Happy Birthday to Me!

Today is my 35th birthday.

This morning I got a bug to find a childhood birthday photo and email it to my parents. These are what I found.

The first photo was taken on my first birthday in 1971. On the back, my mother wrote: "Then here when I said ready she put her hand in the cake and start sticking the knife in it (Isn't it cute)". A one-year old with a knife, yeah, real cute! But I have to admit it makes a good photo. Apparently I inherited my tendency to put off getting my film developed from my mom, because the photo border is stamped by the developer "APR 72"!

The second photo isn't dated, but I put it in the middle because (a) I look younger than in the third photo, and (b) I was small enough to wear an outfit that was later worn by my life-size doll Maritza (named after a relative). [Update 10:17PM: Scott just pointed out that there are three candles on the cake--DUH!!!] The third photo is dated 1975. I remember this dress from kindergarten school photos.

Other than a party at the end of the month, I've had no real plans, thoughts or ideas about what I'd like to do today. Instead I've experienced lovely surprises all week! Monday, my new friend Suzette gave me a cookbook: Filipino Cuisine Made Easy! Tuesday, Phil presented me with an amazing glass tile (a coffee cup, complete with glittering coffee and wispy steam) he created himself. Then came a beautiful card from my parents, and a boisterous email from my cousin Cherry. This morning I received an early morning long-distance call from Lisa, my best- friend-from-the-seventh-grade. Her birthday is October 1 and for years we used to track each other down for a birthday phone call, no matter how long it had been since we last heard from each other! Today, Scott is coming home a few hours early. I still don't know where I'd like to go for dinner, but I'm certain it will be wonderful.