Yesterday my daughter was talking about her birthday. She is already making a list for what she wants for her birthday this coming February. I don’t know if she realizes that she is skipping right over Christmas of if she simply realizes that she won’t possibly get everything on her Christmas list. Of course she still believes in Santa so she probably was just mentally counting all her bootie.
Usually the conversation starts out like this:
“Guess what’s after Christmas, Mom”
“New Years” I say.
“Do we get presents on New Years?” Daughter will ask.
“No, but it’s really important to be quiet on the first day of the new year, in fact it’s a great day to spend with your father.” I tell her
“Guess what’s after Christmas?”
“What’s after Christmas?”
“My Birthday!” Daughter says excitedly.
“No, my birthday, then your brother’s birthday and then your birthday” I remind her.
She doesn’t really care about all these other birthdays but since daughter and son both have a birthday within four days of each other, and her birthday is after his, we are caked out. I still make two cakes but there is always half of his left over. Last year I got balloons for son’s birthday, I would have gotten them for her too but his were still up and they said “Happy Birthday”. Yeah, I know, but he didn’t care to play with them, she just wanted more.
Anyway, I got to thinking about my birthday. Mine is in January and usually by December I have already aged myself. I suppose it’s just easier to start getting used to that higher number a month or two in advance. I never used to do this but my ex#2 always did and the habit stuck.
So I am in the shower yesterday thinking about my birthday and I realized I wasn’t sure how old I was. I thought I was 44 and was fine with that number except I knew I was not going to be 45 next month. That just wasn’t happening. It seems like yesterday I turned 40 so there was no way 45 had already snuck up on me. Also my brother had just turned 45 or 46 last month (I’m not really sure about his age either) and he is two years older than me so it didn’t seem possible. So I had to do the math.
I was born 1/17/1966
That makes me 43 for the moment and not 44 like I have been telling everyone, for nearly the last year, who asks.
They don’t usually ask, that would be rude, but I do because I like to compare myself to them if they are the same age as me (only if I look younger).
I have been nearly high on this information for the last day. I don’t usually care about my age but I am still surprised to find that things like Live Aid or the fall of the Berlin wall was 20 years ago. It seems like they just happened. Even 9/11 was almost ten years ago. Time flies and it seems to speed up as we get older.
Realizing I am a year younger is like finding a $100 that had been tucked away and forgotten about. It was always there but I had forgotten about it and now it is like free money.
I got a free year.
A free year is the best present anyone could ask for. If a way could be found to give them to others, you could start your own wholesale business.
Wingl: All anyone has to do is develop horrible math skills like me to lose a year, or possibly gain one. It’s a crap shoot, I got lucky this time.
Well I congratulate you on finding the secret to the fountain of youth. Now can you figure out how to subtract all of that cookie dough I ate yesterday? It’s stuck to my ass.
.-= Pricilla´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday (Almost) =-.
I just wish I could get about 20 free ones! Wouldn’t that be fun? Actually, since my son just turned 42, I can no longer convince him that I am 47. Sucks, huh?
Oh MAN, I’m older than you! That is so funny that you have been telling everyone WRONG. Sounds like something I would do!
That’s messed up. But I know how you feel. It happened to me when I was 29, and it happened to a co-worker of mine 2 weeks ago. I did however know exactly when I was turning 40…
.-= mike´s last blog ..Rich, Stupid, Famous People Who Should Spontaneously Combust =-.
Woo Hoo! You’re aging backwards!
Pricilla: Can’t help you there, I have been baking and baking (and of course testing) and it has all gone to my ass as well. What I’d give to erase half my ass…
Linda: Just tell him you adopted him when you were five.
Katherine: I know! It never works out that way. I was on your website the other day and my daughter came in the room, noticed the picture of you and the kid wearing the face masks, she asked me if that was a picture of me, I thought that was funny.
Mike: I remember 40 too. For some reason turning 25 has so far been the hardest for me. So long ago but it was worse than 30 or 40. I’m beginning to think they get easier.
CatLady: Yes and I think I will continue with this trend. Next month I am going to be 42.
I always start using my new age early too. I’ll be 32 on Dec. 31st! Congrats on being younger than you thought you were. 🙂
.-= Surfie´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday: Brandishing a Circular Saw. Yea, Power Tools! =-.
I’m 58 and I was 40 a few short years ago. They go by faster and faster the older we get. Sigh. Enjoy that 100 dollar feeling. I can so relate. I’ve done the same thing, but I wasn’t in my 40s when I misspoke my age.
Have a terrific day. 🙂
That happened to me once and it did feel great. Mind you, I also lost ten years once – and on the WRONG side of my age! Turned out I was 10 years older than I said. When that happens you know you’re getting old!
I’m actually relieved to learn that I’m not the only person out there to do this birthday confusion thing. For a year now, I’ve been telling people I’m 50. But I won’t actually be 50 until this Dec. 22. I thought something was wrong with me that I couldn’t remember how old I was until I read this. So thank you for being as senile as I am. 🙂
P.S. — I’d worry about hurting your feelings with this comment, but I know you won’t remember it by tomorrow.
You and “Benjamin Buttons.” How cool is that?! As I like to say, I may be getting older but I’ll always be immature. Congratulations on unbirthdaying yourself.
.-= injaynesworld´s last blog ..injaynesworld we come packaged in "A Plain Brown Wrapper…" =-.
Lucky! I would love to lose a year off my age, as in, old as dirt! Of course, the older we get the less our minds hold onto…..
Surfie: What a great day for a birthday, you don’t have to do any funny math. Only 32? I bet your joints don’t hurt and you still remember a lot of things. Enjoy it, it won’t last for too long.
Comedy Plus: When my brother was young, like 5 or 6, he noticed that time was already beginning to speed up, he looked at my father (who couldn’t have been more than 30 at the time) and said to him “time must be whizzing right by for you. This story was told at most of my brother’s birthdays. My brother is 45 or 46 and time is probably whizzing by him at an incredible pace now.
Babs: I can see myself doing that. I don’t feel any older than 22 or so (at least legal drinking age). My joints and wrinkles don’t feel the same way but on the inside I feel young.
Mike: I actually spit when I read your P.S. In a laugh and spit out whatever happens to be in my mouth when I read this. And you are right I won’t remember tomorrow. Happy 50th in case I forget.
Jayne: Unbirthdaying, a fantastic new word. My ex#2 is two years younger than me. On his birthday once I asked him how it felt to be a year older, he isn’t always the sharpest tack but he nailed it when he answered “Well, I’m still younger than you”
Buggys: *snap snap* you still there? Turn up the hear aid and put in your teeth. For a while I was telling everyone I was celebrating my 29th birthday…for the 13th time but the math is getting more difficult now.
Not getting any younger huh? You show ’em Jen!
I am constantly asking my husband how old I am. I can never seem to remember-a true sign of aging I guess. Maybe I can pay him to tell me I’m a year younger the next time I ask. I’ll probably forget I did it anyway so who can it hurt?
I love the be very quiet on the first day of the year rule. Pure parenting brilliance!
mrsblogalot: My kids can’t remember how old I am either, I have started telling them I am only 40. They know that much so 39 wouldn’t fly but I bet I can push the 40 for a few more years before they catch on. I don’t think men think about age as much as women do so I bet you wouldn’t have to pay him at all.
I haven’t really needed them to be quiet on the first in a long time, I’m usually asleep before the ball drops, but you never know, this year might be different. Sure!
I wish I were younger. I said something the other day about ” a 35 yr old shouldn’t hurt like this” and my boyfriend said “how old are you?”………. Oh yeah, I’m 36
see? you don’t need a man.
Hey, I would be celebrating a free month, let a lone a year.
I say Go For it!
.-= Maureen@IslandRoar´s last blog ..Spin Cycle: Holiday Baking =-.
Does that mean you get two birthday parties 😉 Congrats on having the extra year!
That makes you older than me :), by 28 whole days. I often can’t remember how old I am and have to do the math. Sadly, that started in my 30s.
Can you pick and choose WHICH year you get back?
That would be awesome.
Jenn: Funny, I wish I were 36. It was a great age. I knew everything I needed to know and I was still able to do most everything I wanted to do. I never took up skiing, I tried it once but it was disastrous and cold (-90 windchill). I wanted to try again but never got around to it. Now I have no desire at all.
Maureen: Absolutely, next month I’m having two birthdays.
Meghan: it does now. I just got the card in the mail telling me I need to renew my driver’s license on my birthday. Thankfully! I have been living with the most hideous picture for at least 4 years.
Anne: When you get to be my age things like this happen more and more. You’re just a whipper snapper, just wait 28 days and then you will know what it’s like to be old.
Mooog: If I could I would pick either 17 or 22. Those were both awesome years. Not so much since then.
you are still young, especially realizing that you are a year younger than what you thought.
what day is your daughter’s birthday? I was born in February also.
I like your math skills. See what you can do to claim an extra year for me too, please!
Half cakes for the kidlets might help cut down on cake overload. Make full batter.. use half.. freeze half until the next b’day. Just a thought. 🙂
It is crazy how as we age we tend to forget how old we really are. People like my husband never have a problem since he was born on a decade (1970) so he can easily do the math. I’m not so good with the adding, lol! 🙂
Redamethyst: My daughter is a Valentines Day baby. She was a scheduled c-section and if I had her on a friday I could get an extra day in the hospital. Valentines Day fell on a Friday that year, and I didn’t want her born on the 13th since that was the day my mother got sick back in 1970, which also happened to be a Friday.
Hilary: None of my math teachers appreciated my math skills but they might now, unless they are all dead which might be the case since they were ancient back then.
Half a cake? What a concept. I’d have never figured that out on my own. Really.
Web-Betty: My mom was also born on a decade so it’s really easy to know how old she is. My father was born in ’36 so if I knew how old he was I could easily figure out how old I was unless it was February or March and then I was screwed. My brother was born a day before Kennedy was shot so I usually get a hint of how old he is every year on the anniversary, though now it seems its only on the decades.
Wow, that is a lot to remember Jen. 😉
Now THAT is a great Christmas present to yourself!!!!
I think a free year is great….but when you figure out how to erase 5 years, please let me know!!
I can’t seem to remember how old I am either. I always have to do the math first. Every time. Which, of course, is a sign of just how old I am. Ugh.
This is funny as I just left SpicyBugz World and Ma and Pa Kettle easily explained how to do simple basic math. Something our kids need to be taught in school using a pencil and paper and not these dang computers. Here is the video that explains it http://www.spicybugz.com/2009/12/18/25-divided-by-5-is-14
For instance, Jen you are mistaken on your age, sorry to say and here is the simple math:
You were born 1-17-1966 now the simple math is:
1+17=18
1+9+6+6=22
18+22=40 !! See very basic math, you are actually Forty years old
I hope this helps to clear things up, now if congress could just grasp simple basic math
I’m a Jan birthday girl too. I’ve never been really “jipped” but I’ve always felt really bad for December babies.
Congrats on gaining an extra year. I sure could use one.
Too funny! You are only a year older. I was in Philadelphia for Live Aid. WHAT an insane mess that was. :S
I am a January birthday too! Mine is 1/16 🙂
My daughter was always planning her NEXT birthday before the current one even happened. Her birthday is in April. So in March she was already planning the following year in addition to the one a month ahead.
[…] birthday is this Sunday. I am finally going to be 44. Since I was only 43 for about three weeks I’m not sure I should really be calling myself 44 yet but the DMV isn’t giving me a […]