Athenamas, 13th Edition

Posted on December 23, 2011    Posted by      67 Comments

It’s a family tradition here at the Scalzi household to awaken our daughter on her birthday with a flaming pastry, usually a birthday cake. This year, however, she turns thirteen, and to celebrate the initial transformation into a teen, we changed things up a bit and presented her with a pie. And yes, because I am a nerd, I did in fact say “the cake is a pie” to her. But never mind that now.

I could go on at this point about the fact that my daughter is now a teenager, and all the implications of that fact and how much I am proud of her for being such a remarkable person even at this young age, but at the moment I am content just to be happy with the fact my daughter exists in this world. I am going to leave it at that for right now.

But I would like to share something with you on my daughter’s thirteenth birthday: The song that was playing in the delivery room the moment she was born. I think it’s beautiful, as she is.

To my daughter: Happy birthday. I love you.

To everyone else: Happy Athenamas! Say “Happy Athenamas!” to everyone you meet today! Because why not.

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67 Comments on “Athenamas, 13th Edition”

  17. Happy Birthday! “Waltz Across Texas” is a great song to be born to.

    ::genuine Texan stamp of approval::

  21. Happy birthday, Athena!!! Now that you’ve made it to your teenage years, it’s really time to start torturing your father.

    And just an FYI should you care, when my son arrived into this world, the delivery room was blaring with Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord”.

  23. When I read your post my prankster mind autocratically presumes you are visiting her in the wee hours of the AM. I mean really, getting awakened at 2:30am for a flaming pie, who is going to have an issue with that?

    So just how early is it in that photo?

    And…. Happy Athenamas!

  27. Happy Birthday Athena. What a great song to initiate you into the world. EmmyLou Harris is one of my favourite singers.

  29. Happy Athenamas to you!
    Happy Athenamas to you!
    Happy Athenamas, dear Athena!
    Happy Athenamas to you!

  31. Saying “Happy Athenamas” sounds like some Greek winter solstice festival. Which only makes it cooler, in my opinion.

    Happy brithday, Athena!

  33. Happy birthday to Athena. Did you get her an owl as a present?

    Also, Mr Scalzi, you should select a prominent display location for the obligatory shotgun issued to fathers of teenaged daughters. I understand that the Bradford Fathers for ‘Murikan Values will be delivering yours on Monday, 26 December, due to the holiday rush, but it’s not too early to make sure that potential romantic (or hormonal) “companions” can see the shotgun as they come in the front door. Just make sure that Daisy knows where the ammo is (you can’t trust cats with shotgun shells).

  34. Very awesome of you to make her day special even though it is so close to Christmas! I always hated the whole “combine them both” thing and my birthday is early in December.

    Many happy returns to the new teen!

  37. Happy Athenamas! I hope the world is ready for you Ms. Scalzi, because something tells me you are going to take it by storm – no prisoners, no excuses, no quarter. Which is fabulous.

  44. Happy thirteeenth birthday, Athena. (My dad said to me on my thirteenth birthday, don’t drop any mirrors, but, hey, kid it’s still seven years bad luck.)

    But I have suspicions that your teenage years might be seven years of good luck, exploration, discovery, and plain ol’ good times, and I hope they are. Wishing you the happiest of Athenamasses.

  45. Happy Birthday, Athena! Hope the cake-pie tasted as cool/good as it looks in the picture!

  47. Happy Birthday, Athena.

    And yes, because I am a nerd, I did in fact say “the cake is a pie” to her.

    And smack your father for me, would you please?

  48. I kept reading Athenamas as Anathemas, which is not nearly as fun-sounding, really.

    happy birthday, stranger’s daughter!

  49. Happy birthday, Athena.

    It’s funny that I was trying to remember how old Athena is just this morning. I have a step sister who looks like Athena, and I was trying to work out the age difference (about two years). That’s the approximate age difference between my son and step sister (ugh).

  50. Happy birthday, Athena!
    You’re obviously a very well loved daughter. That’s not everything, but it’s a hell of a good start.

  52. Well, I don’t know about anyone else, but I am outraged – OUTRAGED! – about this whole “Happy Athenamas” greeting. I mean, it excludes anyone who isn’t named Athena, and I WON’T STAND FOR IT! IT’S A WAR ON NON-ATHENAS OF THE WORLD!

  53. [Sorry, hit enter before I was done with that post…]

    I’m joking, of course. I wish Athena nothing but utmost happiness and joy. Blessings on your special day, young one!

  55. Happy Birthday, Athena – from one whose birthday is also today (though a few years before yours)…
    I hope your day is as fine as mine is turning out to be.

  59. Happy Athenamas, Athena!

    Athena is 363 days older than my daughter Bridgit. I have been offically forbidden from making TEOTWAWKI jokes even though Bridgit becomes a teen on 12-21-2012.

  61. Happy Birthday, Athena!

    And, John, as another almost-xmas-baby (mine falls on Athenamas Eve), I applaud you and Krissy on taking the time during the hectic holiday season to make Athena’s day special and important. I didn’t appreciate how difficult and extraordinary it was that my parents did that for me till recently recently.

  63. Happy Athenas and may I add that my grandnephew was born on December 23, 2011..Happy Dennistos!!!

  64. In 1989 the Government of Japan made Athena’s birthday (and mine) a national holiday. Forethoughtful of them.

  67. Rats. Haven’t been on in days and missed the Athenamas party! Happy belated Athenamas everyone!

    Also, happy belated birthday, Athena.

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Athena Scalzi, editor – AMS
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