By Stephanie
As I’m preparing for the arrival of our next baby, so much anticipation and emphasis is placed on the day she will arrive. We do not know when it will be, but it will be a day we will never forget. An amazing miracle takes place as this human being that has been living inside my womb for 9 months will now enter into life outside, making an incredible journey (one in which I still find myself in awe and wonderment), see us face to face and touch us skin to skin.
As we mature, birthdays become less of an excitement and more of a sometimes dreaded marker of turning one year older. Long lists of the presents we’d like to receive turn into “oh you don’t have to get me anything” or “I’d really like a new dish rack.” (I actually did say that at my last birthday and did receive one and was really thrilled about it, too.)
But still that day, no matter how you see it, is a day a miracle took place. An event of the extraordinary- it should be commemorated and not forgotten or taken lightly in any way. No matter how many more gray hairs you pluck or hide with color, no matter how many more laugh lines or stretch marks appear as the years go by, the day you were born is special.
Today the creators of 5 Minutes For Mom, Janice & Susan, celebrate their birthday. Two fantastic and successful sisters that celebrate Moms and women and all things positive. Please send them some birthday love when you get the chance. They deserve only the best today. It also happens to be my Mom’s birthday. Of course I’d be delighted (and so would she) if you’d spread some well wishes her way, too.
On your child’s next birthday, or your own, remember- despite all the exterior chaos that so often ensues with parties and cakes and streamers- that a birthday is something to be marveled. Treasured.
Happy Birthday.
Stephanie also blogs at Adventures In Babywearing.
Happy Birthday ladies!
Happy Birthday Janice, Susan, and Stephanie’s mom!
Thank you Steph,
That is sooooo sweet of you!!!
Janice and I are very guilty of not treating our birthdays as special days.
On this particular 35th birthday, I must wake up at about 5:30 AM and take my baby in to have her brain ultrasound done. (I’m not all that worried, but it is being done as a precaution b/c of her large head size and some other factors.)
Then I will have a massage at a spa in the afternoon and we’re having our families and a few friends get together at Jan’s for dinner and cake.
So, overall I think it should be an okay birthday.
But I have been thinking lately about how happy I am as I turn 35 and my life is in such a wonderful place. Life is good… even if I am turning the big 35!
Ah gosh – THANKS! 🙂 I am so guilty of not treasuring my birthdays. I let them go by without too much notice. Thanks for reminding me that indeed it is a special day.
AND Happy Birthday to your MOM! YEAH!!! 🙂
I want a new vacuum cleaner for my birthday!
Isn’t it funny how a new litle baby can change remind us of the true meaning of special times in our lives? I often think how lucky I am to slow down and witness things along with Sweetpea, the different perspective is (nearly) always refreshing!
Happy Birthday Susan, Janice and Mimi!
Happy Birthday!!!
[…] is musing about the birthday over at 5 Minutes for Parenting. Not only THE birthday (since her baby is due any minute), but […]
Great thoughts, Steph. I have also been thrilled to get something practical for my bday (if I asked for it).
And Janice and Susan–what can I say?? I hope that you both take some time off from all your hard work to enjoy your accomplishment and your life. Is their life outside of 5 Minutes for Mom??
Happy Birthday to our Wonder Twins, Janice and Susan! Yes, you belong to *us* – thanks for bringing us all together here at 5MFM. Enjoy your special day, because you are special to us.
Have a happy, happy Birthday Janice and Susan (and Stephanie’s Mom, too 🙂 )
I still get excited about my birthdays – and I’m 32 yrs old! I love that I get a day that is all mine (although, every year, I find out that I celebrate my special day with more and ore people, thanks to the internet).
Have a fabulous day, ladies!
Happy birthday ladies! Thank you for all of your hard work…I love reading your blogs!
Simply beautiful! I feel like when reading your writings are like opening a gift. I am so proud of the writer you are. I am really enjoying all the Birthday wishes…Thank you! Love, Mom
Happy birthday to Janice and Susan and your Mama! I’ve got the big 3-0 this year and I’m surprisingly not dreading it 😉
Happy birthday, Janice and Susan! I’m also guilty of letting my own birthdays sneak up and slide by, but then I remember that EACH DAY is a gift. It’s time to celebrate, girls! We are so thankful God put you both on this planet and in our paths.
Happy birthday Janice, Susan, and to your mom, too! I LOVE birthdays and think it’s so important to make them special for others. So go on, enjoy YOUR special day!
And Stephanie…thoughts and prayers are with you as you deliver your baby! I was due yesterday with our second…and he’s still cooking inside! 🙂
Happy Birthday! Hope you guys enjoy your day! I always think my birthday is a time to thank my mother for enduring 9 months of pregnancy and labor!
Happy Birthday, Janice and Susan! You are exactly three days older than me. 🙂
And Happy Birthday to Stephanie’s Mom, too.
Hope you all have wonderful days!
(Birthday wishes to Susan and Janice at 5 Minutes for Mom).
I totally agree that birthdays are to be really celebrated. I feel like I’m pushing up hill, but in my family I want birthdays to be about celebrating each member of our family. I had my husband put all of our birthdays actually on his work calendar so there’s a visible reminder to him not to schedule meetings and such on one of “our” days.
I know a busy literary agent who goes to one particular conference every year, but if his daughter’s birthday fell during the conference any given year he missed that conference. He wanted her to know that she was more important than anything else that might come up. I respect that so much and really want my kids to grow up feeling the same way at least on that one day.
(Happy birthday to your mom too!)
Happy Birthday Ladies! 🙂
It’s ironic that you posted about birthdays today, as my husband and I were just talking about this last night. I’ve come to dread my birthday over the years and not for the reasons you might think.
It has nothing to do with age and everything to do with the time of year. Everything “bad” seems to happen around my birthday (9/11, my cat died, etc), and so I never quite feel up to celebrating it.
We made a pact to change that this year, however, and for the first time in a long time I’m looking forward to my birthday! 🙂
Oh I couldn’t agree more Stephanie! Celebrating my birthday is my way of saying thank you God for one more year!
Happy Birthday Janice and Susan! Wishing you lots of joy in the coming year!
I look at my Jayden and think to myself “Hey I used to be one of those. I did those things.” I need to REALLY start cherishing my birthday. Happy Birthday Susan, Janice, and Steph’s Mimi! I will be trolling your blogs via feedreader to see when you have your little girl =).
Happy Birthday girlies Janice and Susan :). I hope you all had a blast today. I bet it was a good time with your kids :).
Today is also my grandmother’s 95th Birthday. What a special woman she is to me!
Hey and don’t forget to eat lots of cake and icecream today. You are forgiven from all fat 1 day out of the year ;). At least that’s what I tell myself LOL.
Happy Birthday Janice and Susan!!! And to your MOM too, I can’t imagine having two at once.
Great post, Steph. I was reflecting on Little’s birth today with her upcoming birthday and was truly amazed at the feelings that flooded back to me two years later.
Happy Birthday to Janice and Susan!
Happy birthday to Susan and Janice! 🙂
Oh, Happy Birthday to everyone!!!
Great post Stephanie – we are each unique and special creations. Our birth days are definitely something to celebrate. Thanks for this reminder!
That’s my son’s birthday, too! He just turned six! Janice stopped by my post and said something about what a great day for a birthday, and I totally didn’t get it, because I didn’t see this post until then! What a nerd I am!
We had a very lovely day, just spending time together as a family. The funny thing was this: it was the first year that my son didn’t have any idea what he wanted for his birthday. Every previous year, he’s had his heart set on some big-ticket item. This year, he didn’t have anything in mind that he really wanted. At the same time, he’s never been more excited for any of his previous birthdays than he was this year! I guess it just goes to show that birthdays are about much more than presents…
[…] is musing about the birthday over at 5 Minutes for Parenting. Not only THE birthday (since her baby is due any minute), but […]
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