Monday, December 07, 2009

Next year they'll surround me with black balloons.

Well, now. The weekend is over and it was a full one.

Saturday was my birthday. I turned exactly 39 years old. Really.

I'm kind of glad I reached that milestone because I can officially hold on to it for years to come. Seriously, I told my mother-in-law that it's just a number. I do think about where I'm going, where I've been (channeling Forrest Gump), but I don't want to get all hung up on numbers and years and how that wrinkle between my eyebrows just won't go away.

Mama always said not to squint or I'd get wrinkles. A word of advice for all you whipper snappers out there- Listen to your Mama. Not just about squinting.

I woke up Saturday, greeted by gifts from Hubs and Daughter. Normally we open gifts during birthday dinner, but they decided they couldn't wait. (I, however, was perfectly patient. Ahem.)

Daughter and I worked on a craft that I can't really go into here because some of my extended family reads this, and HELLO, it's Christmas. I'll have to tell you all about it Dec. 26.

Then I was off to get my hair done because one thing I've learned about turning 39 is that the gray just pops up in places it didn't the year before. I also had nearly 2 inches of roots to cover. Lovely.

After a little shopping and one stop for a faux Starbucks (specifically a faux Peppermint Mocha, it just ain't the same) I came home with my new do.

Hubs told me to spin around so he could get a good look at me, which is his way of telling me I looked nice. (After 13 years of marriage, I've learned his love language.) Daughter honestly said she liked it.

Later, Daughter and I discussed my hair privately while looking in the mirror.

"It's not too much blonde, is it? It's not as blonde as a few times ago, but a little more blonde than last time," I asked.

"No, it looks good," she said.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Good, 'cause I know if I ask you, you'll be honest about it. Daddy can't be honest. It would hurt my feelings. It's a husband kind of thing. But I know you'll tell me the truth and that's good."

"It looks good."

"Thanks. It doesn't look good when it's too blonde."

"Especially when you're not really a blonde."

"Um, yeah. Again, thanks for the honesty."

I'd better not asking her about that little wrinkle between my eyebrows.

Seriously, with all her daughterly honesty, she made me one of the best birthday gifts I've ever received. Dinner.

Daughter decided she wanted to make my birthday dinner. With Hubs' help, she made oven-fried chicken, tangy mixed veggies and french bread. She also got out the cloth napkins and china (her mama's doing a little dance) with pretty tablecloth. Strawberry punch was served in our glass stemware and Hubs' cookies were dessert. (Yes, Hubs makes cookies. They made me swoon over him in college. That's a post of itself.)

It was one of the nicest birthdays I've had. Family from far away called. Friends emailed and one even called me to sing. (Yes, sing!)

Thirty-nine was a good year. And I'm still holding.

7 comments:

Melanie said...

Well Happy Birthday! I will be 42 in February. They come around way too fast. It sounds like you had a great day and enjoyed your daughter cooking for you.

I am off to get my hair colored on Tuesday and you know it will be the first time up her in Kentucky. Let's pray I come out with blond and not purple:)

The Bug said...

Wow - I wanna come to YOUR house for dinner! And I want to hear the cookie swoon story...

Happy birthday!

Anonymous said...

Happy, happy (late) birthday, friend of mine!!!!! So glad it was a good one. I said goodbye to 39 back in August. . .but it was not a sat goodbye. . .:)

Amy said...

My dad used to always say that having a birthday and getting older isn't so bad...and it is way better than the alternative!!

I am glad you had a happy day!!

Amy

P.S. 40 isn't so bad :)

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday! Sounds like you had a good time!

Carpool Queen said...

Sounds like a perfectly lovely day. Especially with the new hair and the husband approving of it.

I had a similar conversation about hair with my 75 year old mother this morning. She dyes it, and asked me if I thought she was too old to be coloring her hair. When I told her "no", she looked me square in the eye and made me promise to be honest with her.

It's times like this morning that I really wish I had a daughter.

Happy belated birthday. I'm 39 and holding for 17 more days.

Tari said...

Belated happy birthday! I've been in the 39-year-old's end of the pool for 6 months now, and I like it. Think about it:

You have a whole entire year left to say to people "well, for goodness sake I'm not even 40 yet!"

Do it a lot. And enjoy.