I'm Much Too Young to Feel This Damn Old...

[akraus2015]

So, I blame Timehop for today's random thought of the day, but this has actually been on my mind a lot lately.  It feels like just yesterday I was slamming dollar beers on Thirsty Thursday and planning my next spring break trip to Panama City.  My biggest concern was making sure I wasn't too hungover to show up to my job at Old Navy on Saturday morning.

Now, I'm somebody's wife, and about to become somebody's mother.  I spend my Thursday nights trying to stay awake long enough for Grey's Anatomy to come on, and my vacation plans are made around my baby bump.  My biggest concerns range anywhere from how we're going to pay for a baby, to the best way to ward off stretch marks, to the landscaping we're planning for the backyard.

I have moments where I sit and think...."How in the absolute hell did I get here?"  Don't get me wrong, I am finally getting everything I have ever wanted for my life, and I'm beyond thrilled about it, but it's a little mind blowing sometimes.  90% of the time, I feel like a little girl playing grown up in someone else's life.  I get up in the morning and put a suit on to go to work and think, "I'm too young for this.  This can't possibly be me."

I'm 27 years old, but I still feel like I'm "playing grown up".  Is it just because it all happened so fast?  I started my new job (which was a significant career leap) in 2014, got married in 2015, and got my BFP 3 weeks later.  Does anyone else ever feel this way?  Is it normal?  Or am I a crazy lady?

*Bonus points for anyone who gets my 90's country reference.  


TL;DR:  Most of the time I feel like I'm playing grown up in someone else's life.  It confuses me.

[Winolicious]

I got your reference!! Yay bonus points!

Most times I feel like you. We're making pretty big decisions for our future lately and I tell DH these are old people decisions. I'm too young to think this hard and be this damn practical lol

[tkford216]

I've always felt old (I was and am horrible at being a 20something) but I understand the feeling of "woah, is this really my life?" Since the beginning of 2013, I got engaged, moved to a different city to live with my now H, got a new job, got married, got a better job with a real adult salary, took a three-week European vacation, bought a house, got pregnant (3 times), and hopefully will be filling a nursery this next year. It's ridiculous how much has changed in the past few years. It's been a whirlwind, that's for sure. Hello adulthood.

[akraus2015]

What I find really interesting is that it's really not abnormal for these things to be happening in your late 20's. These are normal, "I'm almost 30" life things. When I think about my mom at 27, she had an 8yo and a 4yo, had been married, divorced, and remarried, and was in the home and career that she's still in now. I try to put myself in those shoes and think "Holy cow, I wouldn't even know what to do with an 8 year old right now."

I feel like society puts different constructs on what's "normal" these days. It's not as common anymore to get married at 18 or 20 years old as it was one or two generations ago. Many people wait until their well into their 30's to get married and start their families. I don't know, maybe that's contributing to my nerves/thoughts. Then again, it could be the tiny human inside me, and all the hormones that go along with him/her.

[piperhalliwell]

I am 100% with you! A few years ago I was living with friends doing whatever I wanted with literally no specific day-to-day schedule. My biggest concern was making rent and who was going to be DD that night. All of the sudden I'm a full time stepmom and wife with a baby on the way and a clear cut routine for each day of the week. I often sit and wonder how a series of small events completely changed the life I'm leading without me really noticing as it was happening. I think it's pretty normal. Especially for those of us who went from carefree to responsible adult so quickly. There's a part of me that would love to go back for one day to sleep till noon, eat all the junk food, and dance my ass off all night long...but then I realize that I'm so much happier snuggling DH and SS on the couch while watching cartoons and having low key grilling parties in the back yard with close friends. It totally feels weird, but I'm enjoying the hell out of it.

[bee]

I've always felt old. But I had a pretty rough childhood. Sometimes I can't believe I'm only 24. I feel like I should be 40. I've gotten married, had DS and now expecting another.

[britterrss]

I think there's like some research or an article on millennials that I'll try to find. Basically we were told our whole lives we could be and do whatever we wanted, and to take our time and don't rush... which had the effect of a lot of us not wanting to grow up, so when we do we kind of freak out. And then we got to the real world with student loans and no maybe you can't be or do whatever you want because bills. Anyway, I feel panicky too sometimes, like how did I get here and I haven't done enough fun stuff to be here!!!

Sounds kind of negative, but after all, our generation invented the quarter-life crisis. Haha.

[EatsRitz]

I feel like this a lot, even two kids into the whole "adulting" thing. I find myself sometimes thinking that I'm just playing house and at any moment, someone is going to come take these kids back to their real parents. Haha.

[musicalsilver]

I'm with everybody. I still call my car that I got two years ago my "grown-up" car, because for the longest time it just felt like I was playing at being a grown-up driving it around. The house ownership thing is definitely a whole new level of (sometimes really sucky) responsibility that we joined in on last year, and the fact that we have a two year old is freaking mind blowing.

tkford216 should get extra points for her Grey's gif ;-)

[allegro55]

I remember in high school having teachers that were in their 20s and thinking they were definitely mature adults and had it all figured out. Now, I laugh at that. I don't feel much different than I did at 20 (I'm 27). I will say that physically i feel that I have aged a lot the past two years, but that may just be a comparison from staring at a toddler all day.

[akraus2015]

Jun 17, 2015 11:59:08 GMT -5 allegro55 said:

I remember in high school having teachers that were in their 20s and thinking they were definitely mature adults and had it all figured out. Now, I laugh at that. I don't feel much different than I did at 20 (I'm 27). I will say that physically i feel that I have aged a lot the past two years, but that may just be a comparison from staring at a toddler all day.

Ha! I was a teacher in my early 20s. I most definitely did not have it all figured out. I was a hot mess.

[kellybenelly83]

lol I'll be 32 when this one is born and I still feel like I'm playing at adult.

[akraus2015]

Jun 17, 2015 12:06:47 GMT -5 kellybenelly83 said:

lol I'll be 32 when this one is born and I still feel like I'm playing at adult.

lol I have seen this someecard before and it always makes me laugh. #whereareallthegrownups

[elebishi]

DH and I looked at each other while we were sitting at the dinner table with our kids the other night and he said "It still doesn't feel like we should be parents" I totally agree. When are we supposed to start feeling grown-up!? I feel like I never will, and the next thing I know I'll be a Grandma.

[musicalsilver]

Jun 17, 2015 13:01:45 GMT -5 elebishi said:

DH and I looked at each other while we were sitting at the dinner table with our kids the other night and he said "It still doesn't feel like we should be parents" I totally agree. When are we supposed to start feeling grown-up!? I feel like I never will, and the next thing I know I'll be a Grandma.

Oh goodness ... say it ain't so!  I know you're right though.  That's entirely terrifying.

[akraus2015]

Trying to picture my mom as a grandma is mind blowing. She's 46. That's not a grandma!!

[piperhalliwell]

Jun 17, 2015 13:31:05 GMT -5 akraus2015 said:

Trying to picture my mom as a grandma is mind blowing. She's 46. That's not a grandma!!

My mom is the same age and I feel the same way. She felt weird about SS calling her a grandma variant so we've settled on "Mama Last Initial" and I imagine we will just continue with that for the new kiddo.

[musicalsilver]

Jun 17, 2015 13:37:41 GMT -5 piperhalliwell said:

Jun 17, 2015 13:31:05 GMT -5 akraus2015 said:

Trying to picture my mom as a grandma is mind blowing. She's 46. That's not a grandma!!

My mom is the same age and I feel the same way. She felt weird about SS calling her a grandma variant so we've settled on "Mama Last Initial" and I imagine we will just continue with that for the new kiddo.

My mom has settled on being called by her first name.  I think it's weird, but whatevs.  I don't really blame her for not seeing herself as a "grandma" of any sort, I just worry about it being a little confusing for DS down the road.

[tkford216]

Jun 17, 2015 13:31:05 GMT -5 akraus2015 said:

Trying to picture my mom as a grandma is mind blowing. She's 46. That's not a grandma!!

My mom is 48 and probably would feel the same way as others have said (not wanting to be called grandma) but I've been calling her grandma for the dog for 8 years now, haha. She hated it at first, but she's learned to love it. She now calls my dog her grandpuppy. And he knows what it means when he's going to "grandma's house."

[britterrss]

Jun 17, 2015 14:33:16 GMT -5 tkford216 said:

Jun 17, 2015 13:31:05 GMT -5 akraus2015 said:

Trying to picture my mom as a grandma is mind blowing. She's 46. That's not a grandma!!

My mom is 48 and probably would feel the same way as others have said (not wanting to be called grandma) but I've been calling her grandma for the dog for 8 years now, haha. She hated it at first, but she's learned to love it. She now calls my dog her grandpuppy. And he knows what it means when he's going to "grandma's house."

Holla for young moms! Mine's 46 also! (had me at 17 - oops)

[tkford216]

Jun 17, 2015 14:35:07 GMT -5 britterrss said:

Jun 17, 2015 14:33:16 GMT -5 tkford216 said:

My mom is 48 and probably would feel the same way as others have said (not wanting to be called grandma) but I've been calling her grandma for the dog for 8 years now, haha. She hated it at first, but she's learned to love it. She now calls my dog her grandpuppy. And he knows what it means when he's going to "grandma's house."

Holla for young moms! Mine's 46 also! (had me at 17 - oops)

Yes, I was a fun night in college (mom at 20, dad at 19). It's hilarious looking at pictures from when I was born. My dad looks barely past 12.

[auchick913]

I am there too. After trying so hard for so long, shit finally got real. When I was out walking today I was thinking that I'm always looking to my mom for guidance and now someone will be looking to ME for guidance and how is that ever going to work? I am nervous I will be a bad parent or that things won't turn out the way I've idealized them in my head.

[akraus2015]

Jun 17, 2015 14:33:16 GMT -5 tkford216 said:

Jun 17, 2015 13:31:05 GMT -5 akraus2015 said:

Trying to picture my mom as a grandma is mind blowing. She's 46. That's not a grandma!!

My mom is 48 and probably would feel the same way as others have said (not wanting to be called grandma) but I've been calling her grandma for the dog for 8 years now, haha. She hated it at first, but she's learned to love it. She now calls my dog her grandpuppy. And he knows what it means when he's going to "grandma's house."

My mom decided that she wants the baby to call her GiGi.  It's kinda cute.  She's way more excited about being GiGi than she ever was about being Mom.  I guess little squishies will do that to a person.  

[EatsRitz]

Jun 17, 2015 14:35:07 GMT -5 britterrss said:

Jun 17, 2015 14:33:16 GMT -5 tkford216 said:

My mom is 48 and probably would feel the same way as others have said (not wanting to be called grandma) but I've been calling her grandma for the dog for 8 years now, haha. She hated it at first, but she's learned to love it. She now calls my dog her grandpuppy. And he knows what it means when he's going to "grandma's house."

Holla for young moms! Mine's 46 also! (had me at 17 - oops)

Kinda crazy that you guys have moms the same age as someone who intro'd today. Haha.

[akraus2015]

Jun 17, 2015 17:21:38 GMT -5 EatsRitz said:

Jun 17, 2015 14:35:07 GMT -5 britterrss said:

Holla for young moms! Mine's 46 also! (had me at 17 - oops)

Kinda crazy that you guys have moms the same age as someone who intro'd today. Haha.

It is kinda crazy, it just goes to show that age has nothing to do with the stages of your life, I guess. (Does this inadvertently reinforce the point I was making above, but in the opposite way??)
My mom was joking today that when she and my stepdad babysit that people will think it's their baby. She thought that was awfully cute, lol.

[bee]

Jun 17, 2015 17:21:38 GMT -5 EatsRitz said:

Jun 17, 2015 14:35:07 GMT -5 britterrss said:

Holla for young moms! Mine's 46 also! (had me at 17 - oops)

Kinda crazy that you guys have moms the same age as someone who intro'd today. Haha.

When I read that intro all I could think was "holy shit, that's older than my mom, please no more siblings" My mom will be 45 in September.

[eyelashedviper]

My mom will be 59 in December and she has been referred to as 'mom' when with my daughter on multiple occasions. I've seen a few puzzled looks as strangers try to decide what the relation is between us all.