Glimpse of an Old Lady

It was like the scene out of a movie.  I take my shirt off to take a shower yesterday morning, hunched over because my left shoulder is in horrible pain and my right wrist is swollen and hurting, my hair wild and the dark circles under my eyes huge because of even less sleep than usual and as I do this, I catch my face in the mirror over the sink.  I genuinely get a glimpse of how I will look as an old lady.  Not in a funny, my hair is messy and I look tired way.  But in a wow, I see my future as an old Italian lady way.  I got a true look.  

It's an image I can't get out of my head.  I am not afraid of aging or even looking older, but lately, my body feels old and I just plain looked tired and used up.  I never dreamed how much pregnancy changes your body...ages it...despite how many times I heard my mother say it.  She said one by one we drained the life out of her.  I thought she was just being dramatic...! ha.  I can't blame the endocrine issues on the pregnancies, though things did seem to escalate.  Back problems, skin problems, hair issues, tingling limbs and spine misalignment.  Back pain.  Eye issues.  Headaches, joint aches and stomach aches.  A lot of feeling "old".  

And, of course, being pregnant you have all these things and more.  My ligaments are softer, so I get injured easier.  The nausea doesn't make me feel old, but how tired I am sure does!

I have sleep issues when I'm not pregnant, dreaming vividly all the time and waking up every three hours or so.  Now, it's about every two hours.  So tired.

(I will say, the one place I don't have aches and pains (knock on wood) are my legs.  Thanks to a year of  using the exercise bike, I think!  Tells me that I have to keep exercise in my life.)

Time is flying by since I met Todd and "started" my life.  Another kid, I think will add to that.  But once that kid, in six years, goes to school, will I be ready for a retirement home??  I will be 42.  How old does that sound?