This is not meant to make anyone feel guilty.

  Everyone come over on to the rug, it's story time. No talking to your neighbor, and please keep your hands to yourself. Everyone ready?

  Once upon a time, the daddy took the mommy out for a nice lobster dinner on Christmas Eve, because he knew there wouldn't be a chance for another nice dinner for a while. You see, the mommy was going to have a baby soon. But the daddy didn't realize it would be that soon, because early the next day - Christmas Day - the baby was born. They named that Christmas baby Becky. And to celebrate Becky's birthday, the mommy would make lobster for dinner every Christmas Eve. Becky never really liked lobster, but since her mommy enjoyed the tradition of lobster on Christmas Eve, Becky kept her mouth shut. Finally, when Becky was 21, she told her mommy that she didn't like lobster, and couldn't they have something else?

  Now Becky is all grown up and is a mommy herself. She might get to choose her own birthday dinner, but it is never on her own birthday - always the day before. She is sometimes sad that she always has to share her birthday. Aside from her immediate family and a few friends, not many people remember that it is her birthday. It's especially depressing when she has to spend Christmas Day with her husband's family. None of them ever wish her a "Happy Birthday", or really even talk to her at all.

Isn't that a happy story boys and girls?

So as Christmas approaches, you'll know why I'm a little grumpy, maybe a little more whiny.

I'm done whining now, you may go back to what you were doing.

Another holiday birthday

It's Valentine's Day, a "holiday" that doesn't have much meaning for our family. Instead we celebrate something else: ten years ago, Katrina was born at 2:14 on 2/14.

Wow, double digits. I could get all sappy and say how time flies, it seems like only yesterday, etc. But it doesn't really. It just makes me feel old.

Since tonight is her piano lesson, we celebrated last night with dinner out (her choice - Chinese!) and then a trip to Culver's for ice cream. We had birthday cake last Thursday when my Mom and Dad were here. Katrina's birthday cake choice? Cheesecake! She opted out of a party this year (thank goodness!). Instead we're taking her annual trip to a museum, and she gets to bring a friend. She chose the Field Museum in Chicago (again). She absolutely loves that place. Then it's my favorite part - on the way home, we'll stop for dinner at Portillo's (Mmmm, a Big Beef with sweet peppers!). Now, I just have to wait the 11 days until we go.