Happy Birthdays

Yesterday was the Hubbs birthday. We didn't really celebrate it yesterday, but we had a mini celebration over the weekend and we will have another one with friends next weekend. I got him a gas grill, which is something he had been wanting for a while now, and my son gave him a cap. Then on Sunday we went to a restaurant for a little dinner celebration to his favorite BBQ joint. Overall I think he had a great birthday or at least I hope he did.
To me birthdays are extremely important celebrations. I try to make everyone's birthday special, let it be by doing a small dinner with the family or a big birthday party with friends. My son is going to be 7 in May and we have celebrated every one of his birthdays with a party. To me and the Hubbs this is important in a child's life because we didn't have that growing up. I had two birthday parties that I can remember and one was more for my mother than me (Quincianera 15th bday). Some of my friends would have birthday parties every year and I remember I would beg my parents to make me one too, but it never happened. Maybe because my birthday was right after the Holidays, but for whatever reason I never had one. I do remember that on my twelve birthday I begged my mom to throw me a party and she went as far as to invite a couple of my friends after Sunday church and that was it. It wasn't an actual party, but to this day I remember it as if it had been. To this day I still remember how disappointed and sad I would get.
There were years when I didn't even get a birthday present much less a party and as a parent I don't ever want my children to feel that way. As their mother I want them to know how grateful we are that they are able to be with us another year and that deserves a celebration. I don't think it's so much about how big a party or present you give someone on their birthday. It's more about letting them know that you care enough about them and you remember.

No love for Valentine's Day

I don't believe in celebrating Valentine's Day. I know this might sound like I'm bitter about the day, but I'm really not. I just think it has become a very commercialized day and it is no longer about love or friendship. In my opinion people celebrate it now to keep up with the trend. When I was single I began to see how a lot of my friends automatically expected something on that day and if they didn't get it their boyfriends had a lot of making up to do. When the hubbs and I began dating I made it a point that I didn't want him to get me something on that particular day just because everyone was expected to do it. I would rather have someone give me something because they thought about me out of the blue and not because they felt they had to do it. The hubbs agreed with me and I have learned to love his randomness. When I least expect it he comes home with a little something and that is more of a surprise than a heart filled with chocolates on Valentine's Day.

Before I didn't celebrate the day at all, now because of my son I have learned to deal with the friendship side of it. We get him little Valentine cards for him to give to his little classmates at school, it's adorable more so because they celebrate without an agenda behind it. They're sincere.
Don't get me wrong I have nothing against the people who choose to celebrate the day, it's the fake feelings and commercialism behind it that make me not want to celebrate it myself.