Born on the Fourth of July

Would it blow major chunks to be born on a major holiday?

Me and my little sweetie, Helen

Today is my gorgeous grand niece, Julianna’s, birthday. Her mother, my sweetie-baby Helen, is throwing a rubber ducky themed pool party for her. What a wonderful mother and such a lucky little girl.

Today is also the Fourth of July/Independence Day/Day of the Big Booms, the day on which the republicans and tea partiers try to out-patriot all the rest of us. So, ya know, just like any other day for them.

It seems, of all the big holidays on which to have your birthday, the Fourth of July might be best.

Why?

* It’s a paid day off from work for most/many parents so, presuming the units aren’t rat faced abusers, narcissists, absent or otherwise crazy, there’s a fair chance they’ll be in good moods, free, ready and able to celebrate the anniversary of kiddle du jour’s birth.

* Everyone in the neighborhood is off work too and they’re ALL having barbecue parties too!

* It’s warm and you get to wear shorts and T-shirts ALL day!

* And fireworks! You get to stay up late and watch pretty colors exploding in a dark sky.

Win/win/win/win -- so much WIN!

Mind you, I’ve always found fireworks tremendously disappointing -- too much concussion and not enough of those big beautiful blasts of color.

Julianna is five years old today -- maybe it’ll just feel like the whole world is celebrating with her.

I’ve a friend who was born on Christmas Day. That'd be a completely other beast, I imagine, if you’re in a family that celebrates Christmas. There’s church to be attended, baths to be had, pretty and def uncomfortable dresses and shoes to be worn. There are big formal dinners with extended family -- aunts who pinch cheeks, uncles who swat your behind, grandparents who yell at you for running in the house and being clumsy. So much condescension, so much 'shush, shush -- go play quietly.'

And worse yet, everyone gets presents -- not just you. Where's the Special, the Princess for a Day-ness, the Me Celebration? C'mon, it's just one day outta the year.

We should all feel like the big star on our red letter day. It should be as much about us, individually, in our glorious, ankle-biting splendor as possible.

If not then, when?