today, I am old

I am not big on celebrating my birthday. Especially when it's my 36th birthday and it seems like just last year I was celebrating my 30th. But looking back, I'm in awe by how my life has changed.

When I was turning 30, I was living alone in a one bedroom apartment in Belmont Shore in Long Beach. My day's were spent with my career in marketing. My evenings often alone, or with friends, or strolling the shops in my neighborhood or taking a breather down the block at the beach.

My 30th birthday was a full day celebration. Not usually my thing, but I feel very lucky to have been able to do it that year. Our day started with a day at the spa and lounging in a pool. Followed by a yummy dinner at a sports/jazz joint. My girlfriend came down from Northern California and my family was able to celebrate too. It was a great day.

And I'm not suggesting birthday celebrations have been lacking since... They are just different.

Six years later, I have two babies. I live in a suburb of Minneapolis, thousands of miles from my family. But I have Jonathan. And Hadley. And Hayden. And they are my whole world.

My birthday, today, six years later, was spent waking up alone in a hotel room. I don't mean for that to sound sad, it's what I wanted to do. Jonathan took the night off last night so I could stay in a hotel alone. I haven't been alone since Hayden was born, so this was an incredible gift. I ordered room service. Watched TV. Blogged. SLEPT. Washed my hair. It was lovely.

And the day? Well, it was jammed pack with handling business related things and getting my oil changed. The little ladies and I did grab a scoop of ice-cream and we made a pot of spaghetti for dinner. They both went to bed around 7 and here I sit.

And it's not that I am complaining. Not one bit... I wouldn't have had it any other way. I'm just in awe by how different my life was six years a go, a time when "alone time" wasn't as coveted as it is today.

How did you celebrate your birthday this year?