Find the beauty within.

Society makes woman think that they need to be skinny, pretty, tall, dress like this, don't do that. They even expect you to look like that after having a baby. And get back to your pre-baby body days. When in reality your body will never be the same. And THAT'S OKAY!!! Having a baby and becoming a mother is such a beautiful thing! I just realized this.

The other night as I was complaining to myself about how I look and was getting frustrated. I have stretch marks (that appeared AFTER I had Emery.. does that even happen?!), I have mom arms.., my hips are still wide, I still have a little "pouch", and parts of me I wont even mention. But later that night I read an article on the true beauty of having a baby and becoming a mom. It was SO true. My body shows signs of making, carrying, delivering and caring for another tiny HUMAN. If that isnt amazing, I dont know what is. So I made myself make a list of 5 things that I LOVE about my post-baby body.

 And here they are:

1. I got lucky and lost all my pregnancy weight a week after having Emery, and I currently weigh 17 pounds less than my pre-pregnancy weight. (I lost all my muscle that I had but at least I am lower than my goal weight and it makes me feel like I can tone up easier now... :) gives me hope!)

2. My stretch marks. They appeared after I gave birth. I love those little marks on my hips because they prove to me how amazing my body is. And that it carried a tiny HUMAN!!! (I had a huge belly too so I'm actually kind of surprised, but glad, that I didnt have more!)

3. My little pouch will make it easier to have more babies.. right? It wont have to stretch as much... hahaha

4. I am amazed that I can nurse my baby and keep her healthy. Last week I got the stomach flu.. it was awful, the only time I held Emery was when I fed her because I didnt want to get her sick. Well a few days later Caleb got the stomach flu.. and it was awful, but I made sure to nurse her lots and guess what... Emery never got sick. My  magical milk helped keep her well because she was getting my antibodies. How cool is that??

5. My flabby arms give Emery something to play with. hahah kidding, kind of. But I am just happy that my body was able to carry Emery and deliver her into this world. I am a mom now and will forever be and my body just shows that I am. 

Yes, you can work out and get your body looking great, and that is awesome! I need to be better at that. But we shouldnt judge people for not bouncing back fast, or for having stretch marks, or for whatever reason. Bodies after having a baby are kinda scary but what they represent and bring into this world are so beautiful. So it is worth it. I would gladly take my flabby body over everything because it gave me my sweet baby who I love more than anything.  All mothers are beautiful. Motherhood is beautiful and everything that goes along with it is beautiful. Just be YOU. YOU are beautiful. It is society who is ugly.