It's my burfday!! And I have lots of good memories to share...

 Thirty *&%$S@#  years ago my mom was giving birth to me at Chestnut Hill Hospital in Philadephia PA.  At 11:58am to be exact.

Seven years ago I was having dinner with my boyfriend Tim and a group of friends, and was proposed too.

Four years ago I was  in labor with Lyla and celebrating my birthday at Erlanger Hospital.

One year ago I was surprised.

Today I am riding bikes with my daughter, playing chase and hide and seek with my twin babies, and in happy tears over all the special memories I have.

I have good birthdays.

So I don't have any pictures of my birth, but here is the youngest picture I could find of me that I had scanned in.

Six years ago on my birthday, I was going to what I thought was a birthday dinner with out 10 of my friends. Lisa and Amanda and I went shopping for a birthday outfit.  That was only after I said I was going to wear jeans and a concert tshirt to dinner, they knew better.

Tim wouldn't tell me where we were going or who was going to be there.  On our way to dinner, he surprised me with a CD (can't remember which one!!!!).  As we drove downtown and he pulled into the Chattanooga Choo Choo, I realized we were going to The Station House, and I was very excited! It is a restaurant with a singing wait staff.  I love music, what a great way to spend dinner with friends.  After drinking a few glasses of wine, eating a delicious dinner, our waiter came over and sat next to me and began singing Edwin McCain's "greatest fan of your life".  It was sweet, made me feel special! My friends were snapping pictures and I was smiling ear to ear.  He then gave the microphone to Tim, and Tim got down on his knee and said "baby, just wanting to know if you would marry me".  I cried, screamed, covered my mouth with surprise, jumped in his lap and said YES!!!!!!!!!!!! What felt like 10 minutes later, I remembered there was a diamond ring involved, and put it on my finger and was absolutely the happiest I had ever been.  I immediately went outside and started calling family.  The day I had been dreaming about finally came.

Tim popping the question

engagement photo

Four years ago, it was a Monday and I was in the office doing payroll.  I went to Macaroni Grill (one of my fav restaurants!!) with some friends from work for my birthday lunch.  After a very awkward serenade in Italian by our waitress (seriously, it was awkward) I headed back to the office to finish up some loose ends before I went to the doctor for my checkup.  I was 39 weeks and 5 days pregnant and so ready to welcome my first child into the world.  I had no signs up labor.  I started to think I was going to be pregnant forever.  After my checkup, the doctor came in to tell me that my blood pressure was high and I had protein in my urine, signs of pre-eclampsia.  It was baby time, gotta get her out! I was thrilled.  Not because I was potentially going to be very sick, but because I might have my daughter on my birthday!!!

Thank God my mother was with me.  She helped me get checked in and settled into the room.  I called Tim. What was his response you say? "Should I go to my softball game, or find someone to cover".  Ummm, find someone to cover.  I had the amazing pleasure of having one of my best friends be my nurse, Beth.  She came in after an already long shift to work the night shift just for me!! I had lots of visitors, birthday cards, birthday presents and had a little party in the room. As my magnesium started hitting me, things started getting blurry. I started getting very sick.  Baby wasn't coming.  Midnight approached and I realized that Lyla was not going to be born on my birthday.  Typical Leo, she wanted her own day!

Twenty-seven hours later, Lyla was born. Once again, the day I had been dreaming about finally came.

birthday cards and presents!

so excited!!!

me and Beth

Happy family

Last year I was having what I thought would be a low key birthday. The twins were only a couple of months old. Though, I did have this amazing dream that I had a surprise birthday party and my sister Jacqui came from new Hampshire to surprise me. I called her a week before my birthday and told her it was a sign, she needed to visit.
After work my mom offered to babysit the kids so Tim and I could go to dinner. I tried going over the millions of baby details with her, but she wouldn't hear it. Shooed me out the door.
We went to the mall to shop for a present. I was so suspicious after my dream and kept waiting for Jacqui to jump out of a store and surprise me. Tim "left his wallet at home". Uh hu. I was on to him. I thought he was going to drive me to olive garden and Jacqui would be there. Well, he started driving home, for real. Maybe he did leave his wallet. Feeling a little disappointed we pulled up to my house and surprisingly my driveway was full of cars!!! Lyla came running out and yelling "mommy the whole family is here, surprise!!!!". Somehow Tim pulled it off. Still a mystery how he did it. Not only did he not use any form of communication other than word of mouth, but he got everyone there on time and without me knowing. Kudos to Tim!!!!
I was still looking for Jacqui though. I kept fooling myself and expecting her any moment. About an hour into the party I am in the kitchen, turn around. Jacqui!!!!! She really was there!!!!! They had this an together for quite some time, I guess my dream was a bit psychic. It was awesome. I felt loved.
And of course I have no pictures because it was a surprise and I wasn't prepared.
The next day we celebrated lylas birthday, with Aunt Jacqui. It was a fabulous weekend.

Today, I woke up pretty early.  I am still a child at heart and love my birthday.  Well that, and I was excited to give Lyla her present!! We are giving it to her today, since it is her birthday party day and because she is spending the night at Nana's and won't be here on her birthday morning.
While I waited for everyone else to wake up, I did my usual morning facebook reading.  I love getting facebook birthday messages, it really does make someone feel good.  For growing up without a whole lot of friends, it feels good as an adult to have people take a minute out of their day to wish me a happy birthday.
Everyone else woke up so we went downstairs to the garage to surprise Lyla with her bike.  Guess who else got surprised with a bike? ME!!! Been wanting one for a few years now.  Looking forward to this fall and taking bike rides with Lyla along the river.

So there are some of my favorite birthday memories. Today we are having Lyla's "Little Mermaid" birthday party at the splash park.  Tonight is my birthday party with the grown ups! Then tomorrow is Lyla's birthday dinner, by request at Moe's.  Going to be a great weekend.  Cheers!