24... because I love birthdays more than I love overtime

I mentioned a little known, but vitally important, fact in my recap of May. I absolutely LOVE LOVE overtime in sports and if a sport doesn't have a chance of overtime, then it's not really a sport worth watching. 

As much as I love overtime, I love birthdays even more. So the fact that I watched a game with double overtime and had my birthday all in the month of May basically meant that it was the best.month.ever. 

This year's birthday was bound to be awesome. You see, two years ago on my 22nd birthday, I was in an all day class helping me prepare to take my nursing licensing exam. My friends brought a cupcake and lit a candle (that almost set off the fire alarm), and I sang Taylor Swift all day but it still wasn't the ideal way to spend the day. 

Then last year, I worked the night of my birthday (from the 27th to the 28th). My best friend called me at work right at midnight and wished me happy birthday which was the highlight of the day. But I got off at 7:30 in the morning, slept four hours, woke up exhausted and grumpy and landed up pitifully weeping at the end of the day #realmature. 

With the past two years of a not-so-great birthday, this year was set up for success because I didn't have to work, didn't have to go to any sort of class, and basically got to spend the day how I wanted.

Alex had to be at the hospital by 7:30 in the morning, but that didn't stop him from doing my favorite birthday tradition ever. He woke me up with a plate of fruit with a candle in it, as he sang the traditional Hispanic birthday song, Las Mananitas. It is traditional to sing this song on one's birthday, and back in the day my parents didn't think ahead to buy a cupcake for my birthday so they stuck a candle in a banana instead. The lack of preparation has now become a tradition as we do candles in bananas accompanied by Las Mananitas for every birthday. There was nothing better than waking up to my English-speaking husband singing a song that is completely in Spanish  (the effort he puts in is the best thing ever!)

{my fruit plate that started the day}

After having a leisurely morning, I went to my hair cut appointment. I LOVE getting my hair cut, and decided that it was a perfect way to spend the morning while Alex was at the hospital.

{I NEVER take car selfies, but when I do it's after I get my hair cut... because no one 

knows if this good of hair will make it home.}

After feeling fabulous at the salon, I set up the present from my family... a new Fitbit which I had been wanting since last year. If you have a fitbit and want to be friends, let me know in the comments and we can connect! I love love love knowing my heart rate at all points of the day #nerdalert. 

Alex got off early and we went to one of my favorite places to eat for lunch- Panda Express. When I say I love Chinese food, I really mean that I just love Panda Express and orange chicken. 

{This picture makes me drool... anyone else?}

The weather was looking a little iffy at this point so we went shopping. And by shopping I mean we walked around Costco and Ikea and bought nothing. 

We got home and took a nap two naps (I had just worked three days in a row, cut me some slack!). We took a leisurely walk and finally decided to get dinner at Noodles & Company and go see the movie Aloha. Dinner was great, the movie was not. 

{Leisurely walk selfie}

It was 24 hours of feeling loved by phone calls, texts, and birthday wishes. I was slightly panicked at the thought that I am now "mid twenties" and not "early twenties", but if my birthday is reflective of the year ahead, 24 is going to be a great one! If I could have a birthday more than once a year, I would totally jump on that train. But then again, maybe I wouldn't because it wouldn't be as special when it did come around. Here's to birthdays, feeling loved, and a great year ahead!