Birthday Frogs

My birthday was just a few days ago.  Despite my mother's best efforts, I have yet to start dreading it because I am getting "old."  That just isn't me.  Besides, how can I dread my birthday after the awesome events of this year!

Due to Facebook, I had approximately 70 people wish me "Happy Birthday" that I would never have managed to see all in one day.  The Asst. Zookeeper texted me "Happy Birthday cradle robber" before 6 am that morning - bless that man and his early work schedule!

I got a birthday card with wiggly eyes on it from my sister and a call from my brother in Texas.  My mother-in-law made me a card.  Friends invited us to a hockey game for that evening.  I got half a dozen electronic cards to go with the ones that had arrived in the mailbox.

While I am incredibly blessed.  And while that was incredibly great - my Heathens all take the award for the best birthday presents:

Heathen #2 was out of bed before me and hovering over my bed by 6:30 with his present in hand:

This is the wrapping and the enclosed note.

The origami frogs!

One frog was even "tattooed" with Happy BDay!

Heathen #2 used two playing cards to make me origami frogs - and they hop REALLY well.  I'm not even sure where he got the playing cards (but the deck is now missing a few cards!).  And the wrapping wouldn't have been from Heathen #2 if it didn't include Duct Tape.

While I was sitting on the bed playing with my new toys, I heard Heathen #3 wake up.  Heathen #2 rushed to his room and I could hear the "juicy whisper" that it part of younger children.  "Go tell Mommy Happy Birthday!"

The "juicy whisper" was followed by a heartbroken wail of misery:  "I didn't get her anything!  What am I going to do?"

So Heathen #3 and I had a long chat that morning.  He decided he could make me a card at school in his free-time.  That calmed him down as he told me all about this card he was going to make me.  It would even have a piece that would pop-up when you opened it! 

When Heathen #1 finally grumbled his way down the stairs, Heathen #2 repeated his "juicy whisper" to inform him of my birthday.  Heathen #1 opened his eyes a little further, shuffled across the kitchen to me, put his head on my shoulder....

And at this point, everyone is thinking: Oh, the teenager still loves his mommy and he's going to give her a hug and wish her happy birthday.

And everyone would be wrong.

After he put his head on my shoulder (which means he had to stoop down), he looked at me and said, "Do I HAVE to go to school today?"