Memories and birthdays
Every year on my mom’s birthday, my grandma tells her what the weather was like on the day she was born. “It was a cold rainy November day . . .” and so on and so forth. Mom says it doesn’t feel like a real birthday until she hears it. This past year, we were all having dinner at Grandma’s for Mom’s birthday, and Grandma told the story over dinner. Mom and I glanced at each other, then looked away quickly so that we didn’t laugh. We aren’t sure if Grandma just likes telling the story or if she doesn’t remember that she tells it every year. Either way, it’s an important part of the day.
Yesterday I was talking to Grandma, and she mentioned that she can’t come to my upcoming birthday party. “You’re going to be 25?” she said. “I remember the day you were born . . .” At this point, I am getting my hopes up that I have finally reached the age where I get a story, too, but no. She just mentioned that I was a sweet baby and that I’m still a sweet girl (ha! I’ve got Grandma fooled!) and left it at that.
After watching an episode from Season 1 of the Gilmore Girls where Lorelai wakes Rory up at 4:03 to tell her the story of her birth, Mike and I decided that we’d like to have fun birthday traditions like that for our future kids. One of my friends says she got to use the special plate, which was reserved for things like birthdays and other big events. I remember that I could choose what we had for dinner on my birthday (I often chose chili, which is a weird meal for July. My dad complained every year - “It’s too hot to eat chili”). Mike says that birthdays were a huge event in his house, but, being a man, he doesn’t remember all the details. hehe. What are some of your birthday traditions that we can steal - *ahem* I meant incorporate into our household? A certain kind of cake? Always going somewhere? A scary clown?
June 24th, 2004 at
If my parents had ever woken me up at 0300 to wish me Happy Birthday, I would have been mad.
I think I did wake them up that way one year, though.
June 24th, 2004 at
I was born in the afternoon, so it wouldn’t have worked for me anyway. hehe.
June 24th, 2004 at
Not really a tradition..but my mom always points out that I was born at 1:31 pm….NOT 1:30….1:31
June 24th, 2004 at
I was also born at 31 minutes past the hour. In my case, though it was the three o’clock hour.
June 24th, 2004 at
My mom has this bear that is dressed in a to-to (cutter than it sounds) that you put a candle in. We used that every year for my birthday.
June 24th, 2004 at
Once on my birthday when I was a kid, I awoke to find a note on my nightstand. I opened it and it was a riddle that led me to another part of the house, where I found another riddle. This continued until I ended up outside, then back in my room where my mom had put my present while I was in the yard. I wish I could remember the riddles. I totally plan on doing this with my kids.
June 24th, 2004 at
My mom did that once, Jason. She made it a game at one of my birthday parties, with all the riddles and such. My brother did it one year for my present, too. I had totally forgotten.
June 24th, 2004 at
My mom always (and still does… or enlists a friend to do it) made my favorite cake in some form — yellow with chocolate frosting. The best was when she baked it in ice cream cones — they’re cupcake cones!! I always got to take those to school to share.
June 24th, 2004 at
Oooh, Susan. That last comment got you in trouble. My birthday is in the summer, so I never got to bring cupcakes to share.
June 24th, 2004 at
My mom made this crown and scepter set thing when my oldest brother was born. The birthday kid always sits at the head of the table and has to wear the crown and hold the scepter (for a picture, anyway). And we get to choose our birthday dinners too. And my mom would always decorate the house with streamers and Happy Birthday banners.
June 24th, 2005 at
WHen I was little I know my mum used to make me all different types of cakes but now Ive grown up a little the cakes have stopped coming I do not remember my childhood birthdays but i know the ones Ive had lately havnet been that great TODAY I am 18 and that is a big step for me an AUSTRALIAN 2nd to your wedding it is now 230 am on June 24th my birthday and already i am having a bad day so much for this being a great one…………im ready to go to bed and cry!!!