I'm 29 (again...) today

Today I'm celebrating my 3rd annual 29th birthday! Ha! Ironically, this year I'm not feeling quite as old as I did last year. 30 was a rough one for me, hence the "I'm not getting older, I'm still 29" denial thing I had going on.

My 30th birthday last year. Yes, my cake says "29 A" and I love my family
for humoring me in celebrating my second annual 29th birthday instead of my 30th!

It's a pretty big birthday milestone in general, but for me, I was literally feeling old. I was 30 weeks pregnant, and if anything can give you a glimpse into the aches and pains of old age, it's pregnancy, right?! Add to that the fact that I was about to have my THIRD child and we just bought a minivan the month before...yeah. 30 felt old as hell.



All that partying tires us old people out...

This year, I'm not totally dreading turning a year older. Only a little bit. (I'm still having a hard time saying I'm 31...29 just sounds less scary. Kind of like how $2.99 is a much better deal than $3.)

The boys surprised me with gifts and a card this morning, and Lorelai woke up earlier than normal, which was okay because of the extra snuggle time. My friends took me out for sushi and a sweet coworker surprised me with cake. I ended the day with an impromptu trip to the pool with the fam on this HOT day! It's been a low-key birthday for sure, but that's just because it's on a Wednesday and I had to work, not because I want to forget about it.

As one of my favorite bloggers said, "Here's what I think about birthdays: Celebrate them. Plain and simple. Whether you are two or forty-two. It's not a promotion. It's not a graduation. It's the anniversary of freaking life. And the older I get, the more I'm not okay with hearing people downplay their big day like it's no big deal." She's right, it is a big deal! Yeah, I may be older, but I'm also wiser and my life is more full from all the things I've experienced in my 31 years (not the least of which are the three kids I've acquired along the way).

So cheers to 31 years and many more to come (and this year I can totally drink to that, unlike last year)!

This is the funny card I got from my sweet friends today.
Thanks, Katherine and Mike!