I was doing some pregnant woman bonding with a woman I happened to see in the maternity section of the store on post. She is due in 10 days and her husband just left for training in Louisiana. He *hopes* to be back around the due date, but the training is scheduled until mid-May. This baby is their first.
She has a doula, which is great. And she told me that her mother-in-law is coming this weekend to be with her and help her, especially in case her husband doesn’t make it home in time. Then she paused and told me that I reminded her of her mother-in-law.
{sigh}
I am sure that her mother-in-law is young and hip.
And I’m seriously considering the need to wear makeup every day.
Reit This Way 
Ha! If it makes you feel better, my mother was out at the store with one of her friends (same age) this fall. The clerk was talking to the friend and said something like “oh, and where are you and your mother going next?”
Since I am a Grandma, I say take it as a compliment. I am sure she was not referring to your age, but rather to the wisdom and warmth that comes from being a Grandma. 🙂
I am just a year or two shy of the age of MY MIL when she became a grandma for the first time. One of my dearest friends has a 3-year old daughter, and a 1-year old grandson.
I had my oldest when I was 18, and there were definitely moms that I knew through school, etc who were old enough to be my mom.
Having said that, you look fabulous!
Ok, I was thinking, “No, Fritz isn't realistically old enough to make her think she's old enough to be a grandma. That's at 18 or so.”
However, if the average mom has 2 kids and thus 2 kids' worth of parenting wisdom, you (with your 6+) are wise enough to be a great-grandma and yet look so young. The youthfulness effect is enhanced by the lack of cakey makeup. 🙂
Rachel – I didn't have my kids with me, thank goodness! She never said I physically reminded her of her MIL…so I'm just teasing this poor woman.
I think, likely, most of her peers do have 1-2 children, and are in “baby mode” where issues like natural child birth and breastfeeding and family bed and potty training and preschool are black/white and really really important. And then she meets me, seemingly a peer in that I'm having a baby, and yet, weighing on my mind are high school and college career paths, willful disobedience and keeping the internet safe/porn-free for my teens. Suddenly, the perfect age to start solids just doesn't seem like a serious question. And in that regard, I am probably more like a grandma who has been there and has gotten past that silliness.
I did take it as a compliment! It was only after I walked away that I said, “Hey, does she mean I look like her MIL, too?” Hmmm.
But she was really very sweet, and I guess she needed to run into me that day because I have no idea why I went to that department knowing they didn't have anything.
Hugs! You are WAY too young to be a grandma to MY kids! 🙂
The first time I was asked if I was Little Brother's grandmother, he was in kindergarten. Which would have made me…about 42. So, possible? Yes. But no, not yet. I can wait.
For the record, it didn't make me any more likely to wear makeup. I think that gene skipped a generation, despite my mom's best efforts.
Well, I'm 45 and have a 3 year old and a baby, as well as 5 teens and a few tweens. People often assume I'm the younger one's grandma. And yes, when to start solids is a non-issue now, but was really important to me back in the day. And I have realized I must keep my hair cut nicely, makeup on and what not, so my younger kids have a shot at not always being mistaken for my grand kids.