birthday!

Today, I am 24. Oh my word!

I'm feeling a bit faint, as I look back over all of my birthdays. We measure life in such definite terms, it seems strange that you don't actually feel any different, year by year, birthday by birthday, until you look back over years at a time.

2007

2008

2009

Okay...super awkward confession.
Today, I am wearing the necklace from my 2008 birthday, and the jacket from my 2009 birthday.
Wow. I need to mix it up a little.

Today.

Even with the promise of wrinkles and old age, I loooove birthdays. Love love them.
Last night, I went crazy cleaning the bedroom and the kitchen, because I wanted to wake up to a clean house on the morning of my birthday. Weird, right?

Then, Dusty ran out to the store to get coffee and juice and brought me back McDonald's. At like 10pm. Talk about a horrible idea, but an absolutely wonderful one for us calorie-hoarders.

We cuddled up with our super-nasty McDonald's that we scarfed down while watching How I Met Your Mother until midnight.
As soon as the clock struck midnight...

It was Tiara Time! And present time, of course.
(Oh and also, I thought, Dear Heavenly Host, I am 24 years old, I have GOT to stop eating like this...)
And ya, that's my Color Run tiara decorating my lamp. :)

You guys remember when Dusty and I went to Florida and went to see The Wizarding World of Harry Potter? 
And do you remember this shirt?

Well, it now belongs to me. :)

We also kept the tradition alive of watching this video, as soon as one's birthday has commenced.

Don't watch this if:
a.) you have no imagination
b.) you don't have a good (weird) sense of humor
c.) you creep out easily
d.) you don't appreciate squashed, pasted faces on wrists wearing party hats.

I'm really glad Britany gave me the gift of this video, years ago.
She knows me oh so well, down to my weirdest thoughts and ideas.

I don't really know what else to say because this is an incredibly self-centered post.
Other than I love you all, I love my family, my friends, and I would do just about anything to be home in Arizona right now.
Or, to have the entirety of my Arizona lovelies here in Virginia for a day.

I have spent every single birthday for the last 23 years with my mom.
I think I took it for granted, because that's a pretty amazing accomplishment, really.
But she has always worked hard to love on me.
Even when I was in college in California, she always made it a priority to see me. She made things special.
She was even able to come out last year to Virginia.

But this year, a beautiful miracle was born, in the form of Annabella Caitlin, my new niece.
And I proudly pass the baton of October birthdays to my new little namesake, whom I already love so very much.
It's the end of an era, but now my mom gets to spoil and love on the new budding generation. It's one of the most exciting things in the world.
Still, I am thinking about her a lot today!

2008

2011

Today has already been a wonderful day.
I can't wait to get off work in a few minutes, and spend the rest of the evening with my husband!

(Even work wasn't so bad. There was cake, and presents! Look at the amazing mug my boss got me, from one of their former student workers, Sarah Veak of Sarah Veak Pottery. Her stuff is amazing.)

Anywho.
I hope you all are having just as wonderful of a day!

Go do something wild and crazy in my honor.
Or, even better, go be fancy fresh.

In love,
Cait