birthday girl (a.k.a. me)

simply put, i adore my birthday. perhaps i am a narcissist. oh well. all i know is that i have never dreaded the arrival of another year. or a chance to celebrate.

so when the daffodils begin to pop up in random patches of grass...i begin planning. and my loyal loved ones play along...

the first celebration began on the eve of my birthday, at casa de awesome, and despite a forecast of rain...sunny skies were here.

we walked with pups (and stared in shock at my growing tummy)

we watched as our mama prepared my favorite treats, including green beans and pear cake...

we visited antique stores where i bought that irresistable little school bus for the nursery, a cute pink basket in case baby berry is a girl berry and mom treated me to a hamper that will soon hide dirty little onesies.


i admired the decorations, carefully placed in my honor (and drooled over the cooling pear cake).

and then we feasted. dad's famous tri tip (apparently, i am now a full-fledged carnivore-weird) mom's salad, green beans and smashed dill potatoes. mmmmm....

and then i made a wish (one that i didn't have to think about for long) and blew out my candle with gusto, so grateful for my first family. it has been such a happy year, and the next is poised to be even better...



*******


on my morning of my birthday, i woke up with my ryan, to an entire day of no plans. it was refreshing. days like this feel like fairy tales to me.



after i opened a darling card that brought a tear to my eye and smelled the bouquet of hydrangeas and tulips that ryan had carefully picked out, it was eating time and my man said he would take me anywhere i wanted to go. i chose tower cafe. it is the best breakfast in this city, i am convinced.


i remember when i used to work in a cafe, i would admire couples who would leisurely eat breakfast, and flip through newspapers in between sips of coffee. they would sometimes lift their head to alert the other to a news story or compliment the eggs, but would quickly return to their paper, content in silence.


my favorites were the ones who played footsie under the table.


ryan and i did just that. it was pretty romantic.


and then the food came. and it instantly garnered our attention.


i couldn't decide between the huevos or the cornmeal blueberry pancake, so i got both! ha!


sadly, i am picture-less, but the rest of the day was filled with a nap, a movie, a surprise trip to the baby store, a long drive and dinner at a pizza parlour...the entire day it poured and it seemed perfectly lazy. it was just how i had hoped to spend my birthday and my favorite part was when ryan, in the sweetest voice i know, toasted me for just being born. swoon i did.

*******

as if i wasn't lucky enough, last night, my besties and i got all dressed up and headed north bound to the place where, in my mind, celebratory dinners are enjoyed. rutherford grill.

a photo shoot helped pass the time as we waited for our table. i am pretty sure that no one has more stylish or fun besties than i.


it is without a doubt, that this year my birthday has really revolved around food. my one remaining vice, and enjoy all the food i did. i really didn't hold back when it came to ordering off the menu. the artichoke was my favorite, but the ribs never disappoint. but the company surpassed any bite that entered my mouth. never dull, always funny they are. sometimes i don't know why they picked me, but i always feel like the lucky one.


i had to save room for dessert. the oreo sandwich is so memorable and the baby inside me really likes sweets. how could i say no? after a thoughtful toast from my companions, i blew out yet another candle.


and i still have two celebrations to go! one with the kelly's of casa de kool on friday and another with my sac town besties next week...


it is all about drawing out the birthday as long as possible, friends, and i am soaking up every moment.