Birthday Month

by Matt

'Tis the season at our house when candles are lit continuously and frosting & ice cream are grocery staples. Yes, that's right:

It's Birthday Month.

Yes, Birthday Month started many years ago, when my parents thought it best to have a child born in the gray, cold month of March. 33 years later, that weather tradition continues. These days, however, March makes me blind with warm sunshine in the form of two little girls.

My birthday is March 2. L's birthday (her 4th, this year) is March 14th, while E's (her 2nd) was today, March 10th. This part of the year has been very busy and very crazy. And it's only been like this for two years!

People were amazed that the girl's birthdays were so close together. At one point, we thought they would end up sharing the actual day. But as in most things, E came on her own time. Our third will be here towards the end of May, which will give us some space from Birthday Month.

Birthdays are a big deal for both of our families. Everybody on both side's gets together for an good time. At first, it may have been a little awkward for everyone to cram into our bungalow, conversing about the weather & work schedules. But since the girls have been around, everybody seems to genuinely enjoy the time together. And for Carrie & I, it has made some things very easy.

But some things are f%#$ing nuts.

Things have been busy for me work-wise. We actually finished (and, well...technically started) our birthday shopping for the girls last night. It was the only night I had free from a rehearsal/gig/session or some other event we all had going on. (including my birthday get-together last Friday. Not too late for gifts, folks!) It's good to be busy, but things around the house get crazy.

We have to do a vigorous clean up of the house before the event. This isn't exactly Hoarders, but there's a lot of stuff that needs to be reorganized and put away. It's hard to do that easily with the girls during the day, but sometimes that's the only time to get it done. Carrie works all day, comes home, and entertains the girls, (all while 6 months pregnant) and it's all she can do without falling over and passing out on the couch. We try to fit it in where we can, but it's a challenge.

Then there's the actual party planning. Character on cakes, sheet cakes, or forms of character's heads. What kind of ice cream? L said she wanted a party game, so we got a Disney Princess spin on Pin the Tail on the Donkey. ( Put the Princess in the castle. Anybody that saw "Tangled" knows that this isn't the way to go.) Then we have to figure out what kind of food they want, and try to balance that item into a nutritional meal. (You know: hot dogs, cake, ice cream, etc.)

There are times like this that I wish I just stayed at home all day. This is a sentiment I don't come to easily, but there's just so much that needs to be done. I want to make sure my kids (and our families) have a great experience. Being gone so much at night limits the amount of stuff we can get done. Granted, I get paid for these activities, so I shouldn't complain too much. I just wish there were 36 hours in a day. I would sleep for 8 more hours, and work for 4 more.

It is great, though, to see so many people love your kids. You don't hear much (but it happens) about how awesome it is to see your parents wait in anticipation for your daughter to open her gift. Or how cool it is to see one of your brother's girlfriends get a huge hug from one of your girls, and maybe an "I love you."

The best is remembering the day that your life changed so amazingly that you don't remember what life was like before. You get to remember seeing your wife do something so unbelievable, that you thought she was a real super-hero, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. You remember what it was like to feel those tiny hands grab onto yours, and be humbled by the awesome responsibility of being a father. And remembering when your daughter meets your new daughter for the first time...

...awesome.

Just.

Awesome.



Happy Birthday.