birthdays

As a kid, I grew up celebrating birthdays in a big way.  They were always a huge deal with lots of friends and family over for hours on end.  You could always count on tons of food being available.  There usually were some games or different activities planned to keep people moving about and talking.  And let's be honest...it was always about the presents! ;) As my birthday usually fell during the end of the school year, I did think that it was extra special.  After all, school was out and the party was just getting started!

I got older, moved away from home, and my birthday slowly went from being this awesome event that I looked forward to, to something I began to dread.  I began to get all tense and anxious around the big day and would end up in tears one way or another.  It got to the point where I was so stressed out by pleasing everyone else on my birthday that I often ended up disappointed and just plain old sad.  Sad because no one had taken the time to make me feel special for the day.  The anthem slowly became..."it's my party, I can cry if I want to, cry if I want to, cry if I want to, you would cry to if it happened to you!"

When Matt and I celebrated our first birthdays together, I felt a lot of pressure to make his memorable.  That said, when it was his turn to throw a bash for me, I just didn't want anything to do with it.  I didn't give him a chance to make it anything but awful if truth must be told.  However, I'd like to say that in the four birthdays that we've shared together, I have gotten better.  He has let me work my way through my anxiety to a point where I was actually looking forward to my birthday this year.  I wasn't ready for the big party with tons of people like I once had when I was a kid, but I also didn't balk at the thought of going out with a couple of friends and spending time just celebrating me.  I am getting older, growing wiser, and letting go of those old fears...and that is a good thing.

Here is a run down of our birthdays thus far in case you were interested...and no...I am not keeping score! :)

Matt 31 - Shangri La buffet and bowling

Matt 32 - Elephant Nature Park

Matt 33 - Shanghai

Matt 34 - Wagyu Brunch, Ocean Park, Olaa Dinner

Melody 26 - crappy lunch and crappy movie

Melody 27 - Flight of the Gibbon

Melody 28 - Isala Lunch with friends 

Melody 29 - Olaa Lunch with friends

At Ocean Park on the cable cars with Claire, Nick, Angie, Morten, Matt, and myself!

It is all about dreaming BIG and reaching for the SKY this year!

Oolaa - Matt's birthday dinner and my birthday lunch spot this year!