close to perfect

I have not had a good last few weeks. Work has been frustrating, the boys have been frustrating, and there just hasn't been time to do most of the things I really want to do. So it is with pure, sweet joy that I report that I had the best birthday of my adult life. It wasn't all about me, and we didn't do anything terribly special (although Mike did take me out for dinner), but I got to spend my day happily doing things with the people I love the most.

The morning started out as most mornings do, with Liam waking me up. Only this time, he woke me up with cries of "Mama, it's your birthday! Happy birthday!" We got up and set about making a big, Sunday-morning-style breakfast, with eggs, sausage, hash browns, and cinnamon rolls. We decorated some sugar cookies.



Thus fortified with a hot and hearty breakfast, we all went outside and explored the yard, which was still encased from the ice storm. I took a bunch of pictures, and we played until all our cheeks turned red and our fingers got a little numb. Back inside, we put the sugar cookies in the oven and the kettle on the stove, and the boys enjoyed hot chocolate and fresh, warm cookies.






After lunch, while Max napped, Mike and Liam went on a series of secret errands while I got to watch some recorded TV shows (definitely a rare pleasure). Once Max woke up, we got all bundled up again and took the boys outside to go sledding. We have a tiny hill (not even a bunny slope) in our backyard, but the ice helped the sleds really go fast. I took some videos (below) and mostly just soaked up the boys' excited cries and laughter.





After that, it was time for cake (DQ ice cream cake!) and gifts (a tripod!). My very patient boys posed for me while I messed around with camera and tripod. Just look how handsome:


I had a couple of calls from faraway friends, and my family called to sing to me (they do it every year; Max begged them for an encore, but they refused on the grounds that once is bad enough per year). Loni came to watch the boys, and Mike took me out for seafood, just like he did on my birthday the year we started dating. The only dim spot on the day was that Liam pulled a heavy (unlit) candle down on his head and immediately got a huge goose egg (just as we were about to leave for dinner), but today the swelling is gone and he's barely got a bruise, so all's well that ends well.


I may have ended up right back at work this morning (yes, on a Sunday!), but yesterday was a damned fine day, just about as good as it gets.