Turning 40

I turned 40 yesterday.  I had a small meltdown at the mall in the morning but other than that, I can say I have been pretty relaxed about it.  I like how I can see the glimmers of wisdom that old age brings, but those mortality issues kind of bite.

Luckily I have the best husband and the best of friends.

They planned a surprise party for me.  So when we stopped to get some cash at the ATM, a limousine  bus was waiting to whisk us all off for a night of revelry in Tokyo.

After some champagne toasts with our red Solo cups, we arrived at the New York Bar in Tokyo….where Bill Murry and Scarlett Johansson were in the movie Lost In Translation.  If you have never seen this movie, watch it. Now.)

This place was crazy insane classy.

Beyond fun.

It was the party of a lifetime. 

Even the toilets were sophisticated. 

My favorite birthday present was the poem that my husband  wrote for me and read in front of everyone.

It made me cry.

Thank you to my husband for the best birthday ever.  Thank you to Kelly for planning everything for my husband so he could take me out for my best birthday ever.  Thank you to all of my friends for the presents and love on the best birthday ever.

I might just have to turn 40 every year!

 “The more you know who you are, and what you want, the less you let things upset you.” Bill Murry as Bob, in Lost in Translation.

What I Know For Sure

Eleven years ago yesterday, my second daughter was born.  Weighing nine pounds and having a head circumference in the 95^th percentile, saying she tore into this world is putting it mildly.

I’d like to say that this is just a really horrible newborn picture, but I think she really did look this bad.  It only took a few days for her to become much cuter, which was good…..because that’s when the crying started.

 She cried.

And cried.

Then, she cried some more.

Rumor has it, that God doesn't give you more than you can hande.  So really, after about the first four months she stopped crying.

It was my husband who wanted to name her after the Elvis Costello song “Allison”.  I thought it was okay, but I was leaning toward Jessica or Sara.  Of course when she was lying on my chest after that rip-roaring birth, I agreed with him.  Her middle name Eden, is also mine and my mother’s, and my Grandmother’s maiden name.

She has lived in five states and three different countries, has been in a coma and on a Life Flight, and she won’t take off her Converse tennis shoes and her green wool hat.  She only weighs 61 pounds but can swim the 50 meter Freestyle in thirty-eight seconds....which is only 14 seconds off of Michael Phelps' split....in case you didn't know.

For some reason, even though she is not my youngest daughter, she is my baby.  She is the daughter that is most like my husband and that is a good thing….usually.  She is best friends with her older sister and the coolest friend to her younger sister.

I could brag and brag about her all day long on this post, but you get the point.  Happy Birthday Allison Eden!  What I know for sure is, we love you!!!