They say it’s my birthday

/ Meg

Happy birthday to me


Growing up, having a summer birthday was the worst.

Where other kids in elementary school got special cupcakes, treats and pats on the back all day on the occasion of their birth, those of us cursed with non-school-day celebrations were recognized in a lump at the very end of the year. No colorful pencils. No birthday song. On the final day of school, everyone with a late June, July or August birthday was mentioned during the morning announcements — names blared over the loud speakers in one fluid rush.

“And, finally, happy birthday to those celebrating over the summer: KrissyThompsonJennaSmithMeganSniderLesleyAtkinsJohnnyMiller . . .”

So much for a moment in the sun.

To be fair, my parents were always outstanding about recognizing the colossal importance of birthdays. In fact, they’re the ones who spoiled us to death — and first put the idea of Birthdays are Awesome in my frizzy head. Long before Facebook sent out timely reminders of friends’ special days, my mom and dad made sure everyone in our social circle remembered that, though our birthdays weren’t recognized with our classmates, our days were important. They took us to the movies, baked cakes, had the friends not gone on summer vacation over for themed parties. We went all out.

My sister and I were born three years and five days apart, making us both July babies. I’m the 18th (today!); my dad is actually the 19th; and my sister is the 23rd. This trio has been dubbed “Christmas in July” for all the celebrating we do in a short period of time, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. The pains to which our parents went to make us feel special meant that, even without the classroom cupcakes, we got our chance to shine.

As an adult, birthdays are less exciting. There’s no morning announcement, no day off work. Where once my mom took off to take us for a special lunch and do some shopping at a local music store, vacation time is now in short supply . . . and, heck, music stores don’t even exist anymore.

I’m starting my 28th year at my desk, same as I have for most of the last seven, but that’s all right. I know my fiance and family will be waiting (with dessert!) when I get back, and that’s a gift itself.


28 thoughts on “They say it’s my birthday”

  9. I can relate to so many parts of this blog. My birthday is in August which means the depths of winter for me. Have a great day 🙂

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  15. Happy birthday!! I feel you on the suffering of summer birthdays — I’m a late June baby — not only did I not get school birthday celebrations, but my birthday was smashed in with my brother’s and/or other relatives. Le sigh! Thankfully, my wife and I celebrate the birthday ‘month’ so if a birthday is lame, we’ve got 29 more days to celebrate. We created this routine when, for the last nine years, I had to work at a conference on my birthday.

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  16. Happy birthday Megan!! I hope it’s a beautiful day even though you’re sitting at a desk and I’m sure that Spense of yours has the good sense to spoil you rotten tonight. I’m an August birthday so depending on the year I’ve had some birthday in school and some during the summer. It does seem like summer birthdays get overlooked! Be sure to share what kind of dessert you’ll be celebrating with tonight. 😉

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  18. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

    If it makes you feel any better, when I was little I was always jealous of the kids with summer birthdays (mine is in January) because they NEVER had to go to school on their birthday, they didn’t have to worry about doing homework before birthday dinner/cake, and they could have cool pool parties (or, even better, parties at Splash Town aka the best water park in San Antonio). Grass is always greener, I guess. 🙂

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  21. Ooh I know what you mean for summer birthdays. But on the bright side, I always got an awesome outdoor pool party for my birthday! Well, sort of a pool party…if you count those little plastic playpools everyone had in their backyards in Illinois, haha.

    Enjoy your birthday! I hear 28 is a really good year 🙂

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  22. Today is my birthday as well. But unlike you, I have always been glad my birthday is in the summer. I never wanted the attention. And now I am 36 and I still don’t like the attention. I try to keep a low profile at work, maybe leaving a little early. I almost made it through today…no one knew. Until my parents sent this ridiculously large balloon cluster. I lovemy parents dearly, but that walk from reception back to my hole in I.T. was a long one.

    Anyway…happy birthday to us. Enjoy it!

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  23. My birthday has taken its turn over the years… see I am in the group of people born on one of the whopping seven days that periodically fall on Mother’s Day 🙂 When I was a kid I always hated it, now my mom and I will grab dinner and a drink together and call it a day…<3

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  24. Happy Birthday! I have a summer birthday, too, and I was always the youngest one of my friends. This was okay until the major ones – 16, 18, and 21. I was left being the younger one while they could all go off and do “of-age” things!

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  28. Yeah, adult birthdays are definitely downplayed. Boo!

    And being born in early September, I usually got looked over in the labor day and back to school stuff. It was too early for people to really know me, my birthday would be over by the time it seemed okay to celebrate… so it would be kind of like, “What’s the point?” But one time, my friends in 7th grade celebrated my half-birthday in March so I could celebrate at school. That still, obviously, stands out to me as an awesome act of kindness.

    Happy belated birthday! 🙂

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