Lee McKeeman’s Post

40th Birthday Celebrations This is personal. That’s fine. It’s late. My content-producing muscles are worn out. We have 5 kids, they are with us alternate weekends, so birthdays happen and we never know when they’ll be with us. We celebrate the nearest weekend with them. My daughter’s birthday is the day before my wife’s (stepmom). Our twins’ is the day after mine (this Thursday/Friday). Since our big kids were with other parents on actual birthdays, we celebrated last weekend. My wife did a ton of prep, since we were doing my and twins’ family parties Saturday/Sunday. Our family party is decorating the dining room with a theme, with balloons, wall hangings, table decorations, themed cups, napkins, etc. Twins’ was Elephant and Piggie. We got them all the books, along with some other “bigger kid” toys since they are 3 and not babies. Racetrack/garage for matchbox/hot wheels cars, a tool bench, and a few other assorted items. My theme was Star Wars-y, but leaned toward “dark side” as an over the hill homage, since I turned 40. We had masks, wall hangings, and so on. Also, once a year for my birthday, my wife makes the most delicious peanut butter Oreo fudge cheesecake that is the best dessert in the world. Last night was my actual birthday, and my wife arranged for our nanny to stay with twins so we could have a date night out. We had delicious barbecue, dessert at a dedicated dessertery, then went for a little walk, found a tattoo shop, and got each other’s first initials tattoo’d on our wedding ring fingers, and she got an index-finger mustache to match her little brother’s as a rememberance after his passing last year. Tonight was just a “lay low”. Took the twins to (Old) McDonald’s to play on the play place, came home, hung out, read to them, and put them to bed. I took our dog out back and was the scared (I am jumpy) by one of our friends popping out. I was scared/confused, not knowing if my wife was aware of this or if they stopped by as a surprise. It turned out that my wife had planned a surprise party with a bunch of our closest friends that we really hadn’t gotten to be with during the dark times the last few years. It was a soul salve. I am both autistic-socially-awkward, but deeply extroverted and fueled by friend-time. We talked and caught up, snacked, drank (me soda, one out of a wine glass to be fancy), ate cake (I accepted a face smashing into my piece), and played some Jackbox games (Fibbage 3 and Trivia Murder Party). I won two of the 4-5 rounds. I am monstrous at Trivia Murder Party because of my fact-loving-brain. I was dethroned in the last round, which is rare, but I missed a Real Housewives question, which is a cultural blind spot for me. Just a refresh with everyone on their lives, filling them in on our kids and work and all of the things you would keep people up to date on if you saw them regularly. It was great. Exchanging love with the people that give it freely to the real you is one of life’s greatest gifts.