Celebrations

I turned 35 on Tuesday. It's an odd feeling to be in my mid-thirties. Right out of college, when I landed my first job at a marketing company, my co-workers were in their late twenties, early thirties. I remember thinking "They are so old!!" They seemed to lead this sophisticated, inaccessible life full of wisdom and depth that my 22-year-old brain couldn't even begin to understand. Little did I know how un-old I would feel at this age. Yet, my pregnancy is considered "higher risk" because I've passed that 35 threshold and I've noticed that the baristas at Starbucks all call me ma'am.

I'll take 35 over 22 any day though. It's true what they say about your thirties. I feel so much more content about who I am and look back on the angst of my twenties with an affectionate sense of "good riddance". Or perhaps it's all the pregnany hormones coursing through my body, keeping me on an endorphin high.

My 35th birthday was particularly lovely and somewhat poignant in that it's my last one before becoming a mother. MF went out of his way to make it extra special. I had mentioned in passing that I used to love this particular Japanese strawberry shortcake that my mom bought from L.A.'s Japantown. It's more of a spongecake than shortcake made with the lightest, fluffiest batter filled with a layer of fresh strawberries and covered with a generous dollop of whipped cream. I haven't had it in years, but it was always my favorite. He went searching all over Seattle and finally found a Japanese bakery across town -- it was perfect.

Add a bouquet of amazing flowers, a trip to a quaint mountain-side town and lots of quality couple time, and you get a birthday weekend worth savoring. My actual birthday day was a quiet one filled with abundant journal-writing and appreciation of the well-wishes from family and good friends. If 35 is this good, I can't wait to see what 36 feels like.