Dear Kid,

April 15^th has gotten a bad rap. Yes, it’s Income Tax Day, and Lincoln died, and the Titanic sank, and Anna Boleyn and George Boleyn Lord Rochford were accused of adultery and incest, and there was the horror of the Boston marathon, and yes it’s snowing this morning which is a mistake on a whole new level, but is that any reason to condemn 1/365 of the year?

So, being the kind of mom that I, I decided it was time to set the record straight and share some of the fabulous things that happened throughout history on April 15^th.

Unfortunately for me, that would involve some fabulous things actually happening on April 15^th.

At first, I thought finding fab things for the 15^th would be easy. Then I realized I was looking at events for May 15^th and I had to start all over.

Some pretty good things happened on April 15^th. The first US school for the deaf opened (1817), the first telephone was installed (1877), insulin became generally available (1923), the NFL changed the penalty flag from white to bright gold (1965), and billionaire Leona Helmsley was sent to jail for tax evasion (1992).

But none of that really qualifies as “fabulous.”

Sigh.

And it’s snowing. In April.

Plan B: Advice For April 15

• Avoid the post office (everyone who isn’t e-filing is mailing their taxes).
• Avoid “unsinkable” ships. Even in the bathtub.
• Call your mother (which you already did, but you can certainly do again).

Hope you manage to have a day that qualifies as fab.

Love, Mom

Dear Kid,

Happy Anniversary!

Actually, the Dear Kid Love Mom anniversary was last week, but I was discussing other things at the time and didn’t get to the anniversary blog until now. So Happy Belated Anniversary! DearKidLoveMom is officially one year old.

Maybe that makes it a birthday rather than an anniversary….welcoming input on which we’re celebrating. Remember the first post?

While I let others discuss what we’re celebrating (anniv or b’day), let us move on to the celebration. (Please feel free to put on your virtual party hat.) We have virtual decorations, virtual party favors, and virtual cupcakes (regular and gluten-free).

Obviously, this is more excitement than any human needs for the day, but in case you’re hoping to live closer to the edge, you should know that April 7th is a pretty celebratory day in history.

In 1718, New Orleans was founded and has been pretty much one long celebration since.

In 1789, the US celebrated the first inauguration ball (it was for George Washington and held in NYC).

In 1832, Greece celebrated gaining independence.

In 1912, Columbia University approved plans for the Pulitzer Prize. Yippee!

In 1913, the British House of Commons rejected the idea of women’s right to vote which was a celebration for exactly no one. Eventually, Great Britain decided to let women vote once they reached age 30. Fast forward to April 7, 1928, and the UK lowered the voting age for women to 21.

In 1921, Behave Yourself celebrated the 47th Kentucky Derby by winning. In 1932, Burgoo King won the Derby, in 1938 Lawrin celebrated the win, and in 1966 Kauai King took the roses.

And finally, in 2013, the Dow Jones Industrial average and the S&P hit record highs (for which many people celebrated).

Hope you have a day worth celebrating!

Love, Mom

Dear Kid,

Several many years ago, the world (and traffic) stood still as Dad and I careened in a taxi from our apartment on 53rd Street downtown to the hospital. Not too long thereafter, you consented to join our family. This was (and continues to be) a Most Excellent Decision. Happy Birthday, baby.

Also, today is International Women’s Day (Happy International Women’s Day).

A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun.  Enjoy the trip.  ~Author Unknown

It’s also the anniversary of the first day the IRS began to levy and collect income taxes (1913).

You are only young once, but you can stay immature indefinitely.  ~Ogden Nash

And it’s the anniversary of the first dog-licensing law (NY State 1894). Booker says this means he should be allowed to drive. When I pointed out his legs won’t reach the pedals, he went off to chew on his owl.

The year you were born marks only your entry into the world. Other years where you prove your worth, they are the ones worth celebrating. 
 ~Jarod Kintz

But mostly it’s your birthday.

Birthdays are nature’s way of telling us to eat more cake. ~Unknown

Hope you have a Wonderful Day.

Aging seems to be the only available way to live a long life. ~George Harrison

We love you, kiddo.

Love, Mom

Dear Kid,

Once upon a time an amoeba was born. (Are amoebas born?) No one noticed because there were no people at the time. The universe waited.

Eventually, people were born. Generally individually. Their mothers usually noticed, but since the main family activity was Don’t Get Eaten, no one had time to celebrate the occasion on an annual basis. The universe sighed, and waited.

Finally, people figured out how to avoid getting eaten (at least most of the time) and they had time to invent birthdays and birthday cake. The universe smiled and waited for a slice. Preferably with extra icing. The universe is like that.

See why history is so important?

The Romans invented the birthday cake. Not to be outdone, the Greeks invented putting candles on the birthday cake, because everyone knows that melted wax is an excellent flavor enhancer. It’s also really fun to watch little kids try to blow out candles. The universe isn’t interested in waiting for people to think of wishes (they had all year to think about it) and just wants another small slice of cake please.

Call or text Grandma Lala–today is her birthday. The universe is pretty happy about that.

Love, Mom

Dear Pi,

We take a break from our regularly scheduled blog to bring you this happy birthday wish to Sister of Kid.

Happy Birthday Kiddo!

Today, in 753 BC, Romulus founded Rome. In 1816, Charlotte Brontë (English author and one of the three Brontë sisters–but you knew that) was born.

April 21st is also Saint Wolbodo‘s Day. Wolbodo is the patron saint of students, so he seems like as good saint as any for you to be acquainted with.

Hope you have a wonderful, sugar-filled day stuffed full of love and happiness.

Love, Mom