Dan is Thirty-Two. And Then Some Trivial Things.

Dan the Man, the best guy I know, had a birthday this week. When we were first married, Dan didn't really do a lot for birthdays. And then I ruined him. I'm sure by a lot of standards I don't do a lot either, but I definitely upped the ante those first few years. 

In those years, Dan didn't really want to do anything. But I insisted that we do big things. I threw him a huge party one year. It was very stressful for both of us. We love to have people over for dinner, but big party-throwers we are not. Dan ended up manning the grill his whole birthday and hardly spoke to anyone. I tried a bunch of over-the-top recipes and didn't know what I was doing, and no one ate anything. We didn't know how much food we needed to feed a crowd, and we ended up with pounds and pounds of leftover carnitas. Which isn't exactly the worst thing in the world. But still. Not what we had planned.

We've relaxed on birthdays a lot since then. We still want it to be special and nice. We always have a great time at the huge birthday parties everyone else is throwing for their kids every year, but we don't do that every year. We definitely will do something bigger some years, but a lot of years we will have a small gathering and call it good. Much more our style.

This past year, I was so sick with this pregnancy that I begged we not do a thing. The thought of even having to try to look happy and festive caused me great stress. I still don't regret the decision to cancel my birthday last year.

I'm not in great shape for Dan's birthday this year either. Luckily, my husband is pretty chill and easy to please. I told him--I cannot be creative this year. I cannot guess something cool that you want. Please just tell me exactly what you want--what you want to eat, what you want to do and what you want to receive. And he complied.

He requested four meals spread throughout the month of May. We did a pot roast and mashed potatoes with cream cheese corn and parmesan rolls one day. I say "we" because he still helps even when it's his birthday. He's cool like that. We did Hawaiian Haystacks another day. This isn't a special meal for most, but I hardly ever make it so it's special for Dan. We went out for Thai one night when my mom was here. And I still need to make a Cafe Rio meal sometime.

What he wants to do and what he wants to receive go together. He wants to get back into cycling. So we have been bike shopping, but haven't found the one yet. Will report more on this later.

I did manage to surprise him in one very minor way--with breakfast burritos from a local dive for his breakfast in bed.

And Ohhhhh Yessss. The traditional candy bar poster.

"Dear Dan/Dad--

There are many 'Riesens' why we love you. No. 1, you don't like 'Kats'. No. 2, you are so great with all of these darn 'Sour Kids'. I know you want a dog; maybe we can get a 'Fish'. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Don't worry! Here's your favorite--Hershey's Cookies 'N' Creme. "

In other news, I did the coolest hair on June the other day.

As I finished it off and we were ready to head for the bus, it began to RAIN. And I don't know if I'll ever be able to pull it off again. Woe is me.

And Gwen requested milkmaid braids, but her latest haircut made her hair too short to make the braids meet.

Not milkmaid braids. More like demon horns. So we had to pull them out.

Another good dentist visit. This was Harris's first time in the chair! And though I begged, they won't sever his tongue tie for another couple of years. We have taken him to an ENT doctor and now a pediatric dentist, and they both said it's better to wait.

And I took these pictures to show how excited we are about being outside in the good weather, but they just look like Gwen is doing a ceremonial dance around Harris's dead body.

The End.