I know, I said that with way more excitement than I actually feel, since birthdays when you are a parent inevitably suck.
One year I got a kidney stone, the next my daughter was super sick, on my 30th birthday, I had the flu so badly I had to go to the emergency room due to dehydration. This year I have 2 or 3 sick kids (hard to tell since I'm pretty sure the 3rd one is just pretending to be sick so he can watch TV). The universe conspires to make birthdays pretty awful for parens so we can instead focus on our children's birthdays, planning elaborate construction birthday parties and the like.
So here are my top tips for how to enjoy your birthday when you are a mom.
1. Plan multiple celebrations. Dinner with your parents, a different night out with your spouse, lunch with girlfriends, cake decorating with your kids. You get the idea. And if one of them goes off without a hitch, then declare that your birthday celebration and move on.
2. Throw a kid-free party. I did this last year and it's really refreshing to have a party with no children attending. Since we usually gather our friends with children for the aforemetioned birthday parties, 4th of July, etc. it's nice to relax without having your conversation interrupted a million times.
3. Lower your expectations. I mean really low. No one throws up? That's amazing! Your husband remembered your birthday anytime before dinner? Great. Homemade card from your kids that they insist on keeping to themselves? A total win.
4. Find some "me" time. Even if that means going to school pickup early and reading a book in the car for 15 minutes. Ideally, I have time for myself a bit each day, but on my birthday, I make sure to schedule it in.
What do you do on your birthday?
Jessica
Happy Birthday Jessica!! Hope you get a little "me" time today! My youngest son was born on my birthday, so it has become completely obsolete. Celebrating on a different day is a must for me:)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your day!
Sarah
Happy birthday! Enjoy
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday!
ReplyDeleteMy oldest was born two days before my day so I kinda get pushed to the side and this year I'm having a baby a week before... good planning on our part right?!
But hey, you do what you gotta do. I love all your ideas and can I just say I want an invite to your grown up party, so fun!
Happy Birthday Jessica, and I hope you all feel better soon!
ReplyDeletehappy happy birthday!!!! my favorite tip- lower your expectations! LOVE it!
ReplyDeleteHappy Happy Birthday!!! We'll have to cheers to it at Haven!! And I am always a huge fan of the lower expectations tip, it's amazing how simple and yet effective it is in so many instances!! Here's hoping for a no throw up day for you! :)
ReplyDeleteHave a great day, Jessica! I hope you have a great birthday! I luckily have my birthday in August when there aren't too many colds going around. I remember many moons ago when I turned 30(!) I hired a babysitter for the day (which felt pretty decadent) and went furniture shopping! Funny that birthday stands out more than #'s 40 or 50...still have the chair I bought, too! :-)
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday! So true about lowering expectations! :) But I think having multiple celebrations helps a lot.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday...hope you get a day to celebrate sometime soon. I agree that birthdays change once you have kids. I hope that someone else can watch your kiddos and you and hubby can have a celebrate on another day.
ReplyDeleteHappy happy Birthday!!!! I was just having this conversation with my sister! She is going to Lego land for her 37th birthday...obviously she has two young lego obsessed children. I'm right there with you...no one throwing up = awesome birthday
ReplyDeleteMay there be no vomit in sight on your special day!!! ;)
Jesse @ Scout & Nimble
Happy Birthday! :)
ReplyDeleteI love all of these ideas! I'll definitely have to keep them in mind for when we have kids. Or maybe I'll just celebrate a bunch of times for the fun of it! ;)
I love this post! I'll be sure to keep this in mind on my birthday... (^_^)
ReplyDeleteI was born 7 years after my sister...to the exact day! So sharing a birthday is normal to me. I don't know what it's like to have my own "day." For some reason I put high expectations for my birthday and they come crashing down. Going to bed on my birthday is the most depressing night. It's weird I know. My sister has even more dominant, high expectation personality going for her and she highly makes it known: to my parents, her hubby, etc. She usually got the spotlight since her personality is more "DOMINANT" and typical "oldest child." My hubby is NOT a gift person, nor big into birthdays. It's quite the annoyance but I just have to remember not to make it a big deal. Hard but true.
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