a littie vilege

Birthdays are fun, because you get to be special. Whether or not you choose to inform the world that it’s your special day is a personal choice, but what’s the fun in keeping it to yourself? If the peeps don’t know it’s your birthday, how can they be expected to treat you like you are special?

I like when automated things know it’s your birthday – like when my membership card was scanned at the gym on Thursday, the wee attendant glanced at the screen and said: “Happy Birthday!” And it’s fun to get cards and coupons in the mail from the establishments that I frequent. It reinforces the special treatment that we all deserve on the anniversary of our birth every year.

Nothing makes me feel more special than the sentiments I get from my kids on my birthday. Kids stare at you in starry eyed wonder when it’s your birthday. They know about special. They know about birthdays. Even when it’s not their own birthday, they rejoice in the spirit of the occasion. And why not? Birthdays substantially increase the likelihood that on any given day, there will be cake.

Birthday cards are special too. I love getting cards. My husband likes to get me the cards that bust out in song when you open them. But our kids are card makers. We are all about wrapping gifts in the funny pages and making home made cards. They always come out better than anything that you could hope to find in a hallmark store.

My kids are prone to long, drawn out messages in their cards. They have a lot to say to the birthday person, and they put a great deal of time and thought into how they want to express their sentiments. This year my girl was particularly emphatic in her expression of adoration for me.

Here is the front of her card:

Awwww, sweet!

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And the inside.... did she beg inspiration from her holy-roller Aunt Ellie? It appears that message written on the left side of the card is framed by a cross. And on the right?

Oh my.

.

She likes me! She really likes me!

It is troue.

The drawing that she made on the front of my card is one that can be found on any of the many sheets of sketch paper that are strewn about our house. The fridge is positively silly with them. Here's the full color drawing of the scene. My girl handed this to me at bedtime a few nights ago and said:

"I made this for you, but I can't spell little or village."


on the back:





Of course, my boy made me a card this year as well. He is also known for being extremely demented verbiose and sentimental in his offerings:


And on the back, he drew a beautiful, transformative image that expresses the depths of his love and devotion:

I love you too, honey.