I'm getting old ...

So I'm not usually a Debbie Downer about many things (I'm a realist, okay?), but I have had a recent revelation in the past few weeks that I cannot ignore. It kinda jump started with Halloween and has just snowballed from there. The fact is ... I am getting old people! Not in the way that you think of your cute grandma with her home baked pies and analog TV set, no, this is old in a different way. I realized that I'm the same age my mom was when I was 5 years old. What?!?! I mean, I remember being 5 years old and definitely have some solid and concrete memories of that year. And, for your information, my mom was OLD in those memories (sorry mom). Again, not old like wrinkly, but old like a real adult. The type of adult that I'm not sure I embody just yet. For justification purposes, here are some things that have occurred recently that have led to said epiphany.

1. My bedtime habits
Let's just say that my husband counts it as a good day if I don't fall asleep on the sofa by 9pm. I know I should just not give in to the supine position that ultimately leads to my demise, but I can't help it. Chasing around 4 hyper energetic kids all day wears me down. It's all I can do to make it to the couch after they go to bed, much less stay awake. Add to the mix me in my PJs and slippers by 8pm and you have one geriatric 31 (there, I said it) year old. Count in the fact that I can't remember the last time I slept past 8am and you have one crotchety old woman on your hands.

2. My TV show selection
All the hip TV watchers today are watching things like Mad Men and True Blood. At least I've heard of these shows. I shamefully admit that some of my favorite shows are 20/20 and 48 Hours Mystery. These shows air on Friday and Saturday nights, so the writing is on the wall about how young and hip the viewers of these shows must be (I'm going with zilch). Let's just say while all you party goers are out there living it up on the weekends, I'm enjoying my yet to be solved murder mystery from the comforts of my own home.

3. Music choice (or lack thereof)
Now this is an area where my husband's oldness may outshine mine. I am soooo not up to date with the newest songs and artists that it's pitiful. I literally just heard "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry the other day and apparently this song is "sooooo old school" (said with teenage angst and dramatic eye roll). And supposedly this Rihanna chick (yes, I just had to look up how to even spell her name) is pretty popular. I couldn't pick her out of a lineup if my life depended on it. My tunes today mainly consist of cartoon show theme songs and the Bare Naked Ladies kids' album (which is pretty "hip" if you ask me).

4. Appearance
Now I'm going to defend myself and say that I don't think I'm very vain (just as much as the average woman who's been through a couple pregnancies is), but I do care about my appearance. I'm not in many pictures these days becasue I'm usually the one taking the picture. Therefore, when I do happen to get in a picture, I can't help but notice the "differences" that have taken place in the last few years. What are those little lines in the corners of my eyes and why do my hands look so, well, old? I've decided that I just need to start being in more pictures so that the change isn't so drastically obvious!

Again, I'm not trying to be negative, I'm just trying to reveal some recent thoughts about myself. The positive part is that I don't think my kids have realized it yet. Sure, they categorize me as a "big kid" (they have three categories of people - babies (Luke), little kids (the trips), and big kids (anyone taller than them)), and I'm ok with that. When I have them guess my age, it's usually in the 3-6 year old range, which I will take any day. I guess, when I think about it, my memories of my parents really didn't have to do with what they looked like or how old they were. It had to do with how old they acted. I figure as long as I am still rolling around on the floor, playing pretend "haircut store" (our new favorite game), and dancing along with the Bare Naked Ladies, I can still be lumped into the "big kid" category - regardless of the crow's feet and impending sagging that is sure to follow.

So, I guess I'm not as old as I sometimes think I am - what a relief. Hearing aides and bifocals may be in my future, just not quite yet. I guess I should go and cancel my scheduled tour of the retirement home that's down the street. That's ok, it was on a Friday night anyway and I was going to have to miss 48 Hours Mystery ...

Young'uns no more ... but at least I have photographic proof of what used to be!