Signs of Aging

Lately, I've been feeling old... maybe it's from being tired.  But I swear, this year, I'm really starting to notice it....

Reason #1:  Advanced Maternal Age

As I've mentioned before, my pregnancy with T4 was very different from my pregnancy with GHC.  Yeah, I was probably consistently about 15-20 lbs lighter than I was with GHC, but it was also different emotionally.  This was the baby I so badly wanted, and I also knew it would be my last, so I really tried (as best as one can) to enjoy it.

However, my least favorite part about this pregnancy was the constant reminder that I was of "advanced maternal age" (translation:  over 35-years old).  That meant a lot of extra tests/screening, etc.  I'm not kidding you with the following picture - this was the amount of blood I had to have drawn in a single visit once!

With GHC, I never had to do any of this stuff.  But apparently, according to doctors and health insurance, all hell breaks loose in your body once you hit 35, so you have to get tested against every single possible life-threatening, genetic defect throughout your pregnancy.

[As a tangential political statement -- I accidentally got a bill for one of these genetic tests, and I kid you not, it was $3,000.  Come on, people.  We can do better.]

Reason #2:  MTV and Miley Cyrus

OK - so it took me an embarrassingly long time to outgrow MTV.  I was still watching The Hills into my 30's... and yeah, every now and then I still turn on 16 and Pregnant.  It's been a long time since I've watched the VMAs, but there was something about this year's VMA (the draw of an NSYNC reunion?) that intrigued me enough to turn it on.

Whoa.  What the F?

Who ARE all these people, and why is Hannah Montana gyrating with a foam finger? And is that the Growing Pains dad (who happens to be dressed as Beetlejuice) she is licking?  And what the hell is a TWERK?  And is that really a stage full of dancing teddy bears?  Kids these days....

Reason #3:  My Babysitter

One thing I learned from GHC is that all new moms need some "me time" to prevent themselves from growing crazy.  So, after an email and phone exchange, I hired a college girl who was home for the summer to babysit for a few hours each week.

Things I should remind myself to ask next time I hire a babysitter over the phone:  Are you an 18-year old, 5'10", blonde model?  Because that is totally what I got when I answered the door at 7:30 am, still dressed in my PJ's, hair totally disheveled, and finger-print smudged glasses on crooked.  No, seriously, I can't even make this shit up - this girl revealed to me that she used to be a model when she was in high school.

Oh, and speaking of high school, this girl was Class of 2012.  Which means, she was still in elementary school when I graduated law school.  And in preschool when I graduated college.  AND not even born when I graduated high school.

The final nail in the coffin was the realization -- this girl was closer in age to GHC and T4 than to me.  UGH.....

I heard that if you ask a graduation high-school senior what is happening in this photo, they have no idea what is going on.

Reason #4:  Physical Evidence

My mom was recently here to help out with the kids, and that afforded me some time to catch up on old projects like cleaning up photo files on my computer.  I came across some photos from 2007 and immediately noticed how YOUNG I look.

This is a TERRIBLE photo of me, but still -- this was taken the MORNING after sleeping in a tent (let me repeat:  A TENT) all night!  No makeup!  No age spots!  Bronze skin!  Only one chin!

And now look... I'm not trying to be self-deprecating or anything, but hey, you can definitely see the effects of the last 6 years on me here...  bags under eyes, skin discoloration, tummy pooch....

But you know what... here's a dirty little secret -- age spots and all, even if I could go back, I wouldn't.  Because at 36, I get to spend my days and nights with these guys...