Thirty-eight can be great

You know how it is: the older you get, the less of a deal your birthday becomes. Then you get older, and gradually people start celebrating your birthdays again, and as each birthday becomes more and more of an achievement, the celebrations become ever more of a grand affair.

I think I must have passed that minimum birthday fuss level this year and started climbing back up the slope, because I had a really special 38th birthday celebration. Over the last 4 or 5 years my birthdays have been such non-events that I started declaring month-long celebrations for my birthday (it helps that Mother's Day is also in May) so I could squeeze more attention and good behavior from the kids. But this year I can't complain, because the 22nd was really all about ME:



Last Saturday I woke up to my first-ever birthday banner. Usually I stay up all night before the kids' and Alfie's birthdays, blowing up balloons and taping up streamers to decorate the kitchen wall for their special days. This time The Pea actually remembered to make one for me. It's a good thing we never got around to taking the balloons down from The Pea's birthday banner last month.



Here are my lovely cards and flowers on display. Okay, I had to buy the roses myself, but I did reach into Alfie's wallet to pay for them :) Joking aside, I'm still beyond ecstatic at the mobile broadband card he gave me for my laptop, which is way better than flowers. I also received lots of nice greetings online. Gotta love Facebook!



It seems a Baskin-Robbins ice cream cake has become our family's traditional birthday cake, and my birthday was no exception.



And since my parents were in town, Alfie and I were also able to celebrate with a fun night out. I decided to make "New' the theme of the night and do things I had never, ever done before. First up was the restaurant: I chose one that serves N'awlins-style food and it turned out to be a great decision. Roux Louisiana restaurant had live jazz music, a hip crowd, and great food. How can you not feel Scarlett O'Hara Special when you're surrounded by red walls, velvet curtains, beads and fancy chandeliers?



I wore the brand-new top that I'll be wearing to the American Idol finals. It's ruffly and flirty and fun! (and thanks to all the readers who gave their suggestions on what to wear on BlogHer and on Bonggamom Finds!) You can't see it very well since I'm skulking in the ladies' room to take this photo and the light was low, so you'll have to wait until I post my American Idol trip photos to see it better. Stay tuned!



I ate alligator for the first time. These alligator strips were delicious, not stringy or tough at all (they use the meat in the alligator's tail)! And no, they don't taste like chicken; actually they taste more like calamari, and if I ever get the chance again I'd definitely order these again.



I had some Sex on the Bayou (the drink, not the act).



In fact, the only thing about the night that wasn't "new" were the two grownups who were celebrating. I had fun from the moment I stepped into that restaurant till the moment we collapsed into bed and had some more Sex on the Bayou (not the drink...) I can't think of a better way to Celebrate Thirty-Eight!

(But I'm still keeping my month-long birthday celebration).