We are coming into birthday season around here at the Miss Elaine-ous household and it all begins with mine, two weeks from today.
I’m contemplating this one a little more than usual, I assume because I’m hormonal and partly because well… as this birthday approaches I realize I’m about to hit my “Mid” thirties.
I personally have never let my actual age, or number of years on this earth, bother me. I think it’s due to the fact that I’ve never felt old and I know I am not. Not yet anyway. Part of me still feels like the girl I was in high school (Facebook seems to help here…) and part of me feels tired and worn down (thrid pregnancy REALLY seems to help here).
I always like to quote my father who says that getting older is “better than the alternative,” meaning death of course.
But still, all that being said, entering my “Mid” thirties does seem a little older to me. And frankly it is. A little older than my current 33, right? (hee hee!) I believe part of these feelings stem from the fact that I will be 34 when this baby is born and my mother was only about 1.5 years older than me when I came into the world. I used to think that she was “old” when she had me, at least compared to my friends’ mothers. And for those days, 35 (actually, she was 3 weeks shy of 36) was a little older to have a baby.
But when I sit and think about the fact that I am (almost) 34, married to the love of my life and have two beautiful and healthy boys and another baby on the way, I can’t think of anymore that I could want. And every new year of my life brings new life experiences, new love and new happiness. So yes, my Daddy’s right, it MOST certainly is better than the alternative. By miles and miles and miles….
How nice. Yes, I suppose it is better than the alternative- wise man.
Great post…you are most certainly not old! 🙂 You (we) are at a great age…wonderful!!!
Congratulations on all the blessing you have acquired in your life thus far!!
And happy early birthday!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE that picture of you!!
And hey, I am 34 too. We are NOT old! I repeat, NOT OLD! We are at our prime my dear girl!
hang in there! 🙂
I say you’re not in your mid-thirties until you are 35, at least! 34 still gives you at least one more good year (and that’s what I’m sticking too since I hit 34 this summer!).
Great picture!
If it weren’t for the grandmas dropping of their grandkids at the preschool, I’d be the oldest gal in the joint! I’M 33!! I guess there has to be at least one bright side to being knocked up at 18.
Beautiful pic!
Gavin is so cute.
Gavin is pretty stinkin cute.
Have I ever told you how cute I think Gavin is? 😉
I just had my b-day last month…and I HEAR Ya sistahhhh.
When my mom reminds me that she had all 3 of us kids, grown and gone by the time she was about my age (36)… I wonder “WHAT was I thinking”… can’t even imagine!
but… facebook does keep ya young! (totally smiled at that one)
🙂 I think you look great! I am turing 30 in a 1 1/2 months 🙂 I am thinkin about doing something spectacular. 🙂
I’ve always been told your only as old as you feel and age is just a number! I’ll be 36 in June and I’m dealing with that much better than I did when I turned 30.
Our birthday season start in February. Joey and Ben are in Feb, Tommy in March, and me in April. Todd isn’t until July, so he is out of the loop. 😉
It is only natural to contemplate all of this with a bday coming up. I usually try not to think about it at all. I try to be like my mom who was (is) always so young at heart that everyone always assumed she was much younger than her age. And my mom was 36 when I was born, so I know what you are talking about having an “older” mom. It seemed that way back then, not so much anymore.
Anyway, life is good. And I’ve often said the same thing as you dad about birthdays. 🙂
Yes, much better than the alternative!
I’m realizing I’m getting close to “almost 30” and feeling like that’s old! Not that you are old…I’m just feeling old.
Whaaa…I’m 33 too and mid-thirties don’t start until 35!! We’re still in out early thirties. 😉
I will turn 34 next month so I am right there with you! You’ve taken the best approach – counting your blessings. If you appreciate what you have you’ll never wish for what you don’t need.
I just turned 40 and have a newborn. Talk about feeling old.
You on the other hand look fabulous!
Oh that picture, how great! G is stinking adorable back there 🙂 and you are looking pretty smoking hot yourself there sister. Old, pashaw!
You are right, it’s so much better than the alternative!
Fantastic picture! It totally made me smile – thanks.
As far as your age, you’re still anther couple of years away from the “new box,” as my brother likes to call it.
You know, when you have to check your age? 30-35 check, 36-40 – holy heck!
I’m in the holy heck category 🙂
I hear you. Birthdays are getting harder and harder for me, and it weighs on me more becasue I had a “young” mom and was convinced I would do the same. Kids make us face our mortality. Boo.
thank goodness for wise daddies 🙂
great pic friend.
I love it when life is so good like this Elaine.
Birthdays are just a number, memories and experiences like these are timeless!
Sounds like spring for you is like fall for us – all these birthday stacked up all in a row!!
Wise man, that daddy of yours! You’re still young, babe! Besides, more years just means more memories. :o)
I can testify that 34 is not old! (I turned 34 in January)
I love that photo of you!
Hold the phone, how did we get to be almost 34? Surely it hasn’t been sixteen years since we left high school.. gulp!
The great news is that we are of course, as Kristen said, in our prime, old thing, and much lovelier than we were in our twenties (at least that is what our husbands tell us!!)
Happy birthday (I am getting it in early, so I cannot be late!!)
Great post and great reminder to appreciate the blessings of aging! It’s wonderful to think that way… even if my 7 year old told me this morning I have “dents” in my face like a grandma!!
I know how you feel Elaine! Just the other day I thought about the fact that I will be 33 this year and how OLD that used to seem! I can’t be that old, can I?
my dad says that too!
oh and we so need to plan a girls night out to celebrate with you. i could use a good excuse to eat some cake. mmmmmmm….cake.
I had my babies in my 30’s. I have not met many blogger mom’s that had babies at the same age.
I wouldn’t have done it any differently. I think it gave me the best of both worlds “)
Stopped by via POW
Hey, you are not in your mid thirties, I am! 35 here, and though I don’t tell that to too many people, I certainly don’t feel old. Love what your dad said. It sure is better than the alternative!
I am 36 and will be 37 in May, oh goodness! I’m closer to 30 than I am to 30- oh well. I am very much enjoying my life and I only think it’s going to get better.
I love that picture too!
Getting older is almost surreal. Especially when I think about what I thought 30’s and married life to be. It is good…and I feel good, so that’s good right…at any age:)
You are so right, I am already freaking a little at 34!!! Mine is on Easter…
Happy early bday to you, I love this photo of you guys, gorgeous.
We are not “old” moms (I turn 35 next month) and we have to remember that though our generation seemed to have mostly young moms, our kids’ generation mostly has moms our age so the same comparison you drew about your mom won’t be a factor for your kids.
And, you are right, the blessings far outweigh any bad feelings about aging.