Surprise!! It's Not Your Birthday! But.... Surprise!!

My family.... We are either a really cool lot or a super silly group. You be the judge.

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We started a couple of years ago throwing surprise birthday parties when it's not really near the persons birthday. It all started one year when we decided to throw my pa a half birthday because his birthday is the day after Christmas and try as you may, you really can't fully celebrate a birthday the day after Christmas. So we felt he deserved a 1/2 birthday.

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Then shortly after Christmas this year, my sisters and ma did a little birthday surprise for me.

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So it was decided that this Saturday, we'd throw a surprise birthday for my ma, even though her birthday isn't 'til April. I mean really, who is going to expect a birthday party a month before their birthday? I didn't and neither did my ma.

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Another tradition of ours is to make a birthday banner. I still have mine from my 18th birthday. It bothered me ever so slightly that it wasn't technically a banner that we did for my ma, but a poster... But some things you just need to let be.

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(note to self:bring banner paper to next surprise birthday party, whether asked or not. Not that I have to control things, but I have to have birthday banners)

Here is a little tidbit about my ma. She loves body spray. So my Nolan just had to poke a little fun.

Did you laugh, Ma? Or did you wonder why I am not raising my son to be kinder to his Gramma?

Oh, and another tradition, aside from surprises and birthday banners (or not)- is gag gifts.
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I struggled with my gag gift to her, I really did. I wasn't in the groove. But then I got there.

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Guess which one I gave my ma?

The blue light bulb? (or as Gary would say blub)

This silly fella holding an even sillier sign?

Jewelry from a gumball machine?

Or wrapped wrapping paper?

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He he ho ho ha ha ha!!!

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Worry not folks, she did get some nice gift cards with a nice little poem about how she is not allowed to get X amount of items at the Dollar Store, but to get her something nice. Because you know how ma's can put themselves last and need to be forced to spend a little on themselves.
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Oh, and one more question. If I did a moist chocolate cake with dark chocolate ganache, toasted pecans and whipped cream..... AGAIN....

Is that tradition? Or does that make me a one trick pony?