Of the many challenges that I knew I would face as a working mom, nothing quite prepared me for the Jewish-holiday-falls-on-a-weekday/ oh-and-its-also-my-son’s-first-birthday conundrum that I face this week. Technically Passover starts this evening, but due to a weekend filled with family in town for junior’s birthday party and the Ohio State vs. Florida NCAA basketball championship game on, Passover got passed over tonight in my household.
Why is this night different from all other nights?
For tonight is the first time in history that the same two college teams have vied for both the NCAA football and basketball title. Go Buckeyes, Amen.
I did plan ahead, however. Knowing that I wouldn’t have time to shop or cook over the weekend, and trying to be the “good Jewish wife” that I promised my husband (and mother-in-law) I’d be, I did what any guilty Jewish mother would do – I took the day off of work tomorrow so that I could cook for my family. I am using one of my cherished ”personal” days to baste brisket, peel apples for charoset and stew gefilte fish (I’m ordering in the matzoh ball soup; I can only do so much.)  And even though my husband clearly didn’t marry me for my cooking skills, I just didn’t feel right not honoring our tradition at all this week.Â
Why is it that on all other nights we eat either sitting or reclining, but on this night we eat in a reclining position?
For tonight we watch basketball, and we need to be comfortable.Â
Luckilly, though, I convinced my husband to go grocery shopping with me after work.  I’m guessing he must have been feeling guilty too that tonight we are celebrating his alma mater instead of the Jewish exodus from Egypt. Not to my surprise, the store was packed with other last-minute Passover procrastinators.
Why is it that on all other nights during the year we eat either bread or matzah, but on this night we eat only matzah?
Because God wants to test the fortitude of your intestines.
And in some cruel twist of fate, tomorrow happens to be my son’s first birthday as well. It’s like the “guilt Gods” lined up all at once to strike down their wrath on me. How could you work and not cook a home cook meal on his birthday? Let alone Passover?! Ok!! I hear you! I will use my valuable, precious, significant day off to serve you!
So while you’re sitting pert and pretty at your office desk tomorrow, I will be slaving over a hot oven basting six pounds of meat covered in juice and whole milk (we can drink that now that we’ve turned ONE.) For tonight, our religion is college sports. Tomorrow, it’s family.
Dedicated to my dear husband.
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Shame on you for giving birth during the Pesach season! How thoughtless! Couldn’t you have planned it better so your poor son wouldn’t be doomed to matzoh meal birthday cakes?
Ha.
My daughter’s birthday is the first week of January, in the aftermath of the holiday season. She’ll be shackled with “one big present” for life. What’s that? You say we could celebrate her half birthday? It’s July 5th. Oh well.
Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to pick an arbitrary date for your birthday, like the Queen does?
We had to cancel our Passover seder plans when my daughter fell ill with rotavirus. You could say we’ve been dealing with our own plague of pestilence.
What is Passover if not a week of suffering (and pushing thanks to the good old matzah)?
Passover is by far the most labor-intensive (no pun intended) holiday meal.
So much for all the hard work–our toddler son lasted at a friend’s seder
for a mere 20 minutes. He cried the entire time!
Maybe he’ll be better next year, but otherwise, it’s next year with a sitter!
I have an April B-day. Passover and my birthday collide often. I’m probably going to piss off a lot of people , but rather than skip cake, I have been known to add an extra day to Passover. Shhhhh.