thirty down

Thirty years ago today my mom woke up, looked at her very pregnant belly and told me that if I wasn't going to come out today I could just stay there forever. Afterall, I was already 2 weeks late, it was a heat wave, and she was pretty much done with being pregnant. And I could tell she was serious. A few short hours later, I was born - and the world was never the same!

It seems that not everyone has the same feeling of pure joy over birthdays that I do. But, birthdays are among my favorite things. My birthday, your birthday, anyone's birthday! I love celebrating them, I love making them important. Perhaps it's because my parents spent a lifetime of making me feel like my birthday was such an important day.

I've had a series of fabulous birthdays. I remember my 4th birthday, the Inside Out Backwards birthday, where all my friends had to wear their clothes inside out and backwards. Kermit the Frog was at that birthday too. I remember one year when my mom made a barbie birthday cake for me, where the skirt was the cake, and the doll body and head was stuck into the top. I remember my 10th birthday, celebrated on our boat in Watch Hill, RI. I was very excited to be turning a double-digit age. And I remember they bought and wrapped TEN presents. I also remember thinking, man one day I'll CLEAN UP! You know, like when I turn 17. SEVENTEEN PRESENTS! Sadly, wee Jenni, it doesn't always go that way. I also remember a different boat birthday when mom made a cake that had chocolate chip icing and was maybe decorated with twizzlers. I think in the past I've made mention of this cake, and there has been some contention about whether it existed. I remember it though, in the harbor of Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard.

Then there was my 18th birthday, where they pulled off the one and only surprise party I've ever had. And, I almost ruined that one - remember, Mom? I was so angry that Andrew wasn't answering the phone and was going to ditch me for birthday dessert that I refused to waste more time to use the bathroom at Memere's. So when we arrived back home and Andrew and all my other friends were hiding in the kitchen to jump out at me I had to run immediately to the bathroom to pee!

I kept the traditions going with a 25th birthday trip to Martha's Vineyard for the day, and a 24th birthday in NYC with tickets to a Red Sox/Yankees game. Not just any game either, the one where Nomar threw a fit and wouldn't play, Pedro was pitching, and Jeter dove into the stands after a foul ball and busted his face.

And, 30 is no different. Sure, there were small moments of "OH MY GOD, what am I doing with my life?" but those passed quickly. In reality, I'm a very lucky and fortunate girl. The first 30 years of my life have been full of unconditional love, unfaltering support, and faultless guidance from two of the best parents I've ever met. And while I suppose I can no longer blame them for any of my problems, as at 30 my life is certainly my own to mess up and has been for a while - I think we all know that they are there behind all of my successes, cheering me on, leading by example. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for always making me feel like I was something important! I'm excited to see what I can manage to do with the next 30 years!