Universe? I'm picking up what you're putting down.

My birthday was in the beginning of July. If you remember, last year I had the most fun, rockin' birthday. EVER. This year was the universe's way of reminding me that some days are mediocre at best. Birthdays, apparently, are not the exception to this rule.

A quick recap would include a trip to my doctor, Salad in tow, with a strep throat/ear infection/pink eye diagnosis. It would be followed up by lunch at what I can imagine is the only NON drive through McDonalds in all the land. So, I parked and hauled a hungry Salad past the playland into a McDonalds whose air conditioner had broken.

Oh, and it was 101 degrees outside.

Then, it was off for an afternoon trip to the pediatrician for our second pink eye diagnosis of the day.

Of course, my day got a little better when R finally made it home from work and promptly took the well children to Target to buy me birthday presents. My loot included 6 small pink tupperware containers, 2 Natalie Merchant tickets, 1 pink tiara and a box of gumballs. A confiscated the tiara before she even opened my present, taking it off just before bed and requesting I "put it in her dress up trunk."

R and the Salad did sing me happy birthday on day-old cupcakes. That was nice. Definitely, the highlight of my day was when M finished singing and then said "Happy birthday, to my life." Thanks, buddy, for making my day worth the mediocrity. You are my life, too. Albeit a life filled with germs and viral bacteria.
Things worthy of mention in this photo:
1. My pink eye.
2. S's pink eye.
3. "My" tiara on A's head.