Mommy is Aging with Honor

This mama is aging and it seems to be at blazing speed. I'm speaking for myself when I say, "there is no question that having kids especially the twins, has truly sped up the aging process." I look at photos of myself just prior to kids and compare them to recent photos (BTW I don't advise doing this) and think to myself, "What happened and when?" Of course, I can't blame it all on motherhood and the sleepless nights that comes with it. There's also those days when I thought I was invincible that lead to sun damage and the hip smoking (not!) during those early years in college. I'm sure they played a role in this high speed aging. But, when you're twenty something, looking fabulous with your bronzed skin (hours at the beach followed by tanning booth visits) and feel like you're all grown up and sophisticated, smoking that menthol cigarette (ahem, yes embarrassing but true) you're not thinking, "hmm I might regret this when I'm a 39 yr old mama, with less than flawless skin." Also, lets not forget the countless ailments that have possessed my body in my thirties. Illness too, will take it's toll that no exorcism is going to correct. I still believe it was motherhood's insomnia that opened the flood gates on my aging child-bearing body.

Be what it may, it's time to accept that "lost youth" and love myself as is. I've seen advertisements for "mommy makeovers" and feel myself repulsed. Motherhood should be a proud moment! Why should I be made to feel ashamed about my less than perfect body. Of course I've fallen prey to some of this. I'm guilty for donning the "mommy swimsuit" and trying to find the perfect cosmetics that might be the secret to the "fountain of youth". Granted, I'm one of the lucky ones who didn't get stretch marks but I do have that tummy pooch, loose skin and deflated post breast feeding sacks that were once perky, oh and the melasma mask of pregnancy... these I call my badges of honor, honored to be a proud mommy of 3 gorgeous boys. So you marketing schmucks who think you're so clever giving cutesy names to what still amounts to invasive surgery, SHAME ON YOU!