Happy Birthday To Me!

There are three hundred and sixty-four days when you might get un-birthday presents ... and only one for birthday presents, you know.
- Lewis Carroll

Happy Birthday To Me! :-) Today, on my birthday, we had a beautiful day. I took the girls to Disneyland by myself- Mr. Mustard is back to working loooong hours- so I decided to make a full day of it.

It was cold and raining when we left our house. I don't think it's rained here in a year and yet it just HAD to rain on my birthday! But really, I was thankful because I knew that meant that Disneyland would be deserted and we'd have the whole place to ourselves. Yea!



When we got there, it was still raining but then just like that it stopped and it was a gorgeous day. And we really did have all of Disneyland and California Adventure to ourselves. Most of the rides we just walked right up to and climbed aboard!

Since it was my birthday, I got a little button to wear saying "Happy Birthday, Erika!" I have to say, I want to wear that button everytime I go to D-Land from now on. Haha! Everyone was soooo nice to me- and I would be walking through the park and someone would say, "Happy Birthday, Erika!" That happened about 50 times today- and it made me smile.



Since I had a button to wear, Paprika and Ginger wanted buttons, too. So, they got "My First Visit" Buttons- they have never gotten a "first visit button" before, so I didn't feel too bad.

But really? If my math is correct, I think this was Ginger's ninth visit to Disneyland, and Paprika's thirty first. So, I really just needed to Sharpie the number 3 in front of the number 1 on Paprika's button and it would have been perfect! Haha!



We rode all the rides we wanted to ride (some of them over and over and over again), and saw all the shows we wanted to see...and just had a wonderful day together. We were there for nine hours, so we really didn't miss a thing!



Everyone keeps asking me what I'm going to do next. If I'm going to write more books, or go back to being an attorney, or go back to working in reality TV, or basically...what am I going to do with my life?

I have to say that I have never been happier than in the role I am in right now as a mom. I never would have expected to be so fulfilled and happy by being home with our girls. I know it's a season and that my life won't always be this way, and that at some point I probably will go off and contribute to the world in a different way.

I'm not saying it's always easy. Being home is challenging, rewarding, and a full-time job. At least for me, it's a lot to handle. I am enjoying every second of it and I am so grateful that I get to do it. I was raised by a single, working-mother, so I know too well how blessed I am to have the opportunity to be home with our girls.

I guess birthdays make me more reflective than usual (and that's saying something- ha!)...but really, what is more important than family and the time we spend together? Knowing how fleeting childhood is, I am so glad that I am able to soak up each moment with these girls. It's the greatest birthday present in the whole wide world. :-)