Here at the Times we get awards for passing milestones in our service to the company. They go in five-year intervals and, the more years you have in at the company, the more elaborate the gift. For my five-year anniversary, I selected a really cool onxy and silver bracelet that I wear frequently. I'm approaching my 10-year anniversary this December and I'm already eyeing up the company-sponsored "frosting" hanging on the wrists, fingers, necks and earlobes of my coworkers (most of the women chose jewelry).

Yesterday, I passed my five-year service anniversary as a mommy when my oldest child, Kelly, turned 5.

And, well ... I'm still waiting for someone to show me a catalog of gifts I get to pick from for my years of dedicated service to this child (and her sister).

No one was handing out awards at home last night -- no diamond pendants, no shiny earrings, no fancy watches came my way.

What I got, when I walked in the door, was a cranky birthday girl crying on the naughty stool -- serving time for whacking her sister over some My Little Pony property dispute. (Dan hated having to put Kelly on the naughty stool on her birthday, but hitting is a major violation of the house rules -- birthday or no birthday, punishment is certain and swift).

Unfortunately, this little episode set the tone for a not-so-fun birthday night. Because, as any mommy knows, once the whine train leaves the station with a kid on board, there's no stopping it -- it just gains momentum until you finally park their butt in bed.

I did my best to cheer her, but even the little chocolate birthday cake I picked up on the way home wasn't scratching her tough exterior. And, besides, it was now after 7 p.m. and with bedtime at 8:30 p.m., our entertainment choices were limited.

Want to go swimming? (usually a surefire, resounding "yes" ) No.

Bike ride? No.

Trampoline? No.

In the end, we all split up and did our own thing. Dan went for a run, the girls put in a Bear In the Big Blue House Video and I took an evening nap.

That nap was better than any jewelry.

And having the privledge of being a mommy for the past five years is reward in and of itself.

Even when they are crabby birthday girls.