I was born on August 15th. As other summer babies know, this means a lifetime of never celebrating my birthday at school. No bringing cupcakes to class and no giggling with my girlfriends during first period because today was the day and there would be cake.
Before we go any further, let me be clear. This is not a woe-is-me tale.
I loved my summer birthdays. I was shy, see, and through shy eyes and ears, birthday fun looks and sounds terrifying. People you normally love throng together; they surround you, they scream, they sing and they want you to open their present rightnowthisminute–don’tyouloveit? It’s a nightmare of noise and expectation.
Instead of all that, I shared my birthdays with my gramps who was born 6 days and 61 years before me. We swam with family, ate homemade mint chip ice cream pie and opened plenty of presents. They were perfect celebrations.
The legacy of my summer birthday is this: I prefer a quieter birthday. A small group of family and friends, a dinner, and maybe some mint chip pie.
This year? I’m stopping in SF to squeeze my baby niece and catch up with an old friend. Then I’ll spend two nights on the coast with my husband and parents. No tv, no phone and no computer. Just time to listen to the waves and enjoy these baby kicks while they still belong to me.
I’ve got my birthday down pat. But as a mom-to-be, I’m thinking ahead of ways to make my little one’s birthdays extra special. What are your birthday traditions?
xx Sarah
Lydia
August 13, 2012 at 8:04 am (11 years ago)Lovely SL! We always decorated Gingerbread Cookies at my December birthdays and it was pure magic. Maybe you will be dipping apples in caramel with your little girl in a few years.
Joanna
August 13, 2012 at 3:17 pm (11 years ago)AH that cake is CUTE. SL, I too am a summer birthday girl, and generally, it was good. Especially during awkward years when your social status was marked by how many mylar balloons you were gifted to tie to your backpack.
I love the IDEA of traditions, but they also make me nervous. What if you can’t do them one year? Are you setting yourself up for disappointment?
Nancy Nugent
August 13, 2012 at 3:46 pm (11 years ago)The BEST part of a birthday is that you get to choose whatever kind of cake you want! And if you choose a banana cake (thinking homemade) don’t be mad if your Mom buys you a Sara Lee banana cake ( single layer and in that awful tin pan with a freezer-y smell instead of creamy banana) . BUT, she puts it right on a beautiful antique glass pedestal cake stand with a wonderful lacey doily anchoring it and lots of candles to wish on……………..I was always a sucker for presentation!!
Mary
August 13, 2012 at 3:58 pm (11 years ago)My birthday is Christmas Day so like a summer birthday there were no cupcakes at school and no birthday parties anywhere NEAR my birthday. It was always spent with family and there was no hiding from attention my birthday brought from my relatives. But I didn’t mind. I liked it. Just don’t give me one present with a card that says “Happy Birthday AND Merry Christmas.” 🙂
Julie & Lauren
August 13, 2012 at 4:54 pm (11 years ago)Love this and love you. I always loved my Deerfield bakery cupcakes at school 🙂
Eve
August 13, 2012 at 5:23 pm (11 years ago)Such a nice post! Have a great time.
Kt
August 15, 2012 at 9:44 am (11 years ago)Love this post and lOve all these comments! My favorite bday memory was the morning after my 8th birthday when my grandma and I snuck down into a (well-lit) basement closet to eat leftover ice cream cake for breakfast … no one saw us and it was our little secret which will make my heart warm and nostalgic for the rest of my life…
Sarah
August 28, 2012 at 8:12 pm (11 years ago)You guys, these comments are the greatest! I can officially credit Lydia with a genius baby birthday celebration idea and I’m terrified of Joanna’s mylar balloon experience. It’s like something out of a ‘tween heathers. KT and Nancy, those are great memories I had never heard before!
And Mary, it is so NOT fair, not ever, ever to combine birthday and Christmas cards. It’s like giving one present to a set of twins. Not OK!
xx