May 02, 2006
A Super Day
I stressed out all day about where Simon was taking me for my birthday dinner, and I was so relieved when we ended up in front of a local pizza joint/beer garden. When we walked in and saw a table of people celebrating Teddy's roommate's orals exam, I was too distracted at first to notice that there in the middle of the restaurant was Gayle and her boyfriend sitting at a table decorated with pointy hats and kiddie plates and party blowers and a big old chocolate cake decorated with the words "Child Genyis" and "Leah is hot" and "kittentits."
He threw me a frickin' surprise party.
Over the course of the next hour or so, another coworker showed up, then her boyfriend, then Teddy, then a former coworker, then his wife. I also got some birthday wishes from the grad students I knew at the next table over. I was shocked and amazed and tickled and embarrassed and humbled and delighted beyond measure.
My camera was buggered, so I only ended up with about a dozen pictures from the first half hour of the party, which means I have nothing to show for Wm wearing pointy hats over his mouth and nose, Teddy holding a tray loaded with champagne glasses, Simon giving an art tour of his apartment, the boys playing drums and digeridoo, and Stan being the unquestionable star of the afterparty. Between my camera and Simon's, here are a few shots we came away with.
Simon told me not to expect much, and I actually believed him this time. When he picked me up from work, he gave me my present, which turned out to be one of those awesome exercise tube things and five sessions with a personal trainer. (Be ye not offended on my behalf; we've talked many times about how exercise stuff is a great gift and doesn't imply that the gifter thinks the giftee is fat.) But then he also gave me a Looper cd and a Mates of State cd (both highly symbolic, as were the Incredibles decorations) and a Broadway cast Jesus Christ Superstar two-disc vinyl set with a pristine libretto and an original playbill and a newspaper clipping about the opening of the show. And then he went and threw me a surprise party with hats and masks and pizza and cake and twenty-seven candles and all my friends, one of whom made me a shirt that says "Editors do it between periods." I seriously didn't know what to do with myself.
So I drank some Diet Coke and champagne and took pictures that never saved to the memory card and had a very happy birthday indeed.
Sounds like a GRRRRREAT day! The cake looks yummy too :)
Posted by: Angella at May 2, 2006 10:57 AMI am a well trained boyfriend: In the split second between reading that he gave you exercise equipment and you explained that you had discussed the matter beforehand I immediately thought "Bad move. It implies fatness."
Posted by: Dan at May 2, 2006 11:50 AMVery cool. Surprise parties are the best.
Posted by: felicity at May 2, 2006 12:00 PMThe pregnant lady would like some of that delicious cake, please. :)
Posted by: whoorl at May 2, 2006 12:30 PMHow fun! You two are so cute.
Posted by: jennie at May 2, 2006 01:11 PMLooks like you had a blast. Has anyone ever told you that you bear a slight resemblance to Kirstin Dunst. Maybe it's just me.
Posted by: Liz at May 2, 2006 01:12 PMHappy happy birthday to you!
Posted by: candace at May 2, 2006 01:22 PMHappy birthday to a lovely lady. You deserve all happiness this year and always. It's great that you have found such a perfect partner for your life. May it continue.
Posted by: JennB at May 2, 2006 01:59 PMHappy birthday to a lovely lady. You deserve all happiness this year and always. It's great that you have found such a perfect partner for your life. May it continue.
Posted by: JennB at May 2, 2006 01:59 PMI don't think a birthday could get much better than that. I knew Simon would knock your socks off! I'm glad you were able to share your day with so many friends and loved ones. It looks like you had a ball. :)
Posted by: Amanda at May 2, 2006 02:19 PMActually, you bear a striking resemblance to a woman I used to be engaged to...except of course you're at least 15 years too young and you seem able to get to 10 AM without a vodka drink.
Happy Birthday, and many more to come.
Posted by: iamnot at May 2, 2006 02:52 PMHIPPO BIRDIE, LEAH.
(Don't ask for an explanation, just trust it means you're now like a part of my family. My internet-family, that is.)
Posted by: k at May 2, 2006 03:17 PMHappy Birthday Leah! a belated wish at this point but a wish nonetheless. Hope you enjoyed your own personal holiday. From what I can see, you did.
Posted by: Marisa at May 2, 2006 03:47 PMDid you save me some cake?
Posted by: Just a girl at May 2, 2006 04:01 PMThere are two chocolate cakes at Simon's house and one in the fridge at work. If you can get here, they're all yours.
Posted by: Leah at May 2, 2006 04:09 PMYeah! Happy Birthday to you! It looks like a great party; now I want cake...
Posted by: Sara at May 2, 2006 04:41 PMYay! Happy Birthday to you!
Love the pictures of you and Simon.
**confetti**
Posted by: newgyptian at May 2, 2006 05:34 PMHe's way too cute for me with that side-part, isn't he?
Posted by: Leah at May 2, 2006 05:39 PMhappy, happy birthday!!
Posted by: meegan at May 2, 2006 06:30 PMHappy birthday! Here's to a fun birthday month for you! By the way, were you guys at Jupiter?
Posted by: jen at May 2, 2006 08:12 PMHappy Birthday! I hope you have a truly super year, topped only by the years to come. *barf!*
I used to have a shirt that said, "Journalists do it daily." Of course I'm older now and am editor of a weekly paper. How jobs immitate life (when I'm lucky). *sigh*
Posted by: Texas T-bone at May 2, 2006 09:04 PMthose pictures of you two are great! happy birthday!
Posted by: eileen at May 3, 2006 06:09 AMHappy birthday Leah! I'm a fellow Taurean.
Posted by: lainey at May 3, 2006 06:44 AMRe: your comment at my place....
The thing to say is that you will always find a way to keep love at the forefront of your relationship.
Of course, just about everyone SAYs that. Some few do manage it...just be sure that you and Simon do.
happy birthday Miss, you're the best person I know
Posted by: will at May 3, 2006 11:10 AMJen--Yes, we were at Jupiter. I love their artichokes.
Everyone else--Thanks! I'm really feeling the love here.
Posted by: Leah at May 3, 2006 12:04 PMAnd the birthday goodness keeps on coming.
Enjoy that. The babies get it all when they show up. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it'll be nice to have the memories of when you used to have fun birthdays yourself!
Happy, Happy, kiddo!
Twenty seven...ah, I can almost remember it. I think I have a cave drawing around here somewhere from my twenty seventh birthday party...;)
Posted by: Tammy at May 3, 2006 12:50 PMBetter super-de-duper late than never? I think so! Happy Birthday! You two are adorable and if I didn't love you so much, I'd be wracked with jealousy right now. :) Here's to a a lovely 27th year!
Posted by: Cora at May 3, 2006 08:12 PMSimon is AWESOME for being so great to someone as
AWESOME as you.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Happy Belated.
Posted by: jenB at May 3, 2006 11:07 PMHappy birthday! Fantastic pictures!
Posted by: Janet at May 4, 2006 02:17 PMHappy birthday! Fantastic pictures!
Posted by: Janet at May 4, 2006 02:17 PMOh man, I totally want to swipe the T-shirt your friend made. I'd love to wear THAT to work. :)
Posted by: Cate at May 5, 2006 12:22 PMSounds like you got a lot of great loot!
Posted by: Irene at May 5, 2006 01:38 PMthank
Posted by: cardura at July 23, 2006 04:48 AM
