UP CLOSE 03

LIFE IS SWEETER AT SIXTEEN!

You've probably been wondering what Jodie's been up to since our last "Up Close" -- and the answer is PLENTY! She's been busy with school (getting great grades), hanging out with her boyfriend, Ryan (going to movies and dances) and auditioning (no new jobs just yet....but things could change at any minute).

But one of the biggest changes in Jodie's life is that, as of January 19, Ms. Sweetin turned Sweet 16! She rang in this new year of her life with a mega-blowout bash which you can read all in Jodie's "Event Update" section. We've even got exclusive pics of the festive occasion for you peeps to peep at. But put down that mouse! Before you hightail it over to "Event Update," we've got more details about how life is different for Jodie the sixteen-year-old!

"I love being 16!" Jodie exclaims when asked about her present age. "It's really fun, because you're at that age when you're old enough to do more stuff and have more freedom, but you're not an adult yet. So you can play that innocent sixteen-year-old. Like, 'I didn't know! I'm only 16!'" she jokes.

But of course the number-one event most of us associate with turning the big one-six, is, of course, being able to buy processed cheese spread any time you want! (Just wanted to see if you were paying attention!) No, topping the cool list with the until-recently-fifteen crowd is....drumroll, please...getting your driver's license! And in that respect, Jodie is your basic eager-to-tear-up-highway teen.

Jodie began the whole preparation process last summer when she attended driving classes. "It wasn't drivers-ed, exactly, but it was one of those weekend courses where you spend six hours in the classroom learning everything you'd ever need to know about driving," she explains.

And what was Jodie's impression of the course? "Oh, those classes were horrible! I mean, I know you have to take them, but you're just sitting there listening to people talk, watching videos." But eventually Jodie was able to get to the good part -- jumping behind the wheel. "They took us out driving, about a month after I'd taken those classes. They give you six hours of behind-the-wheel time. They take you out on the street, teach you how to park, make U-turns and all that. And then they take you out on the freeway the last day."

But Jodie learned the real ins and outs of driving (or would that be lefts and rights?) from an even better source -- her mom, Janice. "My mom drives with me all of the time. I drive pretty much wherever we go," Jodie says. "She keeps a little log of how many miles I've driven, because I have to drive a thousand miles before I get my license." That's not a national law, by the way -- it's a Sweetin one!

"My mom wanted to do that because she knew a lot of people who'd done that, and she just felt safer knowing how I drive. She saw a show on "Oprah" about how teen drivers have so many accidents because of lack of experience behind the wheel. She wants me to have lots of driving time with her, so as different situations occur, we can discuss how to handle them. By the way, I recommend that all teens have plenty of behind-the-wheel time with parents before taking off on their own. It's actually a really good idea."

And as far as driving ability goes, Jodie gives herself good grades...for the most part. "I drive really well," she says. "I just speed. That's my problem, I have a lead foot. So I have to work on that! I scare my mother sometimes -- she's punching holes in the floor with her imaginary brake!"

So now that Jodie's completed driver's training and logged over a thousand miles on the road, when's she going to make the big plunge and take her driving test? "February 18 -- so wish me luck!" But of course! Good luck, Jodie, from all your friends and fans at Celebrity Sightings!

Jodie has said that her new dream car will definitely come equipped with a CD player, so that she can crank here favorite tunes! Topping the Sweetin playlist is music from classic '60s artists the Doors, Janice Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, as well as '90s faves Erykah Badu and Our Lady Peace.

GROWING UP ON TV
As you can tell by looking at the pictures and stories on this page, Jodie's certainly growing up to be an attractive and intelligent young adult. But according to Jodie herself, one of the weirdest things about being a celeb is having that growing up process take place in front of millions of people.

"A lot of times people will stop me and say, 'Oh, I remember you when you were five! I grew up with you!' And that's weird hearing from someone you don't even know that they grew up with you," she explains. "But in another sense, it's kind of a cool thing to think that they watched your show when they were your age and had the same experiences and the same things happen to them."

Adding another wrinkle to the weirdness ratio is the fact almost everyone grew up watching Jodie but, well, Jodie! "It's funny, because I hardly ever watched 'Full House' at the time because I would criticize myself so much. I just couldn't watch it. I'd be like, 'Oh my gosh, I can't believe I did that,' or I'd just get so embarrassed. So I'd never really watch it."

But now that she's had some time away from the show, Jodie admits that watching herself on old episodes of "Full House" is actually kind of fun! "Now I'm interested in watching the show, because I was so little that it's kind of my home movies of growing up. I mean, I love it!" she laughs. "It's funny to flip around the channels and go, 'Hey, that's me! I'm only seven years old there! In fact, my parents don't even need home movies, because they have me growing up in Full House episodes!"

Be sure to check this page often, because as Jodie's ONLY official website, we've got tons and tons of personal info to share with you -- stuff you DON'T want to miss! So come on back, now, ya hear?