So this is 29....

I am officially 29 years old as of today Saturday! (I meant to get this post up over the weekend... oops!) I've been alive for almost three whole decades... isn't that a scary thought? I'm 29 years old... and 29 years young, and I feel both every day. Do you ever stop feeling like a child? I mean, will any of us ever really feel grown up? Because some days I feel like I'm a teenager all over again. And I think as long as we have our parents around, we'll always feel like kids. Like we don't know enough (or we know way too much), and we still need help with things that seem silly. I think that is growing up, but I don't really know what being a grown up means. If it means paying bills on time, and budgeting, and planning for the future, then yeah, I guess I'm not too bad at being a grown up. But those things also still scare me, and I don't know if that feeling ever goes away. But, here's to 29 - the last year of my third decade!

I don't usually make a big deal about my birthday, except to treat it as MY DAY. My day to do whatever the heck I want! Which usually means eating things like cookies and Nutella, and watching terrible tv shows, and drinking gin. (No different than most days, if we're being honest...) This year was different though! My parents were in town, so I drove out to see them and my siblings joined us for lunch. We always have a great time as a family... too good of a time! I'm certain we kept our waiter entertained (he was cracking up alongside us). And on Sunday I attended a backbends workshop at my yoga studio - love me some backbends! I also stayed up late to watch the season premier of The Walking Dead... (let's just not talk about that, ok?) Monday, Shawn and I went out to lunch, followed by an afternoon of binge-watching Netflix (I've got some good recommendations for you guys!). And today I treated myself to a massage - my first real one. It was awesome. And that concludes my birthday weekend! I never intended for it to turn into a long weekend... but October has been a busy month! 28 was a busy year!

29 is... (or rather, 28 was...)

• Renewing your driver's license before it expires, and making sure you go in for the photo on a good hair day.
• Splurging on black jeans with your birthday coupon instead of the bag or the skirt you want... because you know the jeans are more practical for your lifestyle.
• ...and then returning them two days later and getting the bag instead anyway, because fuck it, it's your god-damn birthday and you're gonna treat yourself.
• Also treating yourself to a new dress. And a massage. Because it's your birthday. And because some things are good for the brain, and some things are good for the body. And neither are good for the wallet. We're still learning here.
• Learning to ask for help when you need it. (Why is asking for help such a shameful thing in our society?!)
• Pursuing your happiness. You're still figuring out what it is, but you sure as hell know what it's not.
• Taking it easy every few days. And being okay with that. You're still young enough to feel the itch to constantly be doing something, but old enough to realize when your body needs a break too.
• Doing things for yourself. (See above: Happiness) I don't mean doing your own laundry and buying your own groceries.... I mean thinking about what you want to do for you, and finding a way to make it happen. There is always a way.
• Appreciating other people. Or at least attempting to find something to appreciate in each person. Hint: It's not always easy.
• Being yourself. You're amazing! Realize it, and embrace it.

That last one is important. Birthdays are just another day, another mark on the calendar of a year gone by far too quickly. Take the time to reflect about what you learned that year, and how you grew as a person. Chances are, you're a better person coming out than you were going in. Isn't that beautiful? That's what birthdays are about. Well, that plus cake and shiny new things....