Happy Birthday to me!

Perhaps you are wondering, "Is she eating cake in her closet?"

Yes.

Yes, I am.

It's my birthday this month. No, I'm not that person who celebrates all month long. More like two weeks...

My darling co-worker kicked off the birthday holiday with the most delicious carrot cake. "Take the rest of it home," she told me at the end of the day, "and eat it by yourself in your closet." What a brilliant idea - cake, maybe a cup of tea, No! Champagne! in a quiet spot to reflect on my latest year older, perhaps latest year wiser.

Well, my boys can smell cream cheese frosting from anywhere in the house, so they found me in my closet, having my Me time ("Are you having You time, Mom? Can we come in?")

In my newfound wisdom I'll just say that birthdays are not meant to be celebrated alone. It's good to share cake. Write that down - those are words to live by.

Not only did we share cake this year, we shared souffle. At the Souffle Cafe. No, that's not what it's really called; it's called Rise #2. Rise #1 is in Dallas, and Rise #3 is in Ft. Worth. It is the most delightful French cafe - gorgeous twinkly lights, beautiful heavy, damask napkins that all have different designs (someday I will splurge on the Houston skyline ones that come in Astros orange and blue), and they spelled my celebration in Scrabble tiles. In French. Could you die?

Initially, Younger was not jazzed by the menu. "I don't see anything I want to eat." Why is this always proclaimed in a loud voice?

So, in a very quiet, cheerful, but determined voice I reminded my young son just whose birthday this was, and that he did not need to worry about what he was going to eat because I was ordering souffle for the table. Do I feel bad about this? No! I am not eating chicken nuggets and using bendy straws on my birthday - it falls but once a year, for crying out loud.

It was a moot point anyway because the waiter came to tell us that the special of the day was Macaroni and Cheese Souffle, which sent a buzz of anticipation from Younger to Older, to me, and back again. So, that plus a Jambon and Gruyere souffle was a shared all around, and everyone enjoyed this unique, fluffy dining experience. And then for dessert! Mmmm, dessert. We ordered an Apricot Souffle and a Raspberry Souffle. So, so, SO delicious. And look at this:

Thankfully, waiters did not gather 'round the table and serenade me in French. (Do you think that happens in TGIFridays in Paris?) It was more quiet murmurings of "Happy birthday, Madame" and "Enjoy."

Later this week, I'll share my favorite birthday discounts with you because gifts are wonderful - they are, in fact, my 2nd Love Language - but shopping for oneself, armed with a birthday coupon is pretty sweet, too.