January 17th, I was still a kid ...

... January 18th, at long last, I grew up.

I just realized this. The Husband and I are watching VH1C's "Class of" show, where they show videos from certain years. We are 80's teens, and getting a kick out of watching songs from that time. They close-caption the show, which is an eye-opening experience for both of us. "I didn't know they actually spell out 'Method of Modern Love,'" sez The Husband. "Wow, 'The Reflex' really doesn't hold up when you read the lyrics. It makes absolutely no sense," sez I.

There is something about listening/watching these songs ... it's like when you get a whiff of something from your childhood like playdough or crayons and are instantly taken back to that time. Sitting here, watching A-ha croon "Take On Me," I can actually feel the way I felt back then. Young.

That's when I realized. I ain't young anymore. I agree with all the folks who say that age is all a state of mind. It is. I'm 36, not even remotely a Crone, but certainly a grown-up. But I never felt like one. I always felt like a kid pretending to be a grown-up. It still amazed me that "they" allowed The Husband and I to live in our house with no adult supervision.

January 17th, I was still that kid.

January 18th, I took Little Warrior to the doctor, a bit apologetic about making a fuss, surely it was just gas ...

... and we got an x-ray ...

... and on the way home, the pediatrician called and said Don't Go Home. It looks like cancer. Go immediately to the ER ...

... 1 1/2 hours of rush-hour traffic to get to the ER, just me and Little Warrior ...

When we got to the ER, I was a grown-up.