Today is my birthday! I’m a HUGE celebrator of birthdays. You know why? Because when I stop celebrating, I’m dead and I’m pretty sure that is going to suck so, while I’m here, I’m enjoying it! This year is a banner one too because I’m turning 39. How did this happen? I still marvel at my age the way I do my kids’ passing years. I’m equally stunned at my 39 and their 5. Time passes far too quickly.
A lot of people talk about turning 39 as “the last good year.” But not me. I cannot wait to be 40 and here’s why:
1. I’m planning on taking a celebratory vacation with any one of my friends who can come with me. When my husband turned 40 we went to Vegas. I want to go somewhere WARM with a beach and a lot of fruity drinks and flat roads to run on. Key West is a major possibility.
2. I will finally age up in races! This year I’m still competing with the 30 year-olds which, sadly, is hard. Once I turn 40 I will be at the low end of the age brackets so look out 49 year-olds, I’m coming for you.
Last year I wrote a post about the Trouble With Turning 38. The trouble was that was how old my mom was when she was diagnosed with what turned out to be terminal cancer. It threw me for a loop. But, once I thought about what I should do to make that year special, I realized I was already doing so much of it.
My WHOLE family at Disney last year. It was an amazing trip! Don’t the kids look like they’re having a magical day?
This year, for my birthday, what I really want to do is have one stress-free day. For one day, I promise to:
– Not worry about my kids. They will thrive and be happy even if they can’t write their names by the time they reach kindergarten.
– Not worry about my mileage, pace or heart rate and just run in the sun with a smile
– Sleep in (this probably means until 7:00am but I’ll take it!)
– Reflect on all I have accomplished this past year and let go of whatever wasn’t done
– Don’t think, even once, about doing laundry
– Eat, drink, repeat
– Enjoy all the birthday wishes on Facebook – even the ones from the people who only wish me a happy birthday because it pops up on their feed. I don’t discriminate.
As I write this, I know I’m a fraud. There’s no possible way I will stick to this list (except the FB thing!) but you know what?
I worry about my kids because I love them. They are my entire world and if there’s something I don’t mind worrying about – it’s them.
If Frozen has taught me anything, it’s to Let Go!..although notice who is still holding on in this photo.
I love running with my Garmin watch and seeing my progress, or even that maybe I need to slow a little and cut the run short. The forecast is for actual sun today so, I really don’t care what the watch says, my run is sure to pass quickly just because of the weather.
I wake-up early to get my blogging in and I love it. Sitting in my kitchen with a hot cup of coffee, reading some of my favorite blogs, makes me happy – even at 5:30am.
I’m thinking warm thoughts of sitting outside with my coffee very soon!
Having laundry to do means I have people I love surrounding me. One day, when my kids move out, I will probably miss doing their laundry. Maybe.
I do know, without a doubt, I will eat and drink and be merry as I celebrate all.weekend.long. Yep, I’m one of those people.
In lieu of gifts, do something nice for yourself today and pretend it’s your birthday too!
How do you feel about birthdays? Do you celebrate and do something special?
What was your best birthday ever?
HAPPY
BRITHDAY
ALLIE!!!!
Wow, I hope this doesn’t sound bad but I would have NEVER pegged you as 39 (not that it’s old AT ALL) you just look so young. You are about to win every single race for which you sign up!
Have an amazing day!
Not at ALL! You made my day!! Thank you so much. :-))
We are big celebrators in my family — streamers and all! I figure life has a lot of serious/challenging/sad, so ya gotta celebrate every little good thing. So HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Wishing you a wonderful, blessed year:)
That is great! Thank you so much and keep those celebrations coming!
Allie, you just gave ME a present on your birthday. What an inspiring post. Thank you. xoxo
I want to be you when I grow down.
See you Tuesday…..
P.S. You won’t mind doing the laundry. 😉
Awww Tina – thank you so much! I love the part about “growing down!” And, you’re such a great mom so I’ll take your word for it about the laundry 🙂
See you Tuesday!
Have a Happy Happy Happy Birthday! I hope you do all the relaxing stress things you mentioned. You deserve a day off from all the pressures you put on yourself to celebrate this great person you are at this age and all the amazing opportunities you have in the future. Your such a great person and I hope you enjoy your day 🙂
You are the sweetest! Thank you SO, SO much. I truly appreciate it!
First off, Happy, happy Birthday to you! Second, I am with you and try my best to enjoy my day (when it is my birthday), but still we are moms and how could we not think about our kids on any given day. I, for one, know even though it’s my birthday I still can’t just stop doing what I normally would do and call it a day. But still enjoy your day and hope you have the best day that you could possibly have now 🙂
Oh so true Janine! I’m enjoying but, really, it’s just a lot of the same when you’re a mom, right? At least I’ll give myself a little extra leeway today. Thank you so much!!!
Happy Birthday, Allie! I hope you stretch out the birthday celebrations as long as possible with lots of good food, fruity drinks, and, most importantly, surrounded by friends and family.
I absolutely intend to! Right now the weather is NOT cooperating. It’s cloudy, windy and about 40 degrees. BOOOOO!!!!
I turned 64 this month and let me tell you the best is yet to be!!! Enjoy your birthday as I always do. Your mom would always be the first to call me on my birthday…and wake me up very early for school that day,both in Stafford and on the Cod to wish me a Happy Birthday! Now that I am retired and moved away the celebration doesnT last all month but I do celebrate and love it. Have an awesome day Sweetie!!!
Thank you so, so much Janie! I love hearing that my mom was the first person to call on your birthday. That is just so HER! I think partly because she wanted to be first!!! Gee, I wonder where I get all this competitiveness from?? HA HA!!!
I’ve already had so much good in my life and I know there’s so much more to look forward to! Love you Janie!!
Happy Birthday! I turned 39 last month, and I cannot believe how I got here! It feels like just yesterday, I was 20. I have so much anxiety about getting older especially because I just had my second child. I worry about how old I will be when he is twenty. I love your positive attitude about growing older. I need me some of that!
Thank you so much Stacie! You just need to embrace your age. It sounds like you have a lot of reasons to be happy and really, who cares how old you are when your kids are in college? I think because I lost my mom so early, I just want to be THERE when my kids are in college – even if I’m 60!
Congrats on your second baby! Enjoy it 🙂
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Allie!
Have a wonderful day – doing whatever it is that you love most.
Thanks so much Alison! I absolutely will.
Happy Birthday Allie!!! I hope you have an awesome day!
Thanks Kris! I certainly intend to!!
Woohoo! Happy birthday lady!!!!
Thanks Kate!
Happy birthday! I have to admit, I got a little lump in my throat with your perspective at the end. Love this.
Wishing you a wonderful day and year. I’m doing the calculations–I’ll still be in my 40s when you enter them/my age group. Damn!
Awwww – thanks Amanda!
OH it’s ON!!! Now we have to meet and race 🙂
Wishing you a sincere, heartfelt, meaningful HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I’ll celebrate all day long too, and I’m doing tons of laundry today in your honor.
Awesome!!! Thanks so much Stephanie!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!
Ah. That published before I was ready! I hope you have an amazing day! I love birthdays and think they should definitely be celebrated! And I love your list! I hope you at least take one day to relax and go on vacation!
Oh how I wish I could take a vacation! BUT – my husband did surprise me with a little getaway at the end of August. I’ll take it!! Thanks so much Britt 🙂
As your newest FB friend, happy birthday again! I’m so happy you have such a positive attitude about turning 40 – I’m sick of hearing people moan about it. So far my forties have been awesome, and I know yours will be too. Have a fabulous day!
HA HA – Yes! Thanks Dana. I loved my thirties (still do!!) and I’m sure it only gets better. How can it not when I have so much to be thankful for? 🙂
Tina sent me this because I absolutely loves birthday’s, I celebrate for the whole month. I will especially be celebrating the birthday i can’t not wait to turn which is 50. We are going to Disney this year for my birthday, it is the happiest place in the world. I have never felt so good in my life and this is because of amazing spin teachers such as your self.
Just so you know I loved, loved being in my 40’s, best years of my life so far. Just remember boys love their mothers forever!
I hope ou have the happiest of days, because you truly deserve it.
Yes to celebrating all.month.long! So glad Tina shared this with you and thank you so, so much.
You are going to LOVE Disney. It truly is magical!
Happy Birthday! So powerful what you said about being 38. My father passed away at 36, which is a few years from now for me. So turning 37 might be more meaningful than I’d like it to be.
Anyway, wonderful post. A drink on me!
Thanks Tamara and, again, I’m sorry we have that in common but it does get crazy. Not sure what will happen when I live PAST the time my mother died. It’s all so awful. I will absolutely cheers a celebratory drink to YOU 🙂
Happy Birthday! That’s a great list of goals. I like that’s you’re still celebrating it’s important to show our kids that age really is just a number 🙂
Absolutely! Thank you.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
I’d love to go to Key West, I spend a lot of time on Marco Island so I’m pretty close. I’ll meet you there.
It’s a date!!! Will you bake me a cake? 🙂
Happy Happy Happy Birthday!
XOXO!
~A~
Thanks so much Amber!!! And thanks for all the Twitter love today too 🙂
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! I hope it is simply amazing! Wether you stick to the list or not, you are right about having those loving people around you to share it with! I love your perspective! I too would rather celebrate than attend my own Homegoing service!
You know it Joi!!! Thanks so much. It’s been a fantastic day so far…
HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! 39 is going to be awesome because you are awesome!!! You have some great things coming up this year and this is going to be your year all the way!!!
And, that trip for your 40th? I’m in!!! A warm beach, fruity drinks, flat roads to log many miles and meeting you? fun times!!
Yeah!!! Thanks so much Kim. And you are MORE then welcome to join us. We could do your 44 (or 45s?) from there and go for a run every morning. I would LOVE that!
HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY Birthday to YOU! What a perfect birthday post. I am looking into going to Key West myself, I have heard such amazing things about that place! 🙂 I have a similar pic of my boys in the double stroller in disney looking completely less than thrilled LOL! Anyway, enjoy your long weekend filled with love laughter and family you are so deserving of it! *big hugs*
Thank you so much Nellie! You are officially invited to come next March. Think of all the fitness and fun we would have, not to mention the EPIC posts 🙂
I love that picture with the adults beaming smiles and the kids so cranky because we stopped to take a picture!
My birthday is in two weeks. I will be 38. This is a tough one for me and I really don’t know why. I think I am becoming more of who I am meant to be and that is both exciting and scary.
It absolutely IS Tara! You nailed it with “becoming more of who you are” because what could be scarier then that? I TRY to embrace it, but yes it’s definitely very intimidating. Happy early Birthday to YOU!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!! I hope you get everything you wish for and then some. And if there’s a party next year in Key West, I’m in!
Excellent!!! Think of all the great running we can do together!? Thanks Angela 🙂
Happy Happy Birthday Allie!!! I hope that you had a wonderful day celebrating!!
Thank you Christine! I absolutely did…and I’m still celebrating!
Happy belated birthday!! Hope you had a great day, stress free.
Love your list especially sleeping in! That is a TREAT.
Hi Fydo! Yes, I did!! Well, I didn’t get to sleep in until Saturday but it was amazing. I partied all weekend with friends and family and really enjoyed it. Thank you!
My mom was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer at 38 too. I’m putting that post in my pocket to pull back out a few years down the road.
PS, you look 22. The 40-49 runners are going to call fraud.
I’m so sorry to hear that. It’s way too young and just too much to handle. I hope you can find some strength in it, although I know it’s ridiculously hard.
You just made my year with that compliment!! Thank you!!
GREAT post and attitude toward birthdays! I have coworkers who I am extremely close with who REFUSE to tell me their age. Say Whaaaaat? It’s a number! Who on earth cares?! Celebrate that you’ve been around that long! I Hope it was a great day!!!
Thanks so much Kristin!! I know a few people who are crazy about their age like that and I don’t get it either? What’s better then celebrating life??? Not much I can think of, no matter your age.
You will miss doing your kids laundry. Let me know if you are still singing that tune when they are teenagers and try something on once, then throw it in with the dirty laundry. Don’t even get me going on laundry! Hahaha. Happy Birthday to you, and since I am fairly well entrenched in my 40s I can say they aren’t all that bad, although I wish I did not need cheaters to see things. The 40-49 runners are going to be bummed.
Oh Michelle, I’m laughing!!! I’m hoping that since I have boys, they will wear things until they crawl by themselves to the laundry room 🙂 Isn’t laundry the worst? It just never ends!!
I missed your birthday! 🙁 Happy Belated, Allie! Hope this new year of you is WONDERFUL!
No worries and thank you so, so much! It’s off to a great start.
I know I’m late but Happy Birthday! I love how you put all the “negative” into perspective and you are making me think I maybe need to get up a bit earlier – I’m always behind on reading and writing – I bet that would help. Hope you had a great day and glad I didn’t miss this post – you gave me some needed perspective (although the jury is still out on the laundry here too!)
Thanks Stephanie! I’m so glad. I have to wake-up at the crack of dawn if I want any peace and quiet. It’s really the only time I can completely focus!