Nerdy at 30

It's taken me a few weeks to come to the realization that I am no longer a "twenty-something". I'm not sure why, and I never thought I would be so petty, but I really had a a tough time adjusting to the idea of my 30th birthday

I know, I know. 30 is not old. I realize that. I also realize that I have a lot to be proud of. A house, three beautiful boys and a husband that oddly enough, loves me unconditionally. It's not that I don't have anything to show for it, as one might think. Really, I just feel that everything is moving so quickly and that my life is just slipping away. I know, I know. This sounds awful. But hey, who doesn't love a little "Debbie Downer" every now and then.

A few months ago my sister bought a new pair of pink high heels. She was elated. I must not have been bouncing off the walls with enthusiasm because a couple of days later she very seriously told me that she had been thinking about my less than stellar reaction to her recent purchase. "Please", she begged me. "Don't turn into one of those moms who lets herself go and only wears sweatpants and ponytails, just because you live with all boys". Never, I chuckled to myself. I'm not one of THOSE. Fast forward to me sitting on the couch in nothing but sweatpants and a patriots t-shirt, my hair in a tangled knot on the back of my head. Uh oh. I have officially arrived.

Perhaps the most daunting moment regarding the "Big 3-0" may have come when looking for a new car. Last year, I made the horrific leap from the last shreds of my single-girl life, when I traded in my VW convertable for a more sensible mid-sized SUV. It had four-wheel drive and plenty of room for another car seat. Although it was hard to leave my beloved Cabrio that fateful day at the car dealership, I managed to say goodbye.

A few months ago, it was also time to replace our Jeep Grand Cherokee, our first major purchase as a married couple. I can't say I was super attached to it, really it was Ben's car. However since I'm the one who drives the kids every day, we began browsing Craigslist for larger SUV's. As you can imagine it's a tight squeeze with three carseats jam-packed into one row. The result was poor little Reid being slightly tilted to one side for the first 10 months of his life.

One evening while browsing some "online inventory" of SUV's with a 3rd row, I stumbled upon an ad for a Chevy Suburban, $5,000.00 with only 56,000 miles on it. Though I pictured a much more "chic" vehicle, I had to look for the price. I clicked on the ad and up popped a photo that would change life as I know it. A gigantic, white suburban glared back at me, with all the bells and whistles. Literally.

Turns out, a local ambulance company was selling the car. The burb was decked out with lights, sirens and a thick electric blue stripe down the side. To top it off, was a gigantic "cow catcher" in front. Laughing out loud, I turned the laptop towards Ben, jokingly saying, "I think we should get this". Next thing I knew we had an appointment to view the beast.

As I hopped into the driver's seat to test drive the Suburban, I was overwhelmed, dazed and confused. I felt engulfed by the car, petite and well quite frankly, like I was driving a school bus. I cruised through the beautiful backdrop of Roxbury Connecticut, I couldn't help but wonder, how did I get here? And why are there multiple dispatch radios talking to me?

I pulled back to the ambulance station, resisted the urge to set off the sirens and before I could say "we'll let you know", my husband was arranging payment. The men began discussing the emergency responder equiptment and through my slow-motion, swirly haze, Ben's voice stood out. "Oh, if you can't get the blue stripe off, I almost don't mind". I quickly snapped out of it and whipped around "NO, we mind. The stripe must go". A week later, we picked up my new ride. Ambulance stripe, and all.

The stripe didn't last long, thank the good Lord above that Ben was able to remove it with a heat gun. Over the weeks that followed I began getting used to the "boy mobile" or "man van", as my mother affectionately named her. After all, it had heated seats. Two days after my 30th Birthday, I had the day off to do a little shopping. Driving home on the highway in the "burb", I suddenly felt very free. Turning on the radio, I came across Madonna's "Material Girl" and suddenly had a flashback to my childhood. I had the album on cassette and have a very distinct memory of carrying my boom box out to the woods in back of my parents house, standing on a large rock and belting out the lyrics. Laughing out loud like a fool, I turned up the radio and remembering the song word for word, sang at the top of my lungs in my new mommy mobile. That day, shimmying around in the driver's seat I realized how far I've come. I also realized I was going about 80 miles per hour and being watched by the car next to me!

Maybe I'm getting older, but there's nothing I can do about it. Besides, I still have some pretty sweet dance moves. And, I have to admit that even though my new car could have eaten my VW for dinner, it is pretty fun to drive. Plus, it can fit my whole family (and probably yours too). So if you happen to see me cruising the strip, toot your horn, wave hello...and don't mind the sweatpants and ponytail.