5 Days until I Celebrate!!!

Yes, this is exciting for me!!! YIPPIE!!! I get a birthday...finally on Friday. I know you're saying...HUH??!?!?

Well being born on Leap Year hasn't always been easy.

As a child, my parents made it special and the years I didn't have my own day, I celebrated with my Dad who is Feb 28. Maybe that's why we're so close...nah...he's (they both are) good people.

As I grew, I met a few other people who shared the day. We have the same stories of people not appreciating their day, and constantly saying to us..."so does that make you 4 in dog years?" or "You don't have a birthday anyway, so I didn't get you a card/gift." or.."So when do you celebrate?" or my personal favorite..."That's so weird!!"

Makes a person kind of sensitive ya think??

Well here are some of my favorite birthdays...

I think I was turning 8 (32 yrs old) NPR a local NYC Radio station had a birthday party for leap year babies. The party was at the NY Plaza Hotel one of the penthouses. It was amazing!! There were news crews, a huge cake, and our gift was spending a night at the Plaza hotel. OH MY GOD!! As a New Yorker I've often passed by, but never stayed there. It was definitely old world charm, and the folks couldn't have been nicer. In the end we got a robe that says "NY Plaza", I still have it.

When I turned "10" (40yrs old), I had a great birthday party. I had really close friends, family meet at a restaurant here in the city on Park South (it's no longer there). In order to create a theme I choose my favorite things from being 10. So I went to a candy store and bought candy that I remembered from the 70's. There were Pixy Stix, Wonka Tart N Tiny, Sweetarts, Laffy Taffy, Bubble Gum Cigarettes, Candy Cigarettes, Apple Heads, Cherry Heads, Lemon Heads, Charms Sweet & Sour Pops, Double Bubble Gum, Sugar Daddy Pops, and put them all in a clear candy bag with my baby picture on it. I had my BFF place a 'candy' gift bag on every place setting so everyone got a take-a-way from my party. Just like kids parties do. That year I also ran in "More" magazine's 1st over 40 marathon with my BFF, and then had 3 additional small parties (Fla, Amsterdam, NC).

So what will I be doing this year - turning 11? Well Martha Stewart is doing a "Leap Year Birthday Party Show" so I'll be there - can't wait!!! Right after her show, I get on a plane and head to St. Thomas where I'm going to celebrate with my BFF drinking in the sun (and I'm sure some other equally pretty colored cocktails), and having the fun I deserve. Then I have with promises from friends in Italy, Amsterdam to have a small party for me when I visit, and I'll probably have another small family party in N.C. My dream however is to visit Marrakesh. If I got to Marrakesh that would really make turning 11 a dream come true. Last year I was dealing with a lot of health issues so I feel like I lost the entire year, so I'm really looking forward to making this year a great one. I've tried this my last birthday, and am doing it again this year. I took the self-imposed challenge to read 40 books the year I turned 40. This year it will be 44 - so far I have read 10.

My hope is if you know someone born on Feb 29, do what you can to make it special for them. I'm sure they remember your birthday year after year...so THIS YEAR, do the same for them. Believe me...it IS important.