just another day

so birthday princess day 2013 has come and gone. why does it go by so damn fast?

i woke up to the bean bouncing into the bedroom with a cheerful "happy birthday, mommy! i saw the streamers and i remembered it was today!"

streamers?

when i finally dragged my ass up out of bed to start our morning routine, i saw what she meant.  looked like the birthday fairy had been busy as i got some much-needed shuteye in a codeine cough syrup-enhanced snooze. 

last week, she and i had gone to target for our weekly visit when something caught my eye. 

and then the next time i went in for stuff, i strolled past that luggage aisle and was supremely bummed when i found it was gone. one peek at the wrapped packages on the table explained a lot.

hahaha! i love it.

i was treated to a rare breakfast date with the hub and the teen at our favorite pancake house in town. i kinda felt bad that the bean was MIA, but...school.  anyway, blintzes are goooooood.

the rest of the day was pretty ordinary. the teen and i ran some errands, i worked on cookies for a friend, we took the bean to gymnastics.  when the hub got home to take us to dinner, i got to open my presents -some sweet cards, the coveted suitcase, a couple of cute casual tops, and a sweet selection of lululemon gear that i hope to wear soon, when my lungs decide to cooperate again.  i was fabulously spoiled as always.

since it was a school night, we didn't venture too far away. dinner was at an old favorite where there's something for everybody: north woods inn.  the bean was particularly excited to go to "the restaurant with the fake snow."  i'd warned the hub and the teen that if they subjected me to their awful birthday song, i'd cut them both. and so of course, as we were greeted by our server, the bean piped up: "it's my mommy's birthday today!" oy vey.

despite the fact that i coughed and hacked throughout the meal, we had a great time just hanging out together. times like that are hard to come by these days, since the cigar lounge opened and everybody's usually off and running in all different directions.  makes family time even more special.

oh, and yes - i did get to sit there with an awkward smile as the group of servers came to serenade me. ugh. while i'm usually not one to shy away from attention, i am NOT a fan of having that birthday song sung to me. oh well. it's only once a year, right?