A quarter Century

My daughter turned 25 today. TWENTY-FIVE!

How did that happen? It feels like yesterday when we celebrated her first birthday.

I decided we should make a big deal out of her first quarter of a century – and because, really, anything is a good excuse for a good party, I declared this past weekend a Nataliapalooza and celebrate we did.

Nataliapalooza Day 1 started on Friday when I woke her up with this card

She said that I had “found the best mother to daughter B-Day card! It’s like you had it made especially for us”.

Then we got to work like any other day but in the evening we started the real celebrations with a surprise party at a Latin Club.

This is her, arriving at the club and realizing it was a surprise party

We had tons of fun dancing salsa, merengue and vallenato till the wee hours of the morning. I had three drinks and was terribly hung over the next day.

Nataliapalooza Day 3 started with me not being able to find my pajamas until my daughter kindly pointed out that they were right beside me. I requested some advil, had birthday cake for breakfast (with lots of coffee) and went back to bed for a while. Then she went over to her boyfriend’s and I sneaked out to the studio to prepare for the evening.

My daughter got her birthday present at our weekly dance, after the compulsory Birthday Jam. The birthday Jam is a tradition in the Lindy Hop world where everybody make a big circle and take turns to dance with the birthday person, jam style.

She sees the bike…

Then we go for a spin around the dance floor

This is what she wrote on Facebook later that night:

I have in my possession the most beautiful bike there ever was!! Thank you to all who made that possible :)

Nataliapalooza Day 3 was laid back because she worked from 12:30 pm – 10:00 pm. What a long day. She was exhausted and just wanted to take a bath and go to bed.

On Nataliapalooza Day 4 we had our traditional birthday brunch at Tucker’s where brunch is free on your birthday. We go there every year on her birthday and my birthday. Good stuff.

After stuffing ourselves with yummy food, we headed over to the mall for some window shopping and a much needed digestive stroll. We had fun trying on stuff and walking around.

Finally, we had a very nice walk home on a gorgeous late afternoon. The weather could not have been any more perfect too. Sunny and crisp.

That ends Nataliapalooza 2013.

My daughter is at a Seder dinner with her boyfriend. And if you excuse me, I’m going to have a slice of that yummy birthday cake and then go to bed!

Chag Sameach to those of you who celebrate Pesach