Another Birthday for the Books

Here are some things that might happen on your birthday if you are mom to four kids:

• The youngest two girls crawl into your bed and wake you up with a sweet snuggle and heart-felt "Happy birthday, Mom!" - or in the case of the articulation-challenged child, "Mmm-pee bee-bee Mama!"
• Because the older kids eat ravenously and constantly, all your money goes toward groceries and you can't afford to go out to dinner. You make one of your favorite dishes, shepherd's pie. Everyone likes it, particularly the two-year-old, who discovers that she can form balls out of it with her hands when no one's watching. (Shepherd's pie balls are, as everyone knows, best stored under one's butt, if one is seated in her high chair).
• You are given lovely flowers at work, which you bring home from the office so you can enjoy them every day. Within an hour you are sweeping up dirt in the dining room and re-assembling the plant because someone's spastic arm knocked it off the table. (All these growth-spurty limbs aren't exactly graceful).
• You spend the evening shopping! Birthday gifts, baby!: a purse, fake nails and lip gloss. No, not for yourself. One of the kids is attending a birthday party the next day. (Did I mention the purse is adorned with peace signs and rainbows, and the fake nails have unicorns on them?)
• You count your blessings as another year begins, feeling so incredibly thankful for these kids, this life!