Milestone

So everyone keeps saying that I had a "milestone" birthday yesterday. I guess 30 is a milestone. In highschool, 30 meant "officially old". In the past few years I've learned that 30 is really the new 20. In many ways our generation is a little behind our parents on the growing up thing. In our parents generation it was not uncommon for a 30 year old to be celebrating 10 or 11 years of marriage and having kids getting ready to go to junior high. In my generation, if you have a kid going to junior high it means that you probably had a little "oops" in high school and are finally able to get out and go on a date since babysitting isn't that much of an issue anymore. My generation is the first to have the luxury of quarter-life crisis.

For those of you unaware of the term "quarter life crisis", here's a little explaination provided by quarterlifecrisis.com:

QLC FAQs• Q: What is a quarterlife crisis?• A: The quarterlife crisis, or QLC, is essentially a period of anxiety, uncertainty and inner turmoil that often accompanies the transition to adulthood.•

Q: Who coined the phrase "quarterlife crisis?"• A: Abby Wilner, co-author of Quarterlife Crisis and Quarterlifer's Companion, coined the phrase in 1997 after she graduated from college, moved back home, and couldn't figure out what to do with her life.•

Q: What makes the QLC unique for twentysomethings today? • A: Essentially, it is taking longer to become an adult today based on traditional markers such as financial independence and starting a family. The average American job hops 8 times before the age of 32, the average college graduate accrues $20,000 in education loan debt, and the average age to get married is now 27.

You have a quarter life crisis? You move in with your parents! note: not knocking moving in with your parents, I did it too, more than once.

I was lucky enough to have mine very early in my 20's. Necessity made me push through it and fake it as much as I could.

I've decided that milestone birthdays are scary for people who are full of regret for what they have done (or not done) in the years leading up to the milestone. I am happy to turn 30. I am fulfilled, satisfied, and overjoyed with the life that I have. I've had a relatively successful career, I'm able to stay home and take care of my beautiful 1.5 kids, I have a loving and purposeful marriage, good relationships with family, and so many good and faithful friends that my calendar is booked for the next 4 weeks. I'm not sure that life can get any better than that. Regrets? Sure, I have them. I am realistic, however, and know that 30 is indeed the new 20 and I can still accomplish those things. There is lots of time, and if there isn't, I know that I've done pretty well with the 30 years I've been given so far.

Fashionista

Ever since knowing the Hardy Family, an awesome family that was part of my mom's church for several years as the dad served as our youth pastor, I said that when I had kids I'd let them wear whatever they wanted. Visions of little 4 year old Caleb in his shorts and oversized cowboy boots usually come to mind when I think of them.

I've been looking forward to the day when Aimee would have an opinon about what she'd wear for a long time. That day has finally come. Over the past few weeks, Aimee's clothing selections started with her shoes. She started with only wanting to wear 1 sock and no shoes, then she discovered the hand-me-down moon boots I had been storing. She loved the boots, but again, would only wear one sock and one moon boot on her left foot, leaving the right foot bare.

Next came her obsession with hooded shirts. On one ocassion she picked out the hooded terry cloth robe that came with her bathing suit. She wore it all day. Even to the grocery store.

Then a few days later, she rediscovered a hoodie sweatshirt she used to wear when she was around nine months old. She had me help her put it on and it looked like one of those half sweaters that are in style now. Then she had me cover it up with another hoodie that I keep on the door for when the house gets a little chilly. She wore both sweaters all day, in 75 degree weather. Wouldn't let me take them off.

Today it was a cute sparkly pink hand-me-down one piece bathing suit. We put it on right over her pants and grey long sleaved t-shirt from Stephanie, the one that has the ice skates on it. She looked kind of like a wrestler.

Having a child with opinions is pretty fun.