I would be remiss if I didn’t post pics and document La Petite Belle’s birthday. After all, that’s what this blog is all about. So, allow me to document the events that went down.
First off … La Petite Belle has lived these 14 years with non-stop comments about how much she looks like her daddy. Mothers … don’t you just LOVE it?! … after you birthed that child … she grew inside you … you fed her from your body … and you hear how much this child is “all her daddy.” Yeah. Not cool. I promise you … she  is NOT all her daddy (except for that naughty, sassy part … that’s ALL him).
No matter my protests and my insistence that this child DID look like me at some point in her childhood, no one would even give it a second thought. UNTIL … I started her birthday out with this pic.
Yeah .. me on left in my sweet seventies outfit and adorable pose and La Petite Belle there on the left. 
I felt vindicated. And, now when I state that this child looked just like me when I was a child, I get a little more respect. And, I have MORE pictures to prove this fact.
Yes, the girl is mine. The doggone girl is mine.
Not only are we twinsies, but La Petite Belle and I share a birthday week.
To all couples planning babies … DO NOT DO THIS. 
Here’s what happens: Your birthday will take a back seat for the next 18 years if you do. Just the facts. Space it out! Because I LOVE birthdays … not just mine, but other people too. 
People mock me a bit because I like to make a big deal out of birthdays. I think you SHOULD make a bid deal out of birthdays. It is literally the ONE and ONLY day that an individual and his/her life is celebrated. Make the most of it, people! We don’t know how many chances we’ll get to celebrate those days.
And yes, I’m ranting … moving on.
Speaking of my birthday, which comes first … I had a pretty good day as long as I didn’t hear Beau continuously repeat how old I was. Enough with the numbers! A simple “Happy Birthday” is sufficient. Thank you.
I got my free birthday coffee and I was off to work for the day. 
I had a birthday lunch with friends, followed by La Petite Belle’s volleyball game. Then concluded the week with a night out with more friends. 
(Beau and I will be celebrating this weekend. We’re headed to see Anjelah Johnson, one of my absolute favorite comediennes, and he’s throwing in a nice dinner to boot. And, then there’s that trip to Italy next week. So, I’m pretty spoiled this birthday month!)
Now onto La Petite Belle’s birthday … 
We had decided to just do the whole new phone thing until a ticket to the One Direction Concert came available. So that was pretty much it for her! Concert and a night in NOLA … which made us the coolest parents in the world since it involved missing school because of it.
Here’s the lovely lady that had the spare ticket and toted her to and fro. Megan … you made this girl’s year!
Along with the concert, La Petite Belle had friends over for a sleepover. I think 14 may be the magic age where sleepovers are finally stress-free and acceptable. I was actually able to sleep through the night. The only noise was La Petite Belle strumming on her guitar and singing downstairs …  mostly her singing. (some things never change … she’s always been a singing, performing queen!)
So, with the obligatory birthday post done, I go to prepare my packing list for Italy. Hoping to have LOTS of good stuff to post when I get back!