Happy Birthday to Me!

I find it a little ironic that a person who cares as little for sports as I do shares her birthday with no real celebrities other than baseball players - Nolan Ryan and Jackie Robinson, to be exact. How surprised are you, dear reader, that I even know who they are? :)

Today was wonderful, as my awesome hubby always ensures that my birthday will be. We started the day with Madeline's first visit to the nursery at church, where there was a 3:1 nursery worker/baby ratio. I think the nice ladies were just happy to have someone cuddly to hold. We came home for lunch and cake, followed by presents! Dan was so eager to please that he worried I wouldn't like my gift. I love my monogrammed toiletry bag and all its smell-good, girly contents! Madeline even gave me her own gift - eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. Ahhhh...

We had a nice dinner at Village Tavern and my loving husband is currently upstairs trying to calm a cranky baby and convince her that it is, once again, bedtime. He's so good to me.

Warning: cheesy, mushy reflections ahead.

I've never been much of a cheesy, mushy reflections kind of girl. Well, there was the phase that every middle school girl experiences when every gum wrapper you get from your bff's house earns a spot in the coveted shoebox of memories, but since then I've been pretty cynical. But, I digress.

As I was waiting for Dan to pull the car around to the front of the church so Babyhead wouldn't get cold, I realized how happy I really am. I have an incredible husband, a beautiful, healthy baby girl, great friends, a wonderful family, and an awesome God to thank for all of it! How fabulous is that?? Could I ask for more? Who would want more than that? I am head over heels, punch-drunk, stupid in love with my husband and the life we are creating together. I was cooing and talking to my offspring in a sing-song voice, right in the middle of a crowded restaurant where people could hear me and I did not care! Let them hear me. Let them think I'm crazy or annoying or both. I love this baby girl and I will make dorky sounds as long as it makes her smile.

So, here's my birthday present to myself - I am going to let it be OK that I am not a perfect wife or a perfect mother. I feel pretty guilty right now because Dan is putting Madeline to bed, and I am on the couch updating this blog. But, it's OK. He's bonding with his little girl and most importantly, he WANTS to do it. I do not have to be all things to all people.

Thanks to everyone for all the birthday wishes. Thanks to God for everything I have and everything I am. Thanks to my husband for being who you are.

Happy Birthday to me!