A Mom's Birthday

A few weeks ago I was speaking to a family friend about a "Mom's Birthday" or a "Parents' Anniversary." Meaning that now that we are parents very rarely is our special day just about us...there are parental obligations that must still be fulfilled.  I definitely had a Mom's Birthday this year.

Yesterday was my birthday.  I have been a mom for 4 years. I think yesterday was the first birthday I had (in a while) where I wasn't pregnant or nursing. My body was all mine! Kind of nice :)

But I definitely woke up with the beginnings of a Mom's birthday. First off my husband and I slept terribly because our 4 year old was having night terrors (the first in quite a while).  He woke up every 2 hours crying and screaming and calling for us, all the while he was still very much asleep. It didn't stop until after 1am, so I woke up on my birthday exhausted.  Count the two previous days where I was getting up at 4:30am for a Spin class at the gym, and I was pretty much a zombie before I even got started.

It was also Good Friday, and being Catholic it is a day of fasting.  Good times.  I feel selfish that I wanted to complain about fasting on my birthday and not having a birthday cake, especially when I was observing a day that my Savior gave up His life for me. So no outwardly complaining, but I was a little bummed...

To add to the lack of sleep and food, in my infinite wisdom as a mom, I decided that yesterday would be the perfect day for my son to have his 4 year old wellness check up with the doctor. If you have ever had a four year old, you know that means 4 shots! I knew this going in, but it was also a day that my husband had off. I also decided that my daughter would also get a check up at the same time to check on her ear infection (gone, thank goodness!) and get her final H1N1 booster. Yes, shots, all around!  Awesomeness...

You realize after becoming a parent that your birthday is no longer really about you. No more late nights celebrating...even if it's just having friends over for dinner and drinks. It's arranging celebrations around nap schedules and doctor's appointments. It's about fitting in your kids so that they can celebrate with you.

Despite the lack of sleep and fasting, I had a pretty terrific birthday. My hubby helped the kids make cards for me.  With a Catholic fast you are able to have one full meal so my husband made my favorite dish from one of my favorite restaurants...we just ate in moderation.  No cake, but lots of singing and happy children. My 4 year old danced for me and sang Happy Birthday. My 17 month old gave me kisses and said, "Mama" repeatedly. My husband took care of the kids' needs and allowed me to sit and relax while he took care of putting things away.

To add to my family's love, I received a lot of birthday wishes from my Facebook friends. My best friend gave me the perfect birthday present last week: a framed quote that embodies what I feel as a Mom. Not only that, she and her girls called and sang happy birthday to me. Awwwww. I even heard from my brother 3 times that day. Yeah, it was a Mom's birthday...perfect!