Oh Birthdays

I am 26 today.... 2-6.... no excitement there., but this year does seem different to me.

Last year I turned 25 (obviously!!) and I remember talking to my mom and telling her that we did not have to go out to dinner. Brian and I would just do our own thing. At the time my thought was "I dont really need to celebrate. And isn't 25 old enough to be able to celebrate my birthday on my own?" My mom was shocked, didn't take this decision of mine too well, and we ended up at dinner together anyways....

This year I am a parent and birthdays have an entirely new meaning to me. Birthdays are not just "Oh congrats, you made it another year!" but it so much more!

I am looking forward to Nov 18th, Leah's birthday, not for the fact she will officially become a toddler, but because we get to celebrate the day she came into our lives! We will get to celebrate the day our lives changed forever and we became a family. The day will always mark another year that we survived parenthood and the success of raising a healthy child who did grow to be one year older. I am sure each year on Leah's birthday I will reminisce about our drive to the hospital, our wait for our turn in the operating room, the doctor saying "Look at those cheeks!" as she pulled Leah out, seeing Brian become a father and holding his baby girl proudly, introducing Miss Leah Gwendolyn to her grandparents and Aunts and Uncles, our first night in the hospital where none of us got any sleep because of pure excitement and all of the nurses and doctors visiting all night long... each year I am sure I will relive these memories and then proudly want to shower my baby girl in hugs and kisses and presents and parties!

And I can't imagine my parents aren't doing the same right now... reliving my middle of the night, quick birth that brought them their first baby girl.

So I can't wait to see them (tomorrow... they are in KC with my brother) and celebrate this day that is as much as their's as it is mine.