I have very mixed feelings about this birthday. On one hand, I’m ecstatic. My life took longer to take off than I wanted, but I’m here, exactly where I always wanted to be. I’m married to an amazing, gorgeous man who loves me as much as I love him. I have two beautiful children who make me proud every day with their tiny accomplishments. I’m surrounded by friends I don’t deserve and my mother. She’s the other hand. My advancement in age will bring about certain inevitable events. It’s just facts of life, and I’m trying to embrace that. It won’t make it any easier, though.
My guests mill around while waiting for everyone to arrive, and I do my best to greet everyone and thank them for coming. Mommy and Billie chat, and I can tell by their expressions what the conversation is about. Billie grins and probably says something like your baby’s all grown up now. Mommy gazes at me and says yep…she sure is.
Dwayne was the last to arrive, which meant I could get the show on the road, but his new appearance caught me off guard. Like, I was seriously stunned! He cut off all his hair and grew in a full beard, just like his dad, but trimmed and neat. Is it wrong to think he’s even hotter than before? I’m married, but I’m not blind. I’m just making an observation. Just an observation…
I tear myself away and gather everyone around for the main event: saying goodbye to the foolishness of youth and welcoming the wisdom and poise of maturity. Gemma and Diamond dreaded their birthday and moaned about it all the way to the day. But not me. I’m ready to take life by the horns and do this adult thing like a boss! Like the child of Amina Pope-Crenshaw.
Oh, Amina. She gazes at me as she had done my entire life as I blow out the candles. I take back what I said before about her not giving me juicy motherhood secrets. She may not have spilled all the mom tea, but I just realized she has taught me everything I need to know. I saw it all in the gaze. Love hard. Seize all the moments. Have all the talks. Do every possible thing whether or not the child appreciates it so when you arrive at the end of your life, your cup is empty and you leave here full of pride with zero regrets.
I swear the older Dwayne gets, the less he can help himself. He cleans incessantly just like his mother did and volunteered to clean the kitchen while I said goodnight to everyone. Heh, volunteered isn’t even the right word. More like an involuntary reaction.
After everyone left, including Mommy, I checked on the kids before heading to our room. Luca was still fast asleep, thank the Watcher. I hoped Ali wasn’t too tired because we had unfinished business, tee hee. Alessia was wide awake, however. She’s such a happy baby and smiled and cooed at me as if she knew it was my birthday and willed herself to stay awake just to give me birthday greetings. I thanked her for her beautiful presence, but she could go right back to sleep. I had presents to get into.
