On Being 32

Dear Em,
Tomorrow is my birthday, & I turn 33. As much as I don't really look forward to growing older (I hope I'll forever be 25 at heart), I'm actually looking forward to saying goodbye to 32. It was a tough year. Not tough like I didn't enjoy the adventures the year gave me. We've had such an amazing year filled with ups & downs & so many hugs in between. This year was tough in the sense that I started to feel myself aging for the first time.

I typically gain 5-10 pounds each winter & then the pounds melt off in the activeness of each summer. That didn't happen this year. I've had to struggle with exercise & (gasp) diet this time around. I never really lost the 5-10 pounds from last winter, all the while struggling not to put 5-10 more pounds this winter. In the end, I've at least maintained & learned important life lessons about regular exercise & portion control. Lessons that I'm more or less struggling with every day. Sigh.

I spent most of this year feeling exhausted. Even during the summer months when my energy typically soars, I found my body begging me to sit down at the end of each day. I had gone to my doctor to check all my levels of everything, & everything seems normal...except for the fact that I feel exhausted. I went gluten free for a month and a half hoping that would help my energy levels. The diet change did give me an initial boost of energy, but soon I fell back into being tired again. In the end I learned that a healthier lifestyle does help, & that once I get my bum off the couch I'll find the energy I need. Also, I guess 32 was the age I started drinking coffee.

My face started to show signs of aging. I looked at myself in the mirror & hardly recognized the person I saw. I had read about the importance of having a nighttime facial regimen & kind of laughed it off. My nighttime facial regimen was collapsing into my pillows. But my lack of a real nighttime regimen was making me look...well...old. So, I started to wash my face, apply a retinol based living cell clarifier, & moisturize before bed each night. Within a couple months I started to look like me again.

At my dental cleaning, I found out I had seven cavities (seven!). I tried oil pulling but in the end settled on being more diligent about my oral hygiene & purchasing a mouth guard to protect my teeth from additional damage (I am & always will be a horrible nighttime tooth grinder).

So, another year wiser, I'm looking forward to 33 & everything it may bring. While 32 may have brought on signs of aging, they also brought the lesson of taking better care of my body. A body is an amazing thing, & I want mine to last through all the precious moments of our future.

As for my birthday tomorrow I want nothing more than my family, the sunshine, a beach, & perhaps a girly, fruity drink or two.

I love you so,
Mommy