Happy Birthday to me.

I think the crappiest thing about growing up is grown-up birthdays.

Gone are the days when you spend the day wearing a crown, proudly pronouncing your birthday to everyone you see. Gone are the days when birthdays mean slumber parties with pizza and junkfood and all your best friends surrounding you, giggling until they pee their pants. Gone are the days with a table full of presents just for you full of delightful surprises.

For some reason, as an adult, you are supposed to kind of keep your birthday a secret. If a friend happens to remember, you act surprised and happy and shame-on-you-for-making-a-big-deal-out-of-it-you’re-embarrassing-me.

One year, after a disappointing grown-up birthday when I didn’t feel special at all, I decided it was my own fault. People forgot my birthday because I let them. No more. There’s no shame in actually having a HAPPY birthday. So today… I’m happy.

Everywhere I go, I tell people it’s my birthday. "Here’s my credit card…it’s my birthday today." "Hello? No, I don’t want to refinance my house…but did you know it’s my birthday today?" And invariably, I get a smile and an enthusiastic "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" It makes other people, even strangers, happy to know it’s your birthday. I can’t in good conscience rob them of that joy.

As a present to myself, I think I’m going to go get my car detailed (it really needs it after our road trip!). There’s something about a super-clean car that is a real treat. And while I’m there, I’ll make sure to let people know that I’m special today. :)

p.s. Happy birthday also to Shelby Valadez who shares my exact birthday (as well as my daughter’s first and middle names…how weird is that?) and my mom whose birthday is tomorrow!

This entry was written by Shannon Montez, posted on January 9, 2007 at 11:16 am, filed under old blog. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. Trackbacks are closed, but you can post a comment.

22 Comments

  1. Kathi said . . .

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

    Posted January 9, 2007 at 11:47 am | Permalink
  2. Hilary said . . .

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHANNNON!!!!
    Too bad SB dreams is , you could go get a discount.
    Happy clean car!

    Posted January 9, 2007 at 12:30 pm | Permalink
  3. Nicola said . . .

    Happy birthday to you :)

    Posted January 9, 2007 at 12:32 pm | Permalink
  4. Kari said . . .

    Happy Birthday, girl! Maybe the reason kids get such fun birthdays is BECAUSE they let everyone know when it is and what they expect. The squeeky wheel gets the greese. I am glad you’re squeekin’ because you’re right, birthdays do make everyone happy. Now lets go party!!!

    Posted January 9, 2007 at 1:01 pm | Permalink
  5. julie said . . .

    Happy Birthday Shannon! You are right…you deserve to have a HAPPY day! =)

    Posted January 9, 2007 at 1:05 pm | Permalink
  6. Molly P said . . .

    A very very Happy Birthday to you, Shannon, and Shelby! i feel the same way, birthdays are meant to be special, no matter what your age!

    Posted January 9, 2007 at 8:14 pm | Permalink
  7. Shaunte said . . .

    Well HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I might try that this year. You used to get a free meal at Denny’s back in the day. Not that I would choose to eat there now. Milk it, I say!

    Posted January 9, 2007 at 8:48 pm | Permalink
  8. susan said . . .

    my birthday is a week before Christmas and the best thing we did was to Disney World as couple days surrounding it last year. Did you know if you are there for your birthday you can go get a pin that announces to the world that its your b-day!!?? Each cast member that see’s it HAS to wish you a happy birthday. I had so much fun that day that it was my birthday for 2 more days in different parks!!! So Cool!
    Happy Birthday to You!!

    Posted January 9, 2007 at 8:57 pm | Permalink
  9. Moriah Bettencourt said . . .

    Hey, I agree! I’m a fan of my birthday & I’m not ashamed. LOL

    I hope you had a great day!!!

    Posted January 9, 2007 at 9:18 pm | Permalink
  10. Lisa M. said . . .

    Happy birthday Shannon! Hope you had a great day yesterday with that nice clean car :D

    Posted January 10, 2007 at 7:11 am | Permalink
  11. stacy benintendi said . . .

    happy birthdy shannon! i hope your day was great.

    Posted January 10, 2007 at 7:22 am | Permalink
  12. april said . . .

    Hope it was a happy one! :)

    Posted January 10, 2007 at 9:24 am | Permalink
  13. Allison K said . . .

    Happy Birthday!
    Happy Birthday!
    Happy Birthday!

    Posted January 10, 2007 at 2:59 pm | Permalink
  14. kellicrowe said . . .

    happy birthday!
    i am very much for self promoting one’s birthday
    unless the spouce can step it up and announce it before every room you enter on YOUR day….oh, maybe with a little trumpet flourish
    and just know
    i would always be happy to come over to your house and wet my pants…for you.
    :)kellicrowe

    Posted January 10, 2007 at 9:32 pm | Permalink
  15. stephanie thiel said . . .

    Happy Birthday Shannon!
    Man you are one smart cookie!!
    My husband forgot mine…it really sucked. It’s taken me many, many sad birthdays to finally decide that I am responsible for my own happiness…it’s a choice. Next year I’m throwing myself a party.
    Afterall, Washington and Lincoln had THEIR day…We should ALL have one special day that is ours eh?

    Posted January 10, 2007 at 10:09 pm | Permalink
  16. Monica S said . . .

    Happy Birthday!!

    Posted January 11, 2007 at 4:40 pm | Permalink
  17. erin yamabe said . . .

    happy belated birthday!!!

    Posted January 11, 2007 at 11:32 pm | Permalink
  18. CK said . . .

    ha! that was a great read! Thanks for the smile Shannon! And a few days late, but Happy birthday! =)

    Posted January 14, 2007 at 10:38 pm | Permalink
  19. Mindy said . . .

    Shannon, please forgive me for not calling on your birthday. I hope it was fun! Sounds like you went to Spag Fact with Jami? Lu-cky! I have something for you–as soon as I drag my sorry tush to the post office, I will send it. Hope you had a great birthday!

    Posted January 16, 2007 at 3:06 pm | Permalink
  20. Lindsay said . . .

    Happy Birthday Shannon! I think I am going to follow your example next time my birthday rolls around. It should be a special day.

    Posted January 16, 2007 at 3:42 pm | Permalink
  21. kristen said . . .

    Hi Shannon. I just stole a peek at your photography web-site. You are a genious. If I could have but a bit of your creativity and talent… so cute. Too bad I live in AZ, I would book an appt with you today!

    Thanks for sharing. Love your Bday post. So true, and something I will try to do when the next birthday comes around. Happy Birthday!

    Posted January 24, 2007 at 8:57 am | Permalink
  22. Shelby said . . .

    hey…shows you how far behind i am on blog reading…lol! thanks for wishing me a happy birthday :)

    Posted February 11, 2007 at 11:42 am | Permalink

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