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It's my first birthday as a mom. I mean, I guess maybe last year I was pregnant - but unfortunately not all pregnant people get to be moms. This year I get to hear her giggle and dress her in cute outfits and dream of decades of Halloween costumes. I get to watch her experience things for the first time and become a person. But I digress. 

This is my first birthday as a mom, and I feel very loved and celebrated for my identity separate from motherhood. Part of me was worried about that - about everything in my life being about the kid from now on. I mourned that during pregnancy. But my husband did his very best to surprise me after hearing me say for years that I'd never had a surprise party. He told me that we were gonna have dinner with another of our couple friends, and then when we turned the corner there a good half dozen folks I had not expected to see. I got to eat at my favorite restaurant while my inlaws watched Ramona, and see people I loved. 

That said, Monday is a terrible day to have a birthday. I have to work, Tyler has to work. Bleh. But Mom is watching Ramona for dinner and we're going to go eat sushi. There's a cake in the fridge that Tyler's mom made, and it's delicious. That's for breakfast (and dessert!)