Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Be Humble

Leave it to a birthday to truly put you in your place.

Yesterday, I turned 36 - oh yes, I'm singing it from the mountain tops because not only did I get to eat breakfast in bed, receive a gorgeous flower delivery from her, dinner with almost all of my family and a visit by another friend bearing wine (those kind of visits are always welcome!), but Wyatt told me, "Mom, you must like your birthday this year because it is the first time you haven't complained about what age you were turning."

Silly boy, I just hadn't complained in front of him. Shhhhhhhh.

It's funny. 36 feels different. I'm not sure how, or why, but it just does. When I turned 21 I had a plan for the year, a mindset on what I'd like to do (mainly including all the places I'd now be able to go without my older cousin's borrowed i.d.). Turning 30, I was distracted by the baby girl in my belly and lucked out on any roasting-type ceremonies by friends (thankfully). I was in preggo mode and nothing could snap me out of it, not even a big birthday such as that. And when I turned 35 last year, I had all of these goals, all of these ideas of what 35 would look like and what I would make it be.

None of it happened.

I just am.

And now I'm another year older. I haven't accomplished most of what I'd set out a year ago to accomplish. Yet, I'm at peace. I haven't lost a million pounds, organized every inch of my home to within a millimeter of perfection and I have yet to win the lottery. But, that's okay. I haven't been offered a job writing for a prestigious publication and I haven't been asked to stand in as a body double for any celebrities. Nor have I planted a garden or travelled very far and I still haven't read War and Peace.

But that's okay.

I just am.

And speaking of just being me, I got a Wii Fit for my birthday! I've been coveting them for a long time now and I feel like that little man on Fantasy Island who jumped up and shouted, "Da Plane! Da Plane!" each espisode. Except, there is no plane, and I am not a man. But still, the excitement is parallel.

My first order of business was to create my Wii Fit profile with my existing Mii, who looks just like me except with blue eye shadow. Unfortunately when I stepped on the balance board to be weighed, my Mii changed a bit in looks. Oh yes, she expanded in girth so that she now looks more like Kirstie Alley in Fat Actress, and less like me (or so I think). And to make matters worse?

My age?

In Wii years?

46.

I'm the oldest one in the house.

"That's okay mom," my family yelled as they tried to cheer me on, "You're the best!"

Better yet? When I tried all the activities (in front of my entire family, no less) they laughed and laughed and laughed. "You try it," I said, "And see how hard it is!" And they laughed and laughed and laughed some more, especially as I hit the markers on the ski course because I was laughing so hard. According to the Wii Fit, I have horrible balance.

The good news is, that I can only improve from here on out.

The bad news is, that I have some pretty stiff competition.

15 comments:

flutter said...

Happy Birthday :)

Kyla said...

Happy birthday! 36 sounds pretty good to me.

Carrie said...

Happy birthday!

I find birthdays bothering me less and less the past few years, because since I turned 30, I haven't been able to remember exactly how old I really am. I know it's 30 something, but that's about as far as I can go without a calendar and a calculator :)

Oooh, have fun with the Wii Fit! I'm sure your Mii will be looking like Cindy Crawford in no time. I so want one of those. Almost have my husband convinced.

Hattie said...

Happy Birthday! I want a Wii Fit also! I'm sure all my guys would laugh at me too, since I do everything like a "girl"!!!

Kim said...

Happy Birthday Carrie.. Lucky girl getting a Wii fit..I have been begging for one for about a year now.. ha.

Hope it was a wonderful day!

Jen said...

Happy Birthday, Carrie!! Don't pay any attention to that silly Wii Fit. It can be very moody. One day I'm 39 and the next day I'm 57. Obviously, I didn't age THAT much overnight. I've given up trying to please him.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday !
I felt that same easy feeling turning 36 last year... kinda like I had hit my stride, felt good in my skin, and didn't mind another candle on the cake.

and that Wii looks like fun !

Christy said...

I think I could've written a post with the exact same content when I turned 36 last year (minus the being at peace part.) I thought of all the weight I didn't lose; the book I didn't write; the scrapbooks I didn't finish; the organizing I didn't do...this year I'm going to try for being at peace.

Hope you had a great day! :)

Anonymous said...

Too funny! To just be "yourself" is such a great feeling, I sometimes forget that it's okay to feel that way!

Managed Chaos said...

Happy birthday, from one 36 yr. old to another.

I think I'll be adopting "I just am" as my new mantra this year. Thanks for the post.

Indy said...

Sometimes it feels so good to not worry about your age and just be. Good for you!

Joanna Jenkins said...

Happy Day After Your Birthday!

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

Happy Birthday!

I want a WiiFit, but I'm not too sure about having to look at the Mii.

Auds at Barking Mad said...

I don't even want to know what age I am in Wii years! Oiy!

36 hit me rather strangely as well...I don't know whether it was because <35 sounded like early 30's and at 30's someone could technically say I was in my "late 30's" or if it was at that point I realized I was edging very rapidly towards 40.

But now that I'm 40, this past November, it's not that big a deal. Well I say that now.

HAPPY HAPPY BEAUTIFUL BIRTHDAY! Hope it's an awesome one!

Ann(ie) said...

Happy Belated Bday, my friend. I'm 37 and I'm happy to report 36 should be a very enjoyable year!!! ;) I don't have a wii fit (thankfully) because I'm pretty sure it would deem me 92 about now. xo.