How do you celebrate your birthday?

[ourbabygirl]

Do your DH and kid(s) take you out to celebrate? Or make you a meal at home? Do you know of certain nat'l chain restaurants that offer special 'perks' (free dessert/ etc.)?

Thanks for sharing! :)

[jgenie]

We spend my birthday and Mother's Day at the zoo. I love going to the zoo. I'm hoping as the boys get bigger we can visit zoos in other cities.

[lizzywednesday]

We spend my birthday and Mother's Day at the zoo. I love going to the zoo. I'm hoping as the boys get bigger we can visit zoos in other cities.

OMG, that would be my ideal birthday, too. (DH is very indulgent of my passion for zoos and aquariums. Especially the shark tanks at the aquariums. Despite my being paralyzingly terrified of sharks I am intensely fascinated by them.)

DH usually does something sweet for me on my birthday; it changes every year. I'm curious as to what he'd like to do this year, as it'll be my first birthday as a Mom. =)

[LarsMal]

DH used to make me a cake every year, but with DS's food allergies he hasn't learned the "safe" recipes yet, and is too scared to try. I make my own cake or cupcakes now, but that's okay- the kids like to help me.

We usually go out to lunch or dinner for birthdays. Depending on the weather we'll try to get out somewhere family friendly as well. My birthday usually falls on or around Memorial Day weekend. Sometimes we head to my parents' beach place and have a fun beach weekend. Those are my favorite birthdays- a day at the beach with the kids and then dinner out with DH while my parents babysit!

[SnuggleBuggles]

On my actual b-day I expect the b-day banner to be hanging there when I wake up in the morning. :)

Usually the family goes out to dinner on my b-day though I am not too picky. So long as someone else is doing all the prep, cooking, and clean up I don't care where we are.

In past years they have made a b-day cake for me but for some reason that didn't happen this year. Could be because I bought cupcakes at a fancy cupcake shop instead. :) (Those were meant to be taken with me to a meeting that happened to land on my b-day and wound up getting canceled.)

I also snag a babysitter for some time around my b-day to go out with just dh.

Beth

[maestramommy]

I *think* for my last bday Dh came home early, and made dinner for me and the kids. He picked up a cake at the grocery store, did the bday moment, even led the girls singing, "Happy Birthday" which is amazing, because he usually takes pride in singing it as out of tune as possible:p

But I also think later in the month we went out for dinner for both our bdays (they are in the same month).

[Roni]

Well, I share my b-day with dd#2. So, sometimes we have her party on my birthday. My dh always makes sure I have my own cake, though. If we aren't having a party that day, we usually go out to eat. (The day she was born, we had cake and presents for me after she was born. DD#1 was very excited about the cake--more than she was about her little sister, I think.)

I do have to add that my dd's family party was cut short on my 40th b-day because there was a surprise party for me afterwards. I was sent out on an errand, and when I got back, there was a new party going on.

[slworld]

Go out to eat so I don't have to cook anything/take care of dinner! (can you see I hate cooking)

[AnnieW625]

Dh takes me out to eat, and DD goes to her god parents house. DH doesn't like to cook. DD gives me the gift from him and her and then helps me open it. Not sure what we'll do this year.

[fivi2]

Sometime close to my birthday we get my sister to babysit and go to one of those movie theaters that serve food and alcohol. We do the same thing around dh's bday. our bdays are about 6 mos apart, so we go out about twice a year :) (throw in a couple things like office party, weddings, etc).

On the actual day? no tradition. Mine is near xmas so it depends whether or not family is still around, etc. I don't cook on my bday, but that is my only demand/request!

[Moneypenny]

Everyone in my family gets a Birthday Weekend Extravaganza, which basically amounts to doing whatever you want for the weekend closest to your birthday. For me that involves a meal out, a store bought cake and flowers. I also want to sleep in two days in a row and then just bum around with my family doing whatever.

[newg]

Usually DH cooks or we order (go out to eat) from one of my fav. restaurants........last year DH was out of town for my b-day...but in past years he will make me a cake.
My family is close by, so we usually spend some part of the day with them too.

I love the zoo too!! We try to do the zoo for mother's day because it's usually the start of zoo babies.....and I love babies!!

[jayali]

We just celebrated my birthday last week and it was an extravaganza. I must admit I love my birthday so that is what drives the big celebration.

The week leading up to my birthday my son makes me something little every day and leaves it on my pillow. On my actual birthday there are banners and crowns, presents and cards. We do child friendly dinner (usually out) and a cake with a candle at the restaraunt. Then that weekend we have a "family" party with another cake and friends and family come over to celebrate. My son makes the invites and we mail them - he is going to be six in May so he is very into that now.

At some point either before or after my husband and I do a grown-up celebration (a play, fancy dinner, overnight at a hotel) so that we can do something a little more adult to celebrate our birthday (his is in January).

Basically we celebrate our birthdays the same way we celebrate Matthew's. A celebration on the day and then something slightly larger on the weekend.

[Tondi G]

We usually go out to dinner with my family... sister, her boyfriend, mom, sometimes MIL comes. The last year or 2 we've gone to Benihana cause we like the Teppan style food and the boys love the "show" that goes along with it! If you sign up with them for email updates they send out a coupon for dinner... up to $30 for anything on the menu... including lobster and filet mignon.

http://www.benihana.com/thechefstable

[hillview]

Everyone in my family gets a Birthday Weekend Extravaganza, which basically amounts to doing whatever you want for the weekend closest to your birthday. For me that involves a meal out, a store bought cake and flowers. I also want to sleep in two days in a row and then just bum around with my family doing whatever.

I am going to COPY this. LOVE it!
/hillary

[kmm]

My birthday is on Christmas Day, so we are always at my parents house. We always have pizza and a birthday cake for supper, because my family still doesn't want me to feel like my birthday isn't important. It's a great day to have a birthday because I am always with family.