When I was 5, I thought being 12 was cool

Then when I was 12, 16 was the age to be

When I was 16, it became 21

And then when I was 21, perhaps 24. Being 30 was unimaginable

Alas, this week, I turned 36.

Perhaps it's just denial, but birthdays don't seem to have the same impact as it did perhaps 20 years ago.

The thought of a party, or even a cake, seems to be a hassle. Getting presents for turning a year older almost seems to be a con job- I feel guilty getting a gift from someone for doing less than farting. But also, the thought that I am now 36 years old, that's 3 x 12, my 3rd Year of the Dragon, makes me feel aged. Indeed, even one of you, my dear readers, mentioned this recently. Perhaps it's the job, or being a father, or the wife(ouch ouch ouch), but I feel like I've aged a lot in the recent years.

Admittedly though, I feel blessed to have so much love in my life. And this year, I got the best birthday present a person can ask for, though she came a few days before my birthday.

And so, I got to spend my birthday with my special ladies...
(can someone say 'estrogen'? This will be fun when they're in their teens!)