So I suppose it’s become some sort of tradition to have lemon meringue pie for my birthday. It’s probably been my request 80% of the time the last decade. Obviously I had to follow along and ask for it again this year. Well that’s great, except we don’t have a working mixer for some reason right now. And no one really jumped on my whisk-power drill idea. And we didn’t have candles.

No worries. We got a pie from a local pie place, and I improvised with a tea light candle.

Of course, the other part of the tradition dictates that I must have my picture taken with whatever sort of cake or pie I’ll be eating. My iPhone was the most easily accessible option, so I turned it over to my mother hoping she’d figure out how to work it rather quickly. Besides the multiple photos that I deleted that were blurry beyond recognition…

“Hey mom, the candle went out which is why I have my mouth open telling you the candle went out. For the fourth time. Because you’re making me laugh too much.”

“See, I can’t stop laughing. You’re making this too difficult. Stop accidentally pressing the shutter button. I know the touch screen is sensitive.”

“Whose idea was this anyway?”

“Whew, we got one!”

And we got that one just in time, because I was laughing so hard I was crying, and teary-eyed birthday pictures would probably be a little confusing.

After enjoying some pie, we ended up going through baby albums.

Have I mentioned lately that I love my brother? Because I do.

Especially when he does things like this. Little goofball. Not so little any more. But still a goofball.

While I enjoyed the pie, nothing can quite compare to wearing your birthday cake. I really went to town on this one.

Now I have to figure out what we’re doing for my real pre-birthday in a couple days.