happy birthday to me

curtis is a non-practicing jehova's witness and i'm a non-practicing catholic.  in a nutshell ... it makes celebrations at our house a tricky affair.  even trickier is the fact that my bday lands on v-day.  when we started dating i was butt hurt and near tears the first time my bday came around on his shift.  we worked in the same office and although females in the IT industry were in the minority they got the majority of attention on v-day.  every single girl in that office got some kind of heart acknowledgement.  flowers, toys, chocolates, baskets, you name it.  mind you i can't stand heart and v-day crap ..  i'm not the biggest fan of roses or chocolates but just like any girl i love the acknowledgement.  that day i didn't get anything.  and if that wasn't bad enough, the fact that every person in our office was looking at me wondering "what the hell? isn't it your bday too? curtis really didn't do anything?" that really sent me over the edge.  i left the office early that day and didn't really say much.  i spent the next two birthdays going somewhere to avoid the topic.  one year i visited my cousin in france and had a blast.  but even at that distance i was bummed knowing what i was avoiding.

these days curtis and i meet in the middle.  he has his non-traditions and i have my traditions.  we both grew up with something that the other can't relate to but we talk and we compromise.  we mutually celebrate the day i gave birth to kaya and we celebrate who she is and how much she's grown.  we gather with my family for food and love at christmas though he doesn't really participate in the gifts.  i plan nice dinners for his bday and he lovingly acknowledges mine.  he actually buys me gifts now too.

THIRTY-NINE years old and TWENTY-FOUR weeks pregnant (aka 6 months).  it's my last year in my 30s and i'm spending it by completing our family with a second baby.  like birthdays in the past we'll be chill and cozy and i'll get lots of love.  i might be planning something next year coz after all it's a big one.  the goal for sure is by 40 i should be on the road back to my old jeans and ready for a vacation in the sun!



photo taken at 16 weeks