OC circa 1985

This is me, my mom, and my cousin Drew in Ocean City probably when I was 5 and he was 4. Our grandparents had a condo on the beach so we spent a lot of our childhood on family trips to OC. This picture cracks me up and it made me start thinking about my approaching 30th birthday and what things I have learned in the last 25 years since this picture was taken and what I would tell 5 year old Jamie if I had the chance.

1. How carefree and comfortable you are in your cute red and white striped bathing suit will only last a few more years. Then you will forever dread the coming of summer because it means bathing suit shopping is upon you. And you tried to rock the one piece bathing suit a few years ago because 50's fashion was back for a hot second, but 2 pieces will be the way to go. You also will buy a house with a pool so you are going to be have to be in shape every single summer for the entire time you live at that house.

2. Your pigtail braids while awesome and perfect for the beach will not be cool much longer. However, bring them down by about 4 inches and rock them in your 20's and you are "casual bohemian cute" and super cool.

3. Bangs. Don't let your Mother touch them again. And for that matter, don't let her touch your hair ever in any way. Because you don't realize it yet, but you have several in-home perms in your near future.

4. At 5 you think your Mom is awesome and she makes the best cookies. But from 16-20 you are going to be so frustrated with her and think everything she does is stupid and everything she says is wrong. You will scream at her and she will scream back. But, this time will pass and eventually you will look back and realize how cool this lady is. Just look at her.. posing like a supermodel, tipping the corner of her Jackie O sunglasses just so, holding onto to her daughter while showing off her bling and oh wait.....oh no... she has her bangs on the outside of her sun visor. Well crap. Nevermind.:)

5. Your cousin pulled it off wayyyy before Bieber did.