Friday, September 3, 2010

The sad, irrefutable truth

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Teenage Stie, in all her scary, big-haired, mini-skirted glory

When you're a teenager, you sneak out of the house so your mom won't see you wearing a mini skirt.

When you're a mom, you sneak out of the house so your daughter won't see that you're not wearing the gaudy, homemade princess necklace she crafted for you.

When you're a teenager, you stay up late partying with friends and can sleep in until midday.

When you're a mom, you stay up late doing laundry and cleaning toilets and have to pull yourself painfully out of bed early in the morning.

When you're a teenager, you wear clothes that look cool, regardless of their comfort factor. [Pegged jeans and shoulder pads, anyone?]

When you're a mom, you wear clothes SOLELY for their comfort factor.

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Pegged acid-washed jeans and freakishly matchy-match-socks Stie & date
(whose face has been changed for his protection)

When you're a teenager, you freak out when your brothers walk into your room because you think no one respects your privacy.

When you're a mom, you find yourself unable to even pee in solitude because your children are always chattering on the other side of the bathroom door.

When you're a teenager, you have braces, pimples, and feel awkward almost all of the time.

When you're a mom, you have cellulite, under-eye bags, and feel only slightly awkward at the PTA meeting when you look down and realize you are still in yesterday's ponytail and your sweatpants.

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Most scary & awkward of all the Sties: Middle School short-haired mullet Stie. Yikes.

When you're a teenager, you fight with your parents for control over your life.

When you're a mom, you fight with the world for control over your child's life.

And when you're a teenager, you eat everything in sight without fear for the future.

When you're a mom, you have to hide in the closet while snarfing down the last of the good chocolate...for fear the children will see you and want some.

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Mom Stie: The Happiest (and possibly cutest) of them all

P.S. Have you seen all of the fabulous sessions happening here? Stop by and take a peek. Exciting stuff, people.

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really hate it when people talk to me on the other side of the bathroom door. It's one of my biggest pet peeves. And I, too, did the pegged jeans and mall hair. Great pics, Stie!

Lauren in GA said...

Perfectly, perfectly put, Stie. I loved every word.

Ohhhhhh, pegged jeans, you took me back in time...And you had some impressive bangs and crunch wings in that first picture. I know girls were envious of your hair. It was perfect for that day and age.

A.J. said...

Aw.. old times. :)

And looking at the first pic of teenage you is like looking at your daughter! She looks like you! :)

Cathy said...

I've got one to add.

When you're a teenager, you think the world revolves around you.
When you're a mom, you realize that it really does! Have you seen what happens when the mom gets sick or goes out of town or for heaven's sake, has a church meeting to go to?

Liz said...

The clothes are hideous, the hair is worse, but it's also an irrefutable truth that you have a GREAT smile, Christie.

So, that last hairstyle . . . was that a battle YOU won, or something inflicted on you by your mother? To think, that was the girl I was adoring with puppy dog eyes for all those years.

Karey said...

Great post. Oh, the 80s. Horrible hair, horrible clothes. But they did have amazing music!

Thanks for making me laugh this morning.

Kayla said...

You are so beautiful!!!! And i love all the freckles you had when you were younger, now we know where your gorgeous daughter got them from!! you seem like such a good mom!

brooke said...

Best. Post. of. all. time.

The last picture is perfection. You look so beautiful. I hate that I am so much cuter now than I was in high school. I blame it on the horrible styles of the early 90s.

shrink on the couch said...

When you're a pre-teen you ask your mom if you can invite a friend to see a movie at the mall but tell your friend you are going to the mall. And then the mom of the friend calls to let the cat out of the bag. Argh.

That picture of you captures PERFECTLY the Hair of the 80's. It just doesn't get any better than that!

Cindy said...

Well put. Love the last pic. Beautiful!

Tristan said...

I am laughing my ass off at all your teenager photos!! LOVE THEM! You were gorgeous then and gorgeous now! And Hannah looks so much like you!!

Juli said...

Love that last photo. My teenage pics look alot like yours, and sadly, I'm putting the braces back on (Darn wisdom teeth) but I've been assured that it won't take 3 years this time. (Hopefully) -J

jen@odbt said...

You're brave for posting past Stie or at least the 80s Stie :) I thought your acid wash jeans were khakis. I did the pegged look too which was so bad for someone who's only 5'1". Why didn't anyone tell me?

Kimberly said...

That was cute! I remember being very envious of your big fluffy hair and bangs when I was in elementary school. I tried so hard to make my hair just like yours, but could never quite achieve the volume! Too funny, huh!

the wrath of khandrea said...

expertly worded. don't forget... when you are a teenager, you spend every waking moment on the phone. when you are a mom, you avoid that ring like the plague.

mama jo said...

those pictures are great...you have become a beautiful woman, inside and out...especially loved the 'date' pic...the matching shirts...just watched 'romy and michelle', you were right there with them....

Lala said...

Frankly, I'm a little jealous of all you who get to pee with the door CLOSED.

jessica said...

LOVE this!!!! I especially loved all the pics. How were we able to so perfectly match our socks to all those shades of pink, purple and teal...now I can't find a pair of brown leggings to match Maya's brown cardigan to save my life!

christina-defining moments said...

Glad to know I'm not the only mom who hides to eat the chocolate or shoves it in my mouth when I hear them coming! You are beautiful and I love your pictures!

Travelin'Oma said...

If McKay put on a wig (a biggish wig) he would look just like you! Too cute!

Bridget said...

Oh, I love the old pics of you posts! So funny. Your hair was perfectly beautiful for every era you were wearing it in. But the mom Stie is definitely the most beautiful.

3leftturns said...

I have no idea why Mom and Dad made a teenage girl and her little brother share a room. I'm still recovering from the emotional scars.

4ever said...

That's the Stie I remember and love! Thanks for the flashback!!

Jennie

Amy said...

We could have been ugly twins in Middle School! All you needed were some hideous purple glasses. You really have become a swan, my lady. By the way, I wanted bangs like yours. I'm sure your date was proud to be with you because of the perm & matching socks. You were stylin' back in the day! Good thing I can say you're stylin' now too, huh?

shilo said...

You? In yesterday's ponytail and sweats? I'm calling your bluff...

Also, naps. Used to hate 'em. Dylan currently hates 'em. Now I would do anything for 'em. *wistful sigh*

Maddie Mae said...

Love it! Thanks for the good laugh!

Musings of a Housewife said...

I love this post. And I love your new design! It's perfectly simple and gorgeous. :-)

{B}dreamy said...

Oh Stie, I've missed you! Forgive me for being MIA for so long. *B