Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me…

Well, it happens after you are married to someone who doesn’t understand why we need to celebrate birthdays at all!

Birthday was a special day for us, back at home. My mom used to bake us delicious cakes (yum-scrum!), with all the frills and to top it all – with the icing on top (Happy bday da, da, da…) for each of our birthdays. The whole process of preparation was itself fun (My sis & I, under the premise of helping mom with the baking, help with eating the cherries, cashews, raisins and even lick up the leftover batter and the icing instead!). And on the d-day, mom used to play the tape with the birthday song (the same that we’ve listened to for as long as I can remember) – the birthday baby (dad, mom, sis or myself) gets to make a wish, blow the candles, cut the cake and resume our otherwise routine day. We used to get each other surprise gifts – big or small didn’t matter – it was the gesture that was all important.

Now after marriage and two kids, it’s only these fond memories that remain. I try to (first) gently remind my hubby almost a month back…

Me: (clearing my throat) my birthday’s coming up (again, clearing my throat) what do you plan to get me this time around?!
Hubby: Well, you’ve got a car, you’ve got a card…go ahead, buy anything you want!
Me: What do you mean? You’re supposed to buy me something as a gift!
Hubby: Ok, what do you want?
Me: I dunno. You’re supposed to come with an idea. Buy anything you think I’ll like.
Hubby: Phew! How about a watch? Or how about some gold ornament? That would be an investment as well!
Me: There you go again! Thinking of making an investment rather than buying me a gift.

It’s the same story every year. But I’m not giving up. Try and try until you succeed, they say. Put on the long face, it helps sometimes. He gave in last year. Bought me a solitaire. This year, I grabbed an outfit (for once, I didn’t care about the price tag!). Today, I’m dressed in it. Because…it’s my birthday!

Thank you,
Espresso