Turning 4-0

On Tuesday, May 10, 2016 this bicentennial baby turned the big 4-0.  

Forty.

FOUR TEE.

Not possible.

Ok so we all know B-rad doesn't get to celebrate my birthday unless it's raining... & since it's been raining for 40 days & 40 nights (no '40' pun intended....) he got to come to my birthday dinner at moms house (which I moved up to the week before my birthday because it had been raining & I knew B-rad wouldn't be able to plant.)  AND then he was able to go out to dinner w/ Brian, Shauna & the kids on my actual birthday Tuesday night.

Brian lovingly drew a sweet funny picture for me on the card envelope...

40, 40, 40 blah blah blah...

Now THIS is a message I can get behind!  

 I love that  Ally wrote me a note...

 And even little Dylan wrote his name on my card.

(And DUH I know Dylan can write & this is not giant feat, but we have a weird relationship...sometimes he talks to me, sometimes he doesn't.  And I'm ok w/ that - I know kids can be fickle sometimes.  But we're making baby steps, people - he wrote his name on my card!  Score!)

So I have to tell you the story of this video (ya'll know there's ALWAYS a story...).  Shauna tried to get Dylan to kiss me on the cheek & he refused  We finally bugged guilted him into agreeing & his mom bribed him w/ candy!

So if you're keeping score it takes:

2 pieces of chocolate, a lot of cajoling & me saying, "Come on man - it's my birthday!" 

for him to agree to kiss me on the cheek...

Then he told his dad, 'do NOT post this!  I mean it!'.  Ya'll - he's EIGHT.  It amazes me what little kids know about social media.

I KNOW I looked pained but here's what happened - I didn't think this all the way through.  While I was on board w/ begging & bribery, when he came at me I thought, "Oh-I wonder if there's food on his face?"  THEN - the little punk didn't even actually kiss me!

He still got his chocolate though...  

The night after my birthday we had an impromptu dinner w/ some of B-rad's family from Arkansas.  They were in town for one night & we went to Joe's Crab Shack for dinner.  We've never been there & I'm not a big seafood fan but B-rad LOVES crab legs.

The place was extremely LOUD.  Like Sandra (from Arkansas) was sitting 2 people away from me & we couldn't even hear each other talk.  That was a major thumbs down because I like to talk.  The waiters & waitresses have funny sayings on their shirts (i.e. 'Got Crabs?') & there are other dirty sayings around the place so that was a thumbs up.  

They brought out bibs & each one had pictures drawn on them or sayings - I picked this one out for B-rad... 'Show me your mussels & I'll show you mine!'

 I got the boring White fish & B-rad got all you could eat Crab legs.  (Since we hardly ever go to seafood he was all about all you could eat crab legs!)  Ya'll-I was mesmerized watching him prepare them eat - I just sat there & stared at him.  There is serious work involved in eating crab legs.

And it's seriously messy.  They have pails set down inside the table for seafood schrapnel.  Gross.

Clearly he was excited & tearing into those things because he flipped one onto my leg.  

Interesting tid bit - when he did this he tried to reach down to grab it & I said, "NO-I'm taking a picture!" Instead of waiting for me to get done & THEN throwing it in the schrapnel pail he just went on eating & I had to throw it out when I was finished.

 I wanted to have the waitress take a picture of us after we were done eating, but Brady was ready to go so I had to chum up w/ the ladies at the table beside us & ask them to take a picture for me.  The lady I asked told her friends, 'oh yea - SEE-I'm not the only one who likes to take pictures!' so we were all talking & laughing about that.  (That will be important in a minute...)

While I was waiting for everyone to eat their weight in crab legs a waitress comes up beside me & said, 'I hear today is your birthday?' &she had like a wig & stuff.  I looked up at her & said, "No - it isn't."

So my evil brother in law told them it was my birthday (ok it was either him or Sandra-but she's a guest so I can't call her evil...) & they put this gettup on me.

(You know you're old when they give you a hot pink wig & you say, "How many other heads has this thing been on?")

 Listen carefully to what the girls announces to the whole entire place what I'm gonna do.   UHM, I say a cuss word & you can hear my brother in law roaring w/ laughter in the background.  You will see me turn & ask the ladies at the next table to help me... & this is why I'm glad I was extra nice to them when I asked about a picture...

  

After we finished eating we went outside so we could talk for a bit (since you couldn't hear yourself inside!) & I wanted to take another picture.  There wasn't anyone around to ask so I walked back inside & asked the person at the hostess desk to come out & take our picture.

And if you think I didn't you don't know me at all...

 So everyone asks, 'does it feel any different being 40?'  The answer is yes & no.  I 'feel' no different, but there's something mentally different about being FORTY.  

Dads words of wisdom to me were, 'Well sissy, you know really - you've lived probably half your life already.'

Gee thanks, dad.

But really - he's right... & that is a little strange to think about.  I'm sure the thoughts will dissipate as my birthday gets farther away & the spectacle of saying 'HA HA you're FORTY' wears off... 

or at least I HOPE it does...