Tuesday, September 8, 2009

The Big 3-0

I turned 30 a few weeks ago. Mostly, I feel good about it. To begin with, it's good to be alive. I mean really - that is a pretty big pro, right? And I'm glad to be older. My twenties were all over the place - they were great, they were terrible. I definitely was still in the throes of forming my identity. And while I think there is a pretty good chance that on my 40th birthday I will say the same thing about my thirties, I'd like to think I've grown and matured a little over the past decade. I'm older yes, but also at least a little wiser I think.

At the same time, in the last year or so I've begun feeling just a smidgen, well, older. I have a harder time falling asleep, I feel out of energy more, I get more backaches and sore muscles, etc. I don't mean to exaggerate it - it's not really that bad - but it's just enough that I've noticed the difference. Now, there is a possibility that the fact that in the last year or so I've also birthed a child and have never since had a single night of eight unbroken hours of sleep (and very few of eight hours period) might also have something to do with it. Plus, it's not like I'm getting exercise (well, not in a good way). So, maybe if I slept well, ate well, exercised well, I'd feel just as youthful and energetic as always. (I kind of hope so, because then maybe there is a chance I will feel that way again soon. We hope to have Eden sleeping through the night soon, and eating better and exercising more is definitely on my list of stay-at-home-mom goals.)

Overall though, despite the cultural pressure to feel bad about turning 30, I think I'm definitely feeling/seeing more of the pros than the cons. I'm glad to be in this life, glad to be with my family, glad to know what little I know and to have the opportunity to learn more. Glad to be at least a little less anxious about myself and my future - more comfortable in my own skin, if you will. A few more aches and pains in exchange for the above is a good trade in my opinion.

Since I think all milestones should be celebrated, I was determined to not let my 30th birthday slip by without doing something out of the ordinary. Peter made the day itself very special by letting me sleep in, then having Eden bring me several wonderful presents, before taking me to my birthday party at a friend's house. After the party we came home and had a nice relaxing evening watching Whale Rider (one of my favorite movies). BUT - that's not the end. While the day itself was wonderful, we are also making plans for one more celebratory event. I tried to think of something I've always wanted to do, but wouldn't do except for a special reason, and what I've come up with is... a hot air balloon ride! I think that could be a really fun experience, but it's definitely not something we would just go do for kicks on a Friday night. In other words, its something I think I will always be glad to have done, but won't ever actually do, unless I connect it to something specific - like celebrating my 30th birthday! So that's our plan at the moment - we're still looking into options as far as companies/locations/etc., and there's a chance we might switch to a different activity/event if something else catches my eye before plans are finalized, but regardless, I'm excited!

And, if I do get to take a hot air balloon ride, I will be able to capture the views and scenery with my new fancy-schmancy camera! I got many wonderful presents from friends and family but one of my favorites was a new camera I purchased with birthday money (plus a bit of money saved up from past birthdays/Christmas/etc.) It's a Canon Powershot SX110, and it's wonderful. It's basically a very nice digital point and shoot with some extra manual options for when I want to learn more about photography - which I hope to do sometime in the next year. I know next to nothing now, so I've just been taking pictures in the AUTO setting, and they've been great! And there's definitely a lot more that I will be able to do with it once I'm ready. Plus, I can also shoot a limited amount of video with the camera, which will be nice for posting crazy/funny/cute clips of Eden to the blog. (One such clip is already waiting in the wings for an upcoming post.)

As you can see, my 30th birthday was extra-special, just as I'd hoped, with time with family and friends, fun new toys, and plans for out-of-the-ordinary activities in the near future. And the fact that my last day at my full-time job was the Friday before was just the icing on the cake (and also, not a coincidence - happy birthday to me!). As a friend recently stated, my life is way better than average. I am so grateful.

First pics with the new camera:


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I just happened to drop in to your Blog and was so pleased to read all you have written the past few weeks. Once again I am impressed at how well you express yourself. You've always been an excellent writer. And that Baby Girl. OHHHHH how adorable she is. Keep up the writing. I love to read your thoughts. Gramma