Feelin' 25

Last weekend my little sister came home from college for a visit (which was much too short! We miss her!!!) and she spent Saturday baking delicious things at my parents' house to take back to her dorm.

I was hanging out with her while our youngest sister played music for us... which, since she's 10, was mostly Taylor Swift and the Frozen soundtrack on repeat. At one point the song 22 came on, and my sisters asked me, "Did you love this song when you were 22?"

"Actually, the song I really loved back in the day was Hilary Duff's Sweet 16," I said. "That was totally my jam when I was 16. Lillian and I used to sing it all the time."

So my sisters pulled up "Sweet 16" for me and started playing it. "Aw, does this bring back memories?" they asked.

I closed my eyes and remembered Lillian and me blasting that song at full volume in our little lime-green VW Bug, windows down, singing at the top of our lungs. (We were reeeeeeally cool.) "Yeah," I said, smiling, "it totally does."

Then I gasped as I did a bit of mental math.

"Guys. I just realized that it's almost nine years since I was 16."

Yep, today I turn 25. How is that even possible? I still feel like that so-very-cool (ha!) 16-year-old inside, yet here I am with a baby and a husband and job and apartment, totally faking my way as an adult (at least that's how it feels sometimes!).

So far the birthday has been just perfect—pretty flowers and the traditional cupcake from Frank (red velvet, my favorite!), a coffee date with a friend and our babies, dinner with the family at my favorite restaurant tonight, and the baby has taken two very long naps. Yes!!

It's so weird to think I'm in mid-twenties now, but I'm also really excited about it. I think that, as I get older, every year gets a little bit better. My twenties are more awesome than I ever could have imagined at 16. So don't be surprised if you hear me crooning "Sweet 25" to myself over here... 'cause that's the way it feels right now. :)