Why I'm going to like 25

I have this weird fear of getting old.  I can't really justify it, but I was a little distraught about turning 25 because I can no longer say that I'm in my "early twenties."  (I know 25 isn't old.  I just liked being super young.)  But sometime in that past few weeks I came to terms with turning 25 and decided that it's going to be my favorite age yet.  Here's why:
-- I can hang out with 30somethings and they don't feel like they're babysitting me. At the same time, 21-year-olds don't view me as a mother figure.
-- I've figured out how to have kids but not let them define my life.  The day before my birthday, my friend was talking about how she sees 21-year-olds with a baby but very little other life experience and she said, "I'm so glad that wasn't me."  So, teasing as I always do, I replied, "So you're saying you're glad you're not like me?"  Imagine my surprise when she said, "But you have so many other interesting things you do that don't involve having kids." Right then I did a victory dance and took a bow in my head.
-- I'm much more comfortable with my life than I was when I was 21.  Back when I first had Violet, when I would get the question "What do you do?" I would say "I'm just a mom" and secretly wish I had something more interesting to say.  Now when I get that question, I can say, "I take care of my kids."  And I don't really care what anyone thinks, because if they don't consider that work then they've obviously never been around my kids.
-- I've stopped feeling inadequate for not doing all the things that other moms and the internet tell me I should be doing.  A few months ago, I found this blog post that listed 10 things you should be doing every day to maintain order in your house.  It tried to feed me crap like waking up early, going to bed early, and getting an entire load of laundry done--start to finish-- each day.  A younger Lindsey may have been sad and discouraged and thought, "I'll never stay on top of things.  I love sleeping in too much. Boo hoo."  But instead I scoffed and said, "I am a GROWN UP!  NOBODY tells me when to go to bed!"

Maybe that should be my motto this year.  I am 25.  I am a grown up.  NOBODY tells me what to do.

Oh yes.  I'm going to love this age.