Birfdaysss!

March 22, 1983
8:04 AM
The #1 song in the country was "Every Breath You Take" by The Police
And after many long hours of labor, and a C-Section later, I blessed my family with my arrival. 

It seems so long ago...

This birthday I turn 27, which means I'm officially in my LATE 20's! MY LATE 20's! For some reason, 27 sounds so much older than 26. To welcome me into my late 20's will be some of my close friends here in Maryland (and Funk!), where we'll probably have a few...ish...cocktails and play fun games. Because that's what I like to do.

Anyway, my mother always made my sister and I cakes when we were little, from scratch and then hand-decorated them. The one that I remember the most was my Cabbage Patch Doll cake for perhaps my 5th birthday? Probably because I was OBSESSED with my Cabbage Patch Doll (Beatrice...and yes, we celebrated her birthday too.) We always had parties, with plenty of family, friends, fun games, and lots of gifts. Those were the days.

Come with me and take a stroll down memory lane, as I reflect on birthdays of my youth:

Age 6: This is the year that I was finally allowed to get my ears pierced. I don't remember the details of the piercing experience, but I do remember that my first pair of earrings I got were bunnies from Avon, from my momma.

Age 7: This was the year of the McDonald's party! Everyone LOVED a good McDonald's birthday party. I'm not so sure they have them anymore...probably because of the whole childhood obesity epidemic. But at these parties, you got to pick a hamburger or chicken nuggets, fries, and orange or red Hi-C....AND they gave you a super special birthday cake with all the McDonald's characters on it (my fave was definitely Grimace.) Pretty much, you and 12 of your closest friends sat in the middle of McDonald's and made a giant scene. It was awesome.

Age 8-12: Roller skating parties at the Roller's Roost. I had one or two between the ages of 8-12. The highlight of the party was always the dice game (a giant stuffed dice with colored sides) and the birthday girl/boy, always got to roll it. Also, cotton candy, and several other junky, fruity, sticky confections from the snack bar. Andddd, the occasionally hand-holding with a cute boy.

Age 13: I got my very own phone! Best.day.ever. Too bad that phone later had the cord cut because I wouldn't get off...and the cord was given to my science teacher (who attended my church)...and presented it to me in front of my entire class. All that was courtesy of my father.

Age 16: Yes, friends, I had a Sweet Sixteen party. At the Burnham Lions Club, just like everyone else in Lewistown. No, it wasn't MTV worthy, but it did have a DJ, many bowls of Hartley's chips, and boys. AND, I got a pair of diamond earrings from my Aunt Wendy and Uncle Dan! THEN, I got a CAR! Yes, Steve (dad) bought me a car. A maroon 1996 Saturn, that lasted me the rest of my high school days, and into my first year of college. I would have been able to drive it sooner had I not failed my test 3 times...but that's a story for another day.

Age 21: THE birthday of all birthdays. I celebrated twice. Once at home, and once at college. Yes, I drank WAY too much both times...mostly shots. Which led me to ask my mother the day after if I was in fact going to die, because I certainly felt like it. "No honey, that's just the feeling of you being stupid." Yep, pretty much. And that hangover lasted for a solid 2 days. Too much alcohol (particularly the Liquid Cocaine shot, which included Jaeger, Barcardi 151, and Goldschlager)...and not enough water.

Well, those are the truly memorable birthdays. This year could make the list too, you never know! Happy Birfday to meeeeeeeeeee!