Happy Birthday to Me

I'll admit that I was feeling down the last few days about my upcoming birthday. For the first time ever, I was concerned about getting older. I'm happier than I've ever been in my life, but my face has aged in the last year, a lot. I'm tired from a lack of sleep and it shows.

But I realized while nursing Ruby in the early morning hours of my birthday that it's ok if I look a little older. It's ok if I have laugh lines and wrinkles around my eyes. I'm a mom and I work hard at it. I've smiled more in the last year than I've ever smiled. Two years ago on my birthday we had started trying to conceive and I wanted a baby more than anything. Last year on my birthday, I was a hugely pregnant lady and wanted to hold my healthy and beautiful baby in my arms. This year on my birthday, those dreams had come true. As I was sitting in Ruby's nursery, holding her in my arms and watching her sleep, I felt my sadness disappear.

My birthday ended up being a great day. I got to sleep in while listening to the rain, David and Ruby bought me beautiful flowers and my first "Happy Birthday Mommy" card, we had a delicious lunch with friends and the Longhorns won. Friends and family called and sent messages all day telling me to have a wonderful birthday. One special friend even stopped by with an awesome gift, fabulous cupcakes, and some mommy words of wisdom.

And because no post is complete without a picture of Ruby Albina, here she is. With the birthday girl.