Everyone's getting younger

Surely that's it.

Because there's no WAY I'm getting older.

The whole family packed up the truck and headed to West Texas to experience the bright lights and big city of Lubbock, TX to watch my beloved Texas Tech Red Raiders in their first football-ball game of the season.

I prayed to the road trip gods for a safe trip...and drama free trip...since it would be Iz's first car ride that lasted longer than an hour.

She did marvelous.

With the help of tons of snacks, books, and a comfy car seat - we made it to Lubbock with minimal tears (her and me) and arrived safely.

We stayed with my sister and her family and she banished us - erm - had us stay in their basement. Now - their basement is nicer than my house. Their "basement" is about 1000 sq/ft of lush carpeting, air hockey table in their game room, an office which they kept locked (....I'm kinda nosy) and a home theater.

We put Iz's pack n play in the theater and Craig and I set up camp in the game room.
Iz has had the luxury of sleeping in her own crib for almost every nap and every bedtime. So, to put her in the pack and play and have her sleep was going to be a challenge.

But, she slept from about 9pm to 5am...so I can't complain (but I really, really want to).

And of course, since we had a big day ahead of us, she decided that a nap was not on her agenda.

So, we get ready to go to Red Raider land. Donned in our red and black, Guns up, and voices ready to sing the Fight Song...I prayed to the football-ball game gods for a drama free...well kid drama...free first football-ball game.

I must have used all up my prayers on the road trip and the night's sleep because Iz was in rare form.

She did well the 1st half but midway through the 2nd quarter the tantrums started. And having a fantastic husband, he let me stay and watch the 2nd quarter and he took her out of the seats to try and appease the little gremlin.

I felt bad and went up to relieve him.

We tagged team and I was up. As I tried to entertain her with food, songs, Iphone apps...anything....I got to people watch.

And I realized that everyone in college looks young.

Like really young....

Like Bieber fever young.

The girls were way to dressed up. Too much makeup, too little clothes...reeking of alcohol and perfume.

The boys were dressed down way too much...trying too hard to act like they weren't trying so hard with floppy messed up hair-dids, wrinkled T-shirts, and ratty baseball caps.

Surely these college kids weren't all prodigies...because I was sure they all had to be between the ages of 14-16. There's no way they were in their late teens and early 20s.

Or maybe I'm just old.

Maybe I was just a little jealous that the biggest worry on their mind was what fraternity mixer to hit up or if their buzz was going to go away before the half-time.

Maybe I was a little ticked because the girls had nicer purses and fancier jewelry than this 30 year old.

Maybe I was a bit envious as they talked about their plans for the night and how they were going to meet up at 10:30. Yes...10:30 PM...when I'm normally home by that time (or an hour before....)

As I watched my 14 month old fight her tired body and watched as her melt down became a catastrophic nightmare of enormous proportions....full on throwing her self down in the middle of the crowds...poor people just trying to mustard up their hot dog and they get to witness an absolute parenting fail...
I couldn't help but think..."wow...this is my life. I'm old with THAT child in public."

I got looks from the girls and guys...Iz did her public service and I bet my life those college kids who witnessed her melt down will be choosing to use "protection..." or abstain completely.

But, I also got looks from my peers. The other mothers - about my age - in that weird place between wanting to be grown up to be a mom but still young enough to want to hit keggers - they gave me sympathetic nods and smiles as their little ones were running around, making messes, and crying.

I got nostalgic thinking about the college days and really do miss those times. The late nights, the crying after I'd had too much to drink, the throwing up....

Then I realized...I still have some of those nights...the late ones...with the crying...and sometimes throw up.

So, I picked up my little hell raiser who was now thrashing and doing her best impersonation of "The Exorcist" and did another version of the "walk of shame." But this time to the car with the crying thing...

Then she stopped and fell asleep on her Daddy's shoulder and her little chubby face -tear stained and all - was the picture of perfection.

And I couldn't help but get nostalgic about my life today.

It's a good one.