'tis the season

I don't see myself as beautiful, because I can see a lot of flaws. People have really odd opinions. They tell me I'm skinny, as if that's supposed to make me happy.

Angelina Jolie

It's that time of year.

You know the time...

the time when you are suppose to expose more of your mom body than any other time of the year.

Mother Nature was more than kind this year,

allowing me to wear cardigans and layers into June!

God Bless you Mother Nature!

Delaying the inevitable.

Shorts.

Tank tops.

Heck even t-shirts (no joke)!
AND

*Gasp*

Swim suits!
{collective moan}

Let's be honest its not like I ever had some rockin hot model body

but the three baby belly bulge...

lil not cool!

(Spare me the lectures on diet and exercise that's a whole other post! As well as the lectures on "you just had a baby give yourself time" Puh-lease! Tell that to the wet spandex clinging to my body! )

Any summer (not just this approaching one)

I have to gear up mentally.

A recent discussion got me back on the mental prep bandwagon!

I vowed after having Cohen that my kids would not miss out on summer fun

like swimming because of my insecurities.

When I think back to my childhood....

my parents were always the ones who got in the pool

and swam with us!

I can remember seeing other moms

just sitting on the side and thinking to myself

"how boring."

I vowed not to be that mom!

To this day....my parents still make the choice to

dive in

*literally*

Moments captured at Leah's birthday party just last year!

Kudos to you mom and dad!

I am sure they could both make a long list of "valid" reasons why:

1. They don't swim

2. They do not do the diving board.

Instead they both continue to make the choice to say

I'm going to jump in!

Live this one crazy beautiful life I've been given.

Why not?!

Do you think someday when reminiscing my kids will care

what Grandma looked like in her swimsuit?

I highly doubt it!

I cannot ever once remember thinking...gee mom/dad should not wear that swimsuit, she/he should just sit on the side of the pool.

So that is where my mental summer prep begins...

when post belly bulge doubt creeps in

I say to myself...

will my kids remember the squishy tummy

under the suit

or the fact that you were the "the" mom that got in.

Sitting on the side in clothes that hide my insecurities,
hair and make up in tact...
that doesn't make memories.

In the happiest of our childhood memories, our parents were happy, too.  ~Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com

Self talk
self talk
self talk

so
close your eyes and
....and jump in!

When in doubt, make a fool of yourself.  There is a microscopically thin line between being brilliantly creative and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth.  So what the hell, leap.  ~Cynthia Heimel