1. Adolescence
1.1. Physical
1.1.1. This stage was a very important one for me. I hit puberty got curves. I was very active in volleyball and softball which is good because my diet consisted of beef jerky, Dr.Pepper and Starbursts. My brain was still developing I was still learning to think, evaluate and make complex judgements (which let me say were not some of the brightest desicions)
1.2. Cognitive
1.2.1. OH Boy! I said I was moody in middle childhood. That was nothing compared to adolescence. The whole world came crashing down on me when me and Ian broke up and nobody has ever experienced a broken heart like I had. I was special, one would say unique. But I nursed my broken heart back to life by chatting on the phone, painting my toenails, all while I was doing my homework. I was quite the multitasker and I let everyone know just how AWESOME I was.
1.3. Social
1.3.1. I definitely went through the identity-versus-Identity-confusion stage. One day I was going to be an astronaut and the next I was going to be and archeologist discovering new dinosaurs. Our clique started integrating with the opposite sex and my group became very controversial in the sense that we were loved by some and hated by others especially me because like I said I never shut up and I always spoke my mind to whomever it was and there was so much peer pressure going on now sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll. But by the end of my adolescence I was still very much confused and married and living in a foreign country.
2. Middle Childhood
2.1. Physical
2.1.1. I'm going to have to say that this was definitely the most award stage for me. I was super skinny through out grade school ( i couldn't hold still for anything) recess was my favorite time in school. I played soccer, spent endless hours out on my bike with the neighbor kids. I learned how to play the Oregon Trail game in school (which were my first experiences with a computer). But by the time I hit the middle school. I started to gain some pre-menstral weight and boy was I moody.
2.2. Cognitive
2.2.1. So, it was bad enough that I couldn't sit still but to add to that I couldn't stop talking. I remember my first grade teacher telling me that if I practiced my reading as much as I talked I wouldn't be one of the slowest readers in the class. And by that point I was intelligent enough to know she needed to retire, she was mean.
2.3. Social
2.3.1. Boys had cooties at this time but it didn't stop me from chasing them. I spent a lot of time at my best friends house. We were best friends because we both liked dogs and we would sleep out on the trampoline (and believe it or not we are still best friends today) but, by the time I reached middle school clicks were formed and remained that way throughout high school.
3. Late Adulthood
3.1. Physical
3.1.1. I knew I should have started taking those multivitamins back when I was young and crazy but back then I didn't think anything about my grandmother having hip replacements and arthritis would have any effect on me whatsoever. I know I've slowed way down but society is treating me like i've already got a foot in the grave.
3.2. Cognitive
3.2.1. It's a good thing I started to do those sudoku and crossword puzzles when I was quite the whippersnapper. Because boy, I am sharp as a tack. But I don't know if I'll ever been able to fly those space cars around they are just so technologically advanced for me.
3.3. Social
3.3.1. It's funny to think as time goes on how important it was for me to go to the hairdresser every 6 weeks and now I'm lucky just to be able to wake up everyday and get gussied up for the holidays. Thing that were once so important just aren't anymore. I still am very capable of living by myself and my beloved Christian has been passed for a few years now. It is lonely without him but I see my kids and grand kids quite frequently they just live down the street from me.
4. Middle Adulthood
4.1. Physical
4.1.1. I thought my vision was bad in my young adulthood because I am nearsighted but boy, now, I am beginning to think I need bifocals and I feel as if everyone has started yelling at me like I can't hear anymore. But now that the kids are all grown up and outta the house me and Christian are getting jiggy with it like we were new weds again especially now that I don't have to worry about getting pregnant I didn't think menopause would be so awesome.
4.2. Cognitive
4.2.1. Sure, I'm getting older and slowing down physically but Jenny over there (the youngster they hired to replace me one day) doesn't have the expertise or life experience that I do. So, I still have a lot to offer and just because I can't find my car keys doesn't mean I'm going senile it just means i was being a little inattentive when I put them down (where ever they are).
4.3. Social
4.3.1. I am so happy that I never settled on anything that I was not thoroughly pleased with because despite how long it took me to find my passion in cooking and entertaining others I am finally ready to retire and enjoy that house I purchased in Rome so many years ago with my husband, my best friend (and no kids, I am not going through a midlife crisis but you can send my sweet grandkids my way anytime.)
5. Young Adulthood
5.1. Physical
5.1.1. I am fully grown to 5ft 8in at this point in life. (Wish I was a little bit taller, thanks genes). My brain is still growing and boy is it ever being challenged these days especially while I am obtaining my college education. My physical fitness level has decreased and my diet isn't really up to par as well so I've put on a few pounds and have learned that the body is not as forgiving now that I am older. Stress is definitely taking it's toll on me and it has taken about a decade to learn how to cope with it. I have definitely learned to be a problem-focused coper.
5.2. Cognitive
5.2.1. I am definetely making better choices than previously have. I have started to "think" about the future and exactly what I would like to do with it. I am definitely feeling that achieving stage. Since becoming divorced it puts life into a different perspective about a career, re-marrying and children.
5.3. Social
5.3.1. A career with which I am satisfied with and friendships are becoming more permanent. I have been attending many weddings and have been welcoming babies of my friends into this joyful world.
6. Preschool
6.1. Physical
6.1.1. I am starting to look like a little person now, not quite so rounded. I am able to run and chase my older brother. I became potty trained at 2 1/2yrs at because I wanted to wear big girl pants. In preschool I could recognize the difference in genders.
6.2. Cognitive
6.2.1. Since I was a chatty child I was always talking to myself and my favorite question was why? I spent a lot of time at daycare and preschool. I remember doing lots of fun activities like coloring and one day we even learned how to walk like penguins.
6.3. Social
6.3.1. I was so excited to go to kindergarten! My mom was a teacher at the kindergarten center and I got to see her everyday. She had the best toys in her room and I could play with them and take them to show and tell.
7. Infancy/Toddlerhood
7.1. Physical
7.1.1. I was born at 8 lbs 1 ounce and I was 22 inches long. There is a lot going on in this stage of my life. My height and weight will increase so rapidly that I will have tripled my weight bye the time I'm one. There is so much going on around me and I am starting to learn to reach, grasp, and pick up objects. I love that I can put so much stuff in my mouth. My eyesight is very good and strangers are becoming recognizable. I think the guy with the beard is my dad.
7.2. Cognitive
7.2.1. My dad use to play peek-a-boo with me and I thought it was the best thing because I would laugh and laugh. Or, so I was told. I was quite the chatty infant and my babbling was quite loud. My first words were "Dada"
7.3. Social
7.3.1. My mom and dad both worked so I went to daycare. I was a happy baby and cooed and smiled at everyone. I was happy when my mom would drop me off and even more happy to see her when she came and got me.
8. Death/Dying
8.1. Physical
8.1.1. Well, I'm now 100 years old. My body is worn out. I can hardly eat with these dentures any more and to be honest the nursing home's food tastes so aweful. But I gotta say I'm pretty lucky to have lived a such long life without any major diseases.
8.2. Cognitive
8.2.1. Yep, my adolecent years were a little rough and learned some hard lessons. But when I think back over all the wonderful people i've met all the memories I've made oh that summer I spent in Ireland. I know and understand that any day can be my last. Through out the years I have gone through my 5 stages of dying denial, anger, bargaining, depression and now acceptance. My wills are in place and ready to go when the time comes.
8.3. Social
8.3.1. Yep, my adolecent years were a little rough and I learned some hard lessons with my blood, sweat and tears but life definelely turned out just the way is was suppose to. I have the best party planned I don't want anyone to be sad and I definitely don't want them to sit through a depressing funeral. I know my family will be just fine and they will accommodate just fine.