Birthday Banter

This past weekend, I celebrated my freakin' 33rd birthday. I can't believe I'm 33, I have A KID and a house and I'm married and I have real life responsibilities. Sometimes, I feel like (or act like) I'm 12 years old but, unlike the last few years, I now can blame this behavior on Harmon. I need to act like a fool because he likes it!

So, I got some cool stuff for my birthday. My parents got me some great new clothes (a cool brown blouse and a brown sweater and this awesome Michigan jacket thingie); my sister, Stacey, got me some cool capris and the new Goo Goo Dolls CD; and my sister, Erin, bought me the coolest Moosejaw t-shirt (in cranberry). My sister-in-law, Angela, helped keep me smelling good by sending me the new CK One Summer perfume and my in-laws sent me a check, which I immediately applied towards the big gift Kevin got me. In addition to some framed Harmon pictures, Tommy Lee's autobiography and some awesome Post-Its (from Isabel), Kevin got me the Coach purse I've been lusting over for a couple of months now. After getting over the feelings of guilt (I don't buy myself much anymore – must be a Mom thing), I now am in love with this purse. Love, I tell you!

Anyway, all this birthday stuff got me thinking about past birthdays so I went back through my old journals and found some cool stuff. Apparently, big life events OR Detroit Tigers' games are integral parts of my birthdays, year after year!

2005
We just moved into our new house. Our first night sleeping there was July 26 and, on July 27, I remember be grossly pregnant sitting in Home Depot for HOURS. I had this weird belly button pain at this point in my pregnancy and, on this night, it was especially painful. After leaving Home Depot right at closing time, the rest of the night was spent watching Kevin, my Mom and my Uncle Dave install my birthday present – vertical blinds for our living room. Ahh, yes! I mustn't forget Kevin's awesome gift to me last year – tickets to the MLB All-Star Game at Comerica Park!

2004
In 2004, we actually took a vacation (our last real one). We spent a week in the DC area and it was awesome. On my actual birthday, we spent the first part of the day in Hershey, Penn. (a lot of the time at Hershey's Chocolate World – yummy) and the rest of the day in Gettysburg. It was an awesome birthday and the trip to Gettysburg, although a last-minute addition to the itinerary, was amazing!

2003
2003 brought a new job at U-M, where I had been trying to return since leaving as a student/employee in 1995. I must like it because I'm still there. Also, my parents got me my digital camera thus allowing me to take one hundred million pictures of Harmon!

2002
Ahh, 2002 – our unemployed summer! Kevin lost his job in September 2001 and I lost mine in January 2002. Although Kevin would return to work (at U-M) in August, the lack of money made for a rough summer. He and my family did, however, manage to get me a few small things and chipped in on my Tiffany necklace. I love that thing!

2001
This year brought a move from our tiny, newlywed apartment in Ann Arbor to a larger apartment in New Hudson. Although it was a HUGE bummer to leave Ann Arbor, our four years in New Hudson ending up being great! Sometimes, we really miss that place. It was huge, it was private and we had a fireplace that Isabel would sprawl in front of four hours! Also, my actual birthday was spent with my family at, surprise, Comerica Park watching the Tigers!

2000
This year's birthday was special – I was 27 on the 27th. And, Kevin made sure I always would remember it. I was working at Visteon in Dearborn at the time and he told me to be out in front of the building at 5 p.m. SHARP! So, there I was, standing out there like a goon when up pulls a long, black limo (the same limo we ended up booking for our wedding day). I was hesitant to approach but the driver got out and said he was there to pick me up. I didn’t know where I was going but ended up at the Gandy Dancer for dinner and it was perfect! The whole day was perfect, even though we had to drive back to Dearborn later that night and get my Jeep!

1999
In '99, Kevin still was living in St. Louis but he flew in for my birthday. Over the weekend, we went to the jeweler to look at engagement rings. I had seen a ring in a bridal magazine that I was in love with but I never thought, in a million years, that I would find it in person. But, right there, at Kramar Jewelers in Oak Park, I found it. It was big, it was gorgeous and I had to have it! Kevin had it held and would give it to me the following April.

1998
During 1998, I interned in the Detroit Tigers' marketing/events group and had one of the best summers of my entire life! I worked every game (81 freakin' home games – at night and on the weekends) after working my real job during the day and I was exhausted but it was fantastic. For my birthday, we spent the weekend in Cleveland watching the Tigers take on the Indians and I drank entirely too much, which was the case most of the summer. Also, something about 1998 I would like to forget. On my actual birthday, I accepted the worst job of my career – a project associate position working in major events at Ford Motor Company. I will say nothing more for fear that the memories will haunt me forever!

1997
The day after my birthday, I accepted my first, real, full-time job at the law firm of Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn! What an awesome first job this was! I was working in downtown Detroit, on the 22nd floor of a cool, vintage building and I had an OFFICE with a WINDOW! And, the actual work was great too. I gained some very good experience and, after working with 100 or so attorneys on a daily basis, I decided I DID NOT want to go to law school (I honestly was thinking about it)!

1996
This summer was devastating to me. After dating Kevin for a little over a year, his internship at U-M was up and he took a job at Washington University in St. Louis. He would live there until March of 2000, meaning we would do the long-distance relationship thing for almost four years – sad! The good news, however, was that I spent a lot of time in St. Louis – what an awesome town!

1995
Love those Tigers! Another birthday spent watching my beloved Tigers. Of course, back in the 90s, they still were playing at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull. I miss that old place!

1994
I turned 21 and celebrated at Scorekeeper's in Ann Arbor. I don't remember much. I wonder why!

OK, enough about me, lets get to the important stuff – Harmon! The teeth are coming from everywhere! He cut his third tooth – next to the bottom left – on Wednesday, July 12. His fourth tooth – top left – busted through this past Friday, July 28. And, his fifth tooth – next to bottom right – made an appearance yesterday. Five freakin' teeth now! And, unless I'm mistaken, I swear I heard him grinding his teeth yesterday – nasty sound! Through it all, though, he's been SO good. He'll get a little fussy now and then but some Tylenol and a nap usually help quite nicely!