Baby Face
A few weeks ago, Kristi came to my house for the first time and while giving her the grand tour, she noticed a copy of my senior picture sitting on the bookcase.
“Wow, you do look way younger there,” she said. “I think you look fairly young now, but you obviously could look much younger.”
I wasn’t offended – I laughed, actually – because I’ve grown accustomed to my face. (Oh man, I crack myself up). But I also don’t think about my looking young as much anymore. I spend most of my time with people who already know me, who aren’t surprised to find out my age because they already know it.
And then, once in a while, something will happen that reminds me how very young I appear to someone who doesn’t know me.
Bart is taking one pre-req for his masters program at the community college. Just down the street is a lovely public library and I have been going there while he is in class.
Earlier this week, I was sitting in a big chair there, typing away on my laptop, when a teenage guy stopped behind the chair and exclaimed “You type so fast!”
There isn’t much to say to that really, but I smiled and said thank you and turned back to the computer.
He didn’t move.
“So, what school do you go to?”
“Oh, I go to UT.”
I was hoping that this response would disuade him, but he didn’t move. Oh dear.
“Hmm, are you a freshman?”
“No, actually, I’m a graduate student.”
This clearly did the trick, and he moved on.
But really? Do I still look like I’m in high school? (Don’t answer that question). It’s been five years since I was a freshman in college.
And obviously he was too young to be in the habit of doing the old ring check. I mean, he was looking at my hands as I typed, wasn’t he? If he’d been paying any attention at all, he should have noticed the ring on an important finger. But obviously he didn’t.
Note to self: stop wearing lotion with SPF and get some wrinkles and sun spots.
I know the feeling. I’ve been mistaken for a Jr. High student by the front office staff at two different schools while I was working. I can’t wait to see the looks I get when I have kids, people will think I am a teenage mother!
don’t do it! I think I might have the beginnings of a wrinkle between my eyes (my mom has a crater of a wrinkle there) and it makes me want to cry myself to sleep every night.
Yes definitely don’t wish age upon yourself, it will come soon enough. Somewhere in the last two years I went from being the one that everyone couldn’t believe was so young to being someone that was mistaken (more than once) for being at least two years older than I am. Not sure when it happens, but it does. I had the baby face too……now look at me.
Haha..stupid boys.
It could be worse, I had one of my kindergarten girls tell me awhile back that her GRANDMA (who picked her up every day) thought I was handsome. Right, just what you want to hear, someone’s grandma thinks you are handsome.
Actually, the grandma could be younger than me given that we are talking about a 5-6 year old and my own oldest grandchild is 13, but still….
Once when I was a senior in college I was getting a manicure at a beauty college and someone asked me if I was getting ready for the prom. I also had a gas station employee make some comment about me being 16 when I was in law school. Somehow (after having three kids) those things have stopped happening over the years and people usually correctly think I’m in my 30s now. Enjoy it while it lasts!
Frankly, I’d just be glad that someone thought I was attractive enough to even try to talk to me like that. Even if it was a silly kid.
girl…one of these days you are going to be so grateful for the beautiful baby face!! i am completely jealous 🙂 you have to admit that it must have been a little exciting to get hit on again!!
Then there’s the other side of the coin – when your 3 year old grandson goes up to someone and says, “My grandma and grandpa are staying at my house and they are really old ’cause they have grey hair!” (And here I thought I was a very young looking grannie!)
My Fair Lady quote…and yes, you still look like a freshman in college…but I still love you.
Janssen! Heya! Took me a minute to figure out who that comment was from. So this is where all the livejournal-ers took off to? I am still loyal to myspace but sometimes I will copy and paste a blog on over to LJ.
Thanks for the shout though.
Life good?
Jake
I have been there! My husband coaches HS volleyball and they were in the playoffs. I went to the game and paid the student rate. I graduated from HS 11 years ago!!!!! I work in a HS now!! I can’t complain though, I saved a couple bucks 🙂
thats so rad you found me on reader! it looks like we have a few common friends- becca j., julie b., how cool is that?!
You are petite, so that makes sense why people would mistake you for younger. And even though I don’t have that excuse, I have had teenagers ask me what high school I go to around where we live and old grandpas saying things similar. Hopefully it’s a blessing, eh?
I think it is very confusing to look younger than you are. You don’t get “no” respect. At 21, I was mistaken for a 12-year-old boy. (They obviously didn’t look at my hips or see my wedding ring!) At 23, I was berated by two strangers for being unwed pregnant teenager. (I was so bloated, I couldn’t wear my wedding ring.) At 31, I was “carded” to get into a bar where our school reunion was being held. Now that I’m in my 50’s people still have a hard time believing I’m that old and/or that I’m a grandmother. (I hardly have any gray in my hair, but I do have wrinkles and sags.) I just hope people don’t underestimate you because you look young.
Too funny! I get mistaken for being a lot younger than I am too, even with 3 kids. I’ve been mistaken for my son’s older sister before. And I hated teaching school because I didn’t look any older than the students.
I linked to your blog from somewhere. I really like it!!