Things That Make Me Feel Old

We had some friends and neighbors over for a barbeque and campfire tonight. And that's when it hit me. I'm old. I know, I know. I'm only 35. You're only as old as you feel. Blah, blah, blah. I'm old.

I say that because our new neighbors are young, just married, 20-somethings. Brad and I were joking about how long we've been married, and the conversation turned to wedding dates. Brad told everyone ours, December 27, 1996. The new neighbor said "oh, my... I was in 8th grade in 1996!". Not cool. The other neighbor then said she graduated from high school in 1999, the year Lexi was born. Yikes.

Yep. I'm old. There are other signs too. Like yesterday, when my 11 year old kicked me out of my bathroom so she could blow dry her hair. When did that happen? How did my baby turn into a pre-teen? While I was aging, I guess.

The fact that I couldn't finish my drink at the campfire tonight might be another sign. Brad and I used to joke about his grandparents sharing a beer and how we'd never do that. Tonight, I handed him my Mike's Hard Lemonade and said "we should have shared". I'm old.

There are aches and pains that remind me I'm 35 on a daily basis too. The way my knees grind when I walk up a flight of stairs is a loud reminder. My ever-slowing metobolism also reminds me I'm not 25 anymore.

But, as old as I am, there are also lots of things that keep me young. At the top of that list... Lizzy. She's always into something, and chasing her around, and the fact that most days I can keep up with her, makes me feel a bit younger.

Jake loves music, and downloading the coolest songs from i-Tunes. Listening to his music makes me feel a little younger, as long as it's not too loud.

My oldest thinks I'm cool, and she and her friends even confide in me. That makes me feel like the "cool" mom, and that makes me feel young. On the flip side, asking my 11 year old for fashion advice makes me feel old again.

My youngest is just a baby. I had my first baby when I was just 24. Sometimes I pretend Morgan is Lexi, and I'm a 24 year old mom. That makes me feel young, for a minute, until reality smacks me upside the head.

Yes, I'm old. And I'm actually okay with that. Afterall, it's only a number. Mine just happens to be one of the biggest numbers on the block. Memo to self: next time we have neighbors over for supper, invite the older ones too!