Plain Mommy

I suppose there is "that" moment when every person realizes that they are not as young as they once were and I suppose that there are many key indicators.  Maybe it's that you can't lose that 10 pounds left over from winter as easily, you don't recover from last night's wine quite as quickly, you find new aches or pains with each subsequent workout, the songs on the 'oldies' station are what you listened to in high school, you are interacting with kids that have a birth date very close to your graduation date--doesn't matter but there is always that moment.  Well mine was today and was handed down from my quite observant little four year old.  He has wisdom beyond my comfort level and definitely beyond his age! 

So what prompted this new revelation on my current place in the world?  Ian and I were driving to his weekly play date with nothing unusual going on when he noticed a smoking little convertible car in the other lane.  (We had recently been looking at old family pictures and he had remembered seeing the pictures of Marco and I when we first met and he was driving a sweet little convertible sports car.) So in all his four year old innocence he commented on what he saw:
Ian "Look Mommy that's just like Daddy when he was COOL!  and when you were a fancy lady!!"  I was laughing so hard at what he had just said, it took me a minute to think of where this was going.  I then asked him what daddy and I were now and he replied (maybe just a little too quickly) "Well you are plain now and daddy too!"  OK.. so now I am curious what he considers plain so I inquired what it would take for me to regain my 'fancy' status.  He told me that "Mommy, you really need to change those clothes."  Laughing so hard to myself now, I took some time to digest what he had just told me.
1.  He is growing into such a cutie pie and listens to EVERYTHING that he hears.  Listens and can use what he hears again in perfect context.  Proven again when he said, under his breath, "damn fly" when a bug was sighted in the kitchen after having the door open.  I also love that he still has the innocence to say exactly what he is thinking without fear that it's not correct or embarrassing.
2.  I am old!!  Officially OLD and evidently PLAIN.  Things I already knew but hearing this from your kid just cemented it much more firmly than any mirror or photograph ever could!  It's just amazing how fast the time flies as we get older and how perspectives start to evolve with a little age. I swear just yesterday I was much more 'with it' and could claim a small amount of style.  Where did it go.. (a bit redundant question considering I am the stay at home caregiver of two very rowdy and active little boys)!

Now--the question that I have to ask myself is how can I change this.  I am so ready to shed this plain funk that has shadowed me over the past couple of years and find my inner 'fancy lady'!