…I don’t like to brag, but, my birthday was yesterday. Yay!!!!
My birthday is one of my favorite days of the year. And it’s not because it’s all about me and I get to eat unmonitored amounts of cake. I like my birthday because it’s a time that family and friends get together and we all have a really nice time. And that’s special.

Turning 17 has been a real eye-opener. It’s finally hitting me that this is my last year of being a child. In 364 days I will be an adult, someone who can vote and go to jail. Wrapping my head around it is proving to be impossible. I’m only a ninth of the way around!
It was a really lovely birthday though. I woke up and had a lovely breakfast of croissants, jam, and berries (which is so delicious) and opened half of my presents. Then I went to school where I got the “best friend treatment”. For all of you who have a best friend, you will relate to this well. On your birthday, your best friend will: try to embarrass you and shower you with presents. Yesterday I received a balloon, a poster (which is beautifully decorated and has every single inside joke we’ve ever had), a chocolate bar, a chocolate tulip, The Hulk pop rocks, and a The Avengers puzzle. I hit the best friend jackpot. After school I went to Dairy Queen with my two best friends and we ate ice cream for three hours. Then I had dinner with my parents at a nice restaurant in my town. I opened the rest of my presents after dinner (at 9 o’clock) and finally climbed into bed, exhausted.
It was one of the best birthdays I’ve ever had. I spent time with my favorite people in the world. And really, as great as getting presents is, what makes a birthday special to me is getting to spend time with the people I love. I’ve had some great birthday parties in the past (seeing Ella Enchanted, being princesses, an Easter egg hunt) but what made them really great parties was just being around people I generally enjoy.
Oh, and I also got this amazing gift, so it was pretty great! It’s a Pop Phone, which is basically a phone that you can plug into your iPhone to make long phone calls more comfortable. It’s my most favorite thing I have ever owned.
What is your favorite thing about birthdays? What makes them special to you?
