A Big City Birthday!

There's big birthday doins' going on in the big city today. Actually, most of the doins' went on over the weekend I imagine, since Big City Girl has to work today.....aaahhhhh! Too bad. It's just hard to believe she's 22 already! It seems like only yesterday I was in the hospital having her. But then, there's no point in telling any of that story.....who wants to hear it!? Certainly not BCG herself! But I do remember seeing snow on the ground when I looked out my hospital room window, and lo and behold, there was a little dusting this morning. Mother Nature likes to play tricks with the calendar. Doesn't she know it's the first day of Spring?

So the family birthday festivities will happen next weekend, when BCG will be coming home for a dental appointment......and a stop by the house for a sugar fix (don't tell Mr. Dentist!) Her favorite cake is white (boxed mix) with white frosting with rainbow sprinkles and mom's carefully written birthday message with the gel deco pen....purple this year. I keep asking if there's another kind of cake she'd like, and she always says no.

We'll take her out to dinner, take a few pictures, and give her a birthday present. Over the years the gift giving has gone from My Little Ponies to music gift cards to just regular ol' cash. The gifts have gotten more useful for her and have made the wrapping activity much easier for me. She'll enjoy the hoopla and her dad and I will enjoy the short opportunity to see her.

It's funny how you think there will be a day when your kid leaves home. They'll just pack up their stuff, clear their rooms out, maybe give you a few boxes to store in the attic til later, and give you a big kiss goodbye. It doesn't work like that. What really happens is that one day you look around and you realize they're gone. They pop in every once in a while to retrieve something, or to do a load of laundry, but they've pretty much left for good.

It's easier that way I suppose. The idea of an abrupt exit would be too much for most moms to endure. Their gradual departure gives you time to adjust to the quiet in the house and the good nights of sleep you get when you're not laying awake listening for their key in the lock. And being able to grocery shop once a week. And doing the laundry and not being blamed for forgetting to remove a pen from a shirt pocket or shrinking a favorite t-shirt.

Now, if I could only get her to move back in long enough to clean her room.......