Excuse my absence for the next week, as I celebrate my 30th Birthday (July 23rd) with my family at the luxurious King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort on St. Simons Island off the coast of Georgia. Over the last year I agonized about entering this new decade of my life. I loved every minute of my roller coaster 20’s and I was not quite ready to say goodbye to them just yet. But, something shifted in me as the big day has drawn near — I am no longer anxious, rather I am excited. In my 30’s, I plan to dream bigger than ever before with my careers, travel to new destinations, save enough money to buy a home, and become a mother of one, maybe even two children! I decided that I would celebrate my Birthday on My Beautiful Adventures by sharing a snapshot of me from every year of my life thus far (gotta love my ever changing hair styles and colors). . .
“The great thing about getting older is that you do not lose all the other ages you have been.” — Madeleine L’engle
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What a great idea! My birthday is in a few weeks, and I think something to look back on like this!! I especially love the olddddd computer!
Yes, please do it!!! I would love to see baby pics of you. How great that I was already hooked to the computer (see the globe in the back) at such a young age… 😉
You were an adorable little girl and grew into a stunning young woman. Happy Birthday Dear Friend! Welcome to your 30s.
Awwwwww thank you SO MUCH!!! XOXO
wish me Happy Birthday I’ll do same Andi (: simple love these pictures.
“You’re too good to be true, can’t take my eyes of you” 😉
Awwwww thank you!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!! Hope your special day is filled with lots of love.
and yours too Andi (: btw you haven’t told me your birth date ? though I know now you’re LEO
It says in the post silly, July 23!
ah I just overlooked it damn 😀
Happy birthday Andi! Love the year by year pics. Wishing you a wonderful 30th and many more years to come!
Thank you so much Bianca! Glad you love the pics!!! XOXO
awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww omg i love this!!!!! we’re both leo’s my birthday’s at the end of this month!!! leo’s are AMAZING! muhahah! i loved looking through your photo collage of your life.. you really blossomed between age 12 and 13 i couldn’t help notice haha i loveeddddddddddd your 29th birthday picture ;p
happy birthday hon have a fabulous time with your family :)!!
I’m so happy that you loved the post!!!!!! That makes me day! Happy Birthday to you too! Can you believe how much I blossomed from 12 to 13? I almost couldn’t believe it myself, but the pics don’t lie. XO
Love this and all your travels!!! Happy birthday, can’t wait to meet you soon!
Thanks darling!!! XO
The hair my change but the pretty face remains through all the years! St. Simmons is a beautiful place to celebrate, check out some of the Gullah culture if you get the chance.
You are the sweetest for saying that!!!!!! I will definitely check out the Gullah culture, thanks for the heads up! 🙂
This post is super amazing Andi!!! Very creative! I loved your hairstyle at Age 17! Spunky and chic! And that Age 29 – simply gorgeous, both you and the dress!
Awww I’m so delighted you loved it! I don’t know what the hell made me chop off all of my hair at 17, guess I wanted to be different? Thank you sooo much for your kind words, you made my heart smile!
Ahh, baby Andi pictures! Loved this look into your childhood, and I’m SO excited for you to start rocking your 30s. xo
Haha I knew you were going to love my baby pics! 😉 It was hard to choose my baby pics, my Mom took a lot of really good ones!!! Must have gotten my love of photography from her. Bring on my 30’s baby!!!
Happy Birthday! I think it’s cool that you found all of these old pictures of yourself. Have a great time with your family. The 30’s are fabulous, btw. 🙂
My Mom is really good at keeping albums so it wasn’t until my 20’s where I had problems finding pics! Thanks so much for the Birthday wishes!!! 30 is the new 20 right?
Such a fabulous idea! All the pictures are absolutely adorable! Happy, happy birthday and I agree with everyone else who says your 30’s are going to be fabulous – mine were!
Thank you sweetheart, you’re the best! XO
Say what?! You were a swimmer?! That’s awesome! Hope you have a wonderful birthday!
Oh yes, it totally ruled my life for many, many years! Thank you dear!!!
Andi,
This is so beautiful. Thanks for sharing. I wish you the best in the new year you are going to start.
Thank you chica!!! What kind and lovely words! XO
What a great way to remember the years but I looked at the photo shoot from when you were 28 and thought – wow I have known her for so long but still haven’t met her!
I KNOW!!!!!!!! We totally have to change that! XO
Such a fun idea to compile your pictures like this. Happy Birthday! Hope 30 is awesome, I’ll be joining you there later this year 😉
Thanks dear! I’ll let you know how the day passes. Cheers to turning 30 in 2012!
Awww you look so adorable!!! I love the pic of u And Alex in the pool!!! Happy birthday Amiga! Wishing you the best on your 30s! Welcome to the 3rd floor. It’s not as bad as we always thought it was in our 20s. Love u!
Hahahaha I had so much fun looking through my baby pics. Isn’t that a cute pic of Alex and I? He had just been born and I was the happiest girl in the world. I love that you said welcome to the 3rd floor! I’m happy to join you!!! LOVE YOU!
Happy birthday!!!!!!! And oh my goodness, did you ever go through the ugly stage because it looks like it totally passed you by! Such sweet photos!
PS I had no idea you smoked cigars! Was that just for the camera or do you really smoke them? I’ll take a couple of puffs every now and then when I’m out with friends, but that’s it. Maybe we’ll have to share a cigar sometime. 😉
Thanks darling!!!!!! Hahahaha you are TOO cute, I totally went through and ugly stage, but thank you for thinking otherwise. I don’t really smoke cigars. I enjoy them and would definitely not pass the opportunity down, but I don’t really have a lot of opportunities. That picture was taken in La Habana, Cuba…so of course I had to smoke a cigar there. I would LOVE to share a cigar with you! <3
What a neat post Andi. I turn 30 next year and I’m looking forward to it. Each birthday is a gift and I can’t even imagine what the next decade will bring. Sounds like you’ve got some great (and beautiful!) adventures planned for your 30s!
Happy Early Birthday!!
Someone said to me yesterday how lucky I was to be turning 30…that totally put things in perspective for me. I agree, each Birthday is SUCH a gift!!! Thanks so much for your kind words, they mean the world!
happy birthday and welcome to the 30 s 🙂 cute snaps
Thanks dear!!!
LOVE IT!! Such a wonderful idea and happy birthday Andi! Welcome to the 30s 🙂
Thanks lovely!!! I’m excited to be a part of the cool group now! 😉
What a beautiful post! Year one with that cute tongue is my favorite 🙂
Hahahaha that is SO me! I love that pic too! XO
This is amazing! I’ll be 30 in less than two years and I’m not letting it scare me, either. I feel like my life is only getting better each year, so why would it?
I love that you posted all these photos – and I love the changing hair! My pictures are like that, too. One question, though: why did you never go through an awkward phase??? You are stunning in every single photo. I would be embarrassed to post anything from 1996 to…hell, 2008. No lie.
Have an incredible birthday!! xo
My whole perception of Birthdays shifted the other day when I was talking to someone and they said how lucky each Birthday is since it’s another year you were alive. It’s so true! I’m not going to be scared of aging, rather I’m going to celebrate it from now on!!! Oh gosh you don’t think year 12 right before I hit puberty wasn’t awkward??? I also went through fat stages too! You’re a sweetheart! And I can’t imagine that you went through an awkward stage either, as you’re gorgeous! XO
Wow! These are beautiful! Age 3 is my favorite 🙂
CONGRATULATIONS, ANDI!
Awww thank you for saying they are beautiful and thanks for the congrats! 🙂
I love this! Definitely a lot of different hairstyles. I was surprised by the really short ones, but it looked good. Happy birthday!
I went through this short hair phase because Drew Barrymore and Gwyneth Paltrow chopped theirs off and I thought they looked fabulous! Took me FOREVER to grow it out. Thanks for the Birthday wishes!!!
Happy birthday, Andi! I love seeing childhood photos 🙂
Thanks pretty, so glad you enjoyed them!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDI! Love all your photos.. like wine.. only better with age. Love your pixie hair photo. 🙂
Thank you darling!!!!!!!!!! What a sweet thing to say! I can’t believe I did that haircut in high school haha. XO
I love all the nods to travel in these photos, Andi! From the elephants at 3 to the globe at 12 to the many travel destinations of your twenties! Congrats on entering a new, fabulous decade!
I love that you picked up on the little details in the pics!!! Thanks for your encouraging words sweetheart — you rock!
I absolutely ADORE this, Andi! Such a brilliant idea 🙂
Sooo delighted that you adore it! XO
Happy happy birthday dear Andi! You are going to LOVE your 30s, I just know it!!! Mine have far surpassed my 20s, and I really didn’t think that was possible. What a sweet photo montage…you are absolutely beautiful inside and out. Cheers, and have a wonderfully relaxing birthday week!
That’s SO awesome to hear how great your 30’s have been thus far…I keep hearing how awesome they are! Glad you loved the photo montage AND thank you from the bottom of my heart for saying such lovely things! <3
Welcome to your new sex drive! lollll
I loved all of your pictures…. I wished I had aged as gracefully as you did in my adolescent years. I think I was awkward until the age 28. Have a Happy Birthday mama! 🙂
Hahahahahahaha only you would say that and that’s why I adore you! Thanks for saying I age gracefully even though I think I had some fat years!!! 😉 Thanks so much for the Birthday wishes!
I’m glad you’re taking your 30s with energy and enthusiasm! I still have 2 years to go, but something already tells me that I won’t feel terrified but instead will be welcoming them with open arms. New decade, new adventures, new dreams. I wish you a very happy birthday!!!! xxx
Cheers to new decades, new adventures, new dreams…love it!!! Thanks darling! XO
Happy birthday! 🙂 I became 30 myself in June and I can tell you it’s all UPHILL from here onwards! 😉 By the way, cute photo at age 12: travel blogger in the making, using that computer and with the globe in the background!! Happy 30s! 🙂
I love that you said it’s uphill from here onwards!!! Happy belated Birthday! Hope you celebrated in some fabulous way? I had totally forgotten about that photo at age 12 and when I saw it I thought OMG travel blogger in the making (just like you said haha). Thanks dear!
Happy Birthday Andi! I loved these photos! That photo of you as a toddler in a white dress – seems so quintessentially Andi! xo
Awww thank you so much, I LOVE that photo!!! XO
Happy birthday, Andi – what a great parade of happy moments and high style (loved the age 4 pink kimono)! Best wishes for a year of health and happiness …
Thanks a million for your kind words and well wishes! I’m so touched!
Awww, Beautiful!!!!! Happy Happy Birthday my sweet friend:-) I hope you have a lovely time celebrating with your family:-) Sending love and hugs, Terra
My darling girl, thank you sooo much! Can’t wait to see you when I get back rom the beach. LOTS Of love!!!
Happy Birthday Andi, loving this post! I think 17 and 28 are my favourites here 🙂
Awww thank you so much, the 1st guy to wish me a HB on MBA!!! 🙂
Happy birthday !!!!!!
You look beautifull in all stages, but yes, you are like wine…you get better with age!!
You’ll be at your best in your 40’s (believe me..I know what I mean…;D
You are just too kind, thank you so much!!! And well I’m not ready to get to my 40’s yet, it’s good to know that I have A LOT to look forward to! XOXO
You are magnificent!
Wow thank you!!!!
Love the different Andi’s over the years!
Hahaha thanks Lisa!
Happy Birthday!!!!!!
Thanks Cecy!
You are so beautiful!
Thanks Anne!
What a great birthday post idea! I love seeing you progress through the ages 🙂 Happy birthday, and enjoy your 30’s!
Thanks a million, so glad you enjoyed the post! Big hugs!!!
Congratulations, you have entreated the BIG 3-0!
Haha thanks!
Happy b’day Andi. Gorgeous pics princess.
Awww thank you pumpkin! XO
What an adorable baby!!! hope you had the best of times… your 30s are the best of times!
Awwww thank you so much! I had an amazing 20’s, and if it’s uphill from here, wow I can’t wait see what happens! 🙂
Loving this – its a brave thing to post all those photographs – have a wonderful birthday.
tristan
Trust me it took a courage!!!Thanks for the Birthday wishes! 🙂
HB!
TY!
Congratulations on your 30th – I was a bit scared about turning 30 but once I celebrated with a fabulous party (on an island in the middle of Italy’s Lake Como) which made me feel much better!
Sounds like you had the BEST party ever! Did you do a post on it???
Happy Birthday, hun. This is such a fabulous idea. 🙂 I do love your 21st picture. You are so pretty.
Awww thanks a million, you’re just too kind! XO
happy bday!
Thanks! 🙂
Andi,
I came across your site after I discovered my own love of traveling. I love hearing about your adventures and over coming your fears (like your 30th birthday and bungee jumping 🙂 Keep up the blogging as we all love your stories. I am just starting a travel blog, honestly after being inspired by your blog, check it out http://www.thewondersofwandering.com Love the photos and I hope to hear of all your travels your thirties will bring!
Thank you soooo much for your thoughtful, love-filled, touching comment!!! I’m so honored that you were inspired by MBA! I can’t wait to check out your blog. XOXO
Happy Birthday you sexy beast… hope it’s all you want it to be and more!
Hahaha you’re too cute, thank you! It was AMAZING!!!
Happy Birthday Andi!! Welcome to the bangin’ 30’s 🙂
Hugs!
–lorena
TravelDesignery.com
Wahooooooo thanks dear! I’m super excited!!! Hugs!
I LOVED this!!! And omg we did have the same haircut in our late teens (I didn’t go quite that short but your growing out phase looked just like my cut – I have to send you a photo now that I have my old albums back). I think you’re going to looooove your thirties. It’s my fav decade so far already. Hope you had a wonderful birthday!!
Please send me a pic, I’m dying to see!!! I’m glad I’m not the only teen that decided to chop off her hair. Love you!!!
What a great idea of yours. Came over here via Taru´s sailing blog and “stumbled” over your 29 shots. What a live. My girl will be 4 years old in August and it is great to see what might be coming along.
Have never come along a blog with 111 comments and all of them being answered. You are doing great and I wish you all the best for the next decade. It is a great one. And there are even better ones coming.
Awww what an awesome comment, thank you so much for stopping by! How cute that you have a 4 year old, I bet she’s precious!!! Thank you for your kind wishes and I do hope you stop by again soon. XO
OK, Andi,
you have asked about…coming back.
I have read your travel tips, uuhps, just realized it is a guest comment, so not yours. Yes, I stumbled over the tips being all about South Germany. I live in the North and it beautiful though not that many castles but also with a lot of cultural heritage. The Vikings had their first trading place here and some kings had build castles like: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gottorf_Castle – which is in my home town.
OH MY GOSH! I love strolling through your memory lane so cool! I hope you enjoyed your 30th birthday! Mine is approaching oh so quickly!!! PS – I use to have short pixie hair like your 17 year pix. LOL xoxo
It was amaaaaaazing!!! I’m too blessed! You’re going to love yours. How will you celebrate? And cheers to pixie cuts! XO
Happiest birthday wishes to you Andi!
I love that you have posted all of those photos, it was fun to watch you grow 🙂
And just so you know, my 30th was the absolute best year of my life and I hope it will be for you too!
Thanks a million for your sweet comment! Everyone keeps telling me how awesome 30 is, so I’m pretty excited!!! 🙂
Ahhhh I love vintage Andi! The one with the missing teeth KILLS me! Also, I think your hair short with the curls looks absolutely darling (similar to how it was when we met). Think you’ll ever bring back that ‘do?
I plan to chop my hair off when I have a baby…so yes that do might come back!!! I love that pic with the missing teeth — I was so proud hahaha. XO
Happy 30th Birthday. I have heard that women reach their peak of beauty in their late 30s, so don’t fret about getting older. I think this photo essay proves that point because you have gotten progressively more beautiful in each photo, and I am sure the trend will continue.
Awwwwwww I wish I could have you the BIGGEST hug right now! Thank you my dear friend for such an amazing comment. XOXO
This post is ridiculous. I can’t believe what beautiful photos you have of yourself. You were such a cute kid!! And so chic by 17. Wowow. Welcome to the 30s, kid! Happy birthday!!!!!!
Thank you sweetheart, you’re the best of the best. Love you so much!!!
Hi Andi, I’m new to blog land and have already heard lots about you. Happy 30th Birthday! It’s very sweet of you to share images of you from different stages of your life. Seems like you were bound for beautiful adventures from early age.
Awww what an amazing comment, thank you so much!!! Welcome to blog land! Let me know if I can answer any questions for you? Thanks again dear. XO
Late Late Late …. happy belated bday chook!! xox
Happy belated birthday, Andi! It was fun to look at the photos and see how you’ve changed over the years. You were lovely from day one. Hugs!
Awwww thank you darling dear, you’re the sweetest!!!
I love this idea! Happy birthday.
Thanks Ava!!!