This past year was the first year in many that I did not make a birthday bucket list at all. Last year we had my baby shower two days before my birthday, and so my birthday came and went without a blink of an eye pretty much. I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

I knew this past year was going to be nothing short of hectic. My entire world was about to be flipped upside down with the arrival of our twins. I didn’t think I would have time to sleep, let alone try and complete a birthday bucket list. 

So I made the decision to skip a year. 

I was at peace with it. I knew I’d get back into it next year. 

Enter my incredible sister. We’ve blogged about her before –  it would be pretty hard to top my 27th birthday, where she filled my day with meaningful surprises, helping me combat the depressive thought of “What’s the point?” – and even wrote my birthday 27 x 28 birthday list. My sister regularly comes in and manages to create the most thoughtful, loving, and amazing moments for the people she loves.

I know, I’m incredibly lucky to have her as my sister. 

This year has been no different. She was waiting outside the hospital the day my kids were born. She spent every Friday for months with me following their birth, helping me however she could. Cleaning my kitchen, making me food, doing my laundry. 

She continually shows up every single day.

I should have known she would have had my list covered. This sweet angel of a human threw me a birthday party, invited all my people, and created my 32 x 33 list for me in a way that we could finish it that night (which was a few days before my actual birthday, so it would count!)

She enlisted the help of all the guests to create a murder mystery. She rented a bouncy castle so the twins could go on one for the first time. She researched 19 different facts about 1990 (the year I was born), which led to the funniest conversations as people worked to integrate their facts naturally as we chatted. 

She even managed to match the branding for the print-out list. Seriously, could there be a more thoughtful human who pays attention to even the smallest details?

Perhaps the most meaningful part of the whole night was the fact she went as to set up my nephew’s bed on the floor for the twins to sleep in, forewent all alcoholic beverages, and ensured my babies were taken care of all night so I could have my first night “out” as a mom. There are very few people I trust with my children, the list is short. It doesn’t even fill a full hand. But knowing she had them covered, I think it was the first time in the 9+ months since they were born that I actually turned “off” and relaxed (as much as I could at least!)

Also, let’s have a moment for this nacho table, please. Jess, you seriously are a party connoisseur and the best host there is!

The beautiful thing about this list is it’s actually the first one I’ve ever finished – and it was completed in the most meaningful of ways. 

J girl, you are what every girl should aspire to have in a best friend and sister. I will forever spend my days trying to create as meaningful of moments for you as you continually do for me. I love you infinitely. 

So without further ado, here’s my 32 x 33 birthday bucket list!

1. Become a mom – Done!
2. Learn how to tandem feed – Done!
3. Play a game of corn hole – Done!
4. Have a family outing – Done!
5. Have a water gun fight with the twins – Done!
6. Deal with separation anxiety – Done!
7. Colour a drawing with someone – Done!
8. Unpack pre-pregnancy clothes – Done!
9. Play a game of crib – Done!
10. Take the twins on their first bouncy castle – Done!
11. Beat Mathew at a game – Done!
12. Complete a selfie scavenger hunt – Done!
13. Play 9 holes – Done!
14. Have my first shooter as a mom – Done!
15. Play Pictionary – Done!
16. Find out 19 facts about 1990 – Done!
17. Start Amazon KDP – Done!
18. Create a group painting – Done!
19. Travel with twins – Done!
20. Solve a murder mystery – Done!
21. Create an epic play zone for the twinjas – Done!
22. Play bottle flip tic-tac-toe – Done!
23. Give birth to the twinjas – Done!
24. Create at least 10 videos/tiktoks – Done!
25. Create something memorable – Done!
26. Start an Etsy shop – Done!
27. Join a book club – Done!
28. Add at least 10 blog posts – Done!
29. Design and sell a journal – Done!
30. Sleep in my own bed – Done!
31. Have an epic birthday as a first-time mom – Done!
32. Take a girls’ generation photo – Done!

Leave some love in the comments for my sister! If you’re working on a birthday bucket list and sharing it online, I’d love to see it too!