Fun fact: my due date for E is the day after Lola’s 2nd birthday.
Well, it was anyway. But I just found out that my OB switched the date. I have no idea how or when this arbitrarily happened as this is my first (ever) spontaneous conception. But apparently when you get pregnant outside of a lab, things like date moving take place? Seems like a whole lot of tomfoolery to me.
I had hoped that the girls would share a birthday. Four kids. Two birthdays. Only one set of twins. It was too awesome not to wish for, but given the state of the state, I don’t think E will be cooking for that much longer.
Me being me, I had started planning Lola’s second birthday the day after her first birthday.
Birthdays are a big deal around these parts. I grew up in a household that often forgot birthdays or used the acknowledgment of a birthday to manipulate. It was awful to have the very people who should be celebrating you make you feel insignificant, or worse.
To me a someone’s birthday is the day they came into the world. Without that day, this person you are celebrating wouldn’t exist and then who would you love? It is special. And sacred.
On your birthday you should feel loved and appreciated and, most of all, happy. In a word, complete.
I am over the top with my kids’ birthdays, and part of that is totally for me. But my special crazy is for them too. I want them to know how much they mean to me (to us), how loved they are, I want them to feel like the day that they came into the world was the most special day of a lifetime.
I know they feel it. Reese remembers every part of her third birthday and talks about it all the time. And this year on my birthday, when the day was over, Reese looked up and said to me, “Mommy, wait! Your day can’t be over, we need the decorations and your friends.” She knows a birthday is supposed to be celebrated with people you love. I have done my job. (Well, part of it.)
Anyway, I am working through my psychoses in therapy, I assure you. And cutting myself some slack. Or so I thought, anyway.
Specifically, I shelved Lola’s original over-the-top second birthday ideas until next year when it can be a combined 1st and 3rd birthday for her and E. I whittled down the guest list. And I simplified by doing treats only, instead of a full meal with a party…
…and then, in what can only be described as cosmically bad timing, I planned the party for three days before my new (to me) due date.
Since I pared down so much of the party, I unleashed the crazy with her invitations — hand painted pumpkins with custom tags.
Look, Rome wasn’t built in a day and my crazy won’t be fixed in a year.
Regardless, I’m really excited for Lo’s little get together. I hope that even though there’s a new baby coming into this world — possibly on her birthday — and there’s a lot of chaos going on, in general, that she feels loved and special. October 17, 2012, was one of the most important days of my life. I am excited to share the culmination of my beautiful girl’s second year in this world with our closest friends and family. And I really (really, really) hope I am around to host it!
