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Happy Birthday, Dear Me, Happy Birthday to You

I have sort of been dreading tomorrow all year. Today is my last day being on the correct side of the thirty-divide. Tomorrow, I will be 35-years-old.

Every once in a while this year, the fact that I was almost 35 would float into my mind. It was the age you always read about in books in regards to fertility. The age where fertility falls off the cliff, where chromosomal abnormalities go up, where miscarriage rates increase. On one hand, it feels really silly to look at 35 as this big, flashing red number when you had high FSH at 27 and implantation issues. But just as I can’t dismiss the half hour after eating in regards to swimming or the eight hours in regards to sleep or the five-second-rule, I can’t erase that this number is also ingrained in my head as a warning, a threshold, a no-going-back point.

Gulp.

Me, still 34 this past weekend, talking to the ChickieNob off-camera

Okay, so good things that happened this year: the twins started school and I survived (oh, and they survived too). I finished writing Navigating the Land of If and it came out. I wrote my first chicklit book. I finally got to see Smith Island after being in love with it for many years. I continued to be mushy-in-love with Josh. I went to BlogHer, my first conference ever. And I aged one more year and I aged one more year and I aged one more year, and while that may not seem like a large accomplishment, we are all too keenly aware of the alternative. So a year should be celebrated.

I was about to list sad things that happened this year, but fuck that. Not every post needs to be symmetrical. It’s my birthday tomorrow. Let’s celebrate instead.

Showing off the manicure that I got over the weekend. I look like an adult!

And yes, the red nail polish means that I chose the red bag…

0 comments

1 In Due Time { 06.01.09 at 7:15 am }

Happy early Birthday!!! 🙂

2 Heather { 06.01.09 at 7:16 am }

Happy Birthday!!

3 Wishing 4 One { 06.01.09 at 7:23 am }

Happy Happy Birthday Lolli. (Even though I chose the black bag with feathers, I think the red bag and that sexy new manicure is going to be super hot! Do post pics for us to see how lovely you look.)

Again, happy birthday my friend and congrats on a year of great accomplishments, wishing you many, many more to come.

4 Jenn { 06.01.09 at 7:36 am }

…..Singing Happy Birthday to you……..(well…maybe not)
It’s the thought that counts, right?

LOVE LOVE LOVE The red nail polish and matching fantastic youthful smile!

HUGS

5 •´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Trish.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´• { 06.01.09 at 7:51 am }

Happy birthday … have a super day

6 birdsandsquirrels { 06.01.09 at 7:53 am }

Happy Birthday!

7 jill { 06.01.09 at 7:55 am }

Happy Birthday! 🙂

8 one-hit_wonder { 06.01.09 at 7:55 am }

Happy birthday!

9 Emmy { 06.01.09 at 7:58 am }

Happy birthday tomorrow!!

I think it’s good not to post the bad stuff that happened in the past year, focus on the good!

I hope your 36th year is filled with lots of love and joy.

10 LJ { 06.01.09 at 8:03 am }

Such a pretty princess! happy birthday!

Much love from the badgers.

11 imafishey { 06.01.09 at 8:05 am }

Happy Birthday!

TheMrs

12 Ellen K. { 06.01.09 at 8:08 am }

Happy birthday, dear Mel!

13 Queenie. . . { 06.01.09 at 8:13 am }

Happy birthday! And it’s really not so bad on this side of the fence, fertility issues aside. I still feel like I’m 12 most of the time. Love the nails-very sassy!

14 Lavender Luz { 06.01.09 at 8:14 am }

Omedetoo gozaimashita!

Mabruk! Eid milad sa’id!

Feliz Cumpleanos!

Enjoy your fete-ing. I am so happy for the happy things this year.

15 Tash { 06.01.09 at 8:17 am }

Happy Birthday!

And oh honey, wait until 40 to think about your body falling off a cliff. I’d be 35 again tomorrow if I could. Sigh.

16 Melissa { 06.01.09 at 8:17 am }

Happy Birthday!!

17 loribeth { 06.01.09 at 8:23 am }

From where I sit, you’re still a spring chicken!! Happy birthday!!

18 Jill { 06.01.09 at 8:36 am }

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

19 Kristin { 06.01.09 at 8:38 am }

Happy Birthday you gorgeous thing!

20 N { 06.01.09 at 8:42 am }

A very happy birthday in advance!!

21 S { 06.01.09 at 8:51 am }

Happy birthday!!!

I turned 38 in March and have LOVED being in my 30s!!

22 Delenn { 06.01.09 at 8:52 am }

Happy Birthday, you young one!

23 Jamie { 06.01.09 at 8:58 am }

Happy Birthday, Mel! I hope tomorrow is wonderful!

24 Eve { 06.01.09 at 9:02 am }

Happy Bday to you! I’m so feeling it myself these days!!!! I’ll be 34 in July, and can hear my biological clock ticking around my neck like a the timer of a bomb. And, of course, I already have an elevated FSH and lowered egg reserve anyway, and yet I can’t shake the BIG 35 looming cloud either.

Wishing you much happiness this coming year…and wow, what a year this past one has been! So many things to be proud of!!!!

25 Shelby { 06.01.09 at 9:02 am }

Happy birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy birthday dear Mel!
Happy Birthday to you!

Hope you have a great one!! You don’t look a day over 30!

26 Jess { 06.01.09 at 9:10 am }

Happy Birthday!!

27 tragicoptimist { 06.01.09 at 9:25 am }

Happy birthday!! Here’s to celebrating a wonderful year, and many more to come.

28 projectkjetil { 06.01.09 at 9:25 am }

Hey, since 40 is the new 30…

Happy 25 yo!

29 Beautiful Mess { 06.01.09 at 9:27 am }

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Here’s to a wonderful, fantastic year *raises glass* I didn’t comment becuase I just NOW remembered *sorry* but I would have chosen the red bag too. I love red! Enjoy your birthday, hon! You deserve to celebrate!
*HUGS*

30 calliope { 06.01.09 at 9:33 am }

Happy Birthday Eve!!
You look stunning- and you are, inside and out!

(& damn- what a big, giant, GO YOU, year you have had!)

31 Faereyluna { 06.01.09 at 9:43 am }

Happy Birthday Mel,

I am right there with you as far as the fear of 35, I turn 34 in a Month and I am dreading it.

Anyway, shouldn’t we all have a round of cyber margaritas to celebrate?

Hugs,
-Adela

32 annacyclopedia { 06.01.09 at 9:44 am }

A very happy birthday to you, dear Lolly. May the coming year bring you peace and joy beyond your wildest dreams.

33 Deathstar { 06.01.09 at 9:47 am }

Oh, I’m singing a happy birthday son ala Steve Wonder for you! I fell off the cliff, rolled down and got hit by tree roots, crashed into the river, got swept along into the rapids and fell down the waterfall! But I’m floating on down the river – enjoy the ride!

34 Fran { 06.01.09 at 9:54 am }

Very happy birthday!! you have achieved an awful lot and you shoudl be absolutely proud to show off your 35 years. Love, Fran

35 Kim { 06.01.09 at 10:09 am }

Happy Birthday to you!!! That is wonderful list of good things. I hope this year brings even more.

36 meandbaby { 06.01.09 at 10:11 am }

Have a great birthday tomorrow!! 🙂

37 a Tonggu Momma { 06.01.09 at 10:43 am }

Delurking to say happy birthday tomorrow! And I turn 35 on Wednesday.

38 angie { 06.01.09 at 10:45 am }

Happy Birthday, Mel, to a fellow 1974-er!

39 Erin { 06.01.09 at 10:45 am }

Happy birthday! I know what you mean about 35. It is creeping up on me as well.

40 KLTTX { 06.01.09 at 10:46 am }

Happy Birthday!

The nail polish looks great. I hope you got some great lip stick to go with it 🙂

41 Alexicographer { 06.01.09 at 11:02 am }

Happy birthday!

Not to bother you with facts and figures ;), but you’ve got nothing to worry about. The reason 35 is a “big deal” in the world of female fertility is that at the time amnio was identified as a test that could identify DS babies, the risk of an amnio causing a m/c equaled the risk of a 35 year old woman having a DS baby (based just on maternal age and no screening). The powers that be decided it made sense to recommend that women 35+ have amnios since that was the point at which the two risks were mathematically equal — as if it’s reasonable to equate those two very different probabilities/outcomes … m/c versus baby with DS. Drives me crazy.

Our fertility doesn’t drop off a cliff until 37. You’ve got 2 years to go, and I’ve got -3. Eh. Hang in there.

42 Another Dreamer { 06.01.09 at 11:27 am }

Happy early Birthday 🙂

43 Care { 06.01.09 at 11:39 am }

Happy Birthday!

44 just me, dawn { 06.01.09 at 11:51 am }

Happy birthday!! I dreaded 35 too but every year we get is a blessing 🙂

45 callmemama { 06.01.09 at 12:12 pm }

Happy Birthday!!!!
And I loved the red bag 🙂

46 Jen { 06.01.09 at 12:23 pm }

Happy birthday!

What kind of cake should I make us?

47 Clare { 06.01.09 at 12:53 pm }

Happy Birthday! Hope you have a fabulous day!

48 Malky B. { 06.01.09 at 1:15 pm }

Happy Birthday Mel! I’d say you’ve had quite a successful year!

49 Betty M { 06.01.09 at 1:27 pm }

Happy Birthday!

50 Cara { 06.01.09 at 1:43 pm }

Happy Birthday Mel! You look goooood in red.

Celebrate indeed, a virtual party for you perhaps??

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