Birthdays

There are 8 birthdays surrounding me from now through September (that I know of), including mine. There is my Aunt Jeannie, Angie, Lil Bug, my cousins Jessica and Jenny, Jordan's son Judah, me, and Miya.
So I will be turning 18 in 1 month and 4 days. Crazy, right? I think so. I had forgotten about it until a few days ago, at which point I panicked about how close it was and how quickly it was coming up. I have been longing for this for the past year. It marks the ownership date of many privelages and rights. Like having a driver's lisence. Being able to vote. Being able to sign a lease in my own name. Being able to own a debit/credit card. But most of all, just being an ADULT. Being free.
I am excited and terrified at the same time. As said in Spiderman "With great power comes great responsibility". I am excited that I will have the freedom to do all those things, but I am fearful of how I will handle it. I can't even remember to do my own laundry on a regular basis! The only solution (short of killing myself before I turn 18- don't worry, I won't) is to take charge of my life and throw in some discipline . It won't be easy. I'm such a lazy bones. The good thing is, I've already started. For about a week now, I've been going for a run and working out every other day, whether I want to or not. Like I said. Discipline.
The other thing I have to worry about is Miya's birthday. She's turning 2! This problem comes in two stages; first I have to work on and perfect her present, which is not going to be easy- and I have to worry about what her birthday's going to be like. I'm not going to talk about the present, since I'm fairly certain Angie will read this before next month.
Last year her birthday was great- we met at Noodles and just hung out and talked, gave our presents, and ate pasta and cake. It was a really good time. Since then, our visits have been less than the previous year, due to scheduals and what-not. Miya is very mobile and active, and is no longer in the held-all-the-time stage. These combined means that in recent visits it has felt somewhat awkward. I sit and talk to Angie, and play with Lil Bug, but there is little interaction with Miya. I don't want to force it. She doesn't know me and I don't know her. And it's not anyone's fault... but it hurts. It hurts so that I once thought to just stop trying. Not that I EVER would. But the thought did occur. Not as a plan thought, more of a feeling thought, if that makes any sense. I just want to hold her again....
Anyways, those are the great things that occupy my thoughts lately. Yay for birthdays.