In 2004 I turned 40. It just sort of snuck up on me. In fact, I nearly forgot about it, and would have, if it wasn't for my medeling kids. I did not have a history of responding well to birthdays with zeros in them. For my tenth birthday, I thought I was a big kid now and promptly got into trouble for appropriating the best toys from my siblings. For my 20th birthday, I cowered at home -- what good is a 20th birthday? Too young to go drinking, and too old to date 16 year olds. On my 30th, I was in such dread that I worked myself into a sickness and stayed home alone, fielding the occassional "happy birthday!" call.
So that I was on track to forget the 40th was a blessing. But birthdays are such a big deal to kids! To kids, birthday's are not only a fun time, but a weapon to be wielded with reckless abandon! My little girl Chloe, in a fit of anger, will often scream at me "...then you're not invited to my birthday party!" Over time I've evolved an answer to this that seems to get this 3 year old thinking: I tell her, "then you won't have any candles on your birthday cake! I'm bringing the candles and mommy is bringing the cake." She's still thinking about this one, and I recently heard her ask my 5 year old boy if he knew where to get birthday candles.
Anyway, I'm 40 now, whether I like it or not. Have I passed the apex of my life? Stay tuned as I share my struggles, occassional successes, frequent foibles and insecurities. Someone once told me that blogging was cheaper than seeing a shrink -- lets find out!
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