Running on the needle-sharp grass and skidding as I pass the sprinklers because the bottom of my feet lose traction. There's a chocolate stain on my sunflower-covered dress from the rocky road ice cream I devoured an hour ago and a matching smudge just above my upper lip. The searing sun left golden brown kisses on my shoulders where I refused to wear sunscreen, because it's my birthday and I refuse to care. It's almost always been a pretty great experience, except for the flood on my eighth birthday when we decided to go camping on the beach. Good times!

Birthdays in the summer are kind of amazing, but also kind of crazy. They involve cool and refreshing food, but also sweat trails and messy hair. Here are a few other things that people who have birthdays in the summer know to be true.

1. There's definitely no school on your birthday

...which can be sad if you really wanted to bring cupcakes to class during lunch, but can also be awesome because you can actually celebrate it on the right day.

2. The weather is awesome!

3. You might need gallons of water and cooling fans...

...but even so, it's a great time.

4. You have watermelon and iced tea!

5. But if you don't time it right, that ice cream birthday cake could melt in your car.

Oops!

6. You do get cake AND ice cream, though.

Nothing beats that.

7. You can actually have a nice pool or beach party and not have guests shivering as they wait for the cake to be sliced.

(I'm looking at you, Alexis!)

8. But you might not have very many guests come to your party

...since they're all vacationing in Maui or backpacking through South America or constantly working.

9. Then again, now you don't have to invite the entire class.

10. And don't even think of going to a water park or community pool

Those are so crowded you can't even see your own toes.

11. But even if you do go a crowded water park, at least it's better than an indoor party.

Just saying.

12. You do get a TON of birthday messages from loads of people

It's kind of scary sometimes!

13. Ice cream.

I'll never forget about the ice cream coma on Birthday No. 7. Rocky road for days!

14. All of the music festivals are in the summer

...so you can literally have a jam-packed birthday with skydiving, ice cream, beach, hiking and music festivals! So many things.

15. If you're lucky you'll even get some fireworks on your birthday!

16. Or maybe a fun summer vacation.

Sweet!

17. And don't forget you're probably the youngest in your class every year.

But who wants to grow up anyways?

18. Anywho, you'll always be the cheeriest!

So, Happy Birthday! Now go have fun with your sunshine self! You deserve it.