On the Eve of My 27th Year

Twenty seven years ago today my mother prepared a Thanksgiving dinner for herself, my dad and my 7 year-old sister. Shortly after that dinner, I made my way into the world, cementing my unnatural connection to pumpkin and green bean casserole. Roughly ten months prior, my sister had made a request of my parents: please give her a baby sister. A trip to Vegas and 9 months later, there I was. Well, it wasn’t an easy night for my mom. Heavy with turkey and 7 pounds 5 ounces of me, she struggled through hours of labor where, as an indication of my future inclinations, I refused to enter the birth canal. If I had access to my prenatal thoughts, I imagine I would find fear of going towards the light. After all, I was very warm, comfortable and in the middle of a Thanksgiving meal. Nonetheless, my time had come, and if I was not agreeable the doctors would have no choice but to take me by force. My mom wasn’t having it, and once again foreshadowing the future she pushed as hard as she possibly could to get me where I was supposed to be. A little while later out I came, greeted by jokes that I must’ve belonged to the “milk man” because my mop of black hair and dark eyes didn’t match either of my parents’ coloring. My dad is a good natured guy, otherwise some doctors and nurses might have been knocked out. Meanwhile, I’m told, my grandma Randell stood in the hallway holding her purse and awaiting news of her new granddaughter. I know that my dad’s brothers at some point might have barged into the labor room…or maybe that part of the story belongs to my sister’s birth. I’m not sure. I was there, but I was very distracted and did not have the benefit of language to match the images. I also know that two names were up for grabs for me…Meredith and Natalie. Ultimately my sister vetoed Meredith, as did my mother for fear that people would call me Mary. So the French word for Christmas, or “birth” won out so close to the holidays.

Little did I know that meanwhile to the east in NYC another girl would be born 364 days later named Meredith…and her name would’ve very nearly been Natalie or Nadine. And on an equally cosmic note, I would be baptized on the same day in January 1981 when another girl name Teri Lea was born who 14 years down the road would become my Confirmation sponsor.

But I digress.

Have I mentioned too that James in my cast has the same birthday as me? Just three years later. Sweet Baby James. It’s our big day. It’s actually kind of nice to be sharing a day and a party with someone. It’s a lot of pressure on your own.

Wait, did I say party?? Boy did I! My surreal life is delivering a surreal birthday party, courtesy of my Second City cast and the NCL production cast. They’re my boat family and I couldn’t be happier to be celebrating my birthday with them. James and I chose Cagney’s Steakhouse as our birthday dinner venue. We’re both meat people. Then we will retire to a karaoke room (yes, a karaoke room) for birthday craziness. Many nights on this boat are a party. That makes it that much more of a challenge for this night to be special.

Things I miss on my birthday being away from home:
Erin
Meredith
Holiday Club
CIN threads
Cupcakes from (guess where) Cupcakes
SAMA’s conference room birthday party
A musical phone call from my parents
Spending my birthday eve at CSz rehearsal
Girls’ dinner with Megan and Meredith
Chicago in general

Things I’m excited about here:
Cagney’s filet
Seeing James turn 24 and remembering that year fondly
Decorations compliments of Katy
Peter’s comic art
Tabetha’s dancing (watch those shoulders!)
Shawn’s bits (or are they?)
Not having to wake up for work tomorrow

All in all, it’s a good day.

Happy Birthday, Meredith!!