Happy Birthday to me!

This has been a birthday to remember. I haven't had such an event made of my birthday since I was a wee tot. I've always had friends around, like at Feast last year, but that was an existing event that my birthday was absorbed into. This year it was all about me, and I liked it.

I had told David months ago that I really wanted to see Little Shop of Horrors at the Mayfield Dinner Theatre, and the end of the run for that coincided with my birthday. He commented that it would be impossible to use that as a surprise, as I was likely to go ahead and book tickets on my own just to be sure I'd get to see it. I let it go and didn't bring it up, hoping that it would indeed be my birthday event. As it got closer to my birthday, he started making comments about how quickly my birthday was coming up, asking what I wanted to do, etc. I was suspicious that it was just a red herring, but there was the niggling wonder that maybe he did wait too late to get tickets and was really at a loss for what to do.

On Halloween, the Friday before my birthday, the kids were trick-or-treating with their mom. I was home sick and David called to ask if I was going to be okay for that night.

"What's tonight?"
"Date night! Dinner and Saw V."
"I don't want to see Saw V."
"C'mon, it's Halloween and date night."
"I don't want to see Saw V."
"Maybe we'll see Quarantine instead. Just be ready at 6:30. Shit, your birthday is coming up really fast. Tonight can double as your birthday night out."

Hmm. Be ready to go out to movies I didn't really want to see for a date/birthday night? That smelled like a setup for a suprise night at the dinner theatre! When I chose Tony Roma's as the restaurant so we could relive our first date and we actually went, I realized there was no dinner theatre in store that night. It was still a good night; we shared Kickin' Shrimp and a couple other appys, then went home to watch movies. I began to wonder if I'd be disappointed over the theatre.

On Saturday I was led to believe that we were staying in. There were a lot of comments about how we'd have the kids and that David's mom was making supper. Then after soccer, I was advised to take a nap because it was going to be a late night. Hmmm. I asked about attire and was told that he'd be wearing a long sleeved shirt and dress pants. Hmmm! Around 6:30 we were ready and heading out the door, but I was still being asked where I wanted to go for dinner. I was pretty sure we were probably going to Little Shop, but he did have me doubting it. David tried very hard to keep it a surprise, even driving right past the Mayfield under the guise of cruising for restaurants. Eventually we pulled into the parking lot of the Mayfield and picked up the tickets he'd booked a month prior.

The show was fantastic. I loved it at all and was over the moon at this big night out for my birthday. The artistic director at work, Farren, played Seymour and did a great job. The food was better than Jubilations. There was a minor incident with sushi; David was trying some selections from the sushi platter and nagged me into trying a piece. I can't say I don't like it if I don't try it, right? So I tried it. And something in the roll I had was of just the right texture to trigger my sensitive gag reflex, resulting in me excusing myself to the ladies room as quickly but unobtrusively as possible. We got home late and I opened my first present, which was a new chenille bathrobe.

Sunday was a birthday-free zone. I wasn't feeling well but the kids had been promised a trip to WEM. I was in no shape to go swimming, so David took the littlest one to the waterpark while I went with the other to Galaxyland. I usually do pretty well on rides, but not when I'm already sick. The Swing of the Century did me in. I think Monday was also a birthday-free zone, but I don't really remember anything about Monday.

Tuesday morning I was treated to David's special pan scramble breakfast. Eggs pan scrambled with bacon bits, bell peppers, and cheese. Yum! I also got another present, which was a Flight of the Conchords CD. David went off to work, I got the kid onto the school bus, went back to bed for a little bit, and I got to work somehow or another. At work Tammy had a box of chocolate and some fancy soaps for me. David took me out for a birthday lunch at Ricky's, which is where we met for the first time. We even got 'our' booth. There was another present, which was the DVD of the 1986 Little Shop of Horrors.

At some point that morning, I found out through Facebook that my chosen birthday dinner of chicken fajitas had been expanded into an impromptu SUPER PARTY. People were being invited. A buzz was being created. We were going to need more food, so I volunteerd my pizza making skills. Board games and video game consoles were moved upstairs. In the space of 7 hours, my quiet family dinner turned into a party of 7 other adults and three kids, and two babies. Yikes! We had chicken fajitas, barbecue chicken pizza, some sort of meat pizza, and chips and salsa. The kids did kid things while the adults played Uno. Once the kids had gone home or to bed, as applicable, the remaining five of us opened gifts (a book, candy, beads, candles, and a nice new coat) and played a game of Scene It!. We wrapped up around 10:30. Once everyone was home we cleaned up and went to bed. For a party that was planned in less than seven hours, I think it was quite a success.

Very good birthday. I'd say that it was best birthday in my adult life. I could get used to this.