I have no idea how she’s done it, but Lindsay Lohan has somehow defied the odds and is now aged a fine 22 years. She’s also managed to go an entire year without any new arrests, car crashes, or rehabs. Though to be fair she was in rehab on her 21st birthday last year, and for a couple months afterwards as well. But she hasn’t been admitted into rehab again in a whole year. This is big. Huge.

She’s been working on her next film, Labor Pains, and has actually been complimented for her good work ethic. Supposedly she shows up on time, knows her lines, and generally gets along with everyone. It’s not like she’s made as dramatic a change as Britney Spears – though you could argue that’s because her life didn’t fall apart to quite the same extent.

But either way, she seems to have spent the last couple months getting her act together a bit more – and many attribute that to the positive influence of her never-officially-acknowledged girlfriend Samantha Ronson.

LiLo definitely has reason to celebrate this year – and apparently plans on doing it right.

Lindsay Lohan’s 22nd birthday throw down is toned down from what it was supposed to be — ‘memba this? — but that doesn’t mean it won’t be a wild affair.

We’re told her full sister Ali and loony mom Dina are flying in for the private party. It’s being held tonight at Teddy’s inside the Roosevelt Hotel — where LiLo has several suites lined up. There won’t be a sponsor, but word is it will be a celeb-infested soiree. Sam Ronson won’t be working the gig — the two pals wanna be able to spend some precious time together.

And don’t think about crashing the celebration — sources tell us that security is so tight, everyone entering the party must be cleared by La Lohan herself.

[From TMZ]

I’m not going to go all out and actually say that Lindsay is all better now. But she’s definitely less messed up than she used to be. Baby steps. That’s all we can ask for. It seems like seeing less of her parents and more of Samantha has brought a bit of much-needed stability into her life. Let’s hope the next year is even saner.

Here’s Lindsay Lohan learning her lines on the set of “Labor Pains” in North Hollywood yesterday. Images thanks to WENN.