Am I growed up yet?

My little McKinley just turned four, and as 4-year-olds do, she says some pretty funny things. The other day she came to me and said "Mommy, since I'm four now, am I all growed up yet?" :) I explained to her that she was growing bigger every day, but she still has a lot more growing to do before she is a 'grown-up.' Again today, when I was trying to get her to take a nap, she asked "After my nap will I be growed up then?" We had just discussed that taking naps helps us to grow stronger - I guess she thought that meant faster. :) I tell you that little story to tell you another. This one's about me, so if you aren't interested in my 'deep thoughts,' feel free to stop reading, I really won't be offended :). I went to lunch today with my friend Meghan from high school. I haven't seen her really since we graduated (x years ago :), so I was excited to catch up with her. We both showed up 10 minutes late (traffic, kids, got lost, the usual 'mom' excuses) with our diaper bags, two kids (each) in tow, 'family' cars, carseats, and Shades shirts. Standard 'mom' gear, right? We caught up on old friends, talked about the boys we had crushes on in middle school and high school (I won't mention any of mine, since some of their wives read my blog ;), moved on to husbands and kids, and then life in general. During the course of our conversation, of course, there were faces to wipe, constant scanning the room (forget eye contact when you are constantly doing a head-count of your children), the occasional 'don't eat that off of the floor!', and so on. At one point in our conversation we agreed that we still both felt about 14-years-old, despite the 'obvious' signs that we were 'growing up'. That brings me to my point, when are you considered an official 'grown-up?' Maybe not 4-years-old, but is it when you can ride the 'big' rides at Disneyland? 18th Birthday? After high school? 21st Birthday? After college? Marriage? First baby? Fifth baby???? Maybe a career makes it more tangible, when you actually BECOME what you wanted to be when you grow up? Maybe not even then (especially if you aspired to be superman, only to find upon submitting resumes that the position has been filled). Is it when you watch your kids have kids? Where is that line? When do you know that the day that you became a 'grown-up' has come and gone? Did I miss it? I mean, I still listen to the same music that I did in high school, shop at the same stores, talk about some of the same things, I think I look pretty much the same (aside from the 20 extra pounds of 'life-weight' - FYI it can't be called baby weight now that my baby is 2 1/2, so I now attribute it to life in general :) Am I that lady walking through the grocery store in stilettos wearing too-tight not-age-appropriate clothes and enough makeup to make a rodeo clown jealous; you know the one ;) (If this is you, PLEASE don't take offense, this is just food for thought. If this IS me, please let me know ASAP! I DO wear high-heels to the grocery store, but that's only because I am short and my jeans are too long, really! ;) Anyway, she probably doesn't know that it doesn't fit her age, maybe I don't. Is it time for me to give up Charlotte Russe and Brass Plum for J.Jill and Coldwater Creek? Am I growed up yet? I guess I don't have an answer, just one of my many musings. Either way, I hope that I always feel 14-years-old on the inside (and hopefully manage a little 'class' on the outside :). Thanks for a fun lunch Meghan, and for the record, you don't look a day older than when I first met you in about the 7th grade! Here's to the perpetually young at heart!