Yesterday was my birthday. I am 35. It sounds weird to me. I remember when my mom was 35. She was so ‘old’, now I’m that age and I still feel like I’m too young to be living the life I seem to be. How can I be responsible for two little girls and perfect as they are. I’m not old enough, or mature enough, or capable enough, surely?

Anyway … they seem okay for now. As usual, I am winging it in this parenting maze of responsibility.

It got me thinking though, how different celebrating a mom’s birthday actually is when you are a mom.

We don’t have family close by, and only a few friends. As I’ve said before, we move a lot. So there are no ‘big’ parties or huge family filled get-together. So yesterday we just went out for breakfast at the local Spur restaurant. It was good except I forgot what a chaotic experience it can be there on a Saturday morning – there were at least three different children’s birthday parties on, every table was full, and the girls refused to eat breakfast food because as it is mommy’s birthday the only acceptable meal all day can only be cake … obviously! No matter what time it is (even 09.30am)! So they didn’t eat.

Then we went and did a bit of grocery shopping as we were expecting friends over for a braai later that afternoon. When we got back home I had to clean the house. My favourite thing to do, especially on my birthday!! *To be read with dripping sarcasm!* 

The braai was good. Steak, wors, pork chops, salad, garlic bread, bread rolls, cold beers, Savannah’s and Wine! Wine! Wine!

We ended up eating so late that the girls didn’t make it for cake and ended up falling asleep on the sofa watching a Barbie movie, despite their best efforts, poor kids. So I did actually relent and let them have cake early this morning.

Now that my birthday is finished and done with for another year, we still have 84 days to go until Christmas! The girls have been asking me “When is it Christmas again mom?” since boxing day! My reply has always been “after mommy’s birthday”, because mine is the last birthday out of the four of us.

So today I have been trying to scrape together a list of every other possible little milestone I can use to get them from now until Christmas. So far my list includes, but is not limited to:

  • eldest child’s dance concert,
  • halloween,
  • youngest child’s graduation from pre-nursery school,
  • eldest child’s end of year school concert

That’s it for now. I can’t think of any others.

What I’ve learned about having a ‘mom birthday’ at 35 is that, for kids, a birthday is only really a birthday if there is cake. Even presents don’t really matter. Just cake.

For me, it’s only really a birthday if there is wine!

Thank goodness we have had both cake and wine this weekend.

Let’s see what 35 has to bring.