No Fireworks on my Birthday Please

Via Public Domain

I loved the Fourth of July as a child. After all, the entire nation celebrated my birthday. Most people remembered my birthday. I got to always watch fireworks and hang out with family and friends on my birthday.

But then reality hit as an adult. I worked on my birthday three years in a row before marrying. I didn't mind too much. I made money after all.

I had much different expectations for my birthday than my husband did after we married. I was used to spending time with my aunts, uncles and cousins or friends on Fourth of July. My husband wanted to celebrate with just us. I was very angry when he refused to go to my family's house for six hours on my birthday. Come to find out, he was waiting for Cold Stone to open with a custom birthday cake. I was still livid because the party my family had partially planned for me was over by the time my husband and I arrived.

My husband was being sweet, but not listening to my wishes. After a few years of marriage, I realized I hated surprises, and necklaces, rings, dresses, etc.

My birthday became harder each year with my grand expectations of wanting to do parades, fireworks, be with my family yet have rest. It was so much simpler as a child when my parents took care of the logistics of parking, packing and preparing the food, driving through traffic, paying money for everything. Once I was old enough in my small hometown, I could walk or bike to all the events myself.

Now I have four boys ranging from from tweens to toddler who have varying wants. I live in Utah Valley with crazy traffic on the Fourth of July. I have become a hermit on my birthday where I don't want to do anything at all. My husband finally has a day off of work. I can take a nap and a break from the kids. I might see my parents and a few relatives. There is no simple celebration. I don't even want to stay up late on my birthday. The fireworks keep my kids up. I wish that there was no Daylight Savings Time so the fireworks would begin at 8 pm. Then I could fall asleep, or read in peace. I am just a plain party pooper these days. It's pathetic.

For my birthday wish, stop the fireworks at 10 pm please. Haha!

Doubt the neighbors or the city will follow my wish. ;)