"What Do You Want For Your Birthday, Hunny?"

The countdown is on. In just six more days, I will be 35 years old. I remember a day when that number sounded so old. Now it's just a number. A number which reminds me that the clock will continue to move forward, my boobs will continue downwards, my butt will continue outward, but my optimism will continue to rise upwards.

Some things you just can't fight. Like those lines that mysteriously appeared around my eyes the day after I gave birth to son #2. Although a bit premature, I think it was God's way of preparing me for the other surprises my body had in store.

When my feet swelled so large during pregnancy and forced me to replace running shoes with bunny slippers...I laughed. When after I gave birth I realized that not only were my feet not going to return to normal size; they were going to stay 2 different sizes...I cried. When my bathing suit began to act more like the rubber band around the Sunday paper: trying desperately at all cost to hold everything in...I cried harder.

Age is a gift that is frequently misunderstood. We all pray that we live long enough to see our children grow; their children grow and so on. And somehow during all those years we also feel we're entitled to stay beautiful.

Doesn't sound like an unrealistic request.

So what do I want for my birthday? Here are a few suggestions for the gift givers in my life:

1) A shoe company that appreciates that not everyone's feet are the same size, and therefore decides to sell their shoes A La Carte.

2) A Non-Caloric Hot Fudge Sundae.

3) An eye wrinkle cream that, dare I say...works!

4) A mirror that lies well.

5) A small case of amnesia that temporarily causes me to believe I'm 29 again.

All right, all joking aside, you can't wrap amnesia. So, I guess I have no choice but to "hang in there"....literally!