Twenty-One

Greatest Gift 

I celebrated my 21st Birthday yesterday with my family and my, WITHOUT my Pectus. This is the best Birthday present I could ask for.

I didn't have an ordinary 21st Birthday celebration. I was in a great deal of pain, but I had a wonderful day regardless. I also got to hold Haiden for the first time in a whole month!

No I didn't have any alcoholic beverages. I actually have never consumed alcohol. I had a Professor at a journalism camp tell our class that he had never had alcohol in his life, and he was in his late forties. I want to be able to say that one day. Chris didn't have any alcohol for his birthday either. For me turning 21 is more than being able to drink. To me 21 was another year to be thankful for. I'm thankful I came out of a major surgery with no complications, and I was able to spend my birthday with my family and my son.

Logan and her boyfriend Cameron joined Chris and I for the "festivities". We looked through old family photos and had many laughs, which is still hard for me to do after the surgery. Cameron fits right in don't you think?

We enjoyed a delicious ice cream cake from Marble Slab

PRESENTS

I will say, Chris ALWAYS gets me the best presents. He can be so thoughtful. He got me the sweetest card. He got me Flower Bomb perfume and St. Tropez self tanner that I have been wanting for months. He also bought me the newest Nicolas Sparks book, who is my FAVORITE.  

FROM: Haiden :) I got Minnie Mouse nail polish and the CUTEST sparkly slippers! I wish I would have had these in the hospital. 

NEXT WEEK: 

Since I wasn't able to go out for my birthday, my mom is taking my sister and I to Charleston to go shopping on King Street. 

Sharing my Birthday? 

Yes I share my birthday with Christopher. :) We have had 7 birthdays total together. We started dating when we were 14 and celebrated our first joint birthday at 15 years old. Before we started dating I really liked him. Girls, I know you have all done this so don't laugh at me. I told myself "If we are meant to be, his birthday will be in October." We were messaging back and forth on Myspace, asking the general "pre-dating" questions. So of course I asked when his birthday was and he replied "October 11. When is your's?" I told him mine was on the 10th. He said "Oh. Well I guess I can't ask you out then. My mom says I can't date older women." So maybe we're just meant to be, cheesy right? Not only is Christopher's birthday in October, he was born 14 hours after I was. I was born in SC, and he was born in FL. We give a whole new meaning to the song "When God made you, he must have been thinking about me". So yes we are A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN, literally. Little did I know we would have our own child together one day. We've been through so much, and some days I think I might hate him. Yet I can't help but love him, no matter what comes our way. I like to compare our relationship to Pink and her husband Carey Hart. They have been through a lot to and she describes their love as "COMPLICATED". Her song 'True Love' perfectly describes mine and Chris' relationship. My family and friends can vouch for this. But I don't want to give up the memories, I just want to make more. 

For our 15th birthday (our first one together) we had my mom take pictures of us. This one below was one. We used one of these pictures for our birthday invitations. 

Our first Celebration: 

TONIGHT 
Tonight we celebrated at Outback Steakhouse with Haiden and the Rautio family. I said today was Chris' "Bad Luck Birthday". Poor thing got in a wreck and a few minutes before time to leave Haiden grabbed my straightener and burnt his finger. Haiden was not in a good mood afterwards and I felt so bad he had gotten hurt. Luckily the burn wasn't as bad as I thought, so no trip to the ER thank goodness. We had a wonderful time anyways and made the best of it.

 Poor Haiden! This is his "grumpy gills" face. 

Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes!