LUCKY 13

How confused the Seattle area is by unexpected sunshine was in evidence today, as I drove to pick up the kids from school and passed not one, not two, but three separate car accidents on my way. It was sunny all day long, and one can understand how the distraction of seeing the cherry trees blooming, hot bods playing volleyball at the beach, or simply turning your face upwards to feel the warmth could cause you to run into another vehicle. Kind of like Persephone blissfully running out of Hades' underworld and smashing into Demeter's front door or something. I should do local weather like that.

It was a lovely sunny day thirteen years ago in Denver, of that I am quite sure. I am, because that day I delivered my middle child. I also remember the hideous potholes in the city streets on the way to the hospital and howling with misery with each dip and bump, already well into labor in the car. He was actually due on my birthday two weeks from then, but at my 38-week checkup that morning, my bemused midwife informed me that I was going to give birth pretty damn soon and that I should hightail it over to the event. She was correct. He was lovely and perfect and I swore I would never, ever do it again. MissEight proves I am a giant liar.

Mr13, as he now will be referred to here for the next 365 days, is still lovely and perfect, easygoing and happy. It's very nice to have one mellow child. We went out to sushi tonight, per his request.

Then back home for presents and cake.

He was downright giddy with his haul: a Nintendo 3DS (pre-ordered), two Wii games, two books, a t-shirt, some new earbuds, an iTunes gift card, some niiiice moolah, and his first cell phone, which was my iPhone 3GS. Mama got her birthday present two weeks early -- again -- but this time it was an iPhone 4, and not a newborn. Heh.

"This is the best year of my life!" he exclaimed, and he's a sincere kind of guy so I believe him. With all the grimness of current events, it was nice to see sunshine, both in and out of the house.