Bear with me... this post really isn't about a naked Jessica Simpson, or a naked anyone else for that matter!
It's about... well... stretch marks. My ugly, beautiful stretch marks.
And yes, I am posting pictures.
Isn't pregnancy a beautiful thing? Doesn't every woman out there hope for that "glow" someday when she decides to carry around a little miracle inside of her? And, don't all women hope for those stunning maternity pictures seen on the cover of various magazines? Maybe even secretly want those sexy poses to keep for themselves...
 |
| [Source] |
 |
| [Source] |
It should be easy! After all, women do it all the time! You want to know the secret? Watch this short, tell all video [HERE]
 |
| "Fotoshop by Adobe" |
Unfortunately, we live in a world that lies. We have been trained from a really, really young age to, "compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else's highlight reel" (Steven Furtick). We have a pretty screwy idea of what beautiful is, heck we have a pretty screwy sense of what normal is! But guess what- I'm normal. And, I'm beautiful. There I said it. And I believe it. I've been told on several occasions by different people, "Well- you won't be wearing a bikini ever again!" And maybe I won't be. But, why not? Why can't I? What about me, and my sacrifice, and my decision to bring a baby into this world is so darn offensive to other people? Why shouldn't I be confident enough, and proud of my body and the scars it bears enough, to rock any type of swimsuit I want to?
Anyway, some women really do find their glow during pregnancy, rock the high heels the whole time, and bounce back into shape with no evidence of having just carried a baby for 9 long months. Other women, (I think- I cannot be the only one like this out there!) suffer through the unfavorable pregnancy symptoms, and/ or gain weight in undesirable places, and/ or have to trudge a long road of recovery from tears and stitches and even broken tail bones, and/ or will forever carry a scar, or two, or thirty as a result of their pregnancy.
I cried a lot during my first pregnancy as my body changed and disappointed me over the months. I cried once or twice about it this second time around too. But, through lots of love and confidence building from my husband and general maturity on my part- recognizing that the happiness I feel as a result of my children makes everything else, every silly vanity I cling to, non important, I have come to love the way I am! So, I had my husband take a few pictures of me and I am about to share them here. I realize that I will be judged, but this is about me loving me just the way I am. And, if you stretch or have other unfavorable happenings during pregnancy, or any time in your life, I hope you love you just the way you are too.
Has anyone seen the movie What to Expect When You're Expecting? Moms- which character best represented you during your pregnancies? I am totally right there with the glamor-less Wendy (played by Elizabeth Banks) though I have to say I never did pee my pants in public!
Looks like a roadmap to happiness to me!
ReplyDeleteHoney most of this will fade in time. Hormones are making the tears red and purple. You will snap back. I still have some scarring on my breasts from my first 33 years ago but really they are so white and faded you can't see them. You are just in a funk because that baby is coming and again hormones are making you nuts. I think you are adorable!
ReplyDeleteThat's so interesting! I didn't know that hormones make them their dark color. Stretch marks from my first pregnancy didn't really fade before I got pregnant again, but then again my kids will only be 20 months a part and so perhaps with more time they'll just blend into my skin! Thanks for taking the time to read my post and leave an encouraging comment!
DeleteYou will need at least 2 years with no hormonal pregnancy changes to fade stretch marks. This means no pregnancy for at least two years. Also there are fading creams that are for sale in the drug stores for scarring that really work. Ask your pharmacist and give yourself time! I would take a picture to show you but that would be against my moral code and probably also be against the law:) Not that I am embarrassed but I try to stay under the R rating if you know what I mean.
DeleteCool! Well if they go away great. If not, great! They're a part of me and that's ok. :)
DeleteWell, I'm happy to see that it's not a completely naked picture of you :) I usually don't get as many stretch marks as I'm one big stretch mark. I always get super-big (like really big. To the point of people asking me if I have triplets there). I think you look absolutely beautiful and happy! And stretch marks will fade with time but happiness will stay with you for eternity!
ReplyDeleteI love how confident you are! And why shouldn't you be! You're beautiful. Those aren't just stretch marks, they're battle scars for every day you fought through your tough pregnancy. You earned 'em baby!
ReplyDeleteyou are my role model!!!!!! i hope, when time comes for me to get pregnant, i am even as half happy with myself as you are!
ReplyDeleteI got stretch marks when I carried ds1. DH thinks they look like a flame tattoo.
ReplyDeleteI am your newest follower. I just wanted to tell you how much I love this article. I have been left with a ton of stretch marks from my son, who is now 2. I struggle with them a lot and it is nice to know I am not alone out there. I hope some of your confidence can rub off on me. I go to wear a bathing suit now and I am so covered up it looks like my suit came from the 40's.
ReplyDeleteA fellow blogger once posted and I cheered! "I'm keeping him forever. He calls them beauty marks!" My baby would be worth it even if the marks were on my face! My skinny SisInLaw says "what exactly do stretch marks look like? You mean that blue line i had in the middle of my tummy when I was pg?" Its really not fair! I thought since she's skinny mini surely she'd have worse marks than me but no I guess not... My boy is 19 months and the purples gone but there's still shiny "flames"...
ReplyDelete