My sobriety anniversary is feb 10. My sponsor called me on 10 may to tell me I had been sober three months. I had no idea. Three months would have been a great birthday present, but I got a better one. I had been working the steps and was into step nine. I had had several spiritual experiences in that process and had actually been set up for permanent sobriety. That was the real birthday gift. Total freedom from alcohol. Imagine that.
It's funny, but my birthday didn't really mean much, not compared to the fact that I had gone three months without serious thought of a drink. And I have not needed to drink since.