper boy band group LFO was popular (yes, gag me now) and my friend had gotten us tickets to a small concert on the night of my 16th birthday. I wanted to go SO bad! What better way to spend your Sweet Sixteen than with a girl friend and crooning prubescent boys? My mom was disappointed that I wouldn't be around, but she understood that I was a teenager and it was "all about me" that day. Looking back, no, I wouldn't change it, but I certainly do appreciate her more for being disappointed. If she didn't care at all, what would that have meant?

But don't get me wrong, I still deserve to be treated as a queen on my birthday. I'll just make sure to share some of the love with those two people who put me here and gave me a day all to myself!

Thought I'd throw this clip in here. I can totally relate to this commercial. I'm sure you've seen it before. It just reminds us how prescious these years are before they become their own people- with jobs and boyfriends and lives outside our happy little home.