(Misty)

Age: 29
# of pregnancies: 3
Age of children: 10, 6, 4

There are a few things I have learned these past 10 years about motherhood:
#1. Creating life is the one experience that brings us the closest to God yet can make a women feel the most disconnected from herself.
#2. Things don’t always go the way we hope or plan.
#3. What bothers you at 20 will change when your 25.
#4. There is attraction in flaws and beauty from ashes, intrigue in scars.

I have 3 wonderful children, my 1st pregnancy 10 years ago was EASY! I was 18 going on 19 and felt great, my birth went quick and smooth, it was a vaginal birth, 7 hours of labor and done, lost the weight fast and absolutely no signs on my body (other than being bustier) that I had given birth… I have always been a scrawny girl, small hips and breasts and super thin waist. After my 1st I went back to exactly that. My 2nd pregnancy was tougher, it was 4 years later… I had my little girl 9 weeks early by csection and felt like a failure! Not only did I feel like I let her down for having her early, but I had to have her cut out surgically- needless to say my birth plan went out the window…this pregnancy I got some stretch marks on my hips and breasts and one on my right abdomen… But again I bounced back quick, the marks faded, you couldn’t even hardly see my c/s scar… Then came #3, he was not planned, but perfect! And he was such a great pregnancy, I went to term without any intervention, 2nd c section… I did not breast feed my 3rd, gained the most with him… Took me about a year to get down to my goal weight, but I managed to hang onto bigger breasts :) which was a plus, I have some loose skin on my abdomen, my abs are no longer “defined”, I have a small hernia in my belly button, previous stretch marks etched a little deeper, my nipples are more oval than circles, I have a “Lip” above my c/s scar which I HATE but it won’t go away no matter what I try, I am still petite but I have some curvier breasts and hips (which I happen to like and my husband says my curves drive him crazy)… Some days I feel super confident and sexy and others I feel insecure and wish I could change some things… But no matter what, those three little people were worth it… Every line, every soft spot, every dimple, every sag connects to a place in my heart :) each day I love myself more and more, I am in better shape than before I ever had kids, I eat healthy, workout 5 days a week and love how my body feels womanly :) bring on my 30s I am ready!!