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In case you missed it, it’s my birthday week! (or is it birthweek? Is that a word?)
So long, 27. We had some good times, didn’t we?
And hello, 28.
There’s nothing particularly special about 28, really. It’s not like 21, where you become a card-carrying, bona fide adult. Or 25, where you celebrate being alive for a whole quarter of a century. I mean, that’s kind of a big deal. Or 30. I’ve been told 30 is big. I’ll let you know how I feel about that one in a few years. Or 50 or 100 or any of those really monumental birthdays.
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It’s just 28. Just another year.
And yet, I believe there’s always something special about a birthday.
It’s a celebration. It’s a tangible milestone in this adventure we call life. It’s a chance for reflection and goal-setting and maybe even a little bit of dreaming. It’s an opportunity to look at your life, figure out exactly where you are right now, and do a little thinking about where you’d like to be in the next year.
And so, because it’s just what I do, I give you a few random thoughts and lessons from this brand new 28-year-old.
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ONE: Being a mom is hard. Period. It just is.
TWO. Being a mom is also the most rewarding, exhilarating, exhausting job you’ll ever have.
THREE: Eating a healthy diet is important. Just eat the veggies and stop complaining about it already. You’re an adult, for heaven’s sake.
FOUR: Grocery delivery services are totally worth the extra cost. Ain’t nobody got time for a toddler tantrum in Aisle 6.
FIVE: Being busy is not as important as doing one thing with purpose.
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SIX: Call your parents and tell them they were right. About something. Or everything. They deserve to know.
SEVEN: You need at least one really good girlfriend in your life. Someone you can laugh with and cry with and have one too many glasses of champagne with.
EIGHT: It’s okay to say “I don’t know.” Say it more often. You just might learn something.
NINE: It’s also okay to give up control. Life will not come to a screeching halt if you let someone else do something once in a while. I promise.
TEN: Taylor Swift is awesome. Haters gonna hate.
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ELEVEN: Everyone has a story to tell. Make sure you take the time to hear more of them.
TWELVE: The toddler will fall asleep. Eventually. Mom always wins.
THIRTEEN: Don’t waste your time or money on bad coffee. Or wine. It’s just not worth it.
FOURTEEN: When in doubt, chocolate and champagne are always the answer.
FIFTEEN: Get dressed up for your husband. Not because you have anywhere to be. But because the man deserves to see his beautiful wife all dolled up once in a while. You can return to your regularly-scheduled over-sized t-shirt and yoga pants tomorrow.
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SIXTEEN: Learn how to spend time alone. And learn how to enjoy it. You’re pretty awesome. Take the time to figure that out for yourself.
SEVENTEEN: 10pm is a perfectly acceptable bedtime. Embrace it. You’ll be a hot mess tomorrow if you try to pull an all-nighter like you did back in college.
EIGHTEEN: Every friend doesn’t have to be a best friend. Embrace casual friendships.
NINETEEN: Grow something. It’ll make you feel like you have super powers.
TWENTY: Always make your pie crust from scratch. And use real butter.
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TWENTY ONE: Take a vacation every year. A real vacation. Preferably sans kids.
TWENTY TWO: Laugh. Every day.
TWENTY THREE: Take lots of photos. More than you think you should. And invest in a good camera.
TWENTY FOUR: You can live in 750 square feet with a husband and a 2-year-old. Space isn’t everything. Purge anything that isn’t necessary. Think vertically. Live simply. It can be life-changing.
TWENTY FIVE: Eat cake on your birthday. Or cupcakes. Or pie. Or whatever makes you do a happy dance. It’s a celebration, after all!
This year, I’m celebrating with these pink champagne cupcakes (recipe here!) Champagne and cake. Could there be a more perfect combination?
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