Fun Monday today comes from the wild and wonderous IamwhoIam at Dungarees Ablaze (Hope those adjectives are ok. :D)
She says;
“..lets hear about your favorite “Birthday”, it needn’t be your actual birthday just a birthday celebration. You can use one you planned, one you attended, one you crashed, just a fun time for this FUN MONDAY’S assignment, and of course you can use one of your very own Birthdays.”
Oooooh, I love this topic, you see I adore birthdays. I’m one of those kind of cheesy people who still gets excited about their birthday even though I am 33 and should probably know better. Picking a favourite birthday is a toughie though.
In the past two years we have celebrated both my parents 60th birthdays which were brilliant as we had family weekends at Center Parcs and having enjoyed it so much that we’ve turned it into a family tradition, in that we’re going again next year and plan to do it every year.
My favourite birthday celebration though??
Could it be my 17th which was the first year I had a boyfriend on my birthday so I got presents from a cute boy and felt all special and grown up?
Or maybe my dad’s 40th when his mates arranged for some of the local football team to come along for a drink and a chat??
Or was it my sister’s 8th birthday, when she decided to be wonderwoman and cut her head open during a dramatic spin just before the party began?? (Why was this good? Well, you see, little 6 year old me got to greet all her guests and play with the big kids while she got to sit in Casualty for a few hours waiting for her head to be steri-stripped. Bad Jo.)
Or maybe my recent blogaversary which was kind of special. ;D
Sighhh, so many happy memories.
But you know, I think my best birthday was my 30th.
Some of you are thinking that’s weird right? But my 30th was early February 2005, and I gave birth to a tiny Miss M in late January 2005, so while many of my friends spent the weeks up to and including their 30th mourning the supposed demise of their youth, I spent mine cocooned by family and friends in that first mad rush of new-babyhood. I cared not about my wibbly bits, I mean, come on, I’d just had a kid. I did not need to drown my sorrows as I was so happy with my new little girl. I could have had a drink as Miss M’s attempts at breast feeding were epic fail due to an ‘immature valve’, but I did not need alcohol to raise my spirits as I was already high on her sweet baby smell, her tiny toes, how my 4 year old Miss E gently stroked her sister’s cheek and how Mr B stared in awe at his new baby.
30 passed by gently, a background milestone, barely acknowledged. Whether or not 40 will be as easy I’m not so sure but I have another 7 years to get used to the idea of that one, and who knows, I might not have any wobbly bits by then… Snort.
Now, you’ll find more birthday tales to delight and disturb here. Have a fabulous Monday, and if it’s your birthday then have a good ‘un.
oh oh oh! You will *love* forty!! It’s brilliant
It was my best ever. Except possibly 17 when a gorgeous cute guy, who for some inexplicable reason did not feature on my fancibility radar, gave me ‘Every little thing she does is magic’ by The Police. Frustratingly, I did not pick up the signals. Duh!
I remember a super-dooper 5th birthday - sitting outside in the garden on rugs in the blazing sunshine, tearing paper off lots of presents from assorted chums. My memory of it is incredibly clear. Since adulthood, however, I’m usually drowning my sorrows at another year ticked off…so can’t remember much.
And of course, you get to eat cake on your birthday! What’s not to like? How about when you reach 40, just to ease the pain a little, ask Mr B for forty cakes? It’s worth a try.
Mya x
I’m sure forty will be fine, I had been looking forward to it shortly after I turned thirty. Go figure.
i guess Miss M is just a few weeks older than Rehema…sweet! that was a nice birthday story (ies)
my best one was 33. i started with some surfing with my work buddies. then i went golfing with brian in kailua. i, of course, kicked his butt, as was my wish. then we had lunch and a movie. didn’t like the movie (lost in translation - snore pie with yawn sauce) so we went and did “other stuff” at home. . .
33 was gooood.
i think i’m going to do that one again.
I love the story of your dad’s 40th. And your very special 30th. But, hey….being 40 in 7 years isn’t bad at all. I can honestly say you’re still ‘wet behind the ears’ —you’re so young!!!! [my youngest child is older than you. LOL]
Aw, it does sound like your 30th was the best birthday ever! Congrats!
I LOVE birthdays too : ) I make it into the likes of a national holiday, dragging it out with dinners and parties and cake and friends. This would all be for MY birthday, lol. I could only hope that my 30th birthday is as lovely as yours seems to have been. What a great memory.
I can see why you have chosen that birthday~it sounds a wonderful way to celebrate.
Today’s prompt is producing some wonderful memories for so many, and I am thoroughly enjoying my visits … learning about all of you Fun Monday participants. Methinks your 30th is my fav of the ones you’ve shared, and as someone who celebrated her 40th many years ago … I suspect you’ll be more than ready for it (and all the ones that follow) at the time because each decade really does get a little better ;–)
Hugs and blessings,
Your baby girl has got to be the best birthday gift ever!
Honestly, 40 is a really good age. You’re finally old enough to not give a rip about what anyone thinks, but young enough to still really enjoy all that life has to offer. Um…sorry, no advise about those wobbly bits!
I love the description of your 30th birthday. I can see why you would be high on contentment and not a bit worried about the numbers!
My 40th was a good one but I’m saving the best for my 60th!
What a sweet 30th birthday it sounds like you had. A baby makes so many things sweeter!
Don’t be afraid of forty. You will find that you’re at your best when you hit the big 4-0. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t lie about your age anyway. Not that I would do that…..
Gosh, Jo, I can’t remember my 30th (and NOT b/c it was so long ago, thank you very much!
).
Yours sounds like a good way to celebrate, and I loved your enthusiasm for all things “celebration”.
As far as 40 is concerned, mine was odd; friend threw a surprise luncheon for me, and what they didn’t know was it was A GOING AWAY PARTY! That very afternoon I was headed to TN to house hunt, but at the time, no one knew we were moving. I put my head in my hands and almost cried, but not for the reasons they thought. It wasn’t a bad birthday…just complicated.
Can’t believe I didn’t think about that when writing my post today :).
There’s this secret they don’t tell you… Every decade gets better. If you had told me at 30 that I would be looking forward to 50, I would have laughed in your face. But as 50 approaches (in 3 1/2 years), I find myself anticipating my 50s and the greater freedom that they will bring. The older you get, the more yourself you become.
With your good attitudes, you probably love your 40th, 50th, and other birthdays.
I hit 30 next month and I can’t wait! For once I’m not going to blush when everyone sings. I’m going to stand on a chair and conduct!
Turning 40 really isn’t so bad. But turning 30 was a killer for me mentally.
I’m sure your 40th will be fine Jo… wobbly bits or no.
Wonderful.
You had some good one to enjoy.
Love that cupcake full of candles. Sounds like a perfect 30th birthday.
I bet you 40 won’t be too bad either.
I love birthdays to, well not so much my own but thats just because i don’t like the attention. Your 30th sounds wonderful, nothing like the babymoon is they?
I got a little boy just after my 30th birthday, that was a very nice belated gift which lasted up to day, lol !
great post Jo, and great birthday memories…