Bindi Irwin Says Her 18th Birthday Will Be 'Bittersweet' Without Her Father: 'It's Really a Tough Time'

Irwin admitted that her big 18th birthday plans consist of trying Coca-Cola for the first time

Published on July 22, 2016 04:45 PM

Bindi Irwin plans on getting really wild on her 18th birthday.

The former Dancing With the Stars champion turns 18 on Sunday, and she plans to do something reckless – have her first Coco-Cola.

“I’ve never had a Coca-Cola before,” Bindi revealed to ET. “[My] mom always tried to limit us on soft drinks and things like that, [but] I think that now I’m allowed to have a Coca-Cola. I think?”

That’s not all she has in the works.

“I will be celebrating with my lovely little family and I’ll probably play some board games, and you know, have a nice cup of tea,” Bindi said. “I might go crazy and wild and have three cups of tea that night. I’m feeling rebellious! My mom always says that I’m an 86-year-old stuck in a 17-year-old body. So I guess I’m already kind of in my adult years in that regard.”

The nature conservationist did say that her celebration will be a “really bittersweet time,” as her late father, Steve Irwin, won’t be physically present.

“I can feel that he’s not here anymore on most of the days that are really big for our family,” the soon-to-be 17-year-old said. “On days like birthdays, Christmases, it’s really a tough time because he’s not here. It’s sad because you want him to be right next to you and experiencing all these milestones, but I truly believe that, in some way, he is still with us.”

Steve died in 2006 after being fatally attacked by a stingray while filming a documentary off the coast of Australia.