A-Z Challenge: O

O is for One Body. Learn to Love it.

I bet you can name all the parts of your body you dislike. Just for one moment I decided to stop thinking about all the things I don't like about my physical self and focus on all the parts of my body I do like. I tried to find positives in the parts that make me feel I'm not as attractive as I'd like to be for what ever reason. Here is what I came up with:

Thousands of words have passed through these lips of mine. Thoughts that I believed could never spill out into the spoken word tumbled out and helped me when I really needed that help the most. The amount of times I have said the words 'I love you.' 'You mean everything to me.' 'I miss you.' My lips, a part from my hands, were the first part of my body to touch my newborn children with a tender, loving kiss to their fragile little heads. I sealed my vows with these lips.

My breasts have obviously changed and will continue to do so as I age and change each year. My children were placed gently upon my chest as soon as they were born. They fed for the first few days, drinking their milk and placing a small finger to stroke my soft skin and comfort themselves. I chose to not continue with breastfeeding, my breasts never let me down if anything they begged me to bring my infants to them. I was too tired and too sore to face the discomfort but I have never felt my body has in any way let me down.

My stomach. The home to both of my children from conception until 39 and 38 weeks pregnant. What a wonderful job my body did in keeping my babies safe. Protecting them from knocks. How wonderful that my body grew to accommodate another life. My stretchmarks represent every month, every jab, kick, punch and flip my children did whilst growing inside me.

My hands. Where do you even begin? Each and every day I wake and reach out to my partner. To feel his physical presence. I feel my children's soft skin. Pinch their cheeks and run my fingers through their soft, blond hair. My hands hold theirs tightly, gripped with the responsibility of another life who could slip from me in a second. My hands; sometimes they hold my children so tight as if to say 'I'll never let you go.' My hands delivered my children into this world. My skin is changing, I can see it ageing but it doesn't matter.

There are other things I like. The freckles on my ears, the hidden mole on my head and the chicken pox scar on my chest that never went away. Those are the little things that no one would see unless they could get so amazingly close to appreciate my quirky additions. I love those too.

What do you love? I dare you to love your body today.

CupcakeMumma

Loving me Post Baby:

This post was inspired by 2 fellow blogger's Motherventing (@motherventing) and Motherhood Journeys (@MotherScuffer) who have recently posted photographs of their post baby bodies. I already had a post in mind (minus photos) about my post baby body but after seeing how liberating it could be and what positive feedback these ladies had I thought 'What the heck?' and so here I am.

I had my daughter when I was 18. Of course I was actually pregnant with her at 17 so when my body started changing and in particular stretching, i found it pretty hard to come to terms with. I ate really badly during my first pregnancy often craving all the carbs on this earth rather than anything remotely healthy! I didn't gain that much weight though which was lucky. After I had Little Miss though things got tough and I didn't care much about myself. I ate poorly, hardly exercised and felt disgusting. I think it's sad to be so young and find yourself disgusting.

I then planned my next pregnancy when i was happier with myself, my relationship, my whole situation as a whole had improved. I was 21 and pregnant with Little Man and very happy. I ate a lot better second time around mainly down to pretty horrific pregnancy ailments! After he was born I was straight back into my pre-pregnancy jeans. Now a year later I am back to square one. I have cared less about my diet, I don't get enough sleep and I certainly don't get enough exercise! This is all going to change though- and soon, I promise myself that.

For now though I will be and am happy with my body. I know there are things that can be changed and that is just fine. It's so important to love ourselves and I am glad I am not twice my age before I discover that.

So here I am, a few photos of my wobbly bits and stretch marks. All reminders and finer, hidden details of my Motherhood Journey...

I love my feet and my toes. I always complain that my legs are too big but I can see now there is nothing wrong with them! 

My children have left me with some pretty bad stretch marks. Some are fading and some I don't think ever will. These are the marks of growing and caring for my babies and no one will make me feel horrible for that. I also have a permanent line from slouching..even now I make an effort not to slouch it has stayed there!

And we end on a lower shot! I love my curves and always have. I have big hips which run in the family- I don't think those 'love handles' will ever go and that's okay. You can see the classic 'Mummy Tummy' but what do I care? If i don't do sit ups i can't complain!

This Is Me, Post Baby.

Cupcake Mumma

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