30 Questions from a 30-Year-Old

/It's officially been one calendar month since I turned 30, which is further proof that time moves too quickly. (I wonder if it will go this fast once I'm pregnant. That's 9 months I could stand to have fly by.)

In honor of my one-month anniversary of being 30, I've been wondering a few things that I was hoping ya'll could help me answer:

1. When will I start to feel 30?
2. When will I start to get freaked about turning 40?
3. At what age do people stop being able to sleep in?
4. Why did my metabolism stop working the moment I turned 30?
5. Did anyone else's metabolism stop working when they turned 30?
6. Will I ever feel like a grown-up?
7. Will I ever feel like I'm "ready" to have a baby?
8. Is there ever a "good time" to get pregnant? i.e., will I ever look forward to the next 9 months and not think, "I'd like to be able to drink at ____..."
9. Should I keep making new friends, or work on the quality of friendships I do have?
10. What am I going to be when I grow up?
11. Is it bad that I'd have no problem being a stay-home mom?
12. How do people know how to parent and not have their children 1) die from something because they don't know what they're doing (like choking) or 2) turn into psychos, murderers and generally horrible people?
13. Will the people I celebrated my 30th birthday with be the same people I celebrate my 50th birthday with?
14. How old is too old to celebrate birthdays?
15. Will my kids like me?
16. What happens when someone I know gets divorced, as statistics say? What will I do?
17. When will the world become a better place?
18. How will I deal with the people I love dying?
19. Will I ever understand politics? History? Geography?
20. When will I finally write my first book?
21. Were my 20s really the best years of my life?
22. Do I look old to young people? Young to old people?
23. Will I ever have a body that I'm happy with?
24. How do I balance my ambition of being an author with my ambition of not working ever?
25. At what age should my parents stop looking after me, and when should I start looking after my parents?
26. Will I ever feel like I've "made it," in terms of money, success or happiness?
27. When will taking a shower stop feeling like a chore, and like something I want to do?
28. Will I ever take medication for my anxiety or OCD?
29. Will my weight ever fully catch up with my appetite? In other words, will the fact that I eat like I'm 300 lbs ever actually mean I weigh 30 lbs?
30. Are you ever ready for 30?

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A Letter to Sloan

Dear Sloanie,

You’ve officially been TWO years old for just over one month now. Where has time gone?

It seems like just yesterday you were just a tiny, helpless baby who loved being kissed and cuddled. Now you’re a big girl who insists on doing everything by herself. Thankfully, you still love to be kissed and cuddled.

One of us is aging beautifully!

I wish I could adequately put into words how life has changed since you were born. ‘Love’ isn’t  big enough a word to describe it. I can’t imagine what it will feel like once I have my own kids. It scares me a little to be honest.

I’ll tell you little girl, you’re gonna be a tough act to follow. Never have I ever met such a genuinely good baby, and I’m not saying that just because I’m biased. You started sleeping through the night when you were like a day old. (That’s an exaggeration, but you were very young.) You’re good-mannered, always saying please and thank you, and you cook copious amounts of pretend food for everyone. Plus, you have great hygiene.  

And you're just so sweet, giving big, wet kisses, huge hugs and you aren’t afraid say to say, “I love you.”

I’m not gonna lie, you’ve definitely turned up the sass in the past year or so. Especially now that you’ve learned the power of ‘no,’ throwing tantrums and escaping your crib. You’re learning how to manipulate and hurt people because you want to, mainly through biting and hitting. But I’ve got to believe that you don’t actually know what you’re doing, and instead just doing it to get a reaction.

Always happy to see me!

In the moments when you aren’t raising hell, you’re smiling your toothy smile and giggling the most adorable laugh. You’re playing hide and go seek, and you love being chased and then caught. You love reading, playing with the dogs, and your Uncle Bry Bry. You’re amazed by everything, from leaves to elephant balloons. Dancing is a favorite past time and you're already popular, for a 2-year-old.

Your favorite thing to do as of late is to make everything you want to do seem like someone else’s idea. 

Sloan: Outside.

Me: What? You want to go outside?

Sloan: OK!

Swinging outside in the cold.

Sloan: Walk.

Me: What? You want to get out of the stroller?

Sloan: OK!

You're not winning this time.

So in case you weren’t sure, I just wanted to write you a belated happy birthday letter to tell you how much I love you. I hope you’re enjoying life as a two-year-old, little lady. I both dread and look forward to each year you get older, but I know we’re gonna be best friends some day.

Also, don’t ever call me Rachel.

Love,

Aunt Che Che/Chi Chi 

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Go Pack Go!

Monday, we meet again.

This was the weekend I've been waiting for for months on end - MY VERY FIRST PACKERS GAME! I've mentioned it before, that my Grandpa Al Zupek played for the Packers, back in '46. Despite my love for the team coursing through my veins, before this weekend, I'd never been to a game, at Lambeau or otherwise.

Leave it to my dad to make dreams come true. He took me, my sisters, brothers and significant others to the game yesterday, and suffice it to say, we had a blast!

We got in late on Friday night, and based on everyone's intoxication levels, it seemed like the husband and I were about 3 hours late to the party, so we called it an early night. 

Saturday morning, we headed into Appleton to catch the Hawkeye game. 

Despite the pouring rain, we hung outside on the covered patio playing bags, darts, and jumbo Jenga. 

That evening, we went to Dick & Joan's Supper Club for some Old Fashioned's (whiskey, sweet, with olives) and fish. Given that we had been boozing it up all day, it was an early night for all...and an even earlier morning.

It was a noon game, and we were staying about 20 minutes away, so to get ahead of traffic, we took off a little before 8 a.m. It was chilly and cloudy, but we held out hope that the rain would stay off and it'd be a great day for football.

Our prayers were answered! It ended up being the most perfect fall day - sunshine, blue skies, a breeze. It doesn't get better. We tailgated for a few hours and headed into the stadium for kickoff.

Whether or not you're a Packers fan, the experience at Lambeau Field is unlike any other. The fans are die hard, the energy is contagious, and it's just fun. We played the Lions and even better...we won! The game was awesome, and I made sure to get some new duds at the Pro Shop!

And just like that, the weekend was over. We decided to head back to Chicago after the game instead of spending the night. With my new job, missing a day of work the second week just didn't seem like an option.

Thanks to my Dad and Denise, and my wonderful family for an amazing weekend! 

\

Poor Dad got cut from the photo and we didn't even realize it :(

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