Birthdays - Are they really for me?

As my grade school friends can vouch for - birthdays really are not my thing.  Despite the good intentions of friends, family and co-workers, I often feel let down when "my big day" rolls around.  For my most recent birthday, Barry did a wonderful job of creating memories for me - he pulled out all the stops.  It was a birthday filled weekend and my birthday wasn't until Monday:

• Friday - Awesome dinner and socializing at Sakari Sushi Lounge. 
• Saturday -
• Visited with the family on the farm and celebrated our March birthdays - my cousin Ben (3/4), me (3/8) and my grandpa (3/9).  As always, a feast was prepared and enjoyed. My favorite part was my grandma's homemade Angel Food Cake.  It's the best you'll ever have and I swear she can whip one up and have it in the oven within six minutes.
• We also had our good friends the Carrolls (and their dog Micky) over for dinner.  Barry created an amazing salmon dish and had purchased a delightful chocolate dessert from Gateway Market.  We had great fun watching Gabe and Micky play, as well as catching up with each other and brainstorming ways to reach my fundraising goal by May 1, 2010. 
• Sunday - We relaxed at home, watched Notting Hill and Barry took me to the mall to go shopping!  We also attended our last Alpha Class at Lutheran Church of Hope. 
• Monday (my actual birthday) - Barry surprised me with flowers at work and he later took me to  Court Avenue Brewery where we dined with my birthday buddy and her husband. 

Whew, it was quite a celebration - no?  Then why have I been cranky these past few days? I blame my childhood birthday parties, which I'm forever ashamed of.  Why? Because I always threw a tantrum when I lost at a game (the most popular culprit was Red Rover, Red Rover). So I've decided to really enjoy my birthdays again, I need to publically apologize to my parents, my friends and their parents for my unlady like conduct.  Here it goes ...

I'm sorry for being a sore loser and expecting to be let through to "the other side" and win Red Rover, Red Rover.  Just because I was the birthday girl, didn't mean you had to let me win (it would have been nice, but what life lessons would it have taught me?). 

THANK YOU for all of the birthday wishes!!  I really did have a great one.  And, as Barry pointed out -- the alternative of not growing older is much worse.