Thursday, October 20, 2011

Birthday Deja vu, As Dictated To My Husband By Cody


 Today, October 20th is a very special day.

photo from "Happy Birthday To You" by Dr.Seuss


It is my Mom, Caren's birthday!  Hooray! Concatulations! To borrow a phrase from Dr.Phil, or was it Dr.Seuss, "lets keep it real."

For reasons unfathomable to me, my dad or anyone else except my mom and Mr.Hallmark, many years ago my Mom decreed that the start of Sweetest Day was the official beginning of her birthday.



This proclamation always begins with,  excuse the expression, "cat fighting" between Mom's friends  to secure breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee, bagel, frozen yogurt  or "lets get together for a drink  to catch up" reservations with my mom.These endless culinary connections, along with the inevitable belated greetings and meetings make it a certainty that mom's date of birth is still being acclaimed well into the Thanksgiving season.

Not to be catty, but  toasts to my Moms birthday were still occuring as Santa was dispensing his goodies. Being  a cat I'm lucky to have nine lives, but even I, (the one whom Mom adores!)  don't have nine weeks of birthdays!

 Mom, I tried to buy you a birthday cake but I'm on a special diet and rabbit birthday cakes arent in big demand at the local bakery. But I did steal one off the Internet for you!

Image source:http://ingoodcompanymo.net/birthday.html 

I am very appreciative of the comfy existence you have provided for me, but lets face facts, I'm a cat we can look comfortable sleeping anywhere and on anything!

Time flies ,another year is in the books and when I wished you a happy birthday,your response was ''Another birthday?  It feels like
 "I JUST HAD ONE THE OTHER DAY''.

Guess what Mom, you did.

                                                         Pawty Down!!
Love, Cody

                               A NOTE FROM MOM: Thank you precious Cody  for your wonderful birthday wishes! Your Dad did a great job of making a mess  of     organizing  your thoughts for you!

Just a small aside as to where my obsession with birthdays (not just mine, I love everyone else's birthday too, I derive great joy in giving presents on birthdays!) arose from.

As a child of approximately 4 years old my favorite book was HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, by Dr.Seuss:

From Wikipedia: "Happy Birthday to You! is a 1959 children's book by Dr. Seuss. It deals with a fantastic land called Katroo, where the Birthday Bird throws everyone an amazing party on their special day. It has almost no plot and consists of one long fantastical celebration, narrated in the second person, of the reader's birthday.

The Birthday Bird appears in an episode of The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss.
The book is dedicated to his "good friends" and "The Children of San Diego County."





I delighted in traveling with the "birthday boy" as the Birthday Bird pops his head in the window at possibly 5am or earlier and takes the little boy on the most glorious adventures for his birthday! Being food obsessed, I remember the illustration of a never ending string of hot dogs. There were bands playing and creatures paying homage to the little boy, all sorts of delightful events took place. At sundown the Birthday Bird returns the little boy to his bed where he drifts happily into slumber, exhausted, and blissfully loved.

For some reason the images and message from that book never left me. It is STILL one of my favorites from my childhood.

My wish for everyone on his or her birthday is that for even a moment,  you can be transcended back into your childhood and experience the joy that birthdays were sure to bring.  A day full of laughter, expectations of the unexpected, delighting in spontaneity, fully living in the moment worry-free and believing when you blow out the candles on your birthday cake, that anything and everything is possible!  Long live our inner child!

Quote from "Happy Birthday To You"
By Dr.Seuss
                              

46 comments:

  1. Dearest Caren
    ♪ღ♪*•.¸¸¸.•*¨¨*•.¸¸¸.•*•♪ღ♪¸.•*¨¨*•.¸¸¸.•*•♪ღ♪•*
    ♪ღ♪░H░A░P░P░Y░ B░I░R░T░H░D░A░Y░░♪ღ♪
    *•♪ღ♪*•.¸¸¸.•*¨¨*•.¸¸¸.•*•♪¸.•*¨¨*•.¸¸¸.•*•♪ღ♪•«
    Yous has the bestest day EVER!
    Mommy say to email her your B Day particulars (date, time) and she will cast your horoscope!
    Kisses
    Nellie

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  2. How did you know I LOVE horoscopes Nellie? There go your Mom and I thinking alike!!
    I love it!!
    THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH for the lovely greeting!
    Emailing your Mom now then off to bed!
    Love you Nellie!

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  3. Happy birthday to your human, Cody!

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  4. Happy Birthday Dear Caren !!!!!
    You know how much me and mom love you , don't you ?
    We love you so much and we hope you have a wonderful birthday : ) and all the best !

    Luv
    xoxo
    Puddy and Mom Boom

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  5. Happy Birthday dear friend. Hope yours is the bestest EVER! Celebrate all year - you deserve it.

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  6. Aunty Caren,
    ((((((HUGS)))))) MMMWWWAAAHHHHH!!!!!
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! purrr....meow!

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  7. @Sparkle thank you!

    @Cat from Sydney thank you!!

    @Mario awwww thank you soooo much!!!

    @Mr Puddy yes I know (at least I HOPE I know lol) that you and mom love me!!!! You know we love YOU TOO! Thank you!!! xoxoxo

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  8. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your beautiful mum, Cody!!! Me and Charlie hope she has a most special day full of extra treats and plenty of pressies! Yay! Take care
    x

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  9. Caren, HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! I hope you have an amazing birthday and continue celebrating for the full year! Love ya!

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  10. Caren, we wish you a very happy birthday, a wonder-full celebration! And we hope this new year of your life brings much laughter, joy and love!

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  11. I love that picture of you. Great hats, etc...

    pawhugs, Max

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  12. @Old Kitty and Charlie thank you soooo much!!! xoxoxo

    @Max thank you!! Pawhugs back!

    @Diane thank you!!

    @Fuzzy Tales, that was a most lovely sentiment, I hope so too and I THANK YOU! xoxoxo

    @Hilary thank you!!!!!!!! I love you too and I hope so!!! xoxo

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  13. Happy Birthday Caren - we must say thank you to Cody for reminding mum (she forgets you know - it's her age!) We hope you have a wonderful day and enjoy your cake.
    Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx

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  14. Happy Birthday my MARVELOUS friend!! I am so happy we have gotten to know each other so well and I look forward to wishing you many more happy birthday's!! This was a great post - I really enjoyed it and hope your day is purr-fect!!! xoxo

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  15. Happy Birthday to yo Caren, I hope your special day is as special as you!!!

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  16. Wishing you the happiest of happy birthdays, Caren! :)

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  17. A very, very Happy Birthday to Youer! Hugs and sloppy kisses and purrs from all of us :)

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  18. Happy Birthday, Caren!!! Hope you have a wonderful day and you all have a great time celebrating. I love that picture, just great. Happy Birthday!!! :)

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  19. I think Dr. Seuss was a genius :-) Happy Birthday Caren!

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  20. Happy Birthday, Caren - xoxoxo from Allegra, Ruby and me! Looks like Cody partied a little too hardy in that picture... :-)

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  21. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAREN!!! Hope it's absolutely amazing, you deserve it!

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  22. Ooooh happy happy birthday Caren, hope you have a lovely day and get totally spoilt! And I love the Dr Suess quotes - thanks for sharing :)

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  23. @Hannah and Lucy, I am so glad that Cody said something too! Thank you! It is a rainy day here in Michigan but it is still a good day! xoxoxo

    @Luxington thank you so much adorable kitty!

    @Amin thank you so much!

    @Tucker thank you!!

    @Ingrid, Allegra and Ruby thank you and lol about Cody! Yep he ended up at the vet! (not really!) lol

    @Cat I couldn't agree more!! Thank you!

    @Julie thank you soooo much!

    @Kim I will take those sloppy kisses any day! Thank you!

    @Pup Fan thank you!!

    @Brian you sweet kitty I thank you!!! You are the one of the sweetest of the mancats! Thank you!

    @Deb Awwww THANK YOU! I am soooo happy we have gotten to know each other too and I cherish your friendship, you mean the WORLD to me! Thank you and love you! xoxoxo

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  24. Happy Happy Birthday to the Mom Cody. We sure hope she has a wonderful day and many more of them. Cody, make sure Mom gets extra treats today. Take care.

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  25. Happy Birthday Caren!! We luvs your and your fur babies! *nosetaps*

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  26. Caren, we wish you the HAPPIEST birthday yet!! (Hey, if we're gonna get older--which , we ARE, lol--then we should at least have ever-more-super days to look forward to, you know?) So, we hope you party like that bright-eyed little girl from a few short years back (teehee!)... with or without the endless strings of weinies! ;D xoxo

    Speshul birfday wishez frum me too, Miss Caren (but unliek mai mommy, I'z reely rootin fur dem hot-doggiez-on-stringz to appear)!! Sendin u purrz 'n kitteh-kissez galore... xx purrrrrrrrrr....

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  27. Hope you have a very Happy Birthday! :-)

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  28. Happy Birthday Caren! Too bad your Tigers didn't give you a better present. xoxo

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  29. You make your birthday last as long as you want, Caren. It's enshrined in the constitution - that's the women of a certain age constitution! Enjoy! xox

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  30. Happy birthday to mew, happy birthday to mew, happy birthday dear Caren, happy birthday to you MEW!!!!!!!! Sendings lots of love and hugs and happiness and wonderful birthday wishes your way today, and all throughout the year!!!! xoxo Love ya, friend! ♥ Hope you're having a great day! :D

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  31. Happy, happy birthday to you! I hope you have a super-duper extra-special day!

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  32. @Kitcaboodles I am a HUGE Dr.Seuss fan, always have been! Thanks so much!

    @Catsparella soooooo cute!! "Happy Birthday to Mew!!" Wish I had thought of that! lol. Thank you sooooo much! You know I am so happy to have finally met you and even happier to call you my friend! Love you! xoxoxo

    @Catachresis "women of a certain age constitution" I LOVE IT!!! Yeah baby!!!! xoxoxo

    @Cathy Keisha pffffffffffffttt!!! lol!!! Thank you though! But...the Tigers are my SECOND team, the Indians are my first, but then again they screwed up too! Love ya!

    @chocolate angel thank you soooo much!

    @GlamKitty OMG that message was just priceless!!! Love it! Bring on those hot dogs on strings! lol xoxoxoxo

    @Baby Patches thank you!!! We love you too!!!!!! Say hi to your Mommy!

    @Marg thank you! Cody listened and I got LOTS of extra treats today!! They will all show up at Weight Watcher's this week too...ohhhhhhhhhh nooooooo! lol

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  33. Oh Dog! Happy birthday to you and happy Gotcha! Day to me too!

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  34. Happy birthday Caren! I hope you have a wonderful day and all through the weekend as well!

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  35. Happy Birthday Caren! Enjoy the day with lots of laughter.

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  36. aaahhhh happee happee birthday!!
    Benny & Lily

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  37. A very Happy Birthday to you Caren!!

    Fin and Meg

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  38. Happy Birthday, Caren! Thank you for bringing me down memory lane with the Dr. Suess book! Love it. ...so tell me, how is it that Michigan is the ONLY place that celebrates Sweetest Day? I had never heard of it until I moved there. And this is the first I've heard of it again since I left! ; )

    Many more happy bdays!
    xo Glogirly

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  39. Happy Birthday Dear Caren! And many more...I'z got my jazz paws goin' for ya Beautiful Lady and we wish you a very special year filled with many blessings including health, love, joy and prosperity. And I sure hope you still have some space on your dance card to Samba with The Cloon! Ready?...

    Love Cloon, Neytiri & Mom Karyn

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  40. @rumpy dog thank you and happy gotcha day!!!

    @Cloon, Neytiri & Mom Karyn awww thank you for your beautiful wishes and OF COURSE I have room on my dance card for a Samba with Cloon!

    @Natalie thank you!

    @Glogirly actually Sweetest Day is a midwestern holiday. It definitely IS a greeting card holiday, I linked to the history of it above. I think it might have been created by American Greetings (which was/is located in Ohio and yep Ohio celebrates it too!) not sure about what other midwestern states celebrate it. Thank you for the birthday wishes!

    @Fin thanks so much!

    @Benny & Lily thank you!

    @Au and Target thank you!

    @Stacy and Ellie thanks so much!

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  41. Of course you're a Libra. Because we're the best. :)

    Happy birthday! And many more ...

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