Most Wonderful Time of the Year

OK, so allow me to be 6 years old for a minute. I LOVE this time of year. And I have selfish reasons so please indulge me.

I will get the selfish one out of the way. My birthday is this time of year. I am old enough to start seeing my age when I look in the mirror. However, I am not old enough to dread my birthday. I LIKE my birthday if for no other reason than to get emails, texts, phone calls and cards from friends and family. It is nice to be shown how much you are loved every once in a while and I got plenty of love this year. Especially now that I am on Facebook (see previous blog post). I checked my email on my birthday and there were 45 new emails - most of them from Facebook messages. This year, my sis in law, Mel and her husband Scott flew in to visit. We did the Philly thing (cheesesteaks, Liberty Bell, cut off in traffic, sworn at) and then went out for sushi and hibachi that night. Couple that with being able to take the day off from work and play nine holes of golf and it was the perfect day. Also, in case you care, I share the same birthday as American icons - Chuck Norris, American Idols - Carrie Underwood and ANTI-American Icons - Osama bin Laden.

Next, it is Riley's birthday. I get excited for my birthday but I get very excited for Riley's. He is still a little too young to understand what is going on but the nostalgic sap comes out in me. Last year, we symbolically turned his car seat around after his party because now as a one year old, he could face forward. Overdramatic? Probably. But I loved it. I can't believe the kid is going to be two. It seems like a week ago he was born yet at the same time it seems like a lifetime ago. Actually, I guess it has been a lifetime ago. Riley's lifetime. Riley, by the way, shares his birthday with all kinds of American icons - Reese Witherspoon, Bob Costas, Andrew Lloyd Weber, Louis L'Amour and my personal favorite, William Shatner.

Next, the weather is finally changing. I don't know if it was because we were sharing a house with a stir crazy toddler but this winter seemed to go forever. The weather is hitting the 40's and 50's and we are scrambling to go out for walks. I saw the sun for the first time in months. We talked to our neighbors for more than 4 seconds today for the first time in 2009. It was like everyone is coming out of hibernation. Spring can't come fast enough.

And Final-ly, March Madness is upon us. I am not sure when I got so crazy about the Men's NCAA Basketball tournament but I love it. I start watching college basketball in the fall just to get an idea of what teams are decent so I can be prepared for March Madness. Yes, I have run two pools for years and no I haven't won either but that's ok. The first Thursday and Friday when games start at noon and go all day is one of the highlights of my year. I remember sitting in the hospital after Riley was born watching games on the 2 inch tv they have in the room and thinking how great it was going to be to watch games all week while I was on paternity leave. Little did I realize that I wouldn't be sleeping much that week and was too tired to watch the games. I watch as many games as I can and I have the little scoreboard on my computer at work. (I don't think my boss reads this blog but it doesn't matter because he does the same thing). Also, because the tournament is on CBS, they constantly run commercials for my second favorite sporting event to watch each year - the "tradition unlike any other - The Master's on CBS".

So I am in heaven right now. My taxes are done (and we got a refund - thank YOU mortgage interest!), the basketball games start Thursday. We are spending the weekend celebrating mine and Riley's birthdays. I hear the temperature is going to hit 60 tomorrow. Everything is looking up.

Now I just need a North Carolina national championship......